Open Thread for February 5

No penalties for incorrect answers :-)

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Guest blogged by Winter Patriot

USA’s new Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, has begun a week-long tour of Europe, during which she has been assuring foreign leaders that an attack on Iran is “not on our agenda”.

Do you believe her?

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Open Thread for February 5

123 Comments

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123 Responses

  1. 3)
    cheryl said on 2/5/2005 @ 8:45am PT: [Permalink]

    Hi Winter,
    I believe she said that an attack on Iran is not on their agenda *at this point*. We know how quickly that changes, don’t we? They are usually very careful to leave themselves an out.

  2. 4)
    Peg C said on 2/5/2005 @ 9:00am PT: [Permalink]

    I think what condi means is that the hour and day has not been yet… she always has that literal "out" for when she is called to account in the future. The entire Middle East has been a * family agenda item in the nebulosphere for decades.

  3. 5)
    Peg C said on 2/5/2005 @ 9:03am PT: [Permalink]

    Sorry about that:

    I think what condi means is that the hour and day has not been inked in yet… she always has that literal "out" for when she is called to account in the future. The entire Middle East has been a * family agenda item in the nebulosphere for decades.

  4. 6)
    Val Zudell said on 2/5/2005 @ 9:05am PT: [Permalink]

    No trust in Condi at all. The way she "prostitutes" herself for Bush with her adoration for him fairly gushing sickens me.

  5. 8)
    cheryl said on 2/5/2005 @ 9:24am PT: [Permalink]

    Sorry Winter,
    Gotta go off topic. I’m just steaming. Glad there’s no penalty. Look at this:

    Canadian troops could go to Iraq

    Arrghh! What an idiot!! What a wimp!!! Here’s my response in an email to him:

    "Prime Minister,

    Don’t you dare send Canadian troops to help bail out the war criminal Bush and his administration!

    Canadians are overwhelmingly against his illegal, hostile and aggressive invasion and occupation. We would love to help with the reconstruction of Iraq but only after he and his gang of thugs are OUT of there!

    Why would you want it to appear to the world that Canada supports anything that these criminals want? Are we so wimpy that we can’t stand firm? Are we puppets just waiting for our strings to be pulled?

    First, tell them to GET OUT! Then we will help.

    Don’t forget that you hold this government by a thread and the outrage that will follow your action will surely topple you.

    Don’t bother forwarding this to some government lackey to respond to by saying absolutely nothing relevant to this email."

    I gotta go for a walk before I explode!

  6. 9)
    czaragorn said on 2/5/2005 @ 9:25am PT: [Permalink]

    She’ll do fine over here – there are lots of people who don’t much like black folks on this side of the Big Ditch – surprising she didn’t bing Bill Cosby along with her…

  7. 10)
    czaragorn said on 2/5/2005 @ 9:31am PT: [Permalink]

    And Cheryl!! Give him hell, and don’t let up! 100%of the Canadians I know are dead set against Canadian involvement in the status quo, and it makes me wish I lived there. It’s quite clear that more soldiers over there, of whatever stripe, is not the recipe for Peace, Love, and Rock and Roll for us all…

  8. 11)
    czaragorn said on 2/5/2005 @ 9:34am PT: [Permalink]

    Of course I would never suggest that Condi should bing Bill anywhere, or in any way- I meant bring, natch!

  9. 13)
    Peg C said on 2/5/2005 @ 10:26am PT: [Permalink]

    Oh, Cheryl –

    Wow, I can see the steam rising from here (we’re just two leisurely hours from the Canadian border). Canada should be distancing itself from the incipient meltdown that is the * badministration, not getting cozy with it!

    I’m so sorry. Maybe the malignancy in Washington is catching. Anyway, don’t let Martin get away with it so long as you-know-who is the one to benefit from an addition to his "coalition!"

  10. 16)
    cheryl said on 2/5/2005 @ 11:29am PT: [Permalink]

    Back from my walk. I really should calm myself when I read things like that before I respond. I do hear that you can catch more flies with honey…..

    Oh, and Winter? As far as I know he just buys them but to avoid the appearance of *conflict of interest* he has signed the company over to his sons.

  11. 17)
    cheryl said on 2/5/2005 @ 11:36am PT: [Permalink]

    Still OT. You know the world is a safer place when security for the Super Bowl is on par with a visit from the Queen.

    Check out CNN’s top story.

