17 Days until Inauguration - Amid the Turmoil, we have a celebration. Michelle Obama is about to make history.

It's no exaggeration to say that any American designer would be thrilled to create an inaugural gown for Michelle Obama. The dress she wears to the official balls will be enshrined in history. If tradition holds, it will be donated to the First Ladies Collection at the National Museum of American History to hang alongside gowns worn by Eleanor Roosevelt, Nancy Reagan and Hillary Clinton....(click title to entry - thank you)

The Current Leaders SAFELY residing in The West Bank and other provinces of Palestine need to realize Israel was the first strike...

...and they were to be the second and not the last. Hamas has grand ideas, that defeating and capturing Israel would lead to greater access to advanced weapons. No one is safe, especially the current leadership of Palestine.

Abbas and Erekat need to advocate for their people, but, Hamas needs to be disarmed. Erekat takes the position that this is some kind of gross misjustice to Hamas and the people under their control. This isn't injustice, it is necessary. If Hamas has its way there will be no Erekat in the way of their ambitions. They aren't reasonable.

Erekat: Abbas heads to New York soon (click title to entry)
www.chinaview.cn

2009-01-02

23:32:33
RAMALLAH, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat announced that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would leave later on Friday with other Arab leaders for New York to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip.
"President Abbas will head to News York with other Arab leaders to achieve an Arab consensus to oblige Israel to achieve an unconditioned immediate stop of the offensive on Gaza," Erekat told reporters in Ramallah....

Two Russian planes arrive in Moscow with Gaza evacuees (click here)
11:21
03/ 01/ 2009
MOSCOW, January 3 (RIA Novosti) - Two planes carrying Russian and CIS nationals, evacuated from the Gaza Strip following Israeli airstrikes, have arrived in Moscow, the emergencies ministry said on Saturday.
The two flights carrying 102 Russians and 76 nationals from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Moldavia were evacuated from Gaza by bus on Friday and taken to Jordan for the onward flights to Moscow.
Some 250 Russians, mainly the wives and children of Palestinians who studied at Russian universities, live in the Gaza Strip.
Israel began a massive air offensive on Gaza last Saturday in what it called "an all-out war" against the Islamic militant group Hamas which controls Gaza.
Some 403 Palestinians have been killed in the airstrikes, with over 2,000 injured.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev earlier instructed the Foreign Ministry to provide aid to Russians in Gaza and evacuate them if necessary amid Israel's air offensive on the region.

Death toll from Israeli airstrikes on Gaza rises to 440 (click here)
17:44
03/ 01/ 2009
BEIRUT, January 3 (RIA Novosti) - The death toll from Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip rose to 440 Palestinians with some 2,285 people injured as the conflict entered its second week, Lebanon's Al-Manar TV reported on Saturday.
Over the past week Israel's controversial bombing campaign has destroyed more than 750 facilities in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, which according to Israel were connected to terrorist activities.
In response Palestinian militants launched 500 rockets on Israeli border towns killing four people.
Analysts believe that Israel is preparing to launch a ground assault on the Gaza Strip amid concerns of a humanitarian catastrophe in the densely-populated region.
Robert Serry, UN special coordinator for the Middle East said on Friday "We are gravely concerned" that a ground operation "would just mean another cycle of violence and a further escalation of the conflict. "It is absolutely imperative now that we find an immediate and lasting way out to avoid an even deeper and deadlier conflict," he said.
The Russian embassy in Egypt said on Saturday some 60 tons of humanitarian aid, including foodstuffs, medicine, bedding and tents, had been delivered to the Gaza Strip.
And two flights carrying 102 Russians and 76 nationals from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Moldavia evacuated from Gaza Friday arrived in Moscow earlier on Saturday.
Some 250 Russians, mainly the wives and children of Palestinians who studied at Russian universities, live in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas 'rockets' weren't firecrackers as some would like to report.

The rockets Hamas was firing reached to Tel Aviv. They were medium range rockets believed to be manufactured in China. The misinformation that is supposed to raise sympathy for Hamas in Gaza should not exist.

Jan 1, 2009 1:13

Updated Jan 1, 2009 11:15
Latest rockets manufactured in China (click here)

By YAAKOV KATZ
The Grad-model Katyusha rockets that were fired into Beersheba on Wednesday were manufactured in China and smuggled into Gaza after the Sinai border wall was blown up by Hamas in January, defense officials said.

