There Will Be Truth

FREE AT LAST!

2008-12-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

After 155 days, countless illegible captchas and innumerable emails to Google regarding their dumb-bot holding my blog hostage, they finally have allowed me to make a post without jumping naked through a ring of raging chainsaws.

Of course, the damage was done early on. I had to move my blog to Wordpress running on my own server. All in all, that has not been a bad experience. I will, however, be leery of depending on Google for anything that is vital. Their actions, and delayed reactions, have been heard loud and clear.

Google Bots Still Have Me Screwed

2008-12-04T14:19:00.000-08:00

Well, I emailed them again today about taking me off their shit list. No luck for 155 days now.

When Google wants to screw you, they can do you up royally.

Again, would you want all your apps and data in the hands of such non-responsive people?

Think about it.

Google Lies.

2008-09-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

Below is Google's promise to verify that by blog is non-spam.

They do not do that.

I have been requesting a review since July 9. And since then, every week or so, I ask them again.

Google shrugs. Their NON-action shouts, "Fuck you! We're Google; we're big and you're not. We don't give a running fuck at a rolling doughnut about some worthless little peon's blog."

Does this stink? Oh yeah, no surprise that Google's blog search doesn't pick this up. That way they can hide their actions from the rest of the Internet. Real big of you, Google.

FROM GOOGLE:
Your blog requires word verification

Blogger's spam-prevention robots have detected that your blog has characteristics of a spam blog. (What's a spam blog?) Since you're an actual person reading this, your blog is probably not a spam blog. Automated spam detection is inherently fuzzy, and we sincerely apologize for this false positive.

We received your unlock request on September 29, 2008. On behalf of the robots, we apologize for locking your non-spam blog. Please be patient while we take a look at your blog and verify that it is not spam.

Find out more about how Blogger is fighting spam blogs.

Waiting for Google ... Godot

2008-08-25T08:33:00.000-07:00

(Click image above to read the whole screed.)

Hmmm, funny that I already received one of these on July 9 when the Googlebot torpedoed this blog.

Google's doing its best to make MICROSOFT look good ... hard, but as this is proving, not impossible.

I'd certainly like to STOP chronicling this cyberpersecution and resume the blog's original topics.

Until then, read the other topics at: http://therewillbetruth.com

CRAP-tcha for this post:

And the following for a revision:

Nuts! Didn't get that right. It looked like wbtjuuhf ... that first character must have been a "u"

So, here we go again. This one looks like nbpii

ER ... no.

Okay, finally one that is legible: xzycb.

Any wonder that I don't post here anymore?

CRAP-tcha Torture

2008-08-23T11:09:00.000-07:00

When I leave a comment on someone else's Blogspot blog, I get a nice, well-manned captcha looking like this:

BUT, when I try to post on my own blog, I get CRAP-tchas like the following.

Going on two months and the Google-oids have done nothing to alter this despite repeated requests. I guess the Googloids are sadistic and just want to make sure that I stop using Blogspot and keep loving Wordpress.

As I've said, this certainly casts serious doubts about putting your data in their hands in a cloud-computing environment.

Evil Google-oids Continue to Victimize Bloggers

2008-08-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

The Google Help forums are white hot with bloggers unable to get any help at all from Google.

As you can see from the image (left), I am still having to deal with CRAP-tchas to make posts.

This sort of arrogance and incompetence on the part of Google goes a loooooong way toward answering a question about having all your data and applications -- so-called "cloud computing -- in the hands of people who don't give a running fuck at a rolling doughnut about their customers.

Google STILL Harassing This Blog

2008-07-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

This garbage is what they give me when I try to post.

Plus, the Google-oids refuse to answer emails.

This is a very good reason to make sure you do not trust anything at all to their servers unless you have a full and updated backup on your own machine.

PLEASE visit us at our own UNCENSORED site using Wordpress: http://therewillbetruth.com

Bush, Al-Maliki Troop Cut Goals Strike At Heart of Obama Strategy

2008-07-18T16:57:00.000-07:00

Under the headline of “Who Benefits From Iraq’s Demand for U.S. Troop Timetable?” several days ago I explored who might benefit and how. My third option seems to be the one coming true: the Bush administration has taken a big step to acknowledging Iraqi sovereignty, and moving toward a timetable for withdrawal.

From The New York Times:The United States and Iraq have agreed to set a “general time horizon” for the “further reduction of U.S. combat forces in Iraq” following the improvement in security conditions in the country, the White House said Friday. The breakthrough, … could lead to the successful completion of a long-term security agreement… by the end of this month….”

As I wrote, this step could neutralize Obama’s advantage without John McCain having to lift a finger.

One could surmise that the threat of an Obama presidency could have brought both Bush and al-Maliki together to reach an agreement. Politically, John McCain benefits from having Obama’s sharpest sword blunted somewhat. Al-Maliki benefits because an agreement now would be far less likely to be pre-empted by a harsher Obama deadline if elected.

DNC Sees Cindy McCain's Wealth as Fair Game

2008-07-18T12:37:00.000-07:00

Well, of course it is.

Americans scrutinize their "First Spouses" almost as close as the president. Hillary's narrow loss just might have been been directly connected to Bill's little blue dress.

But -- and here's where the Dems may come off as hypocritical -- will the McCain camp have the energy to dig up the DNC's statements when the GOP made an issue of the catsup and pickle empire of John Kerry's wife? A fortune considerably bigger than Cincy McCain's.

CNN didn't mouth off about Theresa being John's "meal ticket." Hypocrisy? Bias?

This ABC blog post is a good analysis of the McCain issue.

Of course, CNN's statement that Cindy McCain's "is not only a wife to Senator John McCain, she is also his meal ticket." Is the same sort of biased cheap shot that Michelle Obama's been fielding.

