Observe in the previous article, about the decertification if the Unelect machines in PA, there is a professional troll called Chris Myers (posts 6 and 12) promoting a site called www.papertrailmyth.com.

TOTAL BS. See my posts #13 and #14. Chris is spreading disinformation.

Check this out:
Steaming Hot BS from Chris Myers' site

Our buddy Chris Myers is fighting HARD to convince people that paper trails are not only too expensive, but simply not necessary.

It's so fascinating, isn't it, that the leadership of one of the major parties is so hellbent on disenfranchising the people of the United States. Disenfranchisement like that was, of course, a characteristic of Jim Crow; and, as such, it was an extension of the Civil War; and now the party that is doing this is dominated by neo-Confederate sympathizers.

Imagine a USA in which the North went overboard with "Union Heritage," and had, let's say, holiday marches to the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," and so on, in celebration of --- in these words --- "suppressing the Southern insurrection." Which, after all, is the unapologetic heritage of the North. Oh, the squealing! But we wouldn't do that sort of thing; it would be gauche. So is the freaking Confederate Battle Flag gauche, but that's the point, isn't it? It's supposed to be in bad taste; it's supposed to repel Northerners.

I won't speak for how that affects African Americans, because I am not one.

Winter- THANKS for giving me a new open thread. I didn't expect you to respond so quickly. Now I see that Brad has something coming that is likely to draw lots of attention so I better get with this post.

I wanted an open thread with some legs remaining so I could reopen a concept/suggestion I made almost 2 weeks ago on Brad's topic: "That time of the month...Please help support BRAD BLOG with a donation...". I'd also like anyone's thoughts about another issue that evolved out of that post. I posted the following comment on that topic:

"I've been tossing an idea about. What if Brad Blog Fans did a quarterly or semi-annual (or whatever) fundraiser. If okay with Brad, we could "take over" the Blog for a weekend with an open thread and someone Brad trusts (?Winter Patriot) running the show. We could rap about Best of Brad Blog, or something topical at the time, or whatever and make pledges (BACKED-UP BY CONTRIBUTIONS!), e-mail links to Brad Blog to friends and ask for donations, etc. Winter Patriot, or whoever, could play Jerry Lewis and let us know how much has been pledged at various times so we'll know where we're at and set goals (and have something to shoot for with the next fundraiser). We could even try to get news media attention for the Brad Blog- what other blogger is so beloved (sorry for the weepy adjective!), or does such an important job that his readers would try to do that for him/her?"

Brad responded to this with the comment:

"...Your monthly fundraiser idea makes me feel like George Bailey, so thank you for the thought. My own humility (yes, even a guy whose blog is named after himself, largely for satirical purposes, but none the less...has some humility!) ensures that I'm horribly embarrassed about the entire idea. Yet, my reluctant acceptance that --- for now --- I must stay on this job dictates that we've gotta come up with some way to afford it. It really has become a 36/7 operation these days w/ no time to do anything else (oh, like eat, sleep, etc...much less take paying gigs!)

Sigh...Anyway. You guys have always been the ones in charge here………"

I tried to get more support and encouragement for my idea with a subsequent comment I posted but the thread ran almost completely dry with only one other post over the next 38 hours (it was Easter weekend). That post did express support for my idea and, in the absence of other comments and given my enthusiasm to try and get some movement on my plan, I took the liberty of clicking on the e-mail link for that responder and directly sent an e-mail further outlining my idea. I did not get a response from that individual and, to my greater chagrin, I could not recall seeing any posts from that individual, a frequent Brad Blog commenter, during the next week. Fearing I had committed a giant faux pas in linking and e-mailing that individual, perhaps resulting in their subsequent absence from the Brad Blog, I e-mailed Brad and asked his opinion. He responded as follows:

"No, it's not a transgression, as far as I know, to send private Email to a commenter if they've posted their Email address....I'd say try again."

I didn't try again, but, since I'm a relative novice to the blogosphere, having really only tuned into it after the 11/04 election disaster, I'm wondering what most of you think. Is it "kosher" to e-mail a commenter, as long as your e-mail is relevant and consistent with the issues discussed on the blog?

I have found a comfortable "home" here on the Brad Blog. I think that is because Brad comes off as such a regular guy, yet he is trying to do some extraordinary things. As busy as I'm sure he's gotten, he still takes the time to respond personally to blog comments and e-mails. As a consequence of that he has attracted a remarkable group of people, both as hard core followers/commenters and well as the, usually, engaging and thought provoking occasional commenters. I think we all sense that unique atmosphere here.

Since my post regarding the fundraiser/blogathon concept a couple of weeks ago I've thought a little bit more about how we might get it going. It might be better to at least start without any schedule or certainty about when or how frequently to do this. Starting with a single event and concentrating on maximizing and ballyhooing that event might be the best way to get this off the ground. Depending on the success of the inaugural event, we could decide on if, when and how frequently we might repeat it. I'm certainly willing to do what groundwork I can to get it going and, based on other things Brad said in his recent e-mail response to me, I think he'd let us try. Any ideas about the feasibility, scheduling, publicizing, duration, and other aspects of such a fundraiser/blogathon from anyone out there. Anyone with any special talents, connections, experiences with anything like this? If you think it's a bad idea, I'd like to hear that too. You can comment on the blog or, at least in my case, you can e-mail your response. Sorry this post was so long!

