New York Times
September 30, 2006
Top House Republicans knew for months about e-mail traffic between Representative Mark Foley and a former teenage page, but kept the matter secret and allowed Mr. Foley to remain head of a Congressional caucus on children’s issues, Republican lawmakers said Saturday.
The exchanges began with what Republicans now describe as an "overfriendly" e-mail message from Mr. Foley to the unidentified teenager. But news reports about the exchanges have led to the disclosure of e-mail correspondence with other former pages in which the discussions became more and more sexually explicit. Shortly after he was confronted by ABC News on Friday about the subject, Mr. Foley, who represented a south Florida district, resigned from the House.
The revelations set off a political upheaval, with Democrats and some Republicans alike calling for a full investigation of Mr. Foley's conduct and whether House leaders did enough to look into it. Members of the Republican leadership sought Saturday to detail how they had handled the case in an effort to defuse the matter, even as it was emerging as an issue in Congressional races.
September 30, 2006
September 29, 2006
Kentucky National Guard Nudie Cuties
WKRC 12 Cincinnati
September 29, 2006
U.S. Army officials are investigating allegations that women in a Kentucky National Guard unit posed nude for pictures with their M-16s and other military equipment. Kentucky National Guard spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Phil Miller says the allegations were reported to the commander of the 410th Quartermaster unit about a week to ten days before the company shipped out for Iraq on Aug. 26 from Camp Shelby, Mississippi. The Courier-Journal of Louisville reports that it had been independently provided a compact disc containing 232 photographs of at least a half-dozen nude and seminude women in various poses with military rifles and covering their breasts with American flag decals. An accompanying e-mail said the women photographed were from the Kentucky Guard. Miller said 11 of the 107 soldiers who deployed with the Danville-based unit are women."
September 29, 2006
U.S. Army officials are investigating allegations that women in a Kentucky National Guard unit posed nude for pictures with their M-16s and other military equipment. Kentucky National Guard spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Phil Miller says the allegations were reported to the commander of the 410th Quartermaster unit about a week to ten days before the company shipped out for Iraq on Aug. 26 from Camp Shelby, Mississippi. The Courier-Journal of Louisville reports that it had been independently provided a compact disc containing 232 photographs of at least a half-dozen nude and seminude women in various poses with military rifles and covering their breasts with American flag decals. An accompanying e-mail said the women photographed were from the Kentucky Guard. Miller said 11 of the 107 soldiers who deployed with the Danville-based unit are women."
September 23, 2006
Chris Matthews Interview with Bill Clinton
Think Progress
September 22, 2006
Rough Transcript of Chris Matthews Fox News Sunday, Interview with Ex-President Bill Clinton. What started out as an interview with Clinton over his humanitarian work quickly became an ambush interview regarding Clinton's efforts to get rid of Osama bin Laden. From the looks of it, Chris Matthew wishes he'd stuck with the humanitarian topics.
Bill Clinton seems more than happy to roll up his sleeves and discuss particular points of his presidency, and in particular his failing to kill Osama bin Laden. He dissuaded Matthews' topic-shifting and seems happy to identify the political enemies of the Democrats.
Amazing interview! If the Democrat nominee in 2008 doesn't put Bill Clinton on their campaign staff then they deserve to lose.
September 22, 2006
Rough Transcript of Chris Matthews Fox News Sunday, Interview with Ex-President Bill Clinton. What started out as an interview with Clinton over his humanitarian work quickly became an ambush interview regarding Clinton's efforts to get rid of Osama bin Laden. From the looks of it, Chris Matthew wishes he'd stuck with the humanitarian topics.
Bill Clinton seems more than happy to roll up his sleeves and discuss particular points of his presidency, and in particular his failing to kill Osama bin Laden. He dissuaded Matthews' topic-shifting and seems happy to identify the political enemies of the Democrats.
Amazing interview! If the Democrat nominee in 2008 doesn't put Bill Clinton on their campaign staff then they deserve to lose.
Terrorist Aliens Are Raping Your Daughter
Judicial-Inc
The most thoughtful whacko anti-Zionist, NWO, conspiracy web site I've yet to visit. More adventursome than Rense, better researched than Michael Savage's site, far more interesting than Matt Drudge's little blog.
The most thoughtful whacko anti-Zionist, NWO, conspiracy web site I've yet to visit. More adventursome than Rense, better researched than Michael Savage's site, far more interesting than Matt Drudge's little blog.
September 19, 2006
Polling Company Pleads Guilty to Fraud
Newsday.com
September 19, 2006
An employee of a company that conducted campaign polls for President George W. Bush, Senator Joe Lieberman and other Republican candidates pleaded guilty Tuesday to making up poll results, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. Darryl Hylton, 42, of Hamden pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in Bridgeport to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The Guilford-based company, DataUSA, is now known as Viewpoint USA.
Hylton admitted that he conspired to falsify survey and polling results to meet deadlines or other requirements that DataUSA otherwise could not meet. He also admitted that he directed other DataUSA employees to falsify results in a variety of ways, including changing demographic information, such as gender, to satisfy client requirements. Hylton faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when he is sentenced on Dec. 11th.
September 19, 2006
An employee of a company that conducted campaign polls for President George W. Bush, Senator Joe Lieberman and other Republican candidates pleaded guilty Tuesday to making up poll results, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. Darryl Hylton, 42, of Hamden pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in Bridgeport to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The Guilford-based company, DataUSA, is now known as Viewpoint USA.
Hylton admitted that he conspired to falsify survey and polling results to meet deadlines or other requirements that DataUSA otherwise could not meet. He also admitted that he directed other DataUSA employees to falsify results in a variety of ways, including changing demographic information, such as gender, to satisfy client requirements. Hylton faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when he is sentenced on Dec. 11th.
September 18, 2006
How Important Is the Israel Lobby?
Middle East Quarterly
Vol. XII, No. 4, Fall 2006
Superb article on the effects of the Israel Lobby on US Foreign Policy.
