F.B.I. Says Grenade Found Near Bush Podium Was Live but Misfired
By RICHARD STEVENSON
Published: May 18, 2005
WASHINGTON, May 18 - The F.B.I. said today that an explosive device found near the spot where President Bush spoke last week in a crowded square in Tbilisi, Georgia, was a live hand grenade that had been thrown to within 100 feet of him but malfunctioned.
"We consider this act to be a threat against the health and welfare of both the president of the United States and the president of Georgia, as well as the multitude of Georgian people that had turned out for the event," Bryan Paarmann of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who is the legal attaché at the United States Embassy in Tbilisi, said in a statement.
The grenade did not explode only because its triggering mechanism did not operate properly, Mr. Paarmann said.
The new details suggested that the May 10 incident was more serious than first thought, and raised questions about the adequacy of security at the event, which was attended by tens of thousands of people or more.
What now appears to have been an attack on the president went unnoticed by the Secret Service during Mr. Bush's speech, and the White House was only informed that something had happened after he left Georgia following his speech. Initial reports in Georgia had suggested that the device was old and of a type that would not scatter shrapnel, and some American law enforcement officials initially expressed skepticism that Mr. Bush had ever been at any risk.
According to Mr. Paarmann's statement, the grenade was tossed around 1:30 p.m. as Mr. Bush was speaking at Freedom Square in Tbilisi, Georgia's capital. Onstage with him was President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia. The grenade, the statement said, "was tossed in the general direction of the main stage and landed within 100 feet of the podium."
The explosive device "was wrapped in a dark Tartan colored cloth handkerchief when it was tossed into the crowd listening to the president's speech," the statement said.
The grenade was recovered by Georgian security officials during or immediately after Mr. Bush's speech. United States law enforcement officials did not describe the grenade in detail today, but their characterization of the threat to Mr. Bush suggested that it would have been capable of killing or injuring many people.
"From initial qualified testing, this hand grenade appears to be a live device that simply failed to function due to a light strike on the blasting cap induced by a slow deployment of the spoon activation device," Mr. Paarmann said in the statement, referring to the mechanism used to trigger the grenade. The spoon is the lever that pops up when the grenade leaves the thrower's hand; it is supposed to touch off the primer that explodes the grenade, typically a few seconds later.
Mr. Bush is generally protected by rings of security that get more concentrated the closer they are to him. On the stage in Tbilisi, he was at least partly protected by sheets of what seemed to be bulletproof glass, though not directly in front of him.
The chief White House spokesman, Scott McClellan, said that Mr. Bush had been informed of the investigation's findings late Tuesday, and got more details this morning at his intelligence briefing.
Asked to describe Mr. Bush's reaction, Mr. McClellan did not respond directly. "We want to see the results of the investigation and know more about what the facts are," he said.
He added that the Secret Service "is looking into" questions about whether security at the event was adequate, including whether some people in the square were able to get within sight of Mr. Bush without going through metal detectors. He said Mr. Bush has full trust in the Secret Service, and referred other questions on security measures to the Secret Service.
A Secret Service spokesman in Washington, Tom Mazer, said the service would not make any comment because the investigation was continuing.
In Tbilisi, Mr. Paarmann made an appeal for anyone who saw what happened or had videotapes or photographs of the incident to come forward. He said the United States was "extremely pleased" with the cooperation from Georgia's law enforcement agencies.
28 April 2010
14 April 2010
America's "God" complex
For my money, your average American isn't very bright when it comes to religion. To them, religion is a real, visceral thing that holds the fate of all human-ape kind in it's invisible hands. Okay, if you want to believe in invisible deities, that's just fine; what do I care? We all have had imaginary friends as children but grown ups shouldn't. Period. If you have an invisible friend who speaks to you or gives you orders to shoot abortion doctors or revolt against the federal government or wish harm on our President, you are psychologically impaired. You need therapy and medication.
What's bugging me about all that is the fact that there are no supernatural beings anywhere. Ever. We humans are simple animals with a still evolving brain. It's only natural our immature (by future standards) lobes would misfire and trick your senses into believing something that was all in your head to start with.
But we let those psychos warp our government and our foreign policy over religious mumbo jumbo. New Testament doomsday scenarios are not a viable basis for American foreign policy. American support for Israel is strictly based upon scripture and simple folk buying into the supernatural nothing. Israel commits war crimes; spies on our government; makes back room deals with China, possibly selling the Chin top secret information the Israelis stole from us; Israel has weapons of mass destruction and a self styled end times PM in Netanyahu who sounds almost giddy about ending the world with war.
