'TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Baron Dave Romm
Panama vs. Iraq
By Baron Dave Romm
| Panama, December 1989 | Iraq, March 2003 | |
|---|---|---|
| Personification of Evil | Manuel Noriega | Saddam Hussein |
| Killed and tortured own people | Yes | Yes |
| Onetime US ally | Yes; hailed by DEA as the best friend the agency had in South America | Yes; received billions of dollars in credit from US. |
| Fate | Hope they play rock and roll at him in his prison cell. | Not dead yet... but he should be tried in international tribunal if caught alive. |
| US "Leader" | George Herbert Walker Bush | George Walker Bush |
| Direct threat to US | Drugs; conservatives still mad about Panama Canal. | None; conservatives desperate to change the subject of Osama bin Laden. |
| Relationship of dictator to Poppy Bush | Paid informant to CIA, considered an ally in drug war. | Received covert military help during 80s, despite public condemnation of chemical attacks. |
| Previous attempts to depose dictator | None by US. After a stolen election, Panamanian Defense Forces staged an unsuccessful coup. | Desert Storm, 1991; failed to finish job. |
| Number of countries sending troops | One | Two and a half at the start (US and Brit committing major forces, with Aussies committing 2000) with a few countries later sending a handful, mostly support personnel or decontamination experts for a total of 13 as of 3/29. |
| Opposing army | PDF had 12,000 troops, but only about 4,000 could be classified as combat troops. Panamanian Battle Order | Estimated 350,000, not counting civilians taking up arms or suicide bombers. |
| US Military casualties | 23, 324 wounded (around 450 enemy casualties). | Ongoing; as of 3/29 the troop casualties identified by the military are 30 dead, seven captured, 15 missing. 23 British soldiers dead. (pdf file including pictures here). Brit press has 34 killed and 104 wounded in action as of report 3/30. |
| Civilian casualties | Early estimates said 373, some estimates say more than 4,000 total Panamanians dead. Physicians for Human Rights issued a revised report. | Unknown and continuing; Iraqi claims can be dismissed as yet, but US descriptions must be taken with a grain of salt too. (For Desert Storm, no official total but reports of individual attacks have said to kill "hundreds" and "scores" of civilians.) | Local response to invasion | Panamanians literally could not get out of the way fast enough for US forces to take Noriega. US-trained PDF (and list here) crumbled quickly under intensive fire; token resistence by personal guards. | Even Iraqis who hate Saddam are returning to defend the homeland. Suicide bomber first of many, said Iraqi VP. |
| World reaction to invasion | Condemnation by UN and OAS, glee from corrupt Panamanian officials and international banks that were getting "debt relief" with US tax dollars; presumably the drug traffickers liked their new partner more than the old one. | Unsupported by UN and most of the world, with some offering condemnation. Massive public protests all over the world, even in the US and "coalition" countries. As Osama bin Laden wanted, most of the arab world is uniting against the US. DOD already warning Syria and Iran against helping Iraq. |
| Manipulation of media | Propaganda worked. | Ongoing. No good American source of news. Suggest checking with the BBC, Economist, Independent; even the list of news links from Syria is good. |
| Outcome | Noriega captured, but replacement Endara worse, and drug trafficking and crime increased. | Pending; Several groups currently debating who will choose the people who will come up with suggestions about post-war Iraq. |
Baron Dave Romm is a conceptual artist and a noble of Ladonia with a radio show, a very weird CD collection and an ever growing list of political links. He reviews things at random for obscure web sites. You can read all his music recommendations from Bartcop-E here, and you can hear the last two Shockwave broadcasts in Real Audio here (scroll down to Shockwave). Thanks to everyone who has sent me music to play on the air, and I'm collecting extra-weird stuff for a possible CD compilation.
Reader Suggested Reading
from that Mad Cat, JD
The Right Stuff
By Eric Alterman
AS THE WAR IN IRAQ BEGAN, a Pentagon spokesperson with the US Central Command pronounced himself ''extremely happy with the coverage.'' And indeed, it's not surprising that government officials should give thanks to the media. If all you did was watch the war on television, you'd hardly know any Iraqis were being killed, or that most of the world considers this war to be both illegal and unjustified, or that the hated Hussein most likely had nothing to do with 9/11 and has even been given a clean bill of health regarding anti-US terrorism over the past decade by our own CIA. Just where, viewers might be forgiven for asking, is this ''liberal media'' conservatives have been complaining about all these years?
The Right Stuff: How conservatives control the media, and pretend they don't
~~ JD
Thanks, JD!
