Fried

Bobby Ney, he hated the French, loved Freedom, but most of all, loved to cheat, lie, and steal like a good conservative:

Representative Bob Ney, Republican of Ohio, has agreed to plead guilty to federal criminal charges related to his dealings with the corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff, lawyers and others with knowledge of the investigation said Thursday.

A guilty plea would make Mr. Ney, a six-term congressman, the first member of Congress to admit to criminal charges in the Abramoff investigation, which has focused on the actions of several current and former Republican lawmakers who had been close to the former lobbyist.

People with detailed knowledge of the investigation said Mr. Ney had entered an in-patient rehabilitation center in recent days for treatment of alcoholism, making it uncertain whether he would appear at a court hearing to announce the plea. Lawyers and others would speak only anonymously because of concern that they would anger prosecutors...

Apart from the notoriety he received from the Abramoff scandal, Mr. Ney may be best remembered in Washington for his decision to label French-fried potatoes sold in the House cafeteria as “Freedom Fries” as a protest over the French government’s refusal to support the American invasion of Iraq.

The only difference between Ney and the rest of them is he got caught.

"I'll have a Johnnie Black with a side of Freedom, please..."

Khatami

I meant to put this up last week when it happened. Here it is now, the words of Khatami at the Washington National Cathedral last thursday

"Jesus is the prophet of kindness and peace. Muhammad is the prophet of ethics, morality and grace. Moses is the prophet of dialogue and exchange," he said.

Basically, Jesus was a nice guy, Muhammad is the standard bearer for all things right, wrong, good, bad, etc, and the Jews, well, they like to talk a lot.

I really see us all coming together some day...

My Favorite Game

What if it were Clinton!?!?!?

The U.S. military acknowledged Wednesday that it considered bombing a group of more than 100 Taliban insurgents in southern Afghanistan but decided not to after determining they were on the grounds of a cemetery.

The decision came to light after an NBC News correspondent's blog carried a photograph of the insurgents. Defense department officials first tried to block further publication of the photo, then struggled to explain what it depicted.

NBC News claimed U.S. Army officers wanted to attack the ceremony with missiles carried by an unmanned Predator drone but were prevented under rules of battlefield engagement that bar attacks on cemeteries.

In a statement released Wednesday, the U.S. military in Afghanistan said the picture - a grainy black-and-white photo taken in July - was given to a journalist to show that Taliban insurgents were congregating in large groups. The statement said U.S. forces considered attacking.

"During the observation of the group over a significant period of time, it was determined that the group was located on the grounds of (the) cemetery and were likely conducting a funeral for Taliban insurgents killed in a coalition operation nearby earlier in the day," the statement said. "A decision was made not to strike this group of insurgents at that specific location and time."

I always thought this was a different type of enemy? That the rules no longer applied. That everything changed after 9/11.

I guess sometimes we're more civilised and sometimes we're not. When and if that line is crossed no one has a clue. It's based on the political whims of that day and moment.

:(

So the days of September 11th will mean something different to me from this day forward. Unfortunately, my friend Herve Romain died yesterday because of complications from a stroke.

For the last few days many of us discussed how he would receover; whether he'd have full use of his limbs, motor skills, etc. That worried me a lot. Herve was the ultimate people person. He had more friends than anyone I know. His job consisted of making sure every big star on his company's music label had things at their fingertips when they came to town. He was also responsible for finding new talents, which he did well. But beyond that he was just loved by everyone. Never once do I remember he and I ever ending an argument in a negative fashion, and that's so impressive considering how absurdly argumentative we both were. Arguments always ended with one of us agreeing on one of our points, but then Herve throwing in a good hearted quip to make sure you recognized his. It ALWAYS ended in a smile.

Herve never stoppped doing for others, and since I know what that's like as well, I could really see it in him. He was ten times the doer for others that I am. It was amazing.

A few months ago I asked him for tickets to see Ghostface Killah, and he wrote me an email saying that I was "Crushing him...," meaning I ask too much. It sorta took me back a bit. I never wanted to be that guy. Everyone asked him for things all the time, and he was always being pushed and pulled in 50 directions. I didn't want to be that guy. I told him he could ask me for anyting, anytime, any day, and I would do it in a second. He said that he knew. It meant a lot to me that he knew that.

Now that I reflect on this story, and all the other crazy shit we did together, I wonder if he felt people wouldn't love him like they did if he stopped doing things for them. Strangely enough it was one of the reasons we didn't spend a ton of time together anymore because I couldn't stand all the leaches. Plus, he was just too non-stop for me. But it would really be sad if he actually did think he had to keep doing things for the love of his friends. I don't think he ever realized how much people loved him. If he knew I wonder now if he'd still be here today. If he'd have taken it down a notch. Taken a breather. Taken a moment for himself. It really makes me sad to think about it.

