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Today's Topics


Monday, March 31, 2008
Heckuva Job! posted by Dookie The Webmaster 9:02 AM Top U.S. Housing Official Resigns Housing Secretary Alphonso R. Jackson resigned his post on Monday, removing a key player from the Bush administration team dealing with the financial crisis set off by the slump in the housing market and the problems with subprime mortgage lending. ..... Mr. Jackson, 62, has been under investigation by the Justice Department and the housing department's inspector general in inquiries focusing on whether he gave lucrative housing contracts to friends. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has interviewed several of his employees. Mr. Jackson is the first housing secretary with experience running public housing authorities, having led them in Washington, St. Louis and Dallas. But his tenure has also been marked by controversy. In 2004, less than two months after his confirmation as housing secretary, Mr. Jackson told a House panel that he believed poverty "is a state of mind, not a condition." Two years later, he said in a speech that he had canceled a contract for a company after its president told him that he did not like Mr. Bush. Just another crony Permalink :: 1 comments :: Post a Comment

We need a pitcher... posted by Dookie The Webmaster 6:06 AM Bush booed loudly while throwing out first pitch in Nationals home opener President Bush delivered the first pitch tonight at the new Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. to a resounding chorus of boos. After being announced, Bush was showered by boos as he strode to the mound. Even after delivering the pitch, the jeering did not let up until Bush disappeared from the field. In 2006, Vice President Cheney was also loudly booed when he threw out the first pitch for the Nationals. In a rare move for a president, Bush missed the team's home openers in both 2006 and 2007. Washington Nationals manager Manny Acta caught Bush's pitch. Acta was chosen after Paul Lo Duca, the Nationals' catcher was by-passed due to his involvement with performance-enhancing drugs. Mendoza-line president For non-baseball fans: The Mendoza Line Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

Sunday, March 30, 2008
Unconfirmed but does anyone doubt it's real? posted by Clyde 5:32 AM US military build-up on Iran border: Russian Intelligence Russian military intelligence services are reporting a flurry of activity by US Armed Forces near Iran's borders, a high-ranking security source said Tuesday. 'The latest military intelligence data point to heightened US military preparations for both an air and ground operation against Iran,' the official said, adding that the Pentagon has probably not yet made a final decision as to when an attack will be launched. He said the Pentagon is looking for a way to deliver a strike against Iran 'that would enable the Americans to bring the country to its knees at minimal cost.' He also said the US Naval presence in the Persian Gulf has for the first time in the past four years reached the level that existed shortly before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003. (More War) Permalink :: 1 comments :: Post a Comment

Bet it would be different if people had Inc. or LLC behind their names posted by Clyde 5:26 AM Katrina victims may have to repay money NEW ORLEANS - Imagine that your home was reduced to mold-covered wood framing by Hurricane Katrina. Desperate for money to rebuild, you engage in a frustrating bureaucratic process, and after months of living in a government-provided trailer that gives off formaldehyde fumes you finally win a federal grant. Then a collector announces that you have to pay back thousands of dollars. Thousands of Katrina victims may be in that situation. (Link) Permalink :: 1 comments :: Post a Comment

Say what? posted by Clyde 5:17 AM Bush says Rudd's plan to withdraw from Iraq mirrors his own US PRESIDENT George Bush has praised Australia's decision to withdraw its combat troops from Iraq as a sign of both military success and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's strength of character. Making the best of a diplomatic setback, Mr Bush said Mr Rudd was not abandoning Iraq, but simply changing mission. "Obviously, the Prime Minister kept a campaign commitment, which I appreciate," Mr Bush said of Mr Rudd's election promise to withdraw 550 combat troops. "I always like to be in the presence of somebody who does what he says he's going to do. This is a guy who meant it." Speaking after meeting the Prime Minister at the White House early yesterday, Mr Bush said Mr Rudd's plan was no different from his own intention to withdraw five US brigades by July. (Link) Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