Both the GOP and the Dems and their media surrogates (CNN, Fox et. al.) somehow feel that being crass, demeaning, snide, biased and insulting is going to change anyone's mind. Au contraire! It just adds to the nausea.

Sure, Cindy McCain has a lot of money. But then, the Obama's are rich as well. And Nancy Pelosi, and ... well the picture doesn't look pretty to any of us in the middle.

From the "Pot Calls Kettle Black" Dept: Pelosi says Bush 'a total failure'

2008-07-17T19:37:00.000-07:00

And this solves WHAT critical issue for the American people? Health care? Gas prices? High taxes? Interest rates? Mortgage issues and Bank failures?

President Bush hasn't stepped up to the table, but Pelosi's tirade simply matches failure, Bush for Bush.

Bush doesn't GET it and neither does Pelosi: We Americans have serious problems and they need to be solved. Something UNlikely from rich politicians like Bush and Pelosi.

No wonder the latest approval rating for Congress is down to 18%. And I wonder about the sanity of those in the 18%.

See the rest of Pelosi's stellar performance on CNN.

Bush Impeachment = Waste of Time

2008-07-16T08:34:00.000-07:00

President Bush is history in six months.

How about directing the same energy and passion toward health care, the economy -- you know, actually SOLVING a problem rather than tossing insults and bombs from side to side.

Yesterday, on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), who has held several hearings on the Bush administration’s torture program, said that President Bush has committed “impeachable offenses”:

NADLER: "If we had a just system and it weren’t overly political, the president would be impeached. I think he has committed impeachable offenses."

Then, shortly afterwards, House Judiciary Committee chairman John Conyers (D-MI) said that, before the August recess, he may allow Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) to present impeachment articles. “

"We’re not doing impeachment, but he can talk about it,” he said.

Talk, talk, talk, bitch, talk, talk, talk, moan, talk, talk, talk, gripe, talk, talk, talk, kvetch, talk, talk, talk, yadda, talk, talk, talk, yaddayadda, talk, talk, talk, blah-blah, talk, talk, talk, blather, talk, talk, talk, posture, talk, talk, talk, groan, talk, talk, talk,
talk,
talk,
talk,
talk,
talk,
talk,
talk.

Waste of time. Waste of taxpayer money. Sound and fury signifying less than nothing.

No wonder the latest approval rating for Congress is down to 18%. And I wonder about the sanity of those in the 18%.

Mark Twain said it first: "There is no distinctly criminal class in America save that of Congress."

Major General Buckman: “Did Not Author That Email”

2008-07-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

On July 7, I wrote a post, Major General Buckman, Urban Legend describing an email bearing his name that concerned Iraq news coverage by ABC News Correspondent Martha Raddatz.

As I stated in that earlier post, I felt the email in question had the signs of an urban legend.

I called Maj. General Louis C. Buckman on July 11 and left a message on his home answering machine.

He returned my call today when I was on another line. His message was short and to the point: “I did not author that email … absolutely not.”

The email is, in essence, a forgery, disinformation designed to discredit Martha Raddatz.

The truth is now clear.

And, oh yes: here is the craptcha that the Google censors gave me for this post.

Testing Google Censorship

2008-07-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

May I post now, oh mighty Google?

Well, sort of. The WISE ONES at Google are still requiring me to enter Word Verification that looks like this:

Instead of a "captcha," I call this a CRAPtcha.

So, yes, this blog is still a hostage of the Googleplex. I'd beware of using anything that would keep any of your data on their servers. They can cut you off at any time. And never respond to emails.

Anyway, please visit us at our new, UNCENSORED and untethered location:
There Will Be Truth.Com

More on Major General Buckman

2008-07-07T08:09:00.001-07:00

Two readers posted comments on my previous piece regarding an email circulating under the name of Major General Buckman. As you'll see by reading those comments, they succeeded in their Googling where I came up short. There is, indeed, a Major General Buckman. In fact, the biography they found on the Air Force biography site, shows that Major General Louis C. Buckman served as chief of staff, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe (AIRSOUTH) in 1986.

I will attempt to locate Maj. Gen. Buckman to determine if he originated the email under his name or whether it was fabricated.

Until then, this email goes back into the "Truth To Be Determined" category.

I regret not turning up his biography sooner, but will work like the devil to see if I can report on the true story.

Please accept my apologies for incomplete reporting and stay tuned.

The full bio is below:

U N I T E D S T A T E S A I R F O R C E

MAJOR GENERAL LOUIS C. BUCKMAN

Retired July 1, 1986.

Major General Louis C. Buckman is chief of staff, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe (AIRSOUTH).

General Buckman was born in Shelbina, Mo., in 1932, and graduated from Shelbina High School in 1950. He then entered the University of Missouri and graduated in 1954 with a bachelor of science degree and a commission in the U.S. Air Force. General Buckman graduated from Squadron Officer School in 1960, Air Command and Staff College in 1964 and Air War College in 1972; all located at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. While attending Air Command and Staff College he concurrently earned a master of science degree in public administration from The George Washington University.

He entered pilot training in August 1954 and received his wings at Laredo Air Force Base, Texas, in September 1955. His initial assignment was to the 506th Air Refueling Squadron at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas, flying KB-29s.

In August 1957 General Buckman was assigned to the 92nd Bombardment Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., where he qualified in the KC-135. A year later he transferred to Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., to the newly formed 34th Air Refueling Squadron, and served as standboard co-pilot, aircraft commander and instructor pilot. During this assignment he attended Squadron Officer School. In July 1964, following Air Command and Staff College, he was assigned to the 2nd Bombardment Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., where he served as an instructor pilot and as KC-135 standboard branch chief. Two years later he became aide-de-camp to the commander of 2nd Air Force at Barksdale.

