'Decider Bush owes explanation of his criminal Iraq War ...in court

When former President George W. Bush was conducting his criminal war of conquest against Iraq, he bragged about how he freed 25 million people. What he wouldn't say is that he wrecked Iraq, killing hundreds of thousands and causing millions of casualties and refugees with his wicked "Shock and Awe". Now, eleven years later Iraq is again descending into sectarian chaos. Over 10,000 were killed last year, the ...most since 2007. Two things that didn't exist in Iraq prior to Bush's March 19, 2003, pre-emptive attack, al-Qaida and suicide bombings have become a way of life. Innumerable babies are exiting their mother's womb with birth defects from the depleted uranium and other poisonous substances Bush used in his eight year vendetta.

Five years after mercifully leaving office, Bush is ensconced in his million dollar Dallas mansion painting pictures of his feet sticking out of his bath water and drumming up donations for his Bush Institute for "advancing timeless principles and practical solutions to the challenges facing our world." Having designated himself the world's first 'Decider' (a nonsense word if there ever was one), Bush is fond of proclaiming, "The interesting thing about being the President is that you don't have to feel like you owe anybody an explanation." If there is one "timeless principle" in governance it's that a leader does not commit war crimes; and if one does he must be brought to justice. Bush can crow all he wants about not having to "owe anybody an explanation" for his criminality. If the American Congress, the media and above all, the American people demand justice for Bush, he may have no choice but to try to explain away his guilt, carrying a long prison sentence, in court.

A Christmas Logistics Story

A sizeable number of Santa's presents missed their December 25 target date in 2013. Apparently the only missed deliveries involved Santa hiring UPS and Fed Ex to alleviate his overloaded sleigh. Everything he gave to the venerable US Postal Service arrived on time and intact, including 75,000 precious presents delivered by Uncle Sam precisely on Christmas. Those hundre...ds of planes UPS and Fed Ex fly, while the USPS has none, simply didn't get the job done. UPS says it "Loves Logistics" and Fed Ex brags about "Delivering the World On Time". They spend millions playing those endless advertising loops to stash billions into their coffers from overpriced delivery services. And the Postal Service? Their loyal employees, under attack from soulless congressman who've saddled it with unconscionable long term pension reserves in order to destroy it, simply went about doing well what they've done for 238 years. I try not to wish ill on anyone. But it would be poetic justice if the folks who missed their Christmas packages were congressmen who voted to KO the USPS as payback for all that campaign cash they get from UPS and Fed Ex.

Thanks. Safeway

In 1918 Sicilian immigrant Dominick DeMatteo opened a grocery store on Chicago's West Side. In 1934 he opened a second store for his son Dominick Jr. Dominick's became a phenomenal Chicago immigrant success, reac...hing 116 Chicagoland stores
before the DeMatteo family sold out in 1996. California food giant Safeway acquired Dominick's in 1998. It was downhill from there - Safeway destroyed the local goodwill and ambiance DeMatteo and son created. After years of trying to fix or sell, a Wall Street Bankster bought up enough Safeway stock in September to force their hand - DUMP DOMINICKS. Three weeks later Safeway did just that adding 6,000 good middle class jobholders to the 20 million other folks seeking good jobs. The stores closed December 28.

I knew by sight many of my Glen Ellyn Dominick's employees and a few by name. One employee, Steve Yamamoto, took his camera to a nearly deserted store in the waning days and had his colleagues express their fear and loathing. Then he used a movie trailer app to add special effects and you have his wondrous sendoff. The first lady you see is Faith, who served me Starbucks and a little inspiration on my daily commute.

For his efforts, Steve should have been Employee of the Year. Instead, he was suspended on Dominick's last day ever. For Steve and 5,999 others, Safeway was neither safe nor the way.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyLReexjEco

A book for Senator Kirk

 Illinois Senator Mark Kirk was not on my Christmas list but if he was I would have given him the new book "CATASTROPHE 1914: EUROPE GOES TO WAR" by English historian and journalist Max Hastings.

In nearly 600 pages, Senator Kirk, if he truly opened his eyes and his soul, would find himself on every page. "CATASTROPHE" chronicles the European leaders and military men w...hose arrogance, narrow-mindedness, sheer stupidity, and above all, love of war, propelled Europe and the rest of mankind into the first cataclysmic war of the 20th century. Four years and sixteen million dead later, Europe lay in ruins, the last three great European dynasties were swept away, and the seeds were sown for the next world war that dwarfed the first.

Reading this saga reminds me that Kirk was one of the virulent American and British war mongers who, like their WWI counterparts, used a terrorist event to launch senseless criminal war. Having now lost two such wars in the Middle East against Afghanistan and Iraq, Kirk is now the face of a new drive by the war party to take out their latest bête noir Iran. Kirk, who has received millions in campaign cash from the war party and the Israel Lobby, is nothing if not loyal to their demand that Iran be destabilized by increased economic sanctions and, if necessary, war, to remove them as a hegemon in the Middle East. Kirk, horrified by the diplomatic breakthrough of the Obama administration which threatens to thaw the 35 year standoff with Iran and defuse the hyped nuclear crisis, is leading the charge to derail it with his legislation to increase Iranian sanctions.

If Kirk would read this long tome on the folly of war it might accomplish two things: keep him busy reading so he won't have time to foment new war, and hopefully serve as his epiphany so that a hundred years from today our grandchildren won't be reading "CATASTROPHE 2014: AMERICA GOES TO WAR".