Steve

Is it "kosher" to e-mail a commenter, as long as your e-mail is relevant and consistent with the issues discussed on the blog?

Sure, but just don't expect a response. Be happy if and when you do get one, and be like "oh, well" when you don't.

On other stuff, Brad might want to decouple the blogging and fundraising somewhat. Let someone else do the fundraising, and Brad can do the blogging. And you could get Suze Orme and John Bradshaw ... naw, on second thought, I hate that stuff.

I think the fundraiser idea has real merit. You might consider doing the thing from a LINKED SITE, though, so it doesn't hamstring the regular site, which has to remain responsive to breaking stories.

As to e-mailing commenters: anyone who allows his/her e-mail address to be linked to his name is giving implicit permission to be contacted. I'm sure you have given no offense.

Chemo-Electric and Peg C-

Thanks for your thoughts, much appreciated. I don't want to hog this thread with a Dear Abby topic, so anyone who has something important to introduce on some other issue, please don't be inhibited by the subject I introduced. As I said previously, you are more than welcome to e-mail me about the Blog-a-thon Fundraiser concept if you have any input.

Also, in response to Peg C, I would never anticipate that it would keep Brad or someone else from blogging about some important breaking event. Still, even Brad needs time away from the Blog, both for activities related to his Blog/Investigative Journalism and for R&R. I suspect he'd find it a relief to have a couple days off while we tried to raise money for his efforts. I've got a couple of ideas about how we could keep his blog active with some compelling subjects and inputs from people of interest.

Some people outside St. Peter's Square booed and whistled when the his face was shown on giant video monitors set up for the thousands who couldn't get into the square."

Thanks, Kestrel :rolleyes:

Bush just publicly committed an impeachable offense

I don't think so Peggy

From Barbara Boxer (thru Yahoo):

(1) Support "Count Every Vote"

Sign my petition:

COUNT EVERY VOTE

Tell-a-Friend:

TELL A FRIEND ABOUT COUNT EVERY VOTE

(2) ANWR boycott --- Tell the oil companies to stay
out of the Alaskan wilderness

More than 25,000 Americans have already joined with me, appealing to the 5 largest oil companies to stay out of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge --- even as President Bush and the right-wing Republicans seek to open it up.

Please stand with me and email these oil company
CEOs now. Tell them to stay out of the Alaskan wilderness.

Email the CEOs:

PLSE STAY OUT OF ANWR

Tell-a-Friend:

TELL A FRIEND ABOUT ANWR

Thank you

...Bejammin075]
What planet is this guy from ?

http://www.papertrailmyth.com/

Support the removal of the VVPAT language in Ohio

Contact your representative and senator today!

Ask them to support eliminating the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) requirement!

Why is this important?

1. It will ensure Ohio can modernize its voting equipment with electronic voting machines. Unless local taxpayers are willing to make up the difference, the increase cost the of the VVPAT requirement means Ohio can only afford optical-scan machines.

2. It will ensure Ohio has access to the latest voting technology, because the current wording eliminates the choices of voting technology counties can purchase and as well as limiting the growth of an important industry.

3. It will return the decision making process to the county board of elections, because they are the ones accountable to the voters in their county.

4. States without VVPATs (e.g. Georgia) had a realatively smooth election and showed no more disadvantages over states that used VVPATs (e.g. Nevada). Because of this, why mandate something that adds more complexity to the process as well as bringing the issues listed above?

Download My House Testimony

Steve, #4--

"I took the liberty of clicking on the e-mail link for that responder and directly sent an e-mail further outlining my idea. I did not get a response from that individual and, to my greater chagrin, I could not recall seeing any posts from that individual, a frequent Brad Blog commenter, during the next week."

Steve, if that commentor you emailed was me, please try again. I try to answer all my email but my spam filters sometimes overreact, and I don't always scan my spam bin as carefully as I should.

On Chris Myers' foolish venture against the truth, Kira in this thread has revealed the true identity of Ohio Republican Mr. Myers.

I don't think we should hold anything against Chris Myers for being involved in the political process (it looks like he ran for Ohio State House Representative, district 49, as a Repub against an older, incumbent Dem, in 2004. Chris lost).

But we should be critical of his anti-democracy propaganda. Chris, how do you sleep at night? If you understand what you are advocating, then shame on you. People have died fighting for the sacred right to vote. Now voting has become a secret process run by private corporations with strong political ties and voting machines that always err with the benefit going to their party. If it's too much work, too risky, too expensive to keep track of both the electronic voting and a paper ballot/receipt backup, then get rid of the damn machines! And keep the paper! On your site, you take every opportunity to disparage paper, yet offer nothing else. To me that sounds like you like the system just the way it is - with secret software tested by secret means in secret reports, with the votes essentially counted in secret with no after-the-fact verification.

Chris, I'll give you a very very small benefit of the doubt that you don't realize what you are advocating. Maybe because you are a republican you don't question the republican-run voting machine industry. Perhaps you'd question it a little more if 80% of the votes were tabulated by secret software made by George Soros and Michael More, with the secret "independent" testing done by Ted Kennedy, while Hillary Clinton sails into office after lobbying NY, as CEO of a voting firm, to use all of her company's voting technology in her own election. What if every instance of error in the Soros-Moore voting technology favored the side of John Kerry, in an election where John Kerry wins the vote, but loses the exit poll? (and where only hand counted paper ballots matched the exit poll).

