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I must not fear.- Fear is the mind-killer.
- Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
- I will face my fear.
- I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
- And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
- Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
- Only I will remain.
- -- the Litany against Fear, Frank Herbert
Remember, the whole point of terrorism is to sow terror. Every time a conservative or the Bush Adminsitration freaks out at a potential act of terrorism, the terrorists win. They don’t actually have to set off the bomb, they just need to scare people. So every freak out is a victory for the enemy. Fox News? One of the terrorists’ biggest allies. The Bush Administration? The terrorists couldn’t have done it without them. And those “manly men” conservatives that are perpetually wetting themselves in fear?Well, when even the most hapless, incompetent, laughably unworkable plots get them riled up in a tizzy, you don’t even need competent terrorists to be effective.
Conservatives are truly the terrorists’ greatest allies.
-- Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, aka "Kos"
Seems as if the wingnuts have been really pounding the fear-drum harder than usual. Too many people are refusing to stop thinking and be stampeded into whatever stupid-ass con the Cons have come up with, and it's really pissing them off.
Michael Bloomberg, the Republican mayor of New York City, is under attack by Michelle Malkin and her rabid, fear-steeped cadre for the abominable crime of not being anywhere near as demented by fear as they are. Yes, they invoke 9/11. Again. Maha of the Mahablog, herself a Noo Yawkah who lived through 9/11, sticks up for Bloomie and patiently explains to the screeching howler monkeys what it means to be a grown-up person in New York City. And when he and his cohort aren't drooling over Taylor Marsh's adipose tissue, Jules Crittenden and Company are whipping themselves into transports of fear-ecstasy over Those Damned Scary Brown Folk. Where did I put my trank gun?
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Spotlight
A little Musical Snark
Self Esteem - The Offspring
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6-qfETaNAU
Frank Herbert!
((((((Phoenix Woman))))))
I let downstairs know - they should be along shortly
If you want to see comments by people who need to repeat that litany over and over again, I’d suggest checking out Taylor Marsh’s site for the last few days. Seems like the right-wing bedwetting set has camped out there in earnest, and they’re probably about ready to feed.
radiofreewill @ 3
Oh, forgot. Those were a swollen pair of feet the other night, PW. Are they getting better yet?
I have more immediate things to fear than terrorists. Frankly, I am more afraid of my government. Also …. my parents and aunt, cousin, brother, and sister are all coming here for the weekend. Now THAT strikes fear in my heart.
Oh man, my lap top crashed. Had to come to the other ‘puter…
here it is…
P J Evans @ 143
LS @ 59
It was late-late nite Sat and talking-heads on Sun. Premonitions.
The long-hanging shoe is WRT our major transform fault, which has been locked between Cajon Pass and Parkfield for decades, maybe all the way back to the late 19th century: nothing over 2.0 for the last umpteen years (and d*mned few of those). This week, two 3 (3.7, 3.5) in the same area, middle of the locked section, in a 24-hour period. (This is not a good sign. Something’s breaking loose.)
TexB @ 7
Damn! Talk about a terrorist attack. I would be hiding under the bed by now.
TexB @ 7
And clowns. Especially clowns with Volkswagens.
Michelle Malkin attacking Michael Bloomberg? Say what you want about Bloomberg, but at least he has created something positive in this world.
Tex, you have teens - you can survive the parents, cousin, brother, sister, et al that are showing up this weekend - should be a piece of cake compared with trying to corral a teen.
KO covered the Bloomfield bit tonight iirc (geez, was that only a few hours ago). Was it KO?
TexB, thanks for the guac!
DMoore, that is scary. I worry about the San Onofre nuclear power plant. Hope your laptop is okay. Doncha hate it when tech doesn’t work right? Drives me CRAZY!
Helen @ 11
He told the bedwetters to “get a life”. Oddly, as someone commented already, that’s one way of interpreting the President’s instructions to us after the attack: Go shopping.
