Barack Obama's decision to forgo public financing for his presidential campaign provides him with the tools needed to implement a "Shock and Awe" television ad strategy designed to paralyze John McCain's campaign, an expert on political TV advertising said in an interview with CNN. The better-funded Obama is likely to force McCain to spend money on TV ads in Arkansas, Georgia and North Carolina, said Evan Tracey, CNN's consultant on political television advertising. At this point in the campaign, these are states that CNN projects McCain has an edge over the Illinois Democrat, but by no means are these states safely in the Arizona Republican's column. Obama is expected to raise three or four times the $85 million he would have received from the public financing system, providing him with a huge financial advantage over McCain, who has opted to take the public funds. Watch Tracey discuss Obama's advantage

http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/library/news/2007/07/sec-070724-whitehouse01.htm

One of Iran’s missiles sounds more like a barbeque, but it's no picnic: Shahab. This site shows diagrams of the different sizes they're producing: http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iran/missile.htm news reports claimed that Iran is developing a 3,500-mile (5,632 kilometers) range missile called Shahab-6 that would be capable of reaching Europe. I read elsewhere that it's only capable of 2,000 miles, so this global security site (linked to government?) may be exaggerating, not sure. The technology for this system was cited as coming from Russia and North Korea. Shahab-4, 5, & 6 is in all probability China through a "Know How" technology transfer agreement requested by Iran. Another reason we should boycott the Olympics. Wonder if BO is going? Yep, they’re really going to take over the world with 50-300 scud B missiles and 50-150 scud C missiles and 25-100 Zelzal 3’s. Mkay. Notice it took 7 years to compile this information from year 2000. Compare to Iraq and what they had to go on: http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iraq/missile.htm

Tony Blair should be held accountable, even more so than Lil B. It was his dossier that convinced Bush. After I reviewed this, I felt we were used as proxy, much like we use Israel in their proxy war. Unbelievably dirty, dirty, dirty. http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iraq/2002/iraq-020924-usia01.htm And his WMD evidence: http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iraq/2002/iraqdossier.pdf

For Space Junkies

http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/library/news/2008/space-080722-general-dynamics01.htm

General Dynamics Completes Milestone in MUOS Defense Satellite Communications System
General Dynamics 22 Jul 2008 -- General Dynamics C4 Systems recently mounted three 18.4-meter satellite antennas on 53-foot-tall pedestals in Wahiawa, Hawaii, as part of the preparations to deploy the new Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), the U.S. military's next-generation narrowband global mobile satellite communications system

Russia puts fifth German spy satellite into orbit RIA Novosti 22
Jul 2008 -- A Russian carrier rocket has successfully put into orbit a fifth German SAR-Lupe reconnaissance satellite, a Russian Space Forces spokesman said on Tuesday.

Boeing, Missile Defense Agency Successfully Complete Missile Defense Sensor Integration Test
21 Jul 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], working with industry teammates and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, today successfully completed a Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system test that demonstrated the most complex integration to date of sensors required to support a missile intercept.

Boeing Delivers 4th High-Definition TV Satellite to DIRECTV
21 Jul 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced that DIRECTV Inc. has taken on-orbit delivery of the DIRECTV 11 satellite, which will continue to expand DIRECTV's industry-leading lineup of high-definition television channels and services to millions of households in the United States.

Raytheon Radars Play Key Role in Missile Defense Test
Raytheon 21 Jul 2008 -- Three missile defense radars built by Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) performed successfully in the latest flight test conducted by the Missile Defense Agency July 18.

Poland says U.S. missile shield deal 'one step closer'
RIA Novosti 21 Jul 2008 -- Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Monday that Warsaw and Washington had moved a step closer to an agreement on the placement of a U.S. missile base in Poland.

Poland and U.S. to continue missile shield talks
RIA Novosti 21 Jul 2008 -- The Polish Foreign Ministry has said talks between Warsaw and Washington on the possible deployment of elements of a U.S. missile shield in Poland are to continue on Monday.

Russian astronauts successfully complete second spacewalk
RIA Novosti 16 Jul 2008 -- Two Russian astronauts on the International Space Station successfully completed a six-hour spacewalk, Russia's mission control said on Wednesday

Arak, IraN was the place of WMD in 2002 while we rushed off to IraQ. http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iran/arak.htm

Reread that...I'm talking about Iran and Iraq...but we went to the wrong Iraq, should've been Iran's Arak! NOW you get it?

I really think someone told LilB to head to Arak and he stupidly went to Iraq! LOL!! Here! Lil B! This is where WMD are! You went to the WONG CUNTWEE!

