Hayden sworn in at CIA; Plans huge spying effort -- on Americans

This is not getting out of hand. It's way beyond that now. We are watching our rights, our privacy, our Constitution, our nation -- crumble before our very eyes. So this is what the death of democracy feels like. For me it feels like numb, helpless outrage. Are you ready for the latest outrage?

Here it is, from Capitol Hill Blue:

Now that he is officially sworn in as the new head of the Central Intelligence Agency, Gen. Michael Hayden plans to build a vast domestic spying network that will pry into the lives of most Americans around the clock.

President George W. Bush told Hayden to "take whatever steps necessary" to monitor Americans 24/7 by listening in on their phone calls, bugging their homes and offices, probing their private lives, snooping into their financial records and watching their travel habits.

Can I prove this in a court of law? No. Do I know it is happening? Yes, without a doubt. Enough sources within the CIA, FBI, NSA and Pentagon have come forward in recent days to warn about Hayden's plans for an expanded, consolidated spy network aimed at Americans, not terrorists, and violating numerous laws that prohibit such activities against citizens of this country.

"What Hayden plans to do is not only illegal, it is immoral," says a longtime CIA operative who may retire early rather than participate in what he sees as an illegal extension of the spy agency's activities.

The article goes on to mention that resignations are at an all-time high at The Agency. The reporter, Doug Thompson, wishes he could prove this to us. I guess we have to take his word for it for now. But would I be surpised if every word were true? Not one bit.

I wish I could prove this. I wish one, just one, source on the inside was willing to come forward and allow his or her name to be used but those who might be tempted see what happened to Mary McCarthy, the CIA employee fired and under threat of prosecution for leaking information about CIA torture camps in Europe.

But I know it is happening. People I've known for years and trust tell me it is happening and the past record of spying, lies and deceit by the Bush administration point to just such an operation.

This nation is under attack. We, the people, are under attack. And the enemy in this case is not an Islamic radical hiding in a cave in Afghanistan but a cabal of truly evil men and women at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and on Capitol Hill aided by carefully-picked, law-ignoring appointees at the Hoover Building on Pennsylvania Avenue, a black glass-walled building at Fort Meade, MD, and a complex in Langley, Virginia.

Not the normally sedate language we're used to reading in the press. But he's right. We are under attack. Let me say it again:

We Are Under Attack. By Our Own Government.

Don't try this at home kids

Oh man, that guy thought he was sooooo cool for about 5 seconds. Then, notice at the end how he has to roll off the truck and onto the concrete. Smooth, right? Well, not quite. Look how he almost gets crushed by the rear tire of his truck after the truck plows into the telephone pole.

Pretty fuckin' funny, though. I enjoyed the part where he almost died. Seriously -- this is just so fucking stupid. What if some little girl decided to ride her bike into the street right as this numbskull was getting onto his windshield? She could've been flattened, and this his little joke wouldn't be so funny, would it? Ah well, not that I'm totally against "riding the whip" -- I just don't think you should do it in urban or suburban areas. Go out in the sticks, man!

...After you fix your truck, that is.

So, we catch any terrorists yet?

...Or have we only managed to infringe on the rights of 300 million Americans?

The NSA surveillance program is not about catching terrorists. Don't ever let anybody tell you otherwise. It's not going to work if they don't listen to the calls themselves (they do). Their data mining is worthless unless they attach to it other information such as your social security number, medical records, financial records and criminal history.

No, the reason why they're monitoring all of us is because the paranoid, fascist, psychopaths in charge of the country think that there are 300 million potential terrorists out there. Of course, when they say "terrorist" they mean anybody who doesn't agree with the Bush clan. That means, Democrats, libertarians, academics, certain members of the media, teachers, those crazy Hollywood liberals, anybody who uses the internet, and of course, grandmothers. Ooohhh!! What a scary bunch!

