WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Drivers in the South have been hit hardest by soaring U.S. gasoline costs and state governments there should take more steps to help cut fuel consumption, said a report released on Tuesday.

Average motorists in Mississippi spent nearly 8 percent of their incomes on gasoline in 2007 and drivers in South Carolina and Georgia spent more than 7 percent, according to the report released on Tuesday by environmental group the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Meanwhile, drivers in the Northeast spent the least amount of their incomes on fuel with Connecticut motorists paying just over 3 percent. Drivers in New York spent about 3.3 percent and motorists in Massachusetts spent about 3.5 percent.

The report comes as the federal government has been hard-pressed to protect consumers, already hit by the housing and credit crunches, from average retail gasoline prices that are bubbling near record levels of above $4.11 per gallon hit earlier in the month.

Read entire story here.

Tired of primitive living? Why not try Civilization* ?

*some restrictions apply

Excellent video series added by erkd1 to his YouTube channel (please visit, he has some great videos & excellent Playlists). He added this today and I quickly knew I had to share it for several reasons.

First, my friend lrose and I disagree over issues relating to Israel’s government and its influence/control over ours. My gripe has never been about the people of Israel, but the actions of the government and our government’s agreement, no matter how bogus. Logically, it doesn’t make sense. It costs us a fortune in money and stature in the world. I can think of only one clear reason it continues (religious). I just don’t get it.

This series lays out, in great detail, how Zionism has infiltrated our government, by the neocons adopting/converting/legitimizing it.

What I can’t get my mind around is how a Christian can endorse that philosophy, which is anathema to the Christ’s message. Yet, we have an entire movement of radical Rapture Believers who manipulate “The Message” and the minds of good meaning folk into some monstrous ideology of war and death.

Utterly incredible to me.

Watch the entire series, if you can, to understand the danger of allowing their control any longer.

The War Party — Zionism in NeoCon Foreign Policy (1/5)

From erkd1’s video description:

Connecting Israeli Zionist influence on America’s Foreign Policy the BBC investigative journalism show Panorama aired The War Party on May 18th, 2003 right after the start of the Iraq War.

Key members of the Bush administration and the powerful American Enterprise Institute were part of a Israeli think tank called The Institute for Advanced Strategic & Political Studies (IASPS):

http://www.israeleconomy.org/index.php

In a report done in 1996, before the formation of PNAC, which was called “A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm” they listed Israeli goals and concerns:

REMOVING SADDAM HUSSIEN:

“Israel can shape its strategic environment, in cooperation with Turkey and Jordan, by weakening, containing, and even rolling back Syria. This effort can focus on removing Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq — an important Israeli strategic objective in its own right”

MIDDLE EAST STABILITY:

“Iraq’s future could affect the strategic balance in the Middle East profoundly, it would be understandable that Israel has an interest in supporting the Hashemites in their efforts to redefine Iraq,”

CONTROL IRAQ, HELP ISRAEL:

“Were the Hashemites to control Iraq, they could use their influence over Najf to help Israel wean the south Lebanese Shia away from Hizballah, Iran, and Syria.”

MANAGE AND CONSTRAIN US REACTION:

“To anticipate U.S. reactions and plan ways to manage and constrain those reactions, Prime Minister Netanyahu can formulate the policies and stress themes he favors in language familiar to the Americans by tapping into themes of American administrations during the Cold War which apply well to Israel.”

Link to the full report:

http://www.iasps.org/strat1.htm

People interviewed or mentioned in this video that hold both USA and Israel citizenship and are Zionists:

Richard Perle

One of Bush’s foreign policy advisors, he is the chairman of the Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board. Perle was expelled from Senator Henry Jackson’s office in the 1970’s after the National Security Agency (NSA) caught him passing Highly-Classified (National Security) documents to the Israeli Embassy. He later worked for the Israeli weapons firm, Soltam. Perle came from one the above mentioned pro-Israel think tanks, the AEI. Perle is one of the leading pro-Israeli fanatics leading this Iraq war mongering within the administration and now in the media.

Paul Wolfowitz

Former Deputy Defense Secretary, and member of Perle’s Defense Policy Board, in the Pentagon. Wolfowitz is a close associate of Perle, and reportedly has close ties to the Israeli military. His sister lives in Israel. Wolfowitz came from the above mentioned Jewish think tank, JINSA. Wolfowitz was the number two leader within the administration behind this Iraq war mongering. He later was appointed head of the World Bank but resigned under pressure from World Bank members over a scandal involving his misuse of power.

