Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Right Wing Nuts At Newsmax Falsely Claim McCain Supports Torture

quote[Sen. John McCain is leading the charge against so-called “torture” techniques allegedly used by U.S. interrogators, insisting that practices like sleep deprivation and withholding medical attention are not only brutal – they simply don’t work to persuade terrorist suspects to give accurate information.

Nearly forty years ago, however – when McCain was held captive in a North Vietnamese prison camp – some of the same techniques were used on him. And – as McCain has publicly admitted at least twice – the torture worked!}


What a bunch of lying idiots!

Bill O'Relliy's Head Explodes

Well, not really...But he does go nuts on his radio show. Enjoy the audio clip!

Rumsfeld Is An Asshole Moron

quote["I think that you can have a legitimate insurgency in a country that has popular support and has a cohesiveness and has a legitimate gripe," he said. "These people don't have a legitimate gripe." Still, he acknowledged that his point may not be supported by the standard definition of `insurgent.' He promised to look it up.

Webster's New World College Dictionary defines the term "insurgent" as "rising up against established authority."

Even Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who stood beside Rumsfeld at the news conference, found it impossible to describe the fighting in Iraq without twice using the term `insurgent.']


Even his Generals won't follow his pathetic parsing of words.

600 Pounds Of Plutonium Missing From Government Lab

quote[Enough plutonium to make dozens of nuclear bombs hasn't been accounted for at the UC-run Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and may be missing, an activist group says in a new report.

There is no evidence that the weapons-grade plutonium has been stolen or diverted for illegal purposes, the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research said. However, the amount of unaccounted-for plutonium -- more than 600 pounds, and possibly several times that -- is so great that it raises "a vast security issue," the group said in a report to be made public today.]


And we expect the government to find WMD's that were supposedly intentionally hidden??

Maybe we need to invade Los Alamos...

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Republicans now saying WMD were found in Iraq


quote[And we wonder why 70% of Republicans think Bush is a good president? Because they're gullible idiots who lie, and are willing to be lied to. And if you're a Republican reading this, and it pisses you off, good. Do something about it. You sit back and you let your own far-right party leaders and party organizations lie to you and lie to the public, and you do nothing to correct those lies or hold those leaders accountable.

Do something about it, or stop complaining when we rightfully point out that the GOP is a party of liars, idiots, and lemmings.

To wit: The latest email I just received from Newsmax, a far-right GOP-sucking online news-zine. The subject line of the email: WMDs Found in Iraq!

Uh huh.

According to the Newsmax email (apparently it's on behalf of Human Events, another Republican rag, and they're pushing some new book that exposes the media's bias - uh huh), we learn that we've discovered in Iraq:

1.77 metric tons of enriched uranium

1,500 gallons of chemical weapons agents

Chemical warheads containing cyclosarin (a nerve agent five times more deadly than sarin gas)

Over 1,000 radioactive materials in powdered form meant for dispersal over populated areas

This is only a PARTIAL LIST of the horrific weapons verified to have been recovered in Iraq to date. Yet, Americans overwhelmingly believe U.S. and coalition forces found NO weapons of mass destruction.

The question is... WHY do they believe this lie?]


I shake my head and cry at the insanity in this country.

Monday, November 28, 2005

Big Brother Is Here...

quote[One morning in late September 2005, Deb was riding the public bus to work. She was minding her own business, reading a book and planning for work, when a security guard got on this public bus and demanded that every passenger show their ID. Deb, having done nothing wrong, declined. The guard called in federal cops, and she was arrested and charged with federal criminal misdemeanors after refusing to show ID on demand.]

Nazi anyone?

'Trophy' video exposes private security contractors shooting up Iraqi drivers

quote[A "trophy" video appearing to show security guards in Baghdad randomly shooting Iraqi civilians has sparked two investigations after it was posted on the internet, the Sunday Telegraph can reveal.

The video has sparked concern that private security companies, which are not subject to any form of regulation either in Britain or in Iraq, could be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocent Iraqis.]


And, we wonder why there is an insurgency?

Republican Congressman Admits Taking Bribes, Resigns

quote[Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy and tax charges and tearfully resigned from office, admitting he took $2.4 million in bribes to steer defense contracts to co-conspirators.
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[-78161]

Cunningham, 63, entered pleas in U.S. District Court to charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud and wire fraud, and tax evasion for underreporting his income in 2004.]