Two well-known academics, Stephen Walt of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago, published a working paper in March 2006 arguing that 'the Israel lobby' wields a disproportionate and detrimental influence on U.S. foreign policy. They defined the lobby as mysteriously large, including everything from Washington think-tanks, New York newspapers, and websites, to traditional lobby groups such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Their study, however flawed, lent an air of academic respectability to a viewpoint of pervasive Israel lobby influence and power that has long preoccupied polemicists and a radical fringe. Read complete article
Vol. XII, No. 4, Fall 2006
Superb article on the effects of the Israel Lobby on US Foreign Policy.
Two well-known academics, Stephen Walt of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago, published a working paper in March 2006 arguing that 'the Israel lobby' wields a disproportionate and detrimental influence on U.S. foreign policy. They defined the lobby as mysteriously large, including everything from Washington think-tanks, New York newspapers, and websites, to traditional lobby groups such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Their study, however flawed, lent an air of academic respectability to a viewpoint of pervasive Israel lobby influence and power that has long preoccupied polemicists and a radical fringe. Read complete article
September 17, 2006
Bush Refuses To Meet With Ahmadinejad
YnetNews
September 15, 2006
US President George W. Bush declared Friday that he has no intention of meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his visit to the United Nations headquarters in New York next week. When asked whether he would take advantage of the opportunity to meet with the Iranian president, he responded unequivocally, "No. No I will not meet with him."
Bush and Ahmadinejad are expected to carry speeches Tuesday in front of the UN General Assembly, with Bush’s oration scheduled for the morning hours and Ahmadinejad's for the evening. Bush addressed the press at the White House’s Rose Garden Friday.
September 15, 2006
US President George W. Bush declared Friday that he has no intention of meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his visit to the United Nations headquarters in New York next week. When asked whether he would take advantage of the opportunity to meet with the Iranian president, he responded unequivocally, "No. No I will not meet with him."
Bush and Ahmadinejad are expected to carry speeches Tuesday in front of the UN General Assembly, with Bush’s oration scheduled for the morning hours and Ahmadinejad's for the evening. Bush addressed the press at the White House’s Rose Garden Friday.
September 16, 2006
Goat Transformed Into Human Corpse
CBS News
September 15, 2006
LAGOS (AP) A Nigerian murder suspect accused of killing his brother with an axe told police investigators he actually attacked a goat, which was only later magically transformed into his sibling's corpse, officials said Thursday. The man, whose name wasn't released, offered police his explanation after his arrest on Tuesday in the death of his brother the previous day at Isseluku village in southern Nigeria.
'He said that the goats were on his farm and he tried to chase them away. When one wouldn't move, he attacked it with an axe. He said it then turned into his brother,' Police Commissioner Udom Ekpoudom told the Associated Press. Murder suspects in Nigeria, where many people believe in black magic, sometimes claim spirits tricked them into killing. In 2001, eight people were burned to death after one person in their group was accused of making a bystander's penis magically disappear.
September 15, 2006
LAGOS (AP) A Nigerian murder suspect accused of killing his brother with an axe told police investigators he actually attacked a goat, which was only later magically transformed into his sibling's corpse, officials said Thursday. The man, whose name wasn't released, offered police his explanation after his arrest on Tuesday in the death of his brother the previous day at Isseluku village in southern Nigeria.
'He said that the goats were on his farm and he tried to chase them away. When one wouldn't move, he attacked it with an axe. He said it then turned into his brother,' Police Commissioner Udom Ekpoudom told the Associated Press. Murder suspects in Nigeria, where many people believe in black magic, sometimes claim spirits tricked them into killing. In 2001, eight people were burned to death after one person in their group was accused of making a bystander's penis magically disappear.
September 14, 2006
New Report Details Errors Before War
Washington Post
September 9, 2006
The long-awaited Senate Intelligence Committee report released yesterday sheds new light on why U.S. intelligence agencies provided inaccurate prewar information about Saddam Hussein and his weapons programs, including details on how Iraqi exiles who fabricated or exaggerated their stories were accepted as truthful because they passed Pentagon lie detector tests. The two newly declassified chapters of the report fueled political accusations yesterday that the Bush administration lied to justify invading Iraq.
The report notes that a DIA official who knew that the source was unreliable sat in on two meetings in which the mobile labs information was incorporated into the speech Secretary of State Colin L. Powell delivered in February 2003 to the U.N. Security Council, but that the official did not realize the information was based solely on the word of the untrustworthy source.
One surprising conclusion from the CIA retrospective is that the agency now believes that aggressive U.N. inspections in Iraq in 1991 after the Persian Gulf War led Hussein to what it describes as a "fateful decision." He covertly dismantled and destroyed the undeclared nuclear, chemical and biological facilities, materials and actual weapons he had put together in the preceding decade -- along with "the records that could have verified that unilateral destruction."
As a result, there was no proof in 2002 and 2003 when the Iraqis claimed they had no weapons of mass destruction, and Hussein could not demonstrate he was in basic, if not complete, compliance with U.N. resolutions. Noncompliance with the Security Council's October resolution was the main U.S. public rationale for the invasion of Iraq.
September 9, 2006
The long-awaited Senate Intelligence Committee report released yesterday sheds new light on why U.S. intelligence agencies provided inaccurate prewar information about Saddam Hussein and his weapons programs, including details on how Iraqi exiles who fabricated or exaggerated their stories were accepted as truthful because they passed Pentagon lie detector tests. The two newly declassified chapters of the report fueled political accusations yesterday that the Bush administration lied to justify invading Iraq.
The report notes that a DIA official who knew that the source was unreliable sat in on two meetings in which the mobile labs information was incorporated into the speech Secretary of State Colin L. Powell delivered in February 2003 to the U.N. Security Council, but that the official did not realize the information was based solely on the word of the untrustworthy source.