Of course, with Bush's polls in the lower 30s, you can add a good chunk of his Republican base to the list. As his numbers continue to spiral downwards Bush will get more and more paranoid and he will actually turn on his base and attack former friends. It should be amusing to watch.

The whole immigration debate is a good example of how Bush will be forced to choose one side of his base over the other. Corporations love illegal immigration because it provides cheap labor. Social conservatives hate illegal immigration because they don't like brown people and they think those brown people might be stealing their jobs (and they're probably right, since the corporations love cheap labor, like I said). So, who will Bush side with? He's gonna piss off somebody; that's a given. But in the end, I think Bush will side with the corporations since they are his bread and butter. The social conservatives thought he was one of them; they thought wrong. Again.

Personally, I could give a fuck as long as they don't build a Great Wall of Terror between the US and Mexico. That would just be stupid. Yes, illegal immigration is a problem, but let's not overreact here. What we need are more workers visas for Mexico. Most illegal immigrants actually return home after sending a bunch of cash back to Mexico. This creates economic problems in Mexico, of course. I really don't know what the ideal solution is; I just hope GW doesn't annex Mexico.

Trying to get your records from the NSA...

...is not easy. However, I wish this guy a lot of luck in his endeavour. I hope he appeals and wins. I think the justification he needs to use is pretty obvious: It's his data.

Holy shit, it's hot today

Weather.com says it's 97 degrees Fahrenheit right now in my neck of the woods. It's hot! Sweaty-ass hot. Real hot; damn hot!

But, personally, I like the heat. Even when it's that sticky heat where your clothes are stuck to your skin by virtue of the fact that your skin is completely covered in a fine layer of sweat. Yeah, it's awful, but I like to think of it as my own personal, portable suana.

It's supposed to hit 100°F soon. I can't wait! :-)

Desperate, Grasping, Insanity of the Bush Administration

Okay, check this gallant argument out:

The Bush administration has asked federal judges in New York and Michigan to dismiss a pair of lawsuits filed over the National Security Agency's domestic eavesdropping program, saying litigating them would jeopardize state secrets.

In papers filed late Friday, Justice Department lawyers said it would be impossible to defend the legality of the spying program without disclosing classified information that could be of value to suspected terrorists.

National Intelligence Director John Negroponte invoked the state secrets privilege on behalf of the administration, writing that disclosure of such information would cause "exceptionally grave damage" to national security.

The administration laid out some of its supporting arguments in classified memos that were filed under seal.

So lemme get this straight. Not only is Bush saying that the spying program is so secret that they can't tell us what it's for, their legal justifications are themselves secret. WTF?!

That says to me that this adminstration is so desperate that they would sink to nothing more than a lowly tug-of-war over power. And that is not a good sign.

The possibility of a Bush coup has occurred to me on more than one occasion. They're such a slimy bunch I consider it a disturbingly likely scenario. I hope it won't come to that. But their line of argument (which is that their argument is classified!) is patently ridiculous. I smell a rat. What are they hiding from us?

What if the truth of why they're spying on us is too horrible for them to ever reveal? Just like the true reason we went to war in Iraq. Or the truth of the 2001 anthrax attacks? Who knows? Not me. But I have my suspicions. I mean, the Bush gang hasn't exactly been the most trustworthy; ever, really. They pulled some dirty tricks to get into power in the first place, like what they did to John McCain in 2000.

I hope it's hot in DC this summer. Sweltering hot. I hope the full power of the awful stink in Washington is revealed to everyone there, because the only people who seem to be in the dark about Washington corruption are the Washington insiders who are so often turning out the lights. In this case the Bush Administration is not only turning off every light it can find, it's also smashing them so we can't turn them back on. The shards of the lights of truth will surely cut the Constitution to shreds if we let that beast continue to attack the light. You know what I'm sayin'?

Just a cheerful reminder

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

George W. Bush
8-5-2004

Hastert lashes out at FBI, ABC News and anybody who looks at him funny

Wow, can you say "desperation"? He's like a cornered rat, showing his teeth and trying to gouge anybody who comes anywhere near him.

