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| Marty Stuart and Steve Earle performerd "Crying. Hoping" and
have really nailed the Holly rhythm guitar sound. to me.If you have any
ideas how to get that tone with any of the kit amps available. I would
like to know.The song is on the tribute album.
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| Although it is well known that $9 billion in Iraq reconstruction money
was never accounted for. it was thought an Inspector General named by
the Congress for oversight would produce some kind of audit on the $9
billion. not to mention the $12 billion in cash supposedly sent to Iraq
straight from the Federal Reserve.
whipped up a "signing statement". one of those 750
Presidential findings that was revealed in April by the Boston Globe.
which neutered the audit by declaring anything to do with the Pentagon
a classified security issue!
The GOP Congress enabled Bush all the way on this outrageous signing.
essentially covering up the likely theft of the urgently needed
Reconstruction Fund.
Title III of the Act creates an Inspector General (IG) of the CPA.
Title III shall be construed in a manner consistent with the
President's constitutional authorities to conduct the Nation's foreign
affairs. to supervise the unitary executive branch. and as Commander in
Chief of the Armed Forces. The CPA IG shall refrain from initiating. or completing an audit or investigation. or from issuing
a subpoena. which requires access to sensitive operation plans.
intelligence matters. counterintelligence matters. ongoing criminal
investiga-tions by other administrative units of the Department of
Defense related to national security. or other matters the disclosure
of which would constitute a serious threat to national security. The
Secretary of Defense may make exceptions to the foregoing direction in
the public interest.
Provisions of the Act that require disclosure of information. shall be construed in a manner
consistent with the President's constitutional authority to withhold
information that could impair foreign relations. national security. the
deliberative processes of the Executive. or the performance of the
Executive's constitutional duties.
there is a lot of money to follow in the current scandal that can be
best described as the Bush/Cheney administration. My bet for the place that needs the most following is the more than $9
billion that has gone missing without a trace in Iraq--as well as $12
billion in cash that the Pentagon flew into Iraq straight from Federal
Reserve vaults via military transports. and for which there has been
little or no accounting.
As word of massive corruption began to surface in 2003. Congress passed
legislation creating an office of Inspector General. assuming that this
new agency would monitor the spending on the occupation and
reconstruction. and figure why all so much taxpayer money was
disappearing. and why only minimal reconstruction was going on in
destroyed Iraq. instead of a massive rebuilding program as intended.
Bush named an old friend and supporter. to the post--a
move that should have put Congress on alert. given this
administration's long history of putting cronies in positions of
authority.
When the Coalition Provisional Authority was terminated in late 2004.
with corruption still rampant and growing. Congress redefined Bowen's
position as Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.
went to work. He uncovered some corruption in a report in early
2006 that sounded scathing enough. Bowen found cases of double billing
by contractors. of payments for work that was never done. and other
scandals. But he never came up with more than $1 billion or so worth of
problems--a small fraction of the total amount of money that was
vanishing.
One of the laws the president chose to ignore with a 'signing
statement' was the one establishing the inspector general post for
Iraq. saying that the new inspector general would have no authority to
investigate any contracts or corruption issues involving the Pentagon.
When the Boston Globe. broke the story that President
Bush has been quietly setting aside over 750 acts passed by Congress.
claiming he has the authority as "unitary executive" and as commander
in chief to ignore such laws. it turned out that one of the laws the
president chose to ignore was the one establishing the inspector
general post for Iraq. What the president did was write a so-called
signing statement on the side (unpublicized of course--though it was
quietly posted on the White House website). saying that the new
inspector general would have no authority to investigate any contracts
or corruption issues involving the Pentagon.
Who gets the bill for this corruption? The American taxpayer! We need
to lay this at the feet of the GOP Congress. Why have Frist and
Hastert done nothing? This potentially leaves the Abramoff and Cunnungham scandals in the
dust in terms of dollars outright stolen. Yet there is nothing being
done.
The GOP doesn't want to follow the money or why Bush did this signing
because it will likely lead to yet another impeachable crime.