One surprising conclusion from the CIA retrospective is that the agency now believes that aggressive U.N. inspections in Iraq in 1991 after the Persian Gulf War led Hussein to what it describes as a "fateful decision." He covertly dismantled and destroyed the undeclared nuclear, chemical and biological facilities, materials and actual weapons he had put together in the preceding decade -- along with "the records that could have verified that unilateral destruction."
As a result, there was no proof in 2002 and 2003 when the Iraqis claimed they had no weapons of mass destruction, and Hussein could not demonstrate he was in basic, if not complete, compliance with U.N. resolutions. Noncompliance with the Security Council's October resolution was the main U.S. public rationale for the invasion of Iraq.
Warrantless Wiretapping Law Changing
Wired News
September 13, 2006
A bill radically redefining and expanding the government's ability to eavesdrop and search the houses of U.S. citizens without court approval passed a key Senate committee Wednesday, and may be voted on by the full Senate as early as next week.
By a 10-8 vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved SB2453, the National Security Surveillance Act (.pdf), which was co-written by committee's chairman Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania) in concert with the White House.
The committee also passed two other surveillance measures, including one from Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California), one of the few senators to be briefed on the National Security Agency program. Feinstein's bill, which Specter co-sponsored before submitting another bill, rebuffs the administration's legal arguments and all but declares the warrantless wiretapping illegal.
In contrast, Specter's bill concedes the government's right to wiretap Americans without warrants, and allows the U.S. Attorney General to authorize, on his own, dragnet surveillance of Americans so long as the stated purpose of the surveillance is to monitor suspected terrorists or spies.
September 13, 2006
A bill radically redefining and expanding the government's ability to eavesdrop and search the houses of U.S. citizens without court approval passed a key Senate committee Wednesday, and may be voted on by the full Senate as early as next week.
By a 10-8 vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved SB2453, the National Security Surveillance Act (.pdf), which was co-written by committee's chairman Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania) in concert with the White House.
The committee also passed two other surveillance measures, including one from Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California), one of the few senators to be briefed on the National Security Agency program. Feinstein's bill, which Specter co-sponsored before submitting another bill, rebuffs the administration's legal arguments and all but declares the warrantless wiretapping illegal.
In contrast, Specter's bill concedes the government's right to wiretap Americans without warrants, and allows the U.S. Attorney General to authorize, on his own, dragnet surveillance of Americans so long as the stated purpose of the surveillance is to monitor suspected terrorists or spies.
Bob Schieffer on National Security
CBS News
September 13, 2006
In a recent op-ed piece, Bob Schieffer offers this interesting perspective;
"I'm glad they took them out of those secret CIA prisons. For me, it's a matter of national security - ours. Democracies have no business running secret prisons. That's what our enemies do. If we are in a battle for the hearts and minds of people around the world, as the administration says we are, I won't feel very secure if the people around the world believe we are no different than our enemies."
September 13, 2006
In a recent op-ed piece, Bob Schieffer offers this interesting perspective;
"I'm glad they took them out of those secret CIA prisons. For me, it's a matter of national security - ours. Democracies have no business running secret prisons. That's what our enemies do. If we are in a battle for the hearts and minds of people around the world, as the administration says we are, I won't feel very secure if the people around the world believe we are no different than our enemies."
Connecting Iraq To The War on Terror
CBS News
September 6, 2006
"One of the hardest parts of my job is to connect Iraq to the war on terror," Mr. Bush said. "I believe it, but the American people have got to understand that a defeat in Iraq, in other words if this government there fails, the terrorists will be emboldened, the radicals will topple moderate governments. I truly believe that this is the ideological struggle of the 21st century. And the consequences for not achieving success are dire."
September 6, 2006
"One of the hardest parts of my job is to connect Iraq to the war on terror," Mr. Bush said. "I believe it, but the American people have got to understand that a defeat in Iraq, in other words if this government there fails, the terrorists will be emboldened, the radicals will topple moderate governments. I truly believe that this is the ideological struggle of the 21st century. And the consequences for not achieving success are dire."
September 13, 2006
Celebrating Banned Books
Google
To Kill a Mockingbird. Of Mice and Men. The Great Gatsby. 1984. It's hard to imagine a world without these extraordinary literary classics, but every year there are hundreds of attempts to remove great books from libraries and schools. In fact, according to the American Library Association, 42 of 100 books recognized by the Radcliffe Publishing Course as the best novels of the 20th century have been challenged or banned.
Google Book Search is our effort to expand the universe of books you can discover, and this year we're joining libraries and bookstores across the country to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Banned Books Week – a nationwide initiative to help people learn about and explore banned books. You can start by browsing these 42 classics – books we couldn't be more pleased to highlight.
To Kill a Mockingbird. Of Mice and Men. The Great Gatsby. 1984. It's hard to imagine a world without these extraordinary literary classics, but every year there are hundreds of attempts to remove great books from libraries and schools. In fact, according to the American Library Association, 42 of 100 books recognized by the Radcliffe Publishing Course as the best novels of the 20th century have been challenged or banned.
Google Book Search is our effort to expand the universe of books you can discover, and this year we're joining libraries and bookstores across the country to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Banned Books Week – a nationwide initiative to help people learn about and explore banned books. You can start by browsing these 42 classics – books we couldn't be more pleased to highlight.
USAF To Test New Weapons on Americans
CNN.com
September 12, 2006
In a "public relations move" the USAF is going to test battlefield weapons on US citizens?
Nonlethal weapons such as high-power microwave devices should be used on American citizens in crowd-control situations before being used on the battlefield, the Air Force secretary said Tuesday. The object is basically public relations. Domestic use would make it easier to avoid questions from others about possible safety considerations, said Secretary Michael Wynne.
'If we're not willing to use it here against our fellow citizens, then we should not be willing to use it in a wartime situation,' said Wynne. '(Because) if I hit somebody with a nonlethal weapon and they claim that it injured them in a way that was not intended, I think that I would be vilified in the world press.'