Dennis Hastert is accusing the FBI of deliberately leaking the story that ABC news ran with earlier today. He's also threatening to sue ABC News for defamation. Lucky for him, he's got a friend in Bush, who sealed the records the FBI seized from William Jefferson's office for 45 days:

President George W. Bush on Thursday ordered records seized from Louisiana Democratic Rep. William Jefferson's office to be sealed for 45 days in order to work out a dispute over the documents with the U.S. Congress.

Leaders of the House of Representatives are outraged that the FBI seized a computer hard drive and two boxes of papers from Jefferson's office. They contend the search violated the constitutional separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches.

In a statement, Bush said he was taking the unusual step of directing the Justice Department to seal all the materials recovered from Jefferson's office last weekend for the next 45 days.

That is unusual. That gives Hastert and Jefferson 45 days to get ready for the shit that is about to go down. You know, this morning I wasn't sure how deep Hastert was in this mess, but from his reaction it's starting to look like he's neck deep in this shit. That shouldn't come as a surprise, however, since he was probably chosen by Tom DeLay for his post as Speaker of the House.

Keep an eye on Hastert as this story progresses. Who knows where it will lead.

Guilty!!

Man, this is why we have electric chairs, right? Okay, that might be a little much, but it's still good to know that these two crooks are going to jail:

Former Enron Corp. chiefs Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling were convicted Thursday of conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud in a case born from one of the biggest business scandals in U.S. history.

The verdict put the blame for the demise of what was once the nation's seventh-largest company squarely on its top two executives. It came in the sixth day of deliberations following a trial that lasted nearly four months.

Burn, fuckers, burn. Their shenanigans have ruined the lives of many employees and investors. Now it's time to pay.

Actually, my earlier comment about electric chairs is actually quite apt since Enron was largely responsible for the rolling blacks out in California a few years ago.

The system seems to be working today. What a pleasant change. Now we just get 10 years of appeals and blah blah blah. Oh well. The important thing is the message that corporate crooks are not above the law. We still have to await sentencing, though, so it remains to be seen how much time they will serve.

Hastert Under Investigation for Corruption?

ABC News' The Blotter is reporting that Hastert might be under investigation for his role in the Abramoff scandals:

Federal officials say the Congressional bribery investigation now includes Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, based on information from convicted lobbyists who are now cooperating with the government.

Part of the investigation involves a letter Hastert wrote three years ago, urging the Secretary of the Interior to block a casino on an Indian reservation that would have competed with other tribes.

The other tribes were represented by convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff who reportedly has provided details of his dealings with Hastert as part of his plea agreement with the government.

Oh keep singing, Jackie-boy! Keep on singing. Let's nail all of these bastards. If you are corrupt, as I believe the majority of Congress is, then you should pay for it. We can't just let these weasels run amok in our government; there has to be some accountability.

So, did anybody wonder why Hastert was sticking up for a corrupt Democrat the other day? Well now you know the answer. He's worried about his own office getting raided by the FBI. Unfortunately, the Jefferson raid has tipped him off, so he'll no doubt be hiding any incriminating evidence in the weeks ahead.

The Blotter also has an update on the Hastert connection:

Despite a flat denial from the Department of Justice, federal law enforcement sources tonight said ABC News accurately reported that Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert is "in the mix" in the FBI investigation of corruption in Congress.

Speaker Hastert said tonight the story was "absolutely untrue" and has demanded ABC News retract its story.

Law enforcement sources told ABC News that convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff has provided information to the FBI about Hastert and a number of other members of Congress that have broadened the scope of the investigation. Sources would not divulge details of the Abramoff’s information.

Oh I love it: "a number of other members of Congress..." Get them all! There's obviously tons of corruption in our government, but only now do they seem to be actively investigating it. Getting Abramoff to rollover and start singing was a major score. He was right in the middle of things and he knows all the major players at the congressional level. As a lobbyist, that's his job.

