Why Care? by Geov Parrish

(Geov sent this to me today after mentioning it on my show . . . he said it will be published Jan. 2nd in some Seattle neighborhood papers and later in Eat the State!)

Why Care?
by Geov Parrish

For a solid year now, people have been asking me who I'd like to see become President in 2009. For most of that time, I've offered the same unsatisfying response: it's far too early, a lot can happen between now and then. But as the fascination with the race among local political types I know has heightened leading up to this week's Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primaries, I have slowly begun to embrace a different response: why do you care?

Not that the question of who will try to clean up (or exacerbate) George W. Bush's, er, messes isn't important: on multiple fronts, it will influence nothing less than the future of humanity. At present, our likely choice will almost certainly be between two of eight less than inspiring people, who break down roughly as follows (based on their past governing records, not their campaign rhetoric): two liberal members of the bipartisan D.C. establishment (Obama, Edwards); one "liberal" who would have been considered a moderate Republican not too long ago (Clinton); four guys who would for all practical purposes be a third term of Bush (Giuliani, Romney, McCain, Thompson); and one charismatic loon (Huckabee). There's a lot of room between those positions, most of it not good, and it matters a lot which of them will, in slightly over a year, become the most powerful person in the world.

It's a pity Washington state residents will have virtually nothing to do with that choice.

In the Evergreen state, the presidential campaigns are close to meaningless. Candidates have used our area primarily as an ATM, and that won't change. Actual visits by candidates will continue to be rare, and any public appearances will be filled in around big stakes fundraising as almost an afterthought, useful almost solely for the resulting free local media coverage.

Of course, we will have a chance to register our opinions in the race. In February. Our state's Democratic and Republican caucuses are on Feb. 9, and the primary vote is on Feb. 19.

Unfortunately, 23 different states and territories, including heavyweights like California, New York, and Illinois (encompassing the country's four largest media markets) will be having their primaries on "Super Tuesday," Feb. 5, four days before our caucuses. And a number of other states (Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada, Michigan, and Florida) will decide before that. The upshot: the party's nominees will likely be decided before we have our say. It's certain that most of those eight frontrunners will be gone.

Even then, the Washington state process is something of a fraud. The Democratic primary vote is completely meaningless; all the party's nominating delegates will have already been chosen at the caucuses, so unless you're willing to sign up for a political party, invest half a day at some church social hall, and get fund appeals for the next two years, your opinion won't matter. The state Republicans, to their credit, at least factor the primary results in with the caucuses in determining their delegates -- not that the race is likely to still be a race by then.

And, of course, come November, Washington state's 11 electoral votes will all go to the Democratic candidate, just as they have for every presidential election since the days of Reagan.

So why does it matter what you, I, or any other local person thinks about the 2008 presidential race? Sure, you could join a campaign and fly to a state where the votes matter. (Most of us won't.) And we can all send in our $25, $50, or $1000 (or whatever) to the candidate of our choice. That'll make a big dent in the over $100 million that Clinton and Obama have already raised, or the likely combined total of over $1 billion that the two major party nominees will raise for 2008. And since when did "one dollar, one vote" become the standard for our democracy?

The end result is that much of the fascination with the 2008 race hereabouts reeks of rooting for one's favorite sports team (albeit with more meaningful stakes). It's fun, it's entertaining, but it's not to be confused with the functions of a healthy democracy. That would require, among other things, a national primary day, abolishing the electoral college, public campaign financing, and allowing more than two competitive parties. Since we don't have any of those things, locally or nationally, I think I'll get some popcorn and watch the race.

December 30, 2007 No Talking Heads

Guests to include Mike from Boistfort Valley Farms, local blogger Emmett O'Connell and Geov Parrish

Local
* Local farms continue to rebuild; Mike from Boisfort Valley Farms to join us on the phone.
* Camp Quixote Moved, The Olympian
* Olyblog.net 2007 Person of the Year - make your nomination!!
* The 8 Applicants for Doug Mah's city council seat, Olyblog.net
* Olympia City Council to meet Wednesday (Jan. 2nd) instead of Tuesday of this coming week.
* Olympian online poll for biggest story of 2007.
* Emmett's Blog, Olympia Time.

National
* Weather Oddities in 2007, AP via Common Dreams
* Drought in Atlanta barely escapes being the worst on record, AP via Seattle PI
* Paul Krugman on the financial crisis, Pacific Views Blog

International
* Assassination of Benazir Bhutto
- al-Qaida behind Bhutto assassination? Are we stoking fear or is this true?

Reasons to Stay Hopeful for the New Year
* The Growth of Local Power Is a Bright Spot in Seven Bleak Years of Bush; American cities, counties and states have offered a crucial counterweight to the White House on the issues that really matter, Common Dreams
* Protesters Could Disrupt Rose Parade, Common Dreams
* Civil Disobedience at Presidential Campaign Offices in Des Moines, Iowa, December 31, January 2 and 3, Common Dreams
* Lakotah Unilateral Withdrawal from All Agreements and Treaties with the United States of America

December 9, 2007 No Talking Heads

Guests to include TJ Johnson and Geov Parrish

Local/Regional
FLOODS!
* 'Freak of nature' may have fueled Lewis County floods, King5 News via Olyblog.net
* Long recovery awaits farmers, Olympian via TJ
* Lewis County family lost dairy cows and their home in flood, King 5 News
- The Washington Farm Bureau has established a Flood Relief Fund for farmers, ranchers and the agricultural community. To make a donation, call 800-331-3276.
* Rain too much for LOTT capacity; overflow washes into Budd Inlet, John Dodge from the Olympian
- I actually heard KAOS break this story early Monday morning on their Breakfast Special - Brett Clubbe was on it!
* Barner seeks delay on project, Olympian via TJ
* Tacoma terminal wants to bring uranium through port, Tacoma Weekly via TJ
- same material has been shipping through Port of Seattle for years with no apparrent accidents.
* Olympia nixes free Wi-Fi idea, Olympian

