Porter Goss has resigned as CIA director. The former 16 year Florida Congressman took over the agency in Sept. 2004. In a joint announcement with President Bush, the Goss stated he would step down, no exact reason was given.
This is very unfortunate. Goss, who was a CIA clandestine officer, was a good friend of the Cuban people. He worked on various issues regarding Cuba, Fidel and Che during his time as a CIA officer and truly understood the problems in Cuba. I fear that once he finally got comfortable in his position now he is leaving. This is a great travesty!
Friday, May 05, 2006
Cinco de Mayo
Today is Cinco de Mayo. ... This Mexican celebration honors the Battle of Puebla (La Battala de Puebla ) . In 1862 the French army was the most powerful military force in the world. The French wanted to invade Mexico, but a small group of Mexican peasant, fought against the French and were victorious.
A little known fact is that La Battala de Puebla inadvertently helped the Union win the Civil War.
When the South succeeded from the Union they needed a government to recognize them. The English won't do it, as they had outlawed slavery. Yet the south made some agreements with the French, Emperor Napoleon was a sympathizer, and though the French did not openly recognize them, they made other agreements to help the South ..... Due to another situation, the French invade Mexico (even placing a king in Mexico - Maximillano). After invading Mexico they would continue through the North American continent North and help the South win the war against the North.
because the Mexican peasants prevailed, we now have a free country.
(the story is a bit more complicated then that but read more about Abraham Lincoln and Benito Juarez grate friendship)
More proof can be seen of this
A little known fact is that La Battala de Puebla inadvertently helped the Union win the Civil War.
When the South succeeded from the Union they needed a government to recognize them. The English won't do it, as they had outlawed slavery. Yet the south made some agreements with the French, Emperor Napoleon was a sympathizer, and though the French did not openly recognize them, they made other agreements to help the South ..... Due to another situation, the French invade Mexico (even placing a king in Mexico - Maximillano). After invading Mexico they would continue through the North American continent North and help the South win the war against the North.
because the Mexican peasants prevailed, we now have a free country.
(the story is a bit more complicated then that but read more about Abraham Lincoln and Benito Juarez grate friendship)
More proof can be seen of this
Chairman Concerned about Bolivia
Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN) expressed grave concern on the recent events occuring in Bolivia....
CHAIRMAN BURTON EXPRESSES DEEP CONCERN OVER THE FORCED NATIONALIZATION OF BOLIVIA'S NATURAL-GAS SECTOR BY PRESIDENT EVO MORALES
-CALLS ON PRESIDENT MORALES TO RE-EVALUATE HIS DECISION-
(Washington, D.C.) - Today, Congressman Dan Burton [R-IN-05], Chairman of the House International Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere expressed his deep concern over the forced nationalization of Bolivia's natural-gas sector by President Evo Morales:
"Yesterday, following a trade mission to Communist Cuba where he signed a free trade agreement with Cuba and Venezuela, the newly-elected president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, announced the forced nationalization of Bolivia's natural-gas sector and ordered the Bolivian army to evict foreign companies from Bolivia's largest natural-gas fields."
"This Castro-Chavez inspired move heralds a troubling leftist slide towards state control and a hardening of nationalist social and economic policies in Bolivia, South America's poorest country. I strongly urge President Morales to re-evaluate his decision."
"Not only will forced nationalization hurt Bolivia's relations with its friends and neighbors, such as Brazil, but it could also have a negative impact on U.S. - Bolivia relations. Nationalization sends the wrong signal at the wrong time. Instead of fearing foreign investment and development aid, President Morales should welcome international companies into Bolivia and seek their assistance."
"I remain committed to improving U.S. - Bolivia relations in my capacity as Chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, and I am more than willing to work with President Morales and the people of Bolivia, so we can enhance and promote our mutual interests."
"However, in order to do so, I strongly urge President Morales to re-evaluate his forced nationalization decision, or I fear he risks further isolating Bolivia and its people."
