Forgetting (disregarding) the voices that voted for you?
All of us wanting a public option, need to just sit down and be quiet. Daddy has spoken.
Read the article, but this sums it up:
Instead of representing the interests of citizens, President Obama has interpreted democracy to mean taking citizen cash and then telling them to shut up when it comes time to hear their feedback.
Yeah, what she said. First, not releasing the torture photos, now this. I may have to be sent to my room if my attitude doesn’t straighten up.
A thought before turning in
Dana Milbank referred to Nico Pitney as a “dick”. It must piss the hell out of all the over-inflated egos of certain journalists to be shown how to do their jobs in the 21st century.
Face it guys (& gals), he’s provided the best real-time coverage of Iran. Tech savvy and he asks the ?s that you haven’t since the blue dress.
Grow the fuck up. He deserves a Pulitzer for his coverage and your jealousy sounds like junior high pettiness.
Bunch of little wahwahs can’t even get your facts right on this.
What happens to those arrested in Iran?
With the government of Iran stating there are around 450 protesters who’ve been arrested, here’s a look into what’s in store for them, link courtesy of Pitney’s blog.
The place was one of the semi-abandoned military camps outside Tehran that date back to the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. There we were shoved into metal freight containers – the kind used for shipping. They stripped us naked and gave us two blankets each.
Read the rest of this entry »
What a week
I expect that we’ll be hearing soon from the Weeble Wobbler of North Korea. First he became pissed over what was happening in Iran – stealing his attention. Little rat bastard needs to be taken care of. His people are starving and laying dead in the streets, and he wants to kill more. Probably trying to set his son up to be as feared by his people as he is.It’s okay little man – you will be dealt with once and for all if you try anything.
Did you read the emails between Gov. Sanford and his mistress? Now those were some seriously hot notes! I had to turn the a/c down and soak in a tub of ice after reading them. Funny, Sanford and the others who wanted to hang Clinton over the cigar are ready to embrace Sanford. Hypocrites. They don’t want you having sex, but they want all they can get. You know, it’s beginning to sound like Rush is jealous of Obama – really, blaming Obama because Sanford had an affair? WTF?! Life in Rushland, room for only 1.
Media Matters calls out CNN, CNBC, FBN, & Fox News
Media Matters calls out those who allow the perpetuation of lies regarding health care reform. A!men. Some are shelling out big bucks to pay for the lies.
“As the debate over health care reform proceeds, it is crucial that discussions and reports on the subject are accurate and fair. If the networks insist on hosting Ms. McCaughey to discuss health care, they have an obligation to their viewers to challenge and debunk her falsehoods.”
I bow down before Media Matters for America’s president, Eric Burns, who is awaiting a response from senior executives at the networks.
A 3 hour tour? No, just 20 minutes. (updated)
Remember Katie Couric’s famous colonoscopy? At the time I thought, “Ewww, why show that on tv?!” Now I know why . Women talk about their labor pains, men talk about their vasectomies, but few talk about their colonoscopies. Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in men and women, but extremely treatable if caught early enough. We should be talking about colonoscopies.