Saturday, March 29, 2008
War hero or just a shitty pilot? posted by Clyde 7:20 AM John McSame got shot down, how does that make him a war hero? He didn't charge a pillbox or fight off a battalion of NVA single-handedly. Fact is that the media has morphed him into some damn Audie Murphy and it just doesn't pass the smell test. Remember, the only true war hero for the Republicans in 2004 was Bush because he was able to fight off the bloodthirsty horde of Cuban invaders bent on taking Alabama. John McCain touts war hero image as Clinton and Obama bicker With Democrats locked in a bloody primary battle, John McCain set his sights on the general election Friday, releasing his first ad since sewing up the GOP nomination. "The American President Americans have been waiting for," proclaimed the 60-second spot, which transposes footage of the 71-year-old Arizona senator with clips of himself imprisoned in Vietnam. Coming seven months before the election, and as Obama and Clinton continue to fight for their party's nod, the ad is a clear attempt by McCain to define himself before Democrats do it for him. It also comes as McCain kicks off a "Service to America" tour next week that is intended to highlight places that have shaped his life, from the Naval Academy in Maryland - where he famously graduated near the bottom of his class - to a military base in Mississippi. (Link) Permalink :: 4 comments :: Post a Comment

To think that this is allegedly the most powerful man in the world posted by Dookie The Webmaster 7:07 AM Bush gives out wrong hotline number - again When it comes to a government hotline number for homeowners seeking mortgage relief, President Bush just can't get the digits right. After a housing roundtable in New Jersey, Bush twice gave out the wrong number in a public statement, saying the relief line was 1-88-995-HOPE - leaving off the third 8 in the area code of the correct number: 1-888-995-HOPE. Bush had trouble with the same number in December when it was first unveiled. Then the president incorrectly said the number was 1-800-995-HOPE. Anyone who dialed 1-800-995-HOPE did not reach the mortgage hotline, but instead contacted the Freedom Christian Academy - a Texas-based group that provides Christian education home schooling material. Maybe that explains it - a free plug for his texan god-squad friends. Either he's a complete moron, or he's evangelizing from the White House. I'm not sure what's scarier. Dumbass in Chief Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

Eddie Vedder's "No More": Inspired By An Iraq War Veteran posted by Dookie The Webmaster 6:19 AM Body of War is an intimate and transformational feature documentary about the true face of war today. Meet Tomas Young, 25 years old, paralyzed from a bullet to his spine - wounded after serving in Iraq for less than a week. Body of War is Tomas' coming home story as he evolves into a new person, coming to terms with his disability and finding his own unique and passionate voice against the war. The film is produced and directed by Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro, and features two original songs by Eddie Vedder. Body of War is a naked and honest portrayal of what it's like inside the body, heart and soul of this extraordinary and heroic young man. Permalink :: 1 comments :: Post a Comment

Friday, March 28, 2008
A special election on 9/11? posted by Dookie The Webmaster 12:07 PM Giuliani weighing 'special' run for gov In the latest twist in New York politics, Rudy Giuliani is eyeing a run for governor in a special election this fall should Gov. Paterson be forced to resign, sources say. A top adviser to the former mayor, who pulled the plug on his presidential bid in January, yesterday dangled the possibility of Giuliani's running in a special election. It would happen in a year in which presidential nominee John McCain would be at the top of the GOP ticket. The Post reported this week that state lawmakers started researching the line of succession after Paterson's first week in office was spent responding to questions about extramarital affairs and the questionable use of campaign funds. If Paterson resigns before August, a special election would have to be held in November. 9/11 Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

Obama's Economic Speech posted by Dookie The Webmaster 6:16 AM Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

Life in La La Land posted by Dookie The Webmaster 6:07 AM President Bush: Iraq violence is a 'positive moment' President Bush gave warning yesterday that Iraq's "fragile situation" required the US to maintain a strong military presence there, even as he defended the withdrawal of British troops from Basra, the scene of heavy fighting in recent days. In an interview with The Times, he backed the Iraqi Government's decision to "respond forcefully" to the spiralling violence by "criminal elements" and Shia extremists in Basra. "It was a very positive moment in the development of a sovereign nation that is willing to take on elements that believe they are beyond the law," the President said. Asked if British troops had retreated to the relative safety of the Basra airbase too hastily last year, Mr Bush said that the pullback had been "based upon success" in quelling violence, adding that he remained grateful for the contribution made by British Forces from "day one" of the war. Mr Bush, who had spent the morning being briefed on Iraq by the Pentagon before an imminent announcement on US troop levels, said that despite "substantial gains" since the US military surge began last year, much work was needed to "maintain the success we've had". I can count to potato! Permalink :: 1 comments :: Post a Comment