International Venezuelan Council for Democracy (IVCD) is a non-profit organization comprised by Coordinators of multiple Venezuelan organizations around the world, working to strengthen Venezuelan Democracy in defense of human, political, and civil rights, committed to safeguard democratic values and institutions, promoting citizen participation, openness and accountability in government in accordance to the principles established and agreed upon in the Democratic Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS). IVCD is a civil and independent organization with no affiliation to political parties. P.O.Box 24 Erie, CO 80516 Phone 1-888-291-2093 E-mail ivcd@ivcdteam.org . president@ivcdteam.org . http://www.ivcdteam.org . http://www.blog.ivcdteam.org
IVCD
PO Box 24
Erie, CO 80516
1-888-291-2093
CHAIRMAN BURTON EXPRESSES DEEP CONCERN OVER THE FORCED NATIONALIZATION OF BOLIVIA'S NATURAL-GAS SECTOR BY PRESIDENT EVO MORALES
-CALLS ON PRESIDENT MORALES TO RE-EVALUATE HIS DECISION-
(Washington, D.C.) - Today, Congressman Dan Burton [R-IN-05], Chairman of the House International Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere expressed his deep concern over the forced nationalization of Bolivia's natural-gas sector by President Evo Morales:
"Yesterday, following a trade mission to Communist Cuba where he signed a free trade agreement with Cuba and Venezuela, the newly-elected president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, announced the forced nationalization of Bolivia's natural-gas sector and ordered the Bolivian army to evict foreign companies from Bolivia's largest natural-gas fields."
"This Castro-Chavez inspired move heralds a troubling leftist slide towards state control and a hardening of nationalist social and economic policies in Bolivia, South America's poorest country. I strongly urge President Morales to re-evaluate his decision."
"Not only will forced nationalization hurt Bolivia's relations with its friends and neighbors, such as Brazil, but it could also have a negative impact on U.S. - Bolivia relations. Nationalization sends the wrong signal at the wrong time. Instead of fearing foreign investment and development aid, President Morales should welcome international companies into Bolivia and seek their assistance."
"I remain committed to improving U.S. - Bolivia relations in my capacity as Chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, and I am more than willing to work with President Morales and the people of Bolivia, so we can enhance and promote our mutual interests."
"However, in order to do so, I strongly urge President Morales to re-evaluate his forced nationalization decision, or I fear he risks further isolating Bolivia and its people."
International Venezuelan Council for Democracy (IVCD) is a non-profit organization comprised by Coordinators of multiple Venezuelan organizations around the world, working to strengthen Venezuelan Democracy in defense of human, political, and civil rights, committed to safeguard democratic values and institutions, promoting citizen participation, openness and accountability in government in accordance to the principles established and agreed upon in the Democratic Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS). IVCD is a civil and independent organization with no affiliation to political parties. P.O.Box 24 Erie, CO 80516 Phone 1-888-291-2093 E-mail ivcd@ivcdteam.org . president@ivcdteam.org . http://www.ivcdteam.org . http://www.blog.ivcdteam.org
IVCD
PO Box 24
Erie, CO 80516
1-888-291-2093
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Living In DC and hating Socialist
Over the last few days I have been looking for a new place to live. I currently live up in upper DC close to Maryland. While the neighborhood is great and the rent is amazing, my roommate and I want something more local (downtown) and private (less roommates).
I am not sure what is up with DC lately but I've been meeting alot of crazy, Che loving, socialists.
Take today for instance. I went to go look at a house in the transitional neighborhood of Colombia Heights. The ad made the place look great. It was 4 blocks from the Metro (subway). A nice 2 bedroom, 2 bath private home with a little backyard. I thought it would be great. I called to make an appointment with the current tenant and she seemed very nice.
Early this morning I met her to see the house. She seemed friendly but not what I was expecting. She was a small-framed, thin, fair-skinned gringita apparently still in her work out clothes. Bikes were piled outside on the front porch and I scrambled through them to get into the house. As we began to examine the location there was anti-Bush propaganda, socialist posters, Signs for the black Panthers and a pop-art rendition of Che Guevera a'-la' Andy Warhol. I figured me telling her I had an event in the White House later in the day wouldn't score me any points.
Somehow I managed to bite my tongue as the house looked great. Part of me figured I can just get it sanitized later and hope any negative socialist tendencies will leave with the tenants. And then the girl showing me the house raised her arm to brush her hair out of her face. For a second I wondered if I was in some French film or was it that all Che loving socialist women find it empowering to not shave their armpits. (clearly I don't know any personally.) I tried not to make a face ( I can be VERY expressive). I managed to keep myself from looking down and noticing if the same fate was given to her legs.
We chatted more for a bit and she gave me an application form, printed on what she called scrap paper. The paper was the reverse side of some school paper, she is majoring as a social worker. I tucked the paper in my bag. Trying not to read it too much. I thanked her for her time and left the location.
I quickly read the "scrap paper" (aka school project). It was enough to make me a little sick. If she googles me up, for sure I will have no chance at the house. Me a pro-Bush, anti-communist, socialist hating capitalist.