Happy Holidays, everyone. The Repugs are dropping like flies.

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Scott McClellan's Nov. 8 Briefing


quote[Q I'd like you to clear up, once and for all, the ambiguity about torture. Can we get a straight answer? The President says we don't do torture, but Cheney --

MR. McCLELLAN: That's about as straight as it can be.

Q Yes, but Cheney has gone to the Senate and asked for an exemption on --

MR. McCLELLAN: No, he has not. Are you claiming he's asked for an exemption on torture? No, that's --

Q He did not ask for that?

MR. McCLELLAN: -- that is inaccurate.

Q Are you denying everything that came from the Hill, in terms of torture?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, you're mischaracterizing things. And I'm not going to get into discussions we have --

Q Can you give me a straight answer for once?

MR. McCLELLAN: Let me give it to you, just like the President has. We do not torture. He does not condone torture and he would never --

Q I'm asking about exemptions.

MR. McCLELLAN: Let me respond. And he would never authorize the use of torture. We have an obligation to do all that we can to protect the American people. We are engaged --

Q That's not the answer I'm asking for --

MR. McCLELLAN: It is an answer -- because the American people want to know that we are doing all within our power to prevent terrorist attacks from happening. There are people in this world who want to spread a hateful ideology that is based on killing innocent men, women and children. We saw what they can do on September 11th --

Q He didn't ask for an exemption --

MR. McCLELLAN: -- and we are going to --

Q -- answer that one question. I'm asking, is the administration asking for an exemption?

MR. McCLELLAN: I am answering your question. The President has made it very clear that we are going to do --

Q You're not answering -- yes or no?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, you don't want the American people to hear what the facts are, Helen, and I'm going to tell them the facts.

Q -- the American people every day. I'm asking you, yes or no, did we ask for an exemption?

MR. McCLELLAN: And let me respond. You've had your opportunity to ask the question. Now I'm going to respond to it.

Q If you could answer in a straight way.

MR. McCLELLAN: And I'm going to answer it, just like the President -- I just did, and the President has answered it numerous times.

Q -- yes or no --

MR. McCLELLAN: Our most important responsibility is to protect the American people. We are engaged in a global war against Islamic radicals who are intent on spreading a hateful ideology, and intent on killing innocent men, women and children.

Q Did we ask for an exemption?

MR. McCLELLAN: We are going to do what is necessary to protect the American people.

Q Is that the answer?

MR. McCLELLAN: We are also going to do so in a way that adheres to our laws and to our values. We have made that very clear. The President directed everybody within this government that we do not engage in torture. We will not torture. He made that very clear.

Q Are you denying we asked for an exemption?

MR. McCLELLAN: Helen, we will continue to work with the Congress on the issue that you brought up. The way you characterize it, that we're asking for exemption from torture, is just flat-out false, because there are laws that are on the books that prohibit the use of torture. And we adhere to those laws.

Q We did ask for an exemption; is that right? I mean, be simple -- this is a very simple question.

MR. McCLELLAN: I just answered your question. The President answered it last week.]


Why does he even bother?

Bush Wanted To Bomb Al-Jazeera In Qatar To Squash Falluja Reporting

quote[The publication reported on the contents of a five page memo, stamped Top Secret, alleging that President Bush had threatened to undertake military action against al-Jazeera, a TV station located in the country of Qatar. While al-Jazeera is seen by some in the Bush administration to be largely anti-West, Qatar is an American ally.

According to sources familiar with the case, it was the recent attack on Fallujah that had Bush concerned about what al-Jazeera might report.]


Good God, this man is insane!

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Dick Is A Killer

Click the "Dick Is A Killer" song. It is very good and quite catchy as well.

Not Only Is She The Wicked Witch Of The West, She's A Liar Too

quote[Three days after Rep. Jean Schmidt was booed off the House floor for saying that "cowards cut and run, Marines never do," the Ohioan she quoted disputed the comments.

Danny Bubp, a freshman state representative who is a colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve, told The Enquirer that he never mentioned Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., by name when talking with Schmidt, and he would never call a fellow Marine a coward.

"The unfortunate thing about all of that is that her choice of words on the floor of the House - I don't know, she's a freshman, she had one minute.]


Two words: Lying Bitch.

Iraqi Leaders Urge a Timetable for Eventual Troop Withdrawal

quote[Iraqi leaders, meeting at a reconciliation conference in Cairo, urged an end to violence in the country and demanded a timetable for the withdrawal of coalition troops from Iraq.