The Air Force has paid for research into nonlethal weapons, but he said the service is unlikely to spend more money on development until injury problems are reviewed by medical experts and resolved. Nonlethal weapons generally can weaken people if they are hit with the beam. Some of the weapons can emit short, intense energy pulses that also can be effective in disabling some electronic devices.
September 12, 2006
In a "public relations move" the USAF is going to test battlefield weapons on US citizens?
Nonlethal weapons such as high-power microwave devices should be used on American citizens in crowd-control situations before being used on the battlefield, the Air Force secretary said Tuesday. The object is basically public relations. Domestic use would make it easier to avoid questions from others about possible safety considerations, said Secretary Michael Wynne.
'If we're not willing to use it here against our fellow citizens, then we should not be willing to use it in a wartime situation,' said Wynne. '(Because) if I hit somebody with a nonlethal weapon and they claim that it injured them in a way that was not intended, I think that I would be vilified in the world press.'
The Air Force has paid for research into nonlethal weapons, but he said the service is unlikely to spend more money on development until injury problems are reviewed by medical experts and resolved. Nonlethal weapons generally can weaken people if they are hit with the beam. Some of the weapons can emit short, intense energy pulses that also can be effective in disabling some electronic devices.
September 11, 2006
Netanyahu Encourages US To Invade Iran
NY Sun
September 8, 2006
Benjamin Netanyahu, as part of an American tour repositioning himself for a return to the Israeli premiership, told an audience in New York yesterday that President Bush is preparing to ditch the United Nations to take on Iran alone and that American politicians of all parties would do well to stop squabbling about Iraq and join the president in focusing on threat from Tehran.
Israel's one-time ambassador to the United Nations urged Americans of all political persuasions to "not get caught up" arguing about Iraq. Mr. Netanyahu dismissed the argument that fears of Iranian plans for WMD might be false in the way that predictions on Iraq have come under question. Mr. Netanyahu said Israel had told America that claims about Iraq's weapons were based on "conjecture," while with Iran "we're not guessing. We know."
September 8, 2006
Benjamin Netanyahu, as part of an American tour repositioning himself for a return to the Israeli premiership, told an audience in New York yesterday that President Bush is preparing to ditch the United Nations to take on Iran alone and that American politicians of all parties would do well to stop squabbling about Iraq and join the president in focusing on threat from Tehran.
Israel's one-time ambassador to the United Nations urged Americans of all political persuasions to "not get caught up" arguing about Iraq. Mr. Netanyahu dismissed the argument that fears of Iranian plans for WMD might be false in the way that predictions on Iraq have come under question. Mr. Netanyahu said Israel had told America that claims about Iraq's weapons were based on "conjecture," while with Iran "we're not guessing. We know."
Things In Afghanistan Go Better With Coca-Cola
Yahoo! News
September 11, 2006
A sniper on the gleaming Coca-Cola factory's roof peers through his gun sight over Kabul's bullet-pocked suburbs, searching for any hint of a terrorist threat. In a parking lot festooned with red Coke flags, an American dog handler barks commands at journalists being frisked by Afghan security agents. In strife-ridden Afghanistan, this is how even the most positive of events — like Sunday's opening of a new $25 million Coca-Cola production plant — are handled. Even more so when pro-U.S. Afghan President Hamid Karzai attends.
But according to Karzai, more business openings and investments of this kind will lead to a downturn in Afghanistan's violence, which has reached its deadliest proportions since U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban in 2001 for harboring Osama bin Laden.
"But now we have no running water, no electricity and no sanitation," local resident Jomaa Gul said as he kicked a dust-covered glass Coca-Cola bottle through a patch of weeds in the loading bay where trucks once took the soft drink away. "Hospitals and security are more worthy investments for $25 million than a soft drink plant."
September 11, 2006
A sniper on the gleaming Coca-Cola factory's roof peers through his gun sight over Kabul's bullet-pocked suburbs, searching for any hint of a terrorist threat. In a parking lot festooned with red Coke flags, an American dog handler barks commands at journalists being frisked by Afghan security agents. In strife-ridden Afghanistan, this is how even the most positive of events — like Sunday's opening of a new $25 million Coca-Cola production plant — are handled. Even more so when pro-U.S. Afghan President Hamid Karzai attends.
But according to Karzai, more business openings and investments of this kind will lead to a downturn in Afghanistan's violence, which has reached its deadliest proportions since U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban in 2001 for harboring Osama bin Laden.
"But now we have no running water, no electricity and no sanitation," local resident Jomaa Gul said as he kicked a dust-covered glass Coca-Cola bottle through a patch of weeds in the loading bay where trucks once took the soft drink away. "Hospitals and security are more worthy investments for $25 million than a soft drink plant."
September 09, 2006
Senate: Still No Al Qaeda-Saddam Link
ABC News
September 8, 2006
There's no evidence Saddam Hussein had a relationship with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his Al-Qaida associates, according to a Senate report on prewar intelligence on Iraq. Democrats said the report undercuts President Bush's justification for going to war.
The declassified document being released Friday by the Senate Intelligence Committee also explores the role that inaccurate information supplied by the anti-Saddam exile group the Iraqi National Congress had in the march to war.
The report comes at a time that Bush is emphasizing the need to prevail in Iraq to win the war on terrorism while Democrats are seeking to make that policy an issue in the midterm elections.
September 8, 2006
There's no evidence Saddam Hussein had a relationship with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his Al-Qaida associates, according to a Senate report on prewar intelligence on Iraq. Democrats said the report undercuts President Bush's justification for going to war.
The declassified document being released Friday by the Senate Intelligence Committee also explores the role that inaccurate information supplied by the anti-Saddam exile group the Iraqi National Congress had in the march to war.
The report comes at a time that Bush is emphasizing the need to prevail in Iraq to win the war on terrorism while Democrats are seeking to make that policy an issue in the midterm elections.
