NIKE steals Dischord/Minor Threat artwork

THIS is pretty fucked up. Up the punx...and their brand new sneaks! You decide.

Friday News

FEMALE U.S. MARINES AMBUSHED IN IRAQ

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A suicide car bomber and gunmen ambushed a convoy carrying female U.S. Marines in Fallujah, killing two Marines and leaving another four American troops presumed dead, the military said Friday. At least one woman was killed and 11 of 13 wounded were female. The terror group al-Qaida in Iraq claimed it carried out the bombing, one of the single deadliest attacks against the Marines - and against women - in this country. The high number of female casualties spoke to the lack of any real front lines in Iraq, where U.S. troops are battling a raging insurgency and American women soldiers have taken part in more close-quarters combat than in any previous military conflict.

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In other violence Friday: - An Iraqi reporter working for an American news organization was shot and killed in Baghdad by U.S. troops after he apparently did not respond to a shouted signal from a military convoy, witnesses said. The military had no comment.

PRESIDENT WILL OFFER UP SOME STRAIGHT TALKIN' NEXT TUESDAY

And finally, listen to the mini-roundtable with Al Franken, Katherine Lanpher, Joe Conason and Ed Klein. They discussed just a few of the inaccuracies and outright lies in Ed's new book about Hillary Clinton.

Three, tiny Mexicans

Anibal Cruz - 11 years old Daniel Agosto - 6 years old Jestin Pagan - 5 years old Whoa. THREE kids are missing from Camden, New Jersey?!!? They disappeared on Wednesday, ad apparently, the older one has limited mental abilities AND may be short on his medication. With God's help, these boys will miraculously transform into hott, blonde girls. Where's are Scarborough, Hannity and O'Reilly? How many family members do you suppose they've had on their show? Isn't Hannity FROM New Jersey? What a dick. Lesson: Missing Mexican kids don't matter.

...and the home of the Brave.

The Spurs v. Pistons game is upon us. One minute 'til tip-off. On an unrelated note, the only thing I hate about this offsite job I've been working on is the lack of AM reception in my cubicular unit. I feel so outta touch, listening to my day-old Air America mp3s, wondering what the hell Bush Co. has managed to fuck up today. Karl Rove, in what appears to be a carefully orchestrated move by the White House, criticized the liberal reaction to the attacks on September 11th. This scumbag has absolutely NO shame. None. Here's a sampling of the Democratic reaction:

At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Thursday, Clinton urged Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to repudiate the "insulting comment." Rumsfeld replied that it "is unfortunate when things become so polarized or so politicized." Schumer and Clinton joined the four Democratic senators from Connecticut and New Jersey in a letter to Rove requesting that he immediately retract his comments. "To try to score partisan, political points at the expense of the 3,000 victims and their families was unacceptable and opportunistic," they wrote. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., wrote a similar letter to Rove from House Democrats. Schumer said Rove's comments might have been made in the heat of the moment and he was willing to accept an apology. But "if they try to stonewall," he said, "then I think resignation would be called for." Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., also said Rove, the political mastermind behind Bush's election victories, should fully apologize for his remarks or resign. Dean said Bush should "condemn Karl Rove's desperate and divisive attempt to help the Republicans regain their political footing." Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., went to the Senate floor with Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., whose son served in Iraq. Until America becomes safe, Kerry said, "don't dare question the patriotism of Americans who offer a better direction." Republicans, meanwhile, have recently condemned House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for calling the Iraq War a "grotesque mistake," and demanded and finally got an apology from Durbin for his linking detainee abuse and Nazis. And they were unapologetic about Rove's comments.

Ok, it's totally game time. I have no business blogging. For now, do some homework and read some articles you may have missed. (Links courtesy of the Randi Rhodes website) Read about the anti war-profiteering clause that was overwhelmingly killed by House Republicans back in 2003. Read about the largest movement of US funds in history during the days before the Iraqi handover.

Sweet Sweet Meat

Two PETA Employees Arrested on Animal Cruelty Charges in N.C.
I really hate PETA. This is hilarious.

Downing Street Thursday

Democrat Urges Inquiry on Bush, Iraq

Meanwhile, Scott McLelland loses all of his integrity HERE, then proceeds to lose his soul HERE. If you want to watch the entire three-hour hearing, you can go to C-SPAN,org. It's already archived and still on the front page. Make sure you have v.10 of Real Player with the RTSP turned on.

Maxine Waters and Sheila Jackson Lee ALWAYS look ready to kick some ass.

