9/11 Revisited
Posted by Michelle Moquin on September 12th, 2012
Good morning!
In light of the 11 year anniversary of 9/11 yesterday. Perhaps you have already read. If not, this is worthy of a read:
The Deafness Before the Storm
IT was perhaps the most famous presidential briefing in history.
On Aug. 6, 2001, President George W. Bush received a classified review of the threats posed by Osama bin Laden and his terrorist network, Al Qaeda. That morning’s “presidential daily brief” — the top-secret document prepared by America’s intelligence agencies — featured the now-infamous heading: “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.” A few weeks later, on 9/11, Al Qaeda accomplished that goal.
On April 10, 2004, the Bush White House declassified that daily brief — and only that daily brief — in response to pressure from the 9/11 Commission, which was investigating the events leading to the attack. Administration officials dismissed the document’s significance, saying that, despite the jaw-dropping headline, it was only an assessment of Al Qaeda’s history, not a warning of the impending attack. While some critics considered that claim absurd, a close reading of the brief showed that the argument had some validity.
That is, unless it was read in conjunction with the daily briefs preceding Aug. 6, the ones the Bush administration would not release. While those documents are still not public, I have read excerpts from many of them, along with other recently declassified records, and come to an inescapable conclusion: the administration’s reaction to what Mr. Bush was told in the weeks before that infamous briefing reflected significantly more negligence than has been disclosed. In other words, the Aug. 6 document, for all of the controversy it provoked, is not nearly as shocking as the briefs that came before it.
The direct warnings to Mr. Bush about the possibility of a Qaeda attack began in the spring of 2001. By May 1, the Central Intelligence Agency told the White House of a report that “a group presently in the United States” was planning a terrorist operation. Weeks later, on June 22, the daily brief reported that Qaeda strikes could be “imminent,” although intelligence suggested the time frame was flexible.
But some in the administration considered the warning to be just bluster. An intelligence official and a member of the Bush administration both told me in interviews that the neoconservative leaders who had recently assumed power at the Pentagon were warning the White House that the C.I.A. had been fooled; according to this theory, Bin Laden was merely pretending to be planning an attack to distract the administration from Saddam Hussein, whom the neoconservatives saw as a greater threat. Intelligence officials, these sources said, protested that the idea of Bin Laden, an Islamic fundamentalist, conspiring with Mr. Hussein, an Iraqi secularist, was ridiculous, but the neoconservatives’ suspicions were nevertheless carrying the day.
In response, the C.I.A. prepared an analysis that all but pleaded with the White House to accept that the danger from Bin Laden was real.
“The U.S. is not the target of a disinformation campaign by Usama Bin Laden,” the daily brief of June 29 read, using the government’s transliteration of Bin Laden’s first name. Going on for more than a page, the document recited much of the evidence, including an interview that month with a Middle Eastern journalist in which Bin Laden aides warned of a coming attack, as well as competitive pressures that the terrorist leader was feeling, given the number of Islamists being recruited for the separatist Russian region of Chechnya.
And the C.I.A. repeated the warnings in the briefs that followed. Operatives connected to Bin Laden, one reported on June 29, expected the planned near-term attacks to have “dramatic consequences,” including major casualties. On July 1, the brief stated that the operation had been delayed, but “will occur soon.” Some of the briefs again reminded Mr. Bush that the attack timing was flexible, and that, despite any perceived delay, the planned assault was on track.
Yet, the White House failed to take significant action. Officials at the Counterterrorism Center of the C.I.A. grew apoplectic. On July 9, at a meeting of the counterterrorism group, one official suggested that the staff put in for a transfer so that somebody else would be responsible when the attack took place, two people who were there told me in interviews. The suggestion was batted down, they said, because there would be no time to train anyone else.
That same day in Chechnya, according to intelligence I reviewed, Ibn Al-Khattab, an extremist who was known for his brutality and his links to Al Qaeda, told his followers that there would soon be very big news. Within 48 hours, an intelligence official told me, that information was conveyed to the White House, providing more data supporting the C.I.A.’s warnings. Still, the alarm bells didn’t sound.
On July 24, Mr. Bush was notified that the attack was still being readied, but that it had been postponed, perhaps by a few months. But the president did not feel the briefings on potential attacks were sufficient, one intelligence official told me, and instead asked for a broader analysis on Al Qaeda, its aspirations and its history. In response, the C.I.A. set to work on the Aug. 6 brief.
