When TV and Reality meet: BushCo. Style
By John Amato Tuesday Dec 18, 2007 11:01am
The legacy of George Bush via "Spooks" (h/t Gary)
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The legacy of George Bush via "Spooks" (h/t Gary)
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John -
You should have given the video background
I thnk it adds more power to the clip
Thanks for the background Clytemnestra. That probably makes it easier for the non-Spooks fans to understand what's going on. lol
I was watching this last night and felt that it definitely needed to be up on C&L so got to editing quickly. lol
Gary
When TV and Reality meet: BushCo. Style
http://www.globalpov.com/images/cryptkeeper.jpg
FYI, "Spooks" is called "MI-5" in the States, in case anyone was wondering why they hadn't seen this show anywhere.
yeah A&E airs it (or used to) like a year and a half behind the BBC one. So when they're on Season 6 finale, A&E will probably be airing Season 4 or something. Maybe 5. Plus they cut out about 20 minutes to fit in commercials, as Spooks airs commercial free on BBC1.
Here in the states it sucks unless you grab them off the internet. Plus with the racial aspect in the USA of the word "Spooks" there was no way they were releasing that show as that title here. Even though it refers to Spys
I've never watched the show, but that does make for a good clip.
I watched the first 2 seasons with the original cast and it was brilliant. But after the main 3 agents were written off, I stopped watching because i had such an attachment to the characters. I would definitely recomment watching the first 2 seasons of the show.
VP's ceremonial offices are on fire as well as most of the staffes in the Old Executive building near the White House - looks like they are probably burning documents.
its on CNN check it out
saif @ 7:
Actually the three didn't leave til the third season. Tom in the first two eps, Keeley Hawes (can never remember her character's name lol) about mid season and then Danny went out in the third season finale.
have not been here for a year and the comments are more restricted and more "ID" is required.
The election is purely rigged. The Liberals may have it in the bag (just about) but the flavor is set up like the Carter Admin.
IF Hilary/Obama get in my prediction is it will be for one term and one term only.
And like the Carter admin, who was in right after? A stooge, an Actor, a former California Rep.
Who better to change the laws for running for non American citizens but a liberal? And then fairly a "R" non American born citizen is LMAO... elected?
IF you think your vote counts and everything you see on the many info services is real. Then you can blog, protest, write letters as much as you want. The position holds too much power for the public to decide. The 2000 election is a joke now. A joke you see on Letterman and Stewarts show over and over. But it never changes.
Hilary/Obama may get in for one term, but after that one term the "public" will be convinced that the "D's" cant run anything and another "R" will be elected.
History goes in circles. In your poor little feeble minds you cant handle it.
You are the most hated country in the world for a reason.
Imagine going to a party and saying "lets all do coke and have an orgy!!!" and out of the 200 party guests, only three say Okay, and the rest tell you to get f**ked.
So the 197 people dont have a clue but the 3 do??
It's okay, I dont think you guys will understand. After all everyones dumb right? And all you guys respect is fame and fortune.
America is finished. The rest of the world is just waiting for you guys to realize that.
Or, I maybe I'm wrong and you guys rule the world like Hitler wanted to in the 40's but you were more clever about it than he was :)
You guys have called the shots for a long time, and the world has got worse and worse.
Wonder why much?
We all will pay for our country's transgressions. When I hear some fool trying to justify torture its like rationalizing the genocide of original Americans or slavery. These freaks would justify child rape . I just want to see the Bush crew to get their justice first.
is 11 big dog for real or is he portraying a character from the MI-5 show??
I agree with Left & Left. Freaks. Everytime Kit Bond or Lindsay Graham opens his mouth I see the toads flying out.
Also, gee, I hate to be a party pooper, but is anyone else disturbed by the fact that torture is now one of the first go-to plot points for entertainment? Yes, torture has been shown before but only for the more egregious and impactful statements in movies like Last King of Scotland. Now it's a TV prop. It bothers me.
well, do-si-do, I do believe that torture is more a plot point now than in the past, perhaps because plot points are referencing real life more and more every year.
Plus Spooks has always followed the espionage/terrorists/torture/bombings type storylines from the beginning. It actually started the same year that 24 did, right after 9/11.
Also something you should know is that from memory I can't remember a whole lot of Spooks episodes (and I've seen them all) that deal with torture as a main plot point.
So it's not something they overdose on or run into the ground (ala 24 at times).
duncanidho @ 13:
I have no idea - hes sounds like he is messaging from a secret volcano lair.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article3260709.ece
"His lawyers claim he has endured years of torture in which has been physically abused, including having his genitals cut with a razor blade"
BigDog's rather cynical view of where America stands in the world and where it's headed is, alas, an accurate one.
The fact that so many Americans think torture is something useful and good is sickening. The fact that so many American think it's even something worthy of debate sickening. I am appalled that the Country I served when I was in the military no longer exists except as a memory. I am deeply appalled that the Democrats who were elected in 2006 seem either too frightened of a 24% President, or just not to give a damn about the values America once held dear.
