JANE!

Hello, Jane!

A lot of spineless Maybes.

Looks interesting. Though the box is coming back for me as not available? (FF on Windows XP.)

Cool tool!
I hope it will work well!

Bob in HI

How about a techno-fax ;-)

Thanks for the post Jane!

This call is really cool and I’m very excited to see people use it.

I have just finished calling ever senator on the committee, the only two I couldn’t get through to were schumer and feinstein-. It is without doubt a frustrating experience, the 4th amendment states explicitly how these senators should vote, it should not even be an issue, yet some say they haven’t issued a statement or they haven’t indicated how they would vote. I asked them politely to forget about party affiliation, this is about our country not any political agenda and asked them to do the right thing for our country.

Jeff Spicoli, right up there with Homer Simpson, two of my heroes, they make me laugh and they have good hearts.

Interesting, can I use this to call Colleen Kollar-Kotelly from the FISA court?

I was wondering what the FISA court might be able to say or do on the whole telecom amnesty question on its own initiative. Does the court have “standing” to ask the Administration to show cause why it hasn’t sought appropriate warrants? And just what, exactly, the Administration told these telecom companies?

Very cool! I’m sending this around the office here at work.

Thanks, Jane! (oh, and Sen. Dodd, too!)

Awesome! Totally awesome.

Also, I know Christy has a couple posts up on FISA and the AT&T whistleblower Mark Klein. I actually got to interview Klein yesterday and have a video up that I think really distills his testimony and the scope of the lawlessness that he can speak to. You can see the video on the DoddBlog — I highly recommend it.

My calls-the same as Chris Dodd’s graph.

peanutbutter @ 4

Looks interesting. Though the box is coming back for me as not available? (FF on Windows XP.)

Looks good now, FYI.

hate2haggle @ 11

Awesome! Totally awesome.

Also in the words of Jeff Spicoli

(((((((Jane!)))))))

“What Jefferson was saying was, Hey! You know, we left this England place ’cause it was bogus; so if we don’t get some cool rules ourselves - pronto - we’ll just be bogus too! Get it?”

~ Jeff Spicoli

Just got this from Chris Dodd…

In spring of 2006 I started seeing people put special notes to government agents in their email signature. The thinking was that if a government official was going to read your email, you might as well put a line in at the end to remind them that they were doing so illegally.
Yesterday afternoon I sat down with AT&T whistleblower Mark Klein. He’s the technician who revealed that the NSA has secret rooms for sweeping up massive amounts of electronic communications on the internet - the story that prompted these sardonic email signatures.
Klein is calling on the Senate to not grant telecommunications companies retroactive immunity. He’s also testifying to the scale of the Bush Administration’s electronic surveillance:
“Everything you could imagine you use the internet for flows through these cables. It’s not only international traffic, but a huge amount of domestic traffic too.”
Klein is speaking out in defense of the rule of law because he knows how deep the rabbit hole of domestic surveillance really goes.
Watch the video of Klein talking about why he opposes retroactive immunity:
http://chrisdodd.com/whistleblower
Klein is a hero for coming forward to bear witness to this dangerous violation of Americans’ privacy…but the best way to honor his courage is to stand with him and with Senator Dodd to ensure that the companies that partnered with the Bush Administration can be held accountable for their actions.
Take action today - Call the Senate Judiciary Committee and tell them to oppose retroactive immunity.

http://chrisdodd.com/whistleblower

Matt Browner-Hamlin
Campaign Blogger

PS - If you can, take a moment to pass the video along through Digg and our Tell-A-Friend service.

Biodun @ 2

Hello, Jane!

Hello, Biodun!

Hi Jane! That is a cool tool. We need more of them. Think of it, a citizen whip. What a concept. Hope you are well.

Well now the education dept. is being investigated for its ties to Neil Bush. The hits keep coming!

EPU’ed

File under this is how things (wars) happen. Via Froomkin,

“Al Libi indicated that his interrogators did not like his responses and then ‘placed him in a small box approximately 50cm X 50cm [20 inches x 20 inches].’ He claimed he was held in the box for approximately 17 hours. When he was let out of the box, al Libi claims that he was given a last opportunity to ‘tell the truth.’ When al Libi did not satisfy the interrogator, al Libi claimed that ‘he was knocked over with an arm thrust across his chest and he fell on his back.’ Al Libi told CIA debriefers that he then ‘was punched for 15 minutes.’”

