Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Science post on monkeys

From Sunday, this is Isaiah's THE WORLD TODAY JUST NUTS "Baby Stacey Wants On The Ticket."


baby stacey


Oh, cry baby Stacey, stop pretending you're qualified to be vice president of the United States.  You're not even qualified to be vice president of the local HOA.


Time for a science post. Did you go to the zoo when you were a kid. I did. My favorite areas? I loved the tigers. I had a cat named Tiger because I loved tigers. I loved to watch them. My second favorite? The water area. I loved to watch the sting rays in the tank. I enjoyed others but I was really into sting rays. I wrote about that before in "Science round up and the superhero Sting Ray!!!!" About the "S" book I'd read about sting rays in and about how I created my own superhero. My third favorite place was the monkeys. But we never got to stay long because my oldest sister would always feed them. She'd have something -- maybe just peanuts -- and our parents would hurry us away. The only time I got to really enjoy the monkeys was if it was a school field trip. (Because my oldest sister wasn't in my grade or school -- she's going to laugh when she reads this.)

So I say all of that so we can do some science on monkeys. Carly Cassella (SCIENCE ALERT) reports:


The way chimpanzees smack their lips together has a similar rhythm to human speech, and a new study suggests this could be a clue to where our ancestors got their knack for language. The evolution of human speech is a mystery to us all, and there are few hints of it in non-human primates. In recent years, some scientists have proposed that human speech came about less from primate vocalisations and more from rhythmic facial expressions.
No matter what language we are speaking, humans around the world are known to open their mouths 2-7 times per second while talking (2 to 7 hertz), with each open-close cycle corresponding to a syllable.
But while the universal rhythms of human speech, or the fast cycles of mouth opening and closing, have also been found in the gestures of orangutans and macaques, this is the first time such a rhythm has been identified in African apes - chimpanzees.
Comparing recordings from four chimp populations, both wild and captive, researchers have now found chimpanzees also produce lip-smacks at an average speech-like rhythm of 4 hertz.

Alice Scott (PHYS.ORG) adds:

 Just like each and every language in the world, monkey lip-smacks have previously shown a rhythm of about 5 cycles/second (i.e. 5Hz). This exact rhythm had been identified in other primate species, including gibbon song and orangutan consonant-like and vowel-like calls.
However there was no evidence from African apes, such as gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees—who are closer related to humans, meaning the plausibility of this theory remained on hold.
Now, the team of researchers using data from 4 chimpanzee populations have confirmed that they too produce mouth signals at a speech-like rhythm. The findings show there has been most likely a continuous path in the evolution of primate mouth signals with a 5Hz rhythm. Proving that evolution recycled primate mouth signals into the vocal system that one day was to become speech.
African great apes, the closest species to humans, had never been studied for the rhythm of their communication signals. Researchers investigated the rhythm of chimpanzee lip-smacks, produce by individuals while they groom another and found that chimpanzees produce lip-smacks at an average speech-like rhythm of 4.15 Hz.

Still on monkeys but this time with a zoo twist, WBNS reports:


The Columbus Zoo announced the birth of two vervet monkeys.
The zoo said TomTom, a male, was born to mom Sassie on March 28.
Another male, DJ James Kennedy, was born to mom Lucy on April 17.
The mothers and babies are doing well, the zoo said.
The zoo describes TomTom as timid but he is starting to explore more of his indoor and outdoor habitats.
His favorite thing to do is climb something then jump on his mother's' back.
DJ hangs out a lot with his mother and grandmother but is very independent.
He also checks out the camera when zookeepers take his photo.

I'm sorry, I do love zoos. I understand the people who object to them and can see their point. But I do love zoos. I loved going to them as a child, I've taken my kids to them. Our first field trip when we moved to California was gong to the San Diego Zoo.

"Iraq snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):
**Wednesday**, May 27, 2020.  We all wake up grumpy these days.


I had a nightmare.  And then realized it was no dream.

Joe Biden is a hideous candidate by any standard.  But some in the DNC are determined to have him as the presidential candidate.

Accused of assault, his campaign pretends to be standing back and letting events unfold when in reality they are feeding 'reporters' information to attack Tara Reade's character.  Despite their best efforts at embracing rape culture, nothing has changed the fact that Tara's accused him of assault and that her accusation is credible.