If we Americans don't stand up and demand our government get out of myth and start dealing with reality, we are gonna get screwed over big time. Israel is our enemy and is no friend of the United States and she exploits the religious fervor of our whacko fundamentalist Christian citizens and congressmen. Should Israel have such power over us? Hell no! Stand up America and shake off your "God" complex quick. George Bush may have doomed us all but you are allowing them to nail the coffin lid shut on our carcass.
What's bugging me about all that is the fact that there are no supernatural beings anywhere. Ever. We humans are simple animals with a still evolving brain. It's only natural our immature (by future standards) lobes would misfire and trick your senses into believing something that was all in your head to start with.
But we let those psychos warp our government and our foreign policy over religious mumbo jumbo. New Testament doomsday scenarios are not a viable basis for American foreign policy. American support for Israel is strictly based upon scripture and simple folk buying into the supernatural nothing. Israel commits war crimes; spies on our government; makes back room deals with China, possibly selling the Chin top secret information the Israelis stole from us; Israel has weapons of mass destruction and a self styled end times PM in Netanyahu who sounds almost giddy about ending the world with war.
If we Americans don't stand up and demand our government get out of myth and start dealing with reality, we are gonna get screwed over big time. Israel is our enemy and is no friend of the United States and she exploits the religious fervor of our whacko fundamentalist Christian citizens and congressmen. Should Israel have such power over us? Hell no! Stand up America and shake off your "God" complex quick. George Bush may have doomed us all but you are allowing them to nail the coffin lid shut on our carcass.
06 April 2010
China pilfering state secrets world wide
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/science/06cyber.html
I will repeat: the illegitimate Bush administration has doomed us all. What does China stealing defense secrets via the internet have to do with Bush dooming us? We no longer have the military resources to fight a Chinese military action because of the unnecessary wars of Iraq and Afghanistan. Elective war is is the folly of every empire and Bush gambled our futures and lost. When the real threat from China becomes evident and we have no way to stop them because they blew our satellites from orbit and our armed forces are undermanned, under armored or running out of bullets, we can all look back to that awful day when George Bush was sworn in as POTUS and wonder why we, as a nation, allowed this debauchery to occur and didn't just impeach that fucker or have him thrown behind bars.
I will repeat: the illegitimate Bush administration has doomed us all. What does China stealing defense secrets via the internet have to do with Bush dooming us? We no longer have the military resources to fight a Chinese military action because of the unnecessary wars of Iraq and Afghanistan. Elective war is is the folly of every empire and Bush gambled our futures and lost. When the real threat from China becomes evident and we have no way to stop them because they blew our satellites from orbit and our armed forces are undermanned, under armored or running out of bullets, we can all look back to that awful day when George Bush was sworn in as POTUS and wonder why we, as a nation, allowed this debauchery to occur and didn't just impeach that fucker or have him thrown behind bars.
05 April 2010
America the soulless
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/01/60minutes/main6354069.shtml?tag=currentVideoInfo;segmentTitle
When I watched this segment last night I was mortified and shocked. A company called Myriad Genetics controls all testing on the two breast cancer genes. They own the genes and patented them. No one else can legally test for them, or look at them, or even develop potential therapies that are based on them without Myriad's consent the segment reported.
Furthermore: a test called BRAC Analysis, a blood test in which lab technicians at Myriad Genetics examine two genes that exist in all of us.
If mutations - irregularities - are found, it means the risk of getting breast cancer and ovarian cancer is extremely high: breast cancer five times more likely, ovarian cancer as much as 40 times more likely.
A positive result usually means removal of (the) ovaries (or mammary) before cancer can develop.
This life saving test should be readily available to all women yesterday but the investors in Myriad charge $3200 per test just so they can turn a profit. It's crap like this that makes me believe capitalism is a corrupt and morally bankrupt system. We the people need to put leashes on our rich folk. They are no better than us and don't deserve to lord it over us simply because they empower that evil system that promotes only lust, greed and root of all evil.
When I watched this segment last night I was mortified and shocked. A company called Myriad Genetics controls all testing on the two breast cancer genes. They own the genes and patented them. No one else can legally test for them, or look at them, or even develop potential therapies that are based on them without Myriad's consent the segment reported.
