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Cindy Sheehan's Sinister Piffle By / Slate — Permalink Here is an unambivalent statement: "The moral authority of parents who bury children killed in Iraq is absolute." And, now, here's another: Am I emotional? Yes, my first born was murdered. Am I angry? Yes, he was killed for lies and for a PNAC Neo-Con agenda to benefit Israel. | |
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Michelle Malkin: No corporate jets for these grass-roots activists. *** Update: Christopher Hitchens weighs in. Read Jeff Goldstein. Erick @RedState: Hitchens on Sheehan — Christopher Hitchens has now weighed in on Cindy. Fear not. He did not call her a "media whore" or a "sacred cow." Jeff Goldstein: Christopher Hitchens joins the ranks of the SMEAR MERCHANTS — The drunk Limey neocon bastard. (h/t John Cole) **** ... |
Jo Fish: Ooh Ooh That Smell... The sun came up this morning to the unmistakable smell of Victory Gin and Flopsweat...what could it be? Judith Weiss: UPDATE: Sheehan has attracted the flaming allseeing eye of Christopher Hitchens. It's all over. Roger L. Simon: UPDATE: Hitchens demonstrates that those riding the Sheehan bandwagon are reactionaries par excellence. |
| Also: Rich Lowry | |
Iraqi Parliament OKs Constitution Delay By / AP — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's parliament agreed to a seven-day extension for leaders to complete a draft constitution, after politicians failed to meet a midnight Monday deadline for agreement on the charter. | |
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Cernig: Imagine if the Founding Fathers had tried this: Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish framers of the charter had reached a tentative... Robert Mayer: Given that a few very important issues remain unresolved, however, the assembly voted to change the TAL charter to allow themselves an extra week to work on the draft. |
Gateway Pundit: Iraq Agrees to Delay Constitution Deadline IRAQ AGREES TO DELAY DEADLINE FOR CONSTITUTION, VIDEO HERE Just 20 minutes... James Joyner: Update: Iraqi Parliament OKs Constitution Delay (AP) "Iraq's parliament agreed to a seven-day extension for leaders to... |
Earth punctured by tiny cosmic missiles By / Telegraph — Permalink FORGET dangers from giant meteors: Earth is facing another threat from outer space. Scientists have come to the conclusion that two mysterious explosions in the 1990s were caused by bizarre cosmic missiles. | |
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Jan Haugland: Strange things falling from the sky — Large meteors don't hit Earth often enough to really scare anyone, so how about... Ezra Klein: It's fairly trite to hear that "common sense is a poor guide to understanding reality", but articles like this one... Glenn Reynolds: STRANGE, INDEED: [snipped quote] (Via The Corner). |
Clayton Cramer: Strangelet Collisions & The Unexplained — This is one of those bizarre stories that makes you wonder if this is some... Kathryn Jean Lopez: BRING ME SOME STAR TREK — Easier to face than this: "Earth is facing another threat from outer space. |
Husband of 'Peace Mom' Files for Divorce AP — Permalink FAIRFIELD, Calif. - The husband of Cindy Sheehan, the mother camped outside President Bush's Texas ranch to protest the death of a son in the Iraq war, has filed for divorce, according to court documents. Patrick Sheehan filed the divorce petition Friday in Solano County court, northeast of San Francisco. | |
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Michelle Malkin: THE SHEEHAN SAGA: DIVORCE, AIR SCAMERICA & PUSHING BACK — The Associated Press is reporting this evening: [snipped quote] The Smoking Gun has posted the petition here. |
James Joyner: Husband of 'Peace Mom' Files for Divorce (AP) [snipped quote] The death of a child is a huge strain on any marriage. |
Big-Government Conservatives WaPo — Permalink THREE TIMES in the past quarter-century, conservative leaders have promised to restrain wasteful government spending. President Ronald Reagan tried it and showed he was at least half-serious by vetoing the pork-laden 1987 transportation bill. | |
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Leopold Stotch: The Washington Post Becomes Conservative — In what has to be the most cynical and dishonest editorial I've ever read in... Dale Franks: Big-Government Conservatism — The editors of the Washington Post are looking askance at the "party of small government". Ezra Klein: You, Sir, Are No Ronald Reagan — From WaPo's editorial: "Back in 1987, when Mr. Reagan applied his veto to what was... |
John Cole: Big Government Conservatives The truth hurts: THREE TIMES in the past quarter-century, conservative leaders have promised to restrain wasteful government spending. Nick Gillespie: But they do so today, attacking "big government conservatives" who spend spend spend while talking a good game about cuts cuts cuts. |
Durbin offered proof of column By / Washington Times — Permalink A law professor who used Senate Minority Whip Richard J. Durbin as a source for a column last month about federal Judge John G. Roberts Jr. — a column that Mr. Durbin later disputed — has a taped phone message that he says proves the accuracy of his reporting. | |
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Michelle Malkin: Law professor Jonathan Turley, one of the most personable and mild-mannered people I've met in Washington, lays the... John Podhoretz: The Washington Times has an account of an August 4 letter from Turley to Durbin claiming Turley has a phone message,... Pejman Yousefzadeh: TANGLED WEBS — Quite the fascinating development in the confirmation fight over Judge Roberts: [snipped quote] Durbin... |
Betsy Newmark: Here's a big uh-oh for Dick Durbin. Remember the story about Dick Durbin asking John Roberts about conflicts between his faith and decisions he might have to make on the bench? Scott @PowerLine: Today Hurt returns to the story to report that Turley has written Durbin offering documentary proof of the fact that... Ace: (Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!) Some commented "That's why you should always have a tape running." Apparently Mr. Turley did. |
| Also: Hugh Hewitt | |
Inside Politics By / Washington Times — Permalink Howard Dean, the Democratic National Committee chairman who was the hero of his party's anti-war wing before his gaffe-prone 2004 presidential candidacy crashed and burned in Iowa, still doesn't think the Iraqis are better off with dictator Saddam Hussein out of power and in prison. | |
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McQ: More "wisdom" from Howard Dean — Good grief: [snipped quote] Yeah, Howard, I understand the women of Iraq were really into those 'rape rooms'. Clayton Cramer: Gov. Dean Opens His Mouth Again, And Removes All Doubt* Look, I agree that there is a real possibility that because of... Kathryn Jean Lopez: SPEAKING OF DEMOCRATIC GIFTS THAT KEEP GIVING "Howard Dean, the Democratic National Committee chairman who was the... |
Gateway Pundit: Howard Dean Comes Unglued, Again HOWARD DEAN SAYS: - "WE CREATED A TERRORIST DANGER FOR THE US WHERE ONE DID NOT EXIST... Captain Ed: Saddam Treated Women Better: Howard Dean — Howard Dean gave his opponents another reason to look forward to his... |
Permanent U.S. Bases in Iraq? Experts See a Political Minefield By / LAT — Permalink President Bush and his top advisors have never said the United States wants to establish permanent military bases in Iraq. But they have never ruled out the possibility either. Larry Diamond, a former consultant to the U.S. occupation authority in Iraq, thinks so. | |
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Dale Franks: Staying in Iraq? Ronald Brownstein asks an interesting question in today's Los Angeles Times. Lambert @Corrente: Iraq clusterf**k: So, is the "noble cause" permanent bases in Iraq? |
