Put up or shut up

I'm so glad that our capitalistic, free-market creates such corporate competition that customer service in the States is the best in the world... nay, best in the Universe.

Why, just yesterday I spent 5 hours (the record is 6 hours) on the phone with Sprint attempting to fix my internet card, because the problem had to be on my end, just HAD to be, only to be informed this morning that 3 towers are down in my location.

Fuck Sprint, those incompetent bastards.

What Ebert says:

Put up or shut up - Roger Ebert's Journal

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Obama's continuing rehabilitate-the-NeoCons fetish continues its destructive force.

Weak and wrong. Weak and wrong.

Maddow blasts Obama for praising Bush, letting WMD liars ‘get off easy’ | Raw Story:

"'I think we shouldn't get past how remarkable it is how much the proponents of the Iraq war are getting off easy here,' Maddow said to MSNBC's Keith Olbermann immediately following the speech.

'And to to have in this speech, as combat operations are ending, to have, as you point out Keith, the president not only not addressing the circumstances in which he we went to war, but these kind words for President Bush, describing his commitment to our security, despite the recklessness with which President Bush discarded that national security in favor of this war of choice, which only diminished our security, and is responsible probably for the Afghanistan war still going on today, for the depths of people who have died in Afghanistan after the time, after which that war would have ended had we not gone to Iraq, not to mention all of the people who died in Iraq,' Maddow continued."

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Obama's scared the GOP Daddies will be made at him if he doesn't include worthless tax cuts which will not do one goddamn thing to improve the economy. Spend and spend big or just shut the fuck up so we can elect someone with balls and sense in 2012.

Tax cuts do not grow the economy. Never have, never will.

Tax Cuts, Infrastructure Spending Weighed to Spur Economy - WSJ.com:

"The Obama administration is considering a range of new measures to boost economic growth, including tax cuts and a new nationwide infrastructure program, according to people familiar with the discussions."

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Shocking that the people who rule use aren't suffering. Remember when we had a viable middle class. Yeah, remember. Awww. Functioning democracies are cute. Like, baby seal cute... and Republicans and Blue Dog Dems are the club.

Wealthy lawmakers increased their riches as U.S. economy sputtered in '09 - TheHill.com:

"The wealthiest members of Congress grew richer in 2009 even as the economy struggled to recover from a deep recession.

The 50 wealthiest lawmakers were worth almost $1.4 billion in 2009, about $85.1 million more than 12 months earlier, according to The Hill’s annual review of lawmakers’ financial disclosure forms."

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Nothing to See Here, Folks

The ghost of GW Bush was on the TV last night acting presidential.

Obama's 'nothing to see here, folks' style of management is dragging this country further into the pit.

Fuck you, Obama. If we forget, If we do not hold accountable, then we have failed and we might as well start teaching Chinese in those lovely charter schools you desire in order to crush those nasty unions that are all mean to you and shit.

Daily Kos: Turn the page on Mister Bush? Never:

"I cannot and will not turn the page until George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and the others in that cabal of scorpions are brought to justice and make amends for Iraq. Which means never. No apology, much less time in the slam. I'll go to my grave knowing Bush and the rest got away with it. In a couple of months, Bush hopes hundreds of thousands of Americans will be turning the pages of his memoir, a book certain to add to the plethora of lies and pathetic, murderous rationalizations with which we became so familiar during the last seven years of his presidency."

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Connect these dots:

Franken tells FCC: Without ‘Net Neutrality’, a ‘handful’ of corporations will control the Web | Raw Story

Fox News: DEAD LAST In Online Ratings

In U.S., Confidence in Newspapers, TV News Remains a Rarity

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Some of the first color film moving images. Pretty neat.

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Lord Ain't Willing

Slow motion travesty of the highest order. I can't believe anyone would believe that anything is the Gulf is edible.

Activist: Gulf fishermen being held responsible for toxic seafood | Raw Story:

But an admission from the federal government that it hasn't been testing Gulf seafood for toxic heavy metals, and news that fishermen are being forced to sign waivers making them liable for toxins in their catch, suggest not everyone is convinced of the safety of Gulf seafood.

Louisiana fishermen's activist Kindra Arnesen says dock owners are asking fishermen to sign waivers that put the full responsibility for toxins found in the catch on the fishermen themselves."