The general transferred to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., in August 1969, for duty as assistant executive officer for the deputy chief of staff for personnel, and subsequently served as executive secretary for the Air Staff Board's Force Structure Committee. General Buckman completed the Air War College in June 1972 and was designated a distinguished graduate. While there he was initiated into the Order of Daedalians. He subsequently became deputy commander for operations of the 320th Bombardment Wing, Mather Air Force Base, Calif., in July 1972. Shortly after arrival he was sent on temporary duty to Kadena Air Base, Japan, as deputy commander for operations, 376th Strategic Wing. He returned to Mather in December 1972.

General Buckman become vice commander of the 92nd Bombardment Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base in June 1973 and then wing commander in February 1974. From June to September 1975, he was assigned as chief of the Strategic Division in the Directorate of Operations at Headquarters U.S. Air Force. He was then appointed assistant deputy director for operational forces in the Directorate of Operations.

From December 1975 to July 1978, General Buckman served as deputy director for combat readiness within the Directorate of Operations and Readiness, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations at Air Force headquarters. General Buckman then became commander of the 42nd Air Division, Strategic Air Command, Blytheville Air Force Base, Ark. He commanded the 3rd Air Division at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, from August 1979 to August 1980. The general then served as deputy chief of staff for operations, Headquarters Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air Force Base. In September 1982 he became chief of the Joint Military Aid Group, Greece, and the senior U.S. defense representative in Greece. He assumed his present duties in August 1984.

A command pilot, General Buckman has more than 6,800 flying hours. He flew 56 missions in Southeast Asia, logging more than 370 combat hours. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal and Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.

He was promoted to major general March 1, 1980, with date of rank July 1, 1976.

(Current as of January 1986)

Lost in CyberSpace - McCain's Faint Online Footprints

2008-07-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

Presented without comment, the entire press release from Nielsen Online.

AND THEN THERE WERE TWO: OBAMA HAS HEAD START IN ONLINE RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE, ACCORDING TO NIELSEN ONLINE

U.S. Online Population is Overwhelmingly Registered to Vote and Politically Engaged

NEW YORK– July 7, 2008 – Nielsen Online, a service of The Nielsen Company, today reported that Senator Barack Obama’s campaign Web site outpaced Senator John McCain’s in May, the final month of the Democratic primary season. BarackObama.com garnered 2.3 million unique visitors during the month, compared to McCain’s 563,000 (see Table 1).

Obama’s campaign placed considerably more image-based online advertising impressions in May, with McCain’s campaign leading in search sponsored links.

“Barack Obama got a head start during primary season in using the Web effectively to garner support, both in terms of votes and donations,” said Jon Gibs, vice president, media analytics, Nielsen Online. “It will be interesting to see how things shape up online as we head toward the general election. McCain’s Web site includes both video and social networking capabilities, which have proven successful for his Democratic rival. Now that the contest has shifted away from the primary season, McCain may gain more traction online. But it remains to be seen if his core demographic will embrace the medium the way Obama’s has.”

Table 1: Web Metrics for Barack Obama and John McCain Presidential Campaigns

(U.S., Home and Work)

Candidate	Barack Obama	John McCain
Unique Audience (000)	2,300	563
Image-based Impressions (000)	105,658	8,551
Sponsored Link Impressions (000)	1,806	5,447

Source: Nielsen Online

Online Population is Politically Engaged

Among active Web users over the age of 18, 89 percent are registered to vote, according to Nielsen Online’s @Plan (see Table 2). The U.S. Census Bureau reported that 72 percent of all voting-age citizens were registered to vote in the 2004 presidential election. Registered voters who are Internet users are fairly evenly divided between the two major political parties, with 36 percent Republicans and 35 percent Democrats. Seventeen percent reported being registered Independents with the balance registered as “other” or “not disclosing an affiliation” (see Table 3).

“The fact that so many Web users are registered to vote suggests that online campaign efforts will drive results at the polls,” said Gibs. “Campaigns are no longer dabbling online – we expect a candidate’s Web presence to be an integral part of both campaigns.”

Table 2: Voter Registration among U.S. Adults Online

Voter Registration	Composition Percent
Registered to Vote	89
Not Registered to Vote	8
Did not respond	3

Source: Nielsen Online

Table 3: Party Affiliation among U.S. Adults Online who are Registered Voters

Party Affiliation	Composition Percent
Registered Republican	36
Registered Democrat	35
Registered Independent	17
Other/did not disclose party	12

Source: Nielsen Online

Online Buzz: Blogs vs. Boards

With the official race to the White House underway, political discussions online are on the rise. Obama’s buzz volume on blogs, with mentions in 0.75 percent of consumer discussions during June 2008, was nearly double that of McCain’s at 0.39 percent. Interestingly, a larger volume of discussion around Barack Obama (0.89 percent) takes place on message boards and forums where, compared to blogs, consumers experience a greater sense of virtual community. Consumer discussion around McCain is more common on blogs.

Table 4: Buzz Volume on Blogs and Boards as a Percent of Discussion, June 2008

Candidate	Barack Obama	John McCain
Percent of Discussion - Blogs	0.75	0.39
Percent of Discussion - Boards	0.89	0.34

Source: Nielsen Online

Top Blogs
Among the nearly 80 million blogs tracked by Nielsen Online’s BuzzMetrics service, the following are the blogs that mention Senators John McCain and Barack Obama during June 2008, ranked by volume of messages mentioning the candidate.

