We Applaud Carl Levin, David Shuster and David Corn and More for Sunday, May 31, 2009

* Senator Carl Levin image licensed under Creative Commons by Center for American Progress

Government won’t release wiretap documents

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31020088/

Gov't Refuses To Release Wiretap Document

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/30/national/main5050785.shtml

Twobama

http://antizendictionary.blogspot.com/2009/05/twobama.html

* Watch Senator Carl Levin Smack Down Chemissions on MSNBC and David Shuster and David Corn smack down on GOP Mouthpiece (Terry Jeffrey) on Government Torture Memos

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/#31005653

Watch Erich Muller (“Mancow”) Defend his Waterboarding “Stunt” (Successfully, we thought…) on Countdown on MSNBC

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#31007282

Informant's role questioned in U.S. security probes

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre54u0q1-us-security-newyork-informants/

Council on American Islamic Relations

http://www.cair.com/

Killer beheaded, put on display in Saudi Arabia

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/05/30/saudi.arabia.execution/index.html

Amnesty International

http://www.amnesty.org/

Thailand tourist's lung tissue 'gone' after mysterious death

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/05/29/thailand.mysterious.deaths/index.html

GM bosses discuss bankruptcy plan

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8075818.stm

Interactive timeline: GM's road to bankruptcy

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30990482

Cadi11ac or Cad11ac

http://antizendictionary.blogspot.com/2009/05/cadi11ac-or-cad11ac.html

Obama speech to Muslims key to new U.S. strategy

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre54u0ow-us-obama-egypt-speech/

Extra U.S. troops in Afghanistan by mid-July

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre54u0lz-us-afghanistan-troops/

US launches cyber security plan

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8073654.stm

NYT: Vying for plum work — Hacking for U.S.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31017234/

Hacking (computer)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker_(computing)

Geithner seeks changes in China’s policies

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31015533/

Merchants brace for drop in business as new border rules go in effect

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/05/31/border-rules.html


Significant Gas Resource Discovered In U.S. Gulf Of Mexico

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090531100819.htm

Unstated Assumptions Color Arctic Sovereignty Claims

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090528135248.htm

Arctic sovereignty

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_sovereignty

Sovereignty

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereignty

Arctic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Convention_on_the_Law_of_the_Sea

Natural gas in the Arctic is mostly Russian

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090529/ap_on_sc/us_sci_arctic_gas;_ylt=ArabgGnx2Mwg8lgo.eM2ZswPLBIF;_ylu=X3oDMTJtNmNmMjJzBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNTI5L3VzX3NjaV9hcmN0aWNfZ2FzBHBvcwMxBHNlYwN5bl9hcnRpY2xlX3N1bW1hcnlfbGlzdARzbGsDbmF0dXJhbGdhc2lu

Satellite Used To Unearth Innovation In Crop Forecasting

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090526171815.htm

AMSR-E satellite

http://weather.msfc.nasa.gov/AMSR/

Carbon capture technology tested

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8072583.stm

Carbon capture and storage

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_capture

Meters go the distance: smart meters are an essential part of a low-carbon energy system

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8055344.stm

Smart meter

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_meter

Canada's swine flu case count rising

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/05/30/swine-flu-canada.html

Newsweek: Why 'Oprah' advice could make you sick

http://www.newsweek.com/id/200025

Noprah

http://antizendictionary.blogspot.com/2009/05/noprah.html

Suu Kyi Ill? and a New Korean War? and More for Friday, May 29, 2009

* Mahmoud Abbas image licensed under Creative Commons by World Economic Forum

Bush defends interrogation program in Michigan speech

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/29/george.bush.speech/index.html

Americans Choose Media Messages That Agree With Their Views

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090528110625.htm

Fox News Channel

http://www.foxnews.com/

Newsweek: Who'll get rich off a GM bankruptcy

http://www.newsweek.com/id/199997

Obama presses Abbas, Israel on West Bank

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30978394/

Mahmoud Abbas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Abbas

North Korea fires short-range missile

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/seo141656-us-korea-north/

N. Korea test-fires another missile

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30994749/

Climate pressure 'building on US'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8073434.stm

Study: Climate change kills 300,000 a year

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30998907/

Lessons From The Past: Research Examines How Past Communities Coped With Climate Change

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090527103528.htm

Climate change

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_Change

Plant To Destroy Nerve Gas Opens In Russia

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/29/world/main5048114.shtml

Report Says US-Russia Threat Reduction Efforts Lack Coordination, Political Will and Cash

http://www.bellona.org/english_import_area/international/russia/nuke-weapons/nonproliferation/27301


