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Tom DeLay from Sugar Land,TX, aka the Exterminator, aka the Hammer* Despite his blustering, the snowballing effects of the past weeks--the decision by Jack Abramoff to plead guilty to three felony charges in particular--overwhelmed the former speaker of the House. Tom DeLay resigned his seat. Jonathan Weisman in the Washington Post: "DeLay ends bid to regain post as GOP leader". "Rep. Tom DeLay (Tex.), one of the most powerful and feared Republican leaders in Washington, abandoned his quest to regain his House majority leader post yesterday, bowing to pressure from fellow Republicans worried about the growing corruption and campaign finance scandals linked to his office. DeLay's announcement in his home town of Sugar Land ends his decade-long tenure as a legislative juggernaut and conservative ideologue who revolutionized the relationship between power and money in Washington. It also cleared the way for a leadership contest that could further shake up the House GOP team going into an uncertain election year. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (Ill.) said Republicans will choose a new majority leader and other officers the week of Jan. 30, when members return for President Bush's State of the Union address." Ethics Issues Snared GOP's ChampionWashington Post"It worked simply. On one side of the machine, a hose vacuumed the pockets of large corporations, wealthy individuals and legions of lobbyists on K Street, all instructed by DeLay to contribute only to Republicans. Out the other side, at some later date, came legislation of interest to many of the donors. Inside the machine, twisting its knobs and pulling its levers, was DeLay -- who was unabashed about his pay-to-play philosophy and relentless in enforcing his political rules."Bad news for President Bush but DeLay's successor can be expected to do whatever is needed to please the White House. Tom DeLay will be busy consulting his lawyers and with court dates for some time. We haven't seen the last of him. If the GOP remains in power DeLay will surface as a lobbyist or in a conservative think tank, doing what he has always done--manipulating people and shepherding bills that benefit his backers.

*Televangelist Pat Robertson opened his big mouth and uttered another ludicrous opinion. Of course, to his disciples he speaks for God. Reverend Robertson suggested Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine punishment for the withdrawal of Israeli settlers in Gaza."You read the Bible: This is my land, and for any prime minister of Israel who decides he's going to carve it up and give it away, God says no, this is mine," he said.(BBC)Whew....this guy was a contender for the presidency in 1988 ! Those of us who do not think highly of President Bush are lucky that the reverend is not in the White House.But the reverend is in good company...President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (he holds a doctorate in engineering and transportation planning). The Seattle Times " WASHINGTON — The television evangelist Pat Robertson and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may not agree on much, but both suggested Thursday that the severe illness of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was deserved.""Hopefully, the news that the criminal of Sabra and Chatilla has joined his ancestors is final," he was quoted by the Iranian press as saying Thursday.Washington Post: "White House Denounces Robertson's Remarks on Sharon"Fundos--Christians, Muslims--have the same mindset. Intolerant, arrogant people with warped visions. Comments Anonymous — 2006-01-08 yessiree bob. Us dissidents, whilst waiting for them to take us away, after they've purchased all our cell records, listened in to all the whispers, read our email and stopped our demonstratin'and howlin', just have to wonder what amazingly sick lunacy they'll come up with next. f