In a final statement, read by Arab League chief Amre Moussa, host of the three-day summit, they called for ``the withdrawal of foreign troops according to a timetable, through putting in place an immediate national program to rebuild the armed forces.'' No date was specified.]


Does this make them unpatriotic also?

Monday, November 21, 2005

Pentagon Flip-Flop: White Phosphorous a Chemical Weapon When Politically Convenient


quote[But the distinction is a minor one, and arguably political in nature. A formerly classified 1995 Pentagon intelligence document titled “Possible Use of Phosphorous Chemical” describes the use of white phosphorus by Saddam Hussein on Kurdish fighters:

"IRAQ HAS POSSIBLY EMPLOYED PHOSPHOROUS CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST THE KURDISH POPULATION IN AREAS ALONG THE IRAQI-TURKISH-IRANIAN BORDERS. […]

IN LATE FEBRUARY 1991, FOLLOWING THE COALITION FORCES’ OVERWHELMING VICTORY OVER IRAQ, KURDISH REBELS STEPPED UP THEIR STRUGGLE AGAINST IRAQI FORCES IN NORTHERN IRAQ. DURING THE BRUTAL CRACKDOWN THAT FOLLOWED THE KURDISH UPRISING, IRAQI FORCES LOYAL TO PRESIDENT SADDAM ((HUSSEIN)) MAY HAVE POSSIBLY USED WHITE PHOSPHOROUS (WP) CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST KURDISH REBELS AND THE POPULACE IN ERBIL (GEOCOORD:3412N/04401E) (VICINITY OF IRANIAN BORDER) AND DOHUK (GEOCOORD:3652N/04301E) (VICINITY OF IRAQI BORDER) PROVINCES, IRAQ."]


I think my comments are summed up in the title.

Bush Discusses Murtha and Says Progress in Iraq is 'Amazing'


quote[At a press conference with reporters along for his trip to China, President Bush found several questions relating to the current debate back in the States over the Iraq pullout plan pushed by Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.).

Among other things, he said "the progress in Iraq is amazing" and rejected Murtha's complaint about Vice President Cheney, who received five deferments during the Vietnam war, questioning the "backbone" of Iraq war critics who had served in battle. "I don't think the Vice President's service is relevant in this debate," Bush said.]

Yeah, amazingly bad...

Smoker Tried To Open Plane Door

quote[A French woman has admitted attempting to open an aeroplane door mid-flight so that she could smoke a cigarette.]

WTF??

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Door thwarts quick exit for Bush

quote[President George W Bush tried to make a quick exit from a news conference in Beijing on Sunday - only to find himself thwarted by locked doors.]

This guy really has trouble with exit strategies.

Kind of reminds me of this:

Friday, November 18, 2005

Woman Ordered to Spend Night in Woods for Abandoning Kittens


I sure as hell hope it was a damned cold night.

Never Underestimate The Power Of Makeup



Thursday, November 17, 2005

Bush is cracking vol. MCMXVI

quote[any have speculated on Bush's mental health. Is he a dry drunk, has he returned to drinking (how many adults do you know who have fallen off a bicycle and choked on a pretzel?), is he just plain old cracking up?

It's fun to think about I guess.

What's slightly different this time is the origin of the latest reports. The right wing Moonie-owned Washington Times, a fairly reliable pro-administration paper created during the Reagan presidency as a right wing counter to the Washington Post.]


I believe it.

Congress moves to speed up executions

quote[Republicans in the U.S. Congress said on Wednesday they were moving ahead with legislation that would speed up executions in the United States by limiting the ability of those sentenced to death to appeal to federal courts.

Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter said he intended to bring the so-called "Streamlined Procedures Act of 2005" to a vote on Thursday in the Judiciary Committee which he chairs.]


Where's the outrage from their Christian fundamentalist base? Oh wait, they're hypocrites.

CIA has concluded Castro has Parkinson's

quote[The CIA recently concluded that Cuban leader Fidel Castro suffers from Parkinson's disease and has warned U.S. policymakers to be ready for trouble if the 79-year-old ruler's health erodes over the next few years.

If true, the CIA's assessment of the nonfatal but debilitating condition would mean Castro may be entering a period where doctors say the symptoms grow more evident, medicines are less effective and mental functions start to deteriorate.]

