I'm hearing from other blogs that Miami is close to riots after rumors of Castro's demise have spread throughout the city.

Referenced Here (Swedish?)

Miami Herald Article HERE

Has anyone else heard anything on this? Normally I would post this as a comment in an open diary, but there isn't one presently. If someone would like to post a more comprehensive diary, I'll gladly delete this one!

REMEMBER, This is a Rant...It doesn't have to be rational!  :-)

I don't know about y'all, but I've had about enough of this veto BS. Since Dubya is too damned stubborn (not to mention DUMB) to compromise on this (or anything else), we're gonna have to do an end-run around him.

How do we do that? We look for the weakest link in the chain...Then we SMASH it. Follow me below the fold and I'll explain.

A friend of mine sent this to me recently. I've seen/heard other diatribes like it (Think "West Wing"), but this one pretty much says it all.

Fred Phelps makes me sick...Physically ill. Harassing the families of fallen soldiers, at thier funerals no less, is the most UNpatriotic thing I can think of. It's despicable.

The original version of this was directed to President Bush. But I think it fits Rev. Phelps just as well. So, I'd like to dedicate this rant to the good(?) Reverend. Follow me below the fold for my smite Du Jour.

(From the diaries by mcjoan. Excellent discussion in the comments. The New York Times adds this:)

. . . Chile's government says at least 3,197 people were killed for political reasons during his rule, but after leaving the presidency in 1990 Pinochet escaped hundreds of criminal complaints because of his declining physical and mental health. Pinochet took power on Sept. 11, 1973, demanding an unconditional surrender from President Salvador Allende as warplanes bombed the presidential palace in downtown Santiago. Instead, Allende committed suicide with a submachine gun he had received as a gift from Fidel Castro.

As the mustachioed Pinochet crushed dissent during his 1973-90 rule, he left little doubt about who was in charge. ''Not a leaf moves in this country if I'm not moving it,'' he once said.

This just in...

Former Chilean Dictator Augusto Pinochet has died.

SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - Former Chilean dictator
Augusto Pinochet, who ruled from 1973-1990, died on Sunday, a doctor from Santiago's military hospital said.

"He died surrounded by his family," Dr. Juan Ignacio Vergara told reporters outside the hospital, confirming a local television report.

"Later this afternoon, we will give more details," he said.

The brief announcement by the hospital said Pinochet's condition worsened suddenly and doctors rushed him back to intensive care, from which he had been removed only on Thursday while recovering from an acute heart attack he suffered one week ago.

Well, sort of...

Seems Portland, ME got hit by a major storm today, producing wind gusts over 50mph. The storm raged from Maryland to Maine, knocking out power to thousands of homes, according to this AP Report:

NEW YORK - Thousands of homes and businesses had no electricity Sunday from Maryland to Maine as a storm system blasted the region with winds gusting to more than 50 mph, knocking over trees and a construction crane. The storm was blamed for at least two deaths.

Update [2006-10-30 0:46:10 by Da Buddy]: Title changed - seems some folks need to spend a little more time in C&J - IT'S A JOKE!

Why is that everytime Dubya creates a mess, Daddy Bush calls on Former Secretary of State James Baker III to come in and clean it up?

Before today, the most recent debacle was the 2000 election scandal in Florida. Now it's Iraq:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Longtime Bush family friend James Baker plans to give President George W. Bush recommendations that may provide a way out of Iraq, but whether he will take up the offer is far from certain.

[snip]

Baker, who has a long history of trying to help the Bush family out of tight spots, has signaled that he believes a change in course is necessary.

Well, Well, Well...

The Bugman's little ploy to extricate himself from the ballot seems to have backfired!

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's name must stay on a Texas ballot in upcoming congressional elections, despite his decision to withdraw from the race, a U.S. court judge in Austin, Texas, ruled on Thursday.

The whole point of DeLay "moving" to Virginia was to disqualify him, so the TX Repugs could replace him on the ballot. Tough Luck Tommy Boy! We beat you at your own game.

Democrats sought an order to keep DeLay on the ballot, claiming he could not declared ineligible until election day.

Update [2006-6-28 21:54:2 by Da Buddy]: Kossack INLAND points out exactly why this Tribune Editorial is such a big deal.

Chi Tribune, republican party organ. (5+ / 0-)

It is. Historically, editorially, it is. When the Trib turns its back on a republican, it means something. [empahsis mine]

THANKS INLAND!

Update [2006-6-28 23:50:48 by Da Buddy]: Cross-Posted to My DD

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

Denny's just not feeling the love from the Chicago Tribune these days. Recently they have been reporting on a Land Deal That netted 'Ole Hamhocks nearly $2 million in profit.

In fact, they even got in his face a bit, with an article subtitled Highway to Hastertland. But today, they just just flat out slammed him in a scathing editorial. Slammed him not just for the land deal, but for not putting a stop to Congressional Earmarks, as well.

Follow me below for a taste of the Tribune's brow beating:

Much to my dismay, I found the following hateful Chain Letter in my email inbox today:

Ever wonder what the expression "stuck on stupid" meant?

Well here is an example:

That intro was followed by this picture:

Then the author goes on to attack Cindy as a mother:

The grinning idiot clinging to Je$$e Jack$on is Cindy Sheehan... the sob sister protesting the war at Bush's ranch, who lost her son in the war, the same son she gave up in her divorce  when he was 7 years old.

And by the way if you wonder why she has so much free time ... she is going through another divorce right now and guess what?  She is giving up custody of another son.  

As Forest Gump once wisely proclaimed, "Stupid is as stupid does."