Speaking of lobbyists, the problems with our government and its endemic corruption can be traced to these professional lobbyists, whose job seems to consist of bribing congresspeople in the way closest to "legal" as possible. Obviously, they have to step over the boundary quite a bit. The system seems to encourage this corruption -- at least, it seems systemic to me.

Personally, I think lobbying should be illegal. Just flat out, ILLEGAL. I think it's just wrong. It's quasi-legal bribery. It corrupts our government at every level by giving a huge advantage to the rich and powerful who can afford these lobbyists -- you just know that Abramoff and his firm charges over a hundred bucks an hour. Shit, I bill at $115 an hour (for my firm) and I'm just a web designer. Abramoff probably charged over $200/hour... okay, I just googled it. It's worse than I thought: He was billing up to $750 per hour!).

The rest of us are effectively locked out of the Washington-game if we can't pony-up the obscene amount of money it costs to bribe -er, I mean "lobby" a congressman. Is that fair? Is that democracy?

If we don't clean up the system now, we're gonna have to deal with it again later. It won't be long before the snakes are back, and shit, the Bush cabal is still in charge and they're more corrupt than anybody. We need massive systemic change in Washington or our democracy is effectively over.

Cheney Might have to Testify in Libby's Trial

Reuters is running a story on the wire that quotes Fitzgerald as saying that Cheney's feelings on the matter are directly relevant to the case.

Could this be a prelude to a Cheney indictment? A guy can hope.

"At the time, the vice president, rather than other potential witnesses, was upset that his personal credibility had been attacked unfairly in his view," Fitzgerald said.

...(snip)...

In the court filing, Fitzgerald said Libby has acknowledged that the vice president directed him "to get out to the public all the facts" in response to the article.

"Therefore, the state of mind of the vice president as communicated to defendant is directly relevant to the issue of whether defendant knowingly made false statements to federal agents and the grand jury regarding when and how he learnt about Ms. Wilson's employment and what he said to reporters regarding this issue," Fitzgerald said in the court filing.

Oh man. He is so guilty. Cheney that is. Of course Libby is guilty; he was just following Cheney's orders, like any good right-hand-man should do. In this case, though, they overplayed their hand and got caught. Well, maybe they just got sloppy. They fight so dirty with detractors, you have to wonder why Cheney and Co. are filled with so much hate.

A Superfund Site in the Sky -- 9/11 Still Kills

Boy, this is creepy. From the article:

The vacant 41-story former Deutsche Bank AG building looms above ground zero, contaminated with toxic waste and still holding tiny body parts more than four years after the trade center collapsed onto it on Sept. 11, 2001. Removing it from the landscape has become a more challenging task than cleaning up the twin towers.

"That's more or less a vertical Superfund site, and we're living right next to it," said neighborhood resident Esther Regelson, referring to a federal program for cleaning up the nation's most polluted industrial sites. She is concerned that taking down the building improperly will contaminate the area even more.

I think I feel another rant coming on, but I will try to bite my tongue. The short version is this: After 9/11 the Bush administration pushed the EPA to say everything was A-OK in New York, probably because they didn't want to evacuate the whole city for years while they cleaned it up (is New Orleans, post-Katrina, a karmic punishment for this move?). Well, guess what -- the air wasn't safe, the dust was certainly not safe and people are starting to die from Sept. 11-related ailments, such as lung cancer. The Twin Towers were huge liabilities even before they fell because they were filled with asbestos (and other toxins like mercury, lead and fiberglass). Now it seems that the 9/11 death toll might start slowly creeping up if you count people who were exposed to toxic air/materials in the days right afterward.

Almost 5 years later 9/11 is still a forceful event, and the punch it packs can bring death to those who were there that fateful day. There are still many questions about that day that have yet to be fully answered...

