By the Numbers

According to the CIA World Factbook there are almost 27 million people in Iraq with a population growth rate of 2.66 %. This week 500 people were killed in bombings and the Tel Afar bombing killed 152. At this rate how long will it take before no one is left in Iraq?

Don't worry I'll wait. So will the US. So will the world.

Bonus Credit: How long before Darfur and Mogadishu are wiped out? And then how long before Dennis Miller says its all liberals fault? Hint: Take my daily level of snarkyness, divide that my lack of faith in Bush, multiply that by Bill O'Rilley's daily serving of BS and take that result and put it to the Nth power, N being the number of words in Malkin's Joe Doe oath. And if you've gone that far, blow your brains out.

The Choco Jesus Wrap-Up

When it comes to matters like this I'll listen to David Kuo over William Donahue any day of the week. So much so I'll give Kuo Quote of the Day honors:

"It is easy for some religious leaders to decry a piece of art and say - as some have (apparently with a straight face) - it is "one of the worst assaults on Christian sensibilities ever." (I suppose that genocide in Darfur is merely an "affront" to Christian sensibilities?) But instead of getting all amped up over this "art," Christians should be spending time facing the real and very challenging Jesus found in the Gospels and encouraging others to do the same. I know that is what I need to do."

Why Do NYC Newspapers Continue to Ignore Giuliani?

Here's the front page of the New York Post:

And here's the NY Daily News:

Now here's what led on MSNBC.com at the same time:

"Giuliani’s ex-partner may face felony charges
Kerik counts said to include deception during Cabinet bid"

Interesting. At first I thought it was a pic of Andrew Sullivan and Giuliani which gave more sense to the pose and the 'ex-partner' thing. But then I realized that it was Giuliani and his crook pal Kerik and I said, "wow, this is news." But one would never know that reading the other NYC papers. The Post with it's totally non-biased (read non-biased, as more biased than the Klan) report of Nancy Pelosi's trip to Syria, makes it seem like she's going over there to give Hezbollah non-stop fellatio. [Really creative Photoshop by the way, whoever did that should go work for Fox News immediately], and the Daily News is so wrapped up in its Choco Jesus you would think that the Easter Bunny is the Editor-and-Chief and bitterly jealous to boot.

What a pair of frauds.

A Profile in Courage

You don't need to be American to understand the dignity and power of the freedom of speech.

Lies and Silence

You know every one was so eager to report the story that Sean Bell shot a Drug Dealer but the MSM was oddly silent when the Dealer denied the story the next day:



Hot potato no more? After the local papers seized on information (leaked by police sources) that a drug dealer claimed that Sean Bell, who was shot by police in November, shot him last summer, the man has come forward to deny he identified Bell as his assailant. Anthony Jeffers told the Daily News, "Here and there I sell drugs in the neighborhood. But I didn't say nothing about Sean Bell. I don't want no trouble with any of this. I called the cops today and told them that."

"But Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said Jeffers did tell police that Bell had shot him in a marijuana-dealing turf war. The Times reports the Commissioner as saying "I see no particular relevance to the events of Nov. 25, as far as this report is concerned."

"The Post says Jeffers was arrested "for riding his bike on a Queens sidewalk" on Sunday. Seriously - though cops did want to question him about a robbery as well. But riding his bike on a sidewalk is not against the law a criminal offense, if annoying. Anyway, police sources claim Jeffers said Bell shot him in hopes of getting a deal. Bell's family's lawyer is upset with these attempts to dirty Bell's name. But Detectives' Endowment Association president Michael Palladino told the Times "[the report] give us a little insight into what was going on in Bell’s mind when the officers approached. If you’re not guilty of something, and there’s no gun in the car, then why not stop the car?"

"Jeffers wants to be left alone. He also said, "I don't want nobody in the neighborhood saying I said Sean Bell shot me.""

I bet. Especially since your story was so NOT gangsta. Oh and it was faked. Color me surprised that the News didn't carry this on page 1. Color me even more surprised that the liberal media didn't care.

British Schools to Give Students PSPs.

From Engadget.com:

"The Nintendo DS may currently have the better reputation for educational-related activities, with Brain Age and similar titles molding minds young and old alike, but a school in England looks to be doing its best to sway things in the PlayStation Portable's favor, announcing that's it'll soon begin employing some of the handheld's non-gaming functions to take the place of old school textbooks. According to The Daily Mail, some 30 students will be given PSPs as part of the pilot program, which apparently could be expanded nationwide if it proves to be successful (one sure way to boost sales). While we're all for putting the PSP to some non-intended uses, we can't help but think that the school is overlooking some of the educational benefits of the PSP's gaming options. After all, you never know when the life skills learned from guiding all those LocoRocos to safety may come in handy."

Great, so now kids can log into Myspace while they're in class. Looks like Chris Hansen will be going to the UK soon.

Jenna Jameson Nude!

Not really, but she has pissed off movie producers who can't meet with her to discuss taking her autobiography, 'How to Make Love Like a Porn Star," which, by the way, was an excellent read, to the big screen. One theory:

"She underwent a vaginoplasty at a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, and she is very unhappy," said the source, who added, in perhaps an unfortunate choice of words, "she has decided to hole up and not speak to anybody."

She's decided to 'hole up.' That's great. What the hell is vaginoplasty anyway? Then again, I don't wanna know. Enjoy the pic.

PS: I'm still pissed off with the UN, and the cigarette in Jenna's hand only makes me wanna smoke. I must be getting old.

The Must Watch of the Day

Check out what is inadmissible to the UN's Human Rights Council. The video has to be seen to be believed.

Hat Tip: Sully

It's Friday right? I have to post my weekly cheesecake/ fluff, because the real world is pissing me the hell off. Any suggestions?

Sully Makes a Slip Up...

In his post here, he makes the statement:

"I can live within a coalition with people who oppose my right to marry the man I love. But I cannot live within a coalition that would amend the federal constitution to forbid it for ever in every state." [Italics mine]

I can understand Sully's loyalty to the GOP, after all I have the same loyalty to the DNC, but what I can't understand is that first statement. How can anyone ally themselves with an organization that stands against such a profound and important interest as choosing who they will decide to marry? This shouldn't be a subject of compromise for a gay person. I have had to make compromises with the DNC and their candidates on a number of issues, including their current Iraqi withdrawal program, which I consider vague and loose. But I can still hold my allegiance because regardless of the wiffy language their overall goal still coincides with my desire for US forces to leave Iraq. Likewise I am for a gas tax and a carbon tax. Now the DNC hasn't come out for one, but their overall goal of reducing carbon emissions and our dependence on foreign fuels, once again, coincides with my own. Compromise is based on the fact that you have a common goal but approach it from different directions, but there can be no compromise (and likewise, no partnership) when there is no common goal. The GOP has been pretty much stalwart in their stance against gay marriage and to ally yourself with a group that works directly against your goals because of loyalty isn't honorable it's just plain dumb.

The UN Wrap-Up

Cros gives more reasons why the UN sucks. Decisions like ignoring Iran and Darfur's human rights violations only adds more steam to the Neoconservative agenda. The AEI thanks you.