Suzanne @ 13
Bloomberg, Suzzanne :)
Yes, Suzanne, it was KO. How funny to see the reaction from the wingnuts. The plain truth is too much for them to handle.
Please stop ruining my irrational fear with your rational logic.
-GSD
I’m afraid Bloomberg will run for prez…he could possibly win!
Yes it was KO - Arrianna was on and they were talking about how Bloomberg (sorry for the typo in my previous comment) may be the crack in the fear fabric the rethugs are trying to keep up wrapped up in.
It is rather interesting that for all their blathering about the “nanny state”, it is the wingnuts who are constantly trembling under their beds demanding that somebody save them from their latest boogie man.
i know i am tired by the # of typo’s…
Suzanne @ 22
Yes but you are a mod and you can go back and fix them.
I second Loo Hoo’s guacamole thanks, but, hon, now I’m hungery. Do have the avocados, but not the energy to get up and make some.
I’d offer you a virtual vicodin, had dental stuff yesterday, but I don’t want to get either of us in trouble.
LH: later, PJ said it’s not expected until Thanksgiving…don’t know how they can predict that, but make sure your EQ supplies are up to date. Couldn’t hoit.
i use the same edit this comment button to fix my typo’s that ya’ll use, tex :)
Loo Hoo. @ 19
Well, he’d be a hellavalot better than ANY of the Republicans. Bloomie is really not a Republican by todays fascist, fear-mongering, religious fanatic standards.
-GSD
Cujo359 @ 2
Yup, it’s Frank. Paul Atreides , our hero, recites the Litany, as taught by his Bene Gesserit mother. But Frank Herbert wrote it, and yes, I commited it to memory as a teenager.
My question has always been, if a sci fi writer was going to inspire a whole religion, why wasn’t it Frank Herbert or Ray Bradbury? Or Arthur C. Clarke, whose fictional predictions so often come true? What the heck?
thanks, PW, for filling in so the therapod can have some recharge time. Thanks to all those who comment, you all are why i love the lake so much.
Usually i’m not done at work at this time, but tomorrow is one of my rare day shift appearances (somebody else on vacation) so it’s an early bedtime for me (the bed-cats are pleased).
Luv ya all.
TexB @ 23
As Nixon said “but that would be wrong” :-)
Also, to PW: were you thinking of Paul Atreides?
Well, I think it’s time to curl up with the kittehs and call it a night. Take care of yourselves and enjoy the snark.
Did anyone else here call the Judiciary Senators about the Habeus Corpus vote?
I called all of the Repubs and was very nice. Told their people that I’d seen Senator whomever and he seemed like a nice man and that HC is the cornerstone of our constitution and that I’m sure he’d see that it would be the right thing to reinstate.
PW had to go to bed but will be checking the comments in the morning, folks.
DrDick @ 30
sleep well my friend
sleep well, Dr (pause) Dick :)
You all saw Colbert give Libby some jailhouse advice? Get together with Cunningham and start a new gang called Los Elephantes. Gonna get a lot more members in the next few months!!!
http://www.crooksandliars.com/
Cujo359 @ 15
Not sure I understand your comment. Bloomberg was saying today to take the “threats” with a grain of salt. The comment you linked to was confusing too. Bloomberg was not the Mayor when 911 happened.
Oh, and BTW, the laptops back. Yeah. I prefer to be in the LR.
Thinking back to the WaPoo Death Cheney wiretap story (link downstairs), I wonder if perhaps it was NOT boosh that called Ashcroft’s hospital room.
Wonder if it was Cheney that sent them to Ashcroft’s hospital room?
Suzanne @ 22
What about the capitalization? *G*
Colbert was funny indeed tonight.
My 13 year old son falls down laughing about five times a night watching him.
Regarding fear: Hope is stronger!
Suzanne @ 38
That’s why we need Janet - not her husband on the stand.
GSD @ 26
I totally agree. If we’re going to have a republican, let it be him. I’m sick to death of republicans, and want us to have the power to fix things lickitysplitly.
