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Below are the 25 most recent journal entries.

	2007.07.06  19.05 Politics Hello Everyone. I just wanted to post a couple thing... This is a political Album. The Cover Art is EXTREMELY political in a very artistic way. The use of Paris Hilton for one of the single Cover Art is brilliant. So... with this album being political... and with Billy calling for people to wake up! and basically repeat his speech about Revolution... it would make some sense to understand the state of Politics today. I have been a Pumpkins Fan since the release of the Disarm single about 13 years ago. I am will be 24 next month. I was sure the day would come soon when Billy would released a political album- I thought Zwan would be what Zeitgeist seems like it will be... I have learned a lot from Billy. I think he gave me an understanding of what Love is, how to think and feel abstractly, to find beauty in sorrow and sympathy and eventually I took a que from one of his practices and stopped watching TV (best decision I ever made). That being said, I am now an Abstract Painter/Musician who studies Power Politics, Political Theory, and History. There is actually a 2 part video someone posted on YOUTUBE the other day from 96. Billy is asked what his politics are and he says that he is a Socialist. I think that is pretty important to say considering we should know what viewpoint he is coming at us with on this album with. That being said, I myself identify with Libertarian Socialism and anarcho-syndicalism. I think there are a few key areas one could look into to be updated pretty quickly about the state of International Relations, Mass Media, and Corporations to be able to understand why Billy would write a song like 'United States' or 'Doomsday Clock'. Or what a revolution would look like from the current state of Scholarship. Noam Chomsky revolutionized the field of Linguistics and also has written/spoken extensively about International Affiars and the state of Politics since Vietnam. There are some lectures up on youtube, i have liked a great interview which explains a system of ideas and values that I believe are present in the Pumpkins music. onebigtorrent.org is a great place to download information Media Matters w/ Bob McChesney- A leading Media Historian hosts an AMAZING weekly radio show from Illinois just outside of Chicago. University Radio. He has GREAT guests on pretty much all the time- mostly leading scholars in Media and Politics. McChesney is the President of Free Press- an organization fighting for media independence. Currently battling Net Neutrality(free internet), Internet Radio, and Postage Hikes for Magazines. There is a full free archive on the Media Matters website. Michael Albert & Participatory Economics- Co-creater of Parecon, which is an economic system to replace Capitalism. Michael has great insite of waht activism should be today. commondreams.org is a site which gathers credible journalists to give you correct investigated information and not just siting 'official sources say'... I also post a political Blog on Myspace. If anyone would like to add me as a friend, please do so! And add my blog for updates. I post every week, sometimes ever other week. 5 documentaries/articles/current events, web sites/audio files each week. bysickleeies on myspace.com I also wanted to say that it seems like Billy and James are the Smashing Pumpkins, not the 4 people who are currently on stage.