Very Funny...

If you were like me you were laughing out loud at NY1 this morning when Pat Kiernan announced today's snap poll:

"Should Judi Giuliani be allowed to attend cabinet meetings?

Yes
No
Sanjaya Malakar"

I laughed even louder when Kiernan, in his deadpan, snarky manner says, "Vote yes, no, or if you want to mess the whole thing up, or you don't care, vote for Sanjaya."

Personally I voted for Sanjaya--see my last post to find out why.

Here's What's Really Sickening

Take a close look at it--especially the front page. What do you see? If you said 'nothing' you're pretty much right. Page 1 features the stunning revolution that, if president, Rudy Giuliani would, SHOCK!, invite his wife to cabinet meetings. Well golly gee, that...what? What the hell would that mean? Hil supposedly never sat in, but again--so what? Hell invite Chris Rock for all I care, maybe we'd get something done. This is front page news?

Now let's look at the front page of the NYTimes...oh here's an interesting Giuliani story--"Testimony by Giuliani Indicates He was Briefed on Kerik in '00" Here's what they say:

"Rudolph W. Giuliani told a grand jury that his former chief investigator remembered having briefed him on some aspects of Bernard B. Kerik’s relationship with a company suspected of ties to organized crime before Mr. Kerik’s appointment as New York City police commissioner, according to court records.

Mr. Giuliani, testifying last year under oath before a Bronx grand jury investigating Mr. Kerik, said he had no memory of the briefing, but he did not dispute that it had taken place, according to a transcript of his testimony."

Hummm, this seems interesting, and definitely more important to his candidacy than the news that his wife would sit in on Cabinet meetings. But why would the News choose not to place this story on their front page? Oh questions, questions!

Then again we might find the answer below that story under the big 'SICKENING!' With a title like that could they be talking about deaths in Iraq? The Gonzalez scandal? Veterans' care? Why no, they're talking about some artist that made a chocolate Jesus:

"A controversial artist outraged city Catholics yesterday with plans to display a nude 6-foot chocolate Jesus during Holy Week.

"Cosimo Cavallaro's anatomically-correct candy Christ, titled "My Sweet Lord," was made from almost 200 pounds of dark chocolate. The sculpture is to be displayed in a street-level window at the Roger Smith Hotel's Lab Gallery on E. 47th St. starting Monday.

""It's an all-out war on Christianity," fumed Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. "They wouldn't show a depiction of Martin Luther King Jr. with genitals exposed on Martin Luther King Day, and they wouldn't show Muhammed depicted this way during Ramadan. It's always Christians, and the timing is deliberate.""

Oh my God! He's nude, anatomically correct and tasty! HOLY CAVITIES BATMAN! And yet we just can't understand when Muslims get upset when the West depicts Mohammad wearing a bomb turban? And yes I'm not saying that they're right for killing over it, they aren't; but, what are we saying when this trivial matter makes front page headlines when there are much graver matters on the horizon? The answer: The MSM isn't worth the paper its written on. What was supposed to be an honorable institution that watches the watchmen, and investigates dangers to the public welfare is now a political tool that at best is only interested in tabloid sensationalist news, and at worse is a propaganda tool for the most right-wing Republican issues. Either way The Daily News is what's really sickening.

Senate Passes Iraq Pullout Bill

Well Congress has done the will of the American public--but will Bush veto? The answer seems to be yes.

Giving Rick Stengel His Say

Rick Stengel, managing editor of Time Magazine, and member of the panel that laughed away the idea of hauling Darth Maul, er Karl Rove in front of Congress, and harshly criticized for it, explains why he thought that would be a bad move for the Democrats and the US:

"In reading your reaction to my comments on Chris Matthews, I realize that I've been caught out speaking as a citizen rather than as editor of Time. Lord knows, the Democrats going after Karl Rove is "interesting" in an objective way for Time and for journalists in general. It's hard to overstate Rove's role in this administration and it would certainly create yards of headlines and good copy if the Democrats manage to get some traction. But as a citizen, I think it's unfortunate and perhaps short-sighted for Democrats to be perceived as focusing on the past rather than the future. If people see the Democrats as obsessively concerned with settling scores, that's not good for the Democrats or the country. And I would make the exact same statement about the Republicans if they were in this situation. Meanwhile, the next time I’m on Chris Matthews, I’ll muzzle my citizen’s thoughts."

Sully slaps him here. What boggles my mind is that--as a journalist and a citizen--you would think that would be something he would have a personal interest in. Fact is though, journalists are a dying breed and the media is either for entertainment or the dissemination of lies. Turns out that the Justice department isn't the only institution whose 'trust is corroding'. And on that note I'd also like to mention that Barack Obama just happens to have really invented the Internet and George Bush eats babies. True story.

Good Luck

Britain to ask the UN for help in Iran Hostage crisis--part deux:

"LONDON - Britain said Thursday it is seeking United Nations condemnation of Iran for its capture and detention of 15 sailors and marines in disputed waters in the northern Persian Gulf.

The British announcement came as Iran rolled back on its promise to release the sole female British sailor among the captives. The Iranian military chief, Gen. Ali Reza Afshar, said that owing to the “wrong behavior” of the British government, “the release of a female British soldier has been suspended,” the semiofficial Iranian news agency Mehr reported."

The UK asking the UN for help is like that white dude on the Chappelle Show in the reverse 'Law & Order' skit. Literally, is there any one on the UN who the British hadn't conquered?

PS: Does anyone have that Law & Order skit? Couldn't find it on Youtube.

Right and Wrong

Aide to AG Gonzalez claims that Attorney firings were proper because they didn't support Bush's 'priorities':

"WASHINGTON - Eight federal prosecutors were fired last year because they did not sufficiently support President Bush's priorities, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' former chief of staff maintains, but a powerful Senate chairman called that motivation improper.

"It corrodes the public's trust in our system of justice. It's wrong," Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said as he gaveled open a hearing featuring the sworn testimony of Kyle Sampson, who quit the Justice Department over the furor.

But Sampson maintained that it's legitimate to judge federal prosecutors in large part on their fidelity to administration policy. He denied Democratic charges that the firings were a purge by intimidation and a warning to the remaining prosecutors to fall into line."

Both of them are correct. As I mentioned here--the executive both on the right and left has historically tried to stack the deck with judges who will support their policies. And yes, Leahy is right to say that it "corrodes the public's trust in our system of justice," but in all honesty--has the 'public' ever had a 'trust in the system'? Fact is, in the big picture what happened here was something politically common place, just as much as tax fraud or bribery is common in industry, but he was caught. Too bad, game over, but enjoy the consolation prize AG! No time spent, and a great job either on the lecture circuit or CEO of...whatever.

Lay the Smack Down Again...

...to those who claim Obama 'lacks substance':

"Compared to whom? Romney? Giuliani? I know of no candidate with less of a platform right now than Giuliani. Obama, in contrast, has made several policy speeches, and one philosophical homily which is far and away the smartest address yet in the campaign."

So Now They Have WMDs...

...Insurgents attack local government building with chlorine bombs:

"Fifteen Iraqi and U.S. soldiers were wounded in the blasts and many more suffered chlorine poisoning, the statement said.