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Nothing to see here, folks. I guess BP will spin this as the fish are now easier to catch.

Thousands of dead fish surface at mouth of Mississippi River:

"He said crabs, sting rays, eel, drum, speckled trout and red fish were among the species that turned up dead.

Taffaro said there was some recoverable oil in the area, and officials from the state's wildlife and fisheries division were sampling the water."

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Watch:

Daily Kos: Gulf Coast Locals, BP Workers, Speaking Out

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No shit.

Major study proves oil plume that's not going away - Yahoo! News

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Selective rage and bigotry.

Muslims Pray Daily 80 Feet From Pentagon's 9/11 Crash Site:

"WASHINGTON — While Americans are bitterly debating the proposed building of a mosque near New York's ground zero, Muslims have been praying for years less than 80 feet from where another hijacked jetliner struck."

Pentagon officials say that no one in the military or the families of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks has ever protested.

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Told ya.

US combat brigades still in Iraq: report

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In AND Out? You are being fucked.

Orwell in charge? Kucinich compares Iraq ‘exit’ to Bush’s ‘Mission Accomplished’

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I love it when a plan comes together:

Halle Berry plans a full-time move to San Francisco : SFGate: Daily Dish

And on a related note (only 6?!):

6 Reasons to Have Casual Sex | Sex & Relationships | AlterNet

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Sleep on it

In news of 'No-shit, we've known this from the get-go'.....

Rumsfeld decision let Bin Laden escape: Senate report | Raw Story:

"WASHINGTON (AFP) – Osama bin Laden was 'within the grasp' of US forces in late 2001 but escaped because then-defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld rejected calls for reinforcements, a hard-hitting US Senate report says

And, further, in news of 'No-Shit, we've stated that this was the reason from the get-go'....

But, dirty fucking hippies can only be right after the fact... when it is too damn late to do anything about it.

Daily Kos: Dem Congressman: Bush "Let bin Laden Get Away" to Justify Iraq Invasion:

"'Look what happened with regard to our invasion into Afghanistan, how we apparently intentionally let bin Laden get away. How we intentionally did not follow the Taliban and al-Qaeda as they were escaping,' Hinchey said. 'That was done by the previous administration because they knew very well that if they would capture al-Qaeda, there would be no justification for an invasion in Iraq.'"

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70 + 63 + 60 = 100?

And not 1 FAUX viewer blinked.

Math iz hard.

Whoops: Fox graphics department goes rogue on Palin poll:

"According to a recent Fox news poll, her backing for the GOP nomination has swelled to 70 percent among party voters, anchor Byron Harlan said.

According to the poll, the other top candidates for a 2012 bid on the Republican ticket are Mike Huckabee, with 63 percent and Mitt Romney with 60 percent."

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She's the worst.

Palin Plane Tour: Using Private Jet, Forcing Staff To Take Bus:

"Sarah Palin's 'Going Rogue' bus has logged thousands of miles as it crosses the country, promoting her memoir. But Palin herself has been traveling by private jet, using the bus only for brief stops and media appearances."

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It must be the media's fault. HAS to be.

Insider: Sarah Palin uninformed on Latino issues - Jonathan Martin - POLITICO.com:

"A top adviser on Hispanic issues to John McCain’s presidential campaign said Sunday that a joint interview with McCain and Sarah Palin planned for Univision last fall had to be canceled because Palin was unprepared to discuss Latin America policy.

“She did not feel comfortable speaking about issues regarding Hispanics and Latin America,” GOP consultant Ana Navarro told Univision anchor Jorge Ramos in an interview. “Those are not topics that come up frequently in Alaska. So she asked to cancel the interview and, unfortunately, you were already there.”"

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Rigth, Matt?

Matt Taibbi - Taibblog – Yes, Sarah, There is a Media Conspiracy - True/Slant:

"Is the media out to get Sarah Palin? It seems like most of the letters I get are insisting that I admit it. “Surely you can’t deny,” writes one woman from Florida, “that no political figure in American history has had to put up with what Sarah Palin has had to put up with from the mainstream media.”