Laura Rozen: Ron Brownstein pokes around the question of permanent US military bases in Iraq: "...Leaks from the Pentagon have deepened the uncertainty. |
Roger Ailes to Take Over Fox TV Stations AP — Permalink NEW YORK — Roger Ailes, the chairman of Fox News Channel, has been named chairman of News Corp.'s group of television stations, a post recently vacated by the sudden departure last month of Lachlan Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch's eldest son. | |
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Brian Stelter: > The Associated Press calls Ailes "a former Republican party operative" in the second graf... > August 2: WSJ: Roger... |
Jonah Goldberg: GOOD FOR AILES — He got a promotion. Not only does he deserve it, but even if he didn't the news would annoy all of the right people. |
'Ugliest' Dog Is a Thing of Beauty to His Owner By / LAT — Permalink SANTA BARBARA — Some may call it a tale of beauty and the beast. But Sam, a 14-year-old pedigreed Chinese crested, and a three-time champ in the World's Ugliest Dog Contest, is the dog of Susie Lockheed's dreams. | |
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Bill @INDCJournal: Now that's a face (and body) that only a mother could love. Money quote: "There's something quite noble about Sam. Ann Althouse: The ugliest dog in the world. Enlarge the photo for the full Tales-From-the-Crypt scary effect. (Via Drudge.) |
Michael J. Totten: In the meantime, check out the world's ugliest dog. Freaky. Attaturk: I apologize, as this is a f**king family blog, for the nipple shot. Photo via LA Times. |
Iraq Leaders Agree on Draft Constitution By / AP — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi politicians agreed Monday on a draft constitution but decided to put off two key issues — women's rights and whether Kurds might someday secede — so the document could be submitted to parliament by a midnight deadline, two Shiite officials said. | |
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Dr. Steven Taylor: I Spoke too Soon, it Seems — Right after my post below, I note that James Joyner links to an AP story that states Iraq... |
James Joyner: Iraq Leaders Agree on Draft Constitution — The Iraqi constitutional committee has submitted a document to the... |
Shotgun Blast Jars Bush Protesters By / LAT — Permalink CRAWFORD, Texas — President Bush might have made his peace with the antiwar encampment outside his Texas ranch, but his next-door neighbor has taken up arms. | |
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James Joyner: Shotgun Blast Jars Bush Protesters (LAT) [snipped quote] At least now the protestors can't be accused of never having heard a shot fired in anger. Jesse Taylor: Red State, Blue State — Really, all I have to say is that if someone walked outside in Boston or Milwaukee and fired a... |
Patterico: Today's only story is about a frustrated neighbor who jarred protestors by firing a shotgun on his own property. Joe @AmericaBlog: Shotgun Hospitality for Camp Casey — Gotta love this. |
Troubles Follow Bush By / WaPo — Permalink Just about now, President Bush is probably wishing he'd built a secret back way out of his ranch. And maybe something similar for Iraq as well. Cindy Sheehan and her growing band of followers are camped out for the duration along the only road leading out of Bush's sprawling Crawford estate. | |
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Lambert @Corrente: Still, "s**t magnet" is a reasonable translation of Froomkin's headline today: "Troubles Follow Bush." Eh? |
Magpie @PacificViews: Here's how Dubya responded to a question from the press, asking whether he'd take some time during the current week (in... |
Conservatives rally for court nominees By / WaPo — Permalink NASHVILLE — Prominent conservative political and religious leaders called last night for Senate approval of Supreme Court nominees who will vote to end the constitutional right to abortion, against recognition of same-sex marriage, and for fewer restrictions on religious expression in public places. | |
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Norbizness: Oily, ethically challenged mammon-worshipper Tom DeLay also got the opportunity to deflect attention away from his... |
Mipe @ThinkProgress: House Majority Leader Tom DeLay: After denouncing America's judicial system as "judicial supremacy, judicial autocracy,"... |
Facing Deadline, Iraqis Consider Bypassing Sunnis on Constitution By / NYT — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 15 - Iraqi leaders remained deadlocked over major issues in the country's new constitution, raising the possibility they would fail to meet today's deadline and push the country toward a political crisis.With several questions unresolved,... | |
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Billmon: A Day Late and a Dinar Short — As expected, the various hagglers in the Iraq political bazaar were unable to close the... Stirling Newberry: This is obviously a definition of keeping to schedule that Amtrak could learn from, if you are behind just don't stop at all those little stations. |
Joe @AmericaBlog: No Constitution in Iraq, for now anyway — They've postponed for a week: [snipped quote] Now, I am no Iraqi expert, but... |
New Homeland Security Work Rules Blocked By / WaPo — Permalink The Department of Homeland Security, after more than two years of work on new workplace rules, may have to scrap the plan after a federal judge questioned whether it protects union and employee rights. | |
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Ezra Klein: Might As Well Just Scrap the Thing — District Judge Rosemary M. Collyers just exploded the union-busting new workplace... Orrin Judd: TAXPAYERS VS TAX-EATERS: New Homeland Security Work Rules Blocked (Stephen Barr, August 15, 2005, Washington Post)... |
Sam Rosenfeld: That's why today's news that a federal judge has struck the new DHS rules down is so significant. |
JITTERY GOPERS SEEK ALTERNATIVE TO 'LIBERAL' JEANINE By / New York Post — Permalink JEANINE PIRRO'S gaffe- marred announcement and her emphasis on liberal social positions has led to new unrest in some quarters of the state GOP, party insiders said yesterday. "A lot of people were unhappy with her boatload of mistakes, and they're starting to take another look at... | |
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Larry Kudlow: Frederick Dicker writes that, in addition, Jeanine Pirro's own support of abortion rights and stem-cell resreach have... Kathryn Jean Lopez: WELD FOR GOVERNOR — According to the NYPost today: "Former Mass. Gov. William Weld has told state GOP Chairman... |
Kos @DailyKos: NY-Sen: NY conservatives looking for new Hillary foe — That was quick. |
Bell kicks off gubernatorial campaign AP — Permalink AUSTIN — Democrat Chris Bell on Sunday formally kicked off his campaign for governor, focusing on failed attempts to reform school finance and saying his patience for Gov. Rick Perry has run out. | |
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Damon McCullar: Here's what the print media had to say about the event: Austin American Statesman, The Dallas Morning News, The El Paso... |
Charles Kuffner: See for yourself: Chron Express News Statesman Morning News El Paso Times Other papers carried the AP wire story. |
Israel Begins Withdrawal From Gaza Strip By / AP — Permalink NEVE DEKALIM, Gaza Strip - On the first day of Israel's Gaza pullout, soldiers handed out eviction notices to sobbing Jewish settlers and helped some pack, but troops also scuffled with protesters who barricaded their communities with burning tires and locked arms. | |