September 08, 2006
Execution Date Awaits Tony Blair
TheAge.com
Se[tempber 9, 2006
How long can Tony Blair stay? Will he make it to Christmas? The questions abounded after Mr Blair announced on Thursday (early yesterday Melbourne time) that he would quit within a year, but defiantly resisted calls to set an exact time. Mr Blair insisted on going his own way, believing that a use-by date would leave him fatally undermined. He is already.
There remains a frail hope that Mr Blair can choose the terms of his retirement, provide the 'stable and orderly transition' he has promised, and give Labour the best chance of winning the next election, due most likely in 2009.
That hope depends on the Prime Minister himself but even more on Mr Brown, almost certainly Britain's next prime minister. Like two old lovers who long ago lost the light in their eyes, they must take the floor and, before an out-of-tune band and a thinning crowd, dance their last waltz. The party depends on it.
Se[tempber 9, 2006
How long can Tony Blair stay? Will he make it to Christmas? The questions abounded after Mr Blair announced on Thursday (early yesterday Melbourne time) that he would quit within a year, but defiantly resisted calls to set an exact time. Mr Blair insisted on going his own way, believing that a use-by date would leave him fatally undermined. He is already.
There remains a frail hope that Mr Blair can choose the terms of his retirement, provide the 'stable and orderly transition' he has promised, and give Labour the best chance of winning the next election, due most likely in 2009.
That hope depends on the Prime Minister himself but even more on Mr Brown, almost certainly Britain's next prime minister. Like two old lovers who long ago lost the light in their eyes, they must take the floor and, before an out-of-tune band and a thinning crowd, dance their last waltz. The party depends on it.
Jesuits Join Catholic in Sex Abuse
AP Wire
September 8, 2006
Former Gonzaga University President John Leary was involved in the sexual abuse of boys and young men in the 1960s, but the priest's actions were covered up by Jesuit officials and he was transferred to positions in California, Nevada and other states, the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus said Friday.
'While today, stronger safeguards and clearer policies are in place, the Jesuits wish to publicly acknowledge the failures of our history and apologize to those who have suffered,' the Rev. John D. Whitney of Portland, Ore., leader of the Oregon Province, said in a statement.
He called the cover-up 'uncharacteristic.'"
September 8, 2006
Former Gonzaga University President John Leary was involved in the sexual abuse of boys and young men in the 1960s, but the priest's actions were covered up by Jesuit officials and he was transferred to positions in California, Nevada and other states, the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus said Friday.
'While today, stronger safeguards and clearer policies are in place, the Jesuits wish to publicly acknowledge the failures of our history and apologize to those who have suffered,' the Rev. John D. Whitney of Portland, Ore., leader of the Oregon Province, said in a statement.
He called the cover-up 'uncharacteristic.'"
Al Qaeda-Hussein Link Is Dismissed
Washingtonpost.com
June 17, 2004
Vintage Walter Pincus and Dana Milbank article on Bush-Cheney claims that Saddam had links to 9/11 & Osama bin Laden. It's well-researched and concise.
June 17, 2004
Vintage Walter Pincus and Dana Milbank article on Bush-Cheney claims that Saddam had links to 9/11 & Osama bin Laden. It's well-researched and concise.
NY Class in US-Israel Union
YnetNews
September 8, 2006
The New York City Council's education committee approved a curriculum on Israel initiated by the public relations department of the Israeli Consulate in New York. The curriculum will be integrated into the training program for educators teaching in 1,400 public high schools in New York City. The incentive offered to teachers who will take the course: Credit points for an academic degree. Israeli Consul General in New York Aryeh Mekel said that 'through the teachers a generation of leaders will be educated to maintain the special relations between the United States and Israel.'
September 8, 2006
The New York City Council's education committee approved a curriculum on Israel initiated by the public relations department of the Israeli Consulate in New York. The curriculum will be integrated into the training program for educators teaching in 1,400 public high schools in New York City. The incentive offered to teachers who will take the course: Credit points for an academic degree. Israeli Consul General in New York Aryeh Mekel said that 'through the teachers a generation of leaders will be educated to maintain the special relations between the United States and Israel.'
AIPAC Takes a Few Hard Hits
American Chronicle
September 4, 2006
I've become addicted to reading the articles William Hughes writes for the American Chronicle. Mr. Hughes provides sources as footnotes to each of his columns so his writings become a starting point for further reading, which I appreciate. In his most recent column, he makes the point that the 911 Commission's explanation of what happened on September 11, 2006 is only THEIR conspiracy theory to explain what happened:
I was deeply impressed by the presentation of both professors. In a word, they were-brilliant! Professor Walt repeatedly underscored that 'without 9/11, you don’t get a war with Iraq.' It then jumped out at me at a gut level: 9/11 had to be 'an inside job!' I agree with the skeptics who assert: "The wildest 9/11 conspiracy theory is actually the one endorsed by the Kean Commission, ‘that 19 fanatical Arabs, directed from a cave in Afghanistan, caught the whole of the U.S. military intelligence, the whole of U.S. political and diplomatic establishments, and NORAD completely off guard.’'
I've also never found credible the government's explanation for the highly suspicious antics of those 'five dancing Israelis' arrested over in New Jersey on the morning of the WTC inferno. Also, I think that the response of the Israeli Hard Rightist, ex-P.M. Benjamin Netanyahu, on the morning of 9/11, somehow fits into this puzzle. He reportedly said about the attack: 'It's very good...Well, it's not good, but it will generate sympathy (for Israel).'