The Chinese rockets have a range of 40 kilometers. They are very similar to the 122 mm Soviet-made Katyusha that was used extensively by Hizbullah during the Second Lebanon War and are slightly more sophisticated than an Iranian-made Grad-model Katyusha that is also in Hamas's arsenal.
The four rockets that hit Beersheba this week were filled with metal balls that can scatter up to 100 meters from the impact site, officials said. These rockets have also been fired into Ashkelon and Ashdod.
The three countries that manufacture Grad-model Katyushas are China, Russia and Bulgaria....

The laws of conspiracy and solicitation are being 'politically spun' in DC to force a non-issue to appear criminal.

The opposition to any of the charges in the Blagojevich Case stems in 'Freedom of Speech' as opposed to 'spun laws' by the US Attorney.

The reason Homeland Security decided to 'help out' was to try to prove a 'long term' trend in the methodologies of a supposed maniacal Governor and staff.

The charges are contrived WITHOUT the 'reality' of the political culture at work and NO ONE works in a vacuum at any level.

What any 'illegal' or 'legal' wiretaps prove in this case is an oppressive political culture that demands 'certain' behaviors of their leaders to maintain their political status / 'estates.'

The 'idea' of conspiracy and solicitation in this application are unclear and can be easily appealed.

Someone demanded files of 'illegal wiretaps' to be purged to Fitzgerald's office.

The problem here is not so much the players as the culture. None of the political leadership from Illinois has proven to be adverse to their constituency. It is the 'political culture' that is in question and while someone like Jesse Jackson, Jr. tried to impune the political machine of Illinois (Which as a bad rap from the OLD Mayor Richard Daley Days) by 'chronic complaints to federal prosecutors, there has never been solid evidence of same.

By the way, the NAACP has taken no overt stand on the assignment of Burris to the Senate and that is simply wrong and politically protective through isolation. (click here)

Neither has The Urban League, but, they are pushing for the 'Simulus' to support its interests. (click here)

This is such a 'hot issue' that no one wants to touch it and if it weren't for the 'solid and simple resolve' of Rod Blagojevich there would be no approach of the subject. It is my opinion that everyone thinks this taints the Obama Presidency. The opposite is true. The stronger the rights of people under Due Process the stronger the Democracy.

That said.

Just a note about "The Daley Days" to add some 'reason' to the irrational 'environment' currently.

The political culture of the USA has developed over time, no different than its technologies and economies. 'Back in the Day' there were all sorts of 'political machines,' including those in Tammany Hall. There were strong holds of 'ethnicities' as well across the country in places like Boston and the Irish, hence, expressions such as "Paddy Wagon (a common Irish shortening of Patrick). There have been and still exist, primarily today in the South, political machines based in 'regional economics' such as the Oil Barrons of Texas and Tobacco Kings of North Carolina now replaced with Hog and Chicken Factory Farms, etc.

I don't really care how insulting this entry is to the 'idea' of a corrupt free America. It wasn't and there are very good reasons why it wasn't.

Until recent decades the Civil Rights of anyone other than 'in power' entities were violated through exploitation of differences in 'religious and ethnic culture.' In the South, there was frank racism and in greater degrees than the North. Recent demonstrations of the 'continued' existance of racism is the dragging death in Texas and exploitive release of a Racist in South Carolina, the continued presence of the Confederate Flag, etc.

Those are overt examples and better recalled due to the higher incidence of deaths, demonstrations and punitive laws. But, in decades past and after immigration was a profound reality in the days of Ellis Island, the 'minority ethnicities' coming from Europe met with bigotry and discrimination that forced them into poverty. Their promise of an America paved in gold was diminished, but, they submitted to survive as to return to any oppression they left would be just as bad, if not worse. Oppression of this nature, no matter the decade including today, 'creates' a 'cheap work force' and hence it does today.

People disempowered from political stature because of the 'iconology' of 'the times' didn't have a say and in many instances a vote to change their circumstances. Hence, 'political machines' developed following the assent to power by 'occassionally pleasing' candidates. The corruption existed, but, it existed to raise an ethnicity out of poverty and empower the populous that was suffering. With that came 'moral legitimacy' of a 'political machine' and what occurred was media permission for corruption through legitimaizing of it and/or ridicule BUT without political clout. To be outside 'the political structure' for news media was to cause demise of same and HENCE everyone 'learned' how to survive within such a structure.

Now. About the current 'Illinois issue.'