Table 5: Top Blogs Mentioning John McCain, Ranked by Number of Messages, June 2008

Top Blogs	URL
The Huffington Post Full Blog Feed	http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog
http://dailykos.com	http://dailykos.com
Think Progress	http://thinkprogress.org
Crooks and Liars	http://www.crooksandliars.com
http://www.themoderatevoice.com	http://www.themoderatevoice.com
News Hounds	http://www.newshounds.us
FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog	http://flapsblog.com
Taegan Goddard's Political Wire	http://politicalwire.com
http://americanthinker.com	http://americanthinker.com
Hullabaloo	http://digbysblog.blogspot.com

Source: Nielsen Online

Table 6: Top Blogs Mentioning Barack Obama, Ranked by Number of Messages, June 2008

Top Blogs	URL
The Huffington Post Full Blog Feed	http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog
http://dailykos.com	http://dailykos.com
http://americanthinker.com	http://americanthinker.com
http://www.themoderatevoice.com	http://www.themoderatevoice.com
Taegan Goddard's Political Wire	http://politicalwire.com
Crooks and Liars	http://www.crooksandliars.com
News Hounds	http://www.newshounds.us
FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog	http://flapsblog.com
Think Progress	http://thinkprogress.org
http://paxalles.blogs.com/paxalles	http://paxalles.blogs.com/paxalles

Source: Nielsen Online

About Nielsen Online:

Nielsen Online, a service of The Nielsen Company, delivers comprehensive, independent measurement and analysis of online audiences, advertising, video, consumer-generated media, word of mouth, commerce and consumer behavior, and includes products previously marketed under the Nielsen//NetRatings and Nielsen BuzzMetrics brands. With high quality, technology-driven products and services, Nielsen Online enables clients to make informed business decisions regarding their Internet, digital and marketing strategies. For more information, please visit www.nielsen-online.com.

About The Nielsen Company:

The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions in marketing information (ACNielsen), media information (Nielsen Media Research), online intelligence (NetRatings and BuzzMetrics), mobile measurement, trade shows and business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek). The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com.

Editor’s Note: Please source all data to Nielsen Online.

# # #

Patriotism, Betrayal, and the Iraq-ization of America

2008-07-06T08:16:00.000-07:00

Let's put the symbols and platitudes aside for a moment.

Let's also start from a common ground of understanding that actions speak louder than words.

Now, let's look at the act of caring for the United States of America. Actually caring which often requires suppressing instant gratification for the good of the entire republic.

That last characteristic is is damn short supply.

Politics has become all about "winning" not governing. When winning becomes an end in itself, it is a selfish, self-indulgent act of betrayal.

Those who place winning at the top find ways to justify bias, distortion and outright lies. That betrays the truth.

When loyalty to a political party, party line or single political cause rises above loyalty to the United States, that betrays every citizen.

When winning becomes the ultimate political goal, the act of governing the country, of hammering out solutions, falls by the wayside. That betrays the very idea of America.

In this polluted political atmosphere of dishonesty, it's small wonder that the first thing that winning candidates do the day after election day is to begin raising money and plotting the next winning strategy.

Little wonder that the percentage of eligible voters who actually cast a ballot has plummeted.

Little wonder that the burning issues of the electorate never find solutions. Hell, a Congressman or Senator can't actually cast a vote to do the right thing: the party whip is there to coerce compliance with the official ideology.

Perhaps even more importantly, every vote has to be cast (or the member conveniently absent) with an eye on whether this is a "winning" vote or one which could be spun to an opponent's campaign advantage.

The same points apply in spades to the demagogues and flame-meisters behind partisan blogs, irrational independent committees and ideological militants.

The political insurgents on both extremes have effectively "Iraq-ized" America. Like fanatical Shiites and Sunnis, their stock in trade includes verbal car bombs and a relentless parade of suicide bloggers whose every blast polarizes and poisons any attempt at good intentions or collaboration for the good of the country.

Intolerance never breeds tolerance.

Intemperate speech never breeds discussion.

Polarization never creates solutions.

Liberty and justice for all demand cooperation and self-sacrifice on the part of every individual.

The good of the country demands that politicians and their acolytes refrain from the next polemical paroxysm of invective.

Stop. Think. Do the right thing. For once.

Calif Greens Oppose Proposition 7 Green Initiative

2008-07-05T08:16:00.000-07:00

Proposition 7, a California initiative to mandate utilities to generate minimum levels of electricity from renewable sources has environmental groups teaming up with their long-time enemies -- power companies -- to defeat it.

Is this a case of a badly written initiative or are the greens in a snit because an outsider has walked in and stolen their thunder with a measure that the environmental groups can't grab political credit for themselves?

According to a July 4 article in the San Francisco Chronicle: "A November ballot measure to boost the amount of renewable energy generated by California utilities has attracted a wildly diverse group of opponents - from the Natural Resources Defense Council to the Democratic Party and Pacific Gas and Electric Co.

"'It's kind of like I'm uniting every warring group in the state', said Jim Gonzalez, the former San Francisco supervisor who's behind Proposition 7, the Solar and Clean Energy Act of 2008.

"The measure requires all California utilities to generate at least half their power from alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, biomass and geothermal by 2025, well above the 33 percent level Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to see by 2020. Utilities currently must reach a 20 percent goal by 2010.

"'This does no harm to the environment and only toughens up the rules we have now,' Gonzalez said."

The Chronicle pointed out that environmental groups such as the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), had been working on energy legislation for a long time, but had not been consulted by the Prop 7 sponsors.

"There was very late consultation," said NRDC's Ralph Cavanaugh in the Chron article "We asked them last November to step back and take a look at the measure, but by then they already had a finished product."

"The initiative sets up such a detailed plan for dealing with renewable energy and siting and building the new, greener power plants that it opens the way for many unintended consequences, Cavanaugh said. "If you're going to legislate at the ballot box, keep it simple, don't write 70 pages," he added. "Our objection isn't to their good intentions, but to their bad initiative.