Furthermore: a test called BRAC Analysis, a blood test in which lab technicians at Myriad Genetics examine two genes that exist in all of us.
If mutations - irregularities - are found, it means the risk of getting breast cancer and ovarian cancer is extremely high: breast cancer five times more likely, ovarian cancer as much as 40 times more likely.
A positive result usually means removal of (the) ovaries (or mammary) before cancer can develop.
This life saving test should be readily available to all women yesterday but the investors in Myriad charge $3200 per test just so they can turn a profit. It's crap like this that makes me believe capitalism is a corrupt and morally bankrupt system. We the people need to put leashes on our rich folk. They are no better than us and don't deserve to lord it over us simply because they empower that evil system that promotes only lust, greed and root of all evil.
Maine women go topless to prove a point
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_odd_topless_march
All I can say is that it would totally be a great, warm fuzzy thing if this country of mine helped these repressed women find the liberty they crave. I for one would vote for a Constitutional amendment allowing all women everywhere to be free to go topless out in public and encourage my elected officials to do the same. No one is free unless everyone is free! Viva la revolucion!
All I can say is that it would totally be a great, warm fuzzy thing if this country of mine helped these repressed women find the liberty they crave. I for one would vote for a Constitutional amendment allowing all women everywhere to be free to go topless out in public and encourage my elected officials to do the same. No one is free unless everyone is free! Viva la revolucion!
03 April 2010
The Chin are coming! The Chin are coming!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100402/wl_nm/us_russia_china_arms
Sorry to go all Chicken Little in the title but the United States had better start taking these bastards serious.
Sorry to go all Chicken Little in the title but the United States had better start taking these bastards serious.
02 April 2010
All the world an American target
http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/usnews/crime/3240-mumbai-terrorist-was-us-agent
Personally, I have always had trouble with authority because I don't trust anyone with power over me that I did not give them freely. Power corrupts and once you yield your personal sovereignty to a stranger, making them lord over you, you may as well put on wool and learn to bleat and baa a lot. Real freedom doesn't employ overlords of the state to force you to be moral, law abiding boys and girls. But this is the system of governance we Americans endure. Sure we bitch about it but we, as a nation, really aren't doing anything about it. How can we? Everyone knows the government will kill any one of us on a whim, or jail us out of spite; that politicians on both sides are on the take for corporations and rich folk and will gladly vote for and oversee state and federal sanctioned dismantling of the Bill of Rights, repression of the poor by a militarized police force, and torture in the name of national security.
That's right kids, we live in a country that now runs its government exactly as the Soviets did. In making the Soviets an enemy, we became them. Of course the Soviets are gone now and without a global threat, America should have laid down her arms and brought the world it's first real peace since 1914 when the Europeans led the world down this path we are all on today. I believe this was the bridge to the 21st century President Clinton spoke of. Clinton had a plan to relinquish the American grasp on the planet in order to delegate more responsibilities to our global allies. Sure, we'd still lead, but we'd be equal partners in whatever fate we as humans would face in the years to come.
Republicans with their End Times myths and Antichrists were having none of this. Clinton was the Antichrist and all his work was forming the dreaded one world government with one world religion and brands to burn the mark of the Beast upon the flesh of your hand or forehead forever.
Other Republicans who saw this as a spit in the face of divine manifest destiny. Naturally the United States must rule and dominate the planet making it a safe place for Americans forever. Never mind that this would also forge a one world government, even if it would be one lorded over by Americans.
So 9/11 happens and I don't believe for a second any of the bullshit that's being reported. I know it to be spin, but why spin it? If it was a bona fide terrorist attack, you wouldn't have to sell it so hard. No this was an inside job. Proof is everywhere but again we Americans stick our fingers in our ears, close our eyes and sing "lalalalalalala". Like the doctored Pentagon footage released by the FBI. If you adjust your TV settings and watch the footage in slow motion, you clearly see a missle being fired into the building by a low altitude aircraft, probably a helicopter. So if the Army didn't do it, who did? The CIA was my guess. Who else has their own army after all? Surely the Mossad helped with the forged documents the phantom Saudis used. Who knows who else was involved? I am on record as saying the corrupt, illegal Bush administration was involved and still await a full investigation and trials on the matter.
But after 9/11 the CIA was set looser on an unsuspecting world. Secret prisons, torture, assassination and the new game on the block: starting new terror cells to perpetuate random acts of terrorism against America and her allies.