The "loyal opposition" has become the co-opted opposition. If Reid and Pelosi cared at all about the issue of torture they would be screaming against it. If the Democratic nominee doesn't come out strongly against it -- period -- I'll withhold my vote. Torture is wrong, period. Not just "in most cases." In all cases. A nation that can't stand behind that fact will sink and collapse from it's own moral corruption.
"Your values are defined by what you tolerate when it's done to others." Dilawar
BigDog @ 11:
watch much porno????
"It's the norm now. Ain't that the truth!!
http://13martyrs.blogspot.com/
Actually the three didn’t leave til the third season. Tom in the first two eps, Keeley Hawes (can never remember her character’s name lol) about mid season and then Danny went out in the third season finale.
She was Zoe as I remember (it's been a while). All three left to do other things - I think Keeley left to have her baby - Danny to a stage play and Tom to Pride and Prejudice. It really was (is) a super series.
The Inquisition tortured people (women) to save their souls. And just think of how many Diabolical plots were uncovered and stopped because of
Gonzaleser, Torquemada. Thesheepuh, I mean parrishoners also wildly supported thetroopsuh, I mean the clergy.Stay the corpse, I say.
miss marple @ 20:
ZOE!!! that's it. Damn I keep forgetting her name. I believe in real life she's dating/engaged or whatever to Matthew Macfayden who played Tom.
It seem every comment left for me was reffering to a TV show :)
Didnt Einstein say that if Tv was shut down in America that the world would end 18 months later?
The only thing left for Dubyah to do for his beloved nation is to call an emergency meeting with his entire cabinet and then suicide bomb their asses.
Left&Left @ 24:
Even Hitler offed himself, so maybe there's hope...
You should all wait till George Clooney or Tim Robbins gives their opinion, then you will all no what the right thing is to think.
I watch a lot of British shows via *ahem* alternative means, and I've noticed in the last year or so that to many of the writers American = evil villain. For example, last season on Waterloo Road (drama about an inner city high school) an American millionaire offered to donate money to the school, but of course he was revealed to be a Southern fundie type that wanted to bring intelligent design to the school's curriculum.
There are some other examples as well but suffice it to say if this is how our "closest ally" sees and portrays us, then our reputation is really in the toilet.
I agree with the female character in the clip when she says, "I'd say 'not torturing people' is the closest thing to a moral absolute as there is." (or something like that)
I disagree that just because we won't torture someone (well, I'm not sure how to put that in the future conditional), it doesn't mean no one will then torture an American (or Brit).
But, that doesn't matter, because of the first point.
BigDog @ 26:
Did George Clooney say something? I missed it? What did he say?
*Jumps back and forth excitedly then pees a little*
votingvet @ 17:
Hear, hear. I can't believe that there are people who defend torture. I used to think that one should just ignore idiots, but since there seem to be so many and they're so loud about it, now I'm not so sure.
kudos to Gary Anderson for uploading this to youtube
thank you jr, I appreciate it.
Gary @ 15:
Gotcha, Gary, and I don't watch Spooks... ;)
Anyway, I hate the fact some freaks are rationalizing torture in the name of our country's safety. I mean, could you imagine WWII war vets fighting for a country who believes this is OK? Call me an idealist, but I can't picture it. Condoning torture is some kind of compensatory wet dream for chickenhawks. JMHO.
do-si-do @ 34:
Thom Hartman's show dealt with this in the last half hour today. And I was surprised how many military people called in and said they were disgusted that people are being tortured in our name. (I'm not saying that I'm surprised there are thinking people in the military - Wes Clark, Rachel Maddow, tyree - but I think military folks take it personally when someone wearing the uniform commits this kind of atrocity. )
By the way Hartman also had an excellent point he started saying probably three years ago: the chicken-hawk neo-cons keep talking about the new threat of Islamic terrorism and the unprecedented nature of this war, but there have always been threats. Why do we need to torture now? During the cold war, the Soviet Union had thousands of nukes pointed at us that could have been launched in 45 seconds - not 45 minutes. There were soviet assassinations and covert operations, but we never argued (publicly) that we should torture anyone.
These torture advocates need to grow up and put their big boy pants on. The world can be scary, but the odds of you or your loved ones getting injured by terrorists are probably about the same as the odds of being injured by a meteorite.
Oh crap. I shouldn't have said that. Now we'll start hearing about how Halliburton needs to build a meteorite defense shield.
Rob Wagner @ 20:
Norm!
BigDog @ 27:
lets see, the first rant was "Amerika's time has come, and you guys ain't running things and you'll get whats coming to you"
2nd rant is "American TV ,kill it and you shut down the thinking centers of a nation"
3rd rant is "we wait for Clooney and Robbins to confirm whats right to think".