National
* Budget Makers Plan Tradeoff for War Funds, NY Times via TJ
* $1 Billion In Military Equipment Missing In Iraq, CBS News via Truthout.org via TJ
* Bush Goes Private to Spy on You, CorpWatch via Truthout.org via TJ
- the Bush administration is launching a new government agency that will rely heavily on private security contractors to conduct surveillance in the US.
* Bush Loses Ground With Military Families, Los Angeles Times via Truthout.org via TJ
* California Electoral Vote Plan Won't Make June Ballot, Los Angeles Times via Truthout.org via TJ
* Operation Iraqi Freedom Exposed: Bush Negotiates Permanent Presence in Iraq, by Marjorie Cohn via Common Dreams via TJ
* Embattled State Department Inspector General Resigns, McClatchy via Truthout.org via TJ
* Broad Energy Bill Passed by House, Washignton Post via Truthout.org via TJ
- Car mileage, renewable power addressed.
* US Intelligence Review Directly Contradicts Bush’s Line On Iran, InterPress Service via Common Dreams via TJ
* Leahy Plans Contempt Vote, Brattleboro Reformer (VT) via Common Dreams via TJ
* Food Prices Climbing, With No End in Sight, InterPress Service via Common Dreams via TJ
* CIA Destroyed Video of ‘Waterboarding’ Al-Qaida Detainees, The Guardian/UK via Common Dreams via TJ
* Iraq parliament grinds to halt as MPs make for Mecca, AFP via Yahoo News
* Iraq: The Hidden Human Costs, New York Review of Books

Post Show Notes
* Had a caller recommend the film "Shadow of the Salmon":

The story of a young man from Lakota Nation who comes to the Pacific Northwest to visit his Coastal Salish relatives. During his visit, he experiences many things, and learns much about salmon and the Northwest environment. He witnesses the annual Canoe Journey and helps respond to an oil spill in the river.

* We talked about the Port of Olympia Commission meeting for tomorrow, Monday, December 10th - should be a good one. It's at 5:30pm at 111 Market St NE or rebroadcast later on TCTV.
* The Alliance for Democracy has a website and you should check it out.
* Did development, logging set stage for disaster?, Seattle Times - this is the story Geov mentioned.

Show correction:
During the December 9 No Talking Heads episode, our guest noted the multi-modal transportation corridors planned by the “Security and Prosperity Partnership” (SPP) would be 10 football fields wide. Actually, these transportation corridors would be 4 football fields wide at their widest points. Our guest contacted the show to let us know of the inadvertent misstatement. To learn more about the SPP, visit http://www.sounddemocracy.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=94&Itemid=46 and http://www.canadians.org/DI/index.html .

December 2, 2007 No Talking Heads

Guests to include Aaron Glantz, author of How America Lost Iraq, TJ Johnson and Geov Parrish.

Local/Regional
*
* A slow-moving oil spill; Report: Constant runoff sends toxic flow into Puget Sound, John Dodge from the Olympian via TJ
* Stopping an unstoppable war, Geov Parrish, North Seattle Herald Outlook
* Washington Teachers Under Fire For War Protest Participation, King 5 News via Common Dreams
* Emily's List announces 2008 endorsement of Darcy Burner for the 8th District, NW Progressive Institute Blog
* Daily Astorian wins 2007 Dolly Connelly Award for series on climate change impact on Pacific NW, Washblog
- link to series on Daily Astorian

National
* US War Vets to Speak Publicly About War Crimes, Aaron Glantz via OneWorld.net via TJ
* Graveyard shift to be listed as ‘probable’ cancer cause, AP via the Olympian via TJ
* The Plot to Rig the 2008 US Election, The Independent/UK via TJ
* Probes Find Interference, Bias by Former Interior official, McClatchy Newspapers via TJ
* Civil Libertarians Warn of ‘Patriot Act Lite’, InterPress Service via Common Dreams via TJ
* Here Come the Thought Police, Ralph E. Shaffer and R. William Robinson, The Baltimore Sun via Common Dreams via TJ

International
* Bush-Maliki Agreement Defies US Laws, Iraqi Parliament, Truthout via TJ
* Radioactive Ammunition Fired in Middle East May Claim More Lives Than Hiroshima and Nagasaki, OpEdNews.com via TJ
* Bush ally Howard suffers huge defeat in Australian elections, NW Progressive Institute Blog
* Rudd sets new Australian agenda, BBC News via TJ

November 25, 2007 No Talking Heads

War Comes Home
- new website launched by Aaron Glantz of KPFA in an effort to put a human face on the conflict in Iraq. Only by truly listening to the stories of soldiers who've come home, can we appreciate the realities of war and what we can do to help.

Local
* Recent Olympia City Council (11/20/2007) meeting brings out a number of citizens who "support the troops" (and not the war, so they say) and oppose the actions of Olympia Port Militarization Resistance. I want to encourage Jeff Brigham, Robin Torske, military mother Irene (who seems to have issues with her son re-enlisting in the military), and Shelley Weber to consider whether or not the U.S. government REALLY supports the troops - READ THIS.

* Mount St. Helens National Park? Report by Chester Allen of the Olympian.
* Impeachment: If not now, when?; Lawmakers need to stand up for the Constitution and support impeachment, Seattle PI Guest Editorial by Linda Boyd

National
* The Mystery of Minot: Loose nukes and a cluster of dead airmen raise troubling questions, by Dave Lindorff on This Can't Be Happening blog
* Former Press Secretary Blames Bush, Cheney for Misstatement About Leak; Ex-White House press secretary writes in his new book that top administration officials let him unknowingly pass on false information, AP
* Twenty Thousand Protest at Ft. Benning: Eleven Face Federal Criminal Trials, by Bill Quigley
* Thousands Protest U.S. Army’s “School of Torture, Murder”, Reuters coverage via Common Dreams
* New Method Equalizes Stem Cell Debate, NY Times

International
* Visualize the number of US dead in Iraq, Ed Stephan, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
* New Polish prime minister to loosen ties with US, Guardian Unlimited
* US continues the Iranian drumbeat to war - "U.S. blames Iran-backed group for Baghdad bombing", Reuters via Yahoo!
* Bombed, Banned, and Ridiculed - But Al-Jazeera Goes English and Hits 100 Million Homes, 11/19/2007, The Independent/UK
* People Were Killed by Three Mile Island and Other Nuclear Disasters, essay by Harvey Wasserman
* Rice sets Mid-East peace target, BBC
- what the fuck took them so long to get people to sit down? It was more important for the Bush Administration to invade a sovereign nation and then line up their friends with rich Iraqi contracts than the broker a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine. And this is too little, too late. They seem to be pushing this hard because they want some legacy for Bush before he leaves office - what's more important? Negotiating an honest and effective and long-lasting peace agreement or blasting something flimsy through before Bush leaves office?
* Global warming 'is three times faster than worst predictions', The Independent

November 18, 2007 No Talking Heads

Guests to include: TJ Johnson, Olivia Hart, Geov Parrish

What news sources do we go to most? We'll ask this question today and in future shows . . .
- today I'm checking out the NPR News Blog.