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| I was all set to see posts about what kind of cool amps they would be using
onstage. especially after all the media hype over their big comeback. and
now it might all be scrapped. NASHVILLE (Billboard) - Initial ticket sales for the Dixie Chicks' upcoming
tour are far below expectations and several dates will likely be canceled or
postoned.
Ticket counts for the 20-plus arena shows that went on sale last weekend
were averaging 5.000 per show in major markets and less in
secondaries. according to sources contacted by Billboard. Venue capacities
on the tour generally top 15. the band's new album. "Taking the Long Way. according to Nielsen Soundscan. the third-largest sales
week of 2006. The album logged a second week in the period ended June 4.
according to sales data issued Wednesday.
Despite those numbers. early ticket sales are clearly not meeting
projections. The plug was pulled on public on-sales for shows in
Indianapolis (August 23). Oklahoma City (September 26). Memphis (September
27) and Houston (September 30) because of tepid pre-sales in a national
promotion with Target stores.
The Memphis show has been pulled off the route and the status of the shows
in Indianapolis. Houston and Oklahoma City remains uncertain. Industry
speculation has it that much or all of the tour may be postponed. At the
very least. it is likely routing and capacity will be reconfigured.
Early ticket sales for this tour are in marked contrast to the Chicks' last
proper outing in 2003 when a national on-sale moved some 867.000 tickets the
first weekend. and second shows were added in several markets. The Chicks
ended up with the top-grossing country tour of 2003 at $62 million.
But not all shows on this tour are below projections. "We're happy (with our
on-sale) and comparatively seem to be ahead of most. Global
Spectrum COO/GM at Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. where the trio is booked
for July 25. A second date was added for the Air Canada Center in Toronto.
where the first show sold out in eight minutes. "Canada loves the Chicks."
says ACC booking director Patti-Ann Tarlton.
After two shows in London. the North American tour was set to begin July 21
in Detroit. But with ticket sales below expectations. it is possible the
route and capacities may be further reconfigured. The Chicks are managed by
Simon Renshaw and booked by Rob Light at Creative Artists Agency. both of
whom declined to comment.
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| apparently feeling frisky after cutting a deal with Fitzgerald
getting out of legal trouble on the Plame Affair. is back to his old
habits.
like so many Republican leaders. also a chickenhawk and a
closet-case; it's like its a job requirement:
Bush is taking the bullets. Rove is fighting the war on terror. all good Republicans are in the trenches. sacrificing for the
nation. willing to do anything it takes.
but that's just bullshit metaphor. In fact. Bush didn't intend to
risk anything. Rove is fighting Democrats and Americans. most good
Republcians aren't sacrificing a thing. and in fact all they are
willing to do is send someone else to fight and send the bills to
someone else to pay.
The people who are able to talk about fighting without metaphor want
the non-metaphorical war to end and before more troops become dead in a
manner that isn't merely an expresssion.
WASHINGTON - The decision not to charge Karl Rove shows there often are
no consequences for misleading the public.
while Rove allowed the White House to tell the news media that
he had no role in leaking Valerie Plame's CIA identity. the
presidential aide was secretly telling the FBI the truth.
It's now known that Rove had discussed Plame's CIA employment with
conservative columnist Robert Novak. who exposed her identity less than
a week later. citing two unidentified senior administration officials.
And by misleading reporters. the White House saved itself from a
political liability during the 2004 presidential campaign.
While the president and the vice president underwent questioning by
Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald in 2004. Rove's role never
surfaced. The lone blip on the radar screen was a one-day flurry of
news stories the month before Election Day when Rove was brought before
a federal grand jury - one of his five grand jury appearances in the
probe.
The extent of Rove's involvement didn't become official until Oct.
28 of last year. when Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff. was indicted on charges of perjury. obstruction and lying
to the FBI about how he learned of Plame's CIA identity and what he
told reporters about it.
The indictment recounted Rove's conversation with Novak about the CIA
officer. as Rove later related it to Libby.
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| Chronology of Events: Genocide in Canada
1857: The Gradual Civilization Act is passed by the Legislature of
Upper Canada. permanently disenfranchising all Indian and Metis
peoples. and placing them in a separate. inferior legal category than
citizens.