David Frum

White House speechwriter behind the “Axis of Evil” label. He lumped together all the lies and accusations against Iraq for Bush to justify the war.

John Bolton

Former UN Representative and Under-Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. Bolton is also a Senior Advisor to President Bush. Prior to this position, Bolton was Senior Vice President of the above mentioned pro-Israel think tank, AEI. In October 2002 he accused Syria of having a nuclear program, so that they can attack Syria after Iraq.

Meyrav and David Wurmser

Special Assistant to John Bolton, the under-secretary for arms control and international security. Wurmser also worked at the AEI with Perle and Bolton. Along with Colonel Yigal Carmon, formerly of Israeli military intelligence, co-founded the Middle East Media Research Institute (Memri),a Washington-based Israeli outfit which distributes articles translated from Arabic newspapers portraying Arabs in a bad light.

Eliot Cohen

Member of the Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board under Perle and is another extremist pro-Israel advisor. He wrote an opinion article in the Wall Street Journal openly admitting his hatred of Islam claiming that Islam should be the enemy, not terrorism.

Prominent members of the Bush administration not mentioned in the broadcast but who also hold both USA and Israeli citizenship and are Zionists:

Michael Mukasey
Michael Chertoff
Lawrence (Larry) Franklin
Douglas Feith
Henry Kissinger
I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby
Elliott Abrams
Richard Haass
Robert Zoellick
Ari Fleischer

BBC review of the book “The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy” from 2007:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7…

Transcript of the BBC broadcast:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/…

Fight the good fight,

Erik aka erkd1

For the best up to date news go to:

http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com

http://www.jwharrison.com/blog

B’Man: See the rest of the series in links:

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Or a link to a Playlist at my BuelahMan YouTube Channel.

B’Man: Ralph calls for impeachment of Bush and accountability from McInsane and Obama. Notice the date. He has been calling for impeachment for a long time. Wonder where Obama’s leadership is on that subject? Must be the same place his leadership is on all the subjects… vague, illusionary, and vain imaginations.

Ralph Nader describes what’s “On the Table” For the Nader/Gonzalez Presidential Ticket versus everything that’s “OFF the Table” for Obama and McSame.

Santa Monica, CA, May 10, 2008

Video Shot and Edited by Dutch Merrick.

Edit Supervisor: James Legoy

For More information, Go to VoteNader.org

The one consistent Champion for the rights and protections of the American people is Ralph Nader. Together with Human Rights Attorney Matt Gonzalez, Mr. Nader will put the most pressing issues of our day back into the public discourse.
While the two Corporate-chosen candidates bicker over “Hope” vs. “Change”, Ralph Nader will discuss concisely the ramifications of continuing our present course in the Middle East and the results of our “For-Profit/ Not for People” Healthcare system.

Give him your support. Send in a few bucks!

The Planet you save might be your own!

My friend Falstaff, aka Ralph Lopez left me a notice over on the BuelaHuh? page which struck my attention in that he claims that there are actually Republicans wanting Congress to do their duty and impeach what are obviously crimes against humanity and our Constitution (not to forget our moral beliefs). He includes several action items that make sense (and I have actually done some of them already) and an invite to an upcoming hearing (I just hope they actually ‘hear’ something) on the subject.

What do you think? Are these truly Republicans, not reTHUGlicans? There is a difference, you know.

Hi Buelahman! here is our latest press release, big news breaking…

NATIONAL IMPEACHMENT NETWORK

Come to DC for this Historic Moment: “Hearing on the Imperial Presidency of George W. Bush”

Contact NIN DC action coordinator: cynthia_papermaster@yahoo.com if you’re coming from outside the DC area.

