Bob Morris @ Nov 13th 2003 00:23 - Category: Unfiled ;
Quote of the day
“If there is any lesson to be learned from our ‘postwar’ involvement in Iraq to date, it is that we have failed to adequately learn the lessons from previous such experiences.”
James Dobbins, Director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at RAND, testifying before the U.S. Senate
Bob Morris @ Nov 13th 2003 00:22 - Category: Unfiled ;
Soros says Zionism can create anti-Semitism
When asked about anti-Semitism in Europe, Soros, who is Jewish, said European anti-Semitism is the result of the policies of Israel and the United States.
“There is a resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe. The policies of the Bush administration and the Sharon administration contribute to that,” Soros said. “It’s not specifically anti-Semitism, but it does manifest itself in anti-Semitism as well. I’m critical of those policies.”
The original title of this article from Jewish Times, was “Soros blames Jews for anti-Semitism”, which is misleading, at best. Soros is not blaming Jews, he is blaming Zionist policies of Israel and the U.S. Saying he is blaming Jews is akin to saying Christians are responsible for the bellicose policies of George Bush, which is obvious nonsense.
Predictably the right wing is foaming in impotent rage against this multi-billionaire currency speculator. Soros is their worst nightmare. Old enough, wealthy enough, that he cares little what people think of or do to him, he is now completely focused defeating George Bush in 2004.
Bob Morris @ Nov 13th 2003 00:18 - Category: Unfiled ;
21,000-55,000 dead in Iraq
From MedAct, a London “health professionals organisation challenging barriers to health. “
The war on Iraq and its aftermath exacted a heavy toll on combatants and civilians, who paid and continue to pay the price in death, injury and mental and physical ill health. Between 21,700 and 55,000 people died between March 20 and October 20, 2003 (the date on which this report went to press), while the health and environmental consequences of the conflict will be felt for many years to come.
Bob Morris @ Nov 13th 2003 00:16 - Category: Unfiled ;
Corruption legal in Iraq for US corporations!
From MissMonica
Newsweek reports
American companies are barred by law from paying bribes or taking kickbacks abroad. But Iraq is still largely a lawless place. And one company director for a British firm doing business in Baghdad says that makes all the difference.
‘I’ve never seen corruption like this by expatriate businessmen. It’s like a feeding frenzy,’ he says. One prominent Iraqi businessman said he was told he’d have to raise his bid by $750,000 to get a major contract, so long as he kicked back that amount to the contractor’s rep. The businessman refused to identify the contractor, but did say, ‘No Iraqi would ask for a bribe that big.’
The “feeding frenzy” of corruption that Newsweek describes may be due, in large part or in its entirety, to Executive Order 13303, “Protecting the Development Fund and Certain Other Property in Which Iraq Has an Interest,” which was signed by President Bush on May 22, 2003.
On August 8, 2003, Ruth Rosen of the San Francisco Chronicle summarized this order as follows:
“[T]he president’s order appears to place U.S. corporations above the law for any activities related to Iraq oil, either in that country or in the United States.
Bob Morris @ Nov 13th 2003 00:14 - Category: Unfiled ;
Fiendish foes on dialysis
The most powerful army in history is plagued by pesky guerilla attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan. The opposition in each case is led by a man hooked to a dialysis machine.
Bob Morris @ Nov 13th 2003 00:13 - Category: Unfiled ;
SBC, rot in Hell …!
Today I received 4 unsolicited phone calls from SBC, my phone company. I asked each time to be taken off their calling list, obviously to no avail. Finally I called SBC support, had them add me to their Do-Not-Call list and … got another unsolicited phone call from them 5 minutes later. Oh yes, last night they called me on my cell phone after getting the number from my answering machine at home.
This is predatory telemarketing by a company who apparently thinks pestering people will result in sales. So, I filed a complaint about them with the National Do Not Call registry.
The company doing their calling appears to be the ITC Group, who were dumb enough to not turn off caller id, thus allowing me to get their phone number. Now the Do Not Call registry has it.
Complaints do work. About two years ago the Daily News in Los Angeles called so often, I wrote a complaint to FCC. Months later I got a written apology from them, so FCC must have spanked them. And they’ve not called since.
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