Thursday, March 27, 2008
Like he cares posted by Dookie The Webmaster 6:01 AM At Pentagon, Bush Hears Military's Worries On War Strains From Long, Frequent Iraq Deployments Behind the Pentagon's closed doors, U.S. military leaders told President Bush Wednesday they are worried about the Iraq war's mounting strain on troops and their families. But they indicated they'd go along with a brief halt in pulling out troops this summer. The Joint Chiefs of Staff did say senior commanders in Iraq should make more frequent assessments of security conditions, an idea that appeared aimed at increasing pressure for more rapid troop reductions. -- Wednesday's 90-minute Pentagon session, held in a secure conference room known as “the Tank,” was arranged by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to provide Bush an additional set of military views as he prepares to decide how to proceed in Iraq once his troop buildup, which began in 2007, runs its course by July. "Armed with all that, the president must now decide the way ahead in Iraq," said Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell. The discussion covered not only Iraq but Afghanistan, where violence has spiked, and broader military matters, said Morrell, who briefed reporters without giving details of the discussion. Some specifics were provided by defense officials, commenting on condition of anonymity in order to speak more freely. Stay the course! Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Cousin lovin'? posted by Dookie The Webmaster 7:28 AM Clinton and Obama related to Brangelina The U.S. presidential candidates may have star qualities -- and they also have stars in their families, according to a genealogical study linking Hillary Clinton to Angelina Jolie and Barack Obama to Brad Pitt. The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) in Boston on Wednesday released a study in which it traced the family trees of all three presidential candidates to find they all had famous relatives, both dead and alive. It found Illinois Senator Barack Obama, whose mother is from Kansas, can claim at least six U.S. presidents as distant cousins, including George W. Bush and his father, Gerald R. Ford, Lyndon B. Johnson, Harry S. Truman, and James Madison. But other cousins include British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill -- and Brad Pitt who is a ninth cousin linked back Edwin Hickman who died in Virginia in 1769. Reunion time Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

100 years posted by Dookie The Webmaster 6:16 AM McCain says US succeeding in Iraq Fresh off his eighth Iraq visit, Sen. John McCain declared Monday that "we are succeeding" and said he wouldn't change course - even as the U.S. death toll rose to 4,000 and the war entered its sixth year. To underscore his view of the stakes in Iraq, the certain Republican presidential nominee twice referenced a recent audio tape from Osama bin Laden in which the al-Qaida leader urged followers to join the al-Qaida fight in Iraq and called the country "the greatest opportunity and the biggest task." "For the first time, I have seen Osama bin Laden and General (David) Petraeus in agreement, and, that is, a central battleground in the battle against al-Qaida is in Iraq today. And that's what bin Laden was saying and that's what General Petraeus is saying and that's what I'm saying, my friends," McCain said. 4,000+ Permalink :: 1 comments :: Post a Comment

Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Not is all as it seems posted by Clyde 11:19 AM Iraqi city tamed-at a price FALLUJAH, Iraq - The city's police chief, Col. Faisal Ismail al-Zobaie, a husky man with a leathered face and a firm voice that resonates with authority, ordered an aide to shut his office door. He turned to his computer. Across the screen flashed a video, purportedly made by the Sunni insurgent group Al Qaeda in Iraq. In the video, branches are thrown into a pit, then doused with kerosene and ignited. The camera pans to three blindfolded men, kneeling, mouths sealed with tape. Six armed men in black masks stand behind. One declares: "These three men fought and killed Al Qaeda. We will punish them according to Islam." The masked men then kick the three into the burning grave. Al-Zobaie angrily turned off the video. "How can we show mercy to those people?" Al-Zobaie, 51, knows the nature of the men in black masks. He is a former insurgent. Now, as the police chief, he has turned against the insurgency, especially Al Qaeda in Iraq. The U.S. military showcases Fallujah as a model city where U.S. policies are finally paying off. (Link) Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