“Numerous Iraqi soldiers and policemen are being treated for symptoms such as labored breathing, nausea, skin irritation and vomiting that are synonymous with chlorine inhalation,” a U.S. statement said."

In the meantime off duty Shiite security forces decided to get their own Sean Bells on killing 45 Sunnis:

"The policemen began roaming the town’s Sunni neighborhoods on foot early in the morning, shooting at Sunni residents and homes.

A senior hospital official in Tal Afar said at least 45 men ages 15 to 60 were killed and four others were wounded.

Other tolls were higher. “Between 50 and 55 people were killed. I’ve never seen such a thing in my life,” said a doctor, who refused to be named because he said he feared for his life."

Who said it was getting better?

Blogging Wars!

You gotta love them, especially when they're about boobs.

Note: The boobs that started it all are in the front row in the grayish shirt (I really wish I had a John Madden telestrator). Though just from the fact that Clinton's looking away proves that they didn't get his seal of approval.

Thank You Glenn Greenwald

I thought it was just the hangover.

I woke up Sunday morning, mind full of cotton balls, and my breath smelling like a septic tank, turned on NBC for my usual Sunday morning news shows, and Chris Matthews is on. They get to discussing the possibility that Karl Rove might be dragged in front of Congress to testify regarding the US Attorney scandal, and every member of the round table gives the most cavalier responses possible. As Greenwald says:

"Here are several of our media elites from our nation's most influential journalistic outlets -- including from Time, U.S. News & World Report, The New York Times, and NBC News -- all sitting around on the Chris Matthews Show giggling for three and a half minutes straight about the silly U.S. attorneys scandal. The whole thing is just a fun game for them, and it's absurd to them that anyone could take things like this seriously.


And what is most notable is that they express outrage at one part, and one part only, of this whole story -- namely, they are furious over the fact that the foolish, unfair Democrats would even dare to try to force Karl Rove to testify. Why, firing U.S. attorneys and lying to Congress and the country about it is all fair game, but that -- trying to get Rove to answer questions -- is really beyond the pale."

I mean I expect this stuff from Fox News, and Tony Blankley, but to see the entire table completely trivialize the issue...I thought it was the fuzz in my head. Thanks for the clarification Glenn.

Fudging the Info

This is the exact same BS that landed us in Iraq. From TPM Muckraker:

"The New York Times provides the history of U.S. concern over Iran's role in Iraq, reporting that in July, 2005, the U.S. sent a diplomatic protest to Iran over the use of allegedly Iranian-made explosives (EFPs) being used against coalition troops in Iraq by Shiite groups.
Somehow these concerns culminated in the U.S. military's infamous, anonymous EFP press briefing in mid-February.


It was a long road. But let's focus in on one thing. It's always been a credible allegation that Iran would in some fashion be supplying its Shiite proxies in the civil war, but let's set that aside. That's not the allegation that the U.S. made in that briefing and immediately thereafter. Rather, the administration clearly made a choice to focus on the evidence that Iranian manufactured weapons were being used in Iraq and stay silent on the crucial detail of who they were being used by. The briefing referred to Iranian support of generic "extremists," without specifying Sunni or Shiite.

The reason for this choice was clear: the vast majority of U.S. casualties come at the hands of Sunni insurgents, not Shiite. But suddenly Iran was elevated to being the major enemy there. Soon senior State Department officials were claiming that Iran is "the most disruptive, negative force in the Middle East." Move over, Al Qaeda."

Got that? This is what I love about the right wing, to them Clinton getting oral sex in the oval office is a impeachable scandal, but Bush landing us in a war without justification after misleading (the nice word for lying) is excusable. John Edwards deciding to continue on his candidacy for President after disclosing his wife has cancer is a 'political' decision, but Rumsfeld and Cheney fudging the info to make Iran look as if it's the number one bad guy in Iraq--that's leadership.

Excuse me while I get sick and then look for flight deals to Amsterdam.

By The Way...

...on that last post I linked to a Wikipedia article on Suge Knight and I noticed that his real first name is Marion. I think that explains alot.

PS: Please don't kill me Mr. Knight.

Bell Suspected in Shooting Drug Dealer...

...or at least that's what the drug dealer says. From NYDailynews.com:

"A Queens drug dealer has told police that he was shot by Sean Bell in a turf battle last summer, sources told the Daily News.


The allegation emerged Sunday night, when the 26-year-old ex-con was arrested in Queens on new drug charges.

"He hoped to cut a deal somehow with this information, but so far his account seems credible," a high-ranking police source told The News last night."

Wait--a 'high-ranking police source' believes the dealer? What a surprise. Wonder if it was the same source who believed the 'eye witness' during the grand jury hearing? It would have been more shocking if the police hadn't believed the snitch; 'No, I'm afraid this incarcerated criminal is absolutely wrong about Sean Bell, who we believe to be of the highest character.'

According to the Dealer:

"As he was selling his wares, a rival dealer, whom he later identified as Bell, told the man his drug crew owned the turf and ordered him to leave, sources said.

The outraged dealer refused, only to be confronted a short time later by two men in a black Toyota Camry.

In broad daylight, the car pulled alongside the dealer and one of the occupants shot him in the right buttocks as he fled.

"He said the dealer didn't want any competition. He didn't take no for an answer and shot him in the a-- as he ran," another police source said. "He was quite clear: Bell was the man who shot him.""

By the way, am I the only one who had to laugh at "...as he was selling his wares...?" As if he were selling ceramic piggy banks at the county fair? Anyway, the story really doesn't play too much of a role in this case considering the whole thing hinges on the fact of a) Did Bell or his friends pull out a gun during the melee? or b) did the police have evidence that he was carrying a gun prior to leaving the club?

But if you really want to know the veracity of the dealers statement--let's see if the DA presses charges against Bell for it. I'm setting the odds at 50-1.

By the way; I really hope the snitch got his deal because he's lost all street cred. He was shot, in the ass, as he was running away from Sean Bell. Hard to show your face on the streets after that one unless you're Doctor Dre.

I Need to Join This Class

Screw The Secret, this is a real power:

"Here's one for the Breakup Hall of Fame: A woman walked out on her boyfriend because she said her new lover had a special talent - he could make her climax using only his mind.

Such is the tale told by Quoc Pham, who is suing the mother of his child for dumping him for an Arizona cycling stud who allegedly possessed the unusual sexual gift."

I just wonder--does he have to actually pay attention to her while he does it, or can he do other stuff at the same time. I wonder if my fiance would get so angry at me when I play online poker if I could give her orgasms while I waste time.

"Honey, when are you...oh...OH...YES! YES! GO ALL IN!!!"

March Madness would be national women happy month--and let's not even talk about the Super Bowl.