Park Plan Could Cost Golden State Some of Its Luster

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Travel/wireStory?id=7705377

Suu Kyi health a 'grave concern'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8073933.stm

Obama: My Campaign Was Hacked Last Year

http://www.cbsnews.com/external/story.php?story=/stories/2009/05/29/link/blog/main5049276.shtml

US to set out cyber security plan

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8073654.stm

"Gumblar" Computer Virus A Growing Threat

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/29/tech/cnettechnews/main5047992.shtml

Gumblar virus

http://news.digitaltrends.com/news-article/20014/gumblar-virus-becoming-a-major-threat

Seven million 'use illegal files'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8073068.stm

Chinese ships 'quit Korea waters'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8073129.stm

Carbon capture technology tested

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8072583.stm

Aker Clean Carbon

http://www.akercleancarbon.com/index.cfm

Obama moves to curb road-building in forests

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090529/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_roadless_forests;_ylt=AvTmbw5.dA7uNp__kF5jGoCs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFlNjlocG03BHBvcwMxMjEEc2VjA2FjY29yZGlvbl9zY2llbmNlBHNsawNvYmFtYW1vdmVzdG8-

Cadi11ac or Cad11ac

http://antizendictionary.blogspot.com/2009/05/cadi11ac-or-cad11ac.html

Camera grid to log number plates

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/whos_watching_you/8064333.stm

Iraq Abuse Photos Almost Surface, Mortgage Delinquencies Rise and More for Thursday, May 28, 2009

* "Fingerprints" image licensed under Creative Commons by bistra1

Report: Iraq abuse photos depict torture, rape

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30978967/

12 Percent Behind On Mortgage, Report Says

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/28/business/main5045607.shtml

Melting Ice Sheets May Threaten Northeast U.S.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090527121055.htm



European Shipping Routes Linked To Locations With High Nitrogen Dioxide Pollution

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090522132001.htm

U.S., South Korea raise alert on North

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30977008/

North Korea

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korea

Obama orders review of government secrets

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30978417/

Interest groups engaged in Sotomayor battle

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30938978/

Dripping 'Blob' Under Western U.S.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090526171813.htm

Global crisis 'hits human rights'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8071347.stm

Amnesty International

http://www.amnesty.org/

Child diabetes cases 'to double'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8068941.stm

Honduras quake kills 4 children, death toll to rise

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre54r1on-us-quake-honduras/

Israel rebuffs US settlement call

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8071491.stm

Pound falls back against dollar

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8071774.stm

Australia swine flu ship isolated

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8071292.stm

Australia admits paying stimulus cash to the dead

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8071299.stm

Opel talks break down in Berlin

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8071268.stm

New tools to fight bad customer service

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/personal/05/28/lw.customer.service/index.html

New scam to empty your bank account

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/personal/05/28/check.scams/index.html

* Cancer patient held at U.S. airport for missing fingerprint

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090527/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_cancer_fingerprints

Capecitabine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capecitabine

Cypherdactyly

http://antizendictionary.blogspot.com/2009/05/cypherdactyly.html

Would have been an 'insult' not to accept seal heart: Gov. Gen.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/05/27/jean-hunt.html

A Memorial Day Posting and More For Friday, May 22, 2009

"a remembrance poppy outside the Suur Rannavärav (Great Coastal Gate)" licensed under Creative Commons by Anosmia


We find this Memorial Day weekend confusing, surreal, consequential, ambiguous and somewhat, well, cold... Our fingers and hands are cold and our minds are slightly numb as we write this posting just a couple of days before Memorial Day.

Ironically, some of our editors, just like many other good folks, will be reporting for unemployment, food aid, food stamps, medical assistance and possibly other kinds of assistance. Just like so many of you. How much more should we lament our war dead knowing that they fought - and died - for our freedom - and our right to fend off starvation and so on by lining up at the public dole? They deserve so much more honor than this. We think they are deserving of a more-than-glorious fate for their country and the other free countries of the world. We do not think that this is exactly what they fought and died for. It is - it seems - just a substitute. They may have and fought and died - indeed, some are right now - for a substitute set of freedoms.

Some things have changed since some of them have died. Like the right of Habeas Corpus. They died for substitutes for habeas corpus. They have died for Habeas Corpus longinquus detineo, Suspensus Habeas Corpus and Extensus Habeas Corpus. They might have died so that our enemies (and theirs) and some innocents might experience ‘Prolonged detention’ and even 'Borderline Torture'. It seems they might have died for a corruption of their original values. A corruption brought about by some of their descendants. Somehow, we think, that has put less value on the lives we lost and never really knew. It makes the loss and losses doubly tragic. There is no joy in writing this - not even for us. It makes us sick to our craw, in some cases. But, there is still some honor left. So, we continue to write. You too, can continue to fight for what they died for. We think these words - which could be our last words - might touch and penetrate even the hardest of hearts. Well, some, not all.