What's that about judicial activism? posted by Clyde 11:14 AM Supreme Court allows retiree benefit cuts The Supreme Court on Monday gave employers a green light to reduce health benefits for millions of retirees who turn 65 and become eligible for Medicare. The justices turned away a legal challenge from AARP, the nation's leading senior citizens lobby, which had contended these lower benefits for older retirees violated the federal law against age discrimination. The court's action upholds, in effect, a rule adopted last year by federal regulators that says the "coordination of retiree health benefits with Medicare" is exempt from the anti-age-bias law. Advocates for companies and labor unions openly disagreed with AARP and applauded the outcome. They said this compromise rule will encourage employers to maintain health coverage for their retirees. Otherwise, employers might drop all benefits for their former employees, they said. They said it will prove especially helpful to those younger retirees who were offered continued healthcare when they left full-time work. (Link) Permalink :: 2 comments :: Post a Comment

Monday, March 24, 2008
When is enough, enough? posted by Clyde 8:03 AM Overall US death toll in Iraq hits 4,000 The overall U.S. death toll in Iraq rose to 4,000 after four soldiers were killed in a roadside bombing in Baghdad, a grim milestone that is likely to fuel calls for the withdrawal of American forces as the war enters its sixth year. The American deaths occurred Sunday, the same day rockets and mortars pounded the U.S.-protected Green Zone in Baghdad and a wave of attacks left at least 61 Iraqis dead nationwide. An Iraqi military spokesman said Monday that troops had found rocket launching pads in different areas in predominantly Shiite eastern Baghdad that had been used by extremists to fire on the Green Zone, which houses the U.S. Embassy and the Iraqi government headquarters. "We hope to deal with this issue professionally to avoid civilian casualties," said spokesman Qassim al-Moussawi. (Link) Permalink :: 1 comments :: Post a Comment

Mr. Campaign Finance! posted by Clyde 8:00 AM Telecom lobbyists tied to McCain Republican presidential candidate John McCain has condemned the influence of "special interest lobbyists," yet dozens of lobbyists have political and financial ties to his presidential campaign - particularly from telecommunications companies, an industry he helps oversee in the Senate. Of the 66 current or former lobbyists working for the Arizona senator or raising money for his presidential campaign, 23 have lobbied for telecommunications companies in the past decade, Senate lobbying disclosures show. McCain has netted about $765,000 in political donations from those telecom lobbyists, their spouses, colleagues at their firms and their telecom clients during the past decade, a USA TODAY analysis of campaign-finance records shows. It's unclear how much more money those lobbyists have raised for McCain. Eighteen of them are listed by the campaign as "bundlers," which are major fundraisers. McCain doesn't disclose how much each bundler has raised - unlike Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, who categorize their bundlers by the amount they raise. For example, Clinton's "Hillraisers" have brought in more than $100,000 each. (Tit for tat) Permalink :: 1 comments :: Post a Comment

Sunday, March 23, 2008
Oh yeah, well what has he done for George lately? posted by Clyde 5:10 AM Stalwart Service for U.S. in Iraq Is Not Enough to Gain Green Card During his nearly four years as a translator for U.S. forces in Iraq, Saman Kareem Ahmad was known for his bravery and hard work. "Sam put his life on the line with, and for, Coalition Forces on a daily basis," wrote Marine Capt. Trent A. Gibson. Gibson's letter was part of a thick file of support -- including commendations from the secretary of the Navy and from then-Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus -- that helped Ahmad migrate to the United States in 2006, among an initial group of 50 Iraqi and Afghan translators admitted under a special visa program. Last month, however, the U.S. government turned down Ahmad's application for permanent residence, known as a green card. His offense: Ahmad had once been part of the Kurdish Democratic Party, which U.S. immigration officials deemed an "undesignated terrorist organization" for having sought to overthrow former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Ahmad, a Kurd, once served in the KDP's military force, which is part of the new Iraqi army. A U.S. ally, the KDP is now part of the elected government of the Kurdish region and holds seats in the Iraqi parliament. After consulting public Web sites, however, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services determined that KDP forces "conducted full-scale armed attacks and helped incite rebellions against Hussein's regime, most notably during the Iran-Iraq war, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom." (Link) Permalink :: 1 comments :: Post a Comment