Here's a Theory

According to this report from the New York Post, all the bullets that ended up striking Bell and his two friends came from one gun, that of Detective Michael Oliver. The Post goes on to criticize the grand jury's decision to charge Detective Gescard Isnora with Manslaughter since, though the detective shot first, he failed to hit any of the victims. Yet this story leads to more interesting questions. It seems to be apparent that Oliver meant to inflict damage to the suspects due to the amount of ammo he shot off, actually having to reload his gun during the melee. That being said, add that now to the fact that he was the only one who hit his targets, and it makes you wonder what were Oliver's intentions. My theory--only a theory mind you--but what if Oliver was hired to make a hit on Bell? Or what if he was hired to put a hit on someone who fit Bell's description? Think of it--this isn't the first time cops have been used as hitmen, and he had been deep undercover. He seems to have some 'good' friends willing enough to give him a 4,200 party the day before the grand jury was set to give his decision, and the scenario would have been perfect to cover up any malfeasance. Bell and his friends come out of a known crime den-Oliver yells out 'gun' and then gets to blasting, and, mock witnesses aside, there wasn't anyone left on the street, and Oliver seemed to be shooting to kill anyone other than his fellow cops.

Something's not adding up here, and by far there's many more questions that need answering. Who exactly was being staked out at the club? What are the officers records? What was the timing of the incident? Why was that spot chosen by the officers to apprehend the suspects?

This is getting more fascinating by the moment.

Giving Kuchinich His Say

As many of you might have heard, yesterday the House passed H.R. 1591 which is popularly known for calling for a deadline of Aug 2008 for pulling troops out of Iraq along with a bucket load of pork. I noticed that Presidential candidate, and Word of the People favorite Dennis Kuchinich voted against the measure. After doing a triple take I decided to take a look as to his reasons why. Here' s what he wrote on his website:

"Congress has just voted to give President Bush the money he needs to keep the war going through the end of his term.

So where do we go from here? Well, this is the moment that all of us must come together, in communities across the United States, to insist that our nation take a new direction -- now -- in Iraq.

We must go into the town squares. We must meet in libraries, and on university campuses across the country, to cause the policies of the United States to merge from right from the grassroots, and be heard in Washington.

Unfortunately Washington has not listened. Washington has said More War.

You're the ones who must stand for peace. And join with me in this effort to just Change America.

It's not satisfactory that Congress has voted to keep the war going.

Congress had the power to end this war.

And you and I know that.

And now we have to forge a whole new relationship with the American people leading the way, not waiting for Congress to act.

We must act. And we must act from our streets, we must act from our neighborhoods, we must act from our town halls. And it's the power of the people now that's going to have to transform the American government.

It's a sad day when Washington, having recognized that we're standing on a mountain of lies, and proceeding to prosecute a war against a people that did not attack us.

It's a sad day when America will know that there will be more troop casualties and more civilian casualties, and a greater drain on our resources, when we need money for education, health care, and so many other things in this country.

Where do we go from here? We go to where America has always gone, and that is the strength of a powerful civic response. And you must be part of that.

I join with you, as I have never wavered in my efforts for peace, in my determination to point out that war is not the way, in my insistence that this is the time that we have to take a new direction.

Just know that there are those of us who continue to take that stand in Washington.

But now you need to take a stand.

So please, join, together, all over the country.

And I'll be there with you.

Thank you very much."

So he voted on his principled stand against the war, and a demand for immediate removal of the troops. Principals huh? He will so never win Presidency, but, most likely, we'll be the biggest losers.

Sometimes You Have to Quit

First off I'd like to say a few words expressing the deep feelings of admiration I have for John Edwards. The man has gone through things that would have broken lesser people. He lost his son Wade in 96'. Then, during the final leg of his VP campaign with John Kerry his wife Elizabeth was diagnosed with breast cancer. A cancer which she thought she had beat, but has now returned, treatable, but ultimately fatal. She could only have years to live, or she might survive, or she might pass on in months. The doubt is only the beginning of the agony of this horrible disease. It would be a triumph for any one to live through one of these tragedies, but two is far beyond, at least this writer's, comprehension. And that is why, in my own opinion, you should quit this campaign.

You know, perhaps its a fact of human existence that we don't prize and value the things we have when we have them. Maybe we just can't help it no matter how wise we are, or think we are. A couple of days ago my fiance left to Paris to vacation with her sister. Now usually I come back home from work and want to do a million different things before I go to bed. There's writing, blogging, online poker, video games, reading, television watching, and more poker, and of course most of these things require, to some extent, isolation. My fiance chides me about it (alright, annoys me :) saying that I should spend more time with her, and my response usually is: you need a hobby, and yes, sometimes she really does.

But now that she's gone--you guessed it--I realize what she truly means to me. Coming home to a cold, dead empty house has to be one of the most depressing and dull experiences of my life, and the hole that's left when someone you love is gone is darkest void anyone can imagine. It is the nightmare of all nightmares. Yeah, I know that she's coming back in a week, but imagining not having her in my life...well, today at least, I don't know how I could go on, and if she were dying I think I'd want to spend as much time with her as possible, because as trite and Hallmarkish as it sounds, spending time with the people you love might be the most important thing in life, and definitely more important than a job, even if that job is President of the United States.

If you go on to run Sen. Edwards I'll still respect you and your family. But sometimes you can show the greatest courage by standing down, and your greatest lesson can be that family comes first. Now that's values.

Bad Move...

...Iran detains British Troops. From MSNBC.com:

"LONDON - Iranian naval vessels seized 15 British sailors who had boarded a ship suspected of smuggling cars in the Persian Gulf off the Iraqi coast on Friday, officials said.
The British government demanded “the immediate and safe return of our people and equipment.”


The British Navy personnel were “engaged in routine boarding operations of merchant shipping in Iraqi territorial waters,” and had completed a ship inspection when they were accosted by Iranian vessels, Britain’s Defense Ministry said."

I have a feeling this is more of a mix up than an act of aggression or a political attack. With British troops pulling out of Iraq, and new leadership taking over for Tony Blair I can't find any reason why Iran would want to pick a fight with the UK. Still, we remember the last time Iran detained Westerners don't we?

Injustice

The UN commission on Women Rights finds Israel and only Israel in "violation of women's rights:"

"Muslim women are in the news everywhere — everywhere, that is, but the United Nations. The U.N.’s lead agency responsible for the promotion and protection of women’s rights the world over, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), ended its 51 session on March 9, 2007, by criticizing only one state — Israel."

Read the rest of it if you actually give a damm about women because apparently this UN commission doesn't. In the past I've tried to support the UN, and likewise I've criticized the nation of Israel, but this is an absolute travesty of Kafkaesque proportions, and should anger anyone who actually cares about women's rights which in many other places worldwide (ahem--Islamic nations) is barbaric and atrocious. I hope Cros rips them a new one.

Show me the Money!

Hil's giving bloggers up to 20,000$ a week? Is she wearing that jacket with the question marks on it too? Either way call me--I have a daily readership of at least 8 people, that's gotta be worth at least 5$ a week.

The Most Important Post You WIll Ever Read

And I'm not sure if that's hyperbole. Empirical proof that war is not in mankind's nature? Sounds right to me:

"War isn't natural. Humans are social primates; we need to live in densely clustered groups. As a result, we've evolved a set of powerful moral instincts that prevent us from hurting each other. Killing makes us feel bad, even when we are killing Sunni insurgents. It's one of the more uplifting facts of human nature: each of us is born with a powerful moral compass, and this compass constrains our behavior.