On helping Brad make some $:

This may be a dumb idea, it probably is. It jumped into my head, but I've got to see what you people think. Brad is probably working hardest when he's about to bust something big right? And we really want to know what he's going to report, right? Soooo, what if when he gets the story completed, it's first available only for those who pay a small fee, like $0.50 or $1.00, and then after a couple hours the article is available to everybody who can stand waiting that long? Arcade games these days are usually 50 cents or a dollar. I think Brad's reporting is worth at least that much!

"Arthur J. Finkelstein, a prominent Republican consultant who has directed a series of hard-edged political campaigns to elect conservatives in the United States and Israel over the last 25 years, said Friday that he had married his male partner in a civil ceremony at his home in Massachusetts." (link here).

What bothers me about this, like the Jeff Gannon matter, is that these gay republicans lead the charge in anti-gay politics. What are they thinking?

If they believe "do as I say not as I do" they have no place in government.

We cannot have a closet government and lay claim to democratic, open, and honest government.

Good points, Bejammin075. The one major difference is: The Democrats couldn't dare to try and pull this ruse off, because the neocons have such a hold on the MSM.

It'd be funny to see, though: in Ohio, black voters with an overwhelming amount of voting machines, and the blue-hairs waiting ten hours in line to vote.

The Diebold-type machines have got to go. It's against our Constitution, these crooked machines. They fly in the face of transparency, which is required to have an honest vote.

not a big fan of "pay to know" sites.

Understandable idea but just imagine if one day you turn on the evening news and they have a BREAKING SCANDAL!!! out of Capitol Hill...that implicates some of highest gov't officials in impeachable - no - IMPRISONABLE offenses.... and then they instruct you how to purchase it through your tivo, dvr, or cell phone...

Lets not start down that path pleaz

Bejammin075, also, great work on exuming that paper-trail-troll.

I said some time back, and I will repeat it here, that some of us are artists and could donate some artwork for the benefit of those who donate.

Perhaps we could involve say 5 paintings and/or sculptures or whatever works of art and have a drawing for all those who donate.

Five of them could be given works of art. That seems to work for PBS.

Read this article by ex neocon John Dean. He explains the serious nature of what is going on behind the backs of americans, and points out a very interesting fact:

"That is particularly unfortunate given that Senate Democrats represent the majority of Americans - as Washington Post columnist E. J. Dionne Jr. has pointed out. Dionne found, based on July 2004 Census Bureau figures, that the 44 Democratic Senators represent 148,026,027 people, while the 55 Republican Senators represent 144,765,157. (Independent Vermont Senator Jim Jeffords, who votes with the Democrats on such issues, represents 310,697, making the gap even greater.)" (bold added)

Since this is an Open Thread, I'm going to jump into two wildly different topics and links here.

Back on the previous open thread, re overpopulation, I said something like "forgive me for heresy, but something like a plague would be a blessing." Well, lo and behold, Raw Story's editor said the same thing today.

U.K.'s Guardian Unlimited reveals that Saddam offered to allow U.S. troops in to search for WMD and even to hold monitored elections, in the weeks before the invasion.

Dredd #21 - I've said this before - it's IMPOSSIBLE for the Republicans to win without cheating. They are outnumbered and majority wins. So they make sure that a large part of the majority can't vote at all, and for those that do, they own the secret software voting machines where they do the counting.

Bejaminn075 #15 - Chris Meyers wants the voting machines, because he can't get enough votes to win without them!

Do not miss my post on the previous topic.

Let me answer some things here too.

Ben, I do sleep well at night, actually too well. Thousands did die for the right to vote, but you are attacking the system and alleging conspiracy not me. I say you do not need paper backups for elections then I am anti-democratic, that is outrageous and ironic at the same time.

You say corporations now run elections in secret; do you know how naive that sounds? Were you alleging this when millions were using mechanical voting machines that did not have any paper backups, but whose workings are the same. Give me a break.

You also say I never offer anything, the problem is that if you offer reform, you are admitting to a problem. I do not believe there is a problem. With exhaustive testing, you should be able to intercept any problem. I think there could be some reform, but not with the systems, it is more with the process and poll workers in Ohio. Your example of Soros and Clinton with a machine and my trust does not hold water, because I would trust them if they went through the same processes.

I am not going to speak for any other State, but Ohio did have a good vetting process and their two security audits as well as requiring the vendor to escrow the software is quite good.

Bob, your implication of Black voters in Ohio waiting in lines while blue hairs do not is laughable. Democrats are the ones that are in charge of these areas, why is it most of the voting problems happen in these areas? You want circumstantial evidence, then your conclusion would be Republicans should run the boards of elections in these areas because they have less problems. However, I do not do this because I know in Ohio, all BOEs work hard with what they have to ensure a fair election.

Before you point to me about the need to get educated and anti-democratic, look at the hand and count the number pointing back at you.

Chris "The Troll" Myers
http://www.papertrailmyth.com

Steve #4,

I know the person you emailed directly was me. I saved your correspondence, fully intending to respond, but didn't. The reason you didn't hear from me or see any other postings from me is because I'm so busy right now working on an election campaign here in BC that I just don't have any time. It didn't have anything to do with you. I don't think it's inappropriate to email someone directly from their link; if they didn't want to hear from you, they wouldn't have posted it. I apologise. I still agree with you and to that end I am pledging $25 to help Brad with his wonderful work.