'IF I EVER LOSE MY FAITH IN NUKES'
from Alvin
pResident Bush refused to rule out the prospect of US forces using
nuculear weapons.
MIDI
IF I EVER LOSE MY FAITH IN NUKES
{Sung to 'If I Ever Lose My Faith In You' by The Police}
{As Sung By The pResident}
{instrumental intro}
You could say I lost my faith in weapons inspections
You could say I lost my belief in the UN
You could say I only want revenge
You could say all of this and worse, but
If I ever lose my faith in nukes
There'd be nothing left for me to screw
Some would say I was a lost man in a lost world
You could say I lost my faith in the art of diplomacy
You could say I'd lost my belief in a flawed institution
I supposed that's not a problem with me
If I ever lose my faith in nukes
There'd be nothing left for me to screw
Evil dictators of the world should be replaced
'Cause everytime I close my eyes, I see their face
Sometimes for peace you have to fight
Just put the dead bodies in the bag
I never saw no peaceful solution
That didn't always end up as something worse, but
Let me say this first...
If I ever lose my faith in nukes
There'd be nothing left for me to screw
If I ever lose my faith
If I ever lose my faith
If I ever lose my faith
If I ever lose my faith in nukes!...
~~ Alvin (-.-)
Thanks, Alvin!
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Another hot day.
And, I'm running late (so what else is new).
Tonight, Monday, CBS is supposed to offer a FRESH 'King Of Queens', followed by a FRESH 'Yes, Dear',
then a FRESH 'Raymond', followed by a FRESH 'Still Standing', and then a FRESH 'CSI: Miami'.
Dave's back! Scheduled on a FRESH Dave are Billy Crystal and 18-year-old world whistling champion Michael Barimo.
Scheduled on a FRESH Craiggers are Roseanne Barr and Buckwheat Zydeco.
NBC is supposed to have a FRESH 'Fear Factor', followed by a FRESH
'Third Watch', then a FRESH 'Crossing Jordan'.
Scheduled on a FRESH Jay are Bill Paxton, Alex Rodriguez, and Lucy Woodward.
On a RERUN Conan are Dave Chappelle, Seth Green, and Badly Drawn Boy.
On a RERUN Carson Daly (from 3/12/03), are Adrien Brody and t.A.T.u.
ABC is supposed to devote the first hour of the night to 'Iraqi War Coverage', followed by a FRESH 'The Practice', then
a FRESH 'Miracles'.
Scheduled on a FRESH Jimmy Kimmel are Wanda Sykes and Saliva, with this week's guest co-host Mike Tyson.
The WB is supposed to have a RERUN '7th Heaven', and a RERUN 'Everwood'.
Faux is supposed to offer a FRESH 'Boston Pubic', and a FRESH 'Married By America'.
UPN is supposed to have a RERUN 'The Parkers', followed by a RERUN 'One On One', then a
RERUN 'Girlfriends', followed by a RERUN 'Half & Half'.
Lifetime's 'Intimate Portrait' looks at Niki Taylor.
Scheduled on a FRESH Jon Stewart is Chris Rock.
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
Japanese take to rowboats to enjoy viewing cherry blossoms Japan's capital of Tokyo March 30, 2003. People enjoy viewing the spring blooms all over the country.
Photo by Kimimasa Mayama
Rolling Stones, Santana, Moby, Andy Williams Cancel
SARS
The Rolling Stones have called off their first-ever China gigs over concerns about the deadly atypical pneumonia virus sweeping parts of Asia, promoters said.
The mysterious virus has forced the postponement of holidays and business travel to many parts of Asia, as health authorities warned of the possibility of more cases of the killer disease, especially in China, where World Health Organisation (WHO) experts are focusing their hunt for its origins.
Rock Guitarist Carlos Santana and pop star Moby have also cancelled their concerts in Hong Kong citing health concerns.
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Santana, who had been scheduled to play on April 11 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, issued a notice on his website seen Saturday that he would instead play in Osaka, Japan.
Veteran American singer Andy Williams, 76, earlier postponed his concert in Hong Kong set for April 12 until June 6, citing "global health concerns".
Meanwhile, organisers announced Moby's planned concerts in Hong Kong and Singapore would also be cancelled.
SARS
The Information One-Stop
Moose & Squirrel
First Album
Lisa Marie Presley
Lisa Marie Presley, a 35-year-old mother of two, who counts pop star Michael Jackson, actor Nicholas Cage and musician Danny Keough among her ex-husbands, has made a "bluesy rock" disc called "To Whom it May Concern", according to Newsweek magazine.