“Fear is the mind killer…”
Wow, the Phoenix Lady is a Dune fan! A Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother at heart perhaps? :)
Fear leads to anger… Anger leads to hate… Hate leads to the Dark Side! ~Yoda
hey nate :)
Nate - bad link
Okay, maybe I’m not bright, but….I have a question. I’m reading the comments to this article and I find a reference to “Amanda at Firedoglake”. I know Jane, Christy, Pach, PW, TRex, and a lot of the others, but don’t know “Amanda”.
Could someone enlighten me?
Aloha {Suzanne}! :) It’s been too long… How ya doing?
Peterr @ 45
Fixed it… Thanks.
That’s why we need Janet - not her husband on the stand.
Exactly, Helen. It could very well be that Mrs. Ashcroft told Comey “the White House called” which he took to be boosh when it was Cheney.
I would love for them to interview her. I do not think they will do so in an open, televised way as was done with Comey. In fact, they could have already done so behind closed doors.
The true story of 9/11:
America won.
Within an hour of learning of the terrorist attacks using airplanes, ordinary Americans thrown arbitrarily together on Flight 93 organized themselves, regardless of party, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or creed, and fought back to prevent the fourth attack.
And they won.
We have nothing to fear but fear itself.
dmoore @ 31
Good for you. I didn’t call today, but I called and faxed a letter to set up an appt. with Issa. Got a call today that his District Director would meet with me on Friday. I’m nervous!
Helen @ 36
The remarks in question:
http://wcbstv.com/topstories/l.....60642.html
Fear? If I have gained anything by damning myself, it is that I no longer have anything to fear. : Jean-Paul Sartre
Shadowstalker @ 46
what # is the comment you are referencing? that would help me track it down for you
Helen @ 41
Hey. Isn’t it tomorrow that Senate Judiciary meets with Ashcroft tomorrow behind the scenes?
Loo Hoo. @ 51
I saw that earlier. Cool! You’ll be fine, but if you want a friend to go along…lemmee know.
Shadowstalker @ 46
I think the commenter to that article confused Amanda Marcotte of Pandagon with Jane & Co. at FDL.
Suzanne @ 12
Ding!
#17, down at the bottom.
OK - i found the comment #17 - I believe he was referencing Marcy Wheeler - who guest blogs over here in addition at her place, The Next Hurrah.
Seriously, I worked with some heavyweights in the tv industry for many years. No one scares me. They’re all just people. But, I would be glad to go along, if you want.
Shadowstalker @ 46
I don’t even remember a commenter “Amanda”. Not to say it couldn’t be, but I’m right next door to positive she isn’t a headliner.
Marcy certainly would fall under the heading of an investigative reporting. Or he could have been referring to Amanda as Peterr says.
newspaperbrat @ 58
For that matter, you’ve got SnarKassandra for backup. (Or vice versa — I’ll let you two sort that out.) It strikes me that it’d take quite a herd to get you two terrorized.
soyinkafan @ 27
Clarke’s an atheist, and would be appalled at the idea, I’m sure. I somehow doubt Bradbury would have appreciated it, either. Not that it would have stopped people.
Last Easter, I led a sermon at the church of Stargate, but very few people came. I suspect this is an idea whose time hasn’t yet come. At least, I hope so.
Helen @ 16
Suzanne’s a closet East/West Junkie? *GRIN*
albert fall, so true! What a great way to express it.
Cujo359@52
Sorry I still don’t get it. Which side are you on? Should we freak out at every perceived threat? or should we “get a life” and go forward? The “Go shopping” thing was about Bush being worried that commerce would stop; not about us going on with our lives. I just do not see the parallel in the two remarks.
larue @ 66
Got my mojo working, larue. How goes? Rough week last week at the pig for sure.
Suzanne @ 63
Here’s the comment:
The trio of FDL, TPM, and Juan Cole, all taking on the Libby Mess. Got to be Jane/Marcy/Christy, not Amanda.
(Amanda’s good, but “investigative reporting” isn’t her gig.)
