Thursday
Wednesday
Politics of Fuel Economy Catch Up to Automakers - washingtonpost.com
Politics of Fuel Economy Catch Up to Automakers - washingtonpost.com: "'Something happened in the last five years, most likely the war in Iraq,' said Mike Jackson, chairman and chief executive of AutoNation, the nation's largest chain of dealerships. 'People see the connection that we went to war for the first time over oil, we stayed around over oil and we're back there over oil.'"
Secrecy News
Secrecy News: "The cost of post-9/11 U.S. military operations has now reached $510 billion"
POLITICS-US: Key Democrat Pressured to Cut War Funding
POLITICS-US: Key Democrat Pressured to Cut War Funding: "Nancy Pelosi some time ago made a conscious decision that she was going to stop representing San Francisco and start trying to be a national figure"
Tuesday
Candidate for Funniest SCOTUS transcript ever. (pdf file) "For example, in the Shakespeare class, kid doesn't, doesn't say anything. He doesn't yell or scream or even raise his hand. He just holds a little sign in the Shakespeare class that says "Bong Hits 4 Jesus."
And this was before they began singing Mairzy Dotes.
And this was before they began singing Mairzy Dotes.
McClatchy Washington Bureau | 03/19/2007 | Defense spending soars to highest levels since World War II
McClatchy Washington Bureau | 03/19/2007 | Defense spending soars to highest levels since World War II: "'Nobody wants to be labeled anti-military for the crime of cutting the budget,'"
AlterNet: MediaCulture: Have You Been Tricked by Viral Marketing? Join the Crowd
AlterNet: MediaCulture: Have You Been Tricked by Viral Marketing? Join the Crowd: "The process is customized for each product and company, but the standard procedure goes something like this: recruit influential people within a specialty or social network, allow them to familiarize themselves with a product, give them the means by which they can relay their product assessments to other people (over the Internet or by some other channel) and provide them rewards for reporting back on how the product was received and criticized by their peers."
Monday
Comment is free: Truth and torture
Comment is free: Truth and torture: "one of the extraordinary things about the NKVD was that it hardly ever used techniques that today's White House would disallow.
Prolonged discomfort, cold and sleep deprivation broke almost everyone. Both Conquest and Solzhenitsyn list five main techniques used to break prisoners. All are found among the 'enhanced interrogation techniques' used by the CIA. Stalin's NKVD did not, however, use waterboarding, the technique of simulated drowning which is supposed to be the CIA's most effective technique."
Prolonged discomfort, cold and sleep deprivation broke almost everyone. Both Conquest and Solzhenitsyn list five main techniques used to break prisoners. All are found among the 'enhanced interrogation techniques' used by the CIA. Stalin's NKVD did not, however, use waterboarding, the technique of simulated drowning which is supposed to be the CIA's most effective technique."
Sunday
Saturday
Wednesday
From the Inbox: A Letter for Michele - Wonkette
From the Inbox: A Letter for Michele - Wonkette For our friends in Minnesota
Monday
Sunday
Wednesday
2nd suspect in OIA security breach held without bail - Orlando Sentinel : Orange County News 2nd suspect in OIA security breach held without bail - Orlando Sentinel : Orange County News: "Muñoz is accused of taking a duffel bag full of guns, an assault rifle and eight pounds of marijuana aboard a Delta Air Lines flight out of Orlando International Airport, where he bypassed strict Transportation Security Administration checkpoints by accessing off-limit areas with his airport ID badge."
But since his name is Muñoz and not Muhammad, it's not news anywhere else in the country. Your TSA dollars at work.
But since his name is Muñoz and not Muhammad, it's not news anywhere else in the country. Your TSA dollars at work.
Tuesday
The Columbus Dispatch - Local/State
The Columbus Dispatch - Local/State How do criminals get their guns? They buy them from cops.
Monday
Considering the developing (resuscitated) scandal concerning patient care in VA hospitals, it's instructive to remember that at least in diabetes care - an area of medicine that requires a great deal of patient communication and followup - VA facilities actually provide better care than is available to non-veterans.
Unlike non-veterans, also, veterans are at least assured coverage and access to *some* form of medical care.
Unlike non-veterans, also, veterans are at least assured coverage and access to *some* form of medical care.
Sunday
Correction: this could become a crash after all | | Guardian Unlimited Business
Correction: this could become a crash after all | | Guardian Unlimited Business: "Paul Kennedy argued in the late 1980s that political power derives from economic power. The first doubts crept in for Britain when winning the Boer War in the face of determined resistance and guerrilla attacks proved a lot more difficult than London had blithely imagined. History may show that South Africa between 1899 and 1902 is a better parallel for America under Bush than is Vietnam."
