Former Iraq Interrogator Dismantles Cheney's Argument

Matthew Alexander--who writes at VetVoice as Major Matthew--spent some time last week deconstructing former Vice President Dick Cheney's claims about torture.

Dick Cheney says that torturing detainees has saved American lives. That claim is patently false. Cheney's torture policy was directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds if not thousands of American servicemen and women.

Matthew Alexander was the senior military interrogator for the task force that tracked down Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq and, at the time, a higher priority target than Osama bin Laden. Mr. Alexander has personally conducted hundreds of interrogations and supervised over a thousand of them.

"Torture does not save lives. Torture costs us lives," Mr. Alexander said in an exclusive interview at Brave New Studios. "And the reason why is that our enemies use it, number one, as a recruiting tool...These same foreign fighters who came to Iraq to fight because of torture and abuse....literally cost us hundreds if not thousands of American lives."

Sound off at http://bravenewfoundation.org

Here's the clip:

Memorial Day by daisysalter

Memorial Weekend is not just the “beginning of summer” as it has unfortunately become trumpeted in the media and advertising. This is no more clearly indicated than in the chirpy, but oxymoronic greeting, “Happy Memorial Day!” all over the media, Twitter, and even in local communities. People wishing others a “Happy Memorial Day!” do not mean...

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Rick Scott, who helped fund the Swift Boat campaign, now attacks healthcare reform.

Rick Scott, the man behind Conservatives for Patients Rights is uncovered in this ad by HCA.

If one goes to CPRights website, Rick Scott's bio is missing some important parts, which are shown here. But it is the wolf in sheeps clothing that Scott is now using for his latest campaign. He doesn't give a rats' ass about patient rights, as he is more interested in the corporate healthcare profits, something so near and dear to his heart. He is a fraud, but the un and under-educated amongst us, i.e. teabaggers, right-winged fanatics, etc, will buy into his misinformation as they are too f&%king stupid to do the research for themselves. Lemmings going over the cliff comes to mind.

From HuffPo, Firedoglake, and Think Progress.

Check it out for yourself.




From Health Care for America:

Health Care for America Now (HCAN) the nations largest health care campaign launched a new television ad today detailing anti-reform front man Rick Scotts dubious past in the health care industry. The former CEO of Columbia/Hospital Corporation of America was forced to resign in 1997, and Columbia/HCA agreed to pay $1.7 billion in fines and penalties the largest fraud settlement in US history. The hospital corporation pleaded guilty to a litany of criminal and civil charges including lying to the government about how sick patients were so they could collect larger fees.

Now Scott is using his own personal fortune amassed during those years to attack President Obamas health care proposals with false claims and recycled scare tactics. Scott formed a group called Conservatives for Patients Rights and is advertising on national cable outlets like CNN and Fox. While some press have mentioned Scotts past in covering his new multimillion dollar ad push, too many continue to ignore the agenda behind the expenditure.

Liz Cheney Defends Dad On MSNBC (VIDEO)

All I can say is WOW! She is so wrong in so many ways, and has a severe case of amnesia. Does anyone remember how it was 6-7 years ago when you spoke out against the war? You are either with us or against us! You were anti-American/terrorist if you questioned what the Bush/cheney administration said or did. The media/journalists (MSM) were a no-show for most of the early days, except for a select few, Now Liz wants the media/journalists to do their job. She has also stuck with the old talking points about the war, (Along with revisionist history.) and still doesn't get it that the memos didn't divulge any interrogation secrets, as we already knew what was going on, but not the extent. We didn't know exactly how the process started exactly, but we knew about the water-boarding. And Joe S. is such an ignorant little man, sucking up to his faultering deity. And at the end, when ask about the radio-pundits, and how she wouldn't comment about their statements, I think Mika said yeah there are a few good ones out there, and ole' Liz gleefully mentions Rush. There are some serious mental health issues happening here, and it is scary. I apologize to those who may have mental health issues, (Myself included.) as I didn't mean to disparage you when I used Cheney for comparison, and as an example.
About Dick Cheney
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Security Blanket: How Social Security Can Save Us All- MoJo

This is an excellent article about our current economic crisis, and how it relates to Social Security. As a Social Security Recipient, living on SSDI, (Although I live on less then the average stated by $2000.00.) I understand the importance of this program for me, and many more I know, including my parents.

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Bat For Lashes - Daniel (HD) 2009

Single from the group Bat for Lashes called Daniel taken from the forthcoming album 'Two Suns'. I liked it, but that's just me. Interesting video.

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Save the Wolves! From the Media?

