Many forget, or perhaps are not aware, that George H.W. Bush, was once the director of the CIA.  In case anyone wishes to ignore ‘concidence’ and potential relevance, I remind all that —-George H.W. Bush is the FATHER of George W. Bush.    Surely some remember that two very involved architects of the war in Iraq, Cheney and Rummy, worked for Bush Sr. , when he was in office, long before they were part of the staff of W…….so there is a possibility…and I use the word possibility on purpose, that there was conversation, ‘between old work buddies’, who are accustomed to keeping secrets…..to do just that! 

Everyone who pays attention—knows the Father of George H.W. Bush, was sometimes found on the wrong side of ethics and transparency……it is in historical documents that cannot be disputed….no emotional attachments to ‘"I want it to be remembered THIS way"’ personal opinion,  will ever over-ride what years of research have uncoverd as the real truth…..

So….we have the CIA, a clandestine-driven organization to begin with, TWO bushes in the White House with a close relationship to the CIA, A Pre-emptive war into Iraq, the "plan" known as The Project for the New American Century, authored, and plan completed by the Bush cabinet,  BEFORE W. even threw his hat into the ring to run for President and pick a cabinet….And we in America, UNfortunately, have a history full of examples of "The Power assumed—-and ethics thrown out by those in Power"…..

Most people will have a tendeny to believe the WSJ article I read last night, that came out with story we are discussing….why?  the oldest folks will tell you about Edison and GE vs. Tesla, the stories of Hitler never go away,  we have been reminded of the 1921 crash all over——reflecting on the similarities of then Carpet-baggers to today’s Wall Street corrupters, the Bernie Madoff’s , the loss of homes and jobs…….people look at ‘who was in charge’, and they can see how the ‘powerful’ manipulated——because they can——and did—-and thought they could get away it.  It is all about ‘secrets’, isn’t it?  

For those whose intent will blaspheme this post becasue I mention the Bush family—-I remind you that in 2001, it was George W. bush who was the President……there is NO one else, who can be ‘blamed’ should this turn out to be more catastrophic than so far, has been uncovered………

There is a theory, out there, and we have already discussed it—that Condoleeza Rice was informed of the events leading up to 9-11, and that Bush ‘knew’, and Cheney ‘knew’ and some even say that it was ‘allowed’ to happen………there are so many ‘common denominators’ between the CIA and the Bush Presidencies, and the Carlyle Group, and the bin Laden family, and the subsequent consequences——and as the Gabor sister said —"people will believe what they want to"…… but quite honestly——I find it hard to DISbelieve that the CIA mislead the congress…   

One of the chief reasons Sarah Palin has given for resigning as Governor of Alaska is that her state’s taxpayers are being forced to spend money defending her government against ethics complaints that would otherwise fund teachers, cops, and road repair.

But in response to our questions, a spokesperson for the Alaska governor’s office just gave us new information that casts serious doubt on this assertion. The revelation makes the resignation episode even stranger, and raises fresh questions about the real reasons for her abrupt departure.

During her resignation speech last week, Palin presented herself as a heroic defender of the taxpayer. She said that money being spent on government lawyers to defend against these “frivolous ethics violations” could be “going to things that are very important, like troopers and roads and teachers and fish research.” Palin repeated exactly the same point this week.

But David Murrow, a spokesperson for the Governor, said in an interview that much of this money was budgeted to the lawyers in advance and would have gone to them anyway, even if state lawyers hadn’t been defending against these ethics complaints.

In response to our questions, the Governor’s office provided us with a detailed breakdown of the millions Palin has claimed has gone to defending against ethics complaints. It does list roughly $1.9 million in expenditures.

But Murrow, the spokesperson, acknowledged to our reporter, Amanda Erickson, that this total was arrived at by adding up attorney hours spent on fending off complaints — based on the fixed salaries of lawyers in the governor’s office and the Department of Law. The money would have gone to the lawyers no matter what they were doing. The complaints are “just distracting them from other duties,” Murrow said.

In other words, while these lawyers might have been free to do other legal work for the state, the ethics complaints have apparently not had the real world impact Palin has claimed, and didn’t drain money away from cops, teachers, roads and other things.