Love you guys and miss you. Gotta go to bed, I'm exhausted.

Shut up, Chris. We can smell you ulterior motives many leagues away.

"your"

You notice he only came back to "prick" after the St. Pete parody of journalism.

....Chris Myers said on 4/9/2005 @ 6:34pm PT...
"Bob, your implication of Black voters in Ohio waiting in lines while blue hairs do not is laughable. Democrats are the ones that are in charge of these areas....".

That is a load of crap. Blackwell was in charge of seeing that machines were distributed evenly, and he saw to it that they were NOT!

He's even stated that the reason for the shortage was lack of funds when he said, when challenged on this (paraphrased), "In your brilliance, who would you expect to pay for these machines"? At least he gave a flimsy, bullcrap reason for what he did. You can't even acknowledge that he did it.

Go back to sleep. Seems you're good at that, at least.

Chris Myers said:

"You say corporations now run elections in secret; do you know how naive that sounds? Were you alleging this when millions were using mechanical voting machines that did not have any paper backups, but whose workings are the same. Give me a break."

You couldn't be more wrong and/or misinformed Chris. Where do you get the idea that mechanical machines were unauditable and employed secret software as we now have with the E-voting machines?

"Bob, your implication of Black voters in Ohio waiting in lines while blue hairs do not is laughable. Democrats are the ones that are in charge of these areas, why is it most of the voting problems happen in these areas?"

Sorry, Chris. Wrong again. Please seek out actual information before commenting if you wouldn't mind. Dems are not in control of the areas you suggest. All BoE's in OH are (theoretically) bi-partisan with two Dems and two Reps each county. Nonetheless, it was Blackwell who set the rules for the state (and applied them when and where he felt like).

Check the *facts*.

And just curious, would you trust *me* to record your vote in secret for you? (And count it, and those of everyone else in your state?) You can trust me, right? So why wouldn't you?

Chris, #24--

Nature is very profound in dealing with the weak, diseased, unproductive, foolish and the ignorant. Educate yourself young man... A life made up of lies cannot be sustained. You haven't the strength, power and control as you may think.

Chris Meyers #24,

Your position on what happened in Ohio flys in the face of common sense. I am a Green who supported and voted for John Kerry. You are obviously a Republican who supported George Bush. It can be said that we are both partisans. It can also be said however, that we are both Americans who love our country, and in that regard, I'm assuming, we both want for our elections to be fair and transparent. The outcome of the election was not what I had hoped for, but the larger and more fundamental question that *all* Americans should be concerned with is, are we certain that the election was conducted fairly and legally, and in the aftermath, was a fair and legal audit of the vote done, particularly in Ohio, where a *recount* was undertaken?

At the very least, an open minded assessment would conclude that there are serious questions and what I call evidence, to suggest that something is wrong. My personal belief is that this election was stolen, but this is beside the point. Reasonable people of all political stripes should agree that all is not as it seems. Here you will find an assessment of the election that can hardly be called a partisan attack by a tinfoil hat wearing, conspiracy theorist. It is written by a Republican who is able to put aside his political leanings and take an honest look at what has happened. I suspect that there are many more Republicans, conservatives, libertarians, and the like, who feel the same way about this, but you wouldn't know it as a result of the media's clear efforts to suppress election results dialog.

There is ample evidence, if one cares enough to seek it out, that the recount in Ohio alone, was conducted in such a way as to thwart any real attempt to ascertain the true count, whether or not the result of that count was in the favor of Bush, or Kerry.

Educate yourself man.

And here's one more to help our friend, Chris.

Christopher Hitchens (Bush Supporter) says the results in Ohio are impossible to swallow. He explains why here.

Tom DeLay, who says anyone who thinks elections aren't pure is a communist, is getting to be the subject of republican prophecies.

One of these predicts he will not be the leader by the end of the session (link here).

Thank you for the count every vote petition and the info on Boxer above.

I just wanted to publically declare here, that in 1998, I had a psychic flash that Will Smith would be running for president. I had it again at the beginning of 2005. And then I read something somewhere about him actually commenting on the possibility.

It may very well be Arnie Vs The Fresh Prince in '08.

"It may very well be Arnie vs The Fresh Prince in 08"

If anything like this happens, will someone please just come and put me out of my misery?
Thanks in advance.

Chris Meyers #24

The Black Box voting organization (link here), an associate in the VR, has conclusively demonstrated to congressional panels, live, officially monitored, and recorded on video, that the current voting machines are hackable even by the least sophisticated hackers.

Anyone can hack these machines. They did so and changed a precinct by 100,000 votes in a heartbeat and it was not discoverable by all the little "auditing" procedures neocon Blackwell The Arrogant had in place.

So, Chris Myers, the criminal minded influences working on you and leading to your rantings are simply naked assertions of folly and arrogance.

Shame on you until you wake up and smell the criminality hacking into democracy and changing it into a fake representation we call demockracy.

Any machine that deals with treasures must have an event log that records each and every user that logs on, how long they were on, and what they did.

And that goes for the least valuable treasures such as money in an ATM transaction.

It is simple: the treasure of democracy deserves more than criminals would give, for instance, a lowly ATM if they could get by with it.