"WOLVES AT LARGE: - CASPER AREA" That was the Lead story on April 22, 2009 during the 5pm, 6pm, and 10pm news @ K2TV, Casper, Wyoming-

From KTWO on April 22, 2009 (Earth Day)-

WOLVES AT LARGE: - CASPER AREA

AFTER TWO WOLVES KILLED A YOUNG CALF ON PRIVATE PROPERTY LAST WEEK IN THE LARAMIE REGION, THE DEBATE OF WOLVES IN WYOMING HEATS UP AND HITS CLOSER TO HOME. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WOLVES HAVE EVER BEEN SPOTTED KILLING LIVESTOCK IN CENTRAL WYOMING. US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE RESPONDED TO THE SCENE OF THE DEAD COW TO INVESTIGATE, AND DETERMINED THE CALF WAS INDEED HUNTED AND KILLED BY TWO WOLVES. THE RANCHER, WHO'S NAME HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED, DID NOT ACTUALLY SEE THE WOLVES...BUT OTHER RANCHERS HAVE SPOTTED WOLVES IN THIS AREA SOUTHWEST OF CASPER. A SPOKESPERSON WITH THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE SAYS RANCHERS NEED TO USE CAUTION IF THEY SEE A WOLF ON THEIR PROPERTY. IF YOU SPOT A WOLF ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR PROPERTY, CALL THE U-S FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE AT 261-6365.

First of all, in Wyoming, wolves are a big, no make that a huge and passionate issue, because they live here, and some of us have plans for them to stay for a very long time. The facts are unimportant in this story, just emotions, and hearsay. As the rancher said, "I got friends that live up in the Jackson area, in that area, and they've seen what it's done to the elk, and the population up there, and we don't want to see that." Not mentioned were the non-lethal ways of predator control, or the fact that domestic dogs kill more cattle then wolves. Nor were the specifics this rancher was talking about, just inflaming generalizations. I did e-mail this reporter, Briana Bermensolo with facts related to wolves, both the pro and the con. But no, they have to hop on the fearmongering bandwagon, and produce a bias, and partial story. This is what they call journalism these days. How sad, both for the students who don't learn how to be impartial, but also include there own, or playing to their audience's bias! Facts no longer matter. And Briana says at the end, "If you see wolves on your property, call the Fish and Wildlife Service." WHY? Are they escaped prisoners from Gitmo, or the state prison in Rawlins? Why not get your camera, and take a picture of these beautiful animals?



Wyoming's Wolf Recovery Plan:

Wyoming Plan Summary-

Wyoming’s wolf management plan is a significant departure for wildlife management in the state because it was created by elected officials in the legislature rather than wildlife biologists at the state’s Game and Fish Department. The current plan divides Wyoming into two different zones. In 88 percent of the state, known as the "predator zone," wolves are considered varmints and can be killed by anyone, at any time, by nearly any means. In the remaining 12 percent of the state—the northwestern corner—wolves are considered to be trophy game animals and are subject to management by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

In addition, the state law grants private citizens broad latitude to kill wolves in "defense of private property," which could jeopardize wolf population numbers. What Could Be Improved The Wyoming plan is based on politics, not science, and needs to be reworked by the state’s game officials. We would like to see Wyoming adopt a similar approach to Montana’s—managing wolves like other native game species, rather than varmints to be shot on site.

Federal courts agree. A recent judicial ruling reinstating endangered species status criticized these elements of Wyoming’s plan. The federal government has since retracted its delisting rule and Wyoming is starting over with a new plan.

-From the Western Wolf Coalition- @

http://www.westernwolves.org/index.php/read-the-plans-wyoming

One of the greatest threats to wolves are human's fears and misunderstandings about the species. There are many fairy tales and myths that tend to misrepresent wolves as villainous, dangerous creatures. Wolves are responsible for less than 1% of ALL livestock kills, but that doesn't stop the media, i.e.- K2TV (KTWO) out of Casper, Wyoming from airing a story about wolves, and the great "wolf scare" going on here in support of Wyoming ranchers, conservative politics, hunters, outfitters, uninformed reporters, etc.

Wolves and all wildlife need to be protected, and all this misinformation and myths need to be addressed. And the media needs to be a little more impartial, specifically here in Wyoming, because playing to one audience does not make for sound and good journalism!

Ms. Stone from Defenders of Wildlife said, ""Today for example there are probably hundreds of sheep and cattle that have died from dogs, coyotes and a number of other species, but only the wolves are going to make the news,"

And from "My Yellowstone Wolves Blog"- "As the WY story states that wolves (not seen but assumed) killed on "private" property, perhaps we homeowners should begin reporting when their cattle wander onto our private property and do damage. Is there reciprocity? If they can shoot wolves, can we shoot their cattle? They (their wandering cows) are, after all, damaging our property and causing us a bunch of money." - susangeez

For more info, check out this link: http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/wolf,_gray.php

Also From Defenders of Wildlife-

Wolf Predation Plays Small Role in Livestock Losses in 2005-

1. In the continental U.S., health issues such as respiratory problems, digestive problems, calving complications and disease were overwhelmingly the most significant causes of cattle death in 2005.