	2007.04.18  07.31 Save Small and Independent Publishers- SIGN THE PETITION Published on Tuesday, April 17, 2007 by CommonDreams.org Post Office to the First Amendment: Drop Dead by Robert W. McChesney Everyone who visits the Common Dreams site is reading articles that were first published or commissioned by print publications. Without these print publications, there would be a lot less material for all of us to read, and some of our most important reporters and thinkers wouldn’t get paid to write. Yet the independent magazines and small publications that contribute to Common Dreams are under attack by government bureaucrats and media conglomerates. Unless we take action now, the wide variety of voices and viewpoints available on sites like this one will become considerably diminished. This crisis which could have devastating effect on new media revolves around Americas very first and arguably most visionary and progressive media policy: postal rates for periodicals. Because the Post Office is a monopoly, and because magazines must use it, the postal rates always have been skewed to make it cheaper for smaller publications to get launched and to survive. The whole idea has been to use the postal rates to keep publishing as competitive and wide open as possible. This bedrock principle was put in place by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson. They considered it mandatory to create the press system, the Fourth Estate necessary for self-government. It was postal policy that converted the free press clause in the First Amendment from an abstract principle into a living breathing reality for Americans. And it has served that role throughout our history. What the Post Office is now proposing goes directly against 215 years of postal policy. The Post Office is in the process of implementing a radical reformulation of its mailing rates for magazines. Under the plan, smaller periodicals will be hit with a much larger increase than the big magazines, as much as 30 percent. Some of the largest circulation magazines will face hikes of less than 10 percent. The new rates, which go into effect on July 15, were developed with no public involvement or congressional oversight, and the increased costs could damage hundreds, even thousands, of smaller publications, possibly putting many out of business. This includes nearly every political journal in the nation. These are the magazines that often provide the most original journalism and analysis. These are the magazines that provide much of the content on Common Dreams. We desperately need them. What the Post Office is planning to do now, in the dark of night, is implement a rate structure that gives the best prices to the biggest publishers, hence letting them lock in their market position and lessen the threat of any new competition. The new rates could make it almost impossible to launch a new magazine, unless it is spawned by a huge conglomerate. Not surprisingly, the new scheme was drafted by Time Warner, the largest magazine publisher in the nation. All evidence available suggests the bureaucrats responsible have never considered the implications of their draconian reforms for small and independent publishers, or for citizens who depend upon a free press. The corruption and sleaziness of this process is difficult to exaggerate. As one lawyer who works for a large magazine publisher admits, “It takes a publishing company several hundred thousand dollars to even participate in these rate cases. Some large corporations spend millions to influence these rates.” Little guys, and the general public who depend upon these magazines, are not at the table when the deal is being made. The genius of the postal rate structure over the past 215 years was that it did not favor a particular viewpoint; it simply made it easier for smaller magazines to be launched and to survive. That is why the publications opposing the secretive Post Office rate hikes cross the political spectrum. This is not a left-wing issue or a right-wing issue, it is a democracy issue. And it is about having competitive media markets that benefit all Americans. This reform will have disastrous effects for all small and mid-sized publications, be they on politics, music, sports or gardening. This process was conducted with such little publicity and pitched only at the dominant players that we only learned about it a few weeks ago and it is very late in the game. But there is something you can do. Please go to www.stoppostalratehikes.com and sign the letter to the Postal Board protesting the new rate system and demanding a congressional hearing before any radical changes are made. The deadline for comments is April 23. I know many of you are connected to publications that go through the mail, or libraries and bookstores that pay for subscriptions to magazines and periodicals. If you fall in these categories, it is imperative you get everyone connected to your magazine or operation to go to www.stoppostalratehikes.com. We do not have a moment to lose. If everyone who reads this piece responds at www.stoppostalratehikes.com, and then sends a link to it to their friends urging them to do the same, we can win. If there is one thing we have learned at Free Press over the past few years, it is that if enough people raise hell, we can force politicians to do the right thing. This is a time for serious hell-raising. Robert W. McChesney is the co-author, with John Nichols, of Tragedy & Farce: How the American Media Sell Wars, Spin Elections, and Destroy Democracy (New Press). He is the founder of Free Press, www.freepress.net. Save Small and Independent Publishers- SIGN THE PETITION

	2007.01.05  20.17 2003 documentary - Surplus: Terrorized into Being Consumers Surplus: Terrorized into Being Consumers Why is the lifestyle of consumerism a source of such rage today? How come the privilege of buying goods does not automatically lead to happiness? Why all this emptiness despite our wealth? Erik Gandini's approach through Surplus is to portray this issue from an emotional rather than a factual perspective. Shot in the US, India, China, Italy, Sweden, Hungary, Canada and Cuba during three years. Surplus is the result of a complicated editing process by talented music composer/editor/percussionist Johan Soderberg. George W Bush's famous "shopping-speech" calling for a war against terrorism that deters the nation from the fear of consumption. Castro responding with hymns to the anti-consumerist, advertising-free island of Cuba. Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer preaching that the computer will give us peace on earth "bringing people together" while Adbuster Kalle Lasn warns that advertising pollutes us mentally, that over-consumption is unsustainable and that we are running out of oil. Surplus main man is John Zerzan, controversial philosopher whose call for PROPERTY DAMAGE has inspired many to take to the streets. "That is not violence. Sitting there doing dope and watching MTV . Then you go and get a job. Just schlep along. To me that is violence," says Zerzan. "We are terrorized into being consumers." In November 2003 Surplus was awarded with the most prestigious prize a Documentary can get, The Silver Wolf at Amsterdam's IDFA, and has spread widely around the globe since then. ( Read more... )