September 4, 2006
I've become addicted to reading the articles William Hughes writes for the American Chronicle. Mr. Hughes provides sources as footnotes to each of his columns so his writings become a starting point for further reading, which I appreciate. In his most recent column, he makes the point that the 911 Commission's explanation of what happened on September 11, 2006 is only THEIR conspiracy theory to explain what happened:
I was deeply impressed by the presentation of both professors. In a word, they were-brilliant! Professor Walt repeatedly underscored that 'without 9/11, you don’t get a war with Iraq.' It then jumped out at me at a gut level: 9/11 had to be 'an inside job!' I agree with the skeptics who assert: "The wildest 9/11 conspiracy theory is actually the one endorsed by the Kean Commission, ‘that 19 fanatical Arabs, directed from a cave in Afghanistan, caught the whole of the U.S. military intelligence, the whole of U.S. political and diplomatic establishments, and NORAD completely off guard.’'
I've also never found credible the government's explanation for the highly suspicious antics of those 'five dancing Israelis' arrested over in New Jersey on the morning of the WTC inferno. Also, I think that the response of the Israeli Hard Rightist, ex-P.M. Benjamin Netanyahu, on the morning of 9/11, somehow fits into this puzzle. He reportedly said about the attack: 'It's very good...Well, it's not good, but it will generate sympathy (for Israel).'
September 07, 2006
Bush & Blair and Iraq Makes Three
Christian Science Monitor
February 3, 2006
In a case of yet another leaked memo in Britain, one of the United Kingdom's top international lawyers quotes minutes from a January 31, 2003 meeting between British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George Bush in an updated version of his book, 'Lawless World', where it appears the two men made the decision to go to war regardless of what the United Nations decided about passing a second resolution that would have allowed the start of the war.
Britain's Channel Four TV network, which says it has seen the minutes of the meeting, reports that during the meeting, Mr. Bush raised the idea of painting US U-2 spy planes in the colors of the United Nations, in the hope that former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein would fire on the planes, and thus give the US and Britain a legal basis to attack Iraq. Bush also supposedly said the war against Iraq would start on March 10, 2003. It actually started 10 days later.
February 3, 2006
In a case of yet another leaked memo in Britain, one of the United Kingdom's top international lawyers quotes minutes from a January 31, 2003 meeting between British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George Bush in an updated version of his book, 'Lawless World', where it appears the two men made the decision to go to war regardless of what the United Nations decided about passing a second resolution that would have allowed the start of the war.
Britain's Channel Four TV network, which says it has seen the minutes of the meeting, reports that during the meeting, Mr. Bush raised the idea of painting US U-2 spy planes in the colors of the United Nations, in the hope that former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein would fire on the planes, and thus give the US and Britain a legal basis to attack Iraq. Bush also supposedly said the war against Iraq would start on March 10, 2003. It actually started 10 days later.
Remy Belvaux Dies
Reuters
September 6, 2006
I loved this movie ...
Belgian filmmaker Remy Belvaux, whose sole feature "C'est arrivé près de chez vous" ('Man Bites Dog') became a cult hit, has died, his family said Wednesday. He was 38. A statement said he died Monday night in Orry-la-Ville, north of Paris, but no cause of death was given.
Shot on a micro budget, 'Man Bites Dog' purported to be a fly-on-the-wall TV documentary about the life of a cynically jovial serial killer. The 1992 movie walks a dangerous line between black humor and abject horror as the TV crew gradually becomes more implicated in the killer's gruesome crimes.
Belvaux also starred in 'Man Bites Dog' with Andre Bonzel and Benoit Poelvoorde, who has gone on to be a major star in France. The trio also produced the movie, which won a string of awards after debuting at the Cannes Film Festival.
Despite the movie's impact, Belvaux never shot another feature, instead turning to directing commercials for which he won several industry awards. 'He leaves us one masterpiece and tons of regrets,' his family said in their statement.
September 6, 2006
I loved this movie ...
Belgian filmmaker Remy Belvaux, whose sole feature "C'est arrivé près de chez vous" ('Man Bites Dog') became a cult hit, has died, his family said Wednesday. He was 38. A statement said he died Monday night in Orry-la-Ville, north of Paris, but no cause of death was given.
Shot on a micro budget, 'Man Bites Dog' purported to be a fly-on-the-wall TV documentary about the life of a cynically jovial serial killer. The 1992 movie walks a dangerous line between black humor and abject horror as the TV crew gradually becomes more implicated in the killer's gruesome crimes.
Belvaux also starred in 'Man Bites Dog' with Andre Bonzel and Benoit Poelvoorde, who has gone on to be a major star in France. The trio also produced the movie, which won a string of awards after debuting at the Cannes Film Festival.
Despite the movie's impact, Belvaux never shot another feature, instead turning to directing commercials for which he won several industry awards. 'He leaves us one masterpiece and tons of regrets,' his family said in their statement.
September 05, 2006
Bin Laden Gets a Pass from Pakistan
ABC News
September 5, 2006
Osama bin Laden, America's most wanted man, will not face capture in Pakistan if he agrees to lead a "peaceful life," Pakistani officials tell ABC News.
The surprising announcement comes as Pakistani army officials announced they were pulling their troops out of the North Waziristan region as part of a "peace deal" with the Taliban.
"What this means is that the Taliban and al Qaeda leadership have effectively carved out a sanctuary inside Pakistan," said ABC News consultant Richard Clarke, the former White House counter-terrorism director.
The agreement was signed on the same day President Bush said the United States was working with its allies "to deny terrorists the enclaves they seek to establish in ungoverned areas across the world."
September 5, 2006
Osama bin Laden, America's most wanted man, will not face capture in Pakistan if he agrees to lead a "peaceful life," Pakistani officials tell ABC News.
The surprising announcement comes as Pakistani army officials announced they were pulling their troops out of the North Waziristan region as part of a "peace deal" with the Taliban.
"What this means is that the Taliban and al Qaeda leadership have effectively carved out a sanctuary inside Pakistan," said ABC News consultant Richard Clarke, the former White House counter-terrorism director.
The agreement was signed on the same day President Bush said the United States was working with its allies "to deny terrorists the enclaves they seek to establish in ungoverned areas across the world."