Now, this is the part of this red-blue schtick where I’m supposed to strike back without thinking and re-hash the history of, say, the Monica Lewinsky scandal in rebuttal and then, as the argument progresses, do the whole “I know you are but what am I?” thing until the end of time. I’ve decided from now on that I’m just not going to go there with any of this culture-war bullshit. It’s exhausting. I mean, hell, if you want to argue over who’s more justified in wallowing in media victimhood, that’s not a fight I mind losing. Mazel tov!

I would, however, like to point out a few things, none of which really involve taking sides in this particular cat-fight. In no particular order:"

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It really sucks that Alabama sucks so freakin' hard.

Not a vagina amongst them.

GOP gubernatorial candidates favor jail time for abortion doctors | Breaking News from the Press-Register - al.com:

"MONTGOMERY -- Doctors who perform abortions on demand would face time in prison if most Republicans running for governor in Alabama had their way."

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After all of the crap above, I'm thinking I want the opposite. De-boost my memory.

Want to Boost Your Memory? Try Sleeping on It - Yahoo! News:

"Can't remember where you put your keys? Here's a tip for you: record the sound of your jingling keys and put it into your iPod. Then get someone to play it to you at night, while you are deep asleep. Chances are it'll help you remember."

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Giant Effing Q

Watch the trailer for the DBT: Live from ACL DVD coming out next week!

DBT: Live from ACL Trailer!

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Real or fake, this is a thing of beauty:

Daily Kos: Saturday hate mail-apalooza:

"Not a bad week, but this stuff starts getting repetitive after a while. But there was one piece of hate mail so brilliant, I almost wept at its beauty. So I decided it deserved the day to itself and a poll. Check it out below the fold."

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"Don't let the door hit you...."

Fair enough.

Fireworks over Baghdad as Iraqis take over cities - Yahoo! News

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Not Nyquil! Not the 13th step in a 12 step program!

As Dennis Leary once joked "Are you drunk? No, I have a cold. The same cold I've had for the past 3 months. My teeth are green and I'm high as a kite".

FDA poised to ban sales of Nyquil

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Slow day today. That's all I'z gots.

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Survivor

Survivor is my absolute favorite show on television. I've never missed one of the 18 seasons.

Alabamian cattle rancher J.T. won last night. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

A state with a population of 4 million dominates the big reality shows. Not sure why, but it sure is cool.

The tribe speaks, a new `Survivor' wins big money:

"NEW YORK – The tribe has spoken, naming cattle rancher James 'J.T.' Thomas Jr. the sole 'Survivor.'

The 24-year-old country boy prevailed over New Yorker Stephen Fishbach on Sunday's season finale, claiming the $1 million check and bragging rights.

Thomas, who operates a cattle-ranching business in Samson, Ala., wept tears of joy after hearing the result.

'I can't help it,' he said at the post-game special, aired live from New York. 'I'm happy — it's probably the happiest I've ever been in my life, obviously.'"

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Starting to come into focus, isn't it.

Powell aide: Cheney first approved torture to tie Iraq, al Qaeda:

"The chief of staff to former Secretary of State Colin Powell says that the Bush Administration authorized torture of detainees before even rendering a legal opinion on the practice — and that they sought to torture detainees in an effort to produce intelligence tying Iraq to al Qaeda.

“What I have learned is that as the administration authorized harsh interrogation in April and May of 2002–well before the Justice Department had rendered any legal opinion–its principal priority for intelligence was not aimed at pre-empting another terrorist attack on the U.S. but discovering a smoking gun linking Iraq and al-Qa’ida,” former Powell chief of staff Lawrence Wilkerson wrote Wednesday evening.

“So furious was this effort that on one particular detainee, even when the interrogation team had reported to Cheney’s office that their detainee “was compliant” (meaning the team recommended no more torture), the VP’s office ordered them to continue the enhanced methods,” Wilkerson added. “The detainee had not revealed any al-Qa’ida-Baghdad contacts yet. This ceased only after Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi, under waterboarding in Egypt, “revealed” such contacts. Of course later we learned that al-Libi revealed these contacts only to get the torture to stop.”"

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Still a Dick.

The Truth About Richard Bruce Cheney - The Washington Note

First, more Americans were killed by terrorists on Cheney's watch than on any other leader's watch in US history. So his constant claim that no Americans were killed in the "seven and a half years" after 9/11 of his vice presidency takes on a new texture when one considers that fact. And it is a fact.