Whores like Katha Pollitt insist it's vote Joe or else.  When what they should be insisting is that a senile War Criminal drop out and be replaced.

Joe Biden showed up last week for one of those rare appearances.  He appeared on  Charlamagne tha God's program and insisted that "You ain't Black" if you voted for Donald Trump.  An elderly, White man telling others who was and wasn't Black -- an elderly, White man with a history of racism -- including his crime bill, including his praise for segregationists . . .

In the aftermath last Friday, Joe Biden 'apologized.'  Chris Freind (THE MERCURY) points out:

What isn’t a joke is how racist, arrogant, condescending, obnoxious, tone-deaf and patronizing Mr. Biden’s statement is. About the only thing worse was his non-apology apology: “I shouldn’t have been such a wise guy…perhaps I was much too cavalier.” Perhaps? That’s the best he could muster? “Perhaps?”



Joe never really apologizes, he's a sociopath.  When nine women came forward to complain about his inappropriate behavior he did a video 'apology' and then, a few days later, made fun of the women at a predominately all male event.

So no surprise, he's taken back the apology.

From "I shouldn't have been such a wise guy" to now insisting that someone else was the "wise guy."  Fionnuala O'Leary (THE SUN) explains:

The presumptive Democratic nominee acknowledged the statement he made on "The Breakfast Show" was a "mistake" last Friday, but Biden claimed the radio presenter was also being "a wise guy."


"He was being a wise guy," Biden says of Charlamagne, "and I shouldn't have responded in kind."

Way to take ownership, Joe.

Charlamagne was right to doubt the sincerity of the words -- which were never an apology.




It's always someone else' fault and he never takes real accountability.  That's the problem with a career politician and Joe is everything America stands against.

Margaret Kimberley (BLACK AGENDA REPORT) observes:

Joe Biden was always an intellectual light weight and he always had poor impulse control. He was always in the conservative wing of the Democratic Party. Now he believes the hype of the black misleadership class charlatans who make his case by claiming that he has some sort of special relationship with black people. The combination of all these attributes makes his presidential campaign one long train wreck. 
A recent interview on the Breakfast Club  radio program was the occasion of his latest bizarre statement. This time he famously said, “... if you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black." He seemed to think that being overly familiar and using bad grammar gave him some sort of credibility.

Symone Sanders, his most prominent black campaign staffer, was left to clean up after him yet again and defend his stupidity by saying that he spoke in jest. The damage was bad enough that Biden had to apologize himself and said that he shouldn’t have been “a wise guy.”
Biden is like Donald Trump, in that he is thoroughly unqualified to be president. Yet black people are desperate to see anyone other than Trump in the White House and that is how the party establishment got away with foisting him upon them. When they aren’t trying to minimize his shortcomings, they admonish anyone who points them out. “But he’s better than Trump!” is their rallying cry lest anyone think for themselves and point out the many reasons why Biden is so problematic. 
Any words of doubt or well deserved humor are frowned upon and even attacked. There is a strange magical thinking afoot that equates acknowledgement of Biden’s faults with support of Trump. A joke at his expense can lead to foolish argument. The Democratic Party propagandists and their friends in the black misleadership class are to blame for this sad state of affairs. 

Allegiance and subservience to their donor class requires them to lie to the party rank and file. Their scam depends upon convincing voters that they work on their behalf when they do nothing of the sort. They had to explain away Hillary Clinton’s defeat with tales of Russian intrigue and blame directed at the left. Trump’s awfulness makes him the perfect foil. They can pretend to oppose him with an impeachment charade which satisfies their base but when he proposes a space force or $700 billion in defense spending they go right along with whatever he wants.



He is not qualified to be president.  He doesn't know where he is, he tells people to vote him into the Senate, he is just not fit.

And his team knows this and has begun the process of lowering expectations.  So they whisper to the press that Joe will have a solid team behind him, the team will be running things, the team . . .

Sorry, that's not what the US Constitution defines.

He qualifies right now, before the election, as incapacitated.  If he were president right now, there would be a solid case for removing him from office.






The interview with Charlamagne was Joe's first real appearance in months.  Coronavirus was a gift to Joe.  He was getting tired and the eyes were starting to water and he was snapping at people.  Along came coronavirus and the man who can't handle the campaign trail was handed a gift.  But all the resting he did while 'sheltering' (instead of campaigning) did not do him any good.