As repugnant as that is, it gets even worse. Follow me to Page Two.....

CNN is reporting that "Ten Commandments" Judge Roy Moore has lost his Primary Bid for Governor of Alabama. Incumbent Bob Riley defeated the Moore's challenge:

NEW YORK (AP) -- Alabama Gov. Bob Riley easily beat back a Republican primary challenge from Roy Moore, the former judge who tried to put a Ten Commandments monument in his courthouse, while Democratic former Gov. Don Siegelman trailed in his comeback fight against the state's first female lieutenant governor.

Canadian authorities stopped a MAJOR TERRORIST THREAT in the Toronto area today:

TORONTO, Ontario (CNN) -- Canadian police said on Saturday they had halted a "real and serious" terror threat in and around Toronto.

Twelve men and five youths said to have been inspired by al Qaeda were arrested in the operation involving hundreds of officers, authorities said.

The group was "planning to commit a series of terrorist attacks against solely Canadian targets in southern Ontario," Royal Canadian Mounted Police Assistant Commissioner Mike McDonell said at a news conference.

"This group took steps to acquire three tons of ammonium nitrate and other components necessary to create explosive devices," he said. (Watch police chief describe how suspects got bomb materials -- 0:36)

"To put this in context, the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people took one ton of ammonium nitrate."

The last time dKos realigned the TU status algorithm, several folks suddenly found themselves unintentionally "demoted" Seems like we're having a repeat of that episode:

Update III: There was a small error in the new TU algorithm that excluded more people than we intended.

We addressed this problem last time by having a "MoJo Fest" to offset the collateral damage. What's a MoJo Fest? Well, basically, those who have been "victimized" by the mean old algorithm post a comment, then everybody PILES ON with lots of recommends to help restore their TU status.

So let's have a MoJo Fest to help those, who just barely missed the cut, get their TU Status back. If you have been here longer than three months and have consistently had TU Status, then post a comment below so we can show you some love. Post Away!

OK, I have WAAAYYY too much time I my hands. Actually, I just REFUSE to go outside...100*F With Heat Index in Chicago today.
ACK! My crappy lungs just can't take that anymore.

So, here's a funny little photo collage that I put together from pictures people have sent me...Can you tell one of those people was a Pilot? Kinda scary, really.

ENJOY!

I've been mulling over This Article for an hour or so, now, and been have thinking about how we can exploit this little GOP "problem".

This is what I've come up with.

We have to beat them at their own game. We need ready-made, "sound bite" answers for their "bait" questions. We have to avoid debate on divisive issues like gay marriage, abortions, Iraq, etc. We have to develop a message, and then stay on message. In short, we have to keep a laser focus on the "bread & butter" issues.

Stay with me, here. I'll explain below the fold.

It's that time of year again.

Caps & gowns adorn the auditoriums around the country; teachers close up their classrooms for the summer, with both joy and sadness; kids everywhere rejoice at their (temporary) freedom; and parents wonder how the HELL they're going to cope between now and August.

My mom was a teacher. A very dedicated teacher, like I suspect teacherken, and many other Kossacks are. She didn't just stand in front of classroom and present lesson plans. She put her heart and soul into it...Everyday...And many nights & weekends as well.

A lot of people don't realize what teachers go through...What they sacrifice for their chosen vocation. I do. And so I want to take a minute today, as the school year winds down, to salute the many Kossack Teachers who work so hard to "reach" our children, and try to instill knowledge and skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives.

THANK YOU, for all that you do!

I'm sure that by now we are all very aware of what the NSA has been up to since 9/11/2001, (If you aren't, read Georgia 10's FP Diary to get up to speed) so I won't dwell on the circumstances.

Instead, I'd like to focus on what we can do about it. That's right, us Kossacks...You & me...Average Joe Citizen. We can't force the NSA to to stop their nefarious activities, but we CAN give them one Hell of a wake up call!

We can send them a message...LOUD & CLEAR...that we are on to them, and we aren't going to stand by watch helplessly. What I'm talking about is flooding the NSA with FOIA requests, which will tie them up in knots trying to respond to all of them...And they HAVE to respond within 20 days, by law!

So here's how we do it. Below the fold is a FOIA Request Template. Copy.Paste.Mail...It's that simple.

[UPDATE #1] The NSA SHOULD tell you costs in advance. If this is a concern for you, alter that sentence to read "Please advise me of actual charges before processing this request."

This is a Follow-Up to Rico's Very Disturbing Diary from last night. In summary, it's a diary to promote a News Conference to be held tomorrow in Ontario, CA, where a grieving mother will speak out on the death of her son, who had helped organize a "walkout" at his Middle School.

Here's an excerpt from the Press Release that Rico posted:

Eighth grader Anthony Soltero shot himself on Thursday, March 30, after the assistant principal at De Anza Middle School told him that he was going to prison for three years because of his involvement as an organizer of the March 28 school walk-outs to protest the anti-immigrant legislation in Washington.  The vice principal also forbade Anthony from attending graduation activities and threatened to fine his mother for Anthony's truancy and participation in the student protests. [emphasis mine]

How 'bout that? It appears that Ms. Couric is tired of waking up at 3am every weekday. She has opted for a Later Shift

The Washington Post and USA Today both report on their Web sites that negotiators for Couric and CBS have reached a tentative deal. The reports say Couric will succeed Bob Schieffer as anchor of the "CBS Evening News" and become a regular on "60 Minutes." CBS' news broadcast is currently in third place.

The deal would make Couric the first solo female network news anchor.

If the deal goes through, she will be the first ever SOLO female anchor for a US evening news program.