Congressional Criminals Stick Together

There has rarely been any bipartisanship in Congress for the last several years, but when it comes to defending a scumbag, bribe-accepting piece of shit like William Jefferson, congressional criminals of both parties came together to defend his right to piss on the Constitution while enriching himself illegally.

In a rare display of concern for a member of the opposition party, Republican congressional leaders on Tuesday rose to the defense of a Democratic congressman under investigation on bribery allegations, accusing the Justice Department of improperly searching his Capitol Hill office.

"In getting a search warrant to raid an office in a separate branch of the government--it has never happened in the history of our country," Boehner told reporters. He predicted the matter would end up across the street at the Supreme Court.

They've never searched a Congresscritter's office before. And they think the American people are gonna give a shit about this? Tell ya what, Boehner: You want my support? Here's what I support: I think the FBI should raid every single congressperson's office without a warrant or any just cause. Why? Well, why don't we ask you and the Bush administration why you decided the NSA should spy on every single American's private phone calls without a warrant or any just cause.

You want my support for your privacy, Boehner/Hastert/Jefferson? Fuck You. Fuck you for stealing my privacy. Fuck you for destroying the Constitution for short-term political gain. How 'bout you guarantee Americans their privacy and then we can talk. Until then, I hope the FBI raids every single fucking one of you.

Do I sound bitter? Well, then maybe you should look out for the rights of all Americans next time (not just the right of the Bush cabal to do whatever the fuck it wants!) like you swore to do, and you won't be in this situation. After all, when you attack my rights, you are simultaneously attacking your rights. Or were you too stupid and greedy to figure that out?

The "culture of corruption" seems to have enveloped both parties. There's probably no hope for America, folks. The system is rigged. Because of redistricting, the major parties have strangled the support any minor parties might've had, and pretty much guaranteed that the incumbents of both parties will be reelected. Did you know that House incumbents successfully retain their seat 98% of the time? Whether or not our elections are rigged is not up for debate. Gerrymandering is now seen "just the way things are."

With gerrymandering rampant, corruption at all levels, big money dominance, and possible election fraud, the concerned citizen is left to conclude: WE ARE FUCKED.

It's time for another revolution.

My Softball Team Won!

Which is a bit of a shock, really. We're pretty awful, but every now and then we rock. Okay, we're not that bad, but we were just on a 4 game losing streak and we needed that win so bad. We beat a team of cops, calling themselves The Blues. We are much more interestingly titled: the Strokes.

It was a decisive and inspiring victory. Let's hope there's more where that came from.

FCC Refuses to Investigate NSA Spying Claims

Is it any wonder why I hate and distrust our government? Raw Story has details about yet another nail in the coffin of democracy. At least they're being honest and saying, "nope, we're not gonna even try to investigate." I suppose that's slightly better than the sham investigation of intelligence failures leading to the Iraq War, led by Mr. Coverup, Pat Roberts.

Roberts is nothing more than a tool of Bush cabal, helpfully blocking serious investigations into matters of the utmost importance. His toadying has helped Bush stay above the fray and continue to make policy when he should be fending off impeachment charges. Without Roberts standing in the way we would have much clearer picture of why we went to war in 2003. Of course, we already know the general outline. Bush is building an American Empire. Iran is next.

The fact that the FCC will vigorously investigate the Janet Jackson SuperBowl nipplegate fiasco, but refuses to even try and investigate the worldwide NSA-spying ring, shows just how depraved they really are. The FCC has clearly been packed with hardcore Bush loyalists (as has nearly every part of the government), who care nothing for our constitutional principles. Covering Bush's ass is their only role.

It seems nothing has changed since Michael Powell left. Not that we can say that Clinton was at all innocent in this deadly game. His recent schmoozing with Bush Sr. shows that he is very much a party to this criminal enterprise and I'm sure he helped lay the groundwork for the present travesty when he was in office. The only difference is that Clinton operated with some subtlety, whereas the Bush clan seems to have taken off the gloves. A question to ponder: Why is the Bush cabal so desperate? They don't even do a half-assed job of covering up their crimes. Of course, they rarely get nailed for it, so I guess there's your answer right there. They own the government, top to bottom. 9/11 bought it for them, and they intend to keep it. But why are they so determined to cause trouble? How did such a driven group of fascists manage to attain power in America, anyway?