  12. 19)
    Peg C said on 2/5/2005 @ 12:49pm PT: [Permalink]

    Cheryl –

    I don’t watch CNN any more, except for the occasional Lou Dobbs snippet. And as far as the Super Bowl is concerned, I’m immune to information because my ears go numb the instant the words are spoken. Professional athletics are the opiate of the masses that religion used to be (and is becoming again, perhaps even literally. We must be making SOME illicit accommodations-for-profit vis-a-vis Afghanistan’s main crop).

    Cynical? Me?

  13. 20)
    bluehope said on 2/5/2005 @ 12:51pm PT: [Permalink]

    Hi Patriot and Brad (when you’re back),

    Two parts:

    1. No, I do not believe Rice. I think every word she says is some type of strategy and has nothing to do with truth.

    2. I just visited a website called TBRNews.org
    In particular, there is a column called "Voice of the White House". Supposedly it is written anonymously by an insider at the White House. In an update from Feb. 4, there are some shocking revelations about the CIA’s internal program called "Internal Corruption Program". Several countries including Iran, Russia, Syria and many others are targeted for US involvement to overthrow the government. And CANADA is one that is mentioned though not yet at the active level. The million dollar figures are listed that the CIA intends to spend in each of these countries for this purpose. Please read this! It is so frightening, if true. I know bush wants to be God, but can this list be a possibility? Is there any way to know if this "Voice of the White House" is legitimate? Please give your thoughts and your insights. Thanks.

  14. 21)
    Teresa said on 2/5/2005 @ 12:56pm PT: [Permalink]

    No, I don’t believe that lying imitation of a human being, Condosleazy-ass Rice!!

    These PNAC psychotics are in a big hurry to finish their little game. I think they know their time is running out.

  15. 22)
    Teresa said on 2/5/2005 @ 1:00pm PT: [Permalink]

    If you go back to the Senate hearings on her confirmation, you will find the statement she made regarding the six countries that needed democracy right away. I believe Cuba was one of them.

  16. 23)
    supersoling said on 2/5/2005 @ 1:26pm PT: [Permalink]

    Judging by their last four years of lies, if you take what they say and flip it 180 degrees, then you will know their true intentions. The ever changing justification for the Iraq invasion is proof of this. Rice was caught in lie after lie at her Senate confirmation hearing by Barbara Boxer, yet, has anyone seen her held accountable for this? NO!

    I think the only thing we can hope for this time around, is that the British will have finally had enough and refuse to participate. If they don’t refuse, I’m sure you will see the British people raise holy hell, and the rest of Europe do the same. What would **sh do then? Is he going to take on the whole world? He might go ahead and do it anyway. At some point, we Americans are going to have to take to the streets and reclaim our country.

    So, no, I don’t believe a single word that slithered out of her mouth. Their intentions have been plain to see for a while now, for anyone interested enough to pay attention.

  17. 24)
    Teresa said on 2/5/2005 @ 1:36pm PT: [Permalink]

    And at the moment I am extremely irritated. My tax documents are coming in and the WH just asked for 400 and some billion more dollars for the next wars.

    I am sick of paying for murder. God damn them.

    You might be correct, Supersoling.
    But if Rice’s head comes rolling to the ground, her hard hair might hit a bystander and cause another murder.

  18. 25)
    horkus said on 2/5/2005 @ 2:26pm PT: [Permalink]

    Weren’t we suppose to go Mars a couple of years ago? Now they’re gonna cut funding for the Hubble space telescope. Bush was right. I know where he stands. Lies, lies, lies. And Bush will be standing behind Condi to deflect the lies, of course.

  19. 26)
    Im with Rosey said on 2/5/2005 @ 3:44pm PT: [Permalink]

    It seems to me that whatever comes out of condi’s mouth is almost directly opposite of what she actually is thinking. There is NOT ONE IDIOT even remotely connected to * that I trust to say or do anything that could possibly be conceived as being true. They are not going to stop until they see every nation burning, and Americans dying.

  20. 27)
    supersoling said on 2/5/2005 @ 4:05pm PT: [Permalink]

    Teresa#24 HaHaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!
    The lethal helmet hair!
    Thanks for the laugh! That’s outrageous 🙂

  21. 28)
    Peg C said on 2/5/2005 @ 4:40pm PT: [Permalink]

    Teresa –

    Have you considered NOT paying them? Easier if you’re self-employed. There are some great sites on the Net for help with this. It’s a regular protest movement!