"I feel like I've lived four lives in one," she told Newsweek. "I dealt with death early on. It wasn't just my father, it was my grandma, my grandpa, my great-grandfather, my aunts -- all in a two-year period.
Asked about the challenge of living up to Elvis' legacy in song, Presley was straightforward.
"It's intimidating. I hate it.... When I meet people, I know they are trying to sift through what they have heard. But if they listen (to the album), I hope they will hear somebody who's being pretty darn honest and not throwing up smoke screens."
Lisa Marie Presley
Thotsaphon Yonganukul, 21, waves after winning the Miss Transvestite contest in Chonburi Province, east of Bangkok, Thailand, on Sunday, March 30, 2003. Thotsaphon will represent Thailand at the Miss Queen Universe contest in November in Los Angeles.
Photo by Nunthasit Nitmatha
Tintype To Auction
Billy the Kid
A rare piece of cowboy memorabilia has hit the market. A tintype photograph of William H. Bonney, a k a Billy the Kid, was recently discovered at a garage sale in New Mexico. Experts estimate the photo was taken in the late 1860s, when Bonney was about 14 and still in Hell's Kitchen, where he grew up. On the back of the tintype, Bonney engraved the words, "To Donna Valdez Love William Bonney." This is only the second photo of Bonney that's ever been found and is selling for $100,000 at momentsintime.com.
Billy the Kid
Relishes Playing Live
Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr has just released his latest album, "Ringo Rama," but the former Beatle says his first love will always be playing for audiences.
The new album, which includes a tribute to former Beatle bandmate George Harrison, comes after a period of loss for the drummer. His first wife, Maureen, died in 1995. Three years later, longtime friend Linda McCartney died, and close confidant Harrison died in 2001.
He continues to tour with his All-Starr Band, but he also dedicates time to writing, painting, gardening and shopping for flowers with his wife, actress Barbara Bach.
"I just don't let things get on top of me as much," Starr said. "I try not to rule the world. I think just getting up in the morning is a great achievement."
Ringo Starr
Surprised by Stars' Candor
Bruce Sinofsky
A documentary filmmaker was surprised by the candor of the movie stars he interviewed for a film about how Hollywood deals with the subject of drug abuse.
Bruce Sinofsky, whose AMC documentary "Hollywood High" was scheduled to air Monday, said director Oliver Stone admitted trying the hallucinogen peyote to get inspiration for "The Doors," the story of rocker Jim Morrison.
Sinofsky said Willem Dafoe told him the star and his friends used to get high to watch Disney's animated "Fantasia" when they were young. Writer-director John Waters claimed "100 percent" of the audience, crew and actors were high on marijuana for the premiere of his offbeat 1972 comedy "Pink Flamingos," Sinofsky said.
Bruce Sinofsky
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Gives Up Club
Pete Fountain
After 43 years, jazz clarinetist Pete Fountain is bowing out of the New Orleans nightclub business.
Fountain opened his first New Orleans club on Bourbon Street in 1960, but has been playing the last 26 years at the Hilton Riverside club, where he held his finale Friday before 400 mostly invited family and friends.
Fountain said he'll keep playing at private events, as well as at the French Quarter Festival on April 11 and at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on May 4.
Pete Fountain
Anti-war protesters march as Los Angeles police officers, top, watch from a walkway Sunday, March 30, 2003, in Los Angeles. The estimated 5,000 demonstrators were peaceful and there were no arrests, according to Officer Lucy Diaz, a police spokeswoman.
Photo by Ric Francis
To Continue on Broadway
'Urban Cowboy'
In a dramatic, on-stage announcement Saturday night, at what was to have been the new musical's fourth and final performance, director Lonny Price announced 'Urban Cowboy' would continue its Broadway run.
Price's statement was met with cheers from theatergoers and astonished cast members, several of whom wept at the unexpected news.
The director said Sunday he found out only minutes before the final curtain that producer Chase Mishkin had decided to keep the musical going despite mostly negative reviews, including a particularly harsh notice in The New York Times. The paper's reviews are extremely important in the Broadway community because the Times carries the most clout with theatergoers, especially in the New York area.
It was uncertain how long the run would continue.
'Urban Cowboy'
150th Birthday
Van Gogh
Thousands of fans flocked to Amsterdam's Vincent van Gogh Museum Sunday to celebrate the 150th birthday of the brilliant but troubled Dutch painter.
With admission free for the occasion, lines stretched around the building. Visitors were treated to classical music and art experts in 19th century costumes answered questions about the life of one the world's best-loved artists, who was virtually unknown in his day.