Similarly, TPM reports that there are only three ethics complaints outstanding against the Palin administration in any case — which, combined with the above, casts serious doubts on one of her chief stated reasons for quitting.

Murrow has not responded to folllow-up questions asking him to explain how this squares with Palin’s claims. We’ll update you if he does.

This blog’s homepage is here. RSS feed here. Twitter feed here. Email me here.

It is one thing to say ‘is this turning into a pissing contest…." and then leave it at that, leaving both sides  opportunity to ask themselves if they have gone too far.

It is ANOTHER thing to suggest that one side in particular, even one person in particular—is at fault!  THAT is ‘choosing sides’ , ASSUMING only one point of view is ‘wrong’(other than ‘yours’)……rather than asking for rationallity and civility from all sides….

For a while, I purposely stayed away from here——too many insults, too many fanatics, too many statements that had less to do with having conversation, and more to do with proganda and attacks……hardly a venue for ‘intelligent women’ whose goal is to have discourse with other intelligent women.

Annnddddd…apparently, according to Palin…the ‘Department of Law’ likes whoever is the  President of the USA—-but not her….FYI—-there is NOT a Department of Law in our Federal Government structure…..but there IS a Department of Law in the State of Alaska….unfortunately, Palin may not be aware of the US Govt. Judicial Structure?

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/07/palin-department-of-law-p_n_226881.html

Apparently not ‘dealt with’ in a way that was good enough to end it:  See the following cut and paste:

Award-winning journalist, filmmaker and historian

In the wake of Governor Palin stepping down from her job, new allegations have surfaced today in Alaska charging Palin with additional violations of the Alaska Executive Ethics Act.

Zane Henning — a conservative government watchdog from the governor’s hometown of Wasilla and an oilfield worker on Alaska’s North Slope — asserts in a letter to Alaska Attorney General Daniel S. Sullivan that Palin has "been charging and pocketing per diem to live in her home and has used the process for a personal gain since being elected."

The Washington Post first broke this story last September during the 2008 presidential race, but until now, no formal ethics charges have been brought on the matter in Alaska.

In a detailed press release accompanying his complaint, Henning declared that:

Palin’s use of the per diem is in direct conflict with Section 39.52.120. (a) of the Alaska Executive Ethics Act….More than a thousand state employees commute from the Mat-Su Valley daily and none of them get to pocket free money.

Henning noted that "the State of Alaska provides housing in Juneau for the Governor."

If she chooses not to live there, Alaskans should not have to pay for it. I am requesting that you and the Personnel Board direct Governor Sarah Palin to reimburse the State of Alaska all per diem funds, plus interest, and a fine that are related to charges while staying in her Wasilla residence.

Henning further argued that Alaska Statute 39.20.010 sets an "annual salary for the governor of $125,000."

Sarah Palin has collected more than the amount established by law by cashing in her per diem checks. Alaska Statute 39.20.050 (Exclusive Compensation) states that the compensation fixed by law for the governor and lieutenant governor is in full for all services rendered by each of them in any official capacity or employment whatsoever during their respective terms of office. Per diem is therefore any added expenses incurred while in travel status, not when living in your own home.

According to Henning:

State travel regulations say that per diem can’t be claimed when travel is less than 50 miles from a state employee’s workplace. The IRS and state finance officer have already determined that the per diem is considered income. The governor’s workplace in Anchorage is only a 45-mile commute from her Wasilla home.

In February, Palin was required to pay back income taxes on thousands of dollars in expense money she received while living at her home overlooking Lake Lucille in Wasilla. Little more than two weeks ago she was forced to pay back the State of Alaska more than $8,100.00 for nine trips taken by her children that she had improperly charged as being part of official state business.

Henning contends the per diem is another way for the Alaska governor to line her pockets at the state’s expense:

As a Wasilla resident I know that thousands of valley residents commute into Anchorage for work every day. They don’t receive checks from their employers for sleeping at home. Governor Palin does. And it’s wrong, not to mention unethical, for her to even submit these per diem claims. To me, this is a roundabout way for Palin to give herself a raise.