  22. 29)
    cheryl said on 2/5/2005 @ 4:56pm PT: [Permalink]

    Teresa,
    OMG, you’re going to kill me! "Hard hair might hit a bystander".

    Peg C,
    I’m not big on professional sports either, but I live with 3 men. They’re having a Super Bowl party tomorrow so I am making all this food. What’s up with that? Something is wrong with this picture.

    And BlueHope,
    Just them try and overthrow our government. That’ll be the day (even if I don’t support the ones there now). They think they’ve got a problem in Iraq…….

  23. 30)
    Nana said on 2/5/2005 @ 5:12pm PT: [Permalink]

    Why is she in Europe sucking up? What is it she wants? Does she want Europe to "handle" Iran? And why can’t we see the little smilies people use on the posts?

  24. 32)
    Nana said on 2/5/2005 @ 6:39pm PT: [Permalink]

    "Bush called stupid, wicked war-monger by Iran’s conservative press" at michaelmoore.com

    WoW, they really know him personally!

  25. 34)
    Winter Patriot said on 2/5/2005 @ 6:42pm PT: [Permalink]

    re #17, 18, 19, 29: Tomorrow’s Super Bowl gives us all a chance to see a bunch of Patriots in a situation where they might actually win. You don’t get a chance like that very often these days. And did I forget to mention that they are also named after me?

  26. 35)
    Peg C said on 2/5/2005 @ 7:38pm PT: [Permalink]

    Winter Patriot –

    Oh you card, you. I bet you’re even going to WATCH! And subtly don’t want to let on for fear of ridicule. *snicker* Well, I’ve lived with guys who couldn’t stay away from football before. I understand. But the excuse that they’re your namesakes is transparently lame! 😉

  27. 36)
    Peg C said on 2/5/2005 @ 8:43pm PT: [Permalink]

    Cheryl (#29)-

    I don’t see anything "wrong" with the picture you presented (cooking for the couch potatoes). You love them, right? I’m certain there’s an appropriate smilie for this, but unfortunately they don’t appear on command.

  28. 37)
    Peggy said on 2/5/2005 @ 9:14pm PT: [Permalink]

    Hi, Everyone! Condi is SOOO false. I guess it’s a European holiday for her. Her "hosts" will be polite to her face and grimace in disgust behind her back, like they do DUMYA. I hope they all have tape recorders on…She can’t fool anyone at all. Maybe she’ll say something by mistake that can be used against DUMYA and the gang for war crimes.

  29. 38)
    Peggy said on 2/5/2005 @ 9:20pm PT: [Permalink]

    P.S. Maybe the Europeans will all be very condescending towards her and she’ll come back cut down to size and feeling a lot less confident. Guess that would also probably make her feel more aggressive and defiant towards them when she gets back to DUMYA and together they’ll try something stupid. Well, we’ll see. The soap opera continues…

  30. 39)
    Teresa said on 2/6/2005 @ 2:11am PT: [Permalink]

    Peg C #28

    Excellent idea. Any sites you know of?

    Peggy #38,

    I think that is exactly what will happen. I seriously doubt she is going to meet with success.
    Russia is moving toward the Euro. I think she is in over her hard little head.

  31. 40)
    Dredd said on 2/6/2005 @ 6:54am PT: [Permalink]

    On Saturday Night Live they had the male pathological liar; they need to update it with a female pathological liar.

    Condi would be a reasonable role model

  32. 41)
    Peg C said on 2/6/2005 @ 7:04am PT: [Permalink]

    Teresa –

    I thought I’d bookmarked a couple, but evidently not. Anyway, there’an organized campaign afoot, so it shouldn’t be too hard to Google it.

  33. 43)
    czaragorn said on 2/6/2005 @ 7:39am PT: [Permalink]

    Dearest friends in revolution,

    Remember what Condi said about Iran? Check out http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iran-05c.html and then tell me what you think. (Sorry – I still haven’t had to time to figure out how to make links.) We must recouble our efforts. The more time that passes, the more time these miscreants have to dg the hole deeper…

  34. 47)
    Da Wookie said on 2/6/2005 @ 10:30am PT: [Permalink]

    You guys got it about right – over here in Europe (the UK is in europe, no matter what the tories think!), Condi will get polite conversation and sod all else. The labour government over here have taken a mauling in the opinion polls over Iraq and aren’t looking forward to the election in May.