Let me add this entry of a very different 'tone' as a reference to the current 'trend' to defame Rod Blagojevich:

Remarks by Secretary Ridge at Chicago TOPOFF Press Conference (click here)

Release Date: 05/15/03 00:00:00
For Immediate ReleaseOffice of the Press SecretaryMay 15, 2003
Thank you, Governor Blagojevich. Good afternoon. On Monday of this week, the Department of Homeland Security launched a five-day, full-scale national exercise in Chicago and Seattle to measure and analyze our nation's response to a mock terrorist attack.
Let me start off by complimenting Mayor Daley and Governor Blagojevich for the strong leadership they have provided to the people of Chicago during these exercises. The City of Chicago has an excellent reputation in the preparedness community, and we appreciate the City's willingness to test these capabilities before a national audience. Although a thorough analysis of the exercises will be done in the coming weeks, I am pleased to say that our initial assessment is that the City has performed well under the difficult circumstances it was presented with over the past few days....

Regrettably what surrounds young Black, Democratic leaders such as the current President-Elect, Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr., the current appointment of Roland Burris (age 71) and the current Governor of Illinois, Mr. Caucasian Rod Blagojevich; is a 'cultural' inheritance that only ended when the former Mayor Daley ended his last term. Actually, it lived beyond Daley for awhile.

Richard Daley was in office a long time, from 1955 through 1976. He was elected four times to office. His administration had plenty of issues and I am not going into them here, but, what is important is that 'the culture' to some extent, especially, 'the language' still exists. If you want to indulge in the 'exploration' of how deeply seated a 'cultural language' can sustain, then do it on your own, but, there still lingers in Illiniois a political iconology that demands 'tough talking' politics and those that can 'take the heat.' The 'icon' is all left over from the Daley Days regardless of whom does not want to admit it.

Now, in regard to 'slights' by authority. I don't doubt Governor Rod Blagojevich has said many 'crude' things and may have even implied one needs to enter his 'favor' in order to receive appointments. He might have even said such things to Jesse Jackson, Jr. as a 'slight' to separate his 'political territory' from that of Jackson's.

Political territories are a 'reality' in this political environment and we are seeing same transferred to national politics through media exploitation of a 'perhaps' bigger issue. There is no larger issue. This is the 'remants' of an old political culture. All the political leaders that have 'grown up' within this political culture have survived, but, have been tainted in some way or another even if it were by Preachers that behave badly.

Political territories have 'invisible' dynamics that need to be respected to survive the day. How one manuevers through them can be interesting and the 'slights' by authority result in 'in fighting' and 'slandering' in order to 'protect' one's interests. Political territories come with financial support as well as 'grassroots' involvement and brings all kinds of 'should and should nots.'

In Illinois as we have witnessed between the State Attorney General Madigan (Is she married without taking her married name for the sake of political recognition. I didn't look to see if she is married.) and Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan a kinship. It is a family that has risen to power in Illinois not dissimilar than other familes across this country, but, it is also a family that through the Attorney General's over reaching has proven to be 'power players' and 'power abusers.' Definately a separate political territory from any other Democratic entity within Illinois.

Governor Rod Blagojevich has done nothing wrong. He made statements, in this case, under sincere pressure that actually tainted his power as Governor. I still say, there should have been no 'looking over the shoulder' at his old Senate seat by Obama. There is a certain arrogance that precedes the 'idea' that Obama should call for his replacement. That is not the case. It is not within his authority and quite frankly he was a resigning US Senator, so he really had no authority at all EXCEPT for some 'political clout' that attempted to force Blagojevich to submit to Obama's supposed preference.

I am quite certain that Governor Blagojevich in his verbalizations recoded on illegal wiretaps (It has always been stated that 'legal' wiretaps by Homeland Security wasn't to involve the 'interior' of the country, but, was for 'foreign monitoring that reached into the interior of the country to complete the wiretap.' Hence, Homeland Security's involvement is illegal and exploitive, espescially on the grounds of 'power politics' of existing political territories in the Oval Office and the grounds of privacy.) stated many things, but, only to assist in proving he was still in control of his political territory. That is all this is and Fitzgerald has NO CASE.

Oh, one other thing.

Not to be overlooked.

There is always this 'under tone' to Republicans that demand descriptions of bigot, rasicst and bias. It's true. Republicans frequently like to 'draw on' OLD STEREOTYPES to support their base and propel others into favoring them politically by exploiting old realities. It is not uncommon for bigotry, bias and racism to be conducted with known stereotypes that support a hostile social and political environment.

Hello, America!

