Clipmarks | citizenbfk's clips

Michelle's Dress at State Dinner

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:27:43 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: This week was the first official State Dinner at the White House, USA.

Michelle Obama's dress was designed by an India-American.

IMO - stunning!

It's nice to see real life, real fashion, hear real music coming out of the White House and not just artificial stuff that's 'suppose,' to look or sound nice.

Clip Source: blog.timesunion.com

She’s a stunning woman with impeccable taste.

Comment by Jennifer — November 25th, 2009 @ 10:00 am

Tags: michelle, obama, state, dinner, india

FIFA: Playoff Row Rumbles On

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:32:49 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: i tend to keep my sports preferences to myself but there's something about the Ireland-France World cup qualifier that is deeply offensive, offensive on levels deeper than just sports.

I like the USA way of handling such decisions.
FIFA has an attitude I associate with decadent European aristocracy, basically saying: "Too bad. Tough luck. We have made our decision (i.e. wrong decision) and there is nothing you can do about it."

In the USA, one of our positive traits is to do something about clear injustice or wrong; at least try: We never had kings; never will.

Re: T. Henry -- maybe FIFA should change the name of the game to "Handfootball."

That way, if France wins the World Cup, at least it will be clear what game they are playing.

The solution, obviously, would be to have video replay reviews -- other ideas such as an extra ref behind the goal and/or the refs talking decisions over might help.

But as it stands now, the World Cup is tainted by this admitted cheating

Clip Source: www.allheadlinenews.com

Playoff Row Rumbles On: FIFA Calls Meeting Over Controversial Cup Qualifiers

FIFA has called a rare general meeting to discuss the recent controversial World Cup Qualifiers.

The meeting is likely to focus on the diplomatic row which has erupted in Africa following World Cup qualification meetings between Algeria and Egypt.

FIFA is also likely to discuss the France vs Republic of Ireland fixture which France won in controversial circumstances after Thierry Henry clearly handled the ball in the build-up to France's winning goal.

Tags: fifa, world_cup

McCain Going Down

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:14:20 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: John McCain was the Republican candidate for President in the last election, running against Barrack Obama.

He's up for relection in 2010. Now it looks like he's going to lose his Senate seat, facing a primary challenge in his own party.

Point 1. The horses are lining up at the starting gate for the 2010 elections. (one year ahead of voting day, par for the course)

McCain is one of my U.S. Senators and I'd love to dance on his political grave. I'm joyful planning on it....

I've remained registered Democrat so I can vote in the Demo primaries. Up to now there hasn't been a good candidate because McCain was previously invincible.

Now the cracks are showing -- A big problem is that Democrats always lose this seat because they mouth the national policy on immigration while the vast majority of us in this state --- a state on the border with Mexico -- have a whole different real-world perspective on an out-of-control border. We want the border controlled, like all nations do

Clip Source: www.foxnews.com

McCain Faces Potentially Tough Re-Election Bid, Poll Suggests

John McCain, barely a year after he was the Republican nominee for president, faces a potential threat from within his own party as he gears up for his Senate re-election bid next year.

"It's not a secret that Senator McCain has different feelings on immigration than Hayworth," said Matt Roberts, a spokesman for the Arizona Republican Party. "That's the issue garnering the most amount of attention and people feel strongly on both sides."

Tags: mccain, elections, 2010

British Begin Iraq War Inquiry

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:50:48 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: Some folks are predicting just another whitewash, like the previous Butler report and other but i guess we should wait and see.

Some part of the inquiry will be behind closed doors, which may be reasonable if there are true security concerns but could also allow facts to be hidden.

People who testify will not be under oath, which is a bad sign, indicating no responsibility to tell the truth.

According to exposed "Downing Street Memo," 5 years ago (Google it for more info) the Brits knew "the fix was in," and Bush was committed to start a war and making up whatever facts to justify starting a war.

But it goes deeper then that. It was a British newspaper, quoting British intelligence, that first started the lie rolling about Saddam seeking to buy yellowcake uranium from Niger...based on forged documents coming out of the Italian intelligence agency.

These forged documents are a hard fact smoking gun and so-called "rogue," CIA agents probably involved.

americancitizensto

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Key moments of the Iraq war inquiry's opening day

No smoking gun yet but the hearing underlined how slow Britain was to respond to evidence that the Bush administration wanted to overthrow Saddam Hussein, even though the British government had been advised at the time that this was illegal.