    Every other governemt in Europe (and please excuse the metaphor) wouldn’t piss on Bush and co if they were on fire. After the Spanish election (which saw the government replaced over their involvement in Iraq), every European government (except ours…) is VERY clear over what getting into bed with Dubya will bring about. We still have a reasonably free press and we don’t buy the bullshit for a second. I know it isn’t much consolation, but most europeans think that bush is an idiot and don’t trust him any further than they comfortably spit the White House.

    I had previously thought that Blair was fairly smart (for a politician), I still can’t figure out why he chose to involve us in the Iraq shit pile.

    Vive le revolution de velours, mes amis.

  35. 48)
    Peggy said on 2/6/2005 @ 1:42pm PT: [Permalink]

    Hi, Da Wookie – Blair was lied to. BUT, in this case, he could have escaped the trap by knowing and acknowledging RIGHT FROM WRONG. Bombing and occupying Iraq was NOT the right thing to do even given the supposed reasons (lies) DUMYA put forward. So, Blair may be smart, but he is immoral.

  36. 49)
    cheryl said on 2/6/2005 @ 2:41pm PT: [Permalink]

    Hey Winter,
    I hesitate to say this because I know that you’re a Patriot fan, but there are about 12 men in my house all shouting and cheering because the Eagles are up 7-0 in the second quarter.

  37. 50)
    Peg C said on 2/6/2005 @ 5:26pm PT: [Permalink]

    Da Wookie –

    I just love it when you say "sod all" like that. 😉

    I firmly believe that Tony wasn’t so much lied to as threatened, coerced, manipulated. Perhaps with hints of oil shortages? And it looks as though Paul Martin is feeling the squeeze too. God, these guys make the Russian Mafia look like a street gang.

  38. 52)
    Peg C said on 2/6/2005 @ 5:36pm PT: [Permalink]

    Has anyone noticed that Dredd is stonewalling our pleas for enlightenment regarding smilies? How do you all think we should deal with this? Threats? Intimidation? A bloggia blackout? The filing of an FIA subpeona? This is SERIOUS, folks!

  39. 53)
    Peg C said on 2/6/2005 @ 5:41pm PT: [Permalink]

    Sorry about the Pats, Winter P. BTW, do YOU know how to make these smilies work? I’ve tried angle brackets. No go. Quotation marks inside the brackets? *sigh*

  40. 54)
    Winter Patriot said on 2/6/2005 @ 6:30pm PT: [Permalink]

    re #53: Peg, there’s no reason to be sorry about the Pats. They WON!

    Not that it makes any difference. LOL — I care about them just about as much as they care about me.

    Meanwhile, about the smilies: I have no idea how they work, or why they don’t. I think we should ask Dredd, or Brad!

  41. 56)
    MrBlueSky said on 2/7/2005 @ 6:03am PT: [Permalink]

    HELP, EVERYONE!!! The d***ed Bush Administration has gone WAY OVER THE LIMIT this time with his stupid budget! He wants to cut:

    – Housing Assistance
    – Energy Assistance
    – Medicaid
    – Education

    and all of the other vital programs we desperately need as a social safety net. Time to motivate the Democrats NOW!!! Before it is too late.

    He is balancing the budget on the backs of the poorest. Even Republican governors are asking him to stop such an act of evil.

    Time to impeach this monster!

    Here is the link to the story:

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/s...407400,00.html

  42. 58)
    KestrelBrighteyes said on 2/7/2005 @ 9:07am PT: [Permalink]

    OT – I normally only post the link but I’m afraid this might somehow ‘disappear’, and I’ve learned to trust my instincts (or paranoia, depending on which side of the "compassionate conservative values" you’re on.) Anyway…this one leaves me shaking – and I’m not easily frightened.

    ****

    Paranoia Grips the U.S. Capital

    By Eric Margolis
    The Toronto Sun

    Sunday 06 February 2005

    The film Seven Days In May is one of my all-time favourites. The gripping 1964 drama, starring Burt Lancaster, depicts an attempted coup by far rightists in Washington using a top-secret Pentagon anti-terrorist unit called something like "Contelinpro."

    Life imitates art. This week, former military intelligence analyst William Arkin revealed a hitherto unknown directive, with the Orwellian name "JCS Conplan 0300-97," authorizing the Pentagon to employ special, ultra-secret "anti-terrorist" military units on American soil for what the author claims are "extra-legal missions."

    In other words, using U.S. soldiers to kill or arrest Americans, acts that have been illegal since the U.S. Civil War.