He is unfit for the office and he really can't handle the campaign.

This is America's nightmare.

The Democratic Party refuses to nominate a candidate that inspires or even one that's just competent.  Instead, they go with Joe.

Katha Pollitt, Norman Solomon and other whores have already begun the roll out of attempt to bully people into voting for Joe.  That sort of behavior usually takes place in the fall, after the DNC has their convention.  But Biden's so weak that they're having to start it months earlier.

Let's go back to Chris Freind:

A joke making the rounds shows a Wheel of Fortune puzzle missing one letter. It reads: “JOE BIDEN IS A RA_IST.” Underneath, two choices: “C” and “P.”

Tommy Virgl (THE DEPAULIA) explains:

If the Democratic party actually wanted to beat Trump, they would replace Biden. Not only is he dishonest and an alleged rapist, but he does not represent the moral high ground that the Democratic establishment touts him as — it would make sense to have a candidate who can contrast Trump’s corruption as an effective strategy.
The logical replacement, if Biden were to withdraw from the race, would be the next person on the ballot with the most delegates, which would be Sen. Bernie Sanders. Not only is Sanders backed by grassroots support, but his clear record would be a great way to contrast Trump’s corruption.
“Standing with survivors doesn’t have a political agenda,” Blenck said.

While the election this November is critical, so is applying a consistent standard of believing sexual assault victims. I believe Dr. Ford. I believe Tara Reade. I don’t believe in a party that’s only willing to defend women and sexual assault survivors when it’s convenient for them.



Bernie Sanders and the media keep talking about my/his supporters.  Bernie Sanders had very few supporters.  The issues he ran on had a ton of supporters.  Bernie is trying to sheep dog everyone which is offensive enough but every time he speaks of 'my supporters,' I cringe.  He's a fake ass and his war on delegates, reported by Genevieve Leigh (WSWS), is very telling.

And the lack of concern of what Biden on the world stage would mean?  Very scary.  He did not just vote for the Iraq War.  He repeatedly destroyed Iraq -- most infamously by overturning the votes of the Iraqi people in the 2010 election.  He is not asked about that, the press ignores it.  It is a very key issue and maybe instead of bullying people to vote for him supposed independent writers should be pressuring him to speak to that.


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Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Kim Fields, FACTS OF LIFE, pizza

Isaiah had two the THE WORLD TODAY JUST NUTS comics on Monday.  This is "Rest Assured, Judge Tootie Is Here"



judge tootie

Kim Fields.  She was a hero to many of us growing up -- both as Tootie on FACTS OF LIFE and as Regine on LIVING SINGLE.

It's hard to believe she's 51 or that she has a 13-year-old son.  Even watching her as Regine, when I first think of Kim Fields, I always think of first year FACTS OF LIFE and her on roller skates.

Tootie was always funny.  She loved to gossip.  She loved Jermaine Jackson.  She was loyal.  She was strong.  FACTS OF LIFE offered strong female characters all around.  I miss shows like that.  And it was funny.

There were 201 episodes of the series plus 3 TV movies.

You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and then you have . . .

I remember that show.  It would eventually find a home on Saturday nights on NBC.  But it didn't start there.  I think it was a Thursday show or Friday at first.  I remember the first time we watched, we were excited because it was a DIFF'RENT STROKES spin-off.  My mother made two pizzas for us.  It was from boxed kits and the first time she'd ever made pizza.  She made both of them on a large cookie sheet.  We were used to just round pizzas.  But we were excited about the show and, yes, excited to try the pizza.

It was delicious.  We made Mom make it over and over throughout the show's first season so we could eat pizza and watch FACTS OF LIFE. 

By season two, we were on to some other food.  But, just like I think of Tootie on rollerskates when I think of FACTS OF LIFE, I think of my mom's homemade pizza whenever I think of FACTS OF LIFE.

She made great pizzas back then and the next time I go home to Atlanta, I'm going to see if she'll make it again.  I'm sure my sisters will back me up on this.  :D

"Iraq snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):
Tuesday, March 26, 2020.  So many things Joe Biden should be answering for.

Starting in the US . . .