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Michael J. Totten: Gaza Withdraws from Tel Aviv Far-right Israelis are furious, but almost everyone else in the world should be relieved... |
Roger L. Simon: "The blood of martyrs has led to liberation!" ... quote unquote an Hamas banner hailing the Israeli evacuation from Gaza. |
Standing on the Shoulders of Perjury Law By / LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — When Al Qaeda operative Wadih El-Hage blamed false testimony he had given to a federal grand jury on confusion and jet lag, then-assistant U.S. Atty. Patrick J. Fitzgerald was not impressed. | |
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Steve Soto: From this Los Angeles Times story today we learn that this is standard operating procedure for Fitzgerald, and it appears he has been quite successful in doing it. Orrin Judd: IT'S NOT THE NON-CRIME, IT'S THE COVER-UP: Standing on the Shoulders of Perjury Law (Richard B. Schmitt, August 15,... |
Jim Romenesko: No surprise that Fitzgerald is considering perjury charges — Los Angeles Times Richard B. Schmitt says CIA leak... |
POP GOES THE WEASEL AS AL PIRRO FINALLY TREATS LOVE CHILD RIGHT By / New York Post — Permalink CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As Westchester County DA Jeanine Pirro began prepping for her Senate run against Hillary Rodham Clinton, her controversial hubby got busy mending fences with a potential political liability — his love child. | |
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Jeralyn Merritt: Unfair Game: Albert Pirro's Daughter — The New York Post takes a cheap shot at Jeanine Pirro today by blaring on its... |
Larry Kudlow: Pirro's Problems — This is an ugly story. It seems that Jeanine Pirro's husband has an illegitimate daughter. |
Iraqis Consider Bypassing Sunnis on Constitution By / NYT — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 14 - Iraqi leaders remained deadlocked Sunday over major issues in the country's new constitution, raising the possibility they would fail to meet the Monday deadline and push the country toward a political crisis. | |
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Jan Haugland: PS: Speaking of which, it appears the negotiations over the Iraqi constitution, due today, have reached a deadlock. Sam Rosenfeld: But would it produce a solution to the ethnic and sectarian conflicts within Iraq that are currently impeding the political process? James Joyner: Update (0933): The NYT weighs in with a similar piece: Iraqis Consider Bypassing Sunnis on Constitution Steven Taylor,... |
Tom Burka: Nonetheless, in order to make the deadline, they are considering ignoring the demands of many of the country's factions,... McQ: UPDATE: More from NY Times. Salient point: "If the deadline is not met nor the interim constitution successfully... Dr. Steven Taylor: Iraqi Constitution Update — Via the NYT: Iraqis Consider Bypassing Sunnis on Constitution "Iraqi leaders remained... |
| Also: Kevin Drum | |
Father of fallen Marine attends homecoming AP — Permalink CAMP LEJEUNE, North Carolina (AP) — John Prazynski stood in the sea of welcome home signs and wondered why he was there. Prazynski's son, Lance Cpl. Taylor Prazynski, wasn't going to be among the 900 Marines from the 3rd Battalion who arrived home Sunday. | |
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Roger L. Simon: Today's mystery question... Which parent will get more attention from the mainstream media... A or B? |
Kathryn Jean Lopez: A FATHER HONORS HIS SON "CAMP LEJEUNE, North Carolina (AP) — John Prazynski stood in the sea of welcome home signs and wondered why he was there. |
Abortion Pill Investigated in Four California Deaths LAT — Permalink The FDA warns patients as federal, state and L.A. County agencies try to trace deadly infections. Health officials are investigating whether there are any links in the cases of four California women — at least two in Los Angeles County — who have died... | |
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Michelle Malkin: THE FORGOTTEN VICTIMS OF CHOICE — The Los Angeles Times reports: "Health officials are investigating whether there are... Orrin Judd: RU EXPERIENCED: Abortion Pill Investigated in Four California Deaths: The FDA warns patients as federal, state and L.A. County agencies try to trace deadly infections. |
Hugh Hewitt: RU-486 and the FDA — Ru-486 is strongly implicated in four deaths, and the pill is still on the market, unaccompanied by at least a warning? |
Editors Ponder How to Present a Broad Picture of Iraq By / NYT — Permalink Rosemary Goudreau, the editorial page editor of The Tampa Tribune, has received the same e-mail message a dozen times over the last year. "Did you know that 47 countries have re-established their embassies in Iraq?" the anonymous polemic asks, in part. | |
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Rob @Wizbang: New York Times - Rosemary Goudreau, the editorial page editor of The Tampa Tribune, has received the same e-mail message a dozen times over the last year. |
Jeff Jarvis: The real story in Iraq Kit Seelye reports on a rather curious meeting of newspapers editors asking the Associated... |
Deadline for Iraq Constitution Arrives By / AP — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq - With the deadline for the new constitution just hours away, Shiite and Kurdish leaders signaled they were prepared to submit the draft to parliament Monday — even over Sunni Arab objections. | |
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McQ: Iraq's Constitution — The deadline for submission of the Iraqi Constitution has arrived. Status? James Joyner: Deadline for Iraq Constitution Arrives — Iraq's constitutional delegates are putting the final touches on a... |
Captain Ed: Iraqi Constitution May Proceed Without Unanimity — The AP reports this morning that Sunni intransigence may result yet... |
A Bad Shift for the Court By / WaPo — Permalink If you're concerned about the rightward drift of the U.S. Supreme Court, you may be hoping — as I am — for a smoking-gun revelation that would disqualify John G. Roberts Jr. Sometimes we even imagine we've found the damning evidence. | |
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James Joyner: Raspberry: Roberts Too Rich for Court — William Raspberry ends a column explaining why he does not want men like John... Kathryn Jean Lopez: SNARKY LEFT-WING ELECTION HANGOVER — Some pundits never grow up; from William Raspberry: "And then it occurred to me:... |
Hugh Hewitt: Conceding the Roberts' Confirmation — William Rasberry's column this morning has the whiff of concession speech about it, though a bitter one. |
The Right Fight By / American Prospect — Permalink Circa 1996, many of the nation's intellectuals could be found chattering about the famous "Sokal hoax." Remember that? It all began when New York University physicist Alan Sokal submitted an article to the left-wing academic journal Social Text that basically amounted to gibberish. | |
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Jack Balkin: Don't Dis the Enlightenment JB Chris Mooney notes that the Bush Administration's tendency to play fast and loose with... |
Chris Mooney: The End of the "Science Wars" (Of the 1990s, Anyway) I have a column that I'm particularly proud of in The American Prospect today, so I hope it gets around. |
Religious rally attacks 'arrogant' judges AP — Permalink NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) — America's most powerful judges are "unelected, unaccountable and arrogant," Focus on the Family founder James Dobson told the thousands of people who packed a Nashville church for "Justice Sunday II," a rally televised for broadcast to churches across the country. | |