July 22-24 “Impeachment Lobbying Days”, House of Representatives

July 25

9 a.m. “Choose the Constitution” Press Conference & Rally

Rayburn Building, Independence Avenue

10 a.m. Hearing on the Imperial Presidency of George W. Bush

House Judiciary Committee, Rayburn Bldg, Rm. 2141

“Rumor has it there are two panels being planned for the hearing, one consisting of Kucinich and four other members of Congress (Jane Harman, Walter Jones, Brad Miller, and Maurice Hinchey), and the other consisting of five non-Congress Members (Elizabeth Holtzman, Bruce Fein, Frederick Schwartz, John Dean, and Bob Barr).” ADS

For information about the rally and hearing, as well as possible camping or housing arrangements (subject to occupancy) in D.C., check here: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/hearingday

The Office of the Judiciary is expected to post a video of the hearing on their website: http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/calendar.html

Actions to Take from Home

PLEASE take as many of these five actions as possible to:

· ensure that Judiciary Committee members attend the July 25 hearing

· urge the members to vote to hold impeachment hearings based on the evidence presented July 25

· insist on media coverage of the hearing

Huge thanks to Pat Thomas, Melbourne, Florida, for the following action list

If you feel that patriotism and concern for the world-at-large requires your vigilance and active participation as an American, join me in working every single day for the near future on the impeachment debate. This IS a small, small window open right now… Remember that power yields nothing without our demanding it!

1. Contact every member of the Judiciary and insist that they attend the hearing! The hearing is on a Friday and they usually don’t work on Fridays. http://judiciary.house.gov/about/members.html

Faxing is absolutely worth a try. If you wish to email them in one fell swoop, do so here: http://judiciary.house.gov/about/contact.html

If you wish to leave a comment on voicemail, the Democrats’ House Judiciary Office is Phone: 202-225-3951 and the Republicans’ is 202-225-6504. Don’t omit the Republicans, even if you contact them last. NINE House Republicans (contrary to the minority leadership’s strategy) voted to send Kucinich’s latest impeachment proposal, H.Res.1345–which stated that Bush had lied to Congress to get authorization for his invasion of Iraq–to the Judiciary Committee: Brady (TX), Gilchrest (MD), Walter Jones (NC), Manzullo (IL), Tim Murphy (PA), Ron Paul (TX), Reichert (WA), Christopher Shays (CT), and Mike Turner (OH)!

2. Call your Representative (congressional switchboard: 1-800-828-049 to urge him/her to call for FORMAL hearings in the Judiciary to follow the “preliminary” hearing of July 25 (preferably to *begin* prior to the commencement of the August recess 2 weeks after July 25). Ask him/her to sign Kucinich’s resolutions to impeach Bush (H.Res.1258 and H.Res.1345). (Thus far, Wexler [FL-19], Woolsey [CA-6], Barbara Lee [CA-9], Hinchey [NY-22], Baldwin [WI-02], Farr [CA-17], and Towns [NY-10] have co-sponsored H.Res.1258 and Wexler [FL-19] and Barbara Lee [CA-9] have co-sponsored H.Res.1345.)

3. Send an “official” email to your Representative via Rep. Dennis Kucinich’s impeachment petition

http://impeachment.kucinich.us/petition/

4. Contact the mainstream media and demand that they start NOW to report on the impeachment issue and that they cover the July 25th hearing! Write a letter to your local newspaper. Email / call national media outlets. Here’s one list for contact info: http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=111%20http://www.rense.com/mediacontact.htm

5. SPREAD THE WORD as much as you’re willing and humanly able to do… Make sure that at least your fellow Americans have heard about the July 25th hearing to discuss the actions of President George W. Bush; perhaps they’ll be interested in contacting their Congress person, etc. Talk with friends and neighbors. Email people you know. Share your opinion on internet blogs and websites that allow comments.

10:00 a.m. Room 2141, Rayburn Building, Washington DC

http://judiciary.house.gov/news/071708.html
———–
articles:

Executive Privilege, Why Aren’t They Hollering “Cover-up?”
http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/Executive-Privilege–Why-A-by-Ralph-Lopez-080718-195.html

Nine Republicans Break Party Ranks: Send Impeachment Article to Judiciary for Hearings
http://www.opednews.com/articles/24-Republicans-Vote-for-Im-by-Ralph-Lopez-080716-139.html

————

Conyers Announces Hearing on Imperial Presidency

Congressman John Conyers
For Immediate Release
July 17, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Godfrey (Conyers)
http://judiciary.house.gov/news/071708.html

(Washington)—Today House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. announced that, on July 25, the House Committee on the Judiciary will hold a hearing on the Imperial Presidency of George W. Bush and possible legal responses.

“Over the last seven plus years, there have been numerous credible allegations of serious misconduct by officials in the Bush Administration,” said Conyers. “At the same time, the administration has adopted what many would describe as a radical view of its own powers and authorities. As Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, I believe it is imperative that we pursue a comprehensive review commensurate to this constitutionally dangerous combination of circumstances. Next Friday’s hearings will be an important part of that ongoing effort.”