larger image here
Three years ago, I had reached a milestone birthday that my doctor wanted me to celebrate by having a colonoscopy. I was too busy, or so I told her. The fact is, I’m not good about anything where I don’t have control over the outcome. It’s a bad trait, I know. I eventually came to realize that it was a false sense of control. So last month, I made arrangements for a virtual tour of the colon. Thoughts of how colon cancer turned lung cancer ravaged Tammy Faye’s body and how bravely Farrah Fawcett fought her battle against anal cancer helped me realize that sometimes the steps to controlling one’s life are not always things that we look forward to. Read the rest of this entry »
Neda’s fiancee
More excellent posting by Nico Pitney today. Rarely do I copy and entire posting, usually just a paragraph and the link to the full post; however, we have all been moved by the bravery of Neda. Link.The following was an interview that Neda’s fiancee gave to the BBC Persia:
Caspian Makan, Neda Agha-Setan’s fiancee, was interviewed by BBC Persia, noting that Neda would have turned 27 this year. “Neda’s goal was not Mousavi or Ahmadinejad, it was her country and was important for her to fight for this goal,” the BBC narrator says while introducing the segment. “She had said many times that if she had lost her life or been shot in the heart, which indeed what happened, it was important for her to continue in this path. Considering her young age she has taught a lesson to us all.” About the day of the incident, Mr. Makan said: “When the clashes were occurring, Neda was far away from the demonstrations, she was in one of the side alleys near Amir Abad. Thirsty and tired or being cooped up for about an hour in the car in heavy traffic with her music instructor, she finally gets out of the car and, based on the pictures sent in by the people, armed forces in civilian clothes and the Basiji targeted and shot her in the heart.” “It was over in a matter of minutes, the Shariati Hospital was nearby, the people around her tried to bring her to the emergency room by car, but before that could even happen she died in her instructor’s arms.” Mr. Makan added: “We got her body back finally yesterday with some diffculties. Of course, her body was not at the Tehran Coroner but at a one outside of Tehran. The medical examiners wanted parts of her body, including a portion of her femoral bone but the chief medical examiner would not say why and no explanations were ever given.” “Finally the family consented just so they could get her body back as soon as possible, since just this issue could have resulted in delaying the reception of the body. We buried the body in a small area in the Zahra Cemetery in the late afternoon of 31 Khordad. Also, they had brought in other people who had been killed in the protests so it seemed that the whole event was scheduled to be such.” About payment for releasing the remains, Mr. Makan had this to say: “No specific amount has been paid at this time, although hospitals, clinics, surgeons and medical examiners have been ordered by the Iranian security services, based on various orders, not to list ‘bullet wound’ as the cause of death on the death certificate in order to prevent the families from filing international complaints in the future. I haven’t seen the release notice of Neda’s remains yet, but I will obtain it from her father in the coming days.” Mr. Makan regarding government ban of memorial service for Neda Agha Setan said: “We were going to hold her memorial Monday 1st of Tir at 2:30 PM at a mosque at Sharyati street north of Seyed Khandan. But Basijis and mosque officials refused our request for her memorial service so to avoid further public confrontation and instability. They knew that Neda was an died innocently, and people in Iran and the international community are informed of that fact. So they decided to avoid a situation where a mass rally would take place. In any way, we do not have permission for a memorial service for now.” However, many eye witnesses told BBC Persia that a large gathering took place with the intention of performing a memorial service at Al Reza Mosque at Nilofar square in Tehran. But the security forces intervened by throwing people out of the mosque and intervening with the service. Mr. Makan also commented on fake pictures of videos claiming to be Neda at various sites:”I was looking at some sites including ‘iReport’. There was a picture of a young woman with green signs from previous calm demonstrations and had claimed it was Neda before being shot. These pictures have no relation to the event. It seems that Mr. Mousavi’s supporters are trying to portray Neda as one of his supporters. This is not so. Neda was incredibly close to me and she was never supportive of either two groups. Neda wanted freedom and freedom for all.” BBC Farsi tried to contact Neda Agha-Sultan’s other family members but was told by a close relative of hers that, for reasons of their own, the Agha Sultan family could not grant an interview.
Much more on Pitney’s page.
Neda
Neda Agha-Soltan came into the world in 1982. Her courage will be remembered. A post on Neda’s death.
I’m here to tell you my sister died while in her father’s hands
I’m here to tell you my sister had big dreams…
I’m here to tell you my sister who died was a decent person… and like me yearned for a day when her hair would be swept by the wind… and like me read “Forough” [Forough Farrokhzad]… and longed to live free and equal… and she longed to hold her head up and announce, “I’m Iranian”… and she longed to one day fall in love to a man with a shaggy hair… and she longed for a daughter to braid her hair and sing lullaby by her crib…
my sister died from not having life… my sister died as injustice has no end… my sister died since she loved life too much… and my sister died since she lovingly cared for people…
my loving sister, I wish you had closed your eyes when your time had come… the very end of your last glance burns my soul….
sister have a short sleep. your last dream be sweet.
Nico Pitney is doing a most excellent job of live blogging. Please Digg his site and send him a note of thanks. This is journalism at its best.
A new Iran emerging
It’s overwhelming and heart-wrenching. Protesters saying goodbye to their families, letting their last wishes be known just in case they don’t survive. Because of an overwhelming sense of a fraudulent election, which we know of all too well. I admire their courage, support their efforts, and wish them and all Iranians safe keeping.
Live blogging from Iran here . Please go read, and in the back of your mind, let it begin to realize why freedom of and from religion is imperative to the survival of civilization.
As Obama said, “The world is watching” (and hoping.)