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Ann Althouse: I contemplated attending "Justice Sunday II," a rally, held yesterday at a church in Nashville, aimed at educating evangelical Christians about the U.S. Supreme Court. |
Jack Grant: Perhaps before those who enjoy the full benefits of freedom of expression in the United States cry that there is a... |
Transcript: Sen. McCain on 'FOX News Sunday' Fox News — Permalink WASHINGTON — 'FOX NEWS SUNDAY' HOST CHRIS WALLACE: With U.S. strategy in Iraq facing new questions, and with plenty of issues closer to home, we want to check in with one of the most important members of Congress, Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona and member of the Armed Services committee. | |
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Gregory Djerejian: As John McCain put it well yesterday: "The day that I can land at the airport in Baghdad and ride in an unarmed car... |
Taegan Goddard: Quote of the Day — [snipped quote] — Sen. John McCain, on Fox News, about his plans for a possible presidential bid in 2008. |
Two faces to Piraro's art By / San Francisco Chronicle — Permalink Here's how divisive the United States has become: A liberal cartoonist has to think twice about what he says in his artwork. That's what caused a glitch in the text of the cartoon Bizarro on Thursday, so that some newspapers printed a cartoon with a... | |
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Magpie @PacificViews: You can read the full story of why there is another version of this Dan Piraro cartoon here. |
Jim Romenesko: Revised "Bizarro" gets rid of same-sex marriage reference — San Francisco Chronicle "Here's how divisive the United States has become," writes John Koopman. |
Fences and a "Just Peace" By / Weekly Standard — Permalink THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA ("ELCA") is the nation's largest Lutheran denomination, with nearly 5 million members. The ELCA's highest legislative body is its Churchwide Assembly, which convenes every two years. The ninth such Churchwide Assembly has just ended. | |
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Jim Lindgren: John Hindreaker has a nice article in the Weekly Standard about the biased attitude toward terrorism in Israel of the... |
John @PowerLine: "Peace Not Walls" — The Daily Standard has posted my article on the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's adoption... |
Are 'classes' back By / Townhall.com — Permalink Has a fairer America also become an America with less social mobility? That is the uncomfortable question raised by John Parker's long American survey in The Economist last month. "A decline in social mobility would run counter to Americans' deepest beliefs about their country," Parker writes. | |
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Jesse Taylor: Michael Barone, whose major goal in life seems to be claiming the mantle of Ur-Wingnut, decides that he knows why class mobility is stagnant. |
Betsy Newmark: Michael Barone has some thoughts on whether or not we are heading to being a society more divided by class than previously. |
Shrinking Detroit has 12,000 abandoned homes AFP — Permalink DETROIT, United States (AFP) - Rats or lead poisoning. When it comes to the threats from the broken down house next door, Dorothy Bates isn't sure which is worse. "When it's lightening and thundering you can hear the bricks just falling," the 40-year-old nurse said as she looked at the smashed windows and garbage-strewn porch. | |
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Jayson @PoliPundit: Utopia — Or not. Gee whiz, since liberal Democrats have been running the City of Detroit for the past few . . . . |
Gerry Daly: Posted on Monday 15 August 2005 — As he rises to her apology, anybody else would surely know… Quick Hit: Here's an article on the problems that Detroit is having. |
The 25 Most Influential Hispanics in America Time — Permalink Spanish has become the U.S.'s de facto second language, Nuevo Latino has taken its rightful place in haute cuisine, the sounds of rock en Español and reggaeton have filtered up the charts, and Latinos not only star on but own and manage major league baseball teams. | |
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Tim Graham: ON THE COVERS — Newsweek puts Peter Jennings on the cover this week to dramatize cancer, and Time selects the 25 Most Influential Hispanics in America. |
Kathryn Jean Lopez: ESPANOL, JONAH? Come se dice, "Read Time"? You don't have to speak Spanish to be Hispanic. Get with 2005. |
Conservatives Rally for Justices By / WaPo — Permalink NASHVILLE, Aug. 14 — Prominent conservative political and religious leaders called Sunday night for Senate approval of Supreme Court nominees who will vote to end the constitutional right to abortion, against recognition of same-sex marriage and for fewer restrictions on religious expression in public places. | |
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New Donkey: Justice Sunday II—Fundamentally Dishonest — What really jumps out at you upon watching or reading about the Justice... Jesse Taylor: It doesn't, however, stop Tom DeLay from joining Justice Sunday II: Just Us For Justice, ranting against the insane power us libruls hold over the entirety of American culture. Attaturk: Did someone fart in Church? No, it was just James Dobson, Zell Miller and Tom DeLay pulling each others fingers. |
Norbizness: The leaders of the Justice Sunday II rally temporarily managed to appease an angry Sky Fairy with their offerings of... The Poor Man: Just Us Sunday II Apostropher had a mole at the latest Justice Sunday freak-fest, and she came back with a report and pictures. Joe @AmericaBlog: Bashing Judges and Gays at "Justice" Sunday — Well, the theocrats had their meeting today. |
Run for the Border Opinion Journal — Permalink The politics of immigration are changing. On Friday Bill Richardson, the nation's only Hispanic governor, declared a "state of emergency" in four New Mexico border counties due to "a chaotic situation involving illegal alien smuggling and illegal drug shipments." | |
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Conor @ThinkProgress: "Thank you for coming to Sante Fe," Richardson swooned. "We will protect you. You have rights here." Vox Day: UPDATE: The Wall Street Journal has figured it out too. Glenn Reynolds: MICKEY KAUS: [snipped quote] — UPDATE: Meanwhile, John Fund notes that Democrats are trying to outflank the GOP on immigration. |
John Hawkins: Calls Panel Probing Terror Attack 'Absolute Joke,' Says Coverage Would Be Page 1 If Tied To Bush" [quote] "The Real Problem...[end quote] Greg Ransom: John Fund has more on Richardson and Democrats outflanking Republicans on immigration. Joshua Claybourn: He also plans on meeting with the Minutemen and describes his political ideology as "not center, not left, not right, but basically forward." |
Inside Iran's Secret War for Iraq By / Time — Permalink The U.S. Military's new nemesis in Iraq is named Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani, and he is not a Baathist or a member of al-Qaeda. He is working for Iran. According to a U.S. military-intelligence document obtained by TIME, al-Sheibani heads a network of insurgents... | |
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Jan Haugland: Iran's meddling in Iraq — Michael Ware writing in Time: The U.S. Military's new nemesis in Iraq is named Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani, and he is not a Baathist or a member of al-Qaeda. John Hawkins: It's Believed To Have Been Created After The Invasion" "Iran Boasts They 'Kept EU Talking' While It Finished Nuclear... Laura Rozen: Time on Iran in Iraq claims. |
Gary Farber: While one can never take reports such as this simply at face value, without at least considering the possibilities of... FrancoAlemán: IRAN, IRAQ, it's just a letter, right? : [snipped quote] There's much more if you keep on reading. Click here to send me an email |