Are paper trails "too costly" for an ATM? Would you advocate no paper trails for quarters, dollars, nickels, and pennies?

Bob & Brad #29, county BOEs are responsible for what goes on in their county. Blaming Blackwell is wrong and he did not decide where to distribute the machines in Franklin County. I said in my previous post that county BOEs are nonpartisan and I was using your standard of circumstantial evidence and you fell for it. No wonder you believe what you believe.

Brad #30 the Diebold machines have the same auditing system as the mechanical voting machines. If you would have looked into this you would know, so you cannot argue that they are less safe than mechanical voting machines. They are auditable and they can be confiscated if anything is fishy.

You know I did trust the voters in my county and the results. I could be going around complaining I lost, but I am not. Heck, I got more votes than the Green candidates, but I did not call for a recount. Therefore, for you to keep presenting the scenarios of "would you trust this and that", well I did and I accept what happened. I speak with more authority on this than anyone posting here. Other than the Greens and Kerry folks, which Ohio candidates are actually complaining about the Ohio results? No one. Only allegations from people outside.

Dredd #32 Oh yeah, I can trust anything that comes out of the Black Box voting organization. Give me a break and present me some actual research, not some organization presenting evidence that supports their position. You probably believe TV commercials too.

I read those other links you posted and they are nothing more than innuendo. There is no evidence of corruption in Ohio, just innuendo; just like with the electronic voting machines, which is why I started my site.

Yes, my motives are clear, they are to prove that there is not a problem with current electronic voting machines. I do not think I have hidden this.

Chris
http://www.papertrailmyth.com

re: #38
I speak with more authority on this than anyone posting here.

Another one with "God given" authority no less.

"Yes, my motives are clear, they are to prove that there is not a problem with current electronic voting machines. I do not think I have hidden this.'

1,000,000 to 1 that your statement above is true.
http://electionarchive.o...2004_Edison-Mitofsky.pdf

Brad, Dredd: The Ohio vote stinks, as does Blackwell's involvement. At least WE'RE aware of it here. Onward and upward. Not wise to dwell too long on smokescreens. Keep the gloves off. It's gonna be a fight, and it's gonna get ugly.

A Thought: the cost of having an honest, transparent voting system is no excuse to allow what is happening now to continue. Exit polls are dependable. This incident in the presidential election is unprecedented in the history of exit polling, and apologists can continue to kick sand over it, but the stink remains.

Mitofsky-and-company have nothing to gain and everything to lose by not reflecting the actual results of the final tally, and they want us to believe that Mitofsky allowed his figures to reflect the wrong candidate winning? To what end? It's too much of a stretch. Those infernal machines have got to go!

mmiixx

The authority I am talking about is I ran for office in Ohio, and I don't question the results, even though I was defeated.

Chris

Uh Brad #34 -

Uh, Brad -

I wouldn't be so sure that C. Hitchens is a "Bush supporter." In the first place, he isn't an American citizen (yet) and thus cannot vote. In the second place, you should read his piece in the May "Atlantic Monthly," sizzle in his fury and affront at holier-than-thou "Americans," and try to reconcile that with support of a bushy agenda.

The authority I am talking about is I ran for office in Ohio, and I don't question the results, even though I was defeated.
Chris
Experience and authority are not inter-changable.
I lost in a car race once but it doesn't make me an authority on motor racing.
Michael

You're going at it from completely the wrong angle. Picking and poking at all these little details to prove election tampering. It's like any crime. First you see the big picture... the motive... then you collect all the detailed evidence.

It was obvious to anyone paying any attention at all, that Kerry was headed for a landslide win. The crowds, the momentum, the polls, and last of all, the exit polls. There is no reason for a well tested age old technique to fail this one time. And anyone in the business knows the signs of victory.

And Chris's statement,"Yes, my motives are clear, they are to prove that there is not a problem with current electronic voting machines" is nothing but naive, if he truly believes this. There were many, many PROVEN problems with the machines. There is a lot of speculation as to the extent of the problems, but the presence of them is clear.

Chris wrote-
Yes, my motives are clear, they are to prove that there is not a problem with current electronic voting machines. I do not think I have hidden this.

By the way Chris when are we going to see this "proof" and are you also an authority on computer security ?
Michael

Chris Meyers #32 Black box voting won a lawsuit in court against Diebold. Your libelous assertions against them notwithstanding.

The lawsuit had to do with voting machines used in elections. And the same motives you have:

"Yes, my motives are clear, they are to prove that there is not a problem with current electronic voting machines. I do not think I have hidden this."

The court in that case ruled on your "motives" and, yes, they held as a matter of law and fact that you are wrong. Diebold admitted as much.

But just like it would be better to leave DeLay in, so it will damage neocon ideology like yours, it is better for us that you continue your foolishness.

It will convince anyone of a rational mind that criminality or corruption is behind the lie about the voting machines used in the 2004 election as being worthy of any trust whatsoever.

Hmm.. as a Software Engineer and someone that uses computers 12+ hours a day, I have to ask you Chris.. what do you do for a living?

As someone with a degree in Computer Science and who uses computers 12+ hours a day and someone that actually writes code 5+ days a week.. I have to say this. If the software is NOT open to the public, if the hardware designs are NOT open to the public (the extra 4,000 Bush votes in the precint that only had 800 voters), you can and WILL have problems with the machines. To think computers are "infalable" is to have NO clue about the complexities of large-scale software systems (this isn't "hello world" here) and no understanding of how those are magnified when you are dealing with proprietary systems with a limited number of eyes on them.