In the aftermath of 9/11, Bush officials attempted to deflect criticism that they had ignored C.I.A. warnings by saying they had not been told when and where the attack would occur. That is true, as far as it goes, but it misses the point. Throughout that summer, there were events that might have exposed the plans, had the government been on high alert. Indeed, even as the Aug. 6 brief was being prepared, Mohamed al-Kahtani, a Saudi believed to have been assigned a role in the 9/11 attacks, was stopped at an airport in Orlando, Fla., by a suspicious customs agent and sent back overseas on Aug. 4. Two weeks later, another co-conspirator, Zacarias Moussaoui, was arrested on immigration charges in Minnesota after arousing suspicions at a flight school. But the dots were not connected, and Washington did not react.
Could the 9/11 attack have been stopped, had the Bush team reacted with urgency to the warnings contained in all of those daily briefs? We can’t ever know. And that may be the most agonizing reality of all.
Kurt Eichenwald, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and a former reporter for The New York Times, is the author of “500 Days: Secrets and Lies in the Terror Wars.”
******
Mike, TM: Thanks, as always, for the detailed heads up.
Harold: Your comment piqued my interest so I looked it up. it is amazing to me that people in office can say something like this and not much is done about it, yet. The fact that governors control the voting process has been a concern of mine, especially since the last November mid term elections when we lost much of our control. Those who control governorship control the voting process. And if they aren’t successful through stealing the votes, claiming voter fraud,(as if it exists) then as Mike, TM, noted they will contest the votes via BAPF STARK.
Alycedale: A much better answer than mine. I HOPE all is good in your world.
Anonymous & Anon2: You can add me to that sentiment as well.
Juanita: This election is much different than it was in 2008. The repubs are even more ruthless than one can imagine. Coattails are a must. I am going to do as much as I can to get Obama in; we all must do what we can, or we can kiss democracy…this country, goodbye.
Robert, RT: Thank you. As always, nice to see you here.
Time to end this post. Your turn. Blog me.
Peace & Love…
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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September 12th, 2012 at 11:10 am
I know gays who are conservative in their political and/or fiscal views – who are even conservative in their social outlook, relative to the proper ordering of status in society, family obligations, etc.
On the other hand racism blinds even gay white boys. The term conservatism like it is to most whites is code for we are better because of the color of our skins. We deserve entitlements because of the color of our skins. We can be rude to any OTW simply by saying we are conservative. Our racists ways and racist behavior toward OTWs will be excused and tolerated by all white americans as long as we say we are conservative. All whites know that is what being “conservative” means.
That kind of entitlement is so intoxicating that even knowing that if their were ovens gays would be put into it by the republicans, some gays are so drunk and racist that they would still support the republican party.
That is the truth and no amount of denial will hide this truth.
And then there are the self loathers. It’s a fine line to cross into active self-loathing – and belonging to a cult that would deny one of one’s rights – would rather you didn’t exist (or worse) – and wouldn’t lift a finger in your support – THAT is self-loathing…
All log cabin republicans fit into one of those two categories. Of course as republicans you are LSOS. So lie to us, lie to others and even lie to your self, but you do fit into one of those to categories.
Dan
September 12th, 2012 at 11:46 am
Toxic Toilet Paper? You’ve Got It
Were you dismayed by the FDA’s recent refusal to ban bisphenol A (BPA), the toxic chemical that leaches out of plastic containers and cans and into our foods?
I sure was. And now, I’m sorry to say, there is more disturbing news about BPA and its chemical “cousin” bisphenol S (BPS)—because according to two recent studies, both these toxins are present in an array of paper products, including toilet tissue!
Background: BPA has estrogen-like effects on the body, acting as an endocrine disruptor and interrupting our hormonal signals.
It has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, cancer, liver disease, thyroid dysfunction, obesity and birth defects.
In addition to its use in food containers, BPA also serves as a color developer in thermal paper, such as cash register receipts—and when we touch that paper, the chemical can be absorbed through our skin or enter our bodies via hand-to-mouth contact.
What you may not know: As the evidence against BPA grows, some paper manufacturers have been replacing the compound with the structurally similar BPS—which also has estrogen-like effects.
New studies:
Researchers looked at hundreds of samples of common paper products—paper towels, napkins, newspapers, magazines, flyers, tickets, luggage tags, business cards, envelopes, currency, facial tissues and, yes, TP—and found that the vast majority contained BPA and/or BPS. How did these chemicals get into such a wide array of products?
Thermal paper often is recycled, so contamination of other types of paper products can occur during the recycling process…ink may be another source, though this requires further study.
Self-defense:
Avoid touching thermal paper by turning down receipts you don’t need…if you must touch such paper frequently (for instance, because you’re a cashier), wear gloves. Wash your hands immediately after handling newspapers, magazines, flyers or paper money.