For your pleasure here is a small blurb of the paper:
"Title: Building Socialism, Fighting Racism"
"I worked with the international Socialist Organization (ISO) to fight racism in Washington D.C., and to build a socialist movement that will be able to fight against all forms of oppression.... My work consisted of logistical community organizing of protest and demonstrations, flyering, weekly tabling, mobilizing contact, fundraising, and chairing ISO meetings. I prepared a talk and discussion on the Communist Manifesto .... ""
It goes on but as you can imagine I ran away screaming in my head...... poor idealistic little white girl who thinks all the worlds problems can be solved in a constantly failing experiment....
Long Live A Free Cuba!!!! Long Live Capitalism!!!
Oh yeah, i am still looking for a place to live.....
I am not sure what is up with DC lately but I've been meeting alot of crazy, Che loving, socialists.
Take today for instance. I went to go look at a house in the transitional neighborhood of Colombia Heights. The ad made the place look great. It was 4 blocks from the Metro (subway). A nice 2 bedroom, 2 bath private home with a little backyard. I thought it would be great. I called to make an appointment with the current tenant and she seemed very nice.
Early this morning I met her to see the house. She seemed friendly but not what I was expecting. She was a small-framed, thin, fair-skinned gringita apparently still in her work out clothes. Bikes were piled outside on the front porch and I scrambled through them to get into the house. As we began to examine the location there was anti-Bush propaganda, socialist posters, Signs for the black Panthers and a pop-art rendition of Che Guevera a'-la' Andy Warhol. I figured me telling her I had an event in the White House later in the day wouldn't score me any points.
Somehow I managed to bite my tongue as the house looked great. Part of me figured I can just get it sanitized later and hope any negative socialist tendencies will leave with the tenants. And then the girl showing me the house raised her arm to brush her hair out of her face. For a second I wondered if I was in some French film or was it that all Che loving socialist women find it empowering to not shave their armpits. (clearly I don't know any personally.) I tried not to make a face ( I can be VERY expressive). I managed to keep myself from looking down and noticing if the same fate was given to her legs.
We chatted more for a bit and she gave me an application form, printed on what she called scrap paper. The paper was the reverse side of some school paper, she is majoring as a social worker. I tucked the paper in my bag. Trying not to read it too much. I thanked her for her time and left the location.
I quickly read the "scrap paper" (aka school project). It was enough to make me a little sick. If she googles me up, for sure I will have no chance at the house. Me a pro-Bush, anti-communist, socialist hating capitalist.
For your pleasure here is a small blurb of the paper:
"Title: Building Socialism, Fighting Racism"
"I worked with the international Socialist Organization (ISO) to fight racism in Washington D.C., and to build a socialist movement that will be able to fight against all forms of oppression.... My work consisted of logistical community organizing of protest and demonstrations, flyering, weekly tabling, mobilizing contact, fundraising, and chairing ISO meetings. I prepared a talk and discussion on the Communist Manifesto .... ""
It goes on but as you can imagine I ran away screaming in my head...... poor idealistic little white girl who thinks all the worlds problems can be solved in a constantly failing experiment....
Long Live A Free Cuba!!!! Long Live Capitalism!!!
Oh yeah, i am still looking for a place to live.....
Oh how I love those Australians!!
If you missed here is a great article on the Wikipedia controversy!!! I've always love Australians. My cousin married one last year and they are great people and know Castro stinks. (also there is a semi-large Cuban community there, mostly by the last name Rodriguez.. yeah we are everywhere).....
Cuba entry in Wikipedia stirs controversy
BY PABLO BACHELET
Knight Ridder Newspapers
WASHINGTON - One editor complained that Havana sympathizers were transforming a scholarly enterprise into "their own private Fidel Castro fan page." A user was tossed out after threatening to sue another for libel.
The fuss is over the Cuba entry in Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia created, edited and administered entirely by volunteers with the aim of becoming a Web-based knowledge repository for humanity.
But the Cuba entry, like those on President Bush and abortion, has been snared in intense political divisions over everything from the impact of U.S. sanctions on the communist-ruled island to whether it should have a separate section on its human rights record. Russia and North Korea do not.
There have been so many dueling edits - 30 entries on April 27 alone - that the article has been placed off-limits to first-time or unregistered users. The article has notices alerting readers that the neutrality of four sections is under dispute.
A central tenet of Wikipedia is that articles must be written in a neutral point of view. But, as the debate on the talk page attached to the Cuba article demonstrates, neutrality is often in the eye of the beholder.
The debate over Cuba turned intense after Adam Carr, who identifies himself as having a Ph.D. in history from the University of Melbourne in Australia and a gay rights activist, introduced this sentence high in the article: "Cuba is a socialist republic, in which the Communist Party of Cuba is the sole legal political party, and is the only state in the western hemisphere that is not a democracy."