You may not want to believe Black Box Voting simply because the facts they present show you to be foolish and have beliefs (it all works good) that have no base in fact, but that doesn't mean you aren't an idiot. If you want to discredit or debunk them, please show some (at least ONE piece) evidence to show they are to be discounted.

I think it's time to stop feeding the trolls.. this guy sure seems like a moron to me and I've not even gone to his site to see how he thinks it's reasonable to "not" have paper trails. I can't even begin to concieve of an argument could be made (that isn't laughable on it's face) to support -not- having paper trails when -anyone- that uses a computer sould be able to PLAINLY see (and we're even talking people with IQs under 90 here, just using computers should be enough) that problems CAN happen in a machine, and having PAPER in your hand to CONFIRM what you saw on the screen is ALWAYS a good idea. If you are against paper-trails in eVoting machines, I'd have to accuse you of being anti-democracy, every time.

Dredd, #24,
"But just like it would be better to leave DeLay in, so it will damage neocon ideology like yours, it is better for us that you continue your foolishness."

I have always wondered aloud the foolishness of the cons in their zeal for digging up old bones as well. The tactic is laughable and only alerts others to their crimes.

Another example is this 9/11 article concerning the recent NIST report that once again claims the twin towers' steel center structure was weakened by fire.

As any metalurgist or structural engineer knows, structural steel melts at 2800 degrees fahrenheit (it begins to weaken at 2500 degrees) while the highest attainable flame temperature for jet fuel is 1517 degrees. Paper burns at only 451 degrees. Why do the fools keep drawing attention to the obvious?

Oh well, we are all much dumber than them right? We are so stupid we would easily be tricked by another "Pearl Harbor-like" event? We are so stupid we will probably roll over for this, trading our freedom for "security"? Surely we are too stupid to recognize electoral fraud, it's beneficiaries and it's perpetrators?

I know, I know, stop feeding the rotting shit we call trolls.

HELP!!!!

Brad, et. al. ,

I've got a huge conflict of priorities coming up and I need some tech help.

I live in a (at present) communications cul de sac, where no signals other than satellite reach us except by copper wire phone lines. We, therefore, are connected to the outside world by telephone, and nothing else, not even cable (which requires fiber-optic, I believe).

I am confronted with a dilemma that I do not have the knowledgeability to resolve; and I ask you for your knowledgeable answers to this puzzle: I CAN NOT be separated from my means of communication with the operational world at this most critically urgent and dangerous point in humanity's history. But I must be responsive to the needs of an elderly relative, a field biologist and ecologist, who desperately needs to immerse herself in wilderness.

We need to get away this spring. I need to stay in touch. Now the techie questions: if I purchase a wireless laptop, can I access my own e-mail remotely? How? Do I need another account? HOW does all this work? I realize, of course, that the laptop would have to be in range of a tower (which it wouldn't be here); but how does one connect the dots?

This might not appear to be a life-or-death question, but it is.

Please, anyone - enlighten me, a very confused and conflicted patriot with moral obligations in all directions, and grandchildren.

Two generals have said things that I have not forgotten.

"Stormin Norman", a general who was made famous by the Bush I Gulf War I, said "we who have participated in war are some of the most serious pacificists" (paraphrased very little).

"I like Ike" Eisenhower cautioned that vast, long-continued military expenditures could breed potential dangers to our way of life. "Beware of the military-industrial complex" was the statement I remember.

Ike, as a republican president, sent the national guard to mandate that blacks must be allowed in any public school. The common myth is that a democrat Kennedy was the one to begin that. Not so.

We did not heed them. We polarized our thinking into US vs THEM. The cold war fused our cognitive energies into that paradigm. The military-industrial complex now wed to big oil is the primary factor in our policy.

When the cold war was over, in the sense we lost an icon for our "THEM" (USSR), guess what ... we turned that on ourselves.

The political polarization of our time is the result of forming the bad habits so many of our leaders have cautioned against.

Now we continue in a binge of deficits and another all time high trade deficit:

"For the first two months of this year, the trade deficit is running at an annual rate of $717.2 billion, a full $100 billion above the record imbalance of $617.1 billion set for all of 2004" (link here).

The AP article shows that the China portion of the trade deficit went down. But the bottom line went to another all time high. Even so, the "US vs THEM" mentality is at work:

"The surging trade deficit is leading to an increase in protectionist pressures as American textile and clothing manufacturers are lobbying the administration to limit imports of Chinese textile and clothing goods to ward off a flood of products now that global quotas have expired."

Remember the potency of the "US vs THEM" realm in the months after 911?

I am thinking that perhaps that very ideology is the one we need to get rid of, because the "THEM" knows no bounds.

It could even become "US" if things get where it looks like they could be going.

As a token of that, wouldn't it be nice if our handles used in blogs reflected not democrats v republicans, but perhaps instead, if we must, moderates vs neocons?

That way moderate americans who have a strong distaste for fascism can work together to combat it without offending each other with less than productive blog handles.