Tags: iraq, war, british, england

USA Health Care Closer Than Ever

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:37:26 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: As this clip headlines, "It's too Early to Celebrate the Senate Health Care Vote," but part of the story that our corrosive and toxic media seemed to miss is that getting 60-votes to start the debate was what had to be done first -- and that the vote was a strong victory for the President, all of his party and two Independents voting with him -- only the opposition party, the Republicans, voting no.

Confused as to what to complain about now, the Republicans have noticed that the President bowed to the Emperor of Japan.

Several clips here on Clipmarks about that.

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

It's too Early to Celebrate the Senate Health Care Vote

I swear, I find no no joy in being Debbie Downer. I really wish I could celebrate the Senate's 60-39 vote to begin the debate on health care legislation, narrowly holding off the blocking tactic of the Republicans. I am 100 percent in favor of health care reform (I'm a fan of Rep. Anthony Weiner's proposal to extend Medicare to everyone). But a realistic view of what happened (and what has happened leading up to the vote) reveals far more things to be concerned about than to cheer for.

Tags: health_care, us_senate, health, senate

U.N. on Israeli War Crimes

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:35:19 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: The Goldstone Report now has been approved overwhelmingly by the UN General Assembly.

The report calls for Israel to investigate it's war crime accusations...and for the Palestinians to investiage theirs -- and says the slow starvation of over a million and half people in the Gaza Strip should stop.

Now, it seems it goes to the Security Council.

Which means, if things go as usual, the USA will veto it and it will end there.

The USA has does similar actions at the UN for decades, protecting Israel, no matter what.

The USA House of Congress has even gone on record, this week, opposing this war crimes report.

Israel yesterday seized a ship with weapons and said they come from Iran and this was a war crime...also pointing out that Russia, the USA, China, etc. are all guility of war crimes.

The conclusion appears to be that war is a war crime. Everybody's guilty. And let's just forget it.

...um, except when talking about the Nazi's of WWII or the Bosnian Serbs curre

Clip Source: www.jpost.com

UN General Assembly endorses Goldstone Report

The UN General Assembly approved on Thursday an Arab-backed resolution endorsing the Goldstone Report, paving the way for the matter to be sent to the Security Council.

A total of 114 nations voted in favor of the resolution and 18 voted against it, with 44 members abstaining.

Tags: israel, usa, un, war, crimes

Pro-Pot - Anti-Gay Election Results

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:50:13 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: Yesterday in the state of Maine there were "pro-pot," and "anti-gay," referendums on the ballot. Results: Pot, yea; Gay, No.

But...maybe that exaggerates the results. It wasn't like the people of Maine voted to pass out marijuana at the schools (they formalized a distribution method) and it wasn't like the voters of Maine wanted to start gay folks witch hunts (they didn't want to approve state "marriage status," to gays).

There are lots of ways of looking at these political decisions. Should gay rights even be an item up for vote or a right protected by the Constitution?

But is gay marriage a gay right?

Maine is now the 31st state to have a direct referendum on gay marriage and they have all turned it down.

Maine is now the 5th state to allow the "medical," use of marijuana. With Obama telling the Feds not to prosecute individual users acting in accord with their state's laws, I'd expect a lot more states to go this way.

No knighthoods being given out, in either cas

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

A Setback in Maine for Gay Marriage, but Medical Marijuana Law Expands

Maine voters also decided to expand the state’s 10-year-old medical marijuana law, approving a ballot question to allow state-regulated dispensaries to grow the drug and sell it to patients. The vote came weeks after the Obama administration announced it would not prosecute patients and distributors who are in “clear and unambiguous” compliance with state laws. Maine will be the third state, after New Mexico and Rhode Island, to allow tightly regulated, nonprofit marijuana dispensaries.

With the repeal of the same-sex marriage law, Maine became the 31st state to reject same-sex marriage at the ballot box. Five other states — Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire and Vermont — have legalized same-sex marriage, but only through court rulings and legislative action.

Tags: pot, gay, maine, election, referendum

CIA agents guilty of Italy kidnap

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:10:15 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: Interesting. Of course I don't think we're going to extradite them. And the agents will have to delete Italy from their travel sites.

The USA currently wants Sweden to extradite that perverted movie director....but thinks of itself as being above the law.

