'Wannabes'

See, it's all a bunch of election year, Repug, bullshit slinging, boogity, boogity, boogity....

BBC: Sears Tower 'plotters' just 'wannabes':

"In a BBC news broadcast today, Miami Herald reporter Mani Garcia remarks that the government's arrest of seven men in connection with a 'plot' to blow up the Sears Tower is probably overblown.

'They've been described to us by sources as 'wannabes' -- still to be determined if making a connection about talking about doing an attack and and being able to finance an attack,' Garcia said. 'We've seen previous cases where the Federal government has announced with great hoopla breaking terrorist cells. And when you start deconstructing a case, you see that there's a lot of talk.'"

UPDATE: Courtesy of Townser in the comments, you've got to check out the picture of the "kingpin" of the Miami 7 and read the hysterical commentary over on Rising Hegemon. Money quote:

"He also was under the delusion that he was in the DeBarge family"

Looks like the Repugs and the U.S. Military 'Wannabe' Democrats:

Democrats Cite Report On Troop Cuts in Iraq:

"Senate Democrats reacted angrily yesterday to a report that the U.S. commander in Iraq had privately presented a plan for significant troop reductions in the same week they came under attack by Republicans for trying to set a timetable for withdrawal.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said that the plan attributed to Gen. George W. Casey resembles the thinking of many Democrats who voted for a nonbinding resolution to begin a troop drawdown in December. That resolution was defeated Thursday on a largely party-line vote in the Senate.

'That means the only people who have fought us and fought us against the timetable, the only ones still saying there shouldn't be a timetable really are the Republicans in the United States Senate and in the Congress,' Boxer said on CBS's 'Face the Nation.' 'Now it turns out we're in sync with General Casey.'"

Here's what BRUUUCE has to say about the troops:

Bruce-Springsteen - Bring 'em Home

Well, well, well... Isn't this just special.

Ethics: White House Frequent Fliers:

"According to filings with the Office of Government Ethics, White House staffers have accepted nearly $135,000 in free trips since November 2004. Among those picking up the tab: some of the president's top business supporters, including the National Association of Manufacturers, and dozens of conservative and religious groups, among them the Southern Baptist Convention, Focus on the Family and the Federalist Society."

Alablawg has a great conversation on medical marijuana. Something that I fully support:

The Alablawg Medical Marijuana

Granting for the sake of argument that marijuana is harmful, why does that mean it ought to be banned under all circumstances? All drugs are harmful if used improperly, yet we still let doctoros prescribe them. Should we ban oxycontin because of Rush Limbaugh?

Go ahead! Take that shit back!!

Take Action: Take back your privacy!

For the sports fan and geek in you...

World Cup Game Theory - What economics tells us about penalty kicks:

"Both striker and keeper must make subtle decisions. Let's say a right-footed striker always shoots to the right. The keeper will always anticipate the shot and the striker would be better off occasionally shooting to the left—because even with a weaker shot it is best to shoot where the goalie isn't. In contrast, if the striker chooses a side by tossing a coin, the keeper will always dive to the striker's left: Since he can't guess where the ball will go, best to go where the shot will be weak if it does come. But then the striker should start favoring his stronger side again."