Local
Port Protest Discussion
- local reactions; Vickie Kilgore letter; good comment on Olyblog; port protest on Saturday.
- Suspend Police Chief Gary Michel and Investigate Police Misconduct Now, Olyblog.net
- effectiveness
- why are so many anti-war folks speaking out against the protests?

* Simple majority victory: close but sweet, NW Progressive Institute
* BACKGROUND: Pepper spray should never be used on nonviolent subjects, United for Peace of Pierce County
* Olympia students massing on the Capitol steps for the Student Walkout against the War in Iraq, Olyblog.net

National
* U.N. Science Panel Sees Faster Warming of Earth, NPR
* FCC issues new ownership reg proposal on Tues, one full business day after "digesting" 10 hrs of testimony in Seattle, NY Times
* Army desertion rate up 80 pct. since '03, AP via Yahoo!
* Court deals blow to wiretapping case, AP via Yahoo!
- ACLU Responds to Federal Court Ruling in "State Secrets" Lawsuit About Warrantless, via Common Dreams
* Ruling Blocks Challenge to Wiretapping, NY Times
* After a Death, Use of Taser in Canada Is Debated, NY Times

What are you thankful for? or other Thanksgiving message our guests would like to espouse . . .
- Zombie Walk - Friday, November 23, 2007; join us as we limp and groan our way through the shopping hordes! Contact burningpele@yahoo.com for info on meeting times and makeup/costume help

November 11, 2007 No Talking Heads

Guests to hopefully include: TJ Johnson and Geov Parrish

Local (when it rains, it pours . . .)
* YouTube video documenting police violence on non-violent citizens blocking port, Tacoma SDS
* Community Forum on Police Response to Port Demonstrations, OlyBlog.net
* Photo Series: Port Protesters Stop Trucks From Leaving Port
- photo at right by Rob Whitlock
* Election Results!
* High court halts WA morning-after pill rules, AP via Olympian
* Olympia store won't have to sell Plan B contraceptive, judge rules, Olympian
* Judge blocks war objector Watada’s second court-martial, AP via Olympian
* Arrests down at the port, Olyblog.net
* Port Militarization Resistance in Olympia, Olyblog.net
- great speech by Phan Nguyen (of KAOS' Bundle of Joy)

"Now about people who criticize our tactics. I think there are 2 types of people who criticize our tactics. There's those who support the war and occupation and then try to tell us how to wage our struggle. The fact that they are already opposed to the struggle means they have no authority to tell us how to oppose them. Now the other people are the people who ostensibly agree with us but they poo-poo our actions. Now again I personally have never stopped a war before, so if someone has a better idea, don't just tell us what to do, show us how it's done because we need you." Phan Nguyen

* State Supreme Court rules I-747 unconstitutional, Olympian

"A sharply divided state Supreme Court has struck down a six-year-old citizen initiative that capped yearly increases in property taxes to 1 percent."

National
* White House continues build-up to war with Iran
- U.S. military says finding more Iranian arms in Iraq, Yahoo Reuters
- Iraqi Fighters ‘Grilled for Evidence on Iran’; Interrogator says US military seeks evidence incriminating Tehran, The Guardian/UK
* Senators Webb and Hagel propose a post-Iraq G.I. Bill, NY Times
* Half of Americans Strongly Disapprove of Bush Performance, Gallup

". . .this “strongly disapprove” number is among the highest Gallup has measured for presidents, going back to Lyndon Johnson. . . .the latest USA Today/Gallup poll, conducted Nov. 2-4, shows that Bush’s overall job approval rating is at 31%, with a 64% disapproval rating."

* Mukasey Confirmed as Attorney General, Washington Post

"The 53 to 40 vote to confirm President Bush's choice to replace Alberto Gonzales was the closest vote in more than 50 years for someone confirmed to be the nation's top law enforcement officer."

Dennis Kucinich attempts to impeach Cheney
* Move to Impeach Not Another Distraction, Brattleboro Reformer (VT)
* House Tied In Knots Over Resolution To Impeach Cheney, USA Today via TJ
* UPDATE: Hoyer: 'Impeachment ... Not on Our Agenda', Washington Post Capitol Briefing

* Bush Turns Civil Rights Commission Into ‘Conservative Rights’ Commission, Boston Globe via TJ
* Study: 1 Out of 4 Homeless Are Veterans, AP via Washington Post via TJ
- "Thanks for serving our country! Now FUCK OFF!"

International
* Egypt seeks to spearhead 'Arab nuclear family'; Egypt, Jordan could justify switch to nuclear energy, while choice is more difficult for oil-rich GCC, Middle East Online via TJ

"Cairo's announcement that it would seek nuclear capabilities to ensure its future energy security while ruling out any military ambitions, received the immediate backing of Iran's arch-foe Washington."

* Global Warming Is Biggest Security Threat, Inter Press Service via TJ

November 4, 2007 No Talking Heads

Guest to include: Olivia Hart, TJ Johnson

(Don't forget to vote! Ballots must be in by Tuesday, November 6th!)

National
* Rep. Jones (R-NC) introduces bill to limit president's war powers, Sun Journal
* ABA: Freeze executions nationwide, CNN
* Tenn. Town Has Run Out of Water, AP
* The Dems' Mukasey Moment, Nov. 1, 2007, David Corn from Mother Jones

During his confirmation hearings, AG nominee Michael Mukasey came across as Alberto Gonzales-lite. When he comes up for a vote next week, will the Dems unite to block his nomination or will the party blow an opportunity?