Use cloth dishtowels, napkins and handkerchiefs rather than paper ones. As for that toxic toilet paper, researchers suggested skipping recycled TP and instead using virgin pulp toilet paper.
And how about continuing to lobby the FDA to take action on BPA and BPS, too?
Source:
Kurunthachalam Kannan, PhD, is a research scientist with the New York State Department of Health in Albany, a professor in the department of environmental health sciences in the School of Public Health at the State University of New York at Albany, and coauthor of two recent studies on BPA and BPS in paper products published in Environmental Science & Technology.
September 12th, 2012 at 12:07 pm
Even if you give Romney a break for the first words on this issue (which I don’t), you can’t forgive him for the doubling down on his error.
This is why he can’t be president. He is dangerous and never admits his mistakes. Sometimes he has an aide who corrects him, but he doesn’t admit mistakes. A true CEO mentality.
Lara
September 12th, 2012 at 12:07 pm
No, Romney! Just … No!!! You’re wrong and you should quit before you truly cause some irreversible damage!
September 12th, 2012 at 12:08 pm
Romney should attack the administration. At least someone is showing some guts…obama sure isn’t, as usual
September 12th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
Michelle, Fox News has already started the Romney defense and President Obama is wrong for ‘apologizing’.
‘apologizing’ is now a code word ‘weakness’, ‘appeasement’ and ‘anything else that will do’.
Romney’s base will eat it up and come here and regurgitate for our enjoyment.
September 12th, 2012 at 12:11 pm
Face it Arnie. stupid is as stupid does.
September 12th, 2012 at 12:13 pm
Forget the fact log cabin republicans are self loathing, they are wrong on the economy! Every time Republicans come to power, they explode the debt and the size of government, and then blame someone else.
A log cabin Republican is just not that bright.
September 12th, 2012 at 12:14 pm
With all of the “foot in mouth” missteps of the R&R campaign, it makes one wonder if it’s due to the mental abilities of R&R and the whole campaign team or is there a skillful Trojan horse on their team?
September 12th, 2012 at 12:15 pm
Michelle, you look like a woman enjoying herself. Are you on a damn good vacation?
September 12th, 2012 at 12:17 pm
Mitt’s 3 AM call…
September 12th, 2012 at 12:17 pm
Yeah, and nobody home.
September 12th, 2012 at 12:20 pm
How is this different from what McCain did? The republicans only talk patriotism, but they put personal aggrandizement over country every time.
This is Romney attempt to win at all costs. His approval ratings are down, so he’s gasping for issues to latch on.
Unfortunately, he’s sinking deeper and taking
flak from both sides of the fence.
September 12th, 2012 at 12:20 pm
Could Romney prove himself more inept and incapable of the office?
I imagine so…..but it’d be tough.
September 12th, 2012 at 12:21 pm
There’s always tomorrow.
September 12th, 2012 at 12:23 pm
How is it that Fake News is able to continue promoting itself as a legitimate news organization. They are nothing more than a cheering squad for a political party & special interest groups. (NRA, Big Oil, Insurance Co.’s, Financial Institutions )
I have no problem with this,(America is a Free Country ) but passing themeselves off as serious , unbiased , objectitive news organization is a scam on millions of American citizens. Once again $$$ can buy “RIGHT”.
September 12th, 2012 at 12:28 pm
So fox was busted. Caught red handed lying to distort Obama’s record. The got caught lying about Obama’s unemployment rate.
===================
“Fox and Friends” issued a correction on Wednesday morning, one day after it was called out for making a misleading claim about the unemployment rate.
===============================
The fox motto is Tell a “lie”. Get “caught”. “Clarify” (not apologize). Try out another “lie”.
They learned that at Fox News School.
Ursula
September 12th, 2012 at 12:28 pm
The sad thing is they’re still called a “news channel” and still get good ratings. Yes Americans are exceptional but is that the sort of exceptional they want to be? Apparently.
September 12th, 2012 at 3:34 pm
It doesn’t seem to matter whose body that voice comes out of. Once I hear the cadency in the words, I’m done for. You might as well kill me now.
September 12th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
Fox succeeds not because they inform viewers but because they reinforce the views that their viewers already have.
They’re not really fooling people with critical thinking skills, because those people see right through it and get their news elsewhere.
September 12th, 2012 at 3:42 pm
I bet their clarification was given a lot less airtime than the ‘Misinformation’ they were spreading in the first place.
September 12th, 2012 at 3:43 pm
Another lie, another lie from fox. They can’t even be honest when they’re admitting a lie, hahaha.