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

CIA agents guilty of Italy kidnap

An Italian judge has convicted 23 CIA agents and two Italian secret agents of the kidnap of a Muslim cleric in 2003.

The CIA station chief in Milan, Robert Lady, was given an eight-year term, while the other 22 Americans convicted were sentenced to five years in prison.

Tags: cia, kidnapping, guilty, italy

Goodbye Palestinian State

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:02:32 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: The chief negotiator for Palestine in the Eviction Talks (definitely NOT "peace talks,") with Israel says it might be time to give up the two-state solution.

Of course the negotiations were a charade and this is the USA-puppet Palestinian government, not Hamas, but still it rings out as a profound statement, a "thinking of the unthinkable," for Palestinians, a clear declaration of surrender.

Thus, the Israeli Eviction Talks seem to be moving along well for them.

Erekat seems to miss the point on that. He thinks there will have to be a One State Solution, with Jews, Christians and Muslims all living happily together.

Oh my. That is not in accord with the Israeli Eviction Notice.

And where does Erekat get the idea that the U.S. will come to Palestinian aid? How long and how much do you have to beat up some people before they get the message? -- The U.S. is on the side of Israel (giving cash, weapons, support for Zionism at home and in the UN).

Maybe an "Aineisa," will

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

Palestinian state may have to be abandoned - Erekat

RAMALLAH, West Bank, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Palestinians may have to abandon the goal of an independent state if Israel continues to expand Jewish settlements and the United States does not stop it, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Wednesday. It may be time for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to "tell his people the truth, that with the continuation of settlement activities, the two-state solution is no longer an option", Erekat told a news conference.

Netanyahu, Erekat said, told Abbas "that Jerusalem will be the eternal and united capital of Israel, that refugees won't be discussed, that our state will be demilitarised, that we have to recognise the Jewish state, that it's not going to be the 1967 borders, that the skies will be under his control" .

Tags: israel, palestine, usa

More USA-ME Double Talk

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:37:40 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: The USA pretenses for ME peace stumbled a few days ago when Sec. of State Hilary Clinton was praising Israeli's latest sham offers to maybe-someday-for a while, perhaps slow down construction on new settlements.

She called this sham an "unprecedented offer," and then tried to press the Palestinians into accepting it as enough good faith to renew so-called peace talks.

But even the puppet Palestinian government said no: Freeze all settlement expansion now is their condition to restart so-called peace talks.

This Israeli favoritism also angered every Arab who could read.

So Clinton had to backtrack, double-talk and was given a script to read: this clip.

The truth is Israeli's policy is to kill as many Palestinians as necessary, destroy their homes, farms, industry, water and power supplies, sacred sites -- hinder travel and work, starve the Gaza strip to death until all Palestinians give up and move out.

That IS the policy. Negotiations should be called: Eviction Talks,

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

Clinton eases praise of Israel after Arab concerns

But after making little headway with the Israelis in recent months, Clinton urged Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in a face-to-face meeting in Abu Dhabi on Saturday to renew talks, which broke down late last year, without conditions. Abbas said no, insisting that Israel first halt all settlement activity in the West Bank and east Jerusalem — lands the Palestinians claim for a future state.

"Successive American administrations of both parties have opposed Israel's settlement policy," she said. "That is absolutely a fact, and the Obama administration's position on settlements is clear, unequivocal and it has not changed. As the president has said on many occasions, the United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements."

Tags: usa, israel, palestine, me, charade

Michelle Obama Hula Hoops (Video)

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:15:55 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: The First Lady sponsored a Health Day for Kids on the White House lawn.

There was food and games. She did some barefoot running on the grass, jump roping and this video clip with the hula hoop.

Gads...how nice not to have uptight, hate-mongers running the country anymore.

Of course, everyone's a critic these days. She could work on her jump roping, imo. I think we should hear more complaints about this on Fox Non-News.

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

[Video]

Tags: michelle, obama, exercise, hula, hoops, health

Republicans Hit Poll Bottom, again

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:53:54 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: The withering slide in support for Republicans continues, now down to 19-20% in this latest poll.

(Only our corrosive and toxic media might make it seem otherwise).

The party deserves to be driven into extinction, due to misleading nations into a false war based on deliberate lies, endorsing the use of torture, violating civil and Constitutional rights, and for being nothing more than a Smear Machine trying to win votes based on fear and hate.