Saturday
Friday
blackagendareport.com - New Orleans: The Right to Return Eighteen Months after Katrina
blackagendareport.com - New Orleans: The Right to Return Eighteen Months after Katrina Since W. saw fit to mention the Gulf Coast today.
CBO doubts estimates in Bush budget - Yahoo! News
CBO doubts estimates in Bush budget - Yahoo! News: "Bush's February budget plan would produce a $9 billion deficit by 2012"
Boston bomb squad still at it... - The Boston Globe
Boston bomb squad still at it... - The Boston Globe Squidbillies plant traffic counting device? Bonston Globe ignores story that makes Bostonians look foolish; leaves it to bloggers and Fox TV.
US post-Iraq invasion policies 'incompetent': US diplomat - Yahoo! News
US post-Iraq invasion policies 'incompetent': US diplomat - Yahoo! News: "Ambassador Timothy Carney told NPR radio that the US policy to exclude Iraqis from governing the country in the two years following the invasion was 'an enormous foolishness' which contributed to the deterioration of security and lengthened the conflict in the country." There's that success Cheney was talking about.
McClatchy Washington Bureau | 03/01/2007 | Sources: GOP lawmakers tried to influence federal investigation
McClatchy Washington Bureau | 03/01/2007 | Sources: GOP lawmakers tried to influence federal investigation: "There's a general ethical principle that members should not unduly interfere in adjudicative proceedings in front of courts or agencies,' he said. 'This happens to be a criminal prosecution. There would seem to be a special concern about reaching out to a U.S. attorney and asking about a pending case."
US now uncertain about North Korean uranium program - Yahoo! News
US now uncertain about North Korean uranium program - Yahoo! News: "there are some who are saying that the intelligence -- even with North Korea -- has been manipulated"
Thursday
The Daily Star - Opinion Articles - Prepare for the Great Arab Unraveling
The Daily Star - Opinion Articles - Prepare for the Great Arab Unraveling: "Short-term panic, medium-term confusion, and a long-term absence of direction have long defined the policies of all actors in the Middle East. These characteristics have only become more obvious as confrontation, defiance, and war in the region interact to signal the end of an era and the start of a new one."
LA Weekly - Truth? Dem Candidates Can't Handle the Truth
LA Weekly - Truth? Dem Candidates Can't Handle the Truth: "Anti-war candidate and Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich showed up and trashed all the other candidates on their carefully and cautiously crafted halfway positions on Iraq. “It must be hard for these politicians to say they were misled, tricked and deceived by George W. Bush,” he said. “Here’s one who wasn’t. I organized 125 Democrats in Congress to oppose the war, and I saw all the same information these other candidates did.”"
Ask a Lobbyist: Sea Breeze - Wonkette
Ask a Lobbyist: Sea Breeze - Wonkette This week: Constructive criticism! And vodka
BlackintheCity.net - black news and entertainment - Feds can eavesdrop with cell phone off
BlackintheCity.net - black news and entertainment - Feds can eavesdrop with cell phone off: "FOX News report that says the FBI can eavesdrop on conversations through someone's cell phone... even if it is off."
Interview of a Senior Administration Official by the Traveling Press
Interview of a Senior Administration Official by the Traveling Press Transcript by a soon-to-be-jobless staffer.
McClatchy Washington Bureau | 02/28/2007 | Political interference alleged in sacking of a U.S. attorney
McClatchy Washington Bureau | 02/28/2007 | Political interference alleged in sacking of a U.S. attorney: "Iglesias said that two members of Congress called separately in mid-October to inquire about the timing of a federal probe of a kickback scheme. They appeared eager, he said, for an indictment to be issued before the elections in order to benefit the Republicans. He refused to name the members of Congress because, he said, he feared retaliation.
Two months later, on Dec. 7, Iglesias became one of six U.S. attorneys who've been ordered to step down "
Two months later, on Dec. 7, Iglesias became one of six U.S. attorneys who've been ordered to step down "
Secrecy News
Secrecy News: "Senate Proposal to Criminalize Leaks Sparks OppositionSenate Proposal to Criminalize Leaks Sparks Opposition"
Wednesday
From Shanghai, Tremors Heard Around the World - New York Times
From Shanghai, Tremors Heard Around the World - New York Times: "None of the world’s major stock markets have been as volatile as that of China, where people refer to the stock market as “dubo ji,” or the slot machine."