Fiorella Isabel and Tina-Desiree Berg initiate a conversation on sexism among the left.  It's an important conversation that addresses the attacks on Tara Reade, the hypocrisy of so many and the embrace of rape culture as some rush to bury Tara Reade.  Tara has accused Joe Biden of assault.

"He's going through every victim shaming trope that ever existed," Tina-Desiree Berg notes of the hideous Michael Tracey.

It's an important conversation.  It's one the press could have contributed to but instead the bulk of them chose to attack the victim and the small number who did originally want to report walked away the minute Joe Biden's campaign to make Tara 'toxic' was put in place.

They can't shut up about Ronan Farrow -- these same people.  I don't think Ronan's in danger of losing his post at THE NEW YORKER.  I don't believe people are rushing to return their copy of his book.  Ronan's journalism stands or doesn't.  But these people, these same people, want to rush forward to spend time defending Ronan while acting like Tara no longer exists.  Ryan Grim and Rich McHugh, I'm especially looking at you two.

It's especially bad for Ryan Grim.  He's with THE INTERCEPT which already has a bad image for the treatment of sources.  Ryan's the one who broke this story.  And now that the source is being beaten up by the corporate media, where's Ryan's reporting?

Ryan's standing by while Tara is victimized by the media after he set the whole thing in motion.  Don't think I'd ever choose Ryan for any story I wanted to break. 

Still on Tara, Justin Vallejo (INDEPENDENT) reports:

Democrat "squad" member Ilhan Omar says she believes sexual assault allegations against Joe Biden but would vote for him anyway to defeat Donald Trump.
In a Tweet defending her support of accuser Tara Reade, the Minnesota congresswoman said that "believing survivors is consistent with my values".
"With that said, in this interview I did on 6 May, we talked about that and quotes aren't always in context. I will vote for him and help him defeat Trump," she said.



Rose McGowan notes:

BREAKING NEWS: New York Times ‘journalist’ sent these questions to Joe Biden’s accuser, Tara Reade. The public needs to see how
@llerer
and the #NYT plan on twisting their minds. Now you can all see their tactics & how far they will go.

Lisa Michelle Eu Tweets:

There’s an imbalance btw the amount of scrutiny happening around #TaraReade truthfulness vs that of #Bidens. Biden’s history of untruthfulness is documented, recorded. Undeniable. But is never brought up for review in light of this accusation. That’s the process of rape culture.



Turning to Iraq . . .

Ibrahim al-Zobeidi (THE ARAB WEEKLY) does more to address Joe's record on Iraq than any US outlet has done in the last year:

A Biden victory will launch a new episode of the American-Iranian romance. His administration will soon lift or reduce the sanctions against Iran and may even release its frozen assets in the US worth billions of dollars, and perhaps in Europe as well. That’s when Iran completely recovers its former capacity to finance its proxy armies of mayhem, kidnapping and embezzlement, and move them according to its plans.
When Joe Biden was just a senator for the state of Delaware in 2006, and not yet vice-president, he proposed dividing Iraq into three semi-autonomous entities for the Shia, Sunnis, and Kurds.
Following his presidential victory in 2009, Obama made this same Biden vice-president and charged him with the Iraqi file. The latter stuck to his stupid, short-sighted and poisonous proposition for Iraq and happily became a close connection between his boss, Obama, and the Iranians in Iraq and their proxies and militias, openly and unabashedly.
Biden’s vision became reality in 2010, when he managed to impose Nuri al-Maliki as prime minister, despite the crimes the latter committed and the disasters he caused during his previous term as premier. Maliki made it possible for ISIS to invade and occupy one third of Iraq and, with Iran’s precious help, persecuted all Iraqis opposed to Velayat e-faqih.


Joe has a great deal to answer for but you'll apparently never find the American media demanding answers.

We noted the United Nations report on the way protesters were treated in Iraq, noted it on SaturdayIANS notes that the report found 123 protesters were kidnapped. Karwan Faidhi Dri (RUDAW) notes that the UN "has verified the death of 490 activists and the injury of 7,783 others since October." Hiwa Shilani (KURDISTAN 24) explains:

On Saturday, the United Nations published a report on the abduction of multiple demonstrators in Iraq since late October that detailed the experiences of some, including the circumstances in which they were taken and their subsequent interrogation and torture.
The Human Rights Office of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) documented 123 cases of people who disappeared between October 1, 2019, and March 21, 2020. A total of 98 individuals have been found while the other 25 are still missing.
“Absence of accountability for these acts continues to contribute to the pervasive environment of impunity in relation to demonstration-linked reports of violations and abuses,” the UN report highlighted.  
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq, stated, “The establishment of a high-level fact-finding committee by the new Government to investigate casualties and related harm is a crucial step toward justice and accountability.”