25 years of Ronny's Ray-Gun posted by Clyde 4:52 AM 'Star Wars' and the Phantom Menace Perhaps it is fitting that the 25th anniversary of President Ronald Reagan's "Star Wars" speech falls on Easter Sunday. After all, many had believed Reagan's grand plan for a system that would render Moscow's nuclear-tipped missiles "impotent and obsolete" died along with the Soviet Union. But "Star Wars" has been resurrected, and has been standing guard over America's skies since 2004. But the more than $120 billion spent over 25 years to build the "Star Wars" missile shield has not left the U.S. less vulnerable to attack - some would argue that it has done exactly the opposite, by diverting resources away from dealing with more urgent and plausible threats. Those who fear a missile strike on the American mainland from North Korea or Iran - not that either is anywhere close to achieving such capability - the investment in a missile shield, even one whose efficacy is far from clearly established, may seem worthwhile. To those who believe the more salient and insidious threats are those of the type we experienced on 9/11, this shield against a handful of rogue missiles represents an unfortunate diversion of funds that could be used far more effectively to defend the U.S. The growing consensus among national-security professionals is that a deadly weapon targeting the U.S. is far more likely to be delivered hidden in a shipping container than in the warhead of an intercontinental ballistic missile. But the $10 billion a year the Pentagon devotes to missile defenses is almost twice the amount the U.S. spends on defending the nation's borders and ports from smuggled weapons. (Link) Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

Saturday, March 22, 2008
With Bush giving corporate welfare - Why would they? posted by Clyde 6:20 AM Wall Street culture not likely to change Wall Street investment bankers got another lesson about the dangers of risk-taking this past week with the downfall of Bear Stearns Cos. The question now obviously is, how long will it last? Those bankers, many of whom lived through market debacles like the dot-com bust at the start of this decade, turned out to have very short memories. And so analysts believe the sale of Bear Stearns to JPMorgan Chase & Co. for a stunning $2 per share ultimately won't have that much of an impact on how Wall Street conducts business. In fact, bankers and traders are under even more pressure to reap big returns because of the ongoing credit crisis, and risk is just part of the game. "There's an old saying on Wall Street that, for traders and bankers, you'd have to take a normal 30 year career and distill it to 15 years," said Quincy Krosby, chief investment strategist for The Hartford. "This whole episode might change Wall Street for a little while." (Thieves) Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

There will be no questioning of the "fly in the ointment!" posted by Clyde 5:50 AM Pentagon rules out Fallon testimony The Pentagon on Friday ruled out including Adm. William Fallon as a witness before Congress when the top U.S. military and diplomatic officials in Baghdad testify next month on the way ahead in Iraq. Fallon's abrupt announcement March 11 that he was resigning, effective March 31, as chief of U.S. Central Command overseeing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan triggered accusations by Democrats in Congress that he was being forced out for publicly opposing launching a war against Iran. In declaring that Fallon would not join Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker as witnesses before Congress next month, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said the decision had nothing to do with Fallon's views on Iran or the reasons for his unexpected resignation and retirement. "I know there have been requests, in fact, from members of Congress to have Adm. Fallon testify with Gen. Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker, and I can tell you that Adm. Fallon will not be testifying" with them, Morrell told a Pentagon news conference. (Link) Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

Friday, March 21, 2008
But they are mum on Vitter posted by Clyde 11:06 AM U.S. Defends Tough Tactics on Spitzer The Justice Department used some of its most intrusive tactics against Eliot Spitzer, examining his financial records, eavesdropping on his phone calls and tailing him during its criminal investigation of the Emperor's Club prostitution ring. The scale and intensity of the investigation of Mr. Spitzer, then the governor of New York, seemed on its face to be a departure for the Justice Department, which aggressively investigates allegations of wrongdoing by public officials, but almost never investigates people who pay prostitutes for sex. A review of recent federal cases shows that federal prosecutors go sparingly after owners and operators of prostitution enterprises, and usually only when millions of dollars are involved or there are aggravating circumstances, like human trafficking or child exploitation. (Link) Permalink :: 1 comments :: Post a Comment