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

A WARMONGER EXPLAINS WAR TO A PEACENIK


By Anonymous

PeaceNik: Why did you say we are we invading Iraq?

WarMonger: We are invading Iraq because it is in violation of security council resolution 1441. A country cannot be allowed to violate security council resolutions.

PN: But I thought many of our allies, including Israel, were in violation of more security council resolutions than Iraq.

WM: It's not just about UN resolutions. The main point is that Iraq could have weapons of mass destruction, and the first sign of a smoking gun could well be a mushroom cloud over NY.

PN: Mushroom cloud? But I thought the weapons inspectors said Iraq had no nuclear weapons.

WM: Yes, but biological and chemical weapons are the issue.

PN: But I thought Iraq did not have any long range missiles for attacking us or our allies with such weapons.

WM: The risk is not Iraq directly attacking us, but rather terrorists networks that Iraq could sell the weapons to.

PN: But coundn't virtually any country sell chemical or biological materials? We sold quite a bit to Iraq in the eighties ourselves, didn't we?

WM: That's ancient history. Look, Saddam Hussein is an evil man that has an undeniable track record of repressing his own people since the early eighties. He gasses his enemies. Everyone agrees that he is a power-hungry lunatic murderer.

PN: We sold chemical and biological materials to a power-hungry lunatic murderer?

WM: The issue is not what we sold, but rather what Saddam did. He is the one that launched a pre-emptive first strike on Kuwait.

PN: A pre-emptive first strike does sound bad. But didn't our ambassador to Iraq, April Gillespie, know about and green-light the invasion of Kuwait?

WM: Let's deal with the present, shall we? As of today, Iraq could sell its biological and chemical weapons to Al Quaida. Osama BinLaden himself released an audio tape calling on Iraqis to suicide-attack us, proving a partnership between the two.

PN: Osama Bin Laden? Wasn't the point of invading Afghanistan to kill him?

WM: Actually, it's not 100% certain that it's really Osama Bin Laden on the tapes. But the lesson from the tape is the same: there could easily be a partnership between al-Qaida and Saddam Hussein unless we act.

PN: Is this the same audio tape where Osama Bin Laden labels Saddam a secular infidel?

WM: You're missing the point by just focusing on the tape. Powell presented a strong case against Iraq.

PN: He did?

WM: Yes, he showed satellite pictures of an Al Quaeda poison factory in Iraq.

PN: But didn't that turn out to be a harmless shack in the part of Iraq controlled by the Kurdish opposition?

WM: And a British intelligence report...

PN: Didn't that turn out to be copied from an out-of-date graduate student paper?

WM: And reports of mobile weapons labs...

PN: Weren't those just artistic renderings?

WM: And reports of Iraqis scuttling and hiding evidence from inspectors...

PN: Wasn't that evidence contradicted by the chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix?

WM: Yes, but there is plenty of other hard evidence that cannot be revealed because it would compromise our security.

PN: So there is no publicly available evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?

WM: The inspectors are not detectives, it's not their JOB to find evidence. You're missing the point.

PN: So what is the point?

WM: The main point is that we are invading Iraq because resolution 1441 threatened "severe consequences." If we do not act, the security council will become an irrelevant debating society.

PN: So the main point is to uphold the rulings of the security council?

WM: Absolutely. ...unless it rules against us.

PN: And what if it does rule against us?

WM: In that case, we must lead a coalition of the willing to invade Iraq.

PN: Coalition of the willing? Who's that?

WM: Britain, Turkey, Bulgaria, Spain, and Italy, for starters.

PN: I thought Turkey refused to help us unless we gave them tens of billions of dollars.

WM: Nevertheless, they may now be willing.

PN: I thought public opinion in all those countries was against war.

WM: Current public opinion is irrelevant. The majority expresses its will by electing leaders to make decisions.

PN: So it's the decisions of leaders elected by the majority that is important?

WM: Yes.

PN: But George Bush wasn't elected by voters. He was selected by the U.S. Supreme C...-

WM: I mean, we must support the decisions of our leaders, however they were elected, because they are acting in our best interest. This is about being a patriot. That's the bottom line.

PN: So if we do not support the decisions of the president, we are not patriotic?

WM: I never said that.

PN: So what are you saying? Why are we invading Iraq?

WM: As I said, because there is a chance that they have weapons of mass destruction that threaten us and our allies.

PN: But the inspectors have not been able to find any such weapons.