Meet the Press, failing that, Face the Nation

President Bush at the 2005 President's Dinner: On Democrats: ...they stand for nothing except obstruction, and this is not leadership. On his WASP-y, Christian base: I'm proud to be the head of a party that has a positive and hopeful and optimistic vision for every single person who lives in this country. On Mustache McGee: And speaking of confirmations, the Senate must promptly confirm John Bolton, my nominee to be our ambassador to the United Nations, so we can get on with the business of reforming that institution. On finding bin Laden: And we're making progress. Since September the 11th, 2001, we've closed down terrorist networks. We brought to justice many of the key leaders of al Qaeda. We're disrupting their finances. There is no place they can hide from the United States of America and our allies and friends. Lamest line, re: Democratic obstructionism: It is the philosophy of the stop sign, the agenda of the roadblock, and our country and our children deserve better. It's weird how every single one of his speeches sounds like an even more generic version of his campaign stump-shpiel from the last election. He needs a new writer, a set of GENUINE Texas testicles, and the ability to speak off-the-cuff, minus notecards/teleprompters/earpieces. This event brought in 23 million dollars for the GOP. You'd think he'd be a bit more candid with his sycophantic followers. I'll leave you with this, from a mother who recently lost her son in the Global War on Terror:

"We're watching you very carefully and we're going to do everything in our power to have you impeached for misleading the American people," she said, quoting a letter she sent to the White House. "Beating a political stake in your black heart will be the fulfillment of my life ... ," she said, as the audience of 200 people cheered.

I like to think of her as a freedom-fighting, progressive version of Buffy.

Dick Cheney is an asshole.

Dick on Dean:

"I've never been able to understand his appeal. Maybe his mother loved him, but I've never met anybody who does. He's never won anything, as best I can tell," Cheney said in an interview to be aired Monday on Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes." "So far, I think he's probably helped us more than he has them," Cheney said in the interview taped Friday. "That's not the kind of individual you want to have representing your political party. The vice president added: "I really think Howard Dean's over the top. And more important ... I think many of his fellow Democrats feel the same way."

That's a pretty loaded statement coming from the Veep. Of all the douchebags that only a mother could love, I'd say he's up there with Bob Novak, Ann Coulter & Sean Hannity. Dean was elected governor of Vermont 5 times between 1992 and 2000. That counts as "winning," right? As far as Dean's recent comments helping the Republicans more than the Dems, it's just flat out wrong. After all the hoo-ha about his rightful shit-talking, 100 thousand dollars were raised in a 24-hour period. The FOX News Democrats that are criticizing Dean have since shut their holes.

Happy Sunday, y'all.

Friday, I'm in love...with the Patriot Act

Short post today. If you didn't get to see the House Hearing on Patriot Act Reauthorization this morning, you should at least check out these TWO CLIPS. Representative Sensenbrenner (R-WI), the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, conducted the entire meeting with an air of hostility. The hearing ended abruptly after the chairman decided he didn't like what he'd just heard from Rep. Jackson-Lee(D-TX). Despite numerous calls for Point of Order from ranking Democrats, Rep. Sensenbrenner stormed out of the room and had the microphones turned off. Stunning. Randi Rhodes and her crew have set up a special Weekend Edition of her regular website that includes the video of today's hearing, responses from prominent Democrats, and her interviews with Sheila Jackson-Lee, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, and Jerry Nadler, all ranking members of the judiciary committee present at the hearing.

Tuesday SNAPS

Eric Alterman layed the smackdown on Dubya's latest poll numbers:

George W. Bush’s approval rating is now a full twenty points lower than Bill Clinton’s was on the day he was impeached. Dear media, that means you gotta stop referring to him as a “popular president,” and no less important, stop treating him like one. If you want to be wimps about everything, fine, just don’t blame it on his ‘popularity.’ Blame it on yourselves.

Snap! Atrios put up a link to James Wolcott's latest column, where he completely tears down the always-ridiculous John Podhoretz, and his latest movie review in The Weekly Standard:

"Cinderella Man is not really a movie about boxing, it's a movie about what it means to be a man. In the character of Jim Braddock, we can read what today's audiences are wistful for: a man who works hard to support his wife and kids, who teaches his kids to be honest, who communicates his delight in his wife with every glance." It isn't audiences that are wistful, but politically motivated critics who want to turn back the clock to that character-building time before the New Deal wove a safety net so that men didn't have to bash each other senseless to keep their families decently clothed and fed.

Snap again! Let the shit-storm begin (AGAIN) regarding HoDean's latest comments regarding the GOP. He called the party "white [and] Christian." How dare he speak the truth?!!? I don't quite understand all the bitching and whining about a shit-talking Democrat with a set of balls almost as big as Barbara Boxer's. Joe Biden needs to shut his fuckin' yap already. Politics isn't warm and fuzzy, and neither is Howard Dean. Last item of the day: Katherine Harris will be running against incumbent Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) in 2006. Do it, lady. I dare you. Read the article and pray the prediction towards the end comes true.

King Ratzo has spoken!