* U.S. Official Is Faulted for Nuclear Weapons Claim; Experts Call 'Hair Trigger' Denial Misleading, Say Much of Arsenal Is Capable of Launch in Minutes, Washington Post via TJ
- will it take another incident, i.e, Bay of Pigs, that takes us the the brink of nuclear war to get people to work towards pressuring nations to de-commission their nuclear arsenal - or worse yet - will it take the use of a nuclear weapon?
- that our nuclear weapons are on hair-trigger alert and could be launched within minutes is a little hard to swallow considering how much time it took for operations to get underway to defend critical U.S. targets the morning of 9/11.

International
* Musharraf Imposes Emergency Rule; Suspends Pakistani Constitution, BBC via Common Dreams
* US Resisting Ban on Cluster Bombs, Inter Press Service via Common Dreams via TJ
* Rumsfeld Charged with Torture in French Court, One World via TJ via Common Dreams
* Indian ‘Slave’ Children Found Making Low-Cost Clothes Destined For Gap, The Guardian/UK via Common Dreams via TJ
- Merry Christmas!
* Ecuador wants military base in Miami, Reuters/UK
- TJ mentioned this one on last weeks show.
- Visit Josh Rushing's videos on youtube.com for a great series of investigatory pieces on the U.S. base in Ecuador - the videos are called "Shadow War"

October 28, 2007 No Talking Heads

Guests scheduled: TJ Johnson

Local

* Olympia School District Strategic Plan Committee - we talked about this during this show.

Ballot Review!
* Progressive Guide to Statewide Ballot Measures
* Olympian Endorsements, Olympian
* Seattle PI Endorsements, Seattle PI
* Tacoma News Tribune Endorsements, The News Tribune

Olympia Mayor Race
* Meta Hogan and Doug Mah Audio Chat, Olyblog.net
- nice effort but the audio of this piece SUCKS!

SHJR 4215 - Allow wider use of higher education funds in stock market.
* Legislature seeks stock option, Olympian

ESSJR 8206 - Constitutional Amendment for a 1% Rainy Day Fund.
* Washington Research Council Paper on ESSJR 8206

National
* Body Armor Execs Indicted For Fraud; CEO and COO of Supplier To Troops Allegedly Manipulated Records to Inflate Stock, Pocket $200M, CBS News
* White House ‘Eviscerated’ CDC Testimony Regarding Climate Change and Health, Associated Press
* Minot AFB Clandestine Nukes 'Oddities', Citizens for Legitimate Government

Aha! Linda called in about this story on our last show - I finally was able to uncover some of the details above. I haven't read each of the links to all the news stories but if some resourceful reader can take the time to do it and let me know what they discover, please post comments on this blog post!

California Fire Stories:
What does "California burning" have to do with climate change?
Is this another seminal event that is tipping us toward a mass consciousness of global climate change and not just consciousness but something that might push people to really start doing something?

* AFSC Activates Emergency Response for California Wild Fires; Crisis Funds Sought to Help Threatened Families, Especially Immigrant Workers, Common Dreams
* Another Way The Rich Are Different: ‘Concierge-Level’ Fire Protection, LA Times via Common Dreams

International
* Earth Is Reaching The Point of No Return, Says Major UN Environment Report, Times Online/UK via Common Dreams
* U.S. Discourages Turkey From Cross-Border Attack, Washington Post

How can the U.S. insist another country refrain from military action? They hold NO moral authority to do this! Do they seriously believe their efforts will be effective? Maybe we should have considered this when we decided to invade a sovereign nation, Iraq, back in 2003.

* Iraqi leaders may ask U.N. to restrict U.S. military, LA Times
* Uzbek journalist shot dead in Kyrgyzstan, Reuters

Iran
* New Steps by U.S. Against Iranians, NY Times - October 25, 2007
* The Secret History of the Impending War With Iran That the White House Doesn't Want You to Know, Esquire
* U.S. Plays Its ‘Unilateral’ Card on Iran Sanctions, NY Times - October 26, 2007
* The Iran Plans: Would President Bush go to war to stop Tehran from getting the bomb?, Seymour Hersh, New Yorker, April 17, 2006
* The Next Act: Is a damaged Administration less likely to attack Iran, or more?, Seymour Hersh, New Yorker, November 27, 2006
* The Redirection; Is the Administration’s new policy benefitting our enemies in the war on terrorism?, Seymour Hersh, New Yorker, March 5, 2007
* Shifting Targets; The Administration’s plan for Iran, Seymour Hersh, New Yorker, October 5, 2007

October 21, 2007 No Talking Heads

Guests on the show will be Olivia Hart and Geov Parrish

National
* An Assault on Media Diversity and Democracy, The Nation
     * Senators Seek to Delay FCC Vote; Chairman Wants to Change TV Ownership Rules by Year-End, AP via Washington Post
* 70 punished in accidental B-52 flight, AP via Olympian
* US demands air passengers ask its permission to fly, The Register, UK
* Retirement season hits GOP hard, LA Times

"So far in the GOP, five senators and 12 House members have announced they will retire. Among Democrats, no one in the Senate is retiring, and two have said they will leave the House -- to run for the Senate . . . Of the 12 seats opening, eight are ranked as potentially competitive by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report -- including five it identifies as tossups."

I personally think Republicans will go into private industry where they can make a killing on government contracts related to the war in Iraq.

* House Sustains President’s Veto on Child Health, NY Times

“It was an ambiguous victory,” said John J. Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College in California, “because Democrats may have lost on the legislation, but they won themselves a campaign issue.”

* Veteran stress cases up sharply; mental illness is now No. 2 injury, USA Today

"Mental health is the second-largest area of illness for which Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seek treatment at VA hospitals and clinics. It follows orthopedic problems and is increasing at a faster rate, the VA says . . . PTSD cases often surface long after troops leave combat. A VA study in 1988, 13 years after the last U.S. troops left Vietnam, showed that 31% of the 3.1 million male Vietnam veterans had PTSD at some point after their service."