Van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853, in the village of Groot Zundert. After failing in other careers, he started painting at age 27.
A few friends and art connoisseurs recognized his talent, but his life was increasingly troubled by a strange mental illness that led him at one point to cut off part of his left ear. He committed suicide in 1890, when he was 37.
Van Gogh is famed for his ability to put his own emotions into his paintings, capturing a feeling about a scene, rather than reproducing it exactly. His style is marked by short, broad brushstrokes.
Van Gogh
Formerly 'The Vidiot'
Cable Companies To Replace
BBC News Channel
Israel's three cable television companies said Sunday they would drop 24-hour news channel BBC World from their systems at the end of March due to failure to reach an agreement on a new contract.
A spokeswoman for the cable companies, now in merger talks, said they had weighed getting rid of either BBC or Sky News at the end of their contracts. They decided on BBC because it refused to lower its asking price.
In a statement, BBC said it was disappointed its news channel would no longer be carried on Israeli cable systems but noted that the growing digital satellite TV provider YES would still keep the news station.
BBC News Channel
Anti-war protesters carry signs as they march through the streets of Philadelphia, Sunday, March 30, 2003.
Photo by Chris Gardner
Hurt by Breaking News Snafus
ABC News
ABC News offers the latest example of how the reputations of television news organizations can rise or fall in the time it takes to flick a remote control.
The network responded slowly at the outset of the year's two biggest stories — the outbreak of war in Iraq and the space shuttle explosion — and compounded it with a technical goof that left local stations scrambling to fill dead air in the war's opening hours.
Both nights, viewers swiftly turned elsewhere for news, and questions linger about whether that will have long-term repercussions.
ABC News has acknowledged the mistakes and said it has already made changes to prevent a recurrence.
Times are clearly tense there. When technical problems marred the beginning of "Good Morning America" one day last week, ABC News President David Westin called the control room to dress down the producer.
Some close to the situation have pointed to a lack of experience in senior production jobs backing up Westin, a lawyer by training. Westin's highly respected top deputy, Paul Friedman, quit in mid-February.
For a bit more, ABC News
Iraqi Civilians Feed US Marines
'Hotel California'
Iraqi civilians fleeing heavy fighting have stunned and delighted hungry US marines in central Iraq by giving them food, as guerrilla attacks continue to disrupt coalition supply lines to the rear.
Sergeant Kenneth Wilson said Arabic-speaking US troops made contact with two busloads of Iraqis fleeing south along Route Seven towards Rafit, one of the first friendly meetings with local people for the marines around here.
At one camp, the buses stopped and women passed out food to the troops, who have had to ration their army-issue packets of ready-to-eat meals due to disruptions to supply lines by fierce fighting further south.
Corpsman Tony Garcia said the food donation was an act of appreciation for the American effort to topple the brutal regime of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
"They told me they wanted to go to America after the war. I said where. They said California. I said why? They said the song Hotel California and they left singing Hotel California."
For the rest, 'Hotel California'
Oldest Evidence of Mummification
Egypt
Egyptian archaeologists on Sunday opened a 5,000-year-old wooden coffin in the desert near Cairo to find a pile of bones which they said showed the oldest evidence yet found of human mummification in Egypt.
The bones were covered with a resin used in the mummification process and remnants of skin.
The coffin was found in one of more than 20 mud-brick tombs, which Hawass said belonged to officials who had lived between 3100-2890 BC under Egypt's 1st Dynasty.
Egypt
North American Box Office
Top Movies
Following are the top 10 movies at the North American box office for the March 28-30 weekend, according to studio estimates collected on Sunday by Reuters. Final data will be issued on Monday.
1 (*) Head of State ............. $14.0 million
2 (1) Bringing Down the House ... $12.5 million
3 (*) The Core .................. $12.4 million
4 (*) Basic ..................... $12.1 million
5 (6) Chicago ................... $ 7.4 million
6 (2) Dreamcatcher .............. $ 6.4 million
7 (3) Agent Cody Banks .......... $ 6.1 million
8 (7) Piglet's Big Movie ........ $ 4.6 million
9 (4) View From the Top ......... $ 3.8 million
10 (5) The Hunted ................ $ 3.7 million
NOTE: Last weekend's ranking in parenthesis.
"*" = new release.
Top Movies
Brazilian protesters wear masks of Saddam Hussein and George W. Bush during an anti-war rally in Rio de Janeiro, March 30, 2003. Hundreds gathered at Ipanema beach to protest against the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
Photo by Bruno Domingos
'The Osbournes'
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 4
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 3
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 2
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 1