Has the GOP Lost Its Soul? By / Townhall.com — Permalink President Reagan often said it's hard to recall that you came to drain the swamp when you're up to your armpits in alligators. Republicans like Rep. Don Young of Alaska would rather use your tax dollars to build a scenic bridge to the swamp. | |
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John Cole: And the light seems to have gone on (albeit, a couple weeks late to stop the latest spending orgy) even at Town Hall: ... Greg Ransom: A Ronald Reagan Republican? or a Don Young Republican? In Congress or the White House you're most likely a Don Young Republican. |
James Joyner: Has the GOP Lost Its Soul? (TownHall) [snipped quote] While one could argue that spending would have risen even more had... John Hawkins: [quote]"— Mark Tapscott [end quote] |
Protesters near ranch counter mom's message By / Dallas Morning News — Permalink CRAWFORD, Texas - Waving American flags and "Stay the Course" placards, several hundred supporters of President Bush rallied Saturday in the ditch across from the anti-war camp down the road from his ranch. | |
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Michelle Malkin: Morning update... Reax from Betsy Newmark. Much more at Memeorandum. *** Pushing back in Dallas. |
Orrin Judd: PEACENIKS VS AMERICA: Protesters near ranch counter mom's message (G. ROBERT HILLMAN, August 14, 2005, The Dallas... |
Not worth fighting over LAT — Permalink THE BATTLE OVER the nomination of Judge John G. Roberts Jr. to the Supreme Court has hardly begun and already it feels anticlimactic. Much to the dismay of various ideologues, Roberts is the kind of bland, affable — and competent — figure who fails to inflame target audiences. | |
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Patterico: The praise might seem rather faint, judging only by the editorial's title: Not worth fighting over. Kevin Roderick: Also: The LAT editorial page calls John Roberts "a thoughtful conservative" who will fit on the Supreme Court and says to liberals his nomination is "not worth fighting over." |
Steve Bainbridge: The Times' White Flag — The LA Times calls its quits on opposing SCOTUS nominee John Roberts and urges its fellow... |
Nationwide gas prices set another record AP — Permalink LOS ANGELES (AP) — Retail gas prices hit another record high over the past three weeks, mirroring a rapid increase in the cost of crude oil, according to a nationwide survey released Sunday. | |
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Justin Gardner: More gas blues from USA Today. Michael @AmericaBlog: Gas Prices Hit Record High! Nationwide average of $2.53 per gallon! Thanks, President Bush! |
CalculatedRisk: Oil Prices Revisited — According to the Lundberg Survey gas prices set another nominal record last week averaging $2.50 per gallon nationwide for self-serve regular. |
Gingrich Points to the Future WaPo — Permalink Former House speaker Newt Gingrich gave a PowerPoint presentation to an enthusiastic group of Republican staffers at the Capitol last week that he billed as a blueprint for turning the party's "present, temporary partisan majority" into a "21st century governing majority." | |
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Jo Fish: Newtie is no execption...he's trying to position himself to be the "go to guy" for the republicans as they try and... |
Taegan Goddard: Gingrich Details Possible 2008 Roadmap — Newt Gingrich "gave a PowerPoint presentation to an enthusiastic group of... |
New surge in Al Qaeda's internal electronic and human traffic DEBKAfile — Permalink DEBKAfile's counter-terror sources register a volume and heightened sense of anticipation in al Qaeda's internal communications, signals, publications and Websites - mostly in code - that recall its electronic traffic in the months leading up to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. | |
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Evariste: The US cities threatened are New York, LA, and Chicago. DEBKA also thinks something is up. |
Steve Soto: Israel's DEBKAfile notes that the spike in electronic communications and human movement within Al Qaeda are at their... |
Israel Begins Historic Gaza Withdrawal By / AP — Permalink KISSUFIM CROSSING, Israel - Israel lowered a road barrier sealing the Gaza Strip to Israeli civilians at midnight Sunday — signaling the start of a historic withdrawal that will end its 38-year occupation, redraw borders and reshape prospects for Mideast peace. | |
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Evariste: Today's Winds of War briefing is brought to you by evariste of Discarded Lies. Top Topics The Gaza withdrawal begins. |
James Joyner: Israel Begins Historic Gaza Withdrawal — The Israeli army set up barriers today to keep their own citizens out of the... |
Cultures Aren't Equal By / US News — Permalink Anyone who has been keeping up with British opinion since the July 7 bombings will have noticed that "multiculturalism" is under sharp attack. Multiculturalism preaches that we should allow and encourage immigrants and their children to maintain and celebrate their own culture apart from the national culture. | |
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Betsy Newmark: Michael Barone ponders multiculturalism and how it often degenerates into bashing our own culture while extolling others. |
Scott Elliott: Melting pot no more Betsy Newmark, reacting to a piece by Michael Barone, has some excellent comments on some of the problems with multiculturalism. |
One rule for Peloton One: Don't pass the president By / USA Today — Permalink CRAWFORD, Texas — The leader of the free world is now leading a Boomer Generation fitness trend. At age 59, President Bush is ripping around on a mountain bike, beating stress — and his fellow riders — with aplomb. | |
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Attaturk: Other activities: Here, on Saturday is Bush preparing to fall, out of frame. Next weekend he'll ride with Lance Armstrong — instead of meeting with Sheehan. Orrin Judd: HILL SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT BILL A BIKE: One rule for Peloton One: Don't pass the president (Sal Ruibal, 8/13/05, USA TODAY)... |
Taegan Goddard: The Biker-in-Chief — President Bush took a group of journalists on a mountain bike ride, USA Today reports. |
'I'm So Sorry' Newsweek — Permalink Aug. 22, 2005 issue - The grieving room was arranged like a doctor's office. The families and loved ones of 33 soldiers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan were summoned to a large waiting area at Fort Bragg, N.C. For three hours, they were rotated through five... | |
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Rob @Wizbang: Aug. 22, 2005 issue - The grieving room was arranged like a doctor's office. Jeff Goldstein: How else to account for this three-page pack of pro-Bush LIES? Betsy Newmark: Newsweek has a story about what has gone on in the sessions when Bush met with grieving families. |
Steve Soto: As soon as Cindy Sheehan started doing some damage to Bush's image as a wartime leader, we could expect to see this: a... McQ: More here (the Ascione meeting in detail. Pejman Yousefzadeh: HOW THE BEREAVED ARE COMFORTED — It is amazing that this piece actually had to be written, but given the Cindy Sheehan... |
| Also: Patterico, John Cole, Lorie Byrd, TheAnchoress, Judith Weiss, Dean Esmay, Michelle Malkin, MarkInMexico | |
What Now, Karl? By / Village Voice — Permalink Rove consulted on three of Ashcroft's political campaigns, earning $746,000. PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images Murray Waas will be writing more about the latest in the Plame affair at www.whateveralready.blogspot.com. | |