	2006.12.28  12.16 after visiting good ol cali. i decided to remember some time there and i typed in my name for a google search. these following 4 links were first pagers. pretty interesting what was the final story on this one. apparently i'm a mexican american who is a leftist nut job who needs to live in iraq, palestine, etc becasue they have the utopian socitey that i love. i also pushed, shoved and poked people in the chest. who knew? and i left a lot of damage to the property. they just make me seem like i was this violet idiot who demanded peace through violence. i mean i admit i was young, didn't know half of what i know now and i reacted instead of thought about what i was doing. if i had done this now i would have many talking points and i would have touched no one. fyi. the assult charges (that were dropped becasue they was no grounds for them) were becase i touched that Chandler ladies plastic nails for her to get her finger out of my face becasue she was waving it at me.i also patted some guy on his back becasue he said he didn't want war. i remember someone at work saying they saw me physically attack someone on the news- it was me patting that guy on the back and saying- alright, that is what this is all about. now that i think about it. people don't realize that what they are caught up in means imperialism and war. it means conquering. that is what the flag represents. that is what blessing this country means. it means separation, it means dominance. but people are under the impression that this country is great and it represents freedom. they think war brings freedom. i should have explained that back a few years ago. but i just did it cause i was fucking sick of seeing tons of american flags and people praising this land in the name of GOD. and remembering 9/11 casualties without any evidence of what happened- in the name of Americanism. i dunno. i did it under this simple idea: flags represent division. as does religion. http://www.aztlan.net/quintana.htm http://zenpundit.blogspot.com/2003/03/9-11-vandal-charged-with-assault.html http://www.cfa-inc.org/?section=issues&subsection=issues_acts&content=issues_acts03 http://www.littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=5833&only on that last link, make sure you read everyones comments. hilarious.

	2006.12.04  17.20 The Elegant Universe 3 part docmentary about Quantum Physics. pretty elementary and easy to understnad... The Elegant Universe Part 1: Einstein's Dream Program One, "The Elegant Universe: Einstein's Dream," introduces string theory and shows how modern physics—being composed of two theories ... all » that are ferociously incompatible—reached its schizophrenic impasse: one theory, known as general relativity, is fantastically successful in describing big things like stars and galaxies, and another, called quantum mechanics, is equally successful in describing small things like atoms and subatomic particles. Albert Einstein, the inventor of general relativity, dreamed of finding a single theory that would embrace all of nature's laws. But in this quest for the so-called unified theory, Einstein came up empty-handed, and the conflict between general relativity and quantum mechanics has stymied all who've followed. That is, until the discovery of string theory. ( Read more... )

	2006.12.01  02.10 If you have cable tv, ask for Aljazeera English! If you don’t, think about dishing out $6 for an online subscription to watch it! http://www.aljazeera.net I watched it for the first time today which was such a relief. I havn’t had a tv for a few years now so I basically get my information from their site, if I can stand Haaratz, a lot of Chomsky and what Benjamin has uncovered throughout his day- which is basically from American Journalism(if you want to call it that). I found that the news station is definatley aimed at attention deficit Americans- short commentary, jumping to different stories rather quickly and plugging themselves a bit too much inbetween all of this and non American Corporate commercials. I do praise them however for having reporters in the countries where they are reporting and due to their respect and credibility within the global community that is aimed towards truth and understanding, the interviews that they get are just something you do not see on US television. While they give little, if any background information to their stories which might lead to some confusion with interviewing all sides, I do value their dedication of trying to be unbiased. I mean being unbiased is pretty impossible… but as far as news reporting I think it is fair to say that they do their best. One thing is for sure, with their reporters being in the countries- it gives a grand- full perspective of what the world looks like, what is happening in the world, culture and grants us a connection to these foreign leaders with funny names. It sheds light in a proper fashion and gives us a chance to hear what these leaders have to say, I hope we’ll hear a little more from the people. they also have other programs besides just the news hour. A womens show, culture, sports, business, interviews and a viewer call in time. Sorry for posting so much. I just was so excited and I found it rather amazing to see these things. Let me know what you think! The English language channel has officially launched Nov 15, 2006 ( Read more... )