September 12th, 2012 at 3:46 pm
I really love the “I wanna be macho,” little tiny dick white boy cliches. Don’t cha just love the Obama should have “signaled strength.”
Bet that “signaled Strength” makes the tiny dick feel so much bigger, teeheeeeee.
September 12th, 2012 at 3:48 pm
Is Ron Jeremy a Republican? LOL. This is not actually rare for Fox News in that they do this pretty regularly.
Hannity saying that his producers loaded the wrong video to show that a crowd was bigger than it was. Except in the real one it was fall with the trees bare and the one he showed had the trees in full foliage.
They have another which they had to correct lately also. Brian Kilmeade claimed, along with an on-screen graphic, that a recent USA Today/Gallup poll found that “61 percent” of Americans are in favor of taking away collective bargaining rights from public unions.
In fact, Fox aired the results of the poll completely backward: the Gallup poll found that 61 percent of Americans are opposed to taking away collective bargaining rights.
This is who Fox News is: THEY DECEIVE AND LAZY MINDS BELIEVE.
September 12th, 2012 at 3:51 pm
Rep. Rangel: Romney rhetoric a ‘threat to our national security’
Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., joins MSNBC’s Martin Bashir to lash out at the “incompetency” of Mitt Romney and other Republicans who would turn national tragedy into a ploy for political gain.
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/martin-bashir/49009145#49009145
—
I sure hope the American people wake up and see this party for what it is, and soon.
/SB
September 12th, 2012 at 4:01 pm
Michelle, this plot to disenfranchise the OTWs at the polls is being done seriously by the republicans. We went to get a license to qualify to vote and were told that we couldn’t get the I.D. because they don’t take credit cards or cash, only checks.
So now we have to go and open a checking account to vote.
Say what you will in defense of this race. But the truth is that most of them are very comfortable with the one third of their race that are rabid racists.
That second third look the other way and accuse us of playing the race card when we object to the racist treatment that their rabid racists dish out.
I can’t wait till my race has parity with this sick race.
Texas will one no longer be a Red state.
hasta luego hijo de puta
Miguel
September 12th, 2012 at 4:06 pm
“Romney gave terrorists what they want – a divided country still torn emotionally and politically by the events of 9-11.”
September 12th, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Since 64% of Republicans believe that Obama was born in Kenya, would they not qualify as “zealously ignorant”?
September 12th, 2012 at 4:07 pm
Bob Amsel 63 percent of Repubs also still believe GWB and that Iraq had WMDs.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:07 pm
It is clear that if elected Mitt Romney will allow Israel to dictate American forge4in policy. His failure to back the President of the United States this morning shows that he is willing to behave like a traitor to this country in order to win an election. Mitt is not ready for prime time.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:11 pm
Our ambassador’s body hasn’t even reached our shores yet here we are yelling past each other and no one is hearing a thing. I am going to tell you what will happen.
There are American operatives in Libya&Egypt right now. In fact they are all over the Middle East. I have been over there and trust me, we have mercs there. They come on our foreign bases daily to rest and rearm.
You know them because they are unshaved, civilian dressed, civilian vehicles and they carry light/heavy weapons. What they do and where they go is priviledged info but if there are veterans of our recent wars on this post then you know exactly what I am talking about.
These “protesters” will be identified by their own people and will be targeted. It will be quiet and while we here at home think nothing is being done, people will dissapear and we will never know it.
The US has 24/7 covert ops on every populated continent and while some will say that BO is weak, they must know that he has taken out more Al Qaeda/Taliban leaders in 3 years than GWB did in 8.
Read up. We are heavy in Yemen as well and there are ops on the ground identifying people and sending intel back daily to guide those drone strikes.
We Americans like a massive response but quietly & quickly achieves higher success rates and by success I think you know what I mean.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:12 pm
I keep seeing people saying that President Obama keeps ‘apologizing’. And I yet… I haven’t seen that in his statements at all.
He condemns the attack and reiterates that this will not break our bond with the Libyan people, who also condemn this attack.
How is that apologizing? It’s presidential. Learn the difference.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:13 pm
Well said Karlon. That’s the way you do it. And the idea of a Romney at the helm should scare the hell out of any servicemember and the rest of us. I think he just did in his campaign. Let’s see if this does anything for the idiot undecideds….
September 12th, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Slow and steady wins the race, as Aesop said in the fable of the tortoise and the hare. Obama knows that; many neo-Republicans don’t.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:14 pm
My applause for this post, Karlon. Well said, sir.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:15 pm
It’s just the Republicans “swiftboating” the President because he is strong on foreign policy and they think that if they repeat that he is weak often enough somehow that will influence the voters to see it their way… the
Republicans are ruthless liars and cannot be trusted..they are willing to fool the American voter to get elected..what else are they capable of ruthlessly doing?