SCOTUSblog
SCOTUSblog: "briefs in the case have elevated it to a possible reexamination, going back to the Founding era, of the separation of powers of the national government, and what the original generation meant in barring government from 'esatblishment' of religion as part of the First Amendment."
Tom Barry: America's Crusaders
Tom Barry: America's Crusaders "Ironically, while the ideology and faith-based politics of "America's enemies" routinely come under attack by U.S. social conservatives and neoconservatives as dangerous manifestations of radicalism, the ideology and faith-based politics of America's would-be defenders are presented as redemptive forces in world affairs."
Monday
Sunday
The New Yorker: PRINTABLES
The New Yorker: PRINTABLES: The Bush regime is "bolstering of Sunni extremist groups that espouse a militant vision of Islam and are hostile to America and sympathetic to Al Qaeda."
White House Disaster Drill Supposes 10-City IED Strike - washingtonpost.com
White House Disaster Drill Supposes 10-City IED Strike - washingtonpost.com: "President Bush went on a bike ride yesterday morning and did not take part in the test."
Saturday
Independent Online Edition > Middle East: "The partial British military withdrawal from southern Iraq announced by Tony Blair this week follows political and military failure, and is not because of any improvement in local security, say specialists on Iraq." despite Cheney's claim it's a sign of success.
Justice Department Fires 8th U.S. Attorney - washingtonpost.com
Justice Department Fires 8th U.S. Attorney - washingtonpost.com: "Nearly all of the dismissed prosecutors had positive job reviews, but many had run into political trouble with Washington over immigration, capital punishment or other issues, according to prosecutors and others. At least four also were presiding over high-profile public corruption investigations when they were dismissed."
Friday
Psychics 'hired to find Bin Laden' | the Daily Mail
Psychics 'hired to find Bin Laden' | the Daily Mail Intelligence: cooked, baked, or half-baked?
Author: 'AJC' Whitewashed My Series On Racial Expulsions
Author: 'AJC' Whitewashed My Series On Racial Expulsions: "The Hidden History of Racial Cleansing in America"
US Iran intelligence 'is incorrect' | Iran | Guardian Unlimited
US Iran intelligence 'is incorrect' | Iran | Guardian Unlimited: "First of all, if you have a clandestine programme, you don't put it on laptops which can walk away,' one official said. 'The data is all in English which may be reasonable for some of the technical matters, but at some point you'd have thought there would be at least some notes in Farsi. So there is some doubt over the provenance of the computer."
Thursday
For First Time, Chimps Seen Making Weapons for Hunting - washingtonpost.com
For First Time, Chimps Seen Making Weapons for Hunting - washingtonpost.com: "females -- the main makers and users of spears among the Senegalese chimps -- tend to be the innovators and creative problem solvers"
US/MIDEAST: Rice Faces Formidable White House Foe
US/MIDEAST: Rice Faces Formidable White House Foe: "Elliott Abrams, has become the principal foil in frustrating her efforts to resume a peace process"
Wednesday
Dan Froomkin - The Cloud Over Cheney - washingtonpost.com
Dan Froomkin - The Cloud Over Cheney - washingtonpost.com: "There is a cloud over the vice president . . . And that cloud remains because this defendant obstructed justice"
Tuesday
Supreme Court's new tilt could put Scalia on a roll - Los Angeles Times
Supreme Court's new tilt could put Scalia on a roll - Los Angeles Times: "Between now and late June, the court is set to hand down decisions in four areas of law — race, religion, abortion regulation and campaign finance — where Scalia's views may now represent the majority."
Be afraid, be very afraid.
Be afraid, be very afraid.
Oil states plan weapons buying binge - Boston.com
Oil states plan weapons buying binge - Boston.com: "For the past 15 years, these countries didn't invest a lot in rearming.'
But now they're rushing to upgrade."
But now they're rushing to upgrade."
AP: War losses mount for small towns - Yahoo! News
AP: War losses mount for small towns - Yahoo! News: " nearly three quarters of those killed in Iraq came from towns where the per capita income was below the national average. More than half came from towns where the percentage of people living in poverty topped the national average."
Bloomberg.com: U.S.
Bloomberg.com: U.S.: "Raytheon Co., BAE Systems Plc and rivals said they expect six Persian Gulf Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, to buy more military equipment such as missiles and drones in 2007 amid local leaders' rising concern over Iran."