Osama "Won't Be Arrested"
The Raw Story
September 5, 2006
Major General Shaukat Sultan Khan, press secretary to the president of Pakistan, tells ABC News that -- if found -- Osama bin Laden won't be arrested, as long as he promises to behave like a 'peaceful citizen.'
'If he is in Pakistan, bin Laden 'would not be taken into custody,' Major General Shaukat Sultan Khan told ABC News in a telephone interview, 'as long as one is being like a peaceful citizen,' report Brian Ross and Gretchen Peters at ABC.
September 5, 2006
Major General Shaukat Sultan Khan, press secretary to the president of Pakistan, tells ABC News that -- if found -- Osama bin Laden won't be arrested, as long as he promises to behave like a 'peaceful citizen.'
'If he is in Pakistan, bin Laden 'would not be taken into custody,' Major General Shaukat Sultan Khan told ABC News in a telephone interview, 'as long as one is being like a peaceful citizen,' report Brian Ross and Gretchen Peters at ABC.
September 04, 2006
Britons Threaten to Behead Muslims
The Australian
September 4, 2006
"Far Right Extremists" have adopted the tactics of Islamic jihadis by posting videos on the internet in which they threaten to behead British Muslims. The films show balaclava-clad white British men brandishing guns, knives and clubs, calling on all Muslims to leave Britain or be killed. One appears to be a soldier who has served in the Gulf.
In one film, a man tells Muslims to 'go home' or risk being burned alive. He threatens, 'I'll cut your head off', and claims to have 'comrades' across Britain who have 'had enough'.
September 4, 2006
"Far Right Extremists" have adopted the tactics of Islamic jihadis by posting videos on the internet in which they threaten to behead British Muslims. The films show balaclava-clad white British men brandishing guns, knives and clubs, calling on all Muslims to leave Britain or be killed. One appears to be a soldier who has served in the Gulf.
In one film, a man tells Muslims to 'go home' or risk being burned alive. He threatens, 'I'll cut your head off', and claims to have 'comrades' across Britain who have 'had enough'.
GOP Ads Show Distancing from Bush
Yahoo! News
September 4, 2006
Republicans who were once cozy with President Bush are distancing themselves from both the president and their party in campaign ads. With the election in about two months and Bush's approval ratings still low — 33 percent in the most recent Associated Press-Ipsos poll — Republicans involved in tight races are avoiding party labels and playing down their ties to the president. On issues from the Iraq war to Amtrak spending, GOP candidates are trying to argue that they don't follow in lockstep.
Consider Rep. Deborah Pryce, the fourth-ranking House Republican struggling to hold onto her seat in an evenly split district in central Ohio, near Columbus. In 2004, her campaign Web site featured a banner of her and Bush sitting together, smiling. But in her latest television ad, Pryce is described as "independent." The spot also highlights how she "stood up to her own party" and the president to support increased federal funds for embryonic stem-cell research. As chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, Pryce rallies colleagues to the party message.
Among some of the ads:
In Pennsylvania, Republican Rep. Jim Gerlach (news, bio, voting record) tells voters: "When I believe President Bush is right, I'm behind him. But when I think he's wrong, I let him know that, too," Gerlach is in a close contest with Democrat Lois Murphy, who nearly beat him in 2004.
In Minnesota, where an open Senate seat is at stake, Republican Rep. Mark Kennedy (news, bio, voting record) has an ad titled, "Crossing Party Lines," in which he says: "I'm a Republican. On issues like taxes and spending, I vote like it. But on other issues, I cross party lines." In 2002, in his run for the House, a Kennedy ad showed him walking and shaking hands with Bush at the White House. Today, he lists the issues on which he has split from the president.
In South Florida, heavily populated by retirees, Republican Rep. Clay Shaw criticizes the president's stalled plans to change Social Security and says in his ad, "I represent the state of Florida, not a political party."
September 4, 2006
Republicans who were once cozy with President Bush are distancing themselves from both the president and their party in campaign ads. With the election in about two months and Bush's approval ratings still low — 33 percent in the most recent Associated Press-Ipsos poll — Republicans involved in tight races are avoiding party labels and playing down their ties to the president. On issues from the Iraq war to Amtrak spending, GOP candidates are trying to argue that they don't follow in lockstep.
Consider Rep. Deborah Pryce, the fourth-ranking House Republican struggling to hold onto her seat in an evenly split district in central Ohio, near Columbus. In 2004, her campaign Web site featured a banner of her and Bush sitting together, smiling. But in her latest television ad, Pryce is described as "independent." The spot also highlights how she "stood up to her own party" and the president to support increased federal funds for embryonic stem-cell research. As chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, Pryce rallies colleagues to the party message.
Among some of the ads:
In Pennsylvania, Republican Rep. Jim Gerlach (news, bio, voting record) tells voters: "When I believe President Bush is right, I'm behind him. But when I think he's wrong, I let him know that, too," Gerlach is in a close contest with Democrat Lois Murphy, who nearly beat him in 2004.
In Minnesota, where an open Senate seat is at stake, Republican Rep. Mark Kennedy (news, bio, voting record) has an ad titled, "Crossing Party Lines," in which he says: "I'm a Republican. On issues like taxes and spending, I vote like it. But on other issues, I cross party lines." In 2002, in his run for the House, a Kennedy ad showed him walking and shaking hands with Bush at the White House. Today, he lists the issues on which he has split from the president.
In South Florida, heavily populated by retirees, Republican Rep. Clay Shaw criticizes the president's stalled plans to change Social Security and says in his ad, "I represent the state of Florida, not a political party."
Bush says Jews are 'all going to hell'
The Raw Story
September 2, 2006
An upcoming book about presidential advisor Karl Rove reports allegations of anti-semitism by President George W. Bush. "You know what I'm gonna tell those Jews when I get to Israel, don't you Herman?" a then Governor George W. Bush allegedly asked a reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. When the journalist, Ken Herman, replied that he did not know, Bush reportedly delivered the punch line: "I'm telling 'em they're all going to hell."