Read the full story and controversy
Cuba entry in Wikipedia stirs controversy
BY PABLO BACHELET
Knight Ridder Newspapers
WASHINGTON - One editor complained that Havana sympathizers were transforming a scholarly enterprise into "their own private Fidel Castro fan page." A user was tossed out after threatening to sue another for libel.
The fuss is over the Cuba entry in Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia created, edited and administered entirely by volunteers with the aim of becoming a Web-based knowledge repository for humanity.
But the Cuba entry, like those on President Bush and abortion, has been snared in intense political divisions over everything from the impact of U.S. sanctions on the communist-ruled island to whether it should have a separate section on its human rights record. Russia and North Korea do not.
There have been so many dueling edits - 30 entries on April 27 alone - that the article has been placed off-limits to first-time or unregistered users. The article has notices alerting readers that the neutrality of four sections is under dispute.
A central tenet of Wikipedia is that articles must be written in a neutral point of view. But, as the debate on the talk page attached to the Cuba article demonstrates, neutrality is often in the eye of the beholder.
The debate over Cuba turned intense after Adam Carr, who identifies himself as having a Ph.D. in history from the University of Melbourne in Australia and a gay rights activist, introduced this sentence high in the article: "Cuba is a socialist republic, in which the Communist Party of Cuba is the sole legal political party, and is the only state in the western hemisphere that is not a democracy."
Read the full story and controversy
Monday, May 01, 2006
White House Correspondents Dinner
The White House Correspondents Dinner provided a few laughs for President Bush.. Check it out at http://www.c-span.org/.... You'll find the 2 Bushs 52 min into the dinner (but some funny clips are found through out the event... enjoy)......
Latin Leftists Forge Cooperation
Shouldn't be news to some of you but just in case here is an article talking about the trade agreements with the leftiest governements in Latin America (Cuba, Venezuala and Bolivia). Fidel keeps training Chavez.... and trying to stengthen thier power in the region...
Latin Leftists Forge Cooperation
Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba up the ante in challenging U.S. influence
Alex Argote (alexphil)
http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?no=288997&rel_no=1
Published on 2006-05-01 16:34 (KST)
Three leftist Latin American leaders recently inked an accord on Saturday which promises to strengthen their countries' economic and political ties against the macho posturing of the United States.
The trio -- Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, Cuba's Fidel Castro, and Evo Morales of Bolivia -- met in Havana late last week to discuss the future of their respective nations and of South America as a whole.
At the conclusion of their summit, the three decided to reject the American form of free trade and formulate a socialist version of regional economic and political cooperation. Dubbed as the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas, the pact was ostensibly created as a counterweight to the U.S.-backed FTAA -- the Free Trade Area of the Americas -- and the Andean community bloc. By forming a strong trade alliance with Cuba and Bolivia, Chavez hopes to dilute the heavy North American influence and control in the region.
In the deal, Cuba promised to send physicians to Bolivia to offer medical help to indigents and educators to assist in literacy campaigns. Venezuela will send fuel to the nation and wrap up a US$100 million fund for development projects, as well as an additional $30 million for social support programs. Also, to alleviate Bolivia's agricultural market woes, Venezuela and Cuba agreed to buy the nation's soybean products after Bolivia was left in the cold with the signing of a free trade pact between Washington and Columbia.
Morales reportedly said, "In Cuba and Venezuela, we find unconditional solidarity." He added, "They are the best allies in changing Bolivia."
Garbed in his trademark olive-green uniform, Castro, who will turn 80 in August, said he was most happy in sharing the spotlight with younger leaders with the same mindset and principles.
The Cuban strongman led a brutal revolution in the late 1950s against the capitalist regime of Fulgencio Batista. Years later, the CIA launched an ill-fated counterrevolution and invasion by several hundred Cuban exiles in the Bay of Pigs.
A former military officer, Chavez led a failed coup d'etat in 1992. Undaunted, he changed tactics in ascending to the top job and founded the leftist Fifth Republic Movement, which greatly helped in propelling him to power in the presidential elections of 1998. Reelected in 2000, Chavez launched his pet organization, the enormous Bolivarian Missions, to fight malnutrition, illiteracy, disease, poverty, and other social problems. He also railed and acted against the imperialist Washington consensus by propping up alternative models of economic programs and called on Third World countries to develop their own economic forums and cooperation that will be fair to every one involved.