"The Governor is quitting her job," said Henning, "and now more than ever the State of Alaska, along with its residents, need to be reimbursed for the per diem charges, including interest and a fine…[I]t is up to private citizens, like myself, to hold our Governor accountable."

As the memorial service for pop star Michael Jackson got underway a half hour late on Tuesday, millions of people around the world watched as cameras lingered on the oversized sign reading "Staples" at the Staples Center in Los Angeles where the ceremony was held.

It was a marketing boon for the company, which paid $116 million in 1999 for the 20-year naming rights to the arena. It’s too early to know how many people watched the memorial, but the feed was broadcast as far abroad as India and Japan. In Europe the memorial was shown during prime time. Some estimate it could draw as many as 40 million viewers. "Staples got a raging bargain for the naming rights there," says Los Angeles economist Jack Kyser. But the office supply chain isn’t the only winner.

In the week following Jackson’s death, the top 10 most visited entertainment sites, including Time Warner’s TMZ, Yahoo!’s omg and Wenner Media’s USMagazine.com, collectively registered nearly 30 million unique users, almost double the week prior, according to comScore. The entertainment news category as a whole, some 160 Web sites by comScore’s count, saw a 53% spike in traffic for the week of June 28, compared to a week earlier. Year over year, traffic was up 15%. (See: Jackson Fans Flood The Web.)

In downtown Los Angeles, 17,500 fans who won free tickets in a lottery, filled the Staples Center, while about 50,000 more fans crowded the streets outside the venue. Kyser estimates the event also brought a $4 million economic stimulus to the city of Los Angeles, particularly in the struggling downtown area. Media elite who normally would have bunked in posh hotels on the Westside of town filled downtown hotels along with fans converging on the city to remember Jackson, who died June 25 at his home here. T-shirt sellers also flooded to the Staples Center area Tuesday hoping to sell memorabilia to the gathering fans. Concertgoers usually spend an average $10 each on merchandise, which means fans could have shelled out as much as $675,000 in Los Angeles alone Tuesday.

The massive gathering required a strong police presence costing the city an estimated $3.8 million, not a small amount given the strained state of Los Angeles’ finances these days. The city hopes private donors will make up the cost as they did after a parade for the world champion Los Angeles Lakers earlier this year.

Around the country people skipped work to fill movie theaters at 37 multiplexes where Cinedigm digitally broadcast the same ad-free feed of the memorial that was being broadcast to press at the Nokia Theatre across the street from the Staples Center. Theater owners from Redlands, Calif., to New York City gave away free tickets (but not soda or candy) to the event, which could draw an estimated 5,000 fans.

Another potential winner: Jackson’s estate. Though he sold more than 750 million records worldwide in his lifetime and won 13 Grammy awards, the singer died $400 million in debt. Renewed interest in his work may help foot some of the bill.

Finally!  A semblance of reality!  Thank You……

I have been watching the memorial service, and it has been a tasteful, not to mention, eye opener as to the essence of the person that Michael Jackson was….  Many people disliked him because he was a Black man….may people disliked him, because he seemed ‘strange’ to them.  Many people, I am sure, disliked him because someone they knew disliked him…and they wanted to ‘fit in’ to the crowd they found themselves in….

But when one is willing to ’experience’ things they have previously never opened themselves up for…not only might they learn something——they might learn something about themselves——

For all of you who care about the planet, the children, the soldiers who fought in Iraq, for all those who believe in doing work for charities, and giving rather than ‘taking’……YOU may not be aware…but you and MJ had a lot in common.  According to the statement today, from Sheila Jackson Lee of TEXAS! Michael Jackson donated more money to Charities than ANY OTHER performing artist—-musicians, actors, TV celebrities…..

For those of you who do not listen to the words in his songs——you should!  He spoke to ending wars, ending hunger, loving people, getting along with each other, all those things that a good Christian might hear in a sermon on sunday morning! His was a message to humanity to be nice to each other!  Some of the lyrics were lost when he performed his song—-people googled at his dance moves or the wonders of the stage or for that rubber stamp that one might have needed to reinforce their not liking him no matter what——-too bad——  

What are you afraid of?
It surely isn’t me.
Whatever troubles dealt by you
Reflects a way you ‘see’.