"But is that the real issue? Cavanaugh gives no details on why the initiative is "bad" nor why 70 pages is necessarily a reason to oppose the measure.

A search of the NRDC web site turns up no mention of Proposition 7.

On the Other hand, the "Yes on Prop 7" website offers a wealth of details which don't seem congruent with the NRDC concerns.

Could the real reason be resentment over outsiders injecting themselves into an issue the NRDC and its allies "owned?"

Might it be embarrassment that citizens -- tired of the Greens and the do-nothing legislators in Sacramento -- took matters into their own hands?

Would this have happened if Prop 7's sponsors genuflected to those who have amassed vast political power in California?

Does Prop 7 pose a threat to back-room horse-trading that the NRDC and its allies feel they -- and they only -- are entitled to?

Proposition 7 can be read in its entirety at the California Secretary of State's web site.

In addition, the non-partisan analysis of the measure by the California Legislative Analyst's Office does not back up the NRDC claims.

Until the NRDC can detail the specific reasons for its vague reasons, the electorate can only assume it's an ego thing and a political "dog in the manger" issue.

The NRDC's vagueness and lack of transparency on this issue hints of the discredited back-room politics that the electorate find reprehensible.

That hurts the environment and the people of California. And continues a broken political process where scoring political points takes precedence over proper governance.

Making Both Wings Angry - Must Be Doing Something Right

2008-07-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

Well, the angry emails and profanely un-postable comments have started to arrive. The immoderate outrage seems about evenly divided between Dem and GOP party line loyalists. I suppose I must be doing something right if both sides are upset. The conservatives seem to think I was a liberal shill and vice-versa.

As I said in the explanation box, I will address the truth where I find it. I will do it with facts, examples, attribution and unbiased, unemotional, straightforward language. I happen to believe in the truth and will try my best to convey that.

I do realize that truth is elusive, but only facts and civility can lead you in the right direction. Distortions and emotions lead you astray. Bias in the defense of your cause leads to ruin.

I am amenable to being corrected when my facts are wrong, when I have not offered full context, or when information is brought to my attention that I have not considered.

Significantly, none of the wild and emotional comments I have received addressed any of the facts in my posts, offered more facts or proffered a rational explanation.

I do welcome comments. Be forewarned, however, that your posts must be civil. Flames, rants and polemical ventings will not be posted. If you cannot employ facts and moderate language, your comments will not be posted.

Rants and ideological flames create political ghettos populated by a mob mentality that thrives on mutual incitement. That never leads to a solution, good government or advances the common welfare.

Facts and civility advance discussion and offer a path to solutions. Rants and flames simple divide, usually by exaggerating false premises.

Obama Versus Obama on Faith-Based Initiatives? NOT!

2008-07-02T16:25:00.000-07:00

The Republican National Committee ought to know that this is certainly not a good way to earn people's trust. Here is what the RNC displayed on their "In The News" page today.

It was certainly an intriguing headline. But when I tried to click on the articles to read them, I found there were no hot links (that's clueless enough in its own right).

So I surfed over to The Politico, searched for the date and reporter mentioned. But what I found was far different than the RNC said it was.

Obama said he will rename the office and reorganize it. But scrap it? That's not what he said. Like any politician, one will need to see what he would actually d0 in office.

BUT -- this sort of misleading thing certainly makes the Democrats' case that the GOP is gearing up a smear campaign. Someone at the RNC needs to shape up the RNC Research Department, the source of the misleading headline.

No matter whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, if you mislead voters, they will not trust you or your candidate.

Ethics Watch: Associated Press Article Biased by Omission in Cochran-McCain Article

2008-07-02T09:08:00.000-07:00

Much has been made of John McCain's tulmutuous relationship with U.S. Senator Thad Cochran. Earlier this year, Cochran told the Boston Globe that, "The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine."

Cochran, endorsed Mitt Romney in the primaries.

None of the above is new.

What is new and significant is an interview conducted by the Biloxi (Mississippi) Sun-Herald Newspaper. Cochran describes an incident 21 years ago, in which McCain throttled an associate of Sandinista dictator Daniel Ortega during a trip to Nicaragua.

"McCain was down at the end of the table and we were talking to the head of the guerilla group here at this end of the table and I don't know what attracted my attention," Cochran said. "But I saw some kind of quick movement at the bottom of the table and I looked down there and John had reached over and grabbed this guy by the shirt collar and had snatched him up like he was throwing him up out of the chair to tell him what he thought about him or whatever. I don't know what he was telling him but I thought, good grief, everybody around here has got guns and we were there on a diplomatic mission. I don't know what had happened to provoke John but he obviously got mad at the guy and he just reached over there and snatched him."

McCain says it didn't happen. He told reporters at a press conference today during his trip to Colombia, "I had many, many meetings with the Sandinistas," McCain said. "I must say, I did not admire the Sandinistas much. But there was never anything of that nature. It just didn't happen."

But more to the point of this post: lower in the Sun-Herald interview, we get to the point of Cochran's reason for relating the 21-year-old story in an interview today.

According to Cochran spokeswoman Margaret McPhillips:

"I think Sen. Cochran went into as much detail yesterday as is necessary to make the point that, though Sen. McCain has had problems with his temper, he has overcome them.

"Though Sen. Cochran saw the incident he described to you, decades have passed since then and he wanted to make the point that over the years he has seen Sen. McCain mature into an individual who is not only spirited and tenacious but also thoughtful and levelheaded. As Sen. Cochran said yesterday, he believes Sen. McCain has developed into the best possible candidate for President."

Okay, so what does this have to do with the Associated Press? Well, the AP's summary of the Sun-Herald interview stated that,

"McCain sought to smooth things over with Cochran this year after the Mississippi senator said the idea of McCain as the GOP presidential nominee sent a chill down his spine."