	2006.11.29  12.51 NAOMI KLEIN. Naomi Klein - No Logo "Using hundreds of media examples, this video shows how the commercial takeover of public space, destruction of consumer choice, and replacement of real jobs with temporary work - the dynamics of corporate globalization - impact everyone, everywhere. Naomi Klein argues that globalization is a process whereby corporations discovered that profits lay not in making products, but in creating branded identities people adopt in their lifestyles." Naomi Klein - Canadian Perspective on US Media David Barsamian of Alternative Radio (alternativeradio.org) interviews Canadian journalist Naomi Klein at the 2005 Media Conference in St Louis.

	2006.11.29  12.47 THE CORPORATION "this film details the psychological profile of the Corporation, an entity which controls our world, health, information, entertainment, food and political systems." THE CORPORATION

	2006.11.27  13.29 IT'S SNOWING!!!!!!!!

	2006.11.25  15.30 Breaking the Truth Award-winning journalist John Pilger investigates the discrepancies between American and British claims for the 'war on terror' and the facts on the ground as he finds them in Afghanistan and Washington, DC.

	2006.11.25  15.23 FBI Cointelpro - war on black america COUNTER INTELLIGENCE PROGRAM. this program didn't only target the black community, it targeted all 'progressive' movements of that time.

	2006.11.24  13.03 ist of terrorist indicents (from wikipedia) & Human Rights Watch i came across both of these things the other day. i've been meaning to go to the HRW site. so i thought i'd do a little comparison example. List of Terrorist Indicents from over the decades and around the world check out when the new war on terrorism starts- 9/11/2001. then see how much it has increased since then.we're supposed to be getting safer, aren't we? and for a great source of troubles in the world. or just to find out what is happening where and to make a direct connection to terrorist attacks and the cause of them- HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH" peace.

	2006.11.24  12.50 THE FUTURE OF FOOD and don't fret. there are tons of alternatives to this problem. organic foods, body care and clothing are available on a large scale. you can do a search by just typing in organic clothing or you can actually start seeing more larger brand companies starting to have organic alternatives in stores. vons market has an organic line that is inexpensive and there are always places like Henry's marketplace, Wild Oats, Whole Foods and independed co-ops, health food stores and grocery stores. Organics can cost a lot more. and the question shouldn't be- why does it cost so much, it should be why does all these other conventional foods cost so less!! (they actually cost more due to the certification process that is Federally regulated- which is good). this is your body, the planet and we should all want to be as healthy as we see fit. at the same time, we need to keep in mind future generations and our own children's futures(or your future child's future). as consumers we have the upper hand in what gets bought and sold, where our money goes and who we choose to support. whereever our money goes is what will be determined for teh future. and this is why i have two sites where you can visit and print the information out as a reference when you go shopping (courtesy of the Seventh Generation Newsletter- a great site to learn all kinds of information about 'living green' and you can print out coupons for recycled paper products and detergents that are oil/petroleum free). the first one is a list of 43 fruits and vegetables raning from the worst amount of pesticides and the least... if you are going to still buy conventional foods, this is a great list. as i said, conventional foods are cheap and organic food can seem expensive if you are living on a budget or just the price differential when making the change. so if this topic does concern you this would be a good way of introducing organics into your lifestyle and allowing your body to consume less or the least amount of pesticides. the other list is a comparison between brand name products that have GMO- genetically modified foods/organisms in the product and an alternative list next to it with non-GMO ingredients. if you print it out it's like 35 pages. so you might want to copy and paste it into a Word document and adjust the font size. as for meat. your best bet actually would to stop eating it due to the environmental conditions it causes. at least beef. the amount of methane cows produce is horrendous- which contributes to global warming and the amount of feces they excrete is extremly dangerous and harmful for ground water- which water is the next big issue after oil- water contamination is something we all can do without. we need clean water to survive and be healthy. and the trampling from all larger and mass amounts of animal farming devistates the land to where it is rendered unfit to grow or inhabit life (to eat, graze, grow). a perfect example of this is the Carrizo Plain National Monument. but more realistically- the solution that omnivores have in mind to the growth hormone ridden, omniverous diet of conventional meats are organic meats which are vegetarian fed/grass fed, free range and don't have any hormones added. i'm not sure if there is still a problem with puss in the milk from the over milking of cows or not- that is something i am unaware of... but i'd start buying organic milk, or if you feel a little more adventerous- soy milk, rice milk, oat milk, almond milk, hazelnut or grain milks and cheeses. i myself am a vegan. which means i do not consume- eat or otherwise- any animal derived ingredients, products, meats, furs, eggs, wool, leather etc... this isn't a film to make you stop eating fruits and vegetables and this little me typing part isn't meant for you to stop eating animal derived produtcs... it's just to let you know that there are alternatives to conventional foods- and there are many different alternatives to meet your price range, eating habits and tastes. to find out more about oil in your cleaning products or recycled home paper products, please visit the Seventh Generation Website or ask me any questions! eat peace!