The new president (despite the ceaseless rabble and rabid critics) continues to also live up to his campaign promises and has set the nation back on the right track in many important ways.

The "Dark Side," is losing; as it should. GOP elephants going extinct. 80% of the nation turned off to their drivel.

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

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Fewer People Identify As Republicans Than Ever Before In Post Poll

Only 20 percent of respondents identified themselves as Republicans -- the lowest number since the paper starting asking the question in 1983.

ABC-Post give Democrats a 51-39 edge in the generic Congressional ballot.

ny celebration on the GOP's behalf is premature as the party has yet to convince most voters that it can be a viable alternative to Democratic control in Washington today,

Tags: gop, low

Marijuana War Up in Smoke!

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:40:45 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: California here we come! --- An exodus similar to the Great Depression will soon be heading west. Go West, young person, there you will find a new world.

But, seriously....the hypocracy of the nation pushing booze and pills massively on TV everyday, while sending pot smokers to jail, is at a turning point.

The turning point is that the U.S. will stop using federal law to arrest individual marijuana consumers.

This allows each of the 50-states to set their own laws about it...sort of like the idea of our Constitution and democracy intended -- prior to evil leaders trying to use a "War on Drugs," as as excuse before the "Global War on Terrorism," came along.

14 states have already made personal consumption of marijuana a non-criminal offense (so no need to rush out to northern California...although it's thriving out there, no doubt)

These states did this change even though it was moot ---- till now.

Now, it's not "moot." - more states (like mine) now seeking ballot init

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

U.S. to end war on medical marijuana in legal states

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In a sharp policy shift, the Obama administration told federal attorneys not to prosecute patients who use marijuana for medical reasons or dispensaries in states where it has been legalized.

A Justice Department official said the formal guidelines were issued Monday to reflect President Barack Obama's views.

The Bush administration had said it could enforce the federal law against marijuana and that it trumped state laws.

The decision was praised by activists in California

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a brief statement in which Schwarzenegger appeared to support the policy change:

Tags: marijuana, pot, law

Obama Stands Up to the Military

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:06:46 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: Despite recent months of Pentagon "leaks," and lobbying the White House is not rolling over to military demands.

This action is almost unprecedented, taking great courage and political determination.

Our military is suppose to be controlled and led by civilian, political leaders; not by generals.

If Obama didn't deserve the Nobel Peace Prize award before (and he did); he certainly deserves it now.

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

No Troop Escalation Until "Careful Assessment" Of Afghan Government (VIDEO)

President Barack Obama does not intend to decide about sending additional troops to Afghanistan until he is satisfied that the Kabul government can work effectively with the U.S., a top White House aide said Sunday.

Sen. John Kerry, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, made a similar point during a visit to Kabul.

Tags: obama, afghanistan

UN War Crime Accusations called Anti-Semitic.

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:47:41 GMT

clipped by: citizenbfk
clipper's remarks: The first thing to point out is that the South African judge in charge of this UN report is Jewish.

So calling the report "anti-Semetic," is bizarre.

Secondly, all criticism of Israel gets called "anti-Semetic," and this is an extreme example of that. (Since the judge in charge of the report is Jewish). No?

Third, Most people are making their judgements based on actions -- like the blockade genocide in the Gaza Strip. It's fair enough and in fact moral to condemn this blockade (and it has nothing to do with racism).

If racist accusation were allowed to avoid any criticism then during the evil rule of Hitler in Germany, he should have deflected any criticism by calling it "anti-German racism." No?

Distress at the genocide of the Palestinian people, the slow starvation of over a million and a half people in the Gaza strip, has nothing to do with racism.

End the blockade and much criticism would also end.

It's a shame this ploy distract from looking at the real issues

Clip Source: www.haaretz.com

Finance Minister: UN backing of Goldstone report is `anti-Semitic`

Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz on Sunday accused the United Nations Human Rights Council of anti-Semitism, after the UN body endorsed a damning report on Israel's winter Gaza offensive.

Click here for more on the Goldstone commission report on the Gaza conflict

"This is an anti-Semitic attempt to decide that what is allowed for the United States in Afghanistan, Russia in Chechnya and Turkey in north Iraq isn't allowed for Israel, a state that is trying to defend itself from the Gaza Strip," he told Army Radio.

[Video]

Tags: un, u.n., war_crimes, goldstone, israel