WM: Iraq is obviously hiding them.

PN: You know this? How?

WM: Because we know they had the weapons ten years ago, and they are still unaccounted for.

PN: The weapons we sold them, you mean?

WM: Precisely.

PN: But I thought those biological and chemical weapons would degrade to an unusable state over ten years.

WM: But there is a chance that some have not degraded.

PN: So as long as there is even a small chance that such weapons exist, we must invade?

WM: Exactly.

PN: But North Korea actually has large amounts of usable chemical, biological, AND nuclear weapons, AND long range missiles that can reach the west coast AND it has expelled nuclear weapons inspectors, AND threatened to turn America into a sea of fire.

WM: That's a diplomatic issue.

PN: So why are we invading Iraq instead of using diplomacy?

WM: Aren't you listening? We are invading Iraq because we cannot allow the inspections to drag on indefinitely. Iraq has been delaying, deceiving, and denying for over ten years, and inspections cost us tens of millions.

PN: But I thought war would cost us tens of billions.

WM: Yes, but this is not about money. This is about security.

PN: But wouldn't a pre-emptive war against Iraq ignite radical Muslim sentiments against us, and decrease our security?

WM: Possibly, but we must not allow the terrorists to change the way we live. Once we do that, the terrorists have already won.

PN: So what is the purpose of the Department of Homeland Security, color-coded terror alerts, and the Patriot Act? Don't these change the way we live?

WM: I thought you had questions about Iraq.

PN: I do. Why are we invading Iraq?

WM: For the last time, we are invading Iraq because the world has called on Saddam Hussein to disarm, and he has failed to do so. He must now face the consequences.

PN: So, likewise, if the world called on us to do something, such as find a peaceful solution, we would have an obligation to listen?

WM: By "world", I meant the United Nations.

PN: So, we have an obligation to listen to the United Nations?

WM: By "United Nations" I meant the Security Council.

PN: So, we have an obligation to listen to the Security Council?

WM: I meant the majority of the Security Council.


PN: So, we have an obligation to listen to the majority of the Security Council?

WM: Well... there could be an unreasonable veto.

PN: In which case?

WM: In which case, we have an obligation to ignore the veto.

PN: And if the majority of the Security Council does not support us at all?

WM: Then we have an obligation to ignore the Security Council.

PN: That makes no sense.

WM: If you love Iraq so much, you should move there. Or maybe France, with all the other cheese-eating surrender monkeys. It's time to boycott their wine and cheese, no doubt about that.

PN: I give up!

Senate Republicans Pushing for a Plan on Ending the War in Iraq


quote[In a sign of increasing unease among Congressional Republicans over the war in Iraq, the Senate is to consider on Tuesday a Republican proposal that calls for Iraqi forces to take the lead next year in securing the nation and for the Bush administration to lay out its strategy for ending the war.

The Senate is also scheduled to vote Tuesday on a compromise, announced Monday night, that would allow terror detainees some access to federal courts. The Senate had voted last week to prohibit those being held from challenging their detentions in federal court, despite a Supreme Court ruling to the contrary.]


Are the pimple-sacked pillow-wipes finally getting it??

(The thumbnail is the Chimp's most likely response).

Sticky-Holed Twatface To Name Names

quote[Bill: I'm glad the smear sites made a big deal out of it. Now we can all know who was with the anti-military internet crowd. We'll post the names of all who support the smear merchants on billoreilly.com. So check with us.]

LOL! It'll be interesting to see what this hatemonger comes up with.

Monday, November 14, 2005

Saddam trial defense lawyer flees Iraq

quote[A lawyer representing two of Saddam Hussein's co-defendants has fled
Iraq and is seeking asylum in Qatar following an attempt on his life, according to a letter he has written to the leader of the Gulf state.

Thamer Hamoud al-Khuzaie, who represents Taha Yassin Ramadan and Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti, both of whom are being tried along with Saddam for crimes against humanity, said in the letter that his life was under constant threat.]


This is why the trial should be in another country in an international court.

Twins Face Double Trouble in Judge Scam

quote[A pair of twins who tried to dupe a judge in a larceny case have doubled the trouble they now face. Yamahile Ortiz pleaded guilty to using a stolen credit card and was sentenced by New Britain Superior Court Judge Patrick J. Clifford to probation.
ADVERTISEMENT

Soon after, the public defender came before Clifford with both Yamahile and her twin sister Yaricza, both 18.