Helen @ 68
Do both. Get good and crazy from trying to do both. Then get your doc to prescribe something from big pharma. And your insurance co can pay for 40% of the huge price.
Are you here, Deborah? Sorry if you already told me. I’d love it!
LH, okay, you probably don’t need anyone to chaperone you, but I’ll give you the same advice that Whatshrename Something of Education told (God, I can’t think) the blond who subbed for Tony Snow: Just wear your big girl underwear. Remember that?
Helen @ 68
What Bush was trying to say in his inarticulate way, I think, was go on with your lives. He certainly hasn’t asked us to do that since then, but I think that was the spirit of that remark. Certainly, the commenter at TM’s site did, and one could certainly take it that way if one wanted to, whether Bush actually meant it that way or not.
Yeah. How do we do this?
dmoore, yes I want you to come. She said 1:00 on Friday. Let’s get together tomorrow and get our questions together, K? What town do you live in?
brb
Margaret Spelling and Dana Perino?dmoore @ 73
I saw the photo the one-handed, hairy-palmed bloggers are talking about on Taylor Marsh’s site. Eh. It’s arguably racy. Ya gotta drill down so deeply into the site though, it reminded me of the fellow who was looking at some other student’s dirty magazine in our dorm lo, these many years ago:
“Oh, this is awful”
turns the page
“Aw man, that’s terrible!”
turn the page
“Tsk, tsk, tsk”
unfolds the centerfold
“Awful awful”
turns the page, etc.
Thanks, Suzanne. That just cracked me up.
Loo Hoo. Sylmar. Northeast end of the Valley.
Where are you? Oh boy. After we get our questions together, shall I call my friend Greg P. and maybe get some pointers for the interview?
I’m going to bed. Hope to stop in a bit but will be hard the next few days. I will miss you.
Cujo359 @ 74
Wow - that never occurred to me. Not sure I buy it, tho. Everyone was way worried about the economy back then. Bush especially.
take care, Tex - don’t overdue and be sure to make them kids help ya out.
pain free sleep wishes
Suzanne @ 83
thank you dear friend
YES! But can you come down? Issa’s in Vista.
Can you good people help us with good questions to ask Darrell Issa’s Director? I can ask Christy’s thread tomorrow too.
email tellblondie at xxxxxxxx dot xx dot xx dot com
let me know if you get this
You did. not. just. attribute the litany against fear to Frank Herbert’s son, did you?
Night Betsy
TexB @ 81
Sounds like you’ll have a full house but you can always dip into da lake and give us a wave and vice versa - cause we’ll be missing you too ((((((((((TexB!))))))))))
Cujo359 @ 74
If Bush was suggesting we “get on with our lives,” I think that theme was quickly abandoned. Instead, ever since then it’s been “terra terra, all the time.”
Okie, thanks, all! I thought I’d been stalking the shadows around here long enough to know most of the who’s-who, but wasn’t sure that maybe actually having to work a little here at work, maybe I’d missed something.
dmoore - would like me to spam proof your email after loohoo says she has it?
newspaperbrat @ 89
Awwww!
Cassie’s already told me that if the relatives are rude to her, she’s going into her room with the laptop and coming to the lake and her chat rooms. It will be a tricky weekend to navigate.
got it, dmoore.
Helen @ 82
Lots of times you hear what you want to hear, or need to hear. What Bush meant maybe Bush doesn’t even know, but we all read into these things what we do based on our experience and expectations. For my part, I view it as “go on with life”, whether it was actually meant that way or not. That strikes me as the healthy thing to do.
Of course, since then we’ve heard very little of that sort of thought from that quarter, and quite a bit of its opposite. That doesn’t make my interpretation wrong, though. It wouldn’t be the first time a politician talked out of each side of his mouth on successive occasions.
Suzanne @ 69
You sure got good taste in music, ma’am. *GRIN*
Wonder how many folks know of Bloomfield, Butterfield, Naftlin, Bishop, Davenport and Arnold . . *g*
I could loop their Work Song with Natalie Merchant’s version and drive all day along the coast . . *smile*
Goin is as good as goin can get.