September 12th, 2012 at 4:16 pm
Rommney’s cricism was based on a lie. The embasy in Egypt released the statment condeming relegious intolerance BEFORE the attacks.
So, bad enough that his argument is based on a lie, but worst is that he’s trying to capitalize politically over the death of a U.S. ambasador in less than 24 hours after his death!
Any free thinking person should reject Mitt’s attacks.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:17 pm
His whole campaign is based on lie after lie.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:19 pm
That article was awesome! Shows Romney for the fool he is. He berated Obama for politicizing the killing of OBL, when that event mostly politicized itself, with the joy felt all across America.
Now, he turns around and takes this very sad and tragic event in which an American lost his life, and immediately politicizes it in an attempt to paint himself in a brighter patriotic light. Instead, all he did is paint himself the fool he is.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:20 pm
This moron could make you long for the days of satans sidekick Dick Cheney.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:21 pm
Yet he keeps plodding on towards November, like that “rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born.”
That man is horrifyingly alien, as in out of this world alien. And here I thought Sarah Palin one heartbeat away from the Presidency would be the end of America — Romney’s an even worse specter.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Seems I remember when Obama “shot off his mouth” when he blamed the Cambridge Police Department before knowing the facts. You remember he said they “acted stupidly”. Mr Obama is a fine one to be talking…
September 12th, 2012 at 4:27 pm
Hmmmm Obama had time yesterday to meet with “Pimp with a Limp” but didn’t have time for his daily intelligence briefing since Sept. 5.
But notice how the MSM is turning this Obama failure into an issue with Romney what a bunch of garbage journalism. Total “Affirmative Action” full blinders on reporting.
Oh and BTW what are we paying Obama for??
September 12th, 2012 at 4:27 pm
I wonder if CBS is going to give equla time to Romney and treat him with reverence and adoration like they are doing with these Obama interviews?
Hell no!
September 12th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
As a combat veteran who served in the Middle East, I would suggest that Romney resign his candidacy, and that the Republicans sit this election out.
The whole frigging party is starting to look bizarre and un-American in its conduct, and having more in common with the Westboro Baptist Church than any of the rest of us.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:31 pm
Isn’t obama’s criticism here of Romney just political attacks during an election cycle?
Why would anyone believe this person’s outrageous assertions that he is above all political gamesmanship while he clearly engages in exactly that.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
It took Obama bin Biden a whole day to respond to this heinous attack on the American ambassador because first he had to decide which side he was on.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
If Obama gets elected, you can kiss election laws goodbye!
September 12th, 2012 at 4:36 pm
Meanwhile back to the subject
September 12th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
The cavalier criticism of the President in the matter of foreign affairs – particularly in a case such as this – was something we have not experienced before.
Since 2009, critics of Obama have criticized him with impunity, disrespected the office, and disparaged the man personally — in years past, this never would have been tolerated.
Gee — what’s different?
September 12th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
Yes, Romney, you lied.
====================
WASHINGTON, DC — In an interview with ThinkProgress today, former Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge criticized the charge, made by Mitt Romney, that President Obama “sympathizes” with those who attacked and killed four Americans in Libya.
Romney said in a press release last night that “It’s disgraceful that the Obama administration’s first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks.” (When the U.S. Embassy in Cairo first addressed the situation, no attacks had yet occurred.
The first comment from the embassy on the issue was to condemn religious incitement.)
ThinkProgress spoke with Ridge, who served under President George W. Bush from 2003 to 2005 and endorsed Romney earlier this year, on Capitol Hill today to get his reaction.
He was unwilling to criticize Romney directly — “I don’t want to get in the he said, she said” — but rebuffed his charge that Obama’s sentiments were with those who carried out the attacks. “I don’t think President Obama sympathizes with those who attacked us,” Ridge said. “I don’t think any American does.”
KEYES: Do you think that President Obama sympathizes with those who attacked us and attacked the embassies?
RIDGE: No, I don’t think President Obama sympathizes with those who attacked us. I don’t think any American does. I’m not going to question the strength of his words.
=======================
I wish enough on the Right could at least admit what the facts say as Mr. Ridge did. And in this be American and not a nasty politician. Mitt is dangerous for us all. What is in his head? What I see so far scares the hell out of me!
Jenny
September 12th, 2012 at 4:41 pm
Romney ROCKS!