Increasingly vocal against American domination of South American affairs, Chavez earned the ire of Washington, and he strongly believed that the United States orchestrated the 2002 coup against him and the recall referendum to remove him from the presidency. Having survived both attempts on his political star, Chavez now firmly believes that the CIA is now plotting an elaborate, complex military plan to remove him from the picture.
In the meantime, Chavez is almost frantically working to shore up his defenses and regional support by encouraging the rise of ideologically friendly politicians in neighboring countries, particularly Bolivia, Peru, and Nicaragua.
According to Gary Hufbauer, an economist at the Institute for International Economics, "The agreement is a clever mixture of politics and commerce, and weighted toward the politics."
Being the world's fifth largest oil-exporter and a major gas supplier to the United States, Venezuela is quite awash with greenbacks and thus can afford to challenge the West. By seriously backing Peruvian candidate Ollanta Humala and encouraging the political rebirth of leftist Daniel Ortega in the Nicaraguan scene, Chavez is slowly, deliberately nurturing a socialist bloc in Latin America, which may be the ultimate political solution to oppressive Western control over the southern hemisphere.
Latin Leftists Forge Cooperation
Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba up the ante in challenging U.S. influence
Alex Argote (alexphil)
http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?no=288997&rel_no=1
Published on 2006-05-01 16:34 (KST)
Three leftist Latin American leaders recently inked an accord on Saturday which promises to strengthen their countries' economic and political ties against the macho posturing of the United States.
The trio -- Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, Cuba's Fidel Castro, and Evo Morales of Bolivia -- met in Havana late last week to discuss the future of their respective nations and of South America as a whole.
At the conclusion of their summit, the three decided to reject the American form of free trade and formulate a socialist version of regional economic and political cooperation. Dubbed as the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas, the pact was ostensibly created as a counterweight to the U.S.-backed FTAA -- the Free Trade Area of the Americas -- and the Andean community bloc. By forming a strong trade alliance with Cuba and Bolivia, Chavez hopes to dilute the heavy North American influence and control in the region.
In the deal, Cuba promised to send physicians to Bolivia to offer medical help to indigents and educators to assist in literacy campaigns. Venezuela will send fuel to the nation and wrap up a US$100 million fund for development projects, as well as an additional $30 million for social support programs. Also, to alleviate Bolivia's agricultural market woes, Venezuela and Cuba agreed to buy the nation's soybean products after Bolivia was left in the cold with the signing of a free trade pact between Washington and Columbia.
Morales reportedly said, "In Cuba and Venezuela, we find unconditional solidarity." He added, "They are the best allies in changing Bolivia."
Garbed in his trademark olive-green uniform, Castro, who will turn 80 in August, said he was most happy in sharing the spotlight with younger leaders with the same mindset and principles.
The Cuban strongman led a brutal revolution in the late 1950s against the capitalist regime of Fulgencio Batista. Years later, the CIA launched an ill-fated counterrevolution and invasion by several hundred Cuban exiles in the Bay of Pigs.
A former military officer, Chavez led a failed coup d'etat in 1992. Undaunted, he changed tactics in ascending to the top job and founded the leftist Fifth Republic Movement, which greatly helped in propelling him to power in the presidential elections of 1998. Reelected in 2000, Chavez launched his pet organization, the enormous Bolivarian Missions, to fight malnutrition, illiteracy, disease, poverty, and other social problems. He also railed and acted against the imperialist Washington consensus by propping up alternative models of economic programs and called on Third World countries to develop their own economic forums and cooperation that will be fair to every one involved.
Increasingly vocal against American domination of South American affairs, Chavez earned the ire of Washington, and he strongly believed that the United States orchestrated the 2002 coup against him and the recall referendum to remove him from the presidency. Having survived both attempts on his political star, Chavez now firmly believes that the CIA is now plotting an elaborate, complex military plan to remove him from the picture.
In the meantime, Chavez is almost frantically working to shore up his defenses and regional support by encouraging the rise of ideologically friendly politicians in neighboring countries, particularly Bolivia, Peru, and Nicaragua.
According to Gary Hufbauer, an economist at the Institute for International Economics, "The agreement is a clever mixture of politics and commerce, and weighted toward the politics."
Being the world's fifth largest oil-exporter and a major gas supplier to the United States, Venezuela is quite awash with greenbacks and thus can afford to challenge the West. By seriously backing Peruvian candidate Ollanta Humala and encouraging the political rebirth of leftist Daniel Ortega in the Nicaraguan scene, Chavez is slowly, deliberately nurturing a socialist bloc in Latin America, which may be the ultimate political solution to oppressive Western control over the southern hemisphere.
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