    This frightening news comes as Washington is gripped by reborn, Cold-War-style paranoia, ominous threats of war against Iran from the real president, Dick Cheney, and a titanic bureaucratic battle just won by Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

    Instead of being fired for the grotesque military-political fiasco in Iraq and the shameful torture scandals, Rumsfeld has just managed to create a new, Pentagon spy/special ops organization, blandly named "Strategic Support Branch," that will replace or duplicate many of the CIA’s tasks.

    The CIA has been sent to the doghouse. Too many CIA veterans criticized or contradicted Bush’s and Cheney’s phony claims over Iraq and terrorism. So Bush has imposed a new, yes-man director on the agency, slashed its budgets, purged its senior officers, and downgraded CIA to third-class status.

    Rumsfeld’s new, massively funded SSB will become the Pentagon’s CIA, complete with commando units, spies, mercenary forces, intelligence gathering and analysis, and a direct line to the White House. The Pentagon has just effectively taken over the spy business.

    Used Terrorism Hysteria

    Mind you, the Pentagon and its Defence Intelligence Agency have been deeply involved in intelligence around the globe for 50 years. U.S. Army intelligence and its covert sub-branches have long conducted "black ops," including missions in the U.S. as well as assassinations and sabotage abroad. The Pentagon consumes three-quarters of the total U.S. intelligence budget.

    Rumsfeld has skillfully used terrorism hysteria to wrest control of intelligence and make the Pentagon supreme in Washington’s bureaucratic power struggles.

    The Pentagon’s new spy arm will be largely excluded from Congressional oversight or media examination. Its special operations teams will roam the globe, all under cover of "deep black" missions of which no records will be kept, and no questions asked.

    Equally worrying, the Pentagon’s new special-ops units are headed up by notorious religious fanatic, Lt. Gen. William Boykin, who calls the U.S. Army "the house of God" and Islamic insurgents "agents of Satan." He warned Muslims, "my God is bigger than your god, which is an idol."

    Boykin’s command will now dispatch post-modern Christian crusaders to cleanse the world of Satanic Muslims and other miscreants. The Pentagon’s new special forces will be able to run operations of which the CIA knows nothing.

    The 9/11 Commission called for improved intra-agency co-operation and data sharing — instead, the U.S. will get far less co-operation, as the Pentagon goes its own, secret way.

    Now, George W. Bush, who clearly believes he holds the mandate of heaven after being re-elected by the less mentally active half of American voters, has decided to "unleash" special forces and all sorts of irregular units, including mercenaries, uniformed bounty hunters, and mutants sporting t-shirts proclaiming "kill ’em all, let God sort ’em out." These militarized thugs and video arcade Rambos are sure to run amok, dragging America’s once good name ever deeper into the mud.

    We have evidently learned nothing from the wars in Indochina and Central America.

    Have we reached Seven Days in May?

    Not yet, but the second Bush administration has been taking dangerous steps that continue to curtail personal rights, further emasculate the supine, cowardly U.S. Congress, and empower ideological or religious extremists and shadowy agencies with unrestrained powers that endanger Americans at home, and all abroad suspected of troubling the Pax Americana.

    ——–
    Eric Margolis is Contributing Foreign Editor to the Toronto Sun.

  43. 59)
    Winter Patriot said on 2/7/2005 @ 9:27am PT: [Permalink]

    While we struggle to understand what is being done to us, and what is being done to others, in our name, the UNIX ‘fortune’ program continues to try to provide a few hints. Today it gave me this message:

    The very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common. Instead of altering their views to fit the facts, they alter the facts to fit their views … which can be very uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that needs altering. — Doctor Who, "Face of Evil"

  44. 60)
    Peg C said on 2/7/2005 @ 9:42am PT: [Permalink]

    It’s just plain horrifying, and I don’t know how we are expected to sleep at night. I printed that Margolis column last night before turning in. A "bedtime story" to help us have "sweet dreams."

    I haunt the web and think and write, almost to the exclusion of everything else (as I’m sure most of us here do). And the horrors continue, bigger and more blatant by the day. What else can we do?