Peg C, #50 --

To use a wireless networking device (in your example we assume a laptop computer with a wireless adapter built in, or a purchased PC card wireless adapter) you must:

a) Be within range of a wireless transmitter/receiver node. Most wireless devices operate within the 2.4 gigahertz RF band so line of sight short distances are required... Generally within 150-250 feet unobstructed (walls diminish signal strength) range for a reliable signal.

b) Use a compatible wireless adapter... There are two modern IEEE wireless standards in use today. The older 802.11b wireless standard has a bandwidth of 11Mbps. The latest wireless standard is 802.11g with a bandwidth of 54Mbps. Both standards have been deviated from slightly by various companies in an effort to optimize throughput using proprietary methods, but this is of no concern for most installations. So, if you get an adapter (or laptop with built-in adapter) utilizing the latest 802.11g standard, it is backwards compatible with 802.11b. In the current wireless world, one size fits all.

c) Your adapter must be able to establish communication with the wireless node... In other words, your adapter's software must be configured to match the transmitter/receiver node software configuration. This is a security feature so that unauthorized devices are denied network access unless the device settings match. Most internet cafes, restaurants, coffee houses, hotels etc. with wireless access are configured with default settings that allow everyone access. If any special software settings are required, the business will have them posted or explain them if you ask. In short, the factory default adapter settings (read the adapter manual) may work in most public wireless networking environments.

All newer model laptops sold with a wireless adapter built in will meet the current 802.11g, 54Mbps standards and should work with the older 802.11b devices. If your laptop lacks a built-in wireless adapter, one can be puchased for $50 or less.

Your remaining networking questions are: Do your travel plans include close proximity to public or private (for a fee) wireless networks? If not, is a phone line (modem) connection available? If a hotel/motel phone line, is the line digital or analog? Never plug your computer's analog modem into a digitally switched phone line, such as found in many hotels and motels. The higher voltage present in digital phone lines will smoke a standard analog modem immediately.

Ok, email... If your current Internet Service Provider offers webmail (AOL and most other ISPs offer full webmail services) nothing further needs to be done. Simply open the webmail page in your browser, log on using your account username and password and full service email via the web is available. If your ISP doesn't provide webmail, you may still be able to access your email the normal way using your favorite email program, but you should ask your ISP to be sure. Some ISPs restrict email server access to users logging in from their domain(s) only, for security and spam control reasons. If the above options won't be available in your intended travels, you can get a free webmail account through Yahoo.com, Hotmail.com etc. and configure your email to be forwarded to the free webmail account while away from home. Your ISP can help you configure your email for forwarding.

If there is anything I can do to help feel free to email me. In fact, I have a spare IBM laptop (with WindowsXP and Mandrake linux 10) lying around with wireless adapter, ethernet adapter and modem built in, if you'd like a free loaner? I can UPS or Fedex it to ya... have it in 4-5 days, no charge.

Dredd and Torqued - I must say Wow.

Dredd your post is so very important and you've brought up a point I have felt but not put into words. That we are becoming THEM. It's becoming more serious every day. I think we might consider owning the label "Moderate" as you've suggested.

And Torqued - you're a gem. Y'all ROCK!

Dredd, #51 --
EXCELLENT POINTS!!! Very well expressed, I couldn't agree with you more.

Kira, #53 --
You all set the standards here, I'm just trying to measure up!

Artist Warning

Steve et. al. are contemplating a Brad Blog art auction as a fund raiser.

Read this article and comment as to whether or not it should be censored ...

I agree with the artists. Challenge them I say, it's our country and our freedoms they want. If they have a problem with art then they have an IQ deficiency. If they are afraid of violence from artists then it is because they are guilty of violence themselves. Course we already knew all that...

Sorry, cant resist a bit of venting here... Suddenly feeling optimistic and jumpy from quitting cigarettes.

I agree with Teresa's views on another thread, especially the civil war scenario. I honestly feel we are in the formative stage of a civil war right now. The cons are dead wrong that we will trade in our civil rights and "freedom" for "security".

I see the inevitable conflict fought in the easily "controlled" urban power centers against the naturally decentralized and independent rural populations. I don't feel that government will concede anything to the people without a bloody fight though. I hope I'm wrong about that.

I also feel our constitution will indeed be changed eventually, along with dilution of powers in the executive and legislative branches. Something closer to a community model of representation where government is directly controlled by the people they represent.

Maybe something like 5 regional legislative districts consisting of 10 represented states each? With 5 presidents instead of one (ugly and stupid one)? That would decentralize things a bit and slow the executive and legislative processes so that serious discussion and citizen activism could take place.

Our media will be localized and produced at the community level (like Brad Blog) and entirely on the 100% hi-speed wireless internets. Companies and business will be servant with no special rights, power or influence. Community owned solar power, solar-electric cars, hi-speed euro-style trains, grow-your-own natural foods, clean water... Imagine... I certainly am.

Whatever becomes of our struggle for democracy, I'm confident the people will win, and our country reborn with very active patriotic citizens. The kids (me) can't wait!

And we are the ones we have been looking for.

Gee, Torqued #52 -

You're truly overwhelming! And how very ignorant I am!! Thank you for your exhaustive answer and for your generous offer. I'm thinking, since we will be camping, that a satellite system would be best - but I gather that the hardware is quite expensive.

BTW: what is "ethernet?"

MANY thanks for your response.