Yamahile had a simple explanation why her sister stood in for her. "I had a final today," she said.]


What the hell were they thinking??

RNC Chair Ken Mehlman, now with twice the lying power!

quote[I know that some of my more cautious readers will blanch at my use of the "L" word. But when so many falsehoods and misleading statements are rolled atop each other, there's really no other description that fairly categorizes what the man is doing. As for why he's doing so, it's not just that he has to as head of the RNC. He was part of the deception and perfidy to the constitution. So like the president and his advisors, Mehlman's dishonesty today is just self-protection.]

These neonuts can't help themselves when it comes to lying.

The Right Way In Iraq


quote[I was wrong.

Almost three years ago we went into Iraq to remove what we were told -- and what many of us believed and argued -- was a threat to America. But in fact we now know that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction when our forces invaded Iraq in 2003. The intelligence was deeply flawed and, in some cases, manipulated to fit a political agenda.

It was a mistake to vote for this war in 2002. I take responsibility for that mistake. It has been hard to say these words because those who didn't make a mistake -- the men and women of our armed forces and their families -- have performed heroically and paid a dear price.

The world desperately needs moral leadership from America, and the foundation for moral leadership is telling the truth.]


Excellent commentary by John Edwards. Now, why can't a single Bushie say something similar?

Saturday, November 12, 2005

WTF?????

quote[A 33-year-old Grafton woman was fighting for her life Thursday night after she drank concentrated drain cleaner given to her by a man who then videotaped her violent vomiting for his sexual gratification, Milwaukee police said.]

I am at a loss for words...

As If We Really Needed Another Reason To Hate Bill O'Reilly

quote[Supervisor Chris Daly is firing back at Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly for comments he made on his radio show Wednesday that encouraged al-Qaida to "blow up" Coit Tower...Daly responded on the KRON 4 Morning News, "Coit Tower's a monument to San Francisco's firefighters. They put out the fires in San Francisco after the great quake. American heroes -- they were there on Sept. 11 and now you want al-Qaida to blow up Coit Tower? Give us a break. You are out of line."]

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Bush Borrowed More Than All Previous Presidents Combined

quote[President Bush and the current administration have borrowed more money from foreign governments and banks than the previous 42 presidents combined, a group of conservative to moderate Democrats said Friday.

Blue Dog Coalition, which describes itself as a group "focused on fiscal responsibility," called the administration's borrowing practices "astounding."

According to the Treasury Department, from 1776-2000, the first 224 years of U.S. history, 42 U.S. presidents borrowed a combined $1.01 trillion from foreign governments and financial institutions, but in the past four years alone, the Bush administration borrowed $1.05 trillion.]


Ahh, you've got to love fiscal conservatism at its finest!!!

U.S. Army publication confirms United States used incendiary weapon in Falluja

quote[The March edition of Field Artillery magazine, a U.S. Army publication, reveals that the U.S. military did in fact use the incendiary weapon white phosphorous in Fallujah, Iraq, a Daily Kos diarist has found.

"WP [i.e., white phosphorus rounds] proved to be an effective and versatile munition," the article's author wrote. "We used it for screening missions at two breeches and, later in the fight, as a potent psychological weapon against the insurgents in trench lines and spider holes when we could not get effects on them with HE. We fired 'shake and bake' missions at the insurgents, using WP to flush them out and HE to take them out."]


If the story isn't disgusting enough for you, see the video here.

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Sophistication? Manners?

Someone suggested that some radio hosts (like Rhandi Rhodes and Mike Malloy) are too abrasive to ever be taken seriously. In fact, it was stated that, "despite the fact Limbaugh is a shill for the Repubs, he at least mocks liberals with an air of sophistication, especially when compared to Rhodes and Malloy."

Here was my response:

Sure, manners and sophistication:

Limbaugh has called abortion rights activists "feminazis", told an African-American caller to "take that bone out of your nose," referred to prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib as "blow[ing] some steam off, " and declared that "what's good for Al Qaeda is good for the Democratic Party."

Limbaugh asserted that Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq who staged an anti-war protest outside President Bush's ranch in Texas, "is just Bill Burkett. Her story is nothing more than forged documents."

Limbaugh has also spread numerous rumors and conspiracy theories about the Clinton family, alleging that Hillary Rodham Clinton was involved in the 1993 suicide of deputy White House counsel Vincent Foster and peddling gay-baiting sexual innuendo about Clinton.