	2006.11.11  14.42 US vetoes Beit Hanoun resolution Sunday 12 November 2006, 0:56 Makka Time, 21:56 GMT The US has vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution condemning an Israeli attack in the Gaza Strip that killed 19 Palestinian civilians. John Bolton, the US ambassador to the UN, described the text as "unbalanced" and "biased against Israel and politically motivated". He added that it did not provide an "even-handed characterisation" of the Israeli shelling of the Gaza town of Beit Hanoun that killed the 19 Palestinians, mostly women and children. The text of the resolution, which was sponsored by Arab states, also condemned the firing of rockets by Palestinian fighters into Israel. Ten of the council's 15 members voted in favour and four -Britain, Denmark, Japan and Slovakia - abstained. As one of the council's five permanent members along with Britain, China, France and Russia, the US has veto power which it has now used 82 times, often to shield Israel from censure. Reactions Avi Pazner, an Israeli government spokesman, said: "The American veto is very satisfactory. "The draft resolution did not stipulate that what happened at Beit Hanoun was a tragic error." Ghazi Hamad, the Palestinian cabinet spokesman, said the veto was "a signal that the US had given legitimacy to the massacres and a green light to Israel to ... carry out more massacres "This is a shame on the American administration, which says it is trying to promote human rights and democracy in the Middle East." Nabil Abu Rdaineh, spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, said: "The US veto encourages Israel to continue with its aggression against the Palestinian people." The Popular Resistance Committees, a Hamas-linked group, made vague threats of violence against America, accusing it of backing the killings on Wednesday. Abu Mujahed, the PRC spokesman, said: "The Zionist aggression on Beit Hanoun was supported by American officers who were supervising the killing of our children, women and elderly, "Therefore America and the Zionist entity are two faces of the same cause and they are going to be treated the same way, as the occupiers of our land. And they have to be held responsible for the consequences of this." He declined clarify how the PRC planned to carry out its threat. Assembly hearing Its previous use of the veto was in July to block a Qatari-sponsored draft resolution that would have condemned Israel's military onslaught in Gaza as "disproportionate force" and would have demanded a halt to Israeli operations in the territory. Diplomats said Arab countries would now most likely take their case to the 192-member UN General Assembly, where their draft would get a more sympathetic hearing. Israel has expressed regret for the loss of life in Beit Hanoun but has said it will continue its military operations in Gaza. The army said it was targeting areas where rockets had been fired in recent days at Israeli cities. It said an investigation indicated that the casualties were caused by a technical failure in the fire control system of an artillery battery. **from aljazeera.net

	2006.11.11  12.22 IT IS NOW TIME TO GET PETITIONS SIGNED AND WRITE LETTERS TO YOUR NEW CONGRESS- MEN AND WOMEN! to find out how you can reach your congress person. here. to sign an impeachment petition, go here for a government press release breifly describing the acusations, go here so, in short. this is the democratic process. signing petitions. writing your congress person writing corporations. sign up with a petition site. i'm on care2.com... there are others. please write your congress person stating: There is substantial evidence that proved the Bush Administration launched an illegal war, lied to congress, spied on americans without court approval, leaked classified information, produced phony news reports, prisoned without charge and tortured, targeted civillians and used illegal weapons. Tell your Congress person to support House Resolution 635 for an investigation!