As a result of the torture, Grey writes, al Libi “provided a confession of how Saddam Hussein had been training al Qaeda in chemical weapons. This evidence was used by Colin Powell at the United Nations [in February 2003] to justify the war in Iraq. (’I can trace the story of a senior terrorist operative telling how Iraq provided training in these [chemical and biological] weapons to al Qaeda,’ Powell said. ‘Fortunately, this operative is now detained, and he has told his story.’)”

You need an excuse for a war? Go out, torture someone, and voila you have all the evidence you need. Works everytime.

Hugh @ 21

EPU’ed

File under this is how things (wars) happen. Via Froomkin,

“Al Libi indicated that his interrogators did not like his responses and then ‘placed him in a small box approximately 50cm X 50cm [20 inches x 20 inches].’ He claimed he was held in the box for approximately 17 hours. When he was let out of the box, al Libi claims that he was given a last opportunity to ‘tell the truth.’ When al Libi did not satisfy the interrogator, al Libi claimed that ‘he was knocked over with an arm thrust across his chest and he fell on his back.’ Al Libi told CIA debriefers that he then ‘was punched for 15 minutes.’”

As a result of the torture, Grey writes, al Libi “provided a confession of how Saddam Hussein had been training al Qaeda in chemical weapons. This evidence was used by Colin Powell at the United Nations [in February 2003] to justify the war in Iraq. (’I can trace the story of a senior terrorist operative telling how Iraq provided training in these [chemical and biological] weapons to al Qaeda,’ Powell said. ‘Fortunately, this operative is now detained, and he has told his story.’)”

You need an excuse for a war? Go out, torture someone, and voila you have all the evidence you need. Works everytime.

Isn’t this what Olberman said in his “special comment” the other night? That the Administratin had used this junk over and over as the “boogie man” to scare us/Congress?

I’m using this as I type (on hold for Durbin’s office). What a useful tool!

Retroactive immunity. What’s next? And hasn’t GWB already done something along these lines by mandating that our war crimes in Iraq and elsewhere are not punishable?

radiofreewill @ 16

(((((((Jane!)))))))

“What Jefferson was saying was, Hey! You know, we left this England place ’cause it was bogus; so if we don’t get some cool rules ourselves - pronto - we’ll just be bogus too! Get it?”

~ Jeff Spicoli

Wow, who knew how prescient Jeff Spicoli was at the time?

Bay State Librul @ 17

Just got this from Chris Dodd…

In spring of 2006 I started seeing people put special notes to government agents in their email signature. The thinking was that if a government official was going to read your email, you might as well put a line in at the end to remind them that they were doing so illegally.
Yesterday afternoon I sat down with AT&T whistleblower Mark Klein. He’s the technician who revealed that the NSA has secret rooms for sweeping up massive amounts of electronic communications on the internet - the story that prompted these sardonic email signatures.
Klein is calling on the Senate to not grant telecommunications companies retroactive immunity. He’s also testifying to the scale of the Bush Administration’s electronic surveillance:
“Everything you could imagine you use the internet for flows through these cables. It’s not only international traffic, but a huge amount of domestic traffic too.”
Klein is speaking out in defense of the rule of law because he knows how deep the rabbit hole of domestic surveillance really goes.
Watch the video of Klein talking about why he opposes retroactive immunity:
http://chrisdodd.com/whistleblower
Klein is a hero for coming forward to bear witness to this dangerous violation of Americans’ privacy…but the best way to honor his courage is to stand with him and with Senator Dodd to ensure that the companies that partnered with the Bush Administration can be held accountable for their actions.
Take action today - Call the Senate Judiciary Committee and tell them to oppose retroactive immunity.

http://chrisdodd.com/whistleblower

Matt Browner-Hamlin
Campaign Blogger

PS - If you can, take a moment to pass the video along through Digg and our Tell-A-Friend service.

Hey, that’s some persuasive writing!

Matt Browner Hamlin says;
Thanks Matt

Ve haff been vatching you, a dossier has been created und you are on our list. I vould be very very careful about vhat you read or say.
Und velcommomen to Amerika, chatzy.

Watch this movie if you have not already:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/.....sofothers/

I just pointed DKos at the tool and have requested that Kos place the tool up at the site. One way or another I hope to get a mass of them to use it too.

Halliburton, Blackwater and Libby basically have immunity. Why not the phone companies? After all, all they we’re doing was helping our CIC win an occupation.

