what is wrong with this picture? — UPDATING

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Hmmm?

U.S. President is warning Libyan leader that his forces must stop attacking innocent civilians or face military action.

If you can't answer this question instantly, I'm torn between ordering you away from my blog forever and begging you to live here.... [from 11am today]

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NOON-THIRTY UPDATE:

The French air force destroyed Libyan tanks and armored vehicles on Saturday, the first shots fired in a U.N.-mandated military intervention to protect civilians from attacks by Muammar Gaddafi's forces.

A French defense ministry official said "a number of tanks and armored vehicles" were destroyed in the region of Benghazi, with initial action focusing on stopping Gaddafi's forces from advancing on the rebels' eastern stronghold.

"Rebels"... pfeh....

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1:15 PM PDT UPDATE:

American warplanes, ships and submarines prepared to launch a furious assault on Libya's limited air defenses Saturday, clearing the way for European and other planes to enforce a no-fly zone designed to ground Moammar Gadahfi's air force and cripple his ability to inflict further violence on rebels, U.S. officials said.

"Rebels"... pfeh... talismanic words....

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Just a word about the multifarious other pushbutton revolutions in progress: People are being slaughtered and no UN mandates, no French and American airstrikes... pig shit smeared across the globe. Right now.

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7:05 PM PDT UPDATE:

The U.S. and European nations pounded Moammar Gadhafi's forces and air defenses with cruise missiles and airstrikes Saturday, launching the broadest international military effort since the Iraq war in support of an uprising that had seemed on the verge of defeat. Libyan state TV claimed 48 people had been killed in the attacks....

Fuck.

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MIDNIGHT PDT OH SHIT UPDATE:

Moscow regrets the attack from a range of European countries on Libya which is being conducted "with reference to the hastily adopted UN Security Council resolution," official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander Lukashevich said on Saturday....

China regrets the multinational military strike launched against Libya, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

"China has noticed the latest development in Libya and regrets the military strike against Libya," Jiang Yu said, adding that China did not agree with resorting to force in international relations.

Part of me hopes this turns into a serious disagreement, but, of course, that's suicidal....

For the record, this might be the source of the downed plane in the "rebel" city that we were assuming was Gaddafi's and setting this whole attack in motion. MIGHT be. Sarkozy's trying to get France behind him again... baaaad poll numbers... but then... the French are NOT as gung ho behind their president's military adventurism as Americans are... hey... can I say "used to be" yet?

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love, 99
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maybe they'll behead him

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I liked the thought of Sarko and Merkel coming out with something with the potential to upset the plutocratic applecart, but, really, that's probably not more than the shit Conyers and Feingold and company are continually pulling, to SOUND good while they go ahead and capitulate utterly. Good politics.

Nicolas Sarkozy today ordered French police to break up oil depot blockades in an attempt to calm fears over petrol shortages as strikes over pension reform continued.

Police moved in to dismantle barricades at several key depots early in the morning, including sites at Le Mans, La Rochelle and Dinge, but some strikers resumed picketing in the afternoon. A handful of depots remained blocked this afternoon.

With panic buying taking place in the run-up to the half-term holiday, the government said nearly a third of petrol stations were empty or running short. Fuel imports hit a record high as the government sought to circumvent the 24-day blockade of France's largest oil port near Marseille, where 51 tankers waited in the Mediterranean, unable to dock.

The French president refused to back down on his reform of the pensions system, and vowed to crack down on those who "sought to paralyse the country", warning that strikers would damage France's economy.

The biggest protest movement since Sarkozy assumed office continued, with 12 refineries blocked for a ninth day, airports disrupted, high schools still blockaded, and students joining the action, with university blockades in cities such as Lille and Paris. Staff at the Louvre blockaded the museum from 9am to 11am until they relented in the face of tourists asking to be let in. In Marseille, town hall workers began to clear bins as the health risk reached "pre-epidemic levels", with refuse collectors continuing to strike.

I'm rooting for the French to put him straight, even if it means his gorgeous wife has been his consolation prize for an early demise.