The honored and glorious dead fought and died so that some of us could go on to live in freedom - glorious freedom. Instead, we are visiting the local food bank - or the next nearest one. Or in some cases, our community is closing the local food bank. Some of them are selling their vehicles - and leaving on their feet. Some are losing their homes - and moving into tents or shelters. Many have lost their jobs and paychecks and pensions and funds and so much else. We have misspent so much of our money - their money. We have misspent our lives - and possibly theirs. The next double-tragedy concerns those who have lost awareness of this weekend and its meaning. For many, this weekend means a struggle to remain clothed, fed and sheltered. We are still struggling to be free - and we have no choice.

Things should be looking up - getting better - better for all of us. We are so sorry to report that we don't think it is. We are so sorry to report that the battle may be lost - but we will still have the enemy suffer a renewed policy of prolonged detention. We have given up just a few of our rights this weekend with them - and possibly some innocent victims. Yet we have demagogues, pundits, others and even our leaders (!) roving around making speeches about why this was done and what it accomplished. Good sirs and ladies, we say to you, your accomplishments mean nothing in the eyes of the Lord. Your accomplishments are so far of no meaning to us. They are just piles of dirty rags in the eyes of the Lord and in our eyes. If anything, you have given us a shared vision. A downcast, dejected, shoddy vision of what is now a pile of junk and scrap that is too far gone to be reused and recycled again and again.

Our apologies. We have gone off and off-topic. We were going to do some compare and contrast stuff between the President's national security speech (of yesterday) as analyzed on various channels. Then we remembered - oh, its Memorial Day weekend! And then we remembered what is truly important. And we remembered.

Memorial Day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day

US CO2 goals 'to be compromised'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8061929.stm

Steven Chu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Chu

Pirate Attack On U.S. Cargo Ship Thwarted

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/22/national/main5033068.shtml



Gregory analyzes Cheney, Obama speeches

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/vp/30884765#30884765

David Gregory

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3688588/

On Gitmo, Gates Stands By Obama

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/22/politics/main5033366.shtml

‘Prolonged detention’ (from Rachel)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/30877514#30877514

Rachel

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/

Habeas Corpus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habeas_corpus

Habeas Corpus longinquus detineo

http://antizendictionary.blogspot.com/2009/05/habeas-corpus-longinquus-detineo.html

Cold Fuzzy

http://antizendictionary.blogspot.com/2009/05/non-warm-fuzzies.html

Suspensus Habeas Corpus

http://antizendictionary.blogspot.com/2009/05/suspensus-habeas-corpus.html

Extensus Habeas Corpus

http://antizendictionary.blogspot.com/2009/05/extensus-habeas-corpus.html

O-POD

http://antizendictionary.blogspot.com/2009/05/o-pod-or-i-pod-or-f-pod.html

National security showdown [Countdown’s sanitized (?)version of ‘Prolonged detention’?]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/vp/30876960#30876960

Countdown

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/

‘Borderline’ torture OK’d? (from Rachel)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/30877760#30877760

House, Senate refuse to close Gitmo (from Andrea Mitchell)

javascript:vPlayer('30848916','98e27608-2370-45a3-b8d9-a310e6cb4d64')

Andrea Mitchell

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29974370/

Cigarette companies lose appeal in landmark ruling

http://www.yahoo.com/s/1075254

Swine flu will keep spreading globally: WHO chief

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/05/22/swine-flu-who.html


Swine flu genes circulated undetected for years

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30886851/

CDC to swimmers: Don't pee in the pool!

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/22/pools.urinate.hygiene/index.html

CDC

http://www.cdc.gov/

Face Protection Effective In Preventing The Spread Of Influenza, Study Suggests

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090520161332.htm


New Vaccine Strategy Might Offer Protection Against Pandemic Influenza Strains

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518120954.htm


Children Who Get Flu Vaccine Have Three Times Risk Of Hospitalization For Flu, Study Suggests

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090519172045.htm

Safe For Passengers With Lung Disease To Travel By Air, Study Suggests

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090519075418.htm

New credit card limitations in US

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8063108.stm

Newsweek: Why can't we all get bailouts?

http://www.newsweek.com/id/198771

When Beggars Make House Calls

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=7648488

Obama plans more open government

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8063040.stm

Computer virus hits U.S. Marshals, FBI

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30882735/

Hijacking Clicks On The Internet

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/22/tech/cnettechnews/main5033555.shtml

Clickjacking

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clickjacking


U.S. state seeks laid-off traders to teach math

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre54l2w1-us-financial-traders-teachers/

Arrests in Chinese slavery case

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8063038.stm

Pope on Facebook in attempt to woo young believers

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre54l3as-us-pope-facebook/

Toddler buys earthmover in online auction

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30885324/

References: ‘Prolonged detention’ , Rachel, Habeas Corpus, National security showdown, Countdown, House, Senate refuse to close Gitmo, Andrea Mitchell, Suspensus Habeas Corpus and Extensus Habeas Corpus.