* Senate and Bush Agree On Terms of Spying Bill; some Telecom Companies Would Receive Immunity, Washington Post

"The collapse marked the first time since Democrats took control of the chamber that a major bill was withdrawn from consideration before a scheduled vote. It was a victory for President Bush, whose aides lobbied heavily against the Democrats' bill, and an embarrassment for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who had pushed for the measure's passage. It will include full immunity for those companies that can demonstrate to a court that they acted pursuant to a legal directive in helping the government with surveillance in the United States. Such a demonstration, which the bill says could be made in secret, would wipe out a series of pending lawsuits alleging violations of privacy rights by telecommunications companies that provided telephone records, summaries of e-mail traffic and other information to the government after Sept. 11, 2001, without receiving court warrants. Bush had repeatedly threatened to veto any legislation that lacked this provision."

* Plan Would Ease Limits on Media Owners, NY Times

"But in recent days, Mr. Martin has proposed to expedite the rule-making and hold a final vote in December. In part, he has told commission officials, he was reacting to criticism by Mr. Copps about temporary waivers that have allowed companies to own newspapers and stations in the same market."

October 14, 2007 No Talking Heads

This show will be your last chance to pledge to KAOS during No Talking Heads! If you've enjoyed the show and would like to support community radio, please consider pledging during the show or online.

This week's show will feature a recording of Josh Rushing, captured Wednesday, September 26th at South Puget Sound Community College, right here in Olympia. Not only is Josh's story simply unbelievable, he's able to make the strong case for independent media - and the point is made that much stronger since he's a "Texas boy" who went into the military. Please listen this week.
- "Control Room" film Wiki entry.
- Mission Al Jazeera: Build a Bridge, Seek the Truth, Change the World by Josh Rushing

Also, here are some stories we're following:

* BHR workers state their case, Olympian
* Democrats Seem Ready to Extend Wiretap Powers, NY Times
* Iraqi Shooting Victim, Relatives Sue Blackwater, Washington Post

"Although a civil case such as this could take years to see a courtroom, it is the first attempt by family members of those killed in the attack to seek damages inside the United States. It mirrors a similar effort, underway since 2004, to sue contractors allegedly involved in abuse and torture at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, a case that could go forward in coming months. Judge Reggie B. Walton was assigned today to hear the Blackwater case."

* US Income Gap Widens, Richest Share Hits Record, Reuters

October 7, 2007 No Talking Heads

Guests will be TJ Johnson and Geov Parrish

From TJ:
* Report Says Firm Sought to Cover Up Iraq Shootings, NY Times
* Top Democrats propose war surtax, CNN
* Bush proclaims Child Health Day, vetoes Children's Health Insurance Program, Miami Herald
* Federal judge delays Watada trial; Lawyers call a 2nd court-martial double jeopardy, Seattle PI
* Van Schoorl target of complaint; conflict of interest by port candidate alleged, Olympian
* New-home development fee in Tumwater could become area's highest, Olympian
* $592 million U.S. embassy plagued with problems, McClatchy via Olympian

Local
* State court backs speech — true or not, Olympian via TJ
* Wildlife refuge cuts kids programs; Nisqually among those listed in 'at risk' report, Olympian via TJ

National
* U.S. Issues New Rules for Iraq Security Firms, NY Times
* techPresident - a new group blog that covers how the 2008 presidential candidates are using the web, and vice versa, how content generated by voters is affecting the campaign. Charts how many friends/contacts each candidate has in Facebook and Myspace and how they're trending. Thanks to Adam Wilson at the Olympian.
* Obama to propose abolishment of nuclear weapons, NY Times
* Bush Vetoes Child Health Bill Privately, NY Times

September 30, 2007 No Talking Heads

Guests will be TJ Johnson and Geov Parrish

From Geov:
* Waxman: State Department blocking congressional probe, McClatchy
- State Dept (Rice) blocking probes into Iraqi corruption, Blackwater

From TJ:
* Say farewell to this home for history at St. Helens, Olympian

Local

* 40-Day Vigil Begins by Pro-Life Organizations Targetting Planned Parenthood
- clinic defense discussions occurring on Olyblog here and here.
* Lakefair offers plans to save itself - to ask nuclear-powered subs to visit Olympia, again, Olyblog.net
- "USS Olympia proposed to boost Lakefair '08", Olympian
* New jail moves closer to reality; deadline passes for filing environmental challenges against ARC, Olympian

National

* Calls for student editor to resign after 'F**k Bush' column, CNN website
- here's the online version of the editorial from Rocky Mountain Collegian website.
* Nuclear power surge coming; in the next 15 months, US regulators expect applications for up to 28 new plants, CS Monitor
* Where's My Free Wi-Fi? Why municipal wireless networks have been such a flop, Slate
- conclusion points to private firms failing to come through on projects, such as Earthlink.
* U.S. accused of failing ill 1991 Gulf War veterans, Reuters
- 16 years after the war, 175,000 U.S. veterans -- one in four of those who served -- remain seriously ill, with the sickest among them developing neurodegenerative diseases and brain cancer.
* How radio's new ratings system works, Seattle PI

September 23, 2007 No Talking Heads

Guests will be TJ Johnson and Geov Parrish

Local
* Brian Baird town hall meetings around area. Report from Olympia.
* Pentagon: Dropping Yee's porn, adultery reprimand was a mistake, AP via Olympian
* Olympia council may buy restaurant for future park; Owners have multiple offers for property, Olympian
- Traditions might have to move??

National
* NY Times on Health Care Plans Proposed by 2008 Presidential candidates, NY Times
* $500,000: Amount the war in Iraq costs per minute, according to a new analysis by Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz and Harvard’s Linda Bilmes, put out by the American Friends Service Committee. The study finds that this $720 million a day could buy homes for 6,500 families or health care for 423,529 children. Washington Post
* War means a windfall for CEOs, MSN.COM, thanks to Bruce Gagnon for sending me the story.
* Jena Six - The Jena Six are a group of black students who are being charged with attempted murder for beating up a white student who was taunting them with racial slurs, and continued to support other white students who hung three nooses from the high schools "white tree" which sits in the front yard.
- coverage from Democracy Now!
* Debate No-Shows Worry GOP Leaders, saw this first on Huffington Post.
* UF student tasered and arrested at John Kerry talk trying to ask a question
- funny part about this is that I was arrested at the same auditorium back in 1998 when General Norman Schwarzkopf was being given an honorary doctorate degree and Vets for Peace was protesting his treatment of Gulf War vets who were claiming they were sick with Gulf War Syndrome.