  45. 61)
    Terri in S. FL said on 2/7/2005 @ 9:48am PT: [Permalink]

    Asking if the Bushita’s are going into Iran is like asking a person playing chess if they intend to move any of their pawns.
    Afganistan and Iraq were chosen first because of 1) oil 2) location, location, location and 3) it was easy to sell (post 9/11).
    It doesn’t matter who is next, what matters is there will always be a next. Perpetual war IS the objective.
    And while you’re wringing your hands over losing your Knight, the Bushita’s are three moves ahead, taking your Queen.
    National borders mean nothing. You think Smirky can even find Iran on a globe? Don’t get hung up on the details, it’s The Big Plan that’s important, here and abroad.
    Are we going to Iraq? Does Condi know it? Yes. It’s just real surprising to me that all of you don’t. When? Whenever. What’s the difference? Next week, next month, it’s inevidible.

  46. 62)
    Teresa said on 2/7/2005 @ 1:00pm PT: [Permalink]

    The plan for Iran is all set to go, I believe. With Israel. Now all they have to do is their usual huckster sales pitch to the public. Another WMD scare. Easy as pie. Mom’s apple.
    They’ve upped the speed on this thing, so I expect it to be soon.

    The PNAC plan is to cut care for the elderly, so they will die, while babies are ecouraged so as to have young people ready for the wars. All the money that was in social services will be spent on perpetual war.

    The longer this fool country does nothing, the deeper in we will get. Although I don’t expect the Middle East to be in their pocket, ever.

  47. 63)
    KestrelBrighteyes said on 2/7/2005 @ 1:34pm PT: [Permalink]

    Did Condi’s mouth move when she said it? Then yes, she’s lying.

    Actually I believe the plan is to back the Israeli invasion of Iran, and publicly deny any involvement. But oh yeah, they’ve always been on the list.

  48. 64)
    Robert Lockwood Mills said on 2/8/2005 @ 1:17am PT: [Permalink]

    A war against Iran is being planned as we speak. Condi Rice qualified her disclaimer with an "at this time" caveat, which nullifies it altogether…because the warlords can say later, "Things changed."

    My take on it is this: The neo-cons expected Iraq to become a model for democracy. Secular leadership would replace domination by mullahs. This would create a "freedom uprising" in Iran, next door. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld et al. actually believed we’d be welcomed in Iraq as liberators, not hated as aggressors. The election changed nothing, except to show that individual Iraqis were brave.

    The whole scheme hasn’t worked, obviously. The neo-cons were pathetically wrong all along. But Bush will never admit it, so to save face Plan B will become finding an excuse to invade Iran instead.

  49. 65)
    Peg C said on 2/8/2005 @ 9:07am PT: [Permalink]

    Well, Robert, with the victory of the Shiite clerics in Iraq, the pretext for invasion of Iran is not hard to see. Or, rather, one of the pretexts. We’ll see how the whole "noocular" thing will be presented to be a clear and present danger. I have my ideas on this.

  50. 67)
    Dredd said on 2/9/2005 @ 2:42pm PT: [Permalink]

    I just talked to Condi for advice as to how to deny rumors that I know how to use
    these little laughy thingys, and she said just keep saying "what thingys" and that they are just the imagination of conspiracy nuts ….

  51. 68)
    Winter Patriot said on 2/9/2005 @ 3:50pm PT: [Permalink]

    More interesting stuff from Europe: here’s the top paragraph of a new piece from Radio Netherlands:

    As US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrives in Brussels, a storm is brewing over a report which says nearly 500 nuclear weapons are stored in Europe, including the Netherlands: twice as many as previously estimated.

    You can read the whole [short] article here.

  52. 76)
    cheryl said on 2/9/2005 @ 8:50pm PT: [Permalink]

    OK Peg C,
    We’re getting closer. Something about enabling emoticons in Options something. We are nothing if not tenacious!!!!

  53. 79)
    Peg C said on 2/9/2005 @ 9:08pm PT: [Permalink]

    No comprendo. I’ve looked into that menu, Cheryl, and almost everything is enabled. Look more closely in HTML. I’m sure the answer to the riddle of the Dredd Sphynx is there.

  54. 80)
    Peg C said on 2/9/2005 @ 9:08pm PT: [Permalink]

    No comprendo. I’ve looked into that menu, Cheryl, and almost everything is enabled. Look more closely in HTML. I’m sure the answer to the riddle of the Dredd Sphynx is there.

  55. 81)
    Teresa said on 2/9/2005 @ 9:09pm PT: [Permalink]

    Dredd #67,

    That is great! Love it!

    And what a good teacher our Dear Dredd is. Making you gals learn by yourself. That way you will never forget.

