What Fires You Up?

3/21/2003

 

Blogs Iraq Direct and Indirect
This one is by a young woman named Salam, reporting frequently from her home in Bagdhad. Quite a good read - "you are there" and then good links: Where is Raed?

The Wacky Iraqi is a humor mag but they are now reporting frequently any war news and links

adnan organization blog (a good personal blog with good design, excellent links, anti-war)

Iraq Body Count is a site that attempts to count civilian casualties from a huge variety of sources. Has a javascript web counter available for any web host to use.

From the World News Network, Iraq Dailyhas "news" from the US POV and pretty photos

Global Security organization has many links and articles collected from around the world about any potentially-dangerous site and commentary about WMD, violent upheaval. This site is from Alexandria, VA and is getting more than 1 million hits per day. Some excellent articles - read "US Friendly Fire".

Disinfopedia is the "encyclopedia of propaganda", a project of the PR Watch organization. Read the Homeland Security Advisory Council historyto see the log of public statements and a record of revisions to the statements! Keeps track of rapidly-"changing" information from inside the US!
Disinfopedia is a project of PR Watch / Center for Media & Democracy, 520 University Ave., Suite 310, Madison, WI 53703; phone (608) 260–9713; email editor@prwatch.org

Spin of the Dayis a link from disinfopedia to a frequently-updated page of PR Watch. Here is a sample article presented and the link:

"As the first bombs rain down on Baghdad, CorpWatch has learned that thousands of employees of Halliburton, Vice President Dick Cheney's former company, are working alongside United States troops in Kuwait and Turkey under a package deal worth close to a billion dollars. According to US Army sources, they are building tent cities and providing logistical support for the war in Iraq in addition to other hot spots in the 'war on terrorism.'" CorpWatch writes. "While recent news coverage has speculated on the post-war reconstruction gravy train that corporations like Halliburton stand to gain from, this latest information indicates that Halliburton is already profiting from war time contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars." Source: CorpWatch, March 20, 2003
Making a Killing on the WarPR Watch Discussion Forumlink on this post

Corp Watchis a site with the motto "Holding Corporations Accountable"

BTW, comments are always welcome here in the blog - just click on the "poseurs" link and a text field will appear for you. Cobalt suggests that no personal identification be made, but comments only. Hope to see "you" online!

BJ 3/21/2003 08:01:00 AM

3/20/2003

 

War marks the end of America we knew http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/columnists/leonard_pitts/5434358.htm The Miami Herald, Columnist Leonard Pitts Jr.
Leonard Pitts Jr. for The Miami Herald Posted on Thu, Mar. 20, 2003

''Lord knows there's got to be a better way.'' -- Edwin Starr, from the song ``War''
"And so it begins.

A surgical strike against a ''target of opportunity'' as these words are written. Perhaps more by the time they are read. We stand upon the very doorstep of war.

And, just as critically, upon the doorstep of change.

Because these events represent more than just the end of peace. They are also the end of the America we have known.

[Edited - please go to link for entire post]

As a result, we stand on the edge of a change that feels fundamental, profound and permanent. We are a giant that is no longer inclined to watch its step. Less involved with or concerned by the world around us. We are becoming a go-it-alone nation, a don't-give-a-damn-what-anybody-else-says nation. And ultimately, because of that, a frightening nation.

The country for which the world wept in September of 2001 is now the country much of the world fears. For many people, the most dangerous man on the planet is not Hussein, but Bush.

[Edited]
Time will tell. In the meantime, bombs fall. Missiles fly. And in the thunder of their explosions, the old America passes.

Those of us who loved her watch and weep from the doorstep of change."

BJ 3/20/2003 08:33:00 AM

3/19/2003

 

Patriot Act "Comes Home" to Citizen

"Last week, I met with my broker to discuss my retirement fund investments. The changes I wanted to make required me to fill out a new form required by the new Patriot Act. The new 6 page form replaced the previous 3-page form. It's questions went far beyond those previously ask. It demanded a history of my life: marriage status, past employers, family members, how many years had I had been saving money, and other personal questions. I was astonished and confounded by the apparent lack of relevance to what I was proposing to do: change some of my investments."

This post today in a forum many Fired Up Friends belong to was most telling: thank you "BBB" for bringing this up today. How many more such stories will come out, now that the War on Iraq will take our attention away from "details"?
Analysis of the Patriot Act http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/Terrorism_militias/20011031_eff_usa_patriot_analysis.html

BJ 3/19/2003 11:48:00 AM

3/18/2003

 

LINKS UP-TO-DATED
This post is a recommendation to view many excellent organizations and web pages devoted to deterrance of war and opposition to the Bush Administration policies. It is important and urgent for friends around the world to be aware that there are massive numbers of Americans who do not believe as the Bush folks do, are horrified about impending invasion, and have significant difficulty dealing with fascist strategies, even internal! The loss of American civil liberties and freedoms is appalling, and will be moreso if "Patriot Act II" passes in legislation. Read Michael Moore's "An Open Letter from Michael Moore to George W. Bush on the Eve of War" in his website: Bowling for Columbine

Here is the link to the new Impeach President Bush organization headed by our former US Attorney, Ramsey Clark: Vote to Impeach Also see the links on this page with the documents prepared for submission to Judicial Committee. And subordinates like Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney are not to escape, either.

The Vote No to War organization has a good site up and going gang-busters. This evening I will come back with a blockquote of links - stay tuned and please get your "news" from a variety of news sources inside the US and OUTSIDE the US. It is vital to accept nothing at face value!

BJ 3/18/2003 11:53:00 AM

3/17/2003

 

"With Ears and Eyes Closed"
Today's editorial in the NYTimes is succinct and good reading. It seems the world has no say and the inevitable will come down very soon. Bob Herbert editorial in the New York Times today, 3/17/03

BJ 3/17/2003 06:20:00 AM