ACLU Reaffirms Opposition To Unconstitutional FBI Guidelines (click here)

(9/17/2008)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: (202) 675-2312, media@dcaclu.org or

(212) 549-2666, media@aclu.org
WASHINGTON, DC – Following testimony before both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees this week, FBI Director Robert Mueller failed to dispel unease regarding new internal FBI guidelines governing investigations. Yesterday and today, members of both committees sought reassurances that the guidelines – which give overly broad authorities to agents – would not be abused by the bureau. Director Mueller said the guidelines would not be rewritten to include more safeguards but that protections would instead be written into overarching FBI policies.
Under the revised guidelines, FBI agents no longer need “factual predication” to use paid informers, spy on a person’s activities or engage in other types of intrusive surveillance; all that will be necessary is a hypothetical “threat.” The American Civil Liberties Union remains gravely concerned that this controversial change opens the door to racial profiling as someone’s race, religion or ethnic background could be used as a factor in opening an investigation....

Former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris, shown here, is reportedly Gov. Rod Blagojevich's pick to succeed Barack Obama in the Senate.

Let's Pretend this isn't a Racial Issue. A qualified candidate and the US Senate seeks to stop it? What would you call it?

There are no other Black Americans in the Senate and if this nominee isn't accepted there is no guarantee there will be either. That is incredible to realize, that we now have our first African American President and no Senators.

WOW ! That is nothing to be proud of, either.

..."The citizens of Illinois will not be fully represented if Senator-Designate Burris' appointment is blocked," according to Burris' latest motion filed today (A PDF of Burris' court filing).
"Failure of this court to act very quickly would deprive (Burris) and the citizens of Illinois of the representation to which they are entitled" under the U.S. Constitution, according to the motion. "Such failure may also result in an unlawful exercise of authority by (White) in allowing him to, in effect, block the lawful exercise of appointment by the governor of Illinois."
Also today, an attorney for Burris sent a letter to the Senate Democratic leadership asking them to "acknowledge his right to serve and grant him the same privileges as other incoming Senators."...

The Bush White House keeps doing 'their thing.' They currently have a US Attorney with a case to weak to take to court that insures the Defendant with a 'timely trial' and now they have acted to impune the safety of Illinois citizens to inflame the circumstances of a still legally seated Governor.

Where are the 'VALID' reasons that justify the actions of Homeland Security. There needs to be EVIDENCE that a state Governor has violated Homeland Security protocols to take 'security rights' away from citizens. This is outrageous and needs to be moved to the US Supreme Court as soon as possible. Citizen rights are on the line with a hostile, angry, lame duck and extremist administration still in the Executive Branch.

It is scare tactics to unit the people of Illinois against their freely elected Governor. It might be a methodology to destroy the minority influence that propelled Obama into a Presidency.

The Republicans and wrongly ambitious Democrats are playing with fire here. The Illiniois Governor is proceeding with his responsibilities and yet abuse of power continues to attempt to remove an elected Governor without clearly indictable evidence. It is outrageous to say the least.

There is a lot wrong with these circumstances and they don't all belong to Governor Rod Blagojevich. There are Illinois Democrats that will eventually be replaced due to their indiscriminate use of power without conscience to the rights of all involved here under the US Constitution.

I don't know. I sincerely don't like the racial undertones to the consequences of the actions taken by any authority with ONLY a complaint that struggles to keep its allogations afloat. This seems like an assault against the Constitution and Democracy. It is way outside the parameters of Due Process.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Bush and Cheney went to war in Iraq for oil, they'll do anything.

It's unfortunate this has become such a media frenzy for attention to a subject that has little to do with governing so much as a political circus. THAT, by the way, is what 'insures' any political corruption and its processes. Media circuses that INFLUENCE the electorate to MAINTAIN 'control' of the outcome of voting preferences insures leanings in power structures. It 'permits' corruption within a Democracy.

It is why Bush is always 'high profile.' It maintains influence on the electorate.

Blagojevich loses classified security access (click here)

January 2, 2009 at 9:21 PM
Officials today said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has revoked Gov. Rod Blagojevich's access to classified federal security information.
Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero tonight called the move "pretty standard procedure." He says there are still a number of other state officials with access.
Also today, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan said he is calling lawmakers back to Springfield next week for a possible vote on impeaching Blagojevich.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency received a memo about Homeland Security's decision on Dec. 9, the day Blagojevich was arrested, said IEMA spokeswoman Patti Thompson. The memo was brief and did not include a reason for the action.
Thompson said that the head of the Illinois State Police and Illinois Emergency Management Agency have access to federal security intelligence and could relay it to the governor.
Homeland Security spokeswoman Amy Kudwa confirmed the revocation. But she declined to comment further....