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Susie Madrak: Plame Game This Murray Waas article in the current Village Voice is a plethora of Plame case info. The Poor Man: Via AmericaBlog, Murray Waas may have the answer: Justice Department officials made the crucial decision in late 2003... Mcjoan @DailyKos: The folks at Talk Left clue us in on crack investigative reporter Murray Waas's latest find, appearing in tomorrow's Village Voice. |
John Cole: Daily Plame Flame Thread Not sure what use the Daily Flame thread is, since flame wars have erupted in virtually every... Eriposte @LeftCoaster: Ashcroft's role in Treasongate: New story from Murray Waas — Investigative reporter Murray Waas kindly tipped me (and Jeralyn at Talk Left) to his new story in the Village Voice. Cookie Jill: "- murray waas in the village voice" waas also notes that john conyers included in a recent statement "the new... |
| Also: Kevin Drum, Taegan Goddard, Jeralyn Merritt, Joe @AmericaBlog, Laura Rozen, Judd @ThinkProgress | |
Bush will 'go on with life' By / al.com — Permalink CRAWFORD, Texas - President Bush, noting that lots of people want to talk to the president and "it's also important for me to go on with my life," on Saturday defended his decision not to meet with the grieving mom of a soldier killed in Iraq. | |
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Steve M.: From other blogs, you probably already know about Bush's impassioned defense of his personal exercise regimen: ... Ezra Klein: Vacation's All I Ever Wanted... So Bush's retort to Cindy Sheehan is getting a lot of attention for being, well, a bit... MarkInMexico: Main Page Cindy Sheehan's impact Joe Gandelman over at The Moderate Voice has a long post on the Cindy Sheehan bruhaha and its latest developments. |
Tbogg: George Bush went on vacation to Crawford and all I got was dead — The Bush Vaction Deathcount now stands at; 55 The... Gateway Pundit: President Bush said that he will not meet with Cindy... again. He met with her previously after the death of her son in the Iraq War. Kos @DailyKos: Getting on with his life — Bush is annoyed that Cindy Sheehan is forcing him to think about the families his actions are destroying. |
| Also: Avedon Carol, Joe Gandelman, Cernig, Atrios, Arthur Silber, Digby, Jeralyn Merritt | |
Was Mohammed Atta Overlooked? Time — Permalink Just how damning are allegations by Congressman Curt Weldon that a secret Pentagon intelligence operation pegged hijacker Mohammed Atta as a threat nearly two years before he led the 9/11 attacks? | |
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Sam Rosenfeld: Just prior to the emergence of the Able Danger story and the swift implosion of Weldon's claims, Laura Rozen and... Captain Ed: UPDATE II: John Podhoretz notes this passage from Time Magazine: "In a particularly dramatic scene in Weldon's book,... Michelle Malkin: Via Time magazine... "In a particularly dramatic scene in Weldon's book, Countdown to Terror, the Pennsylvania... |
Steve Soto: Sure enough, Time magazine reports today that when they pressed Weldon on the matter, his own book doesn't stand up to scrutiny now. Kevin Drum: WELDON'S CHART...Time magazine has more about Curt Weldon's famous "Able Danger" chart: "In a particularly dramatic... Baldilocks: Representative Curt Weldon says that he's no longer sure that Mohammed Atta's name was mentioned in the Able Danger report. |
| Also: Attaturk, Laura Rozen, Roger Ailes | |
BUSH PROTESTING MOM CALLS FOR 'ISRAEL OUT OF PALESTINE'; VOWS NOT TO PAY TAXES Drudge Report — Permalink Anti-war protestor Cindy Sheehan, whose soldier son Casey was killed in Iraq, is calling for Bush's "impeachment," and for Israel to get out of Palestine! "You get America out of Iraq and Israel out of Palestine and you'll stop the terrorism," Sheehan declares. | |
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McQ: Per Drudge: [quote] Anti-war protestor Cindy Sheehan, whose soldier son Casey was killed in Iraq, is calling for Bush's "impeachment," and for Israel to get out of Palestine![end quote] MarkInMexico: Casey Sheehan died in the fight to assure that none of the above will ever happen to you. Judith Weiss: Cindy Sheehan's fellow travellers — The longer Cindy Sheehan sits by the road in Crawford, the more of her questionable political views and associations will come to light. |
Gateway Pundit: Sheehan made clear her sentiment towards Israel this week as well. President Bush said that he will not meet with Cindy... again. Jason Van Steenwyk: And the grief of a mother should be respected. But Now she's dragging the Israelis into this? And thinking she doesn't have to pay taxes for 2004? Ann Althouse: Drudge is getting awfully mean about Cindy Sheehan. There's a real danger to centering your political argument on one individual. |
| Also: Forkum, Jeff Goldstein, Megan McArdle | |
Why Truman Dropped the Bomb By / Weekly Standard — Permalink The sixtieth anniversary of Hiroshima seems to be shaping up as a subdued affair—though not for any lack of significance. A survey of news editors in 1999 ranked the dropping of the atomic bomb on August 6, 1945, first among the top one hundred stories of the twentieth century. | |
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Betsy Newmark: Richard B. Frank had an absolutely fascinating story about Why Truman Dropped the Bomb. Michael DeBow: For a fascinating description of recent historical research into the end of the war, click here. (Hat tip to Donald Sensing. |
Donald Sensing: Go read. — NashvilleFiles Blog discusses Those Darn Unenumerated Rights. |
Someone Tell the President the War Is Over By / NYT — Permalink LIKE the Japanese soldier marooned on an island for years after V-J Day, President Bush may be the last person in the country to learn that for Americans, if not Iraqis, the war in Iraq is over. "We will stay the course," he insistently tells us from his Texas ranch. | |
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The Poor Man: Frank Rich gives us the domestic reality (h/t nobody): The endgame for American involvement in Iraq will be of a piece with the rest of this sorry history. Cernig: The Democrat's Strategic Class are being kind enough to give them one - declare the war over and leave. They must think us fools. The Mock Turtle: Frank Rich — He does a very good, and very depressing, round-up of the war situation: [snipped quote] Worth reading the whole thing. |
Steve M.: Yaphe [a former CIA Iraq analyst at the National Defense University] said... Frank Rich in The New York Times: WHAT... Steve Bainbridge: No Cuts, No Runs — Frank Rich in the NYT: "LIKE the Japanese soldier marooned on an island for years after V-J Day,... Patrick: And Frank Rich on an Administration trapped in that bright moment when it first learned its doom. "Tort reform" |
| Also: Avedon Carol | |
A shot in the arm for protesters By / San Francisco Chronicle — Permalink Crawford, Texas — Asking whether she was "The New Face of Protest?" the liberal political magazine the Nation ran a photo in March of a middle-aged woman holding a picture of her 24-year-old son. | |
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Jack Cluth: Cindy Sheehan turns her tragedy into a movement — Mother of slain soldier in Crawford draws international attention One... |
Nico @ThinkProgress: According to a list released by White House aides last week, Bush has attended 24 gatherings with grieving military families during his presidency. |
A New New Democrat Looks West and Forward By / LAT — Permalink SANTA FE, N.M. — Bill Richardson is holding court, seated at the far end of a shiny table in his modest Albuquerque office. It is Thursday, and the governor is hosting one of his regular open-door sessions — a chance for citizens to walk off the street and avail themselves of an audience with New Mexico's chief executive. | |