	2006.11.10  20.37 IN CELEBRATION OF THE HOLIDAY TOMORROW. LET US LOOK AT WHAT OUR VETERANS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR. WHY WE FIGHT. watch the whole thing here

	2006.11.10  17.19 does anyone read this? is anyone watching the videos? i would love to hear feedback.

	2006.11.10  17.18 Historic Arizona Vote Bans Cruel Crates for Veal Calves and Pregnant Pigs From http://www.farmsanctuary.org : Historic Arizona Vote Bans Cruel Crates for Veal Calves and Pregnant Pigs! The ballot tally of Arizona voters on Election Day, November 7, 2006, proved that most citizens are opposed to the standard agriculture practices in modern factory farms which disallow adequate space and movement for male calves raised for veal and pregnant pigs. An overwhelming 61 percent of voters said Yes to Proposition 204 which will allow these animals enough room to turn around and stretch their limbs. The passing of this precedent-setting humane proposition makes Arizona the first state in the nation to enact such a measure to ban veal crates and the second state to ban gestation crates for pregnant pigs. The gestation crate for breeding pigs was outlawed through a citizen initiative in Florida in 2002. Arizonans for Humane Farms, a coalition of animal advocacy groups including Farm Sanctuary, launched this statewide ballot campaign in September, 2005. The November 7 vote is a triumph for farm animals everywhere and the individuals who advocate on their behalf. i'm glad this country is starting wake up. it really seems that people are starting to open back up. only another few years until the people all open up. and i mean on all issues.

	2006.11.09  23.34 it seems that there is a 'power shift' currently happening not only in the political arena, but in the media as well. i'm not sure if any of you are familure with Keith Olbermann. he used to be an ESPN broadcaster, now he has his own show on MSNBC where he repeatedly discredits the president calling them the terrorists, reporting how the writ of habeas corpus has been taken away, fox news lies, exposing rumsfeld being involved in selling nuclear technology to North Korea, etc... he also defends ex-president clinton (who signed NAFTA, and sponsored state terrorism in niceragua and east timor.) now i find it to be accepted that the Democraic Party is just that. democratic. and that there actually has been a shift in the people's power struggle and good things will come. if i am not correct, history will prove itself. but i do fear that this is just a shift in preception. yet again, just another propaganda campaign to promote the good people of this county into thinking that the people's voice is being heard while economic policies and state terror will ensue in other countries effecting our own country. when pay goes up, when cost of living goes down, when renewable energy is explored, when car companies are mandated to produce higher milage/less emission cars, when health care is affordable, when there are economic reforms, imf and world trade reforms, when the us stops using it's veto power in the UN, when there is UN reform, when it is required for healthcare to be provided by an employer, etc... when these things happen then i will accept this as a battle won. but if these things are given in return for harsher economic strangulation in latin america, africa, the middle east.... or as it seems latin america is solving that problem themselves- harsher means will have to be enforced in those countries. however with the people of the united states having a watchful eye, hegemony will have to find another means to slip under the covers. this is reflexive of history. after all. the democratic and republican parties are BUSINESS PARTIES. they do not reflect the labor classes. they do not represent the poor or the middle class. they represent the upper class, they represent appeasing the shareholders of corporations, they represent misinformation, they represent supporting terrorists with money, weapons and means to produce these things, they represent training other countries armies in mind control and force, they represent oppression, imperialism, state terror, and good old fashion coloniamism. They represent profits for pharmaceutal companies, they represent outsourcing, they represent a divide in classes, a widening divide in the upper and lower classes, they represent occupation. there are 193 countries on this planet and the united states has bases on something like 140 of them. remember. this is a class struggle. this is a struggle for your own thoughts. it's a struggle for information, for your money, for your health, for other countries own resources, for humanity, for non proliferation, etc... this isn't even just a struggle for you and me as people who live in this country. it's a struggle for the whole world. for it's people, for it's animials and for the plant life. i mean, sure- it seems that people voted based on what the nominees records were... but this country's record isn't good enough to give them the benifit of a doubt.