In the end, he did more in his short time here than most people will do in their lives. He's the guy Fitty would call. He's the guy Eminem would call. He's the guy TRL honored yesterday. He's the guy who reluctantly came with me to see Phish, and loved it, then took me over to a bar to see some guy named Beck. That was part of the deal. He's the guy that asked to meet him out downtown to do some shots. I don't do shots. I did shots. He asked me too. He then took me to Penthouse Club with some friends. I don't do strip clubs, but he asked me too. So I did. He knew everyone there. They all hugged him. It was incredible, but I've become so used to it that I hardly noticed. He's the guy who loved everyone, and everyone loved.

He was just so different from any person you could ever meet in your life. You always knew that if Herve was going to do something for you it was already done. He would not accept failure on his watch. Truly an amazing soul.

The reason I'm writing about him here is because he truly is the example of what you should always let those you truly care about know how much you care. I never thought Herve would be gone at 36. Just last week we were discussing joining a fantasy football league together as teammates. On Wedneday I sent him a freelance job posting of a radio station who needed someone to book guests. Free cash, I figured. It's an email he never read.

It's never too early to tell someone how you feel, but it certainly can be too late. Herve knew how I feel, and that makes me happy. But I wish he knew the depths of how I felt. We had so much in common. We did things alone. We did things without the need for others to be around. It was awesome.

Do not let a day go by without saying the things you really need to say to someone. If it's just a friendly reminder, say it. If it's something deeper that you think can help someone's life, say it. Don't wait for someone else to say the things you have the responsibility to say. You may not think you're responsible, but in truth, we're all responsible for the ones we love.

Keith Olberman

Worth watching.

Once Again

Just like the "Axis of Evil" makes ZERO sense, equally as ridiculous is Islamo-fascism. Karen Hughes, Bush's bitch, would not admit to using it herself last night on Wolf Blitzer's "The Situation Room." But she did say others in the Administration do use it. Yesterday was a great day for it's use since it was 9/11.

Yesterday was the anniversary of "the events of 9/11..." Today is the anniversary of the "days after 9/11..." which fall into the larger "post 9/11 world that we live in..." Today is also the anniversary of the days after 9/11 when the Bush Administration wasn't "going to sit by and do nothing..." Which means that 5 years ago to the day he was ACTUALLY WORKING! That is something to remember!

On Thursday it's the anniversary of the President going to Ground Zero. It may be the anniversary of the day he invested heavily in the TOA Electronics company, the maker of megaphones. It wouldn't shock me!

Enough about yesterday.

So why do the conservatives call it "Islamo-fascism" when it clearly makes no sense? Well, whether or not it's true, or correct, or makes sense, isn't relevant. What is relevant is how they can politicize it, and use it to further their aims.

Getting back to the "Axis of Evil," which was written by Bush speechwriter David Frum, makes no sense. An axis is a straight line. The Axis Powers of World War II represented straight lines right across and down from Germany. But whatever...it's ridiculous to even discuss it. Of course, it's more ridiculous that "Axis of Evil" is even used. There's no straight lines. There's no great power like Germany representing the middle. The only use for it is the use itself. It harkens back, makes people think of World War II, connects them in a way that sounds good in a clip. That's all; nothing more.

Islamo-fascism is even worse. It's use is derived solely from the fact that idiot conservatives wanted Americans to not only fear terrorism, and the term "The War on Terror," but they wanted us to remember our struggle against Communism, and the supposed success against it in the 1980s. There's no other reason for it's use.

Fascism is defined as having a central dictatorial leader, like Mussolini. Who is the leader of the Muslims? Is it bin Laden? Was it Saddam? Is it Ahmadinejad? If bin Laden dies, does it end? In other words, it makes no sense. But then again, it was never meant to. It's only purpose is to create fear, and redefine what our struggle is against.

Once again it is Capitalism vs Fascism in their minds. That is why the debate is framed as such. Even though this does not help, and only hurts us in the long run, they don't care. This is how they see the world. Using the terms "Muslim militants" or "militant Islam" is not enough for them. It must be viewed in far greater and more fearful terms.

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On a sidenote, with regard to our use of "militant Islam" and "Islamo-fascism," at the very least none of us are as bad as the people these titles are being applied to. In their eyes we're all just infidels! Even worse, every Jew is just dirt. At least civilized people can differentiate between good and bad Muslims, but it doesn't seem to me many Middle Eastern and Asian Muslims do. Seems like most of them hate Jews and hate Israel. Then again, I would assume there are many Americans that do hate all Muslims and Islam in general. Now that the Bush Administration have called it "Islamo-fascism" I'm sure that will only increase.

Good times.