Maddy @ 27

Ve haff been vatching you, a dossier has been created und you are on our list. I vould be very very careful about vhat you read or say.
Und velcommomen to Amerika, chatzy.

Do you think people in other countries use an American accent now when they try to sound like Nazi interrogators (or I guess it would be American interrogators now)?

SufiLizard @ 30

Maddy @ 27

Ve haff been vatching you, a dossier has been created und you are on our list. I vould be very very careful about vhat you read or say.
Und velcommomen to Amerika, chatzy.

Do you think people in other countries use an American accent now when they try to sound like Nazi interrogators (or I guess it would be American interrogators now)?

I was an exchange student in Germany when John Wayne died. They replaced a lot of the scheduled TV shows with old John Wayne Cowboy-and-Indian movies, dubbed into German.

It was very odd to listen to John Wayne on his horse riding across the west speaking German, to say nothing of listening to the Indians gathered around their campfires doing the same.

Why do republicans put party before country?

party before species?

party before sanity?

party before clear thinking?

party before love and compassion for all suffering beings?

party before humanity as a global whole needing to survive?

party before wisdom?

party before spirituality and the deep heart meanings of religion?

party before common decency and honor?

party before tolerance?

party before thinking?

The reason is simple: childishness, fear, weakness of character, superficiality and of course EGO EGO EGO EGO.

EGO or human heart.

Progressive politics is sane humanity, neither right nor left. SANITY

SufiLizard @ 30

Maddy @ 27

Ve haff been vatching you, a dossier has been created und you are on our list. I vould be very very careful about vhat you read or say.
Und velcommomen to Amerika, chatzy.

Do you think people in other countries use an American accent now when they try to sound like Nazi interrogators (or I guess it would be American interrogators now)?

Point well taken.
Also I only meant to bold “Matt Browner Hamlin says;”
I am sometimes a bozo of the first order, and I don’t need no stinkin’ badge to prove it.

Maddy @ 33

I am sometimes a bozo of the first order, and I don’t need no stinkin’ badge to prove it.

Wow, the German interrogator impression and a Blazing Saddles reference. I think I like you Maddy!

Peterr @ 31

SufiLizard @ 30

Do you think people in other countries use an American accent now when they try to sound like Nazi interrogators (or I guess it would be American interrogators now)?

I was an exchange student in Germany when John Wayne died. They replaced a lot of the scheduled TV shows with old John Wayne Cowboy-and-Indian movies, dubbed into German.

It was very odd to listen to John Wayne on his horse riding across the west speaking German, to say nothing of listening to the Indians gathered around their campfires doing the same.

I had the exact same experience with John Wayne movies when I was living in France.

John Wayne sauntering into a saloon and telling the bartender: “Un whiskey, s’il vous plait.”

Biodun,

LOL

I can hear it now, “Je sais pas moi, pelerin.”

Well, as I suspected Difi is “unsure” of how she’ll vote on the immunity for telecoms. This is code for she will vote to give it to them.

SufiLizard @ 34

Maddy @ 33

I am sometimes a bozo of the first order, and I don’t need no stinkin’ badge to prove it.

Wow, the German interrogator impression and a Blazing Saddles reference. I think I like you Maddy!

The Treasure of Sierra Madre http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040897/quotes channeled thru Mel brook’s humourous mind into Blazing
Saddles
Humor is the only weapon I can arm myself with.
I am too smart (read bozo) to be an intellectual

I spoke to Di Fi’s office and was told that the Senator is considering introducing an amendment that will in effect transfer liability to the government and will cap lawsuits at $30,000,000,000. Well, another piece of redundant legislation as far as the first point. The telecoms can file a cross-complaint against the US government for indemnification anyway.

What about blanket warrants?

tbsa @ 37

Well, as I suspected Difi is “unsure” of how she’ll vote on the immunity for telecoms. This is code for she will vote to give it to them.

Feinstein is a key target. During the Judiciary Committee hearings, she said she was opposed to retroactive immunity. But, as you say, we need to know clearly what she will actually do in this situation.

Chuck Schumer is also a key target.

Matt and Jane,
Can this advanced techno-pestering software be adapted for use directly on FDL? In this case linking to Dodd’s site is perfect but there have been times recently when Christy has asked people to make important calls without there being a hook-up like this one already in place. It’s great to hear that the $100,000 goal for Donna Edwards was reached. It would also be great to hear that we as a community had made 100,000 calls to Congress.

peony @ 39

I spoke to Di Fi’s office and was told that the Senator is considering introducing an amendment that will in effect transfer liability to the government and will cap lawsuits at $30,000,000,000. Well, another piece of redundant legislation as far as the first point. The telecoms can file a cross-complaint against the US government for indemnification anyway.