    That’s what we are! EMOTICONS! We will triumph! The invasion of the Emoticons is coming!!!!!!!!!!
    The Emoticon Thingys will soon arrive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  56. 84)
    Teresa said on 2/9/2005 @ 9:18pm PT: [Permalink]

    Emoticons don’t need guns.
    Emoticons communicate in secret code.
    Emoticons can easily outwit neocons.
    Emoticons govern themselves.
    Emoticons are free!

  57. 97)
    Dredd said on 2/10/2005 @ 11:22pm PT: [Permalink]

    Ok gals. For IE users. Click on the View menu item. Select source.

    Notepad should pop up with the source code for the page you are viewing. Search for "Smilies:" (notice that the word Smilies: appears just above the emotocans) in the source code.

    NOTE: do not search for "Smilies" without the colon, cause you will find things like "we’re gonna getcha Dredd" and stuff like that. You need to get to the bottom of this, the colon … oh never mind, this is getting dirty …

    Just below that ("Smilie:") is where you will see code like:

    [img onclick="commentEmoticon(‘:)’)" src="https://BradBlog.com/Images/emo....gif" alt="smile" width="20" height="20" /]

    NOTE: the beginning "[" and the ending "]" must be replaced by the "" respectively.

    Then delete the onclick="commentEmoticon(‘:)’)" and you will have:

    [img src="https://BradBlog.com/Images/emo....gif" alt="smile" width="20" height="20" /]

    Finally, when you change the "[" and the "]" to "" it will look like

    Good nite …

  58. 100)
    czaragorn said on 2/10/2005 @ 9:19am PT: [Permalink]

    I finally got it! Tom Brown Junior is the one to lead us out of this and into the bounty of nature! (PS He doesn’t know smilies from nothin’, I’d wager.)

  59. 102)
    Peg C said on 2/10/2005 @ 10:06am PT: [Permalink]

    Teresa –

    I think, between you and me, that it’s a conspiracy. Male against female. In-the-know vs. the clueless. I’ve tried, God knows. But the smiley cabal is impenetrable. Even our most trusted leaders mislead us. We are defenceless and on our own.

  60. 103)
    Teresa said on 2/10/2005 @ 10:23am PT: [Permalink]

    No prob, Peg. We are WOMAN. Of a certain magical age, no less. We need no leaders. And now I’m really mad.
    Here we are in the emoticon wilderness with no smileys. Abandoned by our best. Lost and searching for the path. The way out of the smiley darkness. WE WILL TRIUMPH!

    I’m going to pursue this, but before I get a migraine, I’m going to put a coat of paint on my furniture piece, and then return.

    Never give up!

  61. 108)
    cheryl said on 2/10/2005 @ 1:26pm PT: [Permalink]

    Gee, it’s nice to have a laugh for a change instead of being upset about the shape of things all the time!!

    Drat Peg C,
    I was soooooo close. I did look in the source option and found the smilies, but didn’t know to change the brackets. AAAAArrrgggg!

    But thank you Dredd, for finally sharing the secret of the smilies. You’re a good soul.

  62. 110)
    Teresa said on 2/10/2005 @ 1:57pm PT: [Permalink]

    Yaaaaaaaaaay, Cheryl !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Clap, clap, clap, clap clap, clap, whistle, shriek, clap!

    Emoticons, forever!!!

    Unfortunately, with my stone-age computer, my browser isn’t working. It freezes when I’m online…AOL.. could AOL be blocking it?

    Well, soon I will join you all in Emoticon Heaven!

    To Hell with the Neocons!

  63. 111)
    Teresa said on 2/10/2005 @ 1:59pm PT: [Permalink]

    Oh, and Dear Cheryl,

    If they steal our laughter and joy, then they will have really won.
    In fact, this is our opportunity to celebrate life and who we are even more.

  64. 116)
    Teresa said on 2/10/2005 @ 8:17pm PT: [Permalink]

    Hi Cheryl,

    I know I should be at VR, but I was trying to call a halt to any new blogs. I guess that’s a dumb idea.
    Of course the blogs will overpower. And I must join the emoticons

  65. 117)
    Peg C said on 2/10/2005 @ 8:20pm PT: [Permalink]

    But Dredd, in my program, the brackets are already . Any way, many heartfelt thanks. Ignorance is maddening; helpless ignorance is completely crazy-making. Imagine if you came upon a word you didn’t understand in an important article AND YOU DIDN’T HAVE A DICTIONARY. Same thing.

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