Going to war forces soldiers to void this innate moral compass. Violence is normalized in battle, but violence isn't normal, at least from the perspective of the brain. Thanks to fMRI research, we can now begin to see the neural source of this morality. Joshua Greene has done some of the pioneering work in the field. Greene has discovered that when we contemplate certain types of moral questions, a specific network of emotional brain areas become active."

Hat Tip: Sully (Who else?)

If I was in a much $h_T as Dick Cheney...

...I'd be in some 'discomfort' too.

Senate Repeals Presidential Power

From MSNBC.com:

"WASHINGTON - The Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday to end the Bush administration's ability to unilaterally fill U.S. attorney vacancies as a backlash to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' firing of eight federal prosecutors.
Amid calls from lawmakers in both parties to resign, Gonzales got a morale boost with an early-morning call from President Bush, their first conversation since a week ago, when the president said he was unhappy with how the Justice Department handled the firings.
With a 94-2 vote, the Senate passed a bill that canceled a Justice Department-authored provision in the Patriot Act that had allowed the attorney general to appoint U.S. attorneys without Senate confirmation. Democrats say the Bush administration abused that authority when it fired the eight prosecutors and proposed replacing some with White House loyalists."

Good work, but let's not forget that executive stacking of the Judiciary has been going on for quite along time from John Adams to FDR, and at times it makes sense (that is, if you support the Pres or not). Still the provision was a sneaky act which was immoral if it turns out that a member of Arlen Specter's office was bribed to insert it. Remember when thieves had class?

More of the Endgame...

From MSNBC.com:

"WASHINGTON - Congress wants to know how the FBI illegally or improperly gathered telephone, e-mail and financial records of Americans and foreigners while chasing terrorists.


Glenn A. Fine, the Justice Department inspector general who revealed FBI data-gathering abuses in a 130-page report last week, was to appear before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. The panel also called FBI General Counsel Valerie Caproni, whose office was taken to task by Fine for inadequate supervision of the bureau's use of documents called national security letters to gather data.

In a review of headquarters files and a sampling of just four of the FBI's 56 field offices, Fine found 48 violations of law or presidential directives during 2003-2005 and estimated that "a significant number of ... violations throughout the FBI have not been identified or reported.""

Democrats in Congress have been reluctant to even mention the word impeachment, but not since Iran-Contra and Watergate have there been such pressing reasons for doing so, and these violations are just the tip of the iceberg it seems. MSNBC.com's Live Vote poll is at last count 87% for it, while Zogby is about even though geographically lopsided. Either way this can't go on for much longer with out a serious debate ensuing. Perhaps if Bush changed his rhetoric...nope, ain't going to happen.

Another Connect the Dots

From Dusty Foggo to Carol Lam to Alberto Gonzalez. From Think Progress:

"Referring to the Bush administration’s purge of former San Diego-based U.S. attorney Carol Lam, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) questioned recently on the Senate floor whether she was let go because she was “about to investigate other people who were politically powerful.”
The media reports this morning that among Lam’s politically powerful targets were former CIA official Kyle “Dusty” Foggo and then-House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis (R-CA). But there is evidence to believe that the White House may also have been on Lam’s target list. Here are the connections:

– Washington D.C. defense contractor Mitchell Wade pled guilty last February to paying then-California Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham more than $1 million in bribes.
– Wade’s company MZM Inc. received its first federal contract from the White House. The contract, which ran from July 15 to August 15, 2002, stipulated that Wade be paid $140,000 to “provide office furniture and computers for Vice President Dick Cheney.”
– Two weeks later, on August 30, 2002, Wade purchased a yacht for $140,000 for Duke Cunningham. The boat’s name was later changed to the “Duke-Stir.” Said one party to the sale: “I knew then that somebody was going to go to jail for that…Duke looked at the boat, and Wade bought it — all in one day. Then they got on the boat and floated away.”
– According to Cunningham’s sentencing memorandum, the purchase price of the boat had been negotiated through a third-party earlier that summer, around the same time the White House contract was signed.

To recap, the White House awarded a one-month, $140,000 contract to an individual who never held a federal contract. Two weeks after he got paid, that same contractor used a cashier’s check for exactly that amount to buy a boat for a now-imprisoned congressman at a price that the congressman had pre-negotiated."

More holes in the Bush Admistration. You know its getting bad when Texas Republicans are getting upset.

Police Indicted in Bell Shooting

From Wcbstv.com:

"QUEENS Indictments were unsealed Monday accusing three New York City police officers of breaking the law in the November shooting death of Sean Bell and the wounding of two of his friends outside a Queens strip club on the day Bell was to be married.Gescard Isnora and Michael Oliver were charged with manslaughter, assault and reckless endangerment.

Marc Cooper was charged only with two counts of reckless endangerment.

Isnora and Oliver face both first- and second-degree manslaughter charges.Two other NYPD officers who were present during the shooting were not indicted by the Queens grand jury that ended its deliberations Friday."

This comes after the DA made the unprecedented decision to hold the decision over the weekend. Michael Oliver took the extra time to party up a 4,200 tab which led to some stern criticism. Personally if I was about to be indicted for manslaughter I'd party too...preferably in a country with a non-extradition treaty.

The Title Says it All...

"Fuck Garrison Keillor
Posted by DAN SAVAGE on March 14 at 10:02 AM"

For those of you who those that little Garrison Keillor was about as nonthreatening as Barney Fife without the bullet in the shirt pocket, check out the article. I always thought Keillor was the most unfunny man in America and possibly the world. The man couldn't get a laugh out of a NO addict. Which brings me to...

Top 5 things I'd rather do than watch anything written, starring, or produced by Garrison Keillor:

5) Prayer session with Ted Haggard.

4) Have anything described by Method Man in the intro to his solo album.

3) Watch a full season of Thirtysomething.

2) Visit my (soon-to-be) father-in-law.

and the number one thing I'd rather do than watch anything written, starring, or produced by Garrison Keillor...

1) Wait in the emergency room of Walter Reed with a gunshot wound to the gut while Stevie Wonder gives me a root canal.

What? Is This the St. Sober Day Parade?

Someone ought to tell this guy that:

"The head of the St. Patrick's Day Parade bashed New York firefighters yesterday, complaining they show up drunk to the march - and make the Irish look bad with their all-day boozing.

In a rare and candid attack, parade Chairman John Dunleavy said firefighters skip parade planning meetings, ignore direction - and get tanked up in front of TV cameras."

So first they can't post up girly pics in their lockers, and now they can't get drunk and march in the friggin St. Paddy's Day Parade. I tell you, if they pass a law banning premarital sex then there won't be any reason left to become a fireman.

Last minute witness steps up in Sean Bell shooting...

...but is he credible? From NYdailynews.com:

"A surprise last-minute mystery witness threw a Queens grand jury investigating the police shooting of Sean Bell into tumult, just hours after it began deliberating yesterday.
The Spanish-speaking man walked into the 115th Precinct stationhouse in Queens yesterday and said he saw the much-rumored "fourth man" - a man with a gun running away from the scene.