2. Only 0.11% of all cattle losses were due to wolf predation in 2005.

3. Coyotes killed more than 22 times more cattle than wolves killed that year.

4. Domestic dogs killed almost 5 times as many cattle, and vultures killed almost twice as many cattle as wolves did in 2005.

5. Theft was responsible for almost 5 times as many cattle losses as were lost by wolf predation.

6. Predation by coyotes was the largest cause of sheep loss in 2005, accounting for 23% of all losses, followed by health problems & weather-related issues.

7. In states with wolf populations, an average of less than 2.5% of sheep loss was due to predation by wolves in 2005.

We all need to work this out, as it is not totally a black and white issue, rather it has tons of gray area, and it all needs to be addressed. And it is not only for the wolves sake, but in the end, for the sake of humanity!

What's up with NOM and Stephen Colbert?

Stephen Colbert just cracks me up at times. This is one of them. I am still confused how their freedom (The folks from NOM?) will be taken away. These folks are just prejudice and bigoted homophobes, not confident of their own sexuality. If you study the Implicit Project from Harvard, they talk about and have studied our deep-seat biases, prejudices, fears and hatreds. These folks from NOM, the National Organization for Marriage really do need a higher power to teach them about love, and not hatred! AMEN!

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Colbert Coalition's Anti-Gay Marriage Ad
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Drinking from the Cylindrical Trough! (No Kool-Aid Here!)

Buddy de Cat drinking from the cylindrical trough!

Tomorrow is the big day, although it is still only a 24 hour day, but a big day nonetheless. I am flying down to Florida for a month of R and R from the bitterly cold, and windy winters that blanket Wyoming for a majority of the year. To be honest though, since I have moved here 18 years ago, things have gotten considerably milder over the last 6-8 years.

Although I lived in Florida for almost 11 months from August 2002 through July 2003, it wasn't for R and R. It was more like a geographic cure, at least sub-consciously, if not consciously. What I said was I was selling my house here in Wyoming to be near my folks, who were getting up there in years, and being the prodigal son, and it was my duty. What I was really doing was escaping my addictions, or so I thought, and leaving my wild and sorted past here in the Equality State. I'm an alcoholic, and have bi-polar disorder, neither of which I was addressing back in 2002, or 2001 or for many years for that matter. In 2001 I did something foolish, and illegal, and ended up on probation for 5 years. Yes, it was a biggie, because I could have ended up at the state prison in Rawlins for 3-5 years. That would have sucked.

So, off to Florida I went, and I remember clearly saying to myself that I would not drink when I got there, and screw things up like I did here in Wyoming, or any other place I've lived in the past 30 odd years. But there was one minor thing I forgot to do. I forgot to go to AA, or any type of aftercare group, or see a mental health specialist, and didn't do anything for the depression, which I had been diagnosed with for the last 27 years, (No doctor bothered to do a complete inventory of my entire life's history up until I came back to Sheridan, and entered the VA Hospital in July 2003. Doctors Anup Sidhu, and Victor Ashear were the first to actually figure out I was bi-polar, and since then my life has done a 180, but there is a lot of work I have to do to help maintain that fact. Thank you doctors!) so I was a ticking time bomb. Everything started to really unwind in March 2003, with me just walking out of my job, and drinking to oblivion everyday. It was to ease the mental and physical pain. The physical pain, as I found out later had to do with severe spinal cord compression at C-5 and C-6, and other neurological issues, including a brain tumor.

My attempt to establish myself as a sane and productive member of the community, and a loving and caring prodigal son was a failure. An utter disaster to say the least. But the worm was beginning to turn.

I came back to Wyoming in July of 2003 via a Greyhound bus. I came back because I could get help here, and I felt save here. I was a complete embarrassment to my family, but what else was new? Nothing changes if nothing changes. I left my dog Bear with a neighbor who said he would watch him while I was in the hospital. That also turned out to be a disaster. I miss Bear a lot, and I hope he can forgive me someday.

Bear at his 3rd Birthday Party!

So that brings me to tomorrow, and my flight to Florida to see my folks, and watch some spring baseball. This is the 4th year I have done this. The first time in March of 2006 was 10 months after I moved out of an assisted living facility in Buffalo, Wyoming. Some know it as the Old Soldiers and Sailors Home, but now a days it is called the Veterans' Home of Wyoming. It is a state run facility, but it gets a majority of it's funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA. I spent almost a year and a half there, after an almost 6 month stay at the VA Hospitals in Sheridan, WY and Denver.