	2006.11.09  15.20 hope for Latin America and inspiration for Grassroots Progressive Revolution to watch the whole thing.... Venezuela Bolivariana: People and the struggle of the 4th world war on Google Video.

	2006.11.08  22.34 Nader's response to the Mid-term Elections on DEMOCRACY NOW! w/ Amy Goodman

	2006.11.08  17.48 Rumsfeld departs after US poll blow Wednesday 08 November 2006, 22:56 Makka Time, 19:56 GMT Donald Rumsfeld, the US secretary of defence, is to resign from his post, the US president has announced, after the Democratic party wins huge gains in midterm elections influenced by voter anger over Iraq. Speaking at a White House press conference on Wednesday, George Bush said Rumsfeld was a patriot who had "served his country with honour and distinction" but recognised a change was needed at the Pentagon. "After a series of thoughtful conversations, secretary Rumsfeld and I agreed that the timing is right for new leadership," Bush said. He conceded that his Iraq policy was "not working well enough, fast enough" and said he took responsibility for a "thumpin' " by Democrats in the congressional elections. He said: "I thought we were going to do fine yesterday ... it shows what I know." The Democrats wrested control of the US House of Representatives from the Republicans and stand on the brink of also winning the Senate, pending close results from the state of Virginia, which would put the party in control of both houses for the first time in 12 years. "I recognise that many Americans voted last night to register their displeasure with the lack of progress being made there [in Iraq]," Bush said. Election 'responsibility' Bush said he took responsibility for the Democratic election victory, acknowledging there was widespread anger over Iraq among American voters. "I'm obviously disappointed with the outcome of the election," Bush said. Democrats wrested control of the House of Representatives "As the head of the Republican party, I share a large part of the responsibility." Bush also made clear that another key figure of his administration and advocate of the Iraq war, Vice President Dick Cheney, would stay on until the end of his term in January 2009. Bush said that his party would now "work together" with the Democrats and independent parties to work on "the great issues facing this country". Robert Gates, former director of the CIA, will take Rumsfeld's place, Bush said. Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat representative of California and probable next leader of the House, said she welcomed the change in Pentagon leadership, saying: "I think it will give us a fresh start." Divisive figure Rumsfeld, 73, steps down after almost six years as defence secretary. A blunt and divisive figure who was one of Bush's closest advisers, he had been Pentagon chief since 2001, directing the invasions of both Iraq and Afghanistan and undertaking the modernisation of the US military. Gates (C) speaks after Bush announced his appointment He also created the Guantanamo Bay jail for foreign terror suspects and presided over the defence department during the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal. While some have praised him for invigorating the US military, detractors have condemned him as a warmonger who mismanaged the war in Iraq and failed to foresee its current bloody insurgency. His resignation follows several calls for him to step down, the most recent only a few days ago when editorials published in four US military journals urged him to quit for "losing control" over the situation in Iraq. In April 2006 he was also criticised by several retired army generals who said he had made strategic blunders in Iraq and disregarded military advice. taken from Aljazeera.net while this is great news. i fear we're going to be seeing devistating attacks- whether funded so they are internal or direct aggression against Nicaragua due to Ortega's return, in Venezuala against Chavez (election Dec 3rd) and in Bolivia against Evo Morales, Brazil, Ecuador and continued suppression of Cuba (like how their sanctions with food and medicine are exempted from the embargo). And other neo-liberal domination- since Democrats have had such a disasterous effect in those countries with their Neo liberal policies- globalization- NATO... and CIA sponsored state terrorism. If Robert Gates does become the new SOS, as a former CIA head i fear he'd be worse than the former crazed lunatic- Rumsfeld..

	2006.11.08  17.28 PEACE, PROPAGANDA & THE PROMISE LAND: US MEDIA AND THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT i can't begin to try to explain to you how important this topic is to understand. please watch. the most violent occupation that is happening currently besides iraq.. but MUCH WORSE than iraq- something that has been happening for more than 30 years and with the support of media, money and weapons from the united states. warning: this is an illegal brutal occupation- death and destruction following.

	2006.11.08  15.43 discussion/explaination on american propaganda. part 1 part 2 part 3

	2006.11.05  23.23 this is for voting day coming up. please watch.