Seems the theme is the phenomina of fame and fortune, and the export of "american culture" to the denigration of local nation culture. (think Disneyland to france, rock and roll, levis, and long hair to the warsaw pact, and corporate irresponsibility to Bhopal)
True we have done horrendus stuff, from slavery , to japanese internment, sanctioned assasination, and junta's. The difference though is the United States still has folks that work to correct the mistakes, and set things right.
It may take a generation to do so, but for the most part we set the standard to make up for our international transgressions.
I think the only other nations that can lay claim to that ideal would be norway, greenland, iceland, finland, canada, and sweden.
Kitty @ 28:
Just so you know. The "Ahem" Illegal way is not illegal to most of the world. That's another thing that makes america hated. Which we are coming to find is not really america, but the corporate fascists who 'rule' their country without them knowing.
Be proud that your download and download alot. Download every show you want, download and torrent away. In Canada, here, we passed a simple law. The sales of CD-R and DVD-Rs will have an added tax which will be given to the RIAA Yes, your amiercan copyright corporation mongers. Thats it. There is no need to bow to them.
"Here, Recording Companies, here is some money... You don't want it that way? You want to push your Imperial Corporate way and have the right to sue anyone who copys your stuff? Well we could give you nothing... So take this or leave it."
And that is how PEOPLE tell corporations to eat shit and die. The people have the right to not be harrassed by these corporations so they are not allowed too... Just like The Video Store can't chase me down and beat me up and sue me for copying the video from them. They can "bite my ass".
And so I say ,don't cower, be proud, you are making a copy for personal use. So thats that.
if you haven't already figured it out, it's almost too late to do anything about it.
DHS finalizing plans for domestic spy satellite program
Nick Juliano
Published: Thursday December 20, 2007
Congress has not been updated since civil liberties concerns delayed satellite spying
A plan to dramatically widen US law enforcement agencies' access to data from powerful spy satellites is moving toward implementation, as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff expects to finalize a charter for the program this week, according to a new report.
Chertoff insists the scheme to turn spy satellites -- that were originally designed for foreign surveillance -- on Americans is legal, although a House committee that would approve the program has not been updated on the program for three months.
"We still haven't seen the legal framework we requested or the standard operation procedures on how the NAO will actually be run," House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie G. Thompson tells the Wall Street Journal. Thompson was referring to the National Applications Office -- a new DHS subset that would coordinate access to spy-satellite data for non-military domestic agencies, including law enforcement.
Civil liberties concerns delayed the program after lawmakers and outside activists wondered how the program would be structured to protect Americans from unconstitutional surveillance from the powerful satellites, which can see through cloud cover, trees and even concrete buildings.
The program's charter remains unfinalized, but Chertoff said it will use clear language to explain legal restrictions on the data's use. Warrants will be obtained when required before collecting satellite intelligence, and the program won't use technology to intercept verbal communications, according to the Journal.
"One lesson I've learned is it's not enough to say we know what we're doing is going to be OK," Chertoff told the paper in an interview. "We've got to really make it clear to the public that we're doing this, but we're not doing that."
Article
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/DHS_finalizing_plans_for_domestic_spy_1220...
57 Comments - http://www.haloscan.com/comments/rawstory/8636a/
duncanidho @ 37:
You cant water down your countries mistakes.
Your given the "illusion" you trying to fix mistakes but keep on making the same ones decade after decade. And its very pleasant to say "were trying" but in the mean time thousands of people are dying at the hands of your "mistakes"
Norway, Greenland, Iceland etc etc all the countries you named make mistakes of course, but they dont invade countries, over throw leaders who arent "freindly to democracy" and dont dictate rules to governments there buying goods from. And as for the "import" of cultural styles, other countries take one or two things from western culture but the US doesnt take any from any other country and if it ever does they wont claim its origins to be from another country, it will be labeled as Americas brand and so hyped up the people in your country will believe its your own, thats what a good theif does. . Its the fact that anything done in your country is deemed "The worlds best" or "worlds first" when in fact its only "America's best" or "America's first".
Fixing mistakes? Your threatening to bomb possibly invade three more countries in the near future and the fact that more wars have been started in this administration than any other in US history isnt really "progress" or "working out the kinks" in your governmental process. IF anything its getting worse and worse.
"The difference though is the United States still has folks that work to correct the mistakes, and set things right."
err uhuh, and the rest of the world has never learnt from there mistakes (which pale in comparison to the mistakes of USA in this day and age), only the US learns from its mistakes, then keeps making them again, and again, and again.
"but for the most part we set the standard to make up for our international transgressions."
*slaps head* you set so many standards, like ignoring the UN and invading anyway, never apologizing to countries you have raped and pilaged. Germany apoligized for the holocaust in the 1950's. When oh when will America apoligize for 1950's Iran? Korean War? Vietnam? Bay of Pigs? Nixon? The millions upon millions that have died at the hands of American "policy" in the last 50 years? And do you really see any administration apologizing for the Iraq war when it eventually does end? And millions have died?
Set the standards, oh please.
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