"He came forward on his own," said Detectives' Endowment Association President Michael Palladino. "He said he heard the clash of the car. He looks up and sees a male black fire one shot, maybe two, and run from the scene, possibly running into a building."

Suspicious? Absolutely. With the NYPDs reputation for racism and police brutality, this 'mystery witness' sounds very fishy. But my co-worker brings up an interesting point. Let's say for the moment that there was a 'fourth man' who was shooting at the cops--where's the shell casings? Did he shoot at the cops, and in the middle of returning fire pick them up and run away?

This Pretty Much Sums up My POV...

...from Sully:

"Well, I asked it, via Tom Mallon:

"Are American writers, artists, and thinkers truly prepared to admit that Islamofascism is a real, and even imminent, threat to everything they are accustomed to thinking, saying, and creating?"

And here's an answer:

How big is the threat? For me, it just isn't that big. Islamic terrorists, if they are lucky, will manage a couple of medium profile bombings of tourist sites each year, and maybe something larger (New York, London, Madrid) every few years. This sucks, and our security services should relentlessly hunt down these people and take them out of the game. But is it really that much of a threat to the world?

Our societies, cultures and economies are just too strong to be even mildly shaken by this lame bullshit. Just because some gaggle of religious lunatics manages to kill a bunch of westerners once every 6 months, does anyone really believe that "everything we are accustomed to thinking, saying and creating" is under threat? I call bullshit.

We are SO going to beat these freaks."

Did Pace Break the Rules?

One of Sully's readers thinks so, and Sully scoops more here. This could be a policy error on the General's part, but honestly, who's going to punish him? And furthermore, he could have been mandated to wear his uniform in that instance. Better to get at the obvious criminal.

Sorry I'm Not Worrying About the Rights of Pigs...

...people are higher up on my things to save list.

Sorry Obama...

...but I'm seriously considering endorsing this guy.

No seriously, I really am.

Update: He's even got a blog.

Connect the Dots...

...and see if you can trace this right-wing conspiracy. I've seen Family Circus cartoons with less twists and turns, but, you see, that's what makes them so efficient!

General Pace May Have to Apologize...

...but it shouldn't be for expressing his opinion:

"WASHINGTON - Senior aides to the chairman of the military Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday that Marine Gen. Peter Pace won’t apologize for calling homosexuality immoral — an opinion that gay advocacy groups deplored.

In a newspaper interview Monday, Pace had likened homosexual acts to adultery and said the military should not condone it by allowing gays to serve openly in the armed forces."

Personally, I see nothing wrong with homosexuality. I said it before and I'll say it again, what two consenting adults do in the privacy of their own room is their business, and while I might think its sorta gross, there's plenty of heterosexual sex I also think is pretty gross. Take anything by this dude for example. Fact is, while I hold many opinions about many things I don't feel it's my place to pass judgement on someone else's sexual lifestyle, and further more, as a believer in the freedom of speech, I respect the right for someone to express their point of view even when it differs from mine. Gen Pace expressed his, and he shouldn't need to apologize for exercising his rights as an American citizen. If gays have a problem with anything it should be the policy of the United States armed forces that bans open homosexuals from serving their country. This bluntly discriminatory policy is what needs to be challenged and not one man's opinion. If anything this should only be a footnote to gay advocates' issues, something to be highlighted as yet another callous yet human trait.

Note: Yes, Pace's opinion was disrespectful to the homosexuals who choose to stay in the closet so they can serve their country with honor. But they're disrespected alot more by the policy that forces them in that closet.

Don't Call it a Comeback...

Morton Downey Jr. is having a comeback--Right-wing conspiracies never left. From MSNBC.com:

"WASHINGTON - The "vast, right-wing conspiracy" is back, presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton is warning, using a phrase she once coined to describe partisan plotting.
Once derided for her use of the phrase, Clinton is now trying to turn the imagery to her advantage.

Speaking Tuesday to Democratic municipal officials, the New York senator used the term to hammer Republicans on election irregularities.

Conspiracy alive and well
Clinton was first lady when she famously charged allegations of an affair between her then-president husband Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky were the result of a conservative conspiracy.

As evidence of the affair eventually came to light, the comment was ridiculed.But many Democrats have since insisted that Clinton was correct, pointing to the well-documented efforts by conservative financier Richard Mellon Scaife to fund a network of anti-Clinton investigations.
On Tuesday, she asserted the conspiracy is alive and well, and cited as proof the Election Day 2002 case of phone jamming in New Hampshire, a case in which two Republican operatives pleaded guilty to criminal charges, and a third was convicted."

Conspiracy is a charged word, but accurate. There is a portion of the right-wing that is incredibly devious and organized and they implement plans with an insidiousness that is diabolical. Think not? What the hell do you think FOX News is? What was the Iraq war but a right-wing conspiracy?

By the way, that doesn't mean that the left-wing doesn't conspire. We're just not any good at it.

Surgeon General Resigns...

From NYdailynews.com:

"WASHINGTON - The Army's top doctor became the latest casualty in the flap over shoddy treatment of wounded troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley, the Army's surgeon general who had been accused of callous indifference by troops and their families, resigned Sunday, but military sources said he was told to put in his papers."

Some one's head had to roll and I suppose Lt. Gen Kiley was the first (or is it the second?). Still the buck stops at the top and with this, Scooter, and now the problems with Alberto Gonzelez how far can we go before we get to Cheney and Bush? This whole tree is rotten.

And We Thought Mel Was the Crazy One...

...but Danny's turning out to be the loose cannon, as he unloads some Riggs on a Daily News reporter:

"Actor Danny Glover - best known for playing the less combustible cop in the "Lethal Weapon" movies - suddenly punched a Daily News photographer yesterday, shocking onlookers with his burst of violence.
As Glover, 60, emerged from Brooklyn Federal Court, he flipped out and threw a roundhouse punch at News photographer Gary He, connecting with a glancing blow to his jaw.
"What gives you the right to come out here and photograph me and have your camera up in my face?" Glover growled, according to He."

Sean Penn quickly called Glover to welcome him to the club.

Hagel for President?

He's leaving himself open to it. Why would he be viable? Well he said the words 'president' and 'impeachment' in the same sentence and he's anti-war. He also seems like a traditional Republican which means he's liberal. If he was black he might be Obama.

One Way to Solve the Walter Reed Problem...

...send injured soldiers back to the front:

""This is not right," said Master Sgt. Ronald Jenkins, who has been ordered to Iraq even though he has a spine problem that doctors say would be damaged further by heavy Army protective gear. "This whole thing is about taking care of soldiers," he said angrily. "If you are fit to fight you are fit to fight. If you are not fit to fight, then you are not fit to fight.""

Well what did you expect? This is the administration that told us that cutting down trees would reduce the number of forest fires.

What's the Big Deal?

They're just going home:

"MANAMA/HOUSTON - U.S. oil services firm Halliburton Co. is moving its headquarters and chief executive to Dubai in a move that immediately sparked criticism from some U.S. politicians."