Are they in their final throes? posted by Clyde 11:01 AM The final battle for Basra is near, says Iraqi general General Mohan al-Furayji, the Iraqi commander in charge of security in the south of Iraq, has warned his troops they must prepare for the final battle to defeat the Shia militias terrorising Basra. For the British force based at Basra airport, the general's strategy raises the spectre of a return to the city they left last September after a summer of incessant attacks by the gunmen. General Mohan is determined that the armed Shia groups have to be defeated before the provincial elections in the autumn. Failure to do so, he maintains, will mean the gunmen will take over what is left of the degenerating political process, making it impossible to shift them in the near future. No date has been fixed for the drive against the militias in Basra, he said yesterday. But he also delivered an uncompromising warning to his troops: they must be ready for a decisive military push, and it will come soon. (Yeah Right) Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

Thursday, March 20, 2008
Iraq: No news is good news. Period. posted by Dookie The Webmaster 6:24 AM AP president: US arrests journalist in Iraq to 'control' information Associated Press president Tom Curley says his news organization does not buy the government's argument that one of its photographers arrested in Iraq was working on behalf of the enemy, and he alleged the US is rounding up journalists in an attempt to control information. "To say the least, we see things very differently," Curley commented dryly, regarding photographer Bilal Hussein, who was arrested two years ago and remains in military custody. Noting that at least a dozen other Iraqi photographers have been detained or arrested, Curley stated, "It's impossible not to conclude that the words and pictures these journalists produced were considered unhelpful to the war effort and that their arrests would have served a broader strategy of information control." Curley also called on journalists to demand that all the presidential candidates make a commitment to reversing a directive issued by Attorney General John Ashcroft shortly after September 11 that radically restricted the scope of the Freedom of Information Act. More at 11 Permalink :: 2 comments :: Post a Comment

Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Unlike Bush on most things.... posted by Dookie The Webmaster 8:53 AM Poll: Most Americans Say War Not Worth It 64% Say Results Of War Not Worth American Lives Lost One the eve of the five-year anniversary of the start of the war with Iraq, Americans continue to think the results of the war have not been worth the loss of American lives and the other costs of attacking Iraq, according to a new CBS News poll. Today 29 percent of Americans say the results of the war were worth it; 64 percent say they were not. In August 2003, less than six months after the beginning of the war, Americans were divided as the whether or not the results of the war were worth it. Opinion reached a low point in March 2006 - when only one in four Americans said the war was worth the costs. Support today breaks heavily along partisan lines. Sixty-two percent of Republicans say the results of the war with Iraq were worth the costs, while only 10 percent of Democrats and 25 percent of Independents agree. In fact, belief among Republicans that the war was worth it has risen 11 points since March 2006, while support among Democrats and Independents has remained largely the same. Mr. 19% Permalink :: 3 comments :: Post a Comment

The '80's are here again. posted by Dookie The Webmaster 7:27 AM In a good way: 'I Wanna Barack': Twisted Sister song retooled for Obama Jay Jay French wants to rock. He also wants Barack. So the Twisted Sister guitarist has re-recorded the heavy metal band's anthem, I Wanna Rock, which has become I Want Barack. French, a lifelong liberal Democrat whose mother campaigned for John F. Kennedy, said Barack Obama, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, has energized a new generation of voters who previously felt left out of politics. "He has excited so many people," said French, who founded Twisted Sister in 1973, in a telephone interview Tuesday. "He has given sincere hope to people who have been out of the arena for years." French plays guitar on the track, which features Paulie Z., singer for the band Z02, on vocals and lead guitar. They call the band Jay Jay French and Friends and stress this isn't a Twisted Sister project because that band's members are split on the presidential candidates. Barack & Roll Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