The AP then concluded with a partial quote that misleads readers and clearly misinterprets Thad's remarks: "Asked about the incident, Cochran spokeswoman Margaret McPhillips told The Associated Press: 'I think his quotes in the Sun Herald speak on that issue'."

That's the WHOLE quote from Associated Press.

Read the Sun-Herald's quote of McPhillips again. Then read the truncated AP version.

Obviously, an astute reader will note that Cochran's "chill down his spine" statement is barely half a year old. One could surmise that Cochran's most recent statement and change of heart might be a political decision for party unity, especially with a faint endorsement in the last sentence calling McCain "the best possible candidate."

Reality? Politics? A little of both, perhaps? The same can certainly be said of the Obama-Hillary unity detente and all of the harsh charges she made against him in the primaries.

Regardless, that is NOT a decision for an AP reporter -- or any other reporter -- to make. News should be reported completely and in context so that readers can maker their own decisions.

Associated Press has clearly sinned by omission. And that violates every standard of journalistic ethics. It also destroys the reporter's credibility. It raises the question, what other things in which other articles have been left out?

The entire interview is at: http://www.sunherald.com/pageone/story/660742.html

DISCLOSURE: After working as a top aide to Governor Bill Waller (Democrat, Mississippi), I served as Thad's press secretary when he was in the House of Representatives. I have not visited, spoken nor corresponded with Thad about this nor any other political issue in decades nor do I have any contact with the McCain camp.

McCain & Obama Both Oppose Gay Marriage

2008-07-02T09:01:00.001-07:00

Neither presidential candidate supports gay marriage.

McCain issued the following statement:

"I support the efforts of the people of California to recognize marriage as a unique institution between a man and a woman, just as we did in my home state of Arizona. I do not believe judges should be making these decisions."

As U.S. News & World Report puts it: "As McCain's stance on same-sex marriage comes as no surprise to political analysts, since he has never varied widely from the mainstream of the Republican Party on the issue. While McCain voted against a federal constitutional amendment supported by President Bush in 2004, he has said he thinks states should be able to determine their own approaches to marriage—and he has repeatedly said the matter should be left to voters, not judges, to decide."

Previously, Obama told the Chicago Daily Tribune, "I'm a Christian. And so, although I try not to have my religious beliefs dominate or determine my political views on this issue, I do believe that tradition, and my religious beliefs say that marriage is something sanctified between a man and a woman."

Obama has gone much farther than McCain in supporting issues of importance to the gay community.

And while the Mormon and Catholic churches are ginning up efforts to defeat gay marriage proposals, other denominations including Episcopalians and even Presbyterians are re-examining their own prohibitions. The American religious mainstream may arrive at its own acceptance far sooner than McCain & Obama.

Major General Buckman, Urban Legend

2008-07-01T10:56:00.000-07:00

UPDATE July 7, 2008 -- This article is undergoing revision. Maj General Buckman does exist. I thank the comment posters for additional information. Please refer to this post for more details.

ORIGINAL POST:

Despite wide circulation, there is no indication that the following email is anything more than urban legend. For the reasons why, see the comments following the email.

This from Major General (ret) Buckman

*********************************************************************************************

My niece, Katelyn, stationed at Baluud , Iraq was assigned, with others of her detachment, to be escort/guard/ watcher for Martha Raddatz of ABC News as she covered John McCain's recent trip to Iraq . Katelyn and her Captain stood directly behind Raddatz as she queried GI's walking past. They kept count of the GI's and you should remember these numbers. She asked 60 GI's who they planned to vote for in November. 54 said John McCain, 4 for Obama and 2 for Hillary. Katelyn called home and told her Mom and Dad to watch ABC news the next night because she was standing directly behind Raddatz and maybe they'd see her on TV. Mom and Dad of course, called and emailed all the kinfolk to watch the newscast and maybe see Katelyn. Well, of course, we all watched and what we saw wasn't a glimpse of Katelyn, but got a hell' uva view of skewed news. After a dissertation on McCain's trip and speech, ABC showed 5 GI's being asked by Raddatz how they were going to vote in November; 3 for Obama and 2 for Clinton . No mention of the 54 for McCain.

There are a number of military personnel locators, the most comprehensive being at military.com (http://community.military.com/buddy-finder/search.do) which includes the DoD locator database. They allow search by service and by pay grade but not retired versus active or reserve.

A major general has an O-8 pay grade. (http://www.defenselink.mil/prhome/poprep2001/chapter4/chapter4_2.htm)

A search returns the following:

We did not find any matches for "Buckman, Army, O-8, Male."

We did not find any matches for "Buckman, Air Force, O-8, Male."

We did not find any matches for "Buckman, Marine Corps, O-8, Male."

I did not search for the Navy equivalent, "Rear Admiral - Upper Half."

I do not ever believe that any database is totally complete. It could be that Buckman exists. However, given that the rank of Major general comprises 0.2% of Army personnel, it's less likely that they would lose track of a two-star like they might with a two-stripe.

Personally, I would have liked to locate Buckman and follow-up on this story.

There are clear indications that the Mainstream Media are, indeed, biased. This email, however, is nothing but rumor.

Significantly, emails such as this make it easier for those in the MSM -- and their supporters -- to dismiss bias as "just another rumor," thereby encouraging denial and helping to perpetuate the bias.

If one wants to encourage more honesty on the part of the MSM, one must use factually honest material to do it.

Say, Wesley, Why not Sink PT-109 Too?

2008-06-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

“Well, I don’t think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president,” --Retired General and former Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark's comments on John McCain on Sunday.

So, in that vein, why don't we just go after JFK too?