Rush Limbaugh has stated, "The more the left talks about Libby's alleged perjury, the more you have to ask did Joseph Wilson commit treason."

Limbaugh has lied about democrats. For example, he has said, "Clinton was offered [Osama] bin Laden two or three times, turned him down. Turned down Sudan. Sudan offered it. So Clinton wasn't serious about it [terrorism]." A total fabrication.

He attacked democrats before the 2004 convention. Some quotes:
"[T]he Democrats have found their keynote speaker for their convention: Saddam Hussein."

"It makes you wonder who hates Bush more, Saddam or the Democrats."

"let me ask you liberals out there: Did that image of Saddam in a sport coat and an open collar just melt your heart?"

"We killed his [Saddam's] sons. We took his country. We put him in jail. He is still calmer and more rational than Howard Dean after he lost Iowa. He's calmer and more rational than Gore after he lost his mind. He's calmer and more rational than George Soros is."

Sopistication? Manners?

I think not.

(Thanks to MediaMatters for the quotes!!!)

Former Red Sox Closer Charged With Attempted Murder

quote[Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ugueth Urbina was arrested on a charge of attempted murder, police said Tuesday.

Last month, Urbina and a group of men allegedly attacked several employees at his family home using machetes and tried to set them on fire.

Urbina, who was detained late Monday, has insisted he had nothing to do with the violence. Five workers were injured in the incident, and one of them suffered burns on the back and right arm, police said.]


WTF!!!

Did the U.S. Use "Illegal" Weapons in Fallujah? The Pentagon Response

quote[Finally, some news accounts have claimed that U.S. forces have used "outlawed" phosphorus shells in Fallujah. Phosphorus shells are not outlawed. U.S. forces have used them very sparingly in Fallujah, for illumination purposes. They were fired into the air to illuminate enemy positions at night, not at enemy fighters.

There is a great deal of misinformation feeding on itself about U.S. forces allegedly using "outlawed" weapons in Fallujah. The facts are that U.S. forces are not using any illegal weapons in Fallujah or anywhere else in Iraq.]


Hey, I never claimed to be "fair and balanced." But, I thought this issue deserved both sides of the story.

You decide.

A Disheartening Tale Of Incompetence

quote["I left Stacey alone to get her memories," Mr Gaines says. "She went upstairs and after a while she screamed, 'Sis is in here. Sis is in here.' I thought, 'Here we go. She's hallucinating.' So I went upstairs and sure enough, there was Sis."]

Sad, really sad...

Monday, November 07, 2005

Insiders say Rove may leave White House

quote[Several Bush administration officials predict that within a year, the president will have a new chief of staff and press secretary, probably a new treasury secretary and maybe a new defense secretary, the magazine said.]

If he doesn't get indicted, I'd bet he leaves when things cool off (so it doesn't look like he was pushed out).

Italian Media: U.S. Used Chemical Weapons in Falluja

quote["I heard the order being issued to be careful because white phosphorous was being used on Fallujah. In military slang this is known as Willy Pete. Phosphorous burns bodies, melting the flesh right down to the bone," says one former US solider, interviewed by the documentary's director, Sigfrido Ranucci.]

Military Backs Down, Ed Schultz To Air On AFN



Awesome news!! (Click the image above for a larger version).

Friday, November 04, 2005

DeLay blames Democrats, war for runaway federal spending

quote["We've been operating off a Congress designed by Democrats," he said.

The Republicans took control of Congress in 1995.]


What???? Ten years isn't long enough to really take control???

I'm surprised he didn't try to pull the Clinton card.

GOP mulls ending birthright citizenship

quote["There is a general agreement about the fact that citizenship in this country should not be bestowed on people who are the children of folks who come into this country illegally," said Rep. Tom Tancredo, Colorado Republican, who is participating in the "unity dinners," the group of Republicans trying to find consensus on immigration.]

One, this is a bad idea.

Two, you can't legislate this by statute. That would be unconstitutional. An ammendment would never pass.

Smoke pot to deal with pregnant nausea: study

quote[Some people might be shocked at the idea of pregnant women smoking marijuana to deal with the nausea that comes with pregnancy.

But a UK-based medical publication, Journal of Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, has taken the idea seriously and published a study conducted by the Vancouver Island Compassion Society on the topic.