Chop the US off of the first part of that story and you have what Halliburton is--an oil services firm, and their bottom line is MONEY. What? When GM, Ford, and about every other "US" company (see that as companies that hire Americans) left our shores was that a surprise? Guess what? That's how business is run--and considering how much business Halliburton does with the Middle East it makes more sense just to move there I suppose. But as far as allegiances go, Halliburton owes more to Dick Cheney than it does to America--even if it gets its tax breaks from US.

The Things You Find When You Look Deeper...

The admistration knew they'd have problems with Veteran's care. Washington Post June '05:

"The Bush administration disclosed yesterday that it had vastly underestimated the number of service personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan seeking medical treatment from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and warned that the health care programs will be short at least $2.6 billion next year unless Congress approves additional funds.

Veterans Affairs budget documents projected that 23,553 veterans would return this year from Iraq and Afghanistan and seek medical treatment. However, Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson told a Senate committee that the number has been revised upward to 103,000 for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30. He said the original estimates were based on outdated assumptions from 2002."

From there to here. So much money and so little intellegence.

Hat Tip: Sully.

Is Rommey Paying Off Journalists?

Sully seems to think so, targeting NRO's Kathryn Lopez. She disputes. You be the judge.

PS: For the record, the case of beer and weekly Metrocard Obama gave Word of the People totally didn't sway our opinion of his candidacy. We swear.

It's time...

...for Alberto Gonzalez to go. The NY Times gets on the bandwagon here, but everyone else from all sides seemed to have known this a while ago. If you ask me, when the Attorney General has the audacity to claim that:

"The Constitution doesn’t say every individual in the United States or citizen is hereby granted or assured the right of habeas corpus. It doesn’t say that. It simply says the right shall not be suspended” except in cases of rebellion or invasion."

Then he's not qualified to hold his position, either as Attorney General or a lawyer.

President Bush makes Brief Stop at Colombia

From NYDailynews.com:

"BOGOTA, Colombia - President Bush visited Colombia yesterday to show support for the country's battle against narcoterrorists, but security jitters had him staying only about six hours in the violence-plagued nation.

Bush's brief visit here - which took his motorcade not far from rioting protesters - was meant as a show of confidence in President Alvaro Uribe."

Here's a new motto for Colombia. Colombia--the other Iraq. By the way, we give 700 million a year to Colombia in aid? Talk about money wasted. I know Colombians who have to sneak into the country for fear that they're going to get kidnapped.

If There's Justice in the World...

...then this punk will be caught. And for his sake it better not be by some of these guys.

300 Breaks Box Office Records...

Who would have thunk it? Although it's not too surprising when you consider the market and this weekend's competition. Ghost Rider has made over 100 million and it totally sucked, and people were dying for something besides Wild Hogs to watch.

Maybe this will be the excuse for them finally to bring Batman: The Dark Knight Returns to the big screen. That would be awesome!

A Reminder...

...Freedom isn't free, but peace ain't all that expensive.

A New Hope...

...not for the Republic but for the United States and Iraq. This should have done a LONG time ago.

Yglesias on how the Iranians, er, the Persians might be US...

Right here...

By the way: I think 300 holds up better than Sin City, but doesn't have Jessica Alba which is always a big minus.

Editor's note...

Upon looking over the Wikipedia entry for Swift Vets and POWs for Truth I noticed that there was a mistake in the previous Word posting. The group going after McCain are comprised of a different membership. However we still contend that they are nutbags. We apologize for the mistake.

Liberals Against Swift Boating...

I'm starting the group, and I'm adding Kerry, Leland, and McCain as honorary members. I wasn't even going to mention this story, regarding a new set of attack ads against McCain brought to you by the same nut bags who attacked Kerry so long ago, but the story popped up here and here. For the best analysis of the controversy check out Moment of Triumph.

My thoughts--I don't like John McCain's politics one bit, but the man served his country with distinction and survived though experiences that would give me nightmares. I may still never visit Vietnam. Some people you just have to respect, and McCain is one of them.

Giuliani Busted!

Or more precisely his campaign is busted for creating a fake group ("Firefighters for Rudy") that's headed by Giuliani aide Tim Brown.

On a different note I'd like to mention my new group, "Superheros For Word of the People". It's headed by Bruce Wayne. Send all correspondence to Bruce@sucker.com. Feedback will be fictional.

Sara Silverman humping a Black God...

...Like I care. I think Jesus' General has the right idea as to why all of these Right-wingnuts are outraged. Personally, if I was God I wouldn't be sleeping with Sara Silverman--no disrespect--I'd be sleeping with Ice-T's wife.

Then again maybe Ice-T really is God, because only God could host porn movies, be a pimp, co-star on an popular prime time show and still be allowed to teach upper class white children how be rappers. Now that's skillz.

300: The Review

Think of Braveheart...on crack.

Excellent movie, with fantastic visuals and heart stopping action sequences. Frank Miller took some huge liberties in developing the plot--including an entire side story following King Leonidas' wife to fill the extra time but for the most part it worked and managed to hit some interesting feminist's points (when was the last time you saw a woman stab some dude to death and the audience cheered?)

Note to liberals: Check your politics at the door. My right-wing friend at the end of the movie said, "hey, how did you like your first pro-Bush movie?" And he was right since the language used by the Spartans so closely parallels the Right when they describe the war on terrorism and the Iraq conflict, though I can't be sure whether or not that was Miller's intention. Regardless of that rhetoric this movie will have you on the edge of your seat ready to throw down with your Spartan brothers. Warning: Watching this and Braveheart back-to-back could lead you to start a revolution against your local tyrant.

The Reasons Behind Bipartisanship...

...the money stupid. Well, at least Yglesias thinks so.

And for the record--for 7 million I'll work with Reynolds, Drudge and Malkin and love it.

A Response to Harry Reid

Over at Huffpo, Senate Maj Leader Harry Reid has this post regarding the Democrats' resolution to 'Bring home the troops:'

"Democrats believe, as does an overwhelming majority of the American people, that President Bush needs to change course in Iraq. We can't stay in Iraq forever. The question becomes whether we'll continue to follow the president's failed strategy or whether we work to change course.


Will the Senate sit silent, or will we bring stability to Iraq and bring our troops home from a protracted civil war?

Democrats have always been unified on these principles.


The mission in Iraq has changed and, therefore, so must U.S. policy change. Troops should not be policing a civil war. The current conflict in Iraq requires a political solution.

Listen to what General Petraeus said today from Iraq: "The war cannot be won militarily. It can only be won politically."


We further believe that Iraq must take responsibility for its own future, and our troops should begin to come home.

That's why, yesterday, I'm introducing a joint resolution calling for the president to change course and bring stability to Iraq by beginning a phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq in 120 days, with the goal of redeploying combat forces from Iraq by the end of March of next year.


A limited number of troops would remain for the purposes of force protection, training and equipping the Iraqi troops, and counterterrorism activities.

Truly changing course in Iraq will require Republican cooperation and support. So far, Republicans have chosen to greenlight the escalation.


Hopefully, Senate Republicans will join the American people in opposing the president's flawed policies in Iraq. They must put doing the right thing above protecting the president."