Is Obama like Twobama and Bushama? and More for Thursday, May 21, 2009

Bushama image on image licensed under Creative Commons by Image Editor

Not to raise too much ire, contempt or otherwise non-warm-fuzzies, we ask the question today (in this posting and in our sister publication - The Anti-Zen Dictionary): is President Obama really two people? Not clinically, but is his private/political persona different from his public/political persona? That is, when you or we see him on the public dais, is that the Wysiwyg? (Or - God help us - another new word - the Wysiwygama...aughh).

This sort of thing happens quite often in public figures (and private figures) and their personalities - sometimes with disastrous consequences. Look at the late Richard M. Nixon, wandering the halls of the White House until the wee hours of the morning talking with the presidential portraits of Washington and Lincoln? Is Obama doing the same? - we hope not. (Stewie: Yes we do! Yes we do!. Handbook: Stop it!). Look at Paul Rubens and Jimmy Piersall - to name some really disastrous consequents. Nah! That could never happen! (This is all just Reductio ad absurdum. No, honest! Really, it is!).

Just what the hell are we talking about? We're referring to the "breaking news" seen on Rachel (last night, Wednesday, May 20, 2009) regarding a report from the great Michael Isikoff. Mr. I. delivered a report on Obama Secret Meeting w Human Rights Groups wherein he (Mr. I.) revealed that a decidedly two-sided "argument" took place between O-POD and these groups. Sorry, we don't think the groups were specifically named, but we're ready to bet that the ACLU is at least one of them due to their current interest in Gitmo. (We're hoping AI is one of the others).

To us, what was most interesting, were the story captions inserted OVER the "crawl", like: "Obama and HR Groups Clashed in Secret (White House) Meetings", "Obama Gave No Ground on Military Prosecutions and or Torture Prosecutions" and "HR Member Tells Obama He's Letting Bush's Policies Become His". Wow! Shock and insult! Talk about spitting in the President's eye! Whew! Mr. Obama is expectedly giving his explanations today (perhaps you've already seen it...).

Of course, forewarned is forearmed. Perhaps Mr. Obama had the foresight and the information to see that his largely Democratic Congress was not going to support him on the promise to close Gitmo. He knew he had no support on this one front and chose to go it against the tide? He doesn't have to worry about swimming against this tide, there are plently of life preservers in this version of the Presidential Swimming Pool (albeit, an ocean-sized swimming pool...). We may all be treading (figuratively) in the waters off of Gitmo for some time.

Markets fall as growth hopes fade

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8060842.stm

Obama: Gitmo a ‘mess,’ ‘misguided’

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30860366/ns/politics-white_house/

Michael Isikoff on Rachel Maddow (5/20/09) on Obama Secret Meeting w Human Rights Groups

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show#30856294

Michael Isikoff

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Isikoff

Rachel

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show

Twobama

http://antizendictionary.blogspot.com/2009/05/twobama.html

Bushama

http://antizendictionary.blogspot.com/2009/04/bushama.html



Guantanamo Bay detention camp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guantanamo_Bay_detention_camp

New York 'bomb gang' due in court

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8061772.stm

Obama on Guantanamo strategy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7926658.stm

Tanzanian to face US trial

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8060806.stm

Ahmed Ghailani

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Ghailani

Intruder had "vision" Suu Kyi in danger: lawyer

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre54k04m-us-myanmar-suukyi/

Mexican cartels break open new front in drugs war

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/n11404938-us-mexico-drugs/

Arsenic In Irrigation Water Is Transferred To Crops

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090513121417.htm


Swine Flu Risk Linked To Arsenic Exposure

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090520151436.htm

Arsenic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenic

H1N1 flu must be global before Phase 6: WHO chief

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre54k1wq-us-flu-who-pandemic/

Swine Flu And Other New Infectious Diseases -- What's The Risk?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090519104111.htm

Over 52? You may be protected from swine flu

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30795846/ns/health-swine_flu/

Myanmar closes Suu Kyi hearing again

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30850368/ns/world_news-asiapacific/



Gurkhas win right to settle in UK

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8060607.stm

Gurkha

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurkha

Websites 'keeping deleted photos'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8060407.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8060407.stm