Shouldn't Ratzinger use his Papal Honeymoon-time to start a dialogue about the war in Iraq, or maybe the genocide in Darfur....? Nope. It's way easier to opine on the "true liberation of man," and how it is being stifled by "expressions of anarchic freedom" like free unions, trial-marriages, and pseudo-matrimonies by same-sex couples. Wow. I can't say that I like this guy.

?

It's 10:30 in the peem, and I'm a half-hour away from passing out for the night. Miles and miles away... Tim Russert is interviewing Ken I'm-Not-A-Homo Mehlman. I think Ken honestly believes all of the bile spewing forth from his face-hole. Nothin' but progress in Iraq... Pat Tillman's ill-reported friendly fire was a horrible mistake... The Downing Street Memo has been discredited... Saddam really DID have WMD. Really... blah up or down vote blah blah blah pricilla own blurb blurb viciously attacked gargle gargle establish a standard slurp slurp up or down vote up or down choke choke snowflake baby!!!

Short Video post

Why is THIS SONG about Condi Rice soooooooooooooo fuckin' sexy? Why are CANADIANS so weird? (WARNING: Celine Dion video link) This Flash cartoon is Orwellian-creepy. Watch the entire thing for the surprise ending. Rusty, the Narcoleptic Dog. No joke. Make sure to visit SCREENHEAD.COM every day for more more more.

Right and Early

Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one and indivisible. Governor Rick Perry is prepping to sign two bills this Sunday at Calvary Cathedral (mega)church in Fort Worth. One requires parental consent before a minor can choose whether or not to give birth, and the other would set a public vote on the definition-of-marriage amandment. A church?! Is this really what I'm going back to at the end of summer? Again, I propose these obscene "houses of worship" get taxed. Taxed!! There is SOME hope. I can't get into the groove of Texas politics just yet. I suppose it's harder to keep up from the northwest. Ridiculous Friday post before the end of the day...

Ohio unveils their Christian Taliban

I have this beef with Ohio that really didn't come to fruition until I moved to Seattle and met 18,326 Ohio transplants. Ohioans, not unlike Texans, are quite cavalier when it comes to state pride. Pardon me if I was left out of the circle, but what's so special about Ohio? Their highest point, Campbell Hill, is only 1550 feet, which is 7200 feet shorter than Texas' highest point, Guadalupe Peak. (Texas has the geographical advantage of being bigger 'n taller. Eat it.) Their state slogan is "The Heart Of It All," giving the rest of the country the false impression that it's the meaty, bloody center of our great nation. Actually, I think the slogan stemmed from the shape of the state, which is kind of shaped like a heart...I think. In Texas, our travel brochures proclaim: "It's Like A Whole Other Country," because it really is. I'm sure any other state with over 20 million people would be just as culturally diverse as the Lone Star State, but you'd think Ohio, with their 11 million+ could offer a little more than buckeyes, that stupid swallowtailed flag design, and a tainted Presidential election. Our motto is "Friendship," a broad, all encompassing abstract concept that has worked for our great state since 1895. "With God, All Things Are Possible" is the Ohio state motto. Sounds pretty marginalizing to me, which brings me to the latest scuttlebutt coming out of the Buckeye State: The Ohio Restoration Project. *Thanks to the Markos at the Daily Kos for the heads up* The Ohio Restoration Project's big plan includes: policy briefings for Ohio pastors in 8 target cities, featuring "prominent, dynamic Christian leaders." Patriot Pastors will be identified at these briefings. These pastors will "preach and inform their congregations on issues relevant to the Christian community." Then, they'll help build a network of addresses and emails just in case they have to "mobilize hundreds of thousands who are able to pray at a moment's notice."

Patriot Pastors will be encouraged to host non-partisan voter registration drives in their churches. Voter guides and inserts will be included during these voter drives, and people will be provided with literature from the Christian Coalition, the American Family Association, and the Center for Moral Clarity, because "informed voters appreciate these tools in discovering where candiates stand on the issues." Ambassador Alan Keyes, Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, Chuck Colson, Pat Robertson, Tony Perkins, Zell Miller, and Secretary of State Ken Blackwell will be asked to participate in Pastor Policy Briefings.

So there ya go, folks. Send the fine folks in the heartland a thank you card if you have the time. This gross politicization of religion should come with a hefty pricetag, like dropping the non-exempt status from mega-churches that plan to go along with this.

Seriously....Fuck you, Ohio.

Gannon and Gommorrah

From Jeff Gannon's blog:

VINDICATION! NOT FAKE, NOT PLANT, NOT SHILL! I went on PAX TV's "Lie Detector" to answer questions about my two years in the White House press corps. WATCH My critics are unusually silent. Let's strap some of my former colleagues to the polygraph. Come here, Helen! Better yet, let's hook up Dan Rather and Eason Jordan.

I want to know more about the person that's hosting the video. If you visit edwardsdavid.com, you get name/info/phone# AND a webcam. Mr. Gannon will NEVER learn.