International
* Iran: Retaliation for any Israeli attack, AP via Yahoo

September 16, 2007 No Talking Heads

Guests will be TJ Johnson and Geov Parrish

Local
* Olympia to buy Safeway tract, Olympian
* Friday Olympian Editorial - "Capitol Lake study needs timely finish" - what do you think? Is the study taking too long?
* Donations questioned on both sides of council race, Olympian
- covers local donations to Olympia City Council candidates Strub and Thomas and what they mean.
- check out the contributions to candidates yourself at the WA State Public Disclosure Commission website.
* From TJ - Tumwater backs ProLogis warehouses, Olympian. City dismisses appeal by neighborhood group that will allow a large warehouse to be built before city passes an ordinance limiting warehouse sizes;

". . . the Salmon Creek Basin appeal alleged that the city's environmental ruling overlooked key potential effects. Those included, for example, the likelihood that the ProLogis project would pollute the Bush municipal wellhead."

* Olympian not happy about climate change event costs.

Post-Show Notes
* City of Olympia Public Works Senior Program Specialist Vince McGowan on Climate Change - we referenced this map in our show today, talking about what a 1.9 foot rise in sea-level would mean for downtown Olympia.
* Homeland Security Enlists Clergy to Quell Public Unrest if Martial Law Ever Declared - "Clergy Response Team" helped quell resistance after Katrina, KSLA TV

September 9, 2007 No Talking Heads

(guests will be TJ Johnson and Geov Parrish)

Local
* Pharmacy board ends initial Ralph's probe, Olympian
* Olympia council may vote Tuesday on whether to buy former Safeway site, Olympian
- why didn't the city act sooner to buy the site earlier?
- why should taxpayers fund the profit of current owner John Drebick? He stands to make $850,000.
* I-960, which would require a vote of two-thirds of the state Legislature to approve tax increases, moves ahead; SEIU and environmental group, Futurewise, had sued to keep it off the ballott in November; Olympian
* Baird constituents rally outside his office opposing his hew stance on Iraq; launch Brian Baird Watch website

National
U.S. Bomber Mistakenly Flies With Nuclear Weapons, Nuclear Threat Initiative (nti.org)
Judge Invalidates Patriot Act Provisions, Washington Post

Global
Loss of Arctic ice leaves experts stunned, Guardin UK

September 2, 2007 No Talking Heads

We're thinking this will be a check-in on the new issue of Works in Progress. Until I get guests confirmed, I'll be posting stories I'm watching.

Updated (9/1/2007): I'll be joined by Wally Cuddleford who wrote the cover story on police brutality. Wally is also the co-coordinator for WIP.

Local
Blogger Responds to Baird Letter Backing Bush Surge in Iraq, Effin' Unsound
Crowd pounds Baird's Iraq stance: Town hall - A hostile audience tells the Washington Democrat, "You're not representing us", Oregonian
- Angry anti-war constituents greet Baird at town hall meeting, AP Coverage via Seattle PI
- Baird Faces Angry Citizens, NW Progressive Institute Blog
- Report from Vancouver, Washington: Rep. Baird Gets Blasted, coverage from Stranger blog (SLOG); mostly interesting for the reader comments at the end of story.
- a few accounts here and here from OlyBlogger Emmettoconnell on Washblog.

National
Gonzalez Resigns, Finally, NY Times
Washington Post Coverage
Iraq Weapons Are a Focus of Criminal Investigations, NY Times
- I would think keeping more weapons out of Iraq would be a good thing. But since weapon selling is our biggest export, we can't help ourselves. At least they're killing themselves over there and not on the "homeland."

International

August 26, 2007 No Talking Heads

Local
New Bread and Roses Blog, OlyBlog
Bush order limits health plan, Olympian

National
Feds Pay $80,000 Over Anti-Bush T-Shirts, ABC News via Boing Boing
Army could be too stretched for extended buildup, AP via Olympian
Disney asks UW to remove study info from UW-website which quetioned the effect of DVDs on infants, Puget Sound Business Journal
White House Declares Office Off-Limits; Administrator of Missing E-Mails Not Subject to Open-Records Law, It Says, Washington Post

The claim, made in a motion filed Tuesday by the Justice Department, is at odds with a depiction of the office on the White House's own Web site. As of yesterday, the site listed the Office of Administration as one of six presidential entities subject to the open-records law, which is commonly known by its abbreviation, FOIA.

Warner Calls for Pullouts By Winter; GOP Senator Suggests Move Would Prod Iraq, Washington Post

". . .a new National Intelligence Estimate provided a mixed assessment on Iraq seven months after Bush ordered more U.S. troops to the country. The report, produced by the CIA and 15 other intelligence agencies, determined that "there have been measurable but uneven improvements in Iraq's security." But it predicted that the Iraqi government "will become more precarious" in the next six to 12 months, with little hope of reaching accommodation among political factions."

"The Last Month of Summer" by Sarah Bear (21:16)
- Sarah presides over the Flower Child Day School in Olympia, WA. This is her story about the end of summer.

8/19/2007 No Talking Heads

Local
Baird sees need for longer U.S. role in Iraq, The Olympian
Biodiesel plant stirs hopes in Grays Harbor, Seattle Times
Plans for cargo center collide with concerns about prairie; Maytown residents have misgivings about land’s future amid proposed freight facility, the Olympian

"They're pollution magnets," said Diane Sonntag, leader of the Friends of Rocky Prairie, a 500-member group formed to oppose the logistics center. "You have thousands of trucks coming in. When they come in, they sit there and idle. This area will be transformed into a huge air pollution problem."