September 2, 2006
An upcoming book about presidential advisor Karl Rove reports allegations of anti-semitism by President George W. Bush. "You know what I'm gonna tell those Jews when I get to Israel, don't you Herman?" a then Governor George W. Bush allegedly asked a reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. When the journalist, Ken Herman, replied that he did not know, Bush reportedly delivered the punch line: "I'm telling 'em they're all going to hell."
'Guerrilla artist' slams Paris Hilton
Independent Online
September 3, 2006
The secretive artist "Banksy" has smuggled 500 doctored copies of Paris Hilton's debut album into music stores throughout the UK, where they have sold without the shops' knowledge.
In place of Ms Hilton's bubble-gum pop songs, the CDs feature Banksy's own rudimentary compositions. On the cover of the doctored CD, Ms Hilton's dress has been digitally repositioned to reveal her bare breasts; on an inside photo, her head has been replaced with that of her dog.
On the back cover, the original song titles have been replaced with a list of questions: 'Why am I famous?', 'What have I done?' and 'What am I for?'
Inside the accompanying booklet, a picture of the heiress emerging from a luxury car has been retouched to include a group of homeless people.
September 3, 2006
The secretive artist "Banksy" has smuggled 500 doctored copies of Paris Hilton's debut album into music stores throughout the UK, where they have sold without the shops' knowledge.
In place of Ms Hilton's bubble-gum pop songs, the CDs feature Banksy's own rudimentary compositions. On the cover of the doctored CD, Ms Hilton's dress has been digitally repositioned to reveal her bare breasts; on an inside photo, her head has been replaced with that of her dog.
On the back cover, the original song titles have been replaced with a list of questions: 'Why am I famous?', 'What have I done?' and 'What am I for?'
Inside the accompanying booklet, a picture of the heiress emerging from a luxury car has been retouched to include a group of homeless people.
September 03, 2006
Bush is 'planning nuclear strikes' on Iran
Telegraph
September 4, 2006
The Bush administration is planning to use nuclear weapons against Iran, to prevent it acquiring its own atomic warheads, claims an investigative writer with high-level Pentagon and intelligence contacts. President George W Bush is said to be so alarmed by the threat of Iran's hard-line leader, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, that privately he refers to him as 'the new Hitler', says Seymour Hersh, who broke the story of the Abu Ghraib Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal.
Some US military chiefs have unsuccessfully urged the White House to drop the nuclear option from its war plans, Hersh writes in The New Yorker magazine. The conviction that Mr Ahmedinejad would attack Israel or US forces in the Middle East, if Iran obtains atomic weapons, is what drives American planning for the destruction of Teheran's nuclear programme.
Hersh claims that one of the plans, presented to the White House by the Pentagon, entails the use of a bunker-buster tactical nuclear weapon, such as the B61-11, against underground nuclear sites. One alleged target is Iran's main centrifuge plant, at Natanz, 200 miles south of Teheran.
September 4, 2006
The Bush administration is planning to use nuclear weapons against Iran, to prevent it acquiring its own atomic warheads, claims an investigative writer with high-level Pentagon and intelligence contacts. President George W Bush is said to be so alarmed by the threat of Iran's hard-line leader, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, that privately he refers to him as 'the new Hitler', says Seymour Hersh, who broke the story of the Abu Ghraib Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal.
Some US military chiefs have unsuccessfully urged the White House to drop the nuclear option from its war plans, Hersh writes in The New Yorker magazine. The conviction that Mr Ahmedinejad would attack Israel or US forces in the Middle East, if Iran obtains atomic weapons, is what drives American planning for the destruction of Teheran's nuclear programme.
Hersh claims that one of the plans, presented to the White House by the Pentagon, entails the use of a bunker-buster tactical nuclear weapon, such as the B61-11, against underground nuclear sites. One alleged target is Iran's main centrifuge plant, at Natanz, 200 miles south of Teheran.
Bush Repeats Rumsfeld's Mistake
Dispatch Online
September 3, 2006
President George Bush compared the war against Islamic militants to last century’s fight against Nazis and communists and said a United States withdrawal from Iraq would lead to its conquest by America’s worst enemies.
Incidentally, the speech was given to the American Legion, the same place where Rumsfeld said dissent against the war is equivalent to appeasing Hitler.
Bush said "Iraq is in crisis, our military is stretched thin, and terrorist groups and extremist regimes have been strengthened and emboldened across the Middle East and the world. It is time for a new direction."
I guess the "new direction" will begin in November.
September 3, 2006
President George Bush compared the war against Islamic militants to last century’s fight against Nazis and communists and said a United States withdrawal from Iraq would lead to its conquest by America’s worst enemies.
Incidentally, the speech was given to the American Legion, the same place where Rumsfeld said dissent against the war is equivalent to appeasing Hitler.
Bush said "Iraq is in crisis, our military is stretched thin, and terrorist groups and extremist regimes have been strengthened and emboldened across the Middle East and the world. It is time for a new direction."
I guess the "new direction" will begin in November.
September 02, 2006
Afghanistan Opium Cultivation Skyrockets
MSNBC.com
September 2, 2006
Afghanistan’s world-leading opium cultivation rose a staggering 60 percent this year, the U.N. anti-drugs chief announced Saturday. Afghan crops total 92 percent of world’s supply, exceed global consumption. The bulk of the opium increase was in lawless Helmand province, where cultivation rose 162 percent and accounted for 42 percent of the Afghan crop.
September 2, 2006
Afghanistan’s world-leading opium cultivation rose a staggering 60 percent this year, the U.N. anti-drugs chief announced Saturday. Afghan crops total 92 percent of world’s supply, exceed global consumption. The bulk of the opium increase was in lawless Helmand province, where cultivation rose 162 percent and accounted for 42 percent of the Afghan crop.
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