It’s fairly easy to discern
What motivates ones’ feelings
Is it love? or fear?
What provokes your dealings?

This deck of cards you carry
All clubs and spades, revealed
Presents a half-deck effort
As half are still concealed.

Fear always travels with a crowd
How fitting for a game!
Resentment, spite, intolerance,
Each player has their name

One up, one down
Is that how cards are laid?
And what’s the guarantee
That love will even play?

———————————————————— 

 When we do good

No one remembers

 When we do wrong

No one forgets

It is almost 1 am…and I just now got your reply—-but the one I posted yesterday can be found by googling SBS and Palin….THAT one is the one that the Palin team says is false, and they will sue anyone who continues to report it…..I believe I posted that  report early on in this thread, or perhaps on the other Palin-Coulter thread….

There is a new one, however that was filed tonight…you can find it on CNN as an alert right now—-it is regarding Palin taking a per diem to live in her own home—-to sort of give herself a pay raise…she lives 45 miles from the office, and per diems, per Alaskan law says she has to be at least 50 miles away from home to collect a per diem for housing away from the office… 

Award-winning journalist, filmmaker and historian

In the wake of Governor Palin stepping down from her job, new allegations have surfaced today in Alaska charging Palin with additional violations of the Alaska Executive Ethics Act.

Zane Henning — a conservative government watchdog from the governor’s hometown of Wasilla and an oilfield worker on Alaska’s North Slope — asserts in a letter to Alaska Attorney General Daniel S. Sullivan that Palin has "been charging and pocketing per diem to live in her home and has used the process for a personal gain since being elected."

The Washington Post first broke this story last September during the 2008 presidential race, but until now, no formal ethics charges have been brought on the matter in Alaska.

In a detailed press release accompanying his complaint, Henning declared that:

Palin’s use of the per diem is in direct conflict with Section 39.52.120. (a) of the Alaska Executive Ethics Act….More than a thousand state employees commute from the Mat-Su Valley daily and none of them get to pocket free money.

Henning noted that "the State of Alaska provides housing in Juneau for the Governor."

If she chooses not to live there, Alaskans should not have to pay for it. I am requesting that you and the Personnel Board direct Governor Sarah Palin to reimburse the State of Alaska all per diem funds, plus interest, and a fine that are related to charges while staying in her Wasilla residence.

Henning further argued that Alaska Statute 39.20.010 sets an "annual salary for the governor of $125,000."

Sarah Palin has collected more than the amount established by law by cashing in her per diem checks. Alaska Statute 39.20.050 (Exclusive Compensation) states that the compensation fixed by law for the governor and lieutenant governor is in full for all services rendered by each of them in any official capacity or employment whatsoever during their respective terms of office. Per diem is therefore any added expenses incurred while in travel status, not when living in your own home.

According to Henning:

State travel regulations say that per diem can’t be claimed when travel is less than 50 miles from a state employee’s workplace. The IRS and state finance officer have already determined that the per diem is considered income. The governor’s workplace in Anchorage is only a 45-mile commute from her Wasilla home.

In February, Palin was required to pay back income taxes on thousands of dollars in expense money she received while living at her home overlooking Lake Lucille in Wasilla. Little more than two weeks ago she was forced to pay back the State of Alaska more than $8,100.00 for nine trips taken by her children that she had improperly charged as being part of official state business.

Henning contends the per diem is another way for the Alaska governor to line her pockets at the state’s expense:

As a Wasilla resident I know that thousands of valley residents commute into Anchorage for work every day. They don’t receive checks from their employers for sleeping at home. Governor Palin does. And it’s wrong, not to mention unethical, for her to even submit these per diem claims. To me, this is a roundabout way for Palin to give herself a raise.

"The Governor is quitting her job," said Henning, "and now more than ever the State of Alaska, along with its residents, need to be reimbursed for the per diem charges, including interest and a fine…[I]t is up to private citizens, like myself, to hold our Governor accountable."