The Committee is expected to examine a range of legal and legislative responses to allegations of administration misconduct and their expansion of executive branch power.

Since the beginning of the 110th Congress, the Committee has conducted extensive oversight into allegations of misconduct by the administration, including: (1) improper politicization of the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorneys offices, including potential misuse of authority with regard to election and voting controversies; (2) misuse of executive branch authority and the adoption and implementation of the so-called unitary executive theory, including in the areas of presidential signing statements and regulatory authority; (3) misuse of investigatory and detention authority with regard to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals, including questions regarding the legality of the administration’s surveillance, detention, interrogation, and rendition programs; (4) manipulation of intelligence and misuse of war powers, including possible misrepresentations to Congress related thereto; (5) improper retaliation against administration critics, including disclosing information concerning CIA operative Valerie Plame, and obstruction of justice related thereto; and (6) misuse of authority in denying Congress and the American people the ability to oversee and scrutinize conduct within the administration, including through the use of various asserted privileges and immunities.

The July 25 hearing will be held at 10:00 a.m. in room 2141 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Additional information, including witness participation, will be announced next week.

##110-JUD-071708##

Jed provides us with a nice little montage of stupidity from the last president compared to another idiot who wants to be the next one:

McDumb As Bush

Can we afford another president who thinks it’s smart to be dumb?

Just last week, former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deputy associate administrator Jason K. Burnett announced that Vice President Dick Cheney’s office censored out six pages of congressional testimony to cover up the health threats posed by global warming.

Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had congressional testimony last October that would have detailed the direct impact of global warming on human health, including mortality and the spread of disease.

But the Bush/Cheney administration, fearing her testimony would force it to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels, covered it up.

 Join Senator Barbara Boxer and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee:

Joe Scarborough had a program on MSNBC a while back that was aired in the evenings. It was a horrible show, simply because Joe is nothing more than a right-wing tool. He was one of the first on the right to berate W, but as I have said countless times, that is now easy. You only gain the scorn of the very worst rabid Bushies, at this point, and his feigned outrage attracts ‘centrists’ and those who fall for the MSM paradigm they brainwash you with (that America is centrist, or worse, conservative). Polls show this simply is not true and that they frame what these words mean by villainizing the key words like ‘liberal’, ‘progressive’, etc.

Crazy as it is to admit, due to this brainwashing, but I am far more ‘progressive’ than I am ‘conservative’, especially when relegated to their description of ‘conservatism’.

Its much like what I tell the staunchest Christian evangelists, if being Christian means being ‘like you’, I don’t want to be one. Same with conservatism. If they hijack the word’s true meaning, then I avoid it like a plague. Today’s conservative is not really conservative… they just use the name to continue an ultra-conservative, but financially wasteful ideology of world domination. They just stole the meaning of the word.

My wife will turn on “Morning Joe” as she has her morning joe. From my office, I’ll hear her yell at the TV and will ask her, “Why even watch that shit?” She’ll say something like, “It gets me fired up in the mornings,” etc

But I can’t stand it and the few times I hear the program (even though this clip doesn’t include Joe, assuming he is on vacation or something) I hear right-wing propaganda at every interview and discussion. Especially from the stacked right-wing guests and the faux liberals they have on. Mika Brzezinski is gorgeous, but measurably just as clueless (actually, I think she knows precisely the bullshit she is laying out).

But the fact is that they continue to propagate the right-wing horseshit and when a TV icon like Dan Rather makes a mistakecomment such as calling Obama, Osama bin Laden (yes, the entire name was transposed for Obama’s last name), no one on the set bothers to correct his little faux pas. I am left to believe that there is nothing innocent about this “mistake”.

I think Obama is bad for America, but this is bullshit.

So the Democratic National Convention has sponsors and guess who is providing the nice bags for all the bullshit trinkets that are given out? You guessed it. The same one that owns the Dems and has reason for paying them all off for their cover up of crimes they perpetrated with the most hated Republican president of all time.

Yes, people, this company owns the very ones you vote for and the hypocrisy in this bag is overwhelming to me. I suppose they will simply stuff them with $100 bills and hand them out in gratitude for the congressional complicity in the raping of America’s freedoms.

On another note, the convention is being held at the Pepsi Center. So who is advertising on the other side of the bag?

That is almost funny, if it wasn’t so infuriating.

h/t Glenn Greenwald