Torqued #57 said:

I also feel our constitution will indeed be changed eventually, along with dilution of powers in the executive and legislative branches. Something closer to a community model of representation where government is directly controlled by the people they represent.

Maybe something like 5 regional legislative districts consisting of 10 represented states each? With 5 presidents instead of one (ugly and stupid one)? That would decentralize things a bit and slow the executive and legislative processes so that serious discussion and citizen activism could take place.

This has always been my idea for a better "representative" government. Too many laws are made for regions by people who are incapable of knowing what those regions really need. Has any group actually presented these ideas? Of course, the South tried to do this very thing before the Civil War. C'est la vie!

Torqued, Kira, Dredd -

Great comments and discussion. And Torqued, I love your utopian vision, but I'm not as sanguine as you are. Time's up, I'm afraid, unless the revolution begins RIGHT NOW. The planet's losing its battle with its human parasite, which is, in turn, losing its grip on the requisite priorities for sustaining itself: the essentially symbiotic nature of successful relationships.

Peg C --

Oh camping... yeah there are no network choices in the woods except for satellite receiver. Very expensive and requires 110v power. Oh well, it'll be fun...

Your welcome, and the offer remains if you ever need it!!

Ethernet is a set of network protocols and transmission media using twisted pairs cabling, physically connected together to network devices. It is the pre-wireless standard way of networking.

And I do feel that any conflict will end in time to save our earth. Our young will take better care than we have, while they wonder how we could be so stupid. Kinda wish I could be part of that future but oh well. It's the kid's world.

Kira --
5 easily conquered err controlled pieces... Well lets get it going on! Seriously though, the 5 regional districts may work. And since you thought of it first we can name it after you.

God... I hope you're right, Torqued. Because, if you're not, I don't CARE whether our species survives. If it doesn't, it isn't conscious enough to deserve to.

Allow a personal comment on this open thread, please.

I use my full name instead of a web alias, because I'm a writer with a book coming out, and "Robert Lockwood Mills," my legal name, is also the one I'v used as an author since 1994. But because of this, and the fact that my phone number is listed, I've lately been receiving a flood of strange calls.

Several times a day the phone rings, and there's no on on the line. About once a day I get a call, answer "Hello," and the SAME VOICE says, "Sorry, I dialed the wrong number."

I've told my daughter about this, and also given her my suicide password. Now I'm reporting it to the blog, in case I wind up with slashed wrists in a fleabag motel somewhere.

#63, RLM --
Same thing has happened to me as well regarding the phone calls. Google search the phone numbers (others are talking about this too) if they show up on your caller ID and log them as well. A formal police report is a good idea too.

Keep your eyes and ears open and keep communicating.

Salman Rushdie, who has no reason to lie, that I can tell, says that the Bush doctrine has strengthened the terrorist system and harmed the reputation the US has had in the world (link here).

Here is a good peak oil site.

The Gannon factor is coming around again. Raw Story has a breaking story that a major senator, Paul Koering, is going to out a bunch (story here).

To Torqued: I had a man in blue over to my condo yesterday. His advice was close to yours: keep a log and use technology to track the sources. After a suspicious call, hang up, wait a second, then pick up the phone immediately and hit 5-7-star. Then hang up again. This will locate the caller.

I called SBC to confirm this advice. They said it was right, but added that only after doing this three times would the phone company's computer be able to figure out where the calls are coming from. They then gave me an 888-number to call after the third incident.

There's no doubt in my mind that these calls are not an accident. The same voice has said at least 20 times since February, "Sorry, I dialed the wrong number" after hearing me simply say, "Hello."

For Chris Myers: You defend Blackwell regarding the allocation of voting machines, saying it's the duty of Boards of Elections in Ohio. That ignores the painful truth---the individual boards have to rely on the state itself to provide the machines, and in fact many machines sat in warehouses while people (in Democratic precincts only) stood on long lines or gave up and went back to work. None of your Republican districts had long lines, friend, and no G.O.P. voters had to choose between their jobs and their franchise.

This also happened in Florida, which you might not be aware of. I was a pollwatcher in a minority district in Hillsborough County on Election Day. All morning, voters were complaining, "They had ten machines for the primary, now they only have five in use!" The identical situation prevailed at the polling site across town.

Why was that, Chris? Because all the local boards made the same error, but only the Democratic boards? As you've been saying...GIVE ME A BREAK!

RLM #67 --
Thanks for the additional info! I now have the key sequence and instructions printed out.

RE: My Comment #47

I incorrectly referred to Chris Meyers #32. The correct one is Chris Meyers #38.

This is a flawed study if I've ever seen one!
They pretend that MSM Journo's are doing the same job today as they did in the good old Woodstein days (typo due to Blogger lacking verification & editing skills) whilst dismissing Blogs with statements like this "The energy is coming from sources with a dearth of journalism essentials like verification and editing. Meanwhile, the economic base supporting the most difficult and expensive journalistic undertakings is eroding."
I'm not sure which planet this study was observing, but it sure as hell wasn't in our immediate solar system!

The phoney study "The State of the American News Media 2005" was funded by the Pew Charitable Trust, funders of the suspect electionline.org who in turn are providing support for the phoney James A Baker / Carter Election Reform Commission.

Re: BUSHW@CKER #71 --

How about sharing your findings with VR on the Media Reform forum? If I can find the time to research the group I'll post it myself but I can't promise...