Did the Ports of Olympia and Tacoma obtain this site without doing environmental impacts, hoping that they could PR/market their way out of the environmental impacts?
Olympian videos of discussion of issue; Friends of Rocky Prairie outline an alternative to proposed site - TransAlta site in Centralia.
LOTT ready to buy 1.9 acres for expansion, Olympian

National
U.S. to Expand Domestic Use Of Spy Satellites, Wall Street Journal via TJ
Padilla, 2 co-defendants convicted of helping Islamic extremists, plotting overseas attacks, Associated Press

International,
U.S. Signs $30 Billion Defense Aid Pact with Israel, NY Times

"Israel and the United States signed a deal on Thursday to give Israel $30 billion in military aid over the next decade in what officials called a long-term investment in peace."

8/12/2007 No Talking Heads

I've pre-produced my show this week. I recorded a great story about the end of summer written by Zoe's pre-school teacher, Sara Bear. That will air at the end of the month, hopefully.

This week's show:
1). Interview with Vince Brown, local poverty activist and musician (Red Brown & the Tune Stranglers) about redevelopment of downtown Vancouver, WA. After reading a series of articles on the Olympian about downtown redevelopment of 3 regional cities, Bremerton, Bellingham and Vancouver, WA, I wanted to get someone's perspective on how these redevelopment efforts affected the poor and homeless. The Olympian articles didn't talk about this angle at all.

2). Interview with Norman Solomon about the new film, War Made Easy. This was conducted by Dennis Bernstein of KPFA's Flashpoints which you can hear weekdays at 5pm on 94.1FM in the Bay Area or streaming here.

8/5/2007 No Talking Heads

(guests will be Janet Blanding, TJ Johnson, Harry Levine)
We'll be reviewing the new issue of Works in Progress

Local
Former Safeway site considered for Olympia City Hall, Olympian
- is the Olympia Food Coop out of the running? - we'll have Harry Levine from the food coop on to talk about it.

National
42.8% Efficiency: A New Record for Solar Cells, Treehugger Blog

International

7/29/2007 No Talking Heads

(guests will be TJ Johnson, Marco Rossaire Rossi, Geov Parrish)
(next week (8/5/2007), we'll be reviewing the new issue of Works in Progress)

Local

Ripple effect of warming could hit Sound hard, John Dodge, Olympian
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No Mass Memorials at Fort Lewis Base, AP via Forbes (I found this on the headlines of iGoogle!)
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Stormans ponders legal action over Plan B rule, Olympian

Pharmacists sue over WA emergency contraception rules, Seattle PI

"The plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed Wednesday are pharmacists Rhonda Mesler and Margo Thelen, and Stormans Inc., the owners of Ralph's Thriftway in Olympia . . ."

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Olympia not ready to end free parking, Olympian
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"Tell me where she is and we won't kill you . . ."
- threat of death penalty makes killers confess or provide more info, according to this Olympian story.
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Do you all read Adam Wilson's blog on the Olympian website?
- he posted on Friday about what the Republican's may need to do to win back some power.

National

The Impeachment Imbroglio: Sheehan, Conyers, Pelosi, and Feingold, by Ruth Conniff in the Progressive
- nicely states why working on impeachment of Bush, Cheney is NOT a waste of time.
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F.B.I. Chief Gives Account at Odds With Gonzales’s, NY Times
- in a separate development, Senate Dem's call for independent counsel to investigate possible perjury by Attorney General.
- every time something comes out that seems like it will make the house fall down, it doesn't. Is this it? Probably not - but it's still pretty bad for Gonzalez.
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International

U.S. to Announce Nuclear Exception for India, NY Times
- Do as we say, not as we do.

"Under the arrangement that is to be announced by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Mr. Bush has agreed to go beyond the terms of the deal that Congress approved, promising to help India build a nuclear fuel repository and find alternative sources of nuclear fuel in the event of an American cutoff, skirting some of the provisions of the law."

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7/22/2007 No Talking Heads

(guests will be TJ Johnson, Marco Rossaire Rossi, Geov Parrish)
Local

Lakefair warships decline visit
- this has already been reported fairly widely.
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Olympia and Tumwater approve homeless camps hosted by churches, with rules.
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Judge dismisses charges against 5 from Olympia, Olympian.
- coverage from Washblog.

"The defendants whose cases were dismissed were Charles B. Bevis, Leah E. Coakley, Dennis H. Dutton (Tenzing Karma Wangchuk), Patrick A. Edelbacher, Somerset D. Fetter, Elizabeth (Liz) Rivera Goldstein, William (Wes) W. Hamilton, Thomas McCarthy, Phan Nguyen, Gloria (Sasha Crow) J. Norton, Matthew W. Reiss III, Jody L. Tiller, and Karen Weill." (Olympians in BOLD)

"Tacoma Municipal Court Judge Pro Tem Karl D. Haugh's ruling dropped to ten the number of still unresolved cases stemming from March 2007 port militarization resistance (PMR) protests during which police made a total of thirty-seven arrests."

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436 new state laws in effect today, the Olympian
- new domestic-partner registry in effect, available Monday, 7/23/2007
- "an added $10 fee to traffic citations begins today, which will be used to fund anti-car-theft programs statewide."
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Sunday articles on downtown Bremerton and downtown Olympia by Matt Batcheldor
- Lessons for Downtown
- Bremerton transforms empty lots to condos, conference center and more
- Leadership key to seeing urban cores come to life


National
Wildfire warning raised to top level, Seattle Times
- Mark Rey, former timber lobbyist, now leading the U.S. Forest Service and the administration's decisions about where and how to cut forests, under fire for their logging policies, Washington Post
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Executive Order: Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq, White House Website
- Guardian UK interprets Executive Order as new financial tool in "terrorism fight".
- or you could interpret it as applying to dissent at home, like this WTF?! post did or like this Russian news agency post which purports that Bush is planning a new 9-11 type attack on the U.S.:

". . . the Bush administration is preparing to orchestrate a staged terrorist attack in the United States, transform the country into a dictatorship and launch a war with Iran within a year."