September 12th, 2012 at 4:41 pm
Jenny, that’s another reason Tom Ridge will never be president.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
CBS is reporting that U.S. Warships are now positioned off Libya in the wake of the deadly consulate attack.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:43 pm
This is an act of war and Obama sides with the enemy. Such unheard of bravery for all to see.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Wow it is so clear that a mudslinging campaign incites mudslinging bloggers.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:45 pm
Lyle, how does he side with the enemy?
September 12th, 2012 at 4:55 pm
Will CNN fire Erick Erickson?
More than 70,000 people have signed a online petition calling on CNN to fire contributor Erick Erickson for an offensive tweet.
“First night of the Vagina Monologues in Charlotte going as expected,” Erickson, who is also the editor of RedState.com, tweeted on Tuesday, referring to the opening day of the Democratic National Convention.
After setting off a Twitter storm of criticism, Erickson followed up with another tweet: “My apologies to those offended by my tweet. Wasn’t my intention.”
That wasn’t enough for the women’s advocacy group UltraViolet. The group launched the petition Wednesday afternoon, saying CNN must fire Erickson.
“Seriously?” the petition says. “He hears powerful, eloquent women talking about crucial issues and that’s his reaction?”
UltraViolet says it has not heard from CNN.
September 12th, 2012 at 5:00 pm
Why are guys like Romney, and Cheney always pushing for wars they don’t have to fight themselves?
In Romney’s case he gets to double down on that benefit because his clown religion makes all its males priest so no Mormon male has to serve in combat. They get to go on religious missions to france.
Did you hear how difficult that was for Romney? That while millions of other young americans were serving in the military during the Vietnam War.
So he can be such a War Hawk, when he knows that he will be sending Our children to die for his convictions not his own kids.
Marty
September 12th, 2012 at 6:29 pm
Not a Fitness Fad—the Hula Hoop for Weight Loss
Remember the hula hoop, the plastic toy that you played with as a kid—slinging the big round hoop around your waist and moving your hips to keep it rotating? It’s back—this time as a genuinely great exercise for adults.
And yes—you can do it.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse have even studied it. They found that a 30-minute hula hoop workout can burn about 210 calories, similar to taking a brisk walk.
Hula hooping also has been found to strengthen core muscles and improve balance. That’s good news for people looking for another type of workout to add to their regimen. John Porcari, PhD, executive director of the La Crosse Exercise and Health Program at the university and the lead researcher in the study, explains how you can make hula hooping into a real workout…
THE HOOP
The first plastic hula hoops were made by the toy company Wham-O starting in the 1950s. But hooping actually dates back thousands of years to ancient Greece and Egypt, where early exercisers used hoops made of grapevines or stiff grasses.
Today’s adult fitness hula hoops are larger (37 to 45 inches in diameter) than the original toy version and weigh more—between one and five pounds.
The bigger diameter and added weight enables the hoop to rotate more slowly around the body, which makes the activity easier.
Some adult hoops come wrapped in friction tape in a candy-cane style—this let’s the hoop stick to your body better, which means that you’ll spend more time with the hoop moving and less time stopping to pick it up.
You’ll want to choose a hoop that fits your body. If you stand the hoop on the ground in front of you, the top should reach between your belly button and mid-chest.
Hula hoops for adults are available at many sporting goods stores and online at http://www.YourHoop.com, http://www.CanyonHoops.com and http://www.HoopGirl.com.
The average cost is between $25 and $35. It’s best to store your hoop by lying it flat in a cool place. Hanging it from a hook can cause it to droop.
HOW TO HOOP
Hula hooping classes are offered at gyms, Ys and community centers. Classes may differ. Some focus entirely on dance moves, while others combine strength training (using the hula hoop while doing lunges and squats) and an aerobic workout.
If you are new to hooping, look for a beginner’s class that will spend some time teaching you the basics of twirling the hoop around your waist.
You also can hula hoop on your own. Do several basic moves, as described below, and you have your own workout.
Basic move (known as the pump). This is the classic “just keep it going!” move. Stand inside the hoop with one foot forward and one foot back at a comfortable, shoulder-width stance with your knees slightly bent.
Hold the hoop with two hands and position it so that it’s at waist height and resting against your back. Holding the hoop, wind it to one side as far as it can go.
Then let it go in the opposite direction. To keep the hoop going, move your hips forward and back. It may take you a while to master this basic move, but eventually you’ll be able to keep the hoop moving in time with your hips’ motion.
You can keep your feet close together and make tiny hip movements or take a wide stance and make more dramatic hip movements. If the hoop starts to wobble, you might need a big hip movement to bring it back into balance.
Variations. Once you have mastered the basic move, there are a number of other moves you can add. You can vary the pace of the hoop—going faster so that it rises up on your body.
