Saturday, May 17, 2008

chris murphy gets it right (again)

how we can treat our service members and veterans the way we do AND sleep at night is beyond me. (the we ONLY refers to king george and his court in this instance. seems like MOST of us honor our troops. others of us send them off to die and be maimed in an UNJUST IMMORAL AND ILLEGAL WAR - then f**k them over IF they happen to return)

Conn. proposes updated G.I. Bill
By WTNH Chief Political Correspondent Mark Davis, on May 16, 2008
Southington (WTNH) _ Connecticut today is calling on President Bush to sign a new version of the G.I. Bill, but he’s threatening to veto the measure.
A big crowd turned out at the Aquaturf in Southington today for the annual Armed Services Day Luncheon. Connecticut’s two freshman members of congress used the day to call on President Bush to sign what’s being called the new G.I. Bill.
“The cost of the war must include the cost of taking care of our troops when they come back to the U.S. and that has to include educational benefits,” said 5th District Rep. Chris Murphy.Last night, Republicans joined with Democrats in the house to pass an updated version of the original G.I. Bill which was signed by President Franklin Roosevelt during World War II.
“This is a great program, I have troops that I supervise in the Air Force that would benefit greatly for this,” MSgt. Mark Czmyr of U.S.A.F. Reserve said............


let's give our veterans everything they deserve.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

i have posted about this (the msm coverage of the war)

many times on ravings of a semi-sane madwoman. i just posted this story on 4,500 lies (accepted by msm and consequently by the american public) yesterday.

here's a little somethin' somethin' i got in my email box yesterday. there is some information specific to connecticut at the end

from justin cole at media matters

As you may have already read, on April 20, The New York Times published an article by investigative reporter David Barstow that detailed the hidden connection between numerous media military analysts and the Pentagon and defense industries. Media Matters followed up with a review of how many times the military analysts named in the Times exposé appeared or were quoted on ABC, ABC News Now, CBS, CBS Radio Network, NBC, CNN, CNN Headline News, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC, and NPR. The results: They appeared or were quoted as experts more than 4,500 times. Today, we started an action campaign urging people to sign a petition: “Viewers have the right to know if the expert analysis they're receiving is little more than Pentagon talking points; the war in Iraq, our national security, and our foreign policy are far too important.” Below is some information related to Connecticut you might find useful if you decide to blog on this story. Any help you can give to spread the word and join us in calling on the networks to be held accountable and report on this story would be much appreciated. If you have any questions at all, please let me know. Thank you, - Justin Justin J. Cole Deputy Director, Online Communications Media Matters for America jcole@mediamatters.org http://www.mediamatters.org/ Media Matters for America is a not-for-profit, progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.

Local Congressional Action: Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), New Haven Wrote letter to Networks that hosted military analysts questioned network policy changes into booking military analysts. (04/20/08) - http://www.house.gov/delauro/press/2008/April/Major_News_Networks_4_24_08.html Wrote letter to Inspector General Kicklighter asking for DoD investigation. (05/02/08) -http://www.house.gov/delauro/press/2008/May/Defense_IG_5_2_08.html Wrote a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin with Rep. Rosa DeLauro questioning if the program violates sponsorship identification in the Communications Act of 1934 and the rules of the FCC. (05/06/08) - http://www.house.gov/delauro/press/2008/May/DeLauro_Dingell_5_6_08.html CT members of Congress who signed DeLauro’s letter to Department of Defense Inspector General Claude M. Kicklighter requesting investigation:o Rep. John Larson (CT-01)o Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02)o Rep. Chris Murphy (CT-05) Useful Links:· NYT Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/washington/20generals.html· MMFA Item: http://mediamatters.org/items/200805130001 · MMFA Petition: http://mediamatters.org/action_center/military_analysts/

Information on the war:234 wounded soldiers from Connecticut, 29 deaths from Connecticut. (http://icasualties.org/)Connecticut’s share of the cost of the Iraq War in FY2007 is $3.4 billion. (http://www.nationalpriorities.org/)Hartford, CT passed anti-war resolution. (http://www.the40yearplan.com/)New Britain, CT passed anti-war resolution. (http://www.citiesforprogress.org/)New Haven, CT passed anti-war resolution. (http://www.citiesforprogress.org/) Press Coverage:Representative DeLauro on Connecticut Public Radio’s Where we Live (5/13/2008)Representative DeLauro on Air America’s The Lionel Show (Tentative 5/ 22/2008)

Sunday, May 11, 2008

o b a m a


(shout out to at largely)

today at 3:00 at the (civic center) xl center

(what a stupid name by the way, the xl center) - a protest against animals in the circus will be going on. specifically ringling brothers circus. their show is packing up, it's their last day in hartford. i personally have NOT been to a circus with animals since i was a teenager. (and that was LONG ago)

the following is an email i received:

Animal Advocates HOLD SPECIAL MOTHER'S DAY PROTEST of Ringling Circus
Appeal asks families to boycott circus

HARTFORD— Activists from around Connecticut will converge in Hartford Sunday afternoon to protest the Ringling Brothers cruelty to animals and urge families to boycott the closing night of the circus.

WHEN: Sunday, May 11, 3 p.m.WHERE: The XL Center (formerly Hartford Civic Center) at Church St. Entrance, Hartford

Protestors will distribute special Mother's Day cards that read "What would you do if your child was taken away from you and you could never see her again?" referring to Ringling's practice of ripping baby elephants away from their mothers so that they can train them to perform.

Elephants naturally form strong family bonds. In the wild, female elephants stay with their families for life and males do not leave the herd until they are in their teens. The entire herd helps to love and nurture the babies.

Ringling is currently being sued in federal court by animal welfare groups for violating the Endangered Species Act with its routine mistreatment of elephants. The plaintiffs include former Ringling employee Tom Rider, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), The Fund for Animals, the Animal Welfare Institute, and the Animal Protection Institute.

This year, Ringling is bringing its Blue Unit to Hartford for the Mother's Day weekend. All of the circus's elephants were torn from their mothers as babies, whether they were wild-born in Asia or from circus breeding facilities in this country. Four of Ringling's baby elephants have died since 1998, and Ringling has been fined by the federal government for injuring babies in the process of separating them from their mothers .

Ringling's elephants crisscross the country on the circus's trains 11 months of the year, logging more than 25,000 miles. They travel in cramped cars without climate control, eating and sleeping in their own excrement;, when not performing, they are chained or in tiny pens. Circus trainers use bullhooks and electric shock to train them, and they perform out of fear that they will be subjected to more pain. The combination of boredom, confinement and extreme stress causes many of the Ringling elephants to develop disease and show signs of neurotic behavior, such as swaying and head-bobbing.

"The natural needs of wild animals cannot be met in traveling shows," said protest organizer Deb Robinson of West Hartford. "Circus elephants lead miserable lives of constant travel and abuse. It is important for people to understand that animals don't belong in circuses and that the price of their ticket funds this cruelty."