The Markets Soared!
From CNN yesterday we learned that the DOW soared 100 pts, but closed a bit down. How many points? The DOW rose 52 points.
Not bad, the PPT got things back under control, though it looks like they really had to work at it.
In other news, the White House was only kidding when they circulated rumors that they might try diplomacy in limiting the violence in Iraq, by opening up talks between Syria and Iran.
Its classic White House propaganda. They float a hint out there, that they are going to try to move in a positive direction, then pull the rug, while blaming someone else for their unwillingness to change. Our White House doesn't do diplomacy. They never will. They like the war too much. But rumors are good delaying tactics. They have a lot of them left.
And Finally, something that causes discomfort. Crooks and Liars posted a link to this photo and started a small controversy.
Some say that these people should not be exploited or their picture shared. But if we dig deeper we learn that the couple themselves posted the pictures. That they entered the pictures into a photo competition. They won in the World Press Photo Awards for 2007.
Some say the photographer should've been fired for taking the photos. Others say that they feel uncomfortable with the photos, so they shouldn't be post on the internet. Some say its wrong to use such photos to show the cost of war.
If these photos make you feel uncomfortable, how do you think this couple feels? That young man sure felt discomfort when he was burning alive. He'll feel discomfort, all the rest of his life. Why should we, who sent him off to his fate, be comfortable?
When our nation rallied for war, this is what they wanted. Its not a fucking video game. When you holler for war, you want this to happen to our boys. You want American Soldiers to be killed or maimed. Our nation collectively decided that maiming this man was worth it.
Some might rationalize their love for war and tell us that they aren't supporting the bad parts of war, just the good parts. Dammit, Ty Ziegel shows us that war doesn't have good parts. War is all about try to beating a nation down while thousands or millions of people die or end up like Ty Ziegel. What happened to Ty Ziegel is the point of war.
War is not a fucking buffet where you pick the parts you like. Its a package deal. If you want war, you want more Ty Ziegels.
Now I don't know how you could even keep Ty Ziegel hidden away for ever. His picture may make you uncomfortable. But even if we had a law that said that our wounded veterans could not be photographed, we'll still see them at restaurants or in line at the supermarket. Though I suppose that managers could refuse to serve them.
If Ty's picture bothers you. Get fucking used to it. Bush is working to make sure that the world has many more Ty Ziegels for you to look at for the rest of your life. They will be everywhere you go.
And if you support the war, next time you see a maimed veteran, tell him or her that you wanted this to happen to them. Because that's what you asked for, when you asked for war.
posted by Weaseldog @ 4:11 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Well said.
Hey, when Goldman Sachs and the hedge funds make 78% per year profits, and you don't understand how they did it, don't just assume PPT or insider trading or any other hanky panky. Government T-Bills are low because everyone likes us. Everything is on the up and up. We have free markets here, not like those commies. [/sarcasm]
Weaseldog,
I'm 'Tim in Japan' from over at Crooks and Liars.
I have to say I really take offense at the pot shots you took at me.
I think I explained why I wouldn't have posted the picture.
It has nothing to do with being uncomfortable with his looks.
If I were to meet Ty Ziegel, I would pop tall, salute him, shake his hand and give him a hug, as one veteran of bush's war to another.
The reasoning I gave that I wouldn't have posted it if I was Nicole was because I desire to minimize the amount of pain this brave Marine has to endure.
Twisting my words to suit your agenda is exactly the kind of knee-jerk liberalism that gives the well-adjusted and adult liberals a bad name.
I never once said I was uncomfortable with his looks. I am uncomfortable with the potential that his looks will be exploited by a lot of sickos out there and in an attempt to minimize that exploitation, I wouldn't have posted the picture, were the choice mine.
I thought I had made that pretty clear.
Tim in Japan
Tim, I understand your points and I'm not angry with your position.
But I can't discuss this topic without getting angry about it.
Our leaders sent young men like you and Ty off to make sacrifices in order make money destroying our nation and other nations.
They lied, they cheated, they stole and they'll trade every one of your lives for a few more zeros in their bank accounts.
For them, the United States is just a cash cow to be taken to the slaughterhouse.
The White House residents don't give a fuck about you or Ty. Its no accident that Donald Rumsfield for instance, denied the troop body armor then gouged the military when selling them medical supplies. Every wounded or killed soldier was a profit center for Donald Rumsfield.
The administration's plan is to keep sending young men off to die for profits for the next twenty years, while they suck the oil out of the Middle East.
How many men and women would you let die, so that Ty's feelings aren't hurt? Would you let a hundred thousand more servicemen come back like Ty? Two hundred thousand? Would you let the war go on so long and spread so far that eventually other nations will have to fight us on our own soil to stop us?
Ty was burned alive in a Humvee in order that Donald Rumsfield could make money off medical supplies sold to treat him. There will be many thousands more like him.
Republicans don't mind smearing us by saying we don't have the stomach to sacrifice thousands of young men for profits. As if that's a bad thing. And somehow killing people for money is a moral christian thing to do.
All of you who have volunteered to serve in our nation's military, deserve our honor, respect. It is our responsibility that we send you into a war, only when its necessary. It was wrong to send you into war for profits. It was wrong to send you into a war that weakens the US and endangers all of us at home. It is wrong to continue this policy of waging war, in order to secure colonial possessions for Halliburton.
Today's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are no different than the East India Companies wars win India, China and Africa. In those wars, the British Military worked as mercenaries for the East India Company. The nation of Great Britain and the people of Great Britian didn't get anything out of their sacrifice that they couldn't have gained in peace time. Yet millions died for money.
When do we stop these crimes? What should we do to defend our nation from those who would commit any act of treason for profit? Are you sure that you are drawing the line in the proper place?
And Tim, please accept my apology for the tone I took with you.
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