Feinstein would be great if her defense of ordinary Americans was anything like her defense of American corporations.

Biodun @ 35

Peterr @ 31

I was an exchange student in Germany when John Wayne died. They replaced a lot of the scheduled TV shows with old John Wayne Cowboy-and-Indian movies, dubbed into German.

It was very odd to listen to John Wayne on his horse riding across the west speaking German, to say nothing of listening to the Indians gathered around their campfires doing the same.

I had the exact same experience with John Wayne movies when I was living in France.

John Wayne sauntering into a saloon and telling the bartender: “Un whiskey, s’il vous plait.”

or he says to the bartender “On couche ensemble (ce soir)?”.
I only know the important words taught to me by my buddy Jackie, a cordon bleu chef now a desciple of Satya Sai Baba.

Way OT sorry

Haven’t had a chance to think about the similarities and differences between what Yahoo did in response to the Chinese government’s demand that Yahoo provide information that China then used to find, arrest and imprison two journalists and what the tel-com companies have done. If anyone knows of a link to an article on that topic I would appreciate learning about it.

As I watched the tongue lashing that Yahoo execs received yesterday, I wondered if the U.S. government would ever treat the tel-com execs the same way. Obviously not. That got me to wondering about the similarities between how, when and why China exercises its governmental power and how, when and why the Bush administration exercises its unitary executive power. One thing both governments have in common is a determination to protect.

I have to get back to work.

I just talked to Senator Spector’s office.

His Senate office said they didn’t know what I was talking about and transferred the call to his Judiciary Committee staff.

The Judiciary Committee staffer first treated me as if I was some sort of scammer calling, but once I identified myself by name, home state, and county and called myself a constituent a couple of times, he finally agreed to answer whatever my question was. Except, apparently a question about retroactive immunity. Once I asked for the senator’s position, the guy tried to say my cell was going in and out (um, wasn’t mine, dude, I had 4 bars showing) and then said the senator hadn’t discussed this legislation with his staff and so they couldn’t give me his position. I then voiced my opposition and, for good measure, mentioned that I was a Democrat who has voted for Spector since he first won the office. And that I wouldn’t be voting for him again if he voted to give them retroactive immunity.

I did, though, get the feeling my friend Nick the JC staffer really didn’t give a shit.

geg6 @ 46. The staffer Nick may have been thinking. “Hey, Dude, ask me if I care?”

The Senators aren’t there to do our bidding and their staffers know it.

FWIW, my email to Senator Schumer:

After your support for Mukasey and your disingenuous attempt at defending such, I don’t even know why I bother. Still, allowing retroactive immunity for telecom companies and allowing nonindividualized (ie, “basket”) eavesdropping warrants would be spectacular blows to civil liberties and Constitutional protections.

So surprise me. Refuse to vote a bill out of SJC that contains these noxious provisions. After which, if necessary, support Chris Dodd’s block and/or filibuster.

Help convince me that my ostensibly Democratic senior senator is not really a closeted member of the Connecticut for Lieberman party.

Would love to see this done on the question, “Is waterboarding torture?” List the responses as “yes, no or insipid”.

The retroactive immunity isn’t for the telecoms…

It’s for Bush and Cheney!

Mark Klein is not alone. There are many other technicians with knowledge and evidence just like Mark.

They are waiting for the “cover up vote” before they expose the extensive corruption. Then it will be too late for congress.

Watch this vote closely, for those that vote for immunity are voting for the cover up.

Don’t be fooled, everyone voting knows full well what they are doing.

Jeff Spicolli…
“My old man.. is a television repair man.. he’s got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it”

I think it is important that we support Senator Dodd in his presidential bid. I know he is a long shot, but he is one of only three candidates (Kucinich and Paul being the others) that are talking seriously about restoring the Constitution and civil liberties.

The longer Dodd stays in the race, the longer these issues will be discussed. Once he’s gone, we won’t hear about this for the rest of the election cycle.

Please consider donating even a small amount (chrisdodd.com) to keep him going. As Blue America has demonstrated, the little amounts add up.

(P.S. I am not an employee or volunteer for the Dodd campaign).