Well, it certainly has nothing to do with the fact that Americans are overworked, stressed out, or vegged out in front of the TV, does it? A recurring theme in my posts, for sure. But an important point if you wish to understand why we're in the middle of a constitutional crisis.

A Nation of Criminals. A Government of Kings.

Wired has pried open Door 641A and taken a good long look. Here is a document from whistle-blower Mark Klein (pdf) who previously worked for AT&T as a technician. He fears the secret room was splitting the fiber optic cables carrying our internet data and sending the other half to the NSA for monitoring. He figured the project started with the Total Information Awareness program, which was supposedly defunded. Well, now the NSA is holding our electronic leash. Boy, they sure do wish to control us, don't they? What's with the desperation on their part? The whole government spying deal was supposed to be a conspiracy theory.... one that just about everyone believed. Well, now it's true and it has been revealed as such and it's staring us right in the face.

What are we gonna do about it?

What could they possibly want such an enormous information-burden for? There's no need to spy on ALL of us! The government already knows what risk factors to look for when it comes to identifying terrorists, criminals, revolutionaries, you name it. Why would they decide to cast the net so far and wide unless their goal was to criminalize all of us?

Do you know the best way to get a person to act like a criminal?

Treat them like one.

... That's my suspicion anyway. You know, a firefighter only has a job when fires are burning. In the same way, a cop only has a job if there's crime and a warrior only has a job if there's a war on. Are you pickin' up what I'm layin' down?

It wouldn't be the first time; politicians are known to create problems so they have something to solve... after the election... assuming they are elected. And if they aren't, why solve it? Why not create problems for your opponent? Then he does the same thing for you. Pretty soon, while you're squabbling like dogs, the public is drowning in a sea of problems that you were supposed to solve, not create!

That's how we get the super-bad problems like the War on Drugs problem. The problem of the fact that demagogues and idiots made a war on drug-users, is far worse than the problem of simple drug use and abuse. The War on Terror is similar in that it will never end, it is not intended to end, and even though war has been declared on an object (drugs) or tactic (terrorism), the things that suffer most in the war are people -- mostly innocent bystanders in a war between shadowy groups who both fight and support each other. The collateral damage is mostly the result of people getting caught in the middle of those two groups (the government and the criminals) and paying the ultimate price in a war that did not need to be fought.

We are ruled by a political class that rule us as if they were kings, walking amongst the mere mortal peasants. They are sheltered from the world's injustices and deprivations. They are inducted into a society of the well-to-do because there is no other social class for which they are fit. They have never really grown up, and so we peasants must suffer through the elite's tiresome games, such as the war on drugs and the supposed war on terror, which seem to be much more of a war on the people. Another thing both of these demagogic wars have in common is that they are designed to erode our freedoms and our privacy by justifying it with the old saw, "need the tools to catch the bad guys." Cops and Robbers for adults. Innocents are arrested so that the cops can have their fun. Meanwhile the criminals get away with it. The justice system spits them back out on the streets. After all, we'd have to lay off cops if there was no crime. The cycle goes on endlessly. Meanwhile, the rest of us are caught in the middle of this evil maelstrom, rocked about on waves of uncertainty and strife.

They're building a system of control, people! Wake up before it's too late!! They want to include all of us in their little game! Run and hide if you want, but they can still catch you; they have the technology. Fiber optic splitters to steal our communications, and televisions to assure us that it's alright, no need to worry....

[szghk]

bszzzzzzshshh! |/<>\| [crackle]

[wavy lines].... you are feeling.... sleepy. Content. Open. Let us in.....