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UPDATE:

The French senate passed the bill... and Sarko is talking tough... this could get Shakespearean... and, well, sigh, I hope it does. I hope the people smack these fuckers to the pavement. The unremitting looting has to stop, and if we can't muster ourselves to stop it here, where it would spread over the globe, at LEAST the French could stop it there.

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love, 99
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high school kids striking to save pensions

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Stand up.

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love, 99
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total total

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This stuff gives me energy.

Strikes to shut half of France's oil refineries
(AFP)

PARIS — Total oil group said on Wednesday that strikes by its workers were forcing it to shut down all six of its refineries in France — half the total number in the country.

But a company spokesman said Total had enough fuel in its depots to continue supplying fuel to France's filling stations.

He said the firm was starting to shut down its refineries because unions decided to renew a strike they called Tuesday as part of a nationwide protest against pension reform that saw more than a million take to the streets.

At least 11 of mainland France's 12 refineries were affected by that strike, including the six run by Total.

Don't flinch at the so-called negative consequences for oil prices, et cetera, because they're being used to weaken your resolve, even though they are evils we need overthrown with the ones being done by governments. When they hand you this crap, just say, "No pain, no gain," while you go about getting through the pain that leads to gain. Get it DONE. Jesus. Quit shillyshallying. WORDS only lead OFF actuality and play INTO the wrong hands.

STAND UP.

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Oh, and did I mention that it pays?

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love, 99
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MURDERATING FUCKS SHOULD BE STONED TO DEATH

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The money quote:

The death penalty is likely to be executed by hanging. Stoning - which still prevailed under the Shah’s rule and was maintained for a number of years after his overthrow - has been abolished by the Islamic Revolution. Irritated by the statements of Bernard-Henri Lévy and Nicolas Sarkozy, the vice-president of the Iranian Judicial Council told Dieudonné M’bala M’bala that he defies these Zionist figures to find one single text of contemporary Iranian law that contemplates stoning.

I have a much better idea who should be stoned to death. THINK of the heavy rotation this bullshit has gotten all across the biggest "progressive" groupthink websites. Far more than just this was wrong with the reportage in content, and even worse wrong in motivation. It's warmongering of the highest order. It's unqualified obeisance to the fascist elite. It is Zionism to the ultimate extent.

You really must go and give the entire piece a very hard skim at the very least. AND TAKE THE LESSON TO HEART. I've been warning you and warning you and warning you of this crap for quite a while. This is indelible proof of my words. YOU ARE GETTING NOTHING BUT LIES ABOUT IRAN FROM ALMOST EVERY QUARTER.

THEY WILL DO IT IF WE DO NOT STOP THEM.

The mindfucking is never even punctuated by patches of truth anymore... AND BY PEOPLE YOU'D BEEN SURE YOU COULD TRUST.... I keep trying to warn you that the one good thing about fascism is it teaches you exactly who is really your friend... even though the lessons are agonizing to take.

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And, as though expressly produced to punctuate my so recently burst aneurysm....

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love, 99
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nice if humans could transcend the name-recognition factor

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It isn't an iron law that all dynastic candidates suck as much as the Bush Dynasty or Bhutto Dynasty, and it might be said that if you'll vote for someone just because you already know their name you deserve what you get. But, basically, the ways in which the public demands oligarchy, even as it usually says it disdains it, are too numerous to recount. Maybe I shouldn't bitch because throughout the history of humankind this has been our weakness, but it doesn't have to be. It doesn't have to be. We have the option, each of us has the option, to transcend this lethal soft spot in every moment.

lost his head

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well, yes, he would say that, now wouldn't he?

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no shit, nicolas

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I don't know about the rest of it, but the part about Obummer being weak was, well, ahem, putting it mildly.

Ya know, I think I'm going to go stick my head under my pillow now....

vive la france

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Make them take you seriously.

la vie est douce

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General Strike in France!

[Oooooo, and pictures!]

well, okay, then!

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Now he could be the antichrist and I officially love his ass into eternity.

yes, please

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It's urgent.