The first time I went down to Florida, post Florida fiasco, was in 2006, I had saved up some money from my birthday in October, and Christmas of the previous year. The following years I was given the plane ticket as a Christmas present from my folks. I think they realized how poor, in money that is, not spirit, I was. I am extremely grateful for their kind and generous gift. And each year, my stays get longer and longer. The first year I was down there 2 1/2 weeks, and this year it's 4 weeks. This year we have new kink, as my dad just had back surgery about 2 weeks ago, as he had to wait till their trip to NY for Christmas, and cruise to Hawaii at the end of January, and beginning of February was over. He is walking with a walker most of the time, and I think he thinks his recovery would have progressed quicker then it has so far. This is because every morning he would do his 2-4 mile walk, and then maybe a couple of miles on the treadmill. He is not a patient man. So this should be interesting.

But I am looking forward to this visit. I am also looking forward to visiting the different AA groups I have attended during these visits. I was known as Buffalo Bill to some of them, but seeing as I now live in Sheridan, who knows what nickname they will come up with.

That brings me to Buddy de Cat, or Nature Cat, whichever you prefer. Just a month after getting out of the Veterans Home, in June of 2005, my good friend Stan moved up to Buffalo from Laramie WY. He had been downsized from WYO Tech in 2003, around the same time I went into the hospital. He had lived off unemployment for awhile, then off savings, but couldn't find a job. So, before they foreclosed on his house, he was able to sell it, and thought of moving to Sheridan, where we both had lived in the 1990's. But, while on a road trip to Sheridan, he stopped by to visit me, and saw they had applications for apartments in the lobby, so he got one, and applied for an apartment, which he got with no problem.

Stan is a good hearted man, but like me, he may have an issue with John Barleycorn, but that is something he has to decide. Anyhow, when he moved to Buffalo, into the same apartment building as me, they only allowed residents to have one pet, either cat or dog. He had 2 cats. Lucky, a completely black semi-long haired cat is about 11 and a 1/2 years old now. I gave him to Stan as a birthday gift back in 1997 as a kitten, when we were housemates. And then there is Buddy de Cat. He is a domestic short-haired, and he is about 10 years old now. So, he asked me if I could watch Buddy until he got a place where he could have 2 cats. His timeline was about 6 months until he would get another place, maybe up in Sheridan, (More job opportunities.) or in Buffalo. Well, one thing led to another, and Stan is still in the same apartment, and working in Buffalo, running the city's recycling center. And I'm still cat-sitting Buddy de Cat. So, now, every time I have to go somewhere, whether an extended trip to the Denver VA Hospital, or trips to NY for Christmas, or Florida in March to see my folks. That means he is cat-sitting his cat which I've been cat-sitting for the last 3 and 1/2 years. Thank God for good friends, even if they are just cat-sitting their cat.

Bon voyage, and chat when I return from Florida, or maybe sooner if my dad lets me use his computer, (That is if he gets better, and goes back to his old routine of being on the computer a lot, mainly playing video games like solitaire, or Monopoly, or whatever!) so I can make some entries. We'll see, but it doesn't matter either way for me, as I'm going down there to spend time with my folks. But I do have some Fantasy Baseball live drafts I have to participate in, as does my dad, but he only has one team to pick.

Buddy has taken his last drink from the cylindrical trough today, at least for the next month. Ciao!

Buddy de Cat giving us a BIG Yawn!!!

Military Working Dogs Tribute!

After watching a tribute to Military Working Dog Handlers I found this video, which I found interesting, along with the music. I was a Military Working Dog Handler when I was in the U.S. Air Force in the late 70's to early 80's. We didn't have Dobermans though. We had mostly German Shepards and Shepard mixes, along with some Labrador Retrievers, and dogs they called bio-dogs, dogs they bred with special skills and abilities. My dog was a German Shepard/Collie Mix, and his name was Mac, so I use to call him "Mac the Knife". He was a great dog. Being a dog handler probably rated as the best job I ever had. I mean the part when I was working with the dogs, because the humans were the ones that I had some issues.

The above pictures are of Mac. He looks vicious, doesn't he?

This is me and Mac back in 1978.

My training last about 5 months, and was at Medina Annex at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX. I was then stationed at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana, near Shreveport/Bossier City. I volunteered to go overseas on a regular basis, but you know the military, they sent people who didn't want to go. Go figure! But I really loved working with the dogs.

At a break during dog school.