On the kidnappings,  THE NEW ARAB adds:

In every incident, those targeted for abductions had either participated in the protests or provided support to demonstrators, UNAMI said. Nearly all of the abductees were either activists prior to the protests, played significant roles in the demonstrations, or criticised authorities or armed groups on social media, it added.
Abductees were forced into vehicles by masked and armed men close to demonstration sites, according to UNAMI. Many described being blindfolded and driven to locations where they were detained.
All of them were "interrogated" by their captors, with questioning commonly focused on their role in the demonstrations, allegations of links to foreign states - particularly the United States - and their political affiliations.
All male abductees described being subjected to torture such as severe beatings, electrocution, hosing or bathing in cold water, being hung from the ceiling by their arms and legs, being urinated on, being photographed nude, death threats and threats to their families, UNAMI reported.
Female abductees said they were beaten, threatened with rape and touched in their "private areas".



The United Nations is calling for a real investigation -- not the nonsense that passed for an 'investigation' last year.  Omar Sattar (AL-MONITOR) reports:

The new Iraqi government has begun procedures to reinvestigate the violent acts during the popular protests that broke out in October and killed more than 700 people and injured over 25,000. The decision was greatly welcomed at home and in the international arena. The United Nations Security Council called for “transparency during the investigation.”

Following the first meeting of his government May 9, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Khadimi announced the formation of an investigation committee, whose members have not been disclosed so far. He said that the committee will work on uncovering the names of the parties responsible for killing hundreds of protesters who have been calling for reform and the trial of corrupt politicians.
The committee is currently being formed and its members will be announced at a later stage. This is the second committee of this kind, following the one that was formed by Adel Abdul Mahdi, former prime minister who resigned at the end of November 2019, which did not yield satisfactory results for the protesters and failed to indict any party behind the bloody events that took place in central and southern Iraq.




Isaiah's THE WORLD TODAY JUST NUTS "Rest Assured, Judge Tootie Is Here" and his "Baby Stacey Wants On The Ticket" went up yesterday.


Saturday, May 23, 2020

Praise for my daughter and boos for racist Joe Biden

First applause for my daughter. One of her friends is moving.  That's bad news for her but good news for her friend and her friend's mother because the mother got a promotion and is relocating and, in the new area, they will be purchasing their first home. 

My daughter has a green thumb, as I've noted before.  The mother and the daughter are vegetarian.  My daughter has spent the last month growing, from seeds, five hanging plants -- one is lettuce, one is parsley, one is cilantro, one is adobe peppers and one is green onions.  They can hang them on the front porch of their new home or they can plant them in the ground. 

They came by to say goodbye as they got ready to leave town for their new home. 

So applause for my daughter.

Now boos for Joe Biden.  Joe's stepped in it again.  Before we get to that, let's look at his long history of racism.  This is a discussion Amy Goodman had with Andrew Cockburn about Joe's record.






The best comment on that video may be that Joe's remarks sound like BIRTH OF THE NATION.

Here's Roland Burris from May of last year telling Joe it's time to own up for the racist crime bill he authored:



Here's Senator Cory Booker call out Joe on this bill and other issues in one of last year's debates.



Here's Senator Kamala Harris calling him out on his racism.



Here's Joe Biden declaring that "poor kids" are as smart as "White kids."



Here's Trevor Noah (THE DAILY SHOW) mocking Joe Biden for Joe's praise of segregationists.




Here's PBS, from 2007, offering Joe the opportunity to take accountability for his past racist remarks (he takes a pass).



Here's racism from Joe Biden in the debates via Jimmy Dore.




So on Friday, Biden -- the man who fancies himself an expert on race issues -- declared who is and isn't Black. This is RISING reporting on it.




Joe, kiss my Black ass.