A whole helluva lot of people thought his willingness to serve his country and the bravery he exhibited after the sinking of PT-109 were evidence of his character and leadership.

Immigration Sound Bite Score: Obama 1, McCain 0

2008-06-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

After thinking more about my post on Obama's cheap shot at the NALEO, and how television and print media played it up without checking their facts, I realized that we have several things at work here:

1. The media, as usual, are easily manipulated.

Obama played their collective ADHD perfectly with his soundbite about McCain walking away from his own legislation. While not true, it made for great "bang-bang" for those with limited attention spans and no concept of context and fact-checking.

2. Obama's got some damn good sound-bite writers. And good strategists. His refusal to buy into any sort of town-hall meeting, means that Obama can fire off a juicy soundbite knowing that, regardless of substance, the media will pick it up and McCain will have no chance to challenge him face-to-face.

3. McCain's got no sound-bite writers to speak of. That's why his responses to Obama's soundbites never get the same prominence.

I've been thr0ugh a lot of previous McCain speeches and most of his press releases. They are boring, boring, BORING! Even when the releases try to go on the attack --like the one responding to the cheap shot -- they are political Ambien. And they are so predictable in style and wording.

In other words, they offer nothing for the newshounds to quote. That reflects nothing less than the dismal failure to hire someone who understands what the media want to quote.

You can argue substance over style all you want, but one of the mandatory traits of a leader is to inspire.

Even more importantly, the lack of anything inspirational -- including tasty sound-bites to chum the media sharks with -- reflects a failure of leadership. McCain, no matter how much he wants to stay within a low-key comfort zone, must realize the importance of being quotable. The lack of quotability means the inability to reach the electorate.

So what we have here is a failure to communicate. That won't get McCain elected. And if, by some quirk he surmounts that hurdle, he will be unable to lead because he'll never be able to get his message out to the American people.

4. A political campaign is a Darwinian process. It is a test of how well a candidate can create an effective organization and lead it. All of the greatest policy wonks and position-paper strategists mean nothing without the ability to communicate.

Effective communication creates inspiration, gathers votes and helps fundraising. McCain will clearly trail Obama as long as his communications effort sucks this badly.

Obama's Cheap Shot on Immigration

2008-06-28T18:19:00.000-07:00

Speaking before the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, Obama today said of McCain's commitment to immigration reform: "When he was running for his party's nomination, he walked away from that commitment."

A comprehensive search of both McCain's and Obama's sites as well as the Internet revealed nothing to support that accusation.

McCain co-sponsored with Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass), a wide-ranging immigration bill that would have provided both increased border security and a path to citizenship. That legislation stalled in Congress. McCain had to buck GOP opposition in order to try and help Kennedy craft a coalition to pass the legislation.

McCain's legislation was widely derided by opponents as "amnesty."

It is true that during the primary season, McCain addressed a political reality that stricter enforcement had to come first in order to win widespread acceptance among Americans. Obama's web site indicates his position is the same.

"The legislation "wasn't very popular . . . in my party," McCain said Friday adding that, "We will not succeed in the Congress until we can convince the majority of the American people we have border security."

The McCain campaign responded to Obama today, listing five "poison pill" amendments sponsored or supported by Obama which, according to the McCain Campaign, helped doom immigration reform.

Obama's web site page on immigration listed his position which looks to be a carbon copy of the McCain-Kennedy legislation. Indeed, Obama's position places border security first:

From Obama's web site:

Create Secure Borders

Obama wants to preserve the integrity of our borders. He supports additional personnel, infrastructure and technology on the border and at our ports of entry.

Improve Our Immigration System

Obama believes we must fix the dysfunctional immigration bureaucracy and increase the number of legal immigrants to keep families together and meet the demand for jobs that employers cannot fill.

Remove Incentives to Enter Illegally

Obama will remove incentives to enter the country illegally by cracking down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants.

Bring People Out of the Shadows

Obama supports a system that allows undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens.

Work with Mexico

Obama believes we need to do more to promote economic development in Mexico to decrease illegal immigration.

The facts from the Obama and McCain sites supports the contention that Obama's remarks were a cheap shot.

Why Obama's Broken Promise On Public Financing Matters

2008-06-28T12:40:00.000-07:00

Because he promised.

We expect the usual DemoRepubliCrats to break their promises. But Obama promised change and that implied that we could trust him.

His decision to opt out of public financing shows we cannot trust his word any better than any other politician.

It also makes one think he has doubts about winning in an equal fight. So, winning at all costs -- even if you have to buy it -- is better than keeping one's word.

Oh, and his reasons for heading for all the big, corrupting money holds no water at all. Perhaps the best exposition of this comes from The Economist, the center-to-left-leaning weekly magazine from the U.K. One can hardly accuse them of being biased against Obama or having some stake in the election.

From The Economist: The Audacity of Humbug

AS HEADLINES go, “Politician Breaks Promise” is hardly “Man Bites Dog”. But Barack Obama’s broken promise to accept public funds for his presidential campaign was nonetheless newsworthy.

Last year, when he was a plucky outsider running against the mighty Clinton machine, he vowed to break with the mucky money politics of the past by adhering to the strict spending limits that come with public subsidy.

On June 19th, having discovered that he is the best fund-raiser in American political history, he broke his word.

That was canny, but hardly virtuous.

So even some of his fans find it galling that he seeks to portray it as such.

“Even though we stood to receive more than $80m in taxpayer funding for our campaign, the system has been so gamed and exploited by our opponents that it is effectively broken,” proclaimed his website. Then, on a mock-up of an old parchment, it boasted that over 110,000 citizens “have declared their independence from a broken system by supporting the first presidential election truly funded by the people.”

This is the audacity of humbug.