Or alternate between fast and regular speeds. You also can change direction of the hoop every few minutes. Other variations include moving your feet in dancelike steps while you hoop…turning in a circle while the hoop turns the other way…and moving your arms up and down as you hoop.
You’ll find that a hula hoop workout is great when done to music that gets you moving.
Hula hooping is not recommended for women who are pregnant or for people with spine injuries. People who are in poor health should consult with a physician before beginning any new exercise program.
Source: John Porcari, PhD, is program director of the clinical exercise physiology program and executive director of the La Crosse Exercise and Health Program, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.
September 12th, 2012 at 8:00 pm
If you think what Romney has done is bad, then you need to google Ronald Reagan and the Panama canal. This despicable character used it to cause a international incident in order to become the republican presidential candidate.
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Even after John Wayne sent Reagan a private and personal note offering to show him “point by goddam point in the treaty where you are misinforming people,” and offering fair warning that it was time for the Gipper to shut his piehole (“If you continue to make these erroneous remarks, someone will publicize your letter to prove that you are not as thorough in your reviewing this treaty as you say or are damned obtuse when it comes to reading the English language”), Ronald Reagan doubled down. – Drift, by Rachel Maddow [page 33]
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By the way “Drift” by Rachel Maddow is a must read if you want to understand how the the B actor whore sold out to the Military Industrial Complex in a way that changed the balance of power of government to private enterprise to make money of waging wars.
Also you will learn about the Iran Contra scandal. What you will not learn is that Ronald Reagan sold our the lives of american civilians and military men to gain the White House.
He made a deal with Iran not to release the prisoners until after the election. In return he promised to give them arms. So after he was elected they returned the prisoners the next day for a huge array of arms and technology.
He also authorized the CIA to develop a form of cocaine that could be smoked, Crack Cocaine, to be sold in black ghettos to finance his illegal war in Nicaragua http://www.trutv.com/conspiracy/government-lies/government-drug-dealer/reagan-nicaragua.html.
It destroyed the lives of millions of people in the US and hundreds of millions of lives in Central and South America. It is a legacy that lives on today with huge drug cartel that have made it way to Mexico.
This guy was so desperate for money he allowed a lowly colonel to direct policy in Nicaragua for the Contras war. He was America’s Biggest Drug dealer. He organized the movement of thousands of tons of cocaine with the Director of the CIA, Casey.
Together they made Colombia’s Medellin Drug cartel. Reagan used the weapons stockpile to arm and train the drug dealers in counter insurgency and overthrow of governments.
Anonz sent me stuff on film of Reagan accepting money and hundreds of tapes of reagan giving orders and doing deals with Oliver North, Poindexter, Casey, Felix Rodriquez and many others.
This guy was so crooked, if a small bit of this material was ever to see the light of day, he would be impeached in absentia.
I viewed several reels of tape in black and white and color made by several NSA, DEA and other secret agencies showing President Ronald Reagan doing drug deals, weapons deals. Some were boldly signed by DEA agents Celerno CAstillo III and Michael Levine.
Ronald Reagan worked with Israel and key scientist to develop the AIDS virus to thin out the blacks of South Africa for whites. He was a racist second only to Hitler with what he was willing to do to OTWS.
They planned to inoculate the whores along the Gold Coast of Africa. The gave it to the whores along that route because it was driven by black long haul truck drivers.They administered it in a foam that was placed inside the vaginas of the prostitutes telling them it was
a form of birth control and STD protection.
It was a fatal disease that killed silently and would be spread from woman to man. It was not intended to kill the black women. They would only be carriers.
Unfortunately, they never counted on white men taking it up the ass and passing it on to other white men.
http://www.democracynow.org/2004/6/7/noam_chomsky_on_reagans_legacy_bush
This was the original Money Whore. He would do anything for a buck. You have to remember he used to take it up the ass for parts. Men were very much a part of Hollywoods’ Casting Couch.
Anonz delights in showing Ronnie sucking dick and giving up ass for bit movie parts.
Mike, TM
September 12th, 2012 at 9:34 pm
Republicans in Missouri have voted to overturn the veto of Democratic Governor Jay Nixon that will now legally allow “religious” and “moral” exemptions in health insurance policies. Democrats are calling it an assault on women, and Republicans say it allows people to not be forced to deny their faith.
What is at issue, however, is not the faith of those who don’t believe in contraception but rather how the religious beliefs of legislators will now be forced on citizens of Missouri. The Republican battle cry is that of religious freedom, but they seem to forget about the religious freedom guaranteed to all citizens, and that freedom includes protecting citizens from religious zealots.