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President Cheney: Bush to Have Colonoscopy at Camp David, Huffington Post
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White House SmackDown!: Judges Seek All Gitmo Detainee Evidence, Huffington Post

7/15/2007 No Talking Heads

(guests will be TJ Johnson, Geov Parrish)

Local

Update on Lakefair warships visit
- according to Lakefair, there is an offer from other jurisdictions, including Thurston County Sheriff's Office, to provide security (since Olympia won't provide it), but they need permission from the City of Olympia to cross their jurisdictional lines. Thurston County police cannot just come into the port, apparently, and provide security without approval of the City of Olympia.
- I invited Teri Chmielewski, current Lakefair President, on the show to talk about it.
- "Security issues may prevent ships' visit", the Olympian.
- Discussing on Olyblog.
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Camp Quixote moves to St. John's Episcopal Church in South Capitol Neighborhood
- map of location.
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City of Olympia and City of Tumwater to vote on ordinance concerning Camp Quixote.

National

WA Post Publishes Four Part Series on Dick Cheney (carried over from last week)

• Part One: Working in the Background
• Part Two: Wars and Interrogations
• Part Three: Dominating Budget Decisions
• Part Four: Environmental Policy

7/8/2007 No Talking Heads

(guests will be Phan Nguyen, Larry Mosqueda, Geov Parrish)

Larry Mosqeuda will speak to the visits of warships to Olympia during 2007 Lakefair later this month. Here's an article in the Olympian about it.
Phan Nguyen (host of "Bundle of Joy", 4-6pm, KAOS) will speak to his article in the latest Works in Progress about the victory of the Olympia 22 against the Port of Olympia. Phan will also speak to an article about the consequences of the militarization of the Port of Olympia and to his experience being subpoenaed for the next court marshal for Lt. Ehren Watada.

Local

Extremely Sensible Olympian Editorials (Mike Oakland must be on vacation)!
- "Bring Home US Troops" from July 4th, 2007
- "Justice was not served" from July 5th, 2007

National

WA Post Publishes Four Part Series on Dick Cheney

• Part One: Working in the Background
• Part Two: Wars and Interrogations
• Part Three: Dominating Budget Decisions
• Part Four: Environmental Policy

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Federal Court Dismisses Domestic Spying Lawsuit, AP coverage.
- 2 to 1 ruling sees judges rule that party that brought suit couldn't prove they were targeted by spying - even though finding out who was spied on is top-secret and they can't tell anyone; can you say "circular reasoning"?
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President Bush commutes Scooter Libby's sentence
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Commutation of Libby jail time presents some who will claim same argument.
- Bush Rationale on Libby Stirs Legal Debate, 7/4/2007, NY Times
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International

War Costs Soar by a Third; Total Could Top $1.4 Trillion, Wired Blogs

". . . average monthly obligations for contracts and pay is running about $12 billion per month, well above the $8.7 billion in FY2006 . . ."

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Private contractors outnumber U.S. troops in Iraq, LA Times, 7/4/2007
- by 20,000, 180K to 160K.
- largest contractor is a Turkish firm, Kulak Construction Co., used to hire labor.
- largest employer of Americans is KBR with 14,000 American workers.
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7/1/2007 No Talking Heads

I've pre-recorded a show for this Sunday. Two pieces I wanted to draw your attention to that will be included:

1). "Diginity Village" by DIY, Portland. This is a piece by Julie Sabatier; she spent a few weeks with the nation's only city-blessed homeless encampment and spoke with residents. This should be good information for those in Olympia wanting to know how to create this space here for Camp Quixote.

2). "Talent" by Jaala Spiro - I first read this piece in a parenting zine I picked up at Last Word Books in downtown Olympia. I liked it so much, I contacted the author and she agreed to make a recording of her reading the piece, so you could hear it in her own voice. Hope you like it! Jaala lives in Madison, WI.

I'd love to hear what you think about show, so please leave a comment.

6/24/2007 No Talking Heads Topics

(guests will be Marco Rosaire Rossi, Geov Parrish)

Local

Workshop leans toward preserving Capitol Lake, The Olympian
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63-20 City Hall Financing Debacle
- OlyBlog post #2
- OlyBlog post #1
- Olympian Coverage from Tuesday, June 19, 2007
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Council rejects plan for 5-story office building, The Olympian
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New Olympia Food Blog: OlyFoodie
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Free Radio Olympia back on the air - 98.5FM, according to OlyBlog

National

Federal Court Rules in Favor of 'Enemy Combatant', 6/11/2007, Washington Post

"The President cannot eliminate constitutional protections with the stroke of a pen by proclaiming a civilian, even a criminal civilian, an enemy combatant subject to indefinite military detention," the panel found. "Put simply, the Constitution does not allow the President to order the military to seize civilians residing within the United States and detain them indefinitely without criminal process, and this is so even if he calls them 'enemy combatants.' "

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C.I.A. to Release Documents on Decades-Old Misdeeds, NY Times
CIA to Air Decades of Its Dirty Laundry, Washington Post

"CIA monitoring and infiltration of antiwar dissident groups took place between 1967 and 1971 at a time when the public was turning against the Vietnam War. Agency officials "covertly monitored" groups in the Washington area "who were considered to pose a threat to CIA installations." Some of the information "might have been distributed to the FBI," the summary said. Other "skeletons" listed in the summary included CIA-funded testing of American citizens, "including reactions to certain drugs."

Original Documents at National Security Archive Website

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Bush Advisers Weigh Closing Guantánamo Prison Sooner, NY Times
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Agency Is Target in Cheney Fight on Secrecy Data, NY Times

International

6/17/2007 No Talking Heads Topics

(guests will be TJ Johnson, Marco Rosaire Rossi, Geov Parrish)

Local

Charges Against Olympia Port Protesters Dismissed, Olyblog.net
Port defendants prevail, the Olympian
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Olympia, port back action on Budd Inlet, the Olympian
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Benroya Co. expresses interest in buying Tumwater Brewery
- Olympian coverage
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National

Federal Court Rules in Favor of 'Enemy Combatant', 6/11/2007, Washington Post

"The President cannot eliminate constitutional protections with the stroke of a pen by proclaiming a civilian, even a criminal civilian, an enemy combatant subject to indefinite military detention," the panel found. "Put simply, the Constitution does not allow the President to order the military to seize civilians residing within the United States and detain them indefinitely without criminal process, and this is so even if he calls them 'enemy combatants.' "