The Victoria-based society, which provides medicinal marijuana to people suffering from various illnesses, recently completed the study that examines the therapeutic potential of medicinal cannabis for nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy. The study argues that marijuana is an effective method to deal with nausea and vomiting with pregnant women.]


I don't think this is such a good idea...

How Bush Visit Became the Siege Of Howard U.

quote[But the visit went from bad to worse. On a day when the U.S. Senate passed a resolution paying tribute to civil rights icon Rosa Parks, who died last week, campus security guards were telling students that if they wanted to eat they'd have to come back when the president and first lady were gone, then go to a service door at the rear of the dining hall and ask for a chicken plate to go. Never mind that a student meal plan at Howard can cost as much as $2,500 a semester.]

This guy could screw up just about anything...

Thursday, November 03, 2005

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAREN!!!!


With love from Plunderer and Maggie (she couldn't decide on a screen name).

Ex FEMA Director Brown: I am a Fashion God

quote[Recently release email exchanges reveal that while the people of New Orleans were fighting for survival, former Federal Emergency Management Agency director Michael Brown was busy with fashion tips. In one email to an aide on August 29, Brown said, "I am a fashion god." His aide, Cindy Taylor replied, "You look fabulous - and I'm not talking the makeup!"]

God, what a loser!

In Vermont, a revolution to secede has devotees

quote[If participants have their way, the state whose former governor was laughed out of the 2004 presidential race after the infamous Iowa scream is going to take what some call its wackiness and others call its sanity in a crazy world and go home.

Go home to the 14 years in the late 18th century when Vermont was neither a British colony nor one of the original 13 states but was an independent republic.

Texas gets more notice as a Lone Star State, but Vermont shares with it the distinction of having gone it alone for a while. Friday's event was steeped in that history, and an urge to try it again.]


If they pull this off, I'm moving to Vermont.

Dirt Starting to Fly Around Alito's Supreme Court Nomination Saying He Is A "Mafia Friendly Insider"

quote[Alito, 55, familiar with the underworld’s influence in New Jersey politics as well its racketeering and bribery operations in other states like Illinois and Pennsylvania, has been linked to “going easy, turning the other cheek and knowingly turning loose” crime family thugs when he served as a U.S. Attorney in New Jersey, primarily handling organized crime cases.

One former FBI/CIA undercover informant, living in Italy and who will remain anonymous, came forward this week, saying talk on the street when he was on the East Coast during Alito’s tenure as a supposed crime-busting U.S. Attorney was that he was “tight and friendly, dishing out legal favors to known crime members.”]


I wonder if this story will actually stick.

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

CIA Holds Terror Suspects in Secret Prisons

quote[The hidden global internment network is a central element in the CIA's unconventional war on terrorism. It depends on the cooperation of foreign intelligence services, and on keeping even basic information about the system secret from the public, foreign officials and nearly all members of Congress charged with overseeing the CIA's covert actions.]

And we call them terrorists???

Alito's Ratings Similar to Miers', Lower Than Roberts'

quote[* If it becomes clear Alito would vote to reverse Roe v. Wade, Americans would not want the Senate to confirm him, by 53% to 37%.

* If most Senate Democrats oppose the nomination and decide to filibuster against Alito, 50% of Americans believe they would be justified, while 40% say they would not.

* If the Republicans then decide to eliminate the filibuster on judicial nominations, to ensure an "up-or-down vote" on the nomination, Americans would be evenly divided as to whether that tactic was justified -- 45% say it would be, 47% say it would not.]


The republicans should watch their steps. 2006 is right around the corner.

Denver Voters OK Marijuana Possession

quote[Residents of the Mile High City have voted to legalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana for adults. Authorities, though, said state possession laws will be applied instead.

With 100 percent of precincts reporting early Wednesday, 54 percent, or 56,001 voters, cast ballots for the ordinance, while 46 percent, or 48,632 voters, voted against it.

Under the measure, residents over 21 years old could possess up to an ounce of marijuana.]


Gives new meaning to the term "Mile High City"...

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Reid takes Senate into closed session over Iraq intelligence

quote[The Senate's Democratic leader Harry Reid (D-NV) unexpectedly pulled the Senate into secret session Tuesday afternoon in order to have closed discussion of Iraq intelligence, RAW STORY has learned. Specifically, the senator sought to discuss a Senate Select Committee on Inteligence report on the failure of Iraqi WMD intelligence.]

This is HUGE! It has only happened 53 times in our nations history.