Ignorant posted by Dookie The Webmaster 6:20 AM Bush says Iraq war was worth it President Bush says he has no doubts about launching the unpopular war in Iraq despite the "high cost in lives and treasure," arguing that retreat now would embolden Iran and provide al-Qaida with money for weapons of mass destruction to attack the United States. Bush is to mark the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq on Wednesday with a speech at the Pentagon. Excerpts of his address were released Tuesday night by the White House. At least 3,990 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the war in 2003. It has cost taxpayers about $500 billion and estimates of the final tab run far higher. Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglizt and Harvard University public finance expert Linda Bilmes have estimated the eventual cost at $3 trillion when all the expenses, including long-term care for veterans, are calculated. F*cker! Was this worth it? They don't care. It's about this: Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Billo's loofa causing problems at Faux News? posted by Dookie The Webmaster 2:10 PM Bedbugs at Fox News While grappling with MSNBC and CNN for viewers, Fox News has also been battling a smaller, more insidious enemy closer to home: bed bugs in its Midtown Manhattan newsroom. In an interview on Monday, Warren Vandeveer, senior vice president for operations and engineering at Fox News, said the cable channel had realized it had a problem a few weeks ago, when an employee "caught a bug and showed it to us." An exterminator determined that the incursion was limited to a "very small area in the newsroom." But the source of the bugs was not determined until the exterminator inspected the homes of about 20 employees. Mr. Vandeveer said the exterminator later described one employee's home as having "the worst infestation he had seen in 25 years in the business." After making large bags available for employees to stash their belongings, and replacing a number of fabric-covered desk chairs, Mr. Vandeveer said that the treatments had ended about a week ago, and that the problem had been contained. "It's totally eradicated," he said. Couldn't happen to nicer nazi's Permalink :: 3 comments :: Post a Comment

A great speech by Obama posted by Dookie The Webmaster 10:31 AM "A More Perfect Union" Permalink :: 1 comments :: Post a Comment

Have you gone beserk? Can't you see that man is a ni? posted by Dookie The Webmaster 6:47 AM NY: Gov. Patterson Admits To Having An Affair The thunderous applause was still ringing in his ears when the state's new governor, David Paterson, told the Daily News that he and his wife had extramarital affairs. In a stunning revelation, both Paterson, 53, and his wife, Michelle, 46, acknowledged in a joint interview they each had intimate relationships with others during a rocky period in their marriage several years ago. In the course of several interviews in the past few days, Paterson said he maintained a relationship for two or three years with "a woman other than my wife," beginning in 1999. As part of that relationship, Paterson said, he and the other woman sometimes stayed at an upper West Side hotel - the Days Inn at Broadway and W. 94th St. Harumph! Is it just me or does Gov. Paterson look a little like Mel Brooks in Blazing Saddles? Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

Dear McCain voters... posted by Dookie The Webmaster 6:31 AM One-Third of Seniors Have Mental Decline More than 5 million elderly people have a hard time remembering things, sorting through daily decisions and even sometimes knowing what day it is, according to the first national estimate of how commonly the minds of aging Americans are starting to fade. Using detailed evaluations of a nationally representative sample of 856 people ages 71 and older, the federally sponsored study concluded that 22 percent have begun to see their mental faculties decline, which translates into 5.4 million people. Combined with a previous estimate that 3.4 million Americans have full dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease, the new findings mean that more than one-third of people age 71 and older have some diminished mental function, the researchers said. About 25 million people in this age group live in the United States. "This is important because the number of people with cognitive impairment is likely to increase significantly as the baby boomers age," Plassman said, noting that the new research found that 12 percent of those with mild problems go on to develop dementia, and about 8 percent die each year. Walnuts Permalink :: 2 comments :: Post a Comment

Monday, March 17, 2008
Cheney contemplates investing in Hog Futures! posted by Clyde 1:02 PM So Exxon will only meet* last quarter's profits instead of breaking the record they set last time. My heart weeps! Not!* Oil plummets on economy worries Oil prices fell sharply Monday, pulling back at least temporarily from record levels as investors feared that the financial crisis that forced the sale of Bear Stearns Cos. is a sign of deep economic troubles. Crude's plunge came even as diesel prices rose to a new record above $4 a gallon, and gas prices remained high. Diesel, used to transport the vast majority of the nation's goods, rose 1.3 cents to a national average of $4.002 a gallon Monday, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. The national average price of a gallon of gas, meanwhile, dipped slightly to $3.283 a gallon, but remains 73 cents higher than a year ago. Oil's steep decline - falling $4.17 to $106.04 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange - came hours after futures rose to a new trading high of $111.80 on the Federal Reserve's surprise Sunday move to lower a key interest rate by a quarter point. In the past several months, Fed rate cuts have fueled rallies in oil prices. (Poor Little Lambs) Permalink :: 1 comments :: Post a Comment