I never had any real proof of this until now although I suspected it back when that obviously faked beheading video was released at the height of the Abu Ghareb (sp?) scandal. The video might as well have had the Muslims say, "This is for Abu Ghareb you American swine!" but it didn't need to. It had the desired effect and like 9/11, the abuses at that prison were forgotten in the face of a fanatical enemy. Too bad the dudes under the scarves were American.
Yup, we are the new Soviet Union. Our CIA makes the KGB look like DAR. Our leaders fight over how to make things better for the wealthy, not us poor folk. They drink fine wine and live in mansions while we suffer in poverty. They set the world on fire and demand our silent obedience lest they bust our heads. Luckily for them, 80% of Americans are idiots and accept their cover story at face value while the rest of us can only pine for the day when America was above all this bullshit.
Thanks for tarnishing our principals, values and Constitution you assholes. Thanks for making us the evil we once fought.
Personally, I have always had trouble with authority because I don't trust anyone with power over me that I did not give them freely. Power corrupts and once you yield your personal sovereignty to a stranger, making them lord over you, you may as well put on wool and learn to bleat and baa a lot. Real freedom doesn't employ overlords of the state to force you to be moral, law abiding boys and girls. But this is the system of governance we Americans endure. Sure we bitch about it but we, as a nation, really aren't doing anything about it. How can we? Everyone knows the government will kill any one of us on a whim, or jail us out of spite; that politicians on both sides are on the take for corporations and rich folk and will gladly vote for and oversee state and federal sanctioned dismantling of the Bill of Rights, repression of the poor by a militarized police force, and torture in the name of national security.
That's right kids, we live in a country that now runs its government exactly as the Soviets did. In making the Soviets an enemy, we became them. Of course the Soviets are gone now and without a global threat, America should have laid down her arms and brought the world it's first real peace since 1914 when the Europeans led the world down this path we are all on today. I believe this was the bridge to the 21st century President Clinton spoke of. Clinton had a plan to relinquish the American grasp on the planet in order to delegate more responsibilities to our global allies. Sure, we'd still lead, but we'd be equal partners in whatever fate we as humans would face in the years to come.
Republicans with their End Times myths and Antichrists were having none of this. Clinton was the Antichrist and all his work was forming the dreaded one world government with one world religion and brands to burn the mark of the Beast upon the flesh of your hand or forehead forever.
Other Republicans who saw this as a spit in the face of divine manifest destiny. Naturally the United States must rule and dominate the planet making it a safe place for Americans forever. Never mind that this would also forge a one world government, even if it would be one lorded over by Americans.
So 9/11 happens and I don't believe for a second any of the bullshit that's being reported. I know it to be spin, but why spin it? If it was a bona fide terrorist attack, you wouldn't have to sell it so hard. No this was an inside job. Proof is everywhere but again we Americans stick our fingers in our ears, close our eyes and sing "lalalalalalala". Like the doctored Pentagon footage released by the FBI. If you adjust your TV settings and watch the footage in slow motion, you clearly see a missle being fired into the building by a low altitude aircraft, probably a helicopter. So if the Army didn't do it, who did? The CIA was my guess. Who else has their own army after all? Surely the Mossad helped with the forged documents the phantom Saudis used. Who knows who else was involved? I am on record as saying the corrupt, illegal Bush administration was involved and still await a full investigation and trials on the matter.
But after 9/11 the CIA was set looser on an unsuspecting world. Secret prisons, torture, assassination and the new game on the block: starting new terror cells to perpetuate random acts of terrorism against America and her allies.
I never had any real proof of this until now although I suspected it back when that obviously faked beheading video was released at the height of the Abu Ghareb (sp?) scandal. The video might as well have had the Muslims say, "This is for Abu Ghareb you American swine!" but it didn't need to. It had the desired effect and like 9/11, the abuses at that prison were forgotten in the face of a fanatical enemy. Too bad the dudes under the scarves were American.
Yup, we are the new Soviet Union. Our CIA makes the KGB look like DAR. Our leaders fight over how to make things better for the wealthy, not us poor folk. They drink fine wine and live in mansions while we suffer in poverty. They set the world on fire and demand our silent obedience lest they bust our heads. Luckily for them, 80% of Americans are idiots and accept their cover story at face value while the rest of us can only pine for the day when America was above all this bullshit.
Thanks for tarnishing our principals, values and Constitution you assholes. Thanks for making us the evil we once fought.
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