Happy Hour Open Thread: Torture Techniques Worse Than Described?
* I just had a very quick conversation with a leading lawyer at the ACLU, whose lawsuit produced today’s torture memos detailing Bush interrogation practices, and he says that the horrific descriptions in the memos actually don’t do justice to the brutality of the techniques described.
“These were clearly an attempt to describe the interrogation techniques in the mildest possible way,” the lawyer, Jameel Jaffer, said, adding that an earlier Red Cross report gave us a clearer glimpse of these techniques. “That’s to protect not just the interrogators, but the [Bush administration lawyers] who wrote the memos.”
* Gleen Greenwald, Digby, and McJoan all hit Congressional Democrats hard for backing the 2008 FISA bill, leading to today’s wiretapping revelations. Strong stuff.
* TPM catches Fox News admitting that the network did public relations for the tea parties.
* Here’s today’s installment in the Michele Bachmann chronicles.
* David Kurtz asks a good question: Why is DHS chief Janet Napolitano being so friggin’ defensive about the bogus “right wing extremist” threat assessment story?
* GOP Rep Pete King wants Napolitano to spend more time putting out threat assessments on Mosques.
* Andrew Sullivan wonders why none of the people upset yesterday about DHS’s alleged governmental invasions of privacy has said word boo about today’s revelations of Bush-era excessive surveillance.
* And the tea party fiasco notwithstanding, Arianna warns that Dems had better be careful, lest Republicans succeed in capitalizing on a vague sense that the Obama administration is treating Wall Street with kid gloves.
The homepage of this blog is here. RSS feed here. Twitter feed here. Email me here.
Funny because Arianna Huffington is one of the main people pushing that meme. Concern trolling at its finest!
the descriptions of the torture techniques are unreal. you have to slap precisely between one point and another on the suspect’s face. and you have to make sure that suspects have something around their necks to minimize — but not eliminate — the risk of whiplash. and the psychological dimension of the techniques is striking.
sg
That term doesn’t apply to Huffington. Further, I think she’s right.
Reading Rove and listening to talk radio today, it becomes apparent that they are attempting to create a ‘reality’ about the genesis of the tea parties, about the spontaneity of them, about the size of them and most particularly about the shape of them – as a movement.
Of course, that is what they wish to have happen and its why they are rabble rousing. They are hoping that a populist movement will arise which attaches people’s financial fears and grievances to government and to the Obama administration. That’s why the word ‘tax’ is central to everything they are doing. They must expand the people who are afraid and angry past the guns, abortion, christianity under attack interest groups who can’t pull them through in elections now.
If the economy gets worse or stays crappy for a long while, then this strategy might well become much more workable than it looks now.
Bernie
.
If you are pushing a meme then turn around and try to “warn” people that the very same meme you are pushing might take hold thats the epitome of Concern Trolling. Doesn’t matter if you or me or anybody else agrees on the substance of the meme. Its akin to you selling a particular kind of soda to a niche group then going to the same group “warning” that this soda might just blow up because another company is also selling it.
Arianna needs a new song … this one was crispy three months ago.
sg…perhaps we have different definitions for the word. Mine presumes dishonest intent, specifically deceit as to one’s true beliefs or allegiances along with the false expressions of concern actually meant to instill inappropriate caution or self-doubt in that group one’s pretending to be a member of.
I certainly do not consider that she fits this definition.
In any case, not a big thing. I’m sure if we got our examples and analogies more clear, we’d pretty much agree.
Here’s an interesting take on yesterday’s events:
http://www.thedemocraticstrategist.org/ (james vega, 7:44PM)
ps… noting that Eugene Robinson this morning makes a similar argument http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/16/AR2009041603471.html/article/2009/04/16/AR2009041603471.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
Just wanted to share with you a fantastic new site I found which has a great range of trainers and footwear. I dont normally rant about GOOD service, but these guys were the only ones I could find who stocked
Converse High Tops. When I found their site they were only then adding the items, and I spoke to them on the phone. The guy on the phone was REALLY helpful, talked me through all the options and got a quote for shipping next day to europe. This was ordered at 4.30 on a Thursday as an abolutely last resort Birthday present for my brother in law. It arrived at 9.15 the next morning – with a lovely letter from the shop wishing him a happy day. Not often you get service like that, so just wanted to share their link
You keep reading that he’s still dating Vanessa Hudgens, who is zac efron dating who is zac efron dating the I just read that he’s dating Nikki Blonsky. wanna clarify?
You keep reading that he’s still dating Vanessa Hudgens, who is zac efron dating who is zac efron dating the I just read that he’s dating Nikki Blonsky. Anyone clarify?
Just intorducing myself here.. If your interested you should checkout My Tooth Whitening System
Other than that i like what you guys are close by and am wound up to change a fellow of this council!
Just wanted to say hello all. This is my first post.
I came to learn some great information here.