1874: The Indian Act is passed in Canada's Parliament. incorporating
the inferior social status of native people into its language and
provisions. Aboriginals are henceforth imprisoned on reserve lands and
are legal wards of the state.
1884: Legislation is passed in Ottawa creating a system of
state-funded. church administered Indian Residential Schools.
1905: Over one hundred residential schools are in existence across
Canada. 60% of them run by the Roman Catholics.
Medical Inspector for the Department of Indian
Affairs. tours the residential schools of western Canada and British
Columbia and writes a scathing report on the "criminal" health
conditions there. Bryce reports that native children are being
deliberately infected with diseases like tuberculosis. and are left to
die untreated. as a regular practice. He cites an average death rate
of 40% in the residential schools.
Superintendent of Indian Affairs.
suppresses Bryce's report and conducts a smear and cover-up campaign
regarding its findings. Bryce is expelled from the civil service.
1910: A joint agreement between the federal government and
the Roman Catholic. Presbyterian and Methodist churches
establishes the structure of Indian Residential Schools and the
contractual obligations of churches running them. Duncan Campbell
Scott refers to the policy of the government as that of seeking a
'final solution to the Indian Problem'.
1919: Despite an escalating death rate of Indian children in
residential schools from tuberculosis - in some cases as high as 75% -
Duncan Campbell Scott abolishes the post of Medical Inspector for
Indian residential schools. Within two years. deaths due to
tuberculosis have tripled in residential schools.
1920: Federal legislation makes it mandatory for every Indian child to
be sent to residential schools upon reaching seven years of age.
1928: Sexual Sterilization Act is passed in Alberta. allowing any
inmate of a native residential school to be sterilized upon the
approval of the school Principal. At least 3.500 Indian women are
sterilized under this law.
1933: An identical Sexual Sterilization Act is passed in British
Columbia. Two major sterilization centres are established by The
United Church of Canada on the west coast. in Bella Bella and Nanaimo.
in which thousands of native men and women are sterilized by
missionary doctors until the 1980's.
1933: Residential school Principals are made the legal guardians of
all native students. under the oversight of the federal Department of
Mines and Resources. Every native parent is forced by law to surrender
legal custody of their children to the Principal - a church employee -
or face imprisonment.
1938: Attempt by the federal government to close all residential
schools and incorporate Indian children into public schools is
defeated by pressure brought by Catholic and Protestant church
leaders.
1946: Project Paperclip - a CIA program utilizing ex-Nazi researchers
in medical. biological warfare and mind control experiments - uses
native children from Canadian residential schools as involuntary test
subjects. under agreements with the Catholic. Anglican and United
churches. These illegal tests continue until the 1970's.
1948 - 1969: Offshoot programs of Project Paperclip are established in
United Church and government hospitals in Nanaimo. Vancouver and Victoria. British Columbia; in Red
Deer and Ponoka. Alberta; and at the Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital in
Thunder Bay. Ontario. All of these programs use native children
abducted from reserves. and residential schools. with
the full knowledge of church. police and Indian Affairs officials.
1969: Indian Affairs Minister Jean Chretien tables his White Paper in
Parliament. which reaffirms the "assimilationist" policy of the past
century that denies sovereignty and equal status to native nations. As
a token gesture. Chretien assigns a limited control over Indian
education to local. state-funded band councils. Many residential
schools are phased out altogether or simply taken over by band
councils.
1990: State-funded leaders of the Assembly of First Nations discuss
'abuses' in residential schools for the first time publicly.
1994-95: Eyewitnesses to murders at the United Church's Alberni
residential school speak out publicly. from the pulpit of Reverend
Kevin Annett in Port Alberni. Annett is summarily fired without cause
within a month. and is expelled from United Church ministry without
due process during 1996.