Eleven American soldiers died in the first five days of 2006*Excerpts from the Riverbend blog. The author is a young Iraqi woman who lives in Baghdad.Baghdad BurningWednesday, January 04, 20062006...Here we are in the first days of 2006. What does the ‘6’ symbolize? How about- 6 hours of no electricity for every one hour of electricity? Or… 6 hours of waiting in line for gasoline that is three times as expensive as it was in 2005? Or an average of six explosions per day near our area alone?People buy black market gasoline because for many, waiting in line five, six, seven… ten hours isn’t an option. We’ve worked out a sort of agreement amongst 4 or 5 houses in the neighborhood. According to a schedule (which is somewhat complicated and involves license plate numbers, number of children per family, etc.), one of us spends the day filling up the car and then the gasoline is distributed between the four or five involved neighbors.I know for most of the world, highly priced gasoline is a common concern. For Iraqis, it represents how the situation is deteriorating. Gasoline and kerosene were literally cheaper than bottled water prior to the war. It’s incredibly frustrating that while the price of petrol is at a high, one of the worlds leading oil-producing countries isn’t producing enough to cover its own needs.There is talk of major mismanagement and theft in the Oil Ministry. Chalabi took over several days ago and a friend who works in the ministry says the takeover is a joke. “You know how they used to check our handbags when we first walked into the ministry?” She asked the day after Chalabi crowned himself Oil Emperor, “Now WE check our handbags after we leave the ministry- you know- to see if Chalabi stole anything.”I guess the Iraqis who thought the US was going to turn Iraq into another America weren’t really far from the mark- we too now enjoy inane leaders, shady elections, a shaky economy, large-scale unemployment and soaring gas prices.Goodbye 2005- the year of SCIRI, fraudulent elections, secret torture chambers, car bombs, white phosphorous, assassinations, sectarianism and fundamentalism… you will not be missed.Let us see what 2006 has in store for us.

They are running to return money received from Abramoff*Yes, the past has come back to haunt the elected lawmakers and their aides who were wined and dined by Jack Abramoff. What other tidbits they accepted from him will come out as the investigation moves forward. There is not much of a difference between the Democrat and Republican hogs who swill at the trough of legalized bribery that goes on under the name of campaign financing but Republicans are the primary recipients of favors from PACs simply because they have more clout to do what the lobbyists want. So, the Republicans have more to worry about the Abramoff affair. Under reverse circumstances many Democrats would have done the same. They are all part of the system that breeds corruption and encourages its growth.Definition of bribery (Answers.com):"Bribery is the practice of offering a professional or an authority person money or other favours in order to circumvent ethics or other rules in a variety of situations. It is a form of corruption and is generally illegal, or at least cause for sanctions from one's employer or professional organisation." ...

The Hapless Iraqi Civilians - Min 27707 Max 31232*It is doubtful that we are winning the hearts and minds of Iraqis but we are certainly succeeding in influencing them. And how ! The numbers are for dead Iraqi civilians as of December 26th reported by Iraq Bodycount.net Full details of the background and methodology can be found at the IBC website. The Washington Post reported on December 24th "US Airstrikes Take Toll on Civilians" : "These people died silently, complaining to God of a guilt they did not commit," Zahid Mohammed Rawi, a physician, said in the town of Husaybah. Rawi said that roughly one week into Operation Steel Curtain, which began on Nov. 5, medical workers had recorded 97 civilians killed. At least 38 insurgents were also killed in the offensive's early days, Rawi said."From a report in BBC, January 3, 2006:"Fourteen members of one family have been killed in a US air strike that destroyed a house in northern Iraq, an Iraqi official has said.The US military has made no immediate comment on the report.US forces frequently use air strikes in their battle against Iraqi insurgents, in an effort to minimise US casualties.Earlier, Seymour Hersh wrote in the New Yorker on December 5th about the escalating use of air power. "Up In The Air"."A key element of the drawdown plans, not mentioned in the President’s public statements, is that the departing American troops will be replaced by American airpower. Quick, deadly strikes by U.S. warplanes are seen as a way to improve dramatically the combat capability of even the weakest Iraqi combat units. The danger, military experts have told me, is that, while the number of American casualties would decrease as ground troops are withdrawn, the over-all level of violence and the number of Iraqi fatalities would increase unless there are stringent controls over who bombs what."Civilian casualties from military actions in Iraq, Afghanistan, or anywhere else, do not cause much concern here in the United States. They never have. They receive scant coverage in mainstream media. Politicians remain silent. The innocent civilians are expendable.