It is not up to Joe to determine who is or is not Black.  And it certainly is not correct to say that people who choose to vote for Donald Trump.  He says, "If you got a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or for Trump then you ain’t Black." 

Sorry, Joe, you're the Grand Dragon of the KKK but you aren't the decider of who is Black and we won't determine that by who votes for who. 

Tim Scott is Black and he is a Trump supporter.  He is the only Black Republican in the US Senate currently.  Let's note his response.




"Iraq snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):
Friday, May 22, 2020.  No attack is too far when the press wants to discredit a woman's voice and corruption continues in Iraq.



Let's start with Ely Kreimendahl's hilarious parody of Women for Biden:





Let's note Pig Boy Michael Tracey who loves to attack women (especially women of color -- Maxine Waters, Kamala Harris, etc -- there's a reason Margaret Kimberley's rebuked him online).

Antioch University emphatically denies that Tara Reade ever received a degree. Unless they're lying for some bizarre reason, Tara Reade falsified her credentials in court. Again, congratulations to everyone who promoted this complete fiasco of a story

If true, what does that have to do with her allegation of assault?

More to the point -- who the hell cares?

They are throwing everything they can at her.  Have you had a problem with a landlord?  Guess what -- not a crime.

Have women ever lied about the academic history?  Yes.  It is not uncommon (or for men too).  It is so not uncommon that it was a story for Mary Richards.  Yes, on THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW, Mary reveals to Lou that she didn't actually graduate college as she had stated in her long ago job interview.

I didn't believe Christine Blasey Ford and I still don't.  Find anything here where I ripped her apart.  You won't.  First off, I could be wrong.  Second off, I'm not going to rip her apart for this or that event in her life that has nothing to do with her assault charge.  I'm not interested in shaming or silencing women who say they were assaulted.  Blasey Ford may be telling the truth, she may not.  But I'm not going to rip her life apart to try to pretend that proves a point about whether she was assaulted or not.

It proves nothing.

Nothing is what Asama Khalid offered on NPR yesterday.  That includes her justification for Joe Biden supporting the Hyde Amendment.  She insists that Joe has evolved and "the Democratic Party has evolved on it."  As Li Zhou (VOX) noted last June "until a few weeks ago , former Vice President Joe Biden was a staunch supporter of the Hyde Amendment."

Asama felt it was important to note that PBS spoke to 74 people who worked for Joe Biden but with Tara's corroborating witnesses, "these are people, I should point out, that we were connected with through Tara herself."  As Ava and I noted Sunday in "Media: Lies and liars all around," PBS spoke to 74 employees the Biden campaign steered them to -- that's written in the actual report.  That would be the report everyone keeps mentioning but fails to have actually read it.

Failing is all Asama has done on NPR with this story from day one.

The NPR segment offered a Patty in a soundbye insisting "we would have heard about it during the vetting" and demanding "Give me a break!"

Rebecca Traister, who was one of the panelists, rightly noted that the country has evolved on this issue since 2008.  More to the point, Barack's vetting?  He let one of his daughters intern for Harvey Weinstein.  Are we really trusting Barack's vetting?


Democrat Hannah James is running for Congress out of California's 19th district and she Tweets:

Hey
@JoeBiden
, Why did you sexually assault Tara Reade? #AskBidenAnything


Here's another question: When is Joe going to be vetted?  These attacks have been organized by his campaign and yet he's repeatedly allowed to go on camera stating Tara has every right to tell her story and act as though he's not doing anything.  He is running a campaign to trash and destroy her.  When will the media get real about this?

Probably never.  Ever.

When do Joe's actions in public impact the way this story is covered?  When is he ever asked why did you say you apologized and days later make jokes about consent when you appeared before a largely male audience?  How is that funny?  How does that make it appear you took the complaints from women seriously?

When is he asked about his many lies about Anita Hill?  That goes to Tara's assault charge.  Joe has lied about Anita repeatedly.  He has lied that he supported her.  He then went to Republican senators and told them Anita was lying.  When is he going to get honest about that?  How many Republican senators have to talk about that before the media asks him?  He has a long history of dismissing assault and harassment.  That goes to this issue.

The Iraq War?  It doesn't.  His past lying about everything else?  It really doesn't have to do with Tara.  But if the media wants to dig through a citizen's life, they damn well should be digging through a public servant's life -- a public servant who somehow ends up with millions and millions of dollars.  No, that's not how public service is supposed to work.