The veto vote went completely down party lines, passing the Missouri House 109 – 45. 109 votes is the minimum amount needed to overturn a veto. The Senate also approved the measure 26 – 6.
Many Democratic lawmakers believe this move by Republicans will cost the state in the long run, and will make Missouri vulnerable to the now inevitable lawsuits where citizens will sue based upon being discriminated for religious reasons.
September 13th, 2012 at 5:58 am
Zen Lill, are you a tease? I had to read through 61 replies and NO Zen Lill.
I hope you are in fine health. If so, what’s up beautiful?
Larry
September 13th, 2012 at 6:49 am
What If Your E-Mail Went Down?
E-mail is an efficient way to communicate, but, truth be told, it can also be overwhelming. People fire off e-mails so fast that messages often pop into our in-boxes every few seconds.
And the urge to take care of them (either by responding to them, filing them or deleting them) is strong. In fact, a 2010 New York Times article humorously compared deleting e-mails to killing zombies—you get rid of them, but then more keep coming.
Attending to e-mails takes up a lot of precious time. But more importantly, the practice can sometimes negatively affect our mental health.
It can make us feel stressed, as if we’re drowning in a sea of messages, as well as distracted, because the onslaught comes at us rapid-fire.
Could you reduce the amount of time that you spend checking e-mail? If so, what are the best ways to do that? And would doing so make you feel less scatterbrained and anxious? How great would that be?
AN ABRUPT CHANGE
To see whether busy professionals could survive—and even flourish—without e-mail, researchers at the University of California, Irvine, asked them to do something unrealistic and rather drastic.
They asked 13 people from one office to turn off their work e-mail completely for five consecutive days. Before the big shutdown, researchers analyzed the participants during a normal workweek to see how they typically behaved.
BENEFITS ALL AROUND
Surprisingly for those of us who can’t imagine working without e-mail, participants responded well to the e-mail shutdown, said Gloria Mark, PhD, coauthor of the study and an informatics professor at the university.
For instance, when they were without e-mail, subjects…
Felt more productive. Rather than multitasking, which can be distracting and lead to inefficiency, subjects were able to concentrate longer without interruption.
The average time spent working on a computer document or within a particular computer window was about 74% longer, compared with when subjects had e-mail. And when subjects were doing noncomputer work, they spent 39% longer on each task, compared with when they did have e-mail.
Felt less anxious.
Participants’ stress levels went down, as shown by their heart-rate variability, compared with when they did have e-mail.
Moved more.
Rather than make phone calls, when subjects couldn’t use e-mail, they usually got up from their desks and walked to colleagues’ desks to have a conversation.
Grew closer with colleagues. All participants reported that they liked having more face-to-face interactions and felt closer to their colleagues.
TAKE MINI “E-MAIL VACATIONS”
No one (including Dr. Mark) is suggesting that it would be a good idea to give up e-mail altogether for five straight days. After all, you might miss important, timely messages…
or you might be working on a project that involves a large group of people from various offices (perhaps even various countries!) and a lack of e-mail might slow your ability to communicate …plus, you wouldn’t be able to receive electronic documents, such as attached documents and photos.
What Dr. Mark does suggest is that you try taking shorter, more realistic “e-mail vacations” each day, anywhere from one to four hours at a time.
In other words, rather than keeping your e-mail program open continuously, open it and check your e-mail only at, say, 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm (in batches).
That way, e-mails will feel less distracting, intrusive and overwhelming. The pile of messages in your in-box won’t stress you out—because you won’t see it.
Of course, if your boss or colleagues require or expect instant responses to e-mails, then check with them first to see whether blackout periods are workable.
Be prepared for some knee-jerk resistance—in fact, you may even run into some resentment about the fact that you would no longer be waiting on pins and needles for every communication from your coworkers!
Try explaining your reasoning to them in a way that won’t insult them…for example, say, “I’d like to do a trial run to see whether it improves my productivity. If something urgent comes up, I’d be sure to respond to any phone call immediately.”
At the very least, said Dr. Mark, try turning off your e-mail system’s pop-up notifications. For example, if a new window or an image of an envelope appears on your screen every time an e-mail lands in your in-box, there often are ways to make those disappear under “settings” or “preferences.”
You may find that you’re less compelled to check your in-box constantly (and instead, simply check e-mail in between tasks) once those nonstop reminders are out of your life.
Source: Gloria Mark, PhD, professor of informatics, department of informatics, University of California, Irvine. The study was presented at the May 7, 2012 meeting of the Association for Computing Machinery in Austin, Texas.