Pop a Viagra, Make Whoopee, then Oppose FDA's Approval of Morning After Pill*Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer came under some criticism for launching an advertisement campaign for Viagra aimed at New Year's celebrations. While advertisements for prescription drugs are irresponsible and their huge costs are a part of the high price of drugs in America, blaming Pfizer for this particular ad is somewhat unfair. The ones who should be targeted are the PAC controlled legislators who turn their heads the other way about the harmful effects of direct-to-consumers advertisements that lure buyers of prescription drugs. Many of the same legislators oppose over-the-counter availability of Plan B®, the Morning After Pill ! The hypocrisy is sickening. See Fact Sheet, The Politicization of Emergency Contraception.Plan B® is available without prescription in Europe, UK, and in Canada."Plan B® is an emergency contraceptive that can still prevent a pregnancy after contraceptive failure or unprotected sex.Plan B® should be taken within 3 days (72 hours) of unprotected sex and can reduce the risk of pregnancy by 89%. But the sooner you take it the more effective it will be.Plan B® is not RU-486 (the abortion pill); it will not work if you are already pregnant.""People are very inclined to set moral standards for others."---Elizabeth Drew, The New Yorker, 16 February 1987

A New Year beginning, on to 2006*There Is Always Hope©friskypics.com/photos/hope.jpg"Time present and time past Are both perhaps present in time future, And time future contained in time past."T.S. Eliot, Burnt Norton, Four Quartets,1A very wet New Year's eve for us in the San Francisco Bay area. As the saying goes,it is raining cats and dogs. Reports of flooding and mudslides up north in Napa and Sonoma counties. The south is not dry either. Read that rain could fall at Pasadena during the Rose Bowl parade for the first time in 51 years.To all visitors to this site--regulars, occasional, and accidental--good health. I no longer make New Year's resolutions but many people do. I wish them success. While globally there has not been much to rejoice about, individually many of you have had joyful experiences. Births, marriages, new friendships, travels, career achievements. Small things matter. I hope that those who needed support found it.Back in September 2004 when I hesitantly took my first step in the blogosphere I had no clue about where the venture would take me. Began writing about the '04 presidential race and segued on to post-election events. Nowadays I meander all over the map but the main thrust is about conservatives, their policies and practices. It has been a rewarding experience. Not financially--my blog does not carry ads. Neither does it have a vast readership. Rewarding, nevertheless, because it has brought me in touch with people who are kindred spirits. They are from places far and near---USA, UK and Canada, Iraq and India, Singapore, France and Pakistan. I am not likely to meet them in person but feel as though I know them. I find pleasure in what they say, in the photographs they publish, their e-mail messages, and comments.David Broder wrote in the Post about his '05 hits and misses. His praise for the president's response to Katrina was a doozy. But he should take heart. The job of writing a column under pressure of deadline comes with such hazards--it is the nature of the beast. We bloggers have an easier task because we have the advantage of reading others such as Mr. Broder and recycling their comments. As to columnists and bloggers who support Bush, I must admit that I pay no attention to them. Don't read them; don't listen to them. They will survive without me as I shall survive without them. Comments Anonymous — 2005-12-31 Thanks for using/crediting my photo. Happy New Year! -faisal (friskyPics.com)

Stormy Weather*O Wind, if Winter comes, can Spring be far behind ?"---P.B. Shelley, Ode to West WindFog:©stock.xchng, phelleBirch Tree: ©stock.xchng, vaultsafeBare tree: ©stock.xchng, irene123December, and the year, coming to an end. For us here in the San Francisco Peninsula, the rains came late but we are getting enough of it not to worry about drought in the summer.The gingko trees on the street lost all their leaves. The blankets of golden leaves no longer cover the ground; the storms blew them away. The bulbs that I planted in October are looking strong and healthy. Not too long before the blooms appear. The sweet peas are beginning to emerge. This is when they are most vulnerable to snails.JHL and I went for our traditional hike on Christmas afternoon. It was drizzly when we began and raining hard by the time we finished but, despite the muddy trail and rain, there were other hardy souls out in Arastradero Preserve.*Winter haikus"The bottoms of my shoesare cleanfrom walking in the rain."---Jack Kerouac, 1964"The desolation of winterPassing through a small hamlet,a dog barks."---Shiki (translated by R.H. Blyth) Comments Anonymous — 2005-12-28 Beautiful photography! Hope you had a great 'holiday season". I love that Kerouac haiku, its so simple, not sure why it appeals to me so much. Just does. Thank you!