This has about the same substance and is about as sincere as one of Bush's State of the Union addresses. Now I hate criticizing Democrat leadership. It's like scolding my Mother, and just about as futile, but it needs to be said. In this memo Reid is, at the least, disingenuous and, at most, deceitful. As I talked about here the Democrat resolution isn't a call strictly to pull troops from Iraq--as the American people want. The resolution includes several methods to keep our troops there leaving their presence in the region ultimately in the president's hands.

Is it just me or did I hear the word "blank check" echoing in the distance?

As a way to tame the Iraq conflict the resolution might work--if the goal is to tame and not end Bush's war. You tell us its the latter, but the facts point to the former. You can't have it both ways.

You're doing your party and your constituents a disservice when you try to play both sides of the aisle like this. Since Clinton people have accused the Democrats of not standing for anything, and yet even when a huge majority of Americans LOUDLY oppose our presence in Iraq you continue to talk vague and empty rhetoric. The girl at the end of the bar just tossed her panties in your face, but you're still nursing your drink. Either stand as the opposition party or the Democrats will lose whatever gains they made in the 2006 elections. And you don't need to be Karl Rove to figure that out.

All the Reasons Why Blacks Should Support Obama...

Right here. My favorite part:

"Rather than using his credentials and connections to build his personal wealth, Obama chose to pursue careers like providing job training for residents of poor neighborhoods, directing voter registration drives and fighting for civil rights. Unlike other candidates in the race, Obama has been consistent in speaking against sending our black babies to murder, and to be murdered by, brown people in the Mesopotamia for the sake of multinational corporate interests. He has successfully forged coalitions with people across racial and political lines to introduce a host of legislation that would, among other things, get guns off our streets, reduce greenhouse emissions, and limit the influence of special interest lobbyist on Capital Hill."

But he paid his parking tickets late!

PS: I wanna mention that as I was looking for that last link I thought I'd find a bunch of junk right-wing posts about those tickets, but it turns out most news services either didn't report it or gave it less than an inch of space. Now if we can only bring Anna Nicole and that NASA nut down to that amount of coverage we'd be getting somewhere.

The Wall of Shame...

...gets a new member. Move over Rush Limbaugh and Bill Bennett, Newt Gingrich steps to the head of the class as the man who led the impeachment of Bill Clinton admits that he had an affair at the same time:

"WASHINGTON - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was having an extramarital affair even as he led the charge against President Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair, he acknowledged in an interview with a conservative Christian group.
"The honest answer is yes," Gingrich, a potential 2008 Republican presidential candidate, said in an interview with Focus on the Family founder James Dobson to be aired Friday, according to a transcript provided to The Associated Press. "There are times that I have fallen short of my own standards. There's certainly times when I've fallen short of God's standards.""

God's, Man's, the standards of decency...you hit them all. Then again how much can you expect from a guy named Newt:

"Newts can take several years to reach sexual maturity. Their main breeding season is between February and June. They hatch as tadpoles from eggs laid in ponds or slow-moving streams. In the case of triturus even brackish water is used, but most species are more picky. (see image on the right) Then they undergo metamorphosis, during which they commonly leave the water, only to return to the water to live out their adult lives. "

Metamorphosis--the new word for hypocrisy.

More swings than Benny Goodman...

...the economy stupid--and according to this unemployment is down:

"WASHINGTON - The nation’s unemployment rate dipped to 4.5 percent in February even as big losses of construction and factory jobs restrained overall payroll growth. Wages grew briskly."

But...

"Employers, meanwhile, added 97,000 new jobs to their payrolls in February, the fewest in two years, as bad winter weather forced construction companies to slash 62,000 jobs, the most since 1991. Factories, feeling the strain of the troubled housing and auto industries, also continued to cut jobs. They eliminated 14,000 positions last month."

The big picture? If you work in construction, auto, or housing, and you're not Donald Trump, you're not happy. But if you're one of the other 25,000 + you're feeling fine. Either way the news doesn't really help assuage investors' (or consumers' for that matter) fears.

More on the New and Improved Daylight Savings

The one they just snuck in. Could it lead to a new Y2K scare? From MSNBC.com:

""The average person, John and Jane computer user, is unlikely to see much of a problem, if anything," said David Keller, founder of Compu-Doctor, a computer-help provider in Florida. But in many complex networks with a range of newer and older equipment, on-the-fly tweaks sometimes have been unavailable. That has forced systems engineers to study how various computing applications deal with time, and make manual fixes if necessary.
The process reminded some people of the planning for the widely feared Year 2000 bug, even if the effects of this glitch — computer time is an hour off — appear way less threatening.
"We're going back to our Y2K lists to refresh our memories, to see what we did where and whether any of those areas are applicable to this, and sometimes the answer is yes," Ronner said."

My thoughts? Just like Y2K this thing will most likely pass us by, and since the change will be on Sunday rather than Saturday you'll sleep right through it.

PS: You might wonder why I keep posting up pictures of the Clock King from Batman. Simple--I think he's a righteous dude.

Taking a Step Back: A Special Report

HARLEM--Friday morning, around 10 am, and I just arrive to work. The temperature is below freezing but very sunny, hardly a cloud in the sky, and if you stand right in the light it's warm enough to strip out of your heavy coat and stand without shivering. The birds are chirping, squirels are out doing...squirrel stuff, and the streets are pretty much empty, our residents peacefully going to work. That's the key word here: peaceful. The morning is just about as idyllic as one could imagine outside of a Robert Frost poem. Even the air tastes fresh.

But from reading the front page of the New York Times this morning one would think that the world is going to hell in a hand basket. There's a US report from the Justice department regarding an abuse of power by the FBI, more on the Walter Reed scandal, a story on a Bronx fire that took the lives of eight children and one adult, and crime in cities is on the rise. Yet looking at the paper in my hands and looking at the world in my face under the bright, nearly divine light, the two seem to contradict each other. In order for one to exist the other must be a work of fiction. And in a novel that would be the case.

But this isn't a work of fiction, this is the real world. And the real world is complex. The real world is full of contradictions and paradoxes. Regardless of what some pundits will tell you there is moral relativism, and all people are filled with some amount of good and evil regardless of race, creed, and religion. To love something, or someone, one must be accepting of the whole thing, not just a part of it--that section that shines.

The media and other elements will sometimes twist the truth for their own purposes, while others innocently twist it to create a narrative that makes sense, and while I can't say with certainty which one the Times falls under I will say this: Holding on to your sanity is an exercise where a person must accept two diametrically opposed truths at one time. You must be both a liberal and a conservative, a Republican and a Democrat, a heterosexual and a homosexual, and everything else in between to some extent because the truth is that one cannot exist without the other. That is not to say you can't pick a side, or decide on a particular position and fight for it--that is the calling of mankind--but to live, to exist without losing your head, you have to understand that regardless of anything you do the two sides will survive with or without you. Today is beautiful even if the front page of the NY Times (and I'm sure every blog I'll look at today) tells me the world is going to shit. Our challenge is to reconcile the two. And I know we can, if we take a step back.

And now we continue with our regularly scheduled programming...already in progress.