Mr Obama has long maintained that taxpayer-funded campaigns save the candidate from becoming obligated to private donors. Now he suggests that relying on private donors shows moral courage akin to that displayed by those who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Read the rest of the Economist article

This should make every Obama supporter and every opponent fear what other promises he will break if elected.

Obamaland?

2008-06-27T18:01:00.000-07:00

According to the NYTimes, the seal of the grand republic of ObamaLand was on the wall behind Obama today at a meeting in Chicago. Excuse me, but it looks a LOT like something out of a box of Wheaties.

I wonder if his babysitters are going make some secret decoder rings or a Junior G-Man suit to play in as well.

Dumb. Pretentious. Lame. Juvenile. Poor Judgment.

This sort of stunt from a potential commander in chief makes me queasy.

Both Obama & McCain Support Telecom Amnesty Bill & Increased Domestic Spying

2008-06-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

Both Barack Obama and John McCain are supporting legislation to shield telcos from showing up in court to explain their illegal activities on behalf of the growing domestic spy business.

At the same time, neither candidate is protecting innocent Americans from FISA rush backwards to 1984.

According to CBS News, "Retroactive immunity could squash about 40 lawsuits pending against telecommunication companies that helped the government monitor the telecommunications traffic of Americans without warrants. The telecom industry has lobbied hard to insure that the provision is included in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act update Congress is currently considering."

From Wired:

"Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama supports the spy bill compromise passed by the House Friday, despite having opposed retroactive amnesty to telecoms that helped with the President's secret, warrantless wiretapping.

The measure expands the government's ability to install blanket wiretaps inside domestic communication infrastructure and frees the nation's phone and internet companies from lawsuits accusing them of massive violations of their customers' privacy. The Senate is expected to take up and pass the Bush-approved bill next week. The bill is widely perceived as a victory for the White House, and was agreed to by Democrats out of a fear of being labeled soft on terrorism in the upcoming elections."

Obama is in good company. According to data from Maplight.org, over in the House of Representatives, 94 Democrats switched their votes to pass the bill. Those who switched were richly rewarded with money from the the telEcom companies.

Media General News Service offered this perspective: AT&T, Sprint and Verizon PACs have contributed about $3.5 million to House campaigns since 2005, according to MAPLight.

The companies spent about $10.8 million on lobbying in the first three months of 2008, according to lobbying disclosure records. Disclosure rules do not require lobbyists to break down their expenditures by issue.

MAPLight executive director Daniel Newman said money from interest groups is undemocratic.

"If you're Joan Citizen and you're concerned the government has eavesdropped on your phone calls, who is going to get the meeting - you or telecom?" Newman said. "It's access."

The American Civil Liberties Union and the Computer and Communications Industry Association - opponents of telecom immunity -- spent about $1.2 million on lobbying in the first quarter of 2008, according to disclosure records.

The ACLU spent $11,675 on campaign contributions to 11 members between January 2005 and March 2008, according to a MAPLight analysis.

ACLU legislative counsel Michelle Richardson charged that the telecom contributions did influence members' votes.

"They're making cold political decisions here, not principled ones," Richardson said.

If Obama's idea of change is changing his mind from protecting citizens to protecting illegal spying, then I think he's trying to sell us more of the same old DemoRepubliCrat BS.

John McCain's Computer Illiteracy Matters

2008-06-27T10:24:00.000-07:00

I am far more concerned about McCain's computer illiteracy than I am his age.

On the one hand, the huge number of Americans who are still basically illiterate when it comes to computers will probably keep this from being his "grocery scanner" moment.

Be that as it may, he should be computer literate because the trials and tribulations of using a computer clearly demonstrate the anti-consumer, manipulative nature of Microsoft, Comcast, and the other monopolies who screw their users daily.

No matter how well briefed you may be by staff, only the literal "hands on" experience can make for good judgment.

This is not a good sign:

If McCain's got some savvy staffers around him, he needs to undergo a crash course.

NOW.

There Will Be Truth

FREE AT LAST!

Google Bots Still Have Me Screwed

Google Lies.

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Waiting for Google ... Godot

CRAP-tcha Torture

Evil Google-oids Continue to Victimize Bloggers

Google STILL Harassing This Blog

Bush, Al-Maliki Troop Cut Goals Strike At Heart of Obama Strategy

DNC Sees Cindy McCain's Wealth as Fair Game

From the "Pot Calls Kettle Black" Dept: Pelosi says Bush 'a total failure'

Bush Impeachment = Waste of Time

Major General Buckman: “Did Not Author That Email”

Testing Google Censorship

More on Major General Buckman

Lost in CyberSpace - McCain's Faint Online Footprints

Patriotism, Betrayal, and the Iraq-ization of America

Calif Greens Oppose Proposition 7 Green Initiative

Making Both Wings Angry - Must Be Doing Something Right

Obama Versus Obama on Faith-Based Initiatives? NOT!

Ethics Watch: Associated Press Article Biased by Omission in Cochran-McCain Article

McCain & Obama Both Oppose Gay Marriage

Major General Buckman, Urban Legend

We did not find any matches for "Buckman, Army, O-8, Male."

We did not find any matches for "Buckman, Air Force, O-8, Male."

We did not find any matches for "Buckman, Marine Corps, O-8, Male."

Say, Wesley, Why not Sink PT-109 Too?

Immigration Sound Bite Score: Obama 1, McCain 0

Obama's Cheap Shot on Immigration

Create Secure Borders

Improve Our Immigration System

Remove Incentives to Enter Illegally

Bring People Out of the Shadows

Work with Mexico

Why Obama's Broken Promise On Public Financing Matters

Obamaland?

Both Obama & McCain Support Telecom Amnesty Bill & Increased Domestic Spying

John McCain's Computer Illiteracy Matters