"Bigotry is the sacred disease" -- Heraclitus 6th Century BCE*Article VI, Sec.3 of the Constitution reads:"The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several State Legislatures,and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by the oath of affirmation, to support the Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."The First Amendment, ratified December 15, 1791, is quite unambiguous about this. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."It was our third president, Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809),who further defined separation between Church and State. In 1802, in a letter to the Baptist Association of Danbury, Jefferson wrote: "I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law regarding an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,thus building a wall of separation between Church and State'. ""Every ruler should be an avowed and sincere friend of Christianity. He should know and believe the doctrines of our holy religion, and act in conformity to its precepts." So said Ezra Stiles Ely, Presbyterian minister, during a sermon in Philadelphia, July 4, 1827. Ely was a supporter of Andrew Jackson, a hero of the War of 1812, who went on to become our seventh president in 1828. Jackson did not agree with Ely's sermon and wrote to him: "Amongst the greatest blessings secured to us under our Constitution is the liberty of worshipping Godas our conscience dictates."If polls are right, somewhere along the way a large percentage of Americans embraced an arrogant, dogmatic interpretation of Christ and his teachings. G.W. Bush is the ideal ruler envisaged by Ezra Stile Ely. An avowed Born Again Christian, he champions their cause. In their world, there is only one way. From issues as diverse as right to die, women's right to choose, and teaching of evolution, to use of public grounds for display of religious symbols and statues, the zealots want to force the rest of us to accept their position. A fully supportive administration is doing all it can to destroy the barrier between church and state. Christian groups, including Catholics, have become actively involved in the political arena and political leaders are assiduously courting them. There is something very hollow about them. The same people are critical of other nations where the constitution is based on scriptures; where archaic laws and practices prevail; where religious minorites are persecuted. The fundamentalists are reported to be waiting for rapture...the Second coming of Christ when the true believers will ascend to heaven. Hope it happens soon.*S.D. Legislature takes lead in antiabortion measuresEvelyn Nieves in the Washington Post:"As national leaders on both sides of the abortion debate focus on the upcoming Supreme Court nomination hearings of Samuel A. Alito Jr., they are watching states such as South Dakota pass more and more restrictions that might be upheld by a newly constituted, more conservative Supreme Court." No one who supports women's right to choose should have any doubt about the fragility of Roe v. Wade. Attacks against it will continue and a Supreme Court loaded with agenda driven justices will eventually succeed in overturning the momentous decision made in January 1973. Comments Anonymous — 2005-12-27 Andrew Jackson was a hero of the War of 1812, not the Civil War. DEANBERRY — 2005-12-27 This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. musafir — 2005-12-27 Thank you, anonymous, for pointing out the error. I have corrected my post. Regards

Spying on U.S. Citizens *From USA Today : "Report: NSA spying broader than Bush acknowledgedNEW YORK (AP) — The National Security Agency has conducted much broader surveillance of e-mails and phone calls — without court orders — than the Bush administration has acknowledged, The New York Times reported on its website. Excerpts:Since the Times disclosed the domestic spying program last week, President Bush has stressed that his executive order allowing the eavesdropping was limited to people with known links to al-Qaeda.But the Times said that NSA technicians have combed through large volumes of phone and Internet traffic in search of patterns that might lead to terrorists.The volume of information harvested from telecommunications data and voice networks, without court-approved warrants, is much larger than the White House has acknowledged, the paper said, quoting an unnamed official."Those who give up essential liberties for temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."---Benjamin Franklin