Things are fine. We're here to protect you... from the terrorists. The terrorists hate your freedom. They're coming for you; only we can protect you from an enemy that exists all around you. Any one of your neighbors could be a spy or a terrorist or a commie, or even Irish. Be sure to turn them in at your local FBI office.

We're listening anyway, so you might as well.

Coming up next, a pitbull dances with a lobster and a hyena! Wait 'til you see this!. ., After these messages.--

Did I just sleep for 12 hours?

Yes. Yes, I did.

I told you I was exhausted! Damn! I had a busy week and now I can finally catch up on some sleep. Of course, it's back to work tomorrow. Personally, I think we should have 4 day work weeks, with a 3 day weekend - every week. That's how life was meant to be lived! And fuck this 40 hour week shit. 30 hours is plenty.

Don't you wish I was in charge of this planet?

Tired

Whoa. Just got back from band practice. We did some serious jamming and I'm fuckin' exhausted. Thought I'd say goodnight before I head off to bed.

Ward Sutton rocks

He's just too good. It almost hurts me! Any residual dreams of being a cartoonist die when I look at his stuff. I'll stick to music. But I don't mind, since I get to read such good work. The whole Scooby-Doo setting is brilliant.

Snuggly the Security Bear

We're spying on you because we love you!

It's not scary; it's security!

Bonds hits number 714

Ties Babe Ruth.

Does anybody really care? Babe Ruth did it without steroids. All he had were steaks and beer. Barry Bonds is a 'roid-ragin' cheater.

Truthout Apologizes on Rove Indictment Story

But does not retract the story.

According to an earlier post, they have received additional confirmation:

...Further, both Corallo and Luskin denied Leopold's account of events at the offices of Patton Boggs, the law firm that represents Karl Rove. They specifically stated again that no such meeting ever occurred, that Fitzgerald was not there, that Rove was not there, and that a major meeting did not take place. Both men were unequivocal on that point.

We can now report, however, that we have additional, independent sources that refute those denials by Corallo and Luskin. While we had only our own sources to work with in the beginning, additional sources have now come forward and offered corroboration to us.

We have been contacted by at least three reporters from mainstream media - network level organizations - who shared with us off-the-record confirmation and moral support. When we asked why they were not going public with this information, in each case they expressed frustration with superiors who would not allow it.

The last paragraph is what's most interesting to me. Why wouldn't they run with it? Include Luskin's denials as part of the story and put that fucker on the wire. Oh well, it might've been wrong anyway. But it is interesting that they've received more corroboration, including from mainstream media. It's not possible that the indictment is under a gag order, is it?

Further on they state:

We reported that Patrick Fitzgerald had, "instructed one of the attorneys to tell Rove that he has 24 business hours to get his affairs in order...." That does not mean that at the end of that 24-hour period, Fitzgerald is obliged to hold a press conference and make an announcement. It just means that he has given Rove a 24-hour formal notification. Fitzgerald is not obliged to make an announcement at any point; he does so at his own discretion, and not if it compromises his case. So we're all stuck waiting here. Grab some coffee.

So basically, it could be another year before Fitzgerald formally indicts Rove, or before he formally announces it. The last grand jury lasted 18 months if I remember correctly. It could be awhile, folks.

Will Oil Hit $100 a Barrel?

BusinessWeeks says it could happen even without a break in the supply.

They don't explicitly mention Peak Oil, but it's a subtext.

Given no shortage of crude oil in storage, the only explanation for the current spike is that the physical market's leverage on price has been temporarily suspended, or is being overridden by a futures market driven by a huge influx of capital. These investors are keying on future levels of risk to supply, rather than the immediate supply-demand balance.

It would probably be very smart to invest in oil futures at this point. It will go up, it's just a matter of time. With GW in the White House, it's gonna be bumpy ride, so strap in and be careful. Let's hope we can stop him from invading Iran and destroying our economy and liberty in the process.

But I doubt it. People would rather watch American Idol.