1996: The first class action lawsuit of Alberni residential
school survivors is brought against the United Church of Canada and
the federal government. The church responds with a counter-suit and an
attempted 'gag order' on Kevin Annett. sterilisations and other
atrocities at coastal residential schools are documented by Kevin
Annett and native activists in public forums in Vancouver. The number
of lawsuits brought against the churches and government by residential
school survivors climbs to over 5. 1998: The first independent Tribunal into Canadian
residential schools is convened in Vancouver by IHRAAM (International
Human Rights Association of American Minorities). an affiliate of the
United Nations. Evidence is submitted by dozens of aboriginal
witnesses to crimes against humanity. The Tribunal concludes that the
government of Canada and the Catholic. United and Anglican churches
are guilty of complicity in Genocide. and recommends to the United
Nations that a War Crimes investigation be held.
1998-1999: Under strong pressure from the government of Canada. the
United Nations refuses to act on IHRAAM's recommendation. Further
evidence and reports of Genocide in residential schools is blacked out
of the mainstream media across Canada. A concerted smear and
misinformation campaign is launched by the United Church and the RCMP
against Kevin Annett and his network's efforts to document and expose
genocidal practices by church and state in Canada.
1998: The Vancouver Province reports the admission of United
Church lawyers that their church has engaged in a joint cover-up with
the federal government of crimes committed at its Alberni Indian
residential school since at least 1960.
1999: The New Internationalist magazine in Great Britain
reports the findings of the IHRAAM Tribunal. including the evidence of
murder in Canadian residential schools. but is subsequently threatened
and silenced by United Church and Canadian government lawyers.
2000: The number of lawsuits brought by residential school
survivors climbs to over 10.000. The federal government introduces
legislation limiting the number of such lawsuits. It also announces
that it will assume primary financial responsibility both for
residential school damages and the legal expenses of the churches
which ran the schools. despite the fact that Canadian courts have
ruled that the churches bear either a majority or an equal
responsibility for crimes at the schools.
2000: The federal Health Department admits that it used native
children from four residential schools. including Port Alberni. including the
deliberate denial of vitamins and dental care to them to study the
effects. (The Vancouver Sun. 2000: The Truth Commission into Genocide in Canada is formed
in Vancouver by forty-eight native and non-native activists. with
Kevin Annett as its Secretary. Its mandate is to carry on the work of
the IHRAAM Tribunal. and bring charges of Genocide against churches.
the RCMP and the government of Canada.
2001: The Truth Commission publishes its six year study of
Genocide in Canada. 'Hidden from History: The Canadian Holocaust'. A
second edition is published in June. Efforts by the United Church to
legally prevent its publication fail.
September-October. 2001: Judicial decisions in British Columbia and
Manitoba deny the claims of residential school survivors that genocide
was practiced. absolve the churches of any direct responsibility for
damages. and block any future lawsuits from claims older than thirty
years. when most residential schools were closed more than thirty
years ago. (! 2001: New eyewitnesses come forward with first-hand evidence
that native children are being used in west coast pedophile rings
involving senior judges. church and aboriginal leaders.
One of these pedophile networks operates out of the prestigious
Vancouver Club.
2001 - The Roman Catholic Church discloses that it hired
a known and convicted sex offender and murderer. to work
as a dormitory supervisor at its Christie Indian Residential School in
Tofino. during the 1960's. Saxey subsequently raped
and terrorized children at this school without ever being reprimanded
or prosecuted.
2002 - The first television documentary featuring
eyewitnesses to murders in Canadian Indian Residential Schools is
broadcast in Vancouver. on CTV's "First Story" program. The show is
aired simultaneously in Winnipeg. and Halifax. Rev. Kevin
Annett and native survivors of genocide give their stories. On the
same program. United Church official Brian Thorpe admits for the first
time ...
Kramer - white people hold the gold medal for Holocasts but usualllyy
THE HOLOCAUST refers to Hitler's. Genocide is perpetrated by many
peoples. On the world stage. the Canadians are minor offenders
comparatively.
but you know that already. You already know that winners
write history. that's why you struggle so hard here to write the
history you want to believe.
"Enlightenment is when a person leaves behind a state of immaturity and
dependence (Unm'ndigkeit) for which they themselves were responsible.
Immaturity and dependence are the inability to use one's own intellect
without the direction of another. One is responsible for this
immaturity and dependence. if its cause is not a lack of intelligence
or education. but a lack of determination and courage to think without
the direction of another. Sapere aude! is therefore the
slogan of the Enlightenment."
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