Secrecy News
Secrecy News: "In the unprecedented prosecution of two former officials of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a federal court last year upheld the government's controversial claim that the Espionage Act could be used to prosecute the unauthorized receipt and transmittal of classified information by private citizens who are not engaged in espionage.In the unprecedented prosecution of two former officials of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a federal court last year upheld the government's controversial claim that the Espionage Act could be used to prosecute the unauthorized receipt and transmittal of classified information by private citizens who are not engaged in espionage."
Sunday
NY Man Charged With Trying To Fund Terror, Prosecutors Allege Suburban NYC Businessman Tried To Send $152K For Afghan Terrorist Training Camp - CBS News
NY Man Charged With Trying To Fund Terror, Prosecutors Allege Suburban NYC Businessman Tried To Send $152K For Afghan Terrorist Training Camp - CBS News: "Alishtari gave $15,500 to the National Republican Campaign Committee between 2002 and 2004, according to Federal Election Commission records. That amount includes $13,000 in 2003, a year when he claims to have been named NRCC New York State Businessman of the Year.
"Alishtari also claims to be a lifetime member of the National Republican Senate Committee's Inner Circle, which the NRCC describes as 'an impressive cross-section of American society – community leaders, business executives, entrepreneurs, retirees, and sports and entertainment celebrities – all of whom hold a deep interest in our nation's prosperity and security.'" Says them.
"Alishtari also claims to be a lifetime member of the National Republican Senate Committee's Inner Circle, which the NRCC describes as 'an impressive cross-section of American society – community leaders, business executives, entrepreneurs, retirees, and sports and entertainment celebrities – all of whom hold a deep interest in our nation's prosperity and security.'" Says them.
Friday
CJR Daily: Truth and Consequences
CJR Daily: Truth and Consequences: "In the old days, if the U.S. government had come out and said, 'We've got this, here's our assessment,' reasonable people would have taken it at face value. That's never going to happen again."
Thursday
Auditors: Billions wasted in Iraq - Yahoo! News
Auditors: Billions wasted in Iraq - Yahoo! News: "People should be rewarded when they do a good job. But when things don't go right, there have to be consequences"
Justice Kennedy: Give Us More Money Or You Can Interpret The God-Damned Constitution Yourself - Wonkette
Justice Kennedy: Give Us More Money Or You Can Interpret The God-Damned Constitution Yourself - Wonkette: "Because they were senators, Kennedy’s interlocutors quickly lost hold of the subject and started rambling about their own pet peeves. Pat Leahy took the bold stance that federal judges should not be assassinated. Arlen Specter noted that Congress, a body whose deliberations are marked by unimpeachable dignity, has had sessions broadcast on television for decades, and opined that the Supreme Court should do the same. Kennedy illustrated what would happen in such event by recoiling in horror, hissing loudly, and crumbling into dust."
SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Politics -- Case shines light on how war contracts are awarded
SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Politics -- Case shines light on how war contracts are awarded: "Since its founding in 1995, ADCS obtained more than $100 million in federal contracts with the help of congressional allies who received campaign contributions from Wilkes. Cunningham, who sat on the House Intelligence Committee and the House Appropriations Committee, was one of his chief benefactors.
When the Iraq war began in 2003, Wilkes redoubled his efforts to woo politicians and officials in the Pentagon and CIA. "
When the Iraq war began in 2003, Wilkes redoubled his efforts to woo politicians and officials in the Pentagon and CIA. "
Tuesday
Monday
Secrecy News
Secrecy News: "The Bush Administration has altered the role of arms control in U.S. national security policy"
Secrecy News
Secrecy News: "Government cryptographic equipment operations will ordinarily be conducted by the Government,' the Instruction states.
'However, when there is a valid need and it is clearly in the best interest of the Navy and the Government, cryptographic equipment, keying material, related COMSEC information, and access to classified U.S. Government traffic may be provided to U.S. contractors.."
'However, when there is a valid need and it is clearly in the best interest of the Navy and the Government, cryptographic equipment, keying material, related COMSEC information, and access to classified U.S. Government traffic may be provided to U.S. contractors.."
Libby trial sheds light on White House - Yahoo! News
Libby trial sheds light on White House - Yahoo! News: "The details suggest Cheney was almost a deputy president with a shadow operation. He had his own source of advice. He had his own source of access. He was making his own decisions"
Sunday
U.S. officials offer evidence of Iran's hand in Iraqi unrest - Los Angeles Times
U.S. officials offer evidence of Iran's hand in Iraqi unrest - Los Angeles Times: "U.S. officials, who refused to be identified by name and did not allow cameras or recording devices"
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