On Iraq . . .




Joe has spent 2019 and 2020 citing his being in charge of Iraq during Barack's presidency.  So if he was responsible, when is he asked the tough questions?

There are a ton of tough questions that need to be asked.  That interview has many lies in it.

Even to the idiots, it should be obvious that the rise of ISIS -- which Joe is responsible for -- raises the issue of how US troops left.

We were and are for all US troops out of Iraq.  We argued for that to take place immediately.  We argued that to Barack's transition team -- Ava and I did -- long before Barack was sworn in.  Our argument was: Pull all troops now and the reason is: This is what the American people voted for.

Why does that matter?

Iraq's government was and is propped up by US troops.  The US installed the government.  It is not popular with the people.  When US troops leave, the government most likely will topple.

Good.  Let the Iraqi people determine the government that they want and need -- that is democracy.

So pull out immediately and when asked you reply: This was the will of the American people.

Fail to keep your promise of ten months and dicker around with Iraq and you own it.  It's no longer Bully Boy Bush's problem, it is your problem.

And that's how it became Barack's problem.  He did not keep his campaign promise.  Samantha Power and Joe Biden and Susan Rice, among others, just knew they were smart to fix things.  They were idiots.

And they made Bully Boy Bush's war into Barack's war.  If he had kept his promise, it wouldn't have happened.  But he didn't.

Hassan Ali Ahmed (ARAB NEWS) reports this morning:

After about two months of quiet due to pandemic concerns, Iraqi protesters returned to the streets soon after the formation of the new government.
The protests that erupted last year in October resulted in Adil Abdul Mahdi’s resignation and withdrawal of the last two prime ministers. After the approval of Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s government, the new prime minister announced plans to tackle corruption and address the protesters' demands.
Baghdad, Wasit, Dhi Qar, Al-Muthanna, Babel, Al-Qadisiyyah and Karbala provinces have been rocked by protests since last week. There have been several clashes between the protesters and the security forces. On May. 18, four activists were arrested in Diwaniya, the capital of Al-Qadisiyyah. Security forces also attacked protesters at the Ahdab oil field in Wasit province, burning their tents and damaging their vehicles. On May. 19, security forces fired live ammunition at protesters in Diwaniya, killing at leat one and injuring many others.
Protesters still complain about activists and paramedics being abducted. Prominent activist Haidar al-Lami was abducted on May. 18 when he was returning to Tahrir Square in Baghdad. Though those arrested and abducted were released by direct order from the prime minister, the protesters have not only reduced their activities but have stepped up the protests and raised their demands.
As summer approaches, the protests are expanding in the southern provinces over a lack of electricity and clean water. Hundreds of protesters gathered May. 16 in front of the governor's office in Basra, which has suffered salinity problems for last few years.
Iraq's government does not serve the Iraqi people.  The hope of US war mongers originally was the Iraqi people would be stunned -- shocked and awed -- into submission.  Naomi Klein wrote about that in "Baghdad Year Zero" which originally appeared in HARPER'S.





That has long since changed.  They no longer want to shock into submission, they just want to keep the Iraqi government in place until the Iraqi people are too exhausted to argue or fight back.





The US-installed Iraq government is corrupt and it does not serve the Iraqi people.  Karwan Faidhi Dri (RUDAW) reports:                                                                     


When 752 tons of wheat went missing from a state grain silo in Najaf this year, the site manager claimed it had been pilfered by flocks of hungry birds. Anti-graft officials aren’t convinced.

Iraq’s integrity commission, parliament, and provincial officials in Iraq’s holy city of Najaf have launched a probe into the alleged avian antics, which seem a little farfetched.

As the missing grain is said to be worth at least $350,000, investigators believed it was stolen by corrupt officials.

On Thursday, Iraq’s Federal Commission of Integrity (FCOI) said its officials completed an audit of the silo’s stocks between May 4, 2019 and April 1, 2020.

“The Office confirmed that there was a shortage in wheat material that amounted to (752 tons and 498 kg), and that its total value reached (421,120,000 IQD) [$353,744],” the commission said in a statement.

Investigators have submitted their findings to the Najaf Investigation Court and called for legal action against those deemed responsible. 





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