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iran/arak-imagery.htm

and

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iran/arak-imagery2.htm

and

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iran/arak-imagery3.htm

and

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iran/2006/iran-060826-irna07.htm

Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) chief Gholam-Reza Aqazadeh Here's more Kodak moments in history to read up on: US security News: CBP Maritime Patrol Aircraft Retrofit Contract ATK 23 Jul 2008 EU Threatens US with New Visa Restrictions VOA 23 Jul 2008 US Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Terrorist Plot VOA 22 Jul 2008 -- A member of an Islamic terrorist group in the U.S. has been sentenced to 12.5 years in prison for plotting attacks against targets in Los Angeles, California. Former Bin Laden Driver Pleads Not Guilty at GTMO Trial VOA 21 Jul 2008 Ashcroft: Waterboarding Isn't Torture VOA 17 Jul 2008 -- Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft testified before a congressional panel about controversial interrogation techniques, including water boarding Ex-Pentagon Aide Denies Favoring Torture of Prisoners VOA 15 Jul 20008 -- A key former defense official has testified under subpoena about the Bush administration's authorization of harsh interrogation techniques National Intelligence Estimate: The Terrorist Threat to the US Homeland Office of the Director of National Intelligence July 2007, Released 17 Jul 2007

Hi I was planning to write a post this morning on the topic of how we might all chip in and send McCain a map of the Middle East for Christmas this year.  Of all the gaffes that he has committed so far this season, none for me was more telling than this recent comment on Good Morning America when he talked about "defending the border between Iraq and Pakistan." I was watching it live and at first I questioned my own intelligence.  I thought I must have it in my head wrong regarding the location of Pakistan in relation to Iraq because surely McCain would not make such a mistake. (I looked at my globe to confirm that I was not mistaken.)  I was going to post a map of the Middle East as a "sample gift".

When googling for maps of the Middle East, I found this wonderful  post on Crooks and Liars.  [It is not tied to the gift idea but it does have all the facts surrounding this gaffe, including the video of the Good Morning America show as well as map.]

How any American could even consider voting for such an uninformed, misguided, ignorant man who proposes to be the 'authority' on the Middle East and who doesn't even know its geography is beyond dumb--it is dumber.

 here is the link for the post and the video on Crooks and Liars

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/07/21/foreign-policy-expert-mccain-iraq-pakistan-border-extremely-dangerous/

Since the chat is heating up on our DNC site about the growing chasm between the haves and have not’s, FINALLY, I’ll add more to grow this fire.  “Yes, Eloise, we really do have a class war raging, but few seem to be paying much attention.” Here is a teacake for you to nibble on [sorry for the absence of icing]. Inequality is non-partisan.

SO MUCH FOR REPUBLICAN/DEMOCRATIC “BIPARTISANSHIP” 

As you may have noticed from some of my previous posts, I have no respect for “bi-partisan” activities.  In fact I regard them with a great deal of suspicion. 

“. . . The pace of inequality has grown steadily over three decades, under both Republican and Democratic administrations and Congresses. The Gini index, the global measure of inequality, grew as quickly under President Clinton as it has under President George W. Bush. Widening disparities in the U.S. are the result of three decades of bi-partisan public policies that have tilted the rules of the economy to the benefit of major corporations and large asset owners at the expense of people whose security comes from a paycheck. . . “

The extremely wealthy are so greedy that it is mind-boggling.  And Yes, inequality matters.

Below is an old cartoon that looks like it might hail from Franklin Roosevelt's day, if not even earlier in our history as a nation.  Interesting isn't it?  The elephant is crashing through the planks of his own platform (inflation, repudiation, etc.) and falling into the abyss.  (and to note: the donkey is barely escaping himself).

Following on the extended post is detail for all five of those bills and amendments that I listed previously and suggested that 49 Republicans are blocking the democratic agenda every step of the way.  I still hold to that belief and you can see for yourself.  Only on one out of five did they vote for the people, but then their president vetoed that one.

However as Betty Lou rightly pointed out, Ron Paul does consistenly vote on the side of the people and with the Democrats more often than not. AND  the House of Representatives is the more democratic AND bipartisan body of our Congress.  They often pass good legislation that gets hammered by the elitist Senate.  And yes the ones who ruin it for the rest of us ARE by and large the Republicans. Although there are sometimes a few stray Democrats who cross over, it is overwhelmingly the Republicans who block the decent legislation.  So remember that this fall.

First view this snapshot of the GOP concept for change:

THEN REMEMBER THAT 49 REPUBLICANS (# IN THE SENATE)  [We also have 49 Democrats and two Independent--one of whom is Joe Lieberman)

49 Republicans are blocking our Democratic Agenda EVERY STEP OF THE WAY!

DENIED --foreclosure assistance to homeowners in crisis [S. 2636]

THREW OUT a budget that would have created 500,000 good paying jobs
[S. Con. Res. 70]

BLOCKED a vote to stop George Bush's war in Iraq  [H.R. 1585]

AXED support for renewable energy to pay for tax cuts for big oil. [H.R. 6]

REJECTED  allowing the government to negotiate for lower Medicare drug prices [S. 3]

STOP THIS BUSH BACKERS FROM INFLICTING MORE DAMAGE!

Go to www.dscc.org/KickOut and contribute online.