Get in the soup line early posted by Dookie The Webmaster 11:56 AM Fed Cuts Discount Rate, Lends More to Avert Meltdown The Federal Reserve, struggling to prevent a meltdown in financial markets, cut the rate on direct loans to banks and became lender of last resort to the biggest dealers in U.S. government bonds. In its first weekend emergency action in almost three decades, the central bank lowered the so-called discount rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 3.25 percent. The Fed also will lend to the 20 firms that buy Treasury securities directly from it. In a further step, the Fed will provide up to $30 billion to JPMorgan Chase & Co. to help it finance the purchase of Bear Stearns Cos. after a run on Wall Street's fifth-largest securities firm. ..... The move is Chairman Ben S. Bernanke's latest step to alleviate a seven-month credit squeeze that's probably pushed the U.S. into a recession. The dollar tumbled to a 12-year low against the yen and Treasury notes rallied as traders increased bets that officials will reduce their main rate by 1 percentage point when they meet tomorrow. That $4 dollar gas sure helps! Permalink :: 2 comments :: Post a Comment

Let the recession begin posted by Dookie The Webmaster 11:53 AM Bear's 'Fire Sale' Sparks Fear That No Bank Is Safe A fire sale of Bear Stearns stunned Wall Street and pummeled global financial stocks on Monday on fears that few banks are safe from deepening market turmoil. "Last evening the Bear Stearns situation reached a crescendo, as JPMorgan agreed to acquire the wounded broker for a token amount of $2 per share," research firm CreditSights said. "The reality check is that there are many challenged major banks, brokers, thrifts, finance/mortgage companies, and only a handful of bonafide strong U.S. banks." As a result, financial firms face a "new world order," CreditSights concluded. President Bush assured the world that the United States was "on top of the situation" in financial markets as the Federal Reserve geared up for a deep cut in interest rates on Tuesday to blow money into the fragile financial system. Bush says we're okay. Permalink :: 1 comments :: Post a Comment

But they want to "Stay the course" posted by Dookie The Webmaster 6:20 AM Seven out of 10 Iraqis want foreign forces to leave: poll More than two-thirds of Iraqis believe US-led coalition forces should leave, according to a poll conducted for British television ahead of the fifth anniversary of the Iraq invasion. The ORB/Channel 4 News survey suggested that 70 percent thought multinational forces should withdraw. Yet some 40 percent of the 4,000 people surveyed said they wanted the United States to play a bigger role in rebuilding Iraq and 36 percent wanted more British involvement. Overall, the wide-ranging poll painted a mixed picture of Iraqi attitudes, contrasting their bleak daily existence with a surprisingly positive attitude about the future. ... A quarter of those surveyed said they had lost a family member to murder. In Baghdad, that figure rose to nearly half (45 percent). McCain: 100 years! Permalink :: 0 comments :: Post a Comment

Sunday, March 16, 2008
Sunny Skies Ahead posted by Wally 9:29 AM Republicans See Storm Clouds Gathering Week of Bad News Highlights Difficult Challenges for GOP in Fall Elections While all eyes were on the presidential campaign and the demise of New York Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer (D) last week, Republicans on Capitol Hill were suffering a run of bad news that could hold dire implications for the campaign season. It started with the loss last weekend of the seat held for two decades by former House speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). It got worse when Republicans lost potentially strong challengers to Democratic senators in South Dakota and New Jersey, and failed to field anyone to oppose the reelection bid of Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.). (snip) "It's no mystery," said Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.). "You have a very unhappy electorate, which is no surprise, with oil at $108 a barrel, stocks down a few thousand points, a war in Iraq with no end in sight and a president who is still very, very unpopular. He's just killed the Republican brand." Stuart Rothenberg, a nonpartisan analyst of congressional politics, said: "The math is against them. The environment is against them. The money is against them. This is one of those cycles that if you're a Republican strategist, you just want to go into the bomb shelter." Those "storm clouds" that are gathering over the Republican party have me... Singing in the rain Permalink :: 0 comments ::