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Conor @ThinkProgress: Bill Richardson and the Minutemen: Bordering on a Mistake — It should come as no surprise, especially after reading... Scott Shields: Bill Richardson Generating Buzz For 2008 — The LA Times and Salon.com have both run very favorable profiles of New... Orrin Judd: NEVERMIND HIS PROBLEMS ON THE LEFT: A New New Democrat Looks West and Forward (Mark Z. Barabak, August 14, 2005, LA... |
Justin Gardner: Bill Richardson Thinks "Forward" To 2008 — A new article from the LA Times digs into the life and times of Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico. Greg Ransom: Quotable: [snipped quote] UPDATE: A long profile on Richardson from the LA Times. Taegan Goddard: The New New Democrat — The Los Angeles Times runs an excellent profile of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) and his political ambitions. |
Bush Approval a Low for Recent 2-Termers By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - President Bush's standing with an American public anxious about Iraq and the nation's direction is lower than that of the last two men who won re-election to the White House — Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton — at this point in their second terms. | |
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Steve Cobble: Steve Cobble: W stands for Way, Way Down — Well, it's official. Yesterday the AP certified W as reeling in the polls. Norbizness: Finally, in the shadow of every non-registered Republican mistrusting and being disappointed in the current abortion of... |
Chris Bowers: However, today I am abandoning that hope (emphasis mine): [snipped quote] Bush cannot fall any further unless Republicans and Republican-leaning independents start to abandon him. John @AmericaBlog: Bush polls at all-time low for 2d termer - but the GOP borg still support him 90% of Republicans still approve of him, fine. |
Iraqi Sunnis Battle To Defend Shiites WaPo — Permalink BAGHDAD, Aug. 14 — Rising up against insurgent leader Abu Musab Zarqawi, Iraqi Sunni Muslims in Ramadi fought with grenade launchers and automatic weapons Saturday to defend their Shiite neighbors against a bid to drive them from the western city, Sunni leaders and Shiite residents said. | |
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Dean Esmay: There's A New Sherrif In Ramadi by Dean The visible shift against the foreign fascist radicals, visible for months now,... Cori Dauber: So it's a rarity to see this story about Sunnis in Ramadi taking up arms to protect their Shia neighbors against... Pejman Yousefzadeh: In light of this, I naturally found this article to be quite interesting: Rising up against insurgent leader Abu Musab... |
Juan Cole: The Washington Post reports that the Sunni tribal leaders and the remnants of the Baath Party (Jaish Muhammad or... Orrin Judd: The Sunni may choose failure for themselves, but not necessarily, Iraqi Sunnis Battle To Defend Shiites: Tribes Defy an... Bill Roggio: Sunnis have taken up arms against al Qaeda to protect their Shiite neighbors [hat tip Rantburg]. In Ramadi. |
| Also: James Joyner, FrancoAlemán | |
U.S. Lowers Sights On What Can Be Achieved in Iraq WaPo — Permalink The Bush administration is significantly lowering expectations of what can be achieved in Iraq, recognizing that the United States will have to settle for far less progress than originally envisioned during the transition due to end in four months, according to U.S. officials in Washington and Baghdad. | |
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Heather Hurlburt: But with perfect timing, Administration officials leaked like a sieve on plans to "settle for far less than originally... Sam Rosenfeld: The war situation is sufficiently dire at this point that elements within the administration itself are beginning to air their despair publicly. Norbizness: (6) The United States no longer expects to see a model new democracy, a self-supporting oil industry or a society in... |
Dwight Meredith: When I returned, the administration has, apparently, accepted that the new Iraqi government will not be a democracy The Poor Man: And the WaPo gives us the real-world policy issues: The Bush administration is significantly lowering expectations of... Avedon Carol: It's annual pot-burning season. Lowered expectations in Iraq - and in America. |
| Also: Joe Gandelman, Steve M., Jim Henley, Kos @DailyKos, Joseph Britt, PGL, John Cole, Cernig, Steve Bainbridge, Dan Darling, Jack Balkin, James Joyner, Orrin Judd, Justin Gardner, Juan Cole, Digby, Pejman Yousefzadeh, Lambert @Corrente, Jason Van Steenwyk, Atrios, Brendan Nyhan, Tom Tomorrow, Ed Cone, Steve Soto, Joe @AmericaBlog, Pudentilla, Taegan Goddard, Coldblue Steele, Randy Paul, Josh Marshall, Jeralyn Merritt, Orin Kerr, Susie Madrak, Laura Rozen, Kevin Drum | |
Death in Stockwell: the unanswered questions Observer — Permalink When armed police surrounded the home of Muktar Said-Ibrahim in London's north Kensington earlier this month and ordered him outside, the 27-year-old had only one question: 'How do I know you're not going to shoot me like that guy at Stockwell tube station? | |
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Avedon Carol: Actually, George, you're being paid to work for people like Cindy Sheehan right now. (via) More reasons to shoot... Joe Gandelman: The Killing Of A Terrorist Suspect — Questions continue to surface in the killing by London police of an innocent Brazalian man suspected of being a bomber. Gary Farber: Many questions. (de Menzes was, you'll recall, the Brazilian electrician shot seven times in the head at the Stockwell... |
Matt Welch: The UK's Observer investigates, and among other things finds: "Initial claims that de Menezes was targeted because he... David Cohen: BAD TRAINING (From Bruce Cleaver) Death in Stockwell: the unanswered questions: He wasn't wearing a heavy jacket. |
Atta way to blow 9/11 panel's credibility By / Chicago Sun Times — Permalink If you want to know everything wrong with the 9/11 Commission in a single sound bite, consider this from Al Felzenberg, its official spokesman, speaking Wednesday: ''There was no way that Atta could have been in the United States at that time, which is why the staff didn't give this tremendous weight when they were writing the report. | |
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Jan Haugland: More on Able Danger — Mark Steyn writes that the "Able Danger" story blows the 9/11 commission's credibility. Captain Ed: Also, Mark Steyn has thoughts on relying on INS records to categorically state when Atta first came to the US and how. Orrin Judd: ABLE WAS I ERE I SAW BEN VENISTE: Atta way to blow 9/11 panel's credibility (Mark Steyn, August 14, 2005, Chicago... |
Tom Maguire: However, this is what we have a blogosphere for... Mark Steyn notes that the US border is semi-permeable, and that Atta may have been in the US even if INS records don't say so. Betsy Newmark: Mark Steyn, in his usual style, points out exactly what was wrong with the 9/11 Commission approach to the information they got from Able Danger. |
Liberal talk radio has values of Enron Arizona Republic — Permalink When I asked, "Where is Mr. Spitzer going with the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club investigation?" bells didn't quite ring for the young spokesman for New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. Then I said the magic words: "You know . . . the Air America thing?" | |