Which leads me to someone’s “The Urge For Going” . . . was that Joni Mitchell’s tune?
KPIG is hanging tough, and the DJ’s are really pulling out all the stops to keep it oinkin . . . the music’s really reflecting something a bit deeper into the playlists, all the time now.
With NO disrespect to the dearly departed, I think they all got their groove on to support her like when KPIG was younger in the late 90’s early 00’s . . . . preMapleton, I guess is what I mean to say.
Music. I’d be an empty shell without it. Ain’t it grand . . .
Republicans are:
1) Peeing their pants
2) Hiding under the covers
3) Looking for terrorists under their bed
4) Dancing in a puddle of their own urine
5) Hiding in a tree
6) …add your own.
Suzanne — yes, please. And thank you.
Guess it pays to have friends in high places.
Goodnight, TexB.
Enoch Root @ 97
Hiding under the sofa? I had a cat who loved to do that when strangers came to the door.
Loo Hoo. @ 67
Thanks. Waiting for Dems to adopt Flight 93 as the true lesson of 9-11.
deborah-not-demi :) it is now xxx’d out
Loo Hoo
Just map quested Vista. Can Do. Road Trip!
I’ll call Greg Palast and see what he suggests in terms of questions. I bet he’ll give us some good advice, ya think?
When the mind of a gooper is killed by fear - it enflames his or her irrational sense of loyalty to ‘authority figures.’
What a two-fer for Rove: Using a “hot-button” issue - immigration, abortion, vote fraud, terror, pandemic, random white blondes disappearing, school shootings, etc - he can ’switch-off’ a goopers feeble capacity for logic-based-on-facts, and get them to leap en-pointe, ready to go like angry attack dogs - that’s a lot of fear!
The poor gooper sheep are being worked like animals by their trainers…
The sheep are transfixed by the ‘narrative’ being bullhorned to them by the Mighty Wurlitzer - “We’re always right, unless we’re victims” - and never seem to see the ‘manipulators’ behind the curtain manufacturing the ‘narrative’ out of whole cloth to fit an Agenda that benefits only a small percentage of their own ranks.
But, you know, if you’re right all the time then you get to call yourself a ‘winner,’ and everyone knows winners have overcome their fears…
Thanks Suzanne. But, I bet Demi might have got the meeting with Issa and not the DD. har har
sorry, dmoore - i forgot to add in to refresh your page to see how it changed - the refresh comments button will not do it - you have to refresh the entire page (F5 button on Firefox PC)
dmoore @ 103
And who better? I’m stoked now! Sent you an e-mail, but need to add another now. Forgot to give you my work e-mail in case you need it for tomorrow.
Hi Folks:
Any of you seen the series “The power of nightmares” It was by the BBC
I watched part one recently and it really rang true.
The question that I have is, “How are we positioning ourselves for a possible attack here?” If one happens well we be prepared to say, “Okay that’s bad, but let’s not start…” How about after a Democrat takes the White House? Can you just hear Rush if an attack happens after Bush leaves, “They were just waiting for a weak democrat! Bush kept them away!”
There is no downside to Bush if there is another attack here. Would people blame him? Or would they let him do more terrible stuff to ‘protect us more”
Would they get rid of more civil liberties? Concentration Camps for brown people?
You know what is interesting? They didn’t play the “Homeland Security card” during the pet food contamination from China. Why not? Because it didn’t serve them.
So there ARE times when they don’t use the fear card, when it would cost them.
Can’t wait for ET to show up so I can ask him about the latest over at TPM about Sen. Stevens
You know what is interesting? They didn’t play the “Homeland Security card” during the pet food contamination from China. Why not? Because it didn’t serve them.
So there ARE times when they don’t use the fear card, when it would cost them.
Excellent point, spocko.
Good point, Spocko. I’ll bet we can think of lots of times that the fear card wasn’t used…