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Mitch Berg: The story was actually a Doug MacEachern op-ed from the Arizona Republic. What, you thought the WaPo would cover this? Brian Maloney: In a blunt, knock-'em-dead op-ed column by Doug MacEachern, we see what was once a given in New York City journalism,... |
Avedon Carol: Even if i didn't know that the so-called "Air America scandal" is really about Republican operative Evan Cohen, I... Michelle Malkin: Read the whole thing. |
Germany's conservatives attack Schroeder on Iran Reuters — Permalink Aug 14, 2005 — BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's conservative opposition said on Sunday Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's warnings against using military force to make Iran give up its nuclear program risked undermining international solidarity for electoral gain. | |
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Gateway Pundit: (AP) The conservatives in Germany attacked Schroeder on his approach to Iran. There was a similar protest for nukes in Tehran on Friday after prayers. |
Orrin Judd: UNIVERSALLY STUPID PARTY: Germany's conservatives attack Schroeder on Iran (Reuters, Aug 14, 2005) |
Former Members of the Taliban Turn Their Backs on Insurgency By / WaPo — Permalink KABUL, Afghanistan — A cartoon flickered on a television set in Abdul Samad Khaksar's living room as he took a drag from a cigarette and considered the merits of Afghanistan's former Taliban government. | |
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Captain Ed: Not only have large numbers of former Taliban supporters surrendered themselves to the new, democratic Karzai... Pejman Yousefzadeh: GOODBYE TO ALL THAT — Slowly but surely, Afghanistan is joining the 21st Century: [snipped quote] I wonder if a similar program can be tried in Iraq. |
Orrin Judd: MORE: Former Members of the Taliban Turn Their Backs on Insurgency: Among Hundreds Returning From Exile, Some Running... |
Legal Urban Legends Hold Sway By / LAT — Permalink Tall tales of outrageous jury awards have helped bolster business-led campaigns to overhaul the civil justice system. Merv Grazinski set his Winnebago on cruise control, slid away from the wheel and went back to fix a cup of coffee. | |
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Susie Madrak: The Hot Coffee Case I like to remind people occasionally how the famous McDonald's burn case is a lot more egregious... Kevin Roderick: Spotted at Patterico's Pontifications, which also points to a critique of the LAT series on tall tales told about high jury awards. Gail Heriot: L.A. Times on Tort Reform — The L.A. Times has a remarkably one-sided piece on tort reform today entitled "Legal Urban Legends Hold Sway." |
John Cole: Legal Urban Legends Via Ezra Klein, this LA Times piece on what they call 'legal urban legends': Merv Grazinski set... Ezra Klein: Journalisming Done Right — By Ezra This LA Times debunking of mythical lawsuits is the best piece on tort issues I've read in a major paper in the last year. |
TSA May Loosen Ban on Razorblades, Knives By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal agency in charge of aviation security is considering major changes in how it screens airline passengers, including proposals that an official said would lift the ban on carrying razorblades and small knives as well as limit patdown searches. | |
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John Cole: Watching Out For Number One I mentioned the rant by Bob Schieffer about the TSA changing/relaxing the screening... TChris: Responding to demands for faster lines at airport terminals, TSA officials are considering changes in airline passenger screening rules. |
Jeff Jarvis: Now the Transporation Safety Administration suggests it might stop checking for razor blades, "small" knives, and explosive shoes. |
Annan's brother in oil scandal inquiry By / Times of London — Permalink THE official investigation into corruption in the £20 billion United Nations oil for food programme is now looking at the brother of Kofi Annan, the UN secretary-general. Kobina Annan, the Ghanaian ambassador to Morocco, is said by investigators to be "connected" to an African businessman at the centre of the scandal. | |
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Jan Haugland: A brother of the UN Secretary General is under investigation for links to UNSCAM. Captain Ed: Investigators have discovered financial connections between Kobina, Kofi's brother, and one of the central OFF figures... FrancoAlemán: Ta-daaaa! Enter Kobina Annan, Kofi's brother: [snipped quote] Click here to send me an email |
Roger L. Simon: But according to the London Times: The official investigation into corruption in the 20 billion United Nations oil for... Pejman Yousefzadeh: OH, BROTHER — More on the oil-for-food scandal: [snipped quote] Once again, much of the news appears to be coming from anonymous sources. Marc @USSNeverdock: Iraq - Annan's brother in UN oil scandal inquiry — The net is closing in on Koffi. [snipped quote] And sooner or later they'll get around to George Galloway. |
Walesa backs Belarus revolution By / BBC — Permalink The former leader of the Solidarity movement in Poland has said he would support a people's revolution in neighbouring Belarus. Lech Walesa who won a Nobel Peace Prize and went on to become Poland's president, was speaking on the 25th anniversary of the union's founding. | |
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Gateway Pundit: (AP) Former Polish President Lech Walesa spoke out against the current regime in Belarus: Lech Walesa who won a Nobel... |
Orrin Judd: COLD WAR TAKEAWAY: Walesa backs Belarus revolution (Jonathan Charles, 8/14/05, BBC) [snipped quote] Nice that the main... |
Project on the origins of life launched By / Boston Globe — Permalink Harvard University is launching a broad initiative to discover how life began, joining an ambitious scientific assault on age-old questions that are central to the debate over the theory of evolution. | |
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Michelle Pilecki: And now a bunch of them plan to work together to more fully "understand how life emerged from the chemical soup of early... |
Orrin Judd: DEJA VU: Project on the origins of life launched: Harvard joining debate on evolution (Gareth Cook, August 14, 2005,... |
Saudi exile runs urban warfare website in UK Times of London — Permalink A PROMINENT London-based Saudi dissident, Muhammed al-Massari, is running a website that features a guide to urban warfare for potential terrorists. In a series of video and audio clips, the Beginner's Guide for Mujahed gives detailed advice on physical training, the surveillance of enemy targets and operational tactics. | |
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Harry @HarrysPlace: A few more facts — From the Sunday Times: A PROMINENT London-based Saudi dissident, Muhammed al-Massari, is running a... |
Marc @USSNeverdock: Britain - British Resident Runs Terror Website — Oddly, The Sunday Times (UK) calls it an "urban warfare website", despite the fact that it is clearly aimed at Muslim terrorists. |
Apple blunder gives Gates iPod royalty By / Independent — Permalink Apple Computer may be forced to pay royalties to Microsoft for every iPod it sells after it emerged that Bill Gates's software giant beat Steve Jobs' firm in the race to file a crucial patent on technology used in the popular portable music players. | |
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Paul @Wizbang: Katherine Griffiths writing for The Independent: Apple blunder gives Gates iPod royalty Apple Computer may be forced to... Steve Bainbridge: Bummer — And here I thought my beloved iPod was the one thing in my life that didn't make Bill Gates richer. Shoot. |
John Cole: Apple V. Microsoft If you listen to my friends who use Macs, this story is the Apple v. Microsoft story in a... |