There was absolutely no policy priority attributed to al-Qa'ida by the Cheney-Bush administration in the months before 9/11. Counterterrorism czar Dick Clarke's position was downgraded, al-Qa'ida was put in the background so as to emphasize Iraq, and the policy priorities were lowering taxes, abrogating the ABM Treaty and building ballistic missile defenses.

Second, the fact no attack has occurred on U.S. soil since 9/11--much touted by Cheney--is due almost entirely to the nation's having deployed over 200,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and not to "the Cheney method of interrogation."

Those troops have kept al-Qa'ida at bay, killed many of them, and certainly "fixed" them, as we say in military jargon. Plus, sadly enough, those 200,000 troops present a far more lucrative and close proximity target for al-Qa'ida than the United States homeland. Testimony to that fact is clear: almost 5,000 American troops have died, more Americans than died on 9/11. Of course, they are the type of Americans for whom Cheney hasn't much use as he declared rather dramatically when he achieved no less than five draft deferments during the Vietnam War.

Third--and here comes the blistering fact--when Cheney claims that if President Obama stops "the Cheney method of interrogation and torture", the nation will be in danger, he is perverting the facts once again. But in a very ironic way.

My investigations have revealed to me--vividly and clearly--that once the Abu Ghraib photographs were made public in the Spring of 2004, the CIA, its contractors, and everyone else involved in administering "the Cheney methods of interrogation", simply shut down. Nada. Nothing. No torture or harsh techniques were employed by any U.S. interrogator. Period. People were too frightened by what might happen to them if they continued.

What I am saying is that no torture or harsh interrogation techniques were employed by any U.S. interrogator for the entire second term of Cheney-Bush, 2005-2009. So, if we are to believe the protestations of Dick Cheney, that Obama's having shut down the "Cheney interrogation methods" will endanger the nation, what are we to say to Dick Cheney for having endangered the nation for the last four years of his vice presidency?

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Of course they did.

Bush Administration rejected deal to dim Iraq war in 2004: report:

"According to a new report in Vanity Fair, the so-called Sunni Awakening, which has been credited with ending the Sunni insurgency and thus making possible the success of the 2007 surge in Iraq, could have taken place as early as 2004.

This report prompted MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann to wonder on Thursday, “Why did the Bush administration reject the deal and prolong the war?”

According to writer David Rose, “The Sunni insurgents had offered to come to terms with the Americans 30 months earlier, in the summer of 2004, during secret talks with senior U.S. officials and military commanders. … For a variety of reasons, some of them petty, some of them ideological, and some of them still obscure, these men were blocked by superiors in the State Department, the Pentagon, and the White House.”"

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Goddamn socialist with their sexy sex.

China to open first sex theme park | World news | guardian.co.uk:

"Maybe it was the giant revolving model of a woman's legs and lower torso, clad only in an unflattering crimson thong, or perhaps it was the oversized replica of a set of genitals. Either way, many residents in the south-west city of Chongqing are not happy about the development of China's first sex theme park, which has been described as 'vulgar' and inappropriate.

The park manager, Lu Xiaoqing, who was inspired by South Korea's popular sex theme park in Jeju, says that Love Land, due to open in October, will improve sex education and help adults enjoy a harmonious sex life. Inside, visitors will be able to view naked human sculptures, giant replicas of genitals and an exhibition about the history of sex and sexual practices in other countries.

The park will also offer sex technique workshops and advise on anti-Aids measures and using condoms properly.

'Sex is a taboo subject in China but people really need to have more access to information about it,' Lu told the state newspaper China Daily.

'We are building the park for the good of the public. I have found that the majority of people support my idea, but I have to pay attention and not make the park look vulgar and nasty.'"

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Victory!!!

Grandpa McOnion Belt has gots him a genius plan.

"I love the smell of paying down the deficit. Smells like 'Victory'!

Bullshit like this would have worked in 2000 and 2004. Folks are a little to savvy to swallow this load in 08.

McCain: "Victory" Savings Will Pay Down Deficit

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Meanwhile in the war you never hear much about on the TV......

We're like the shitty party guest that just won't leave. But instead of throwing up on the carpet we throw up carpet bombs on the entire country.

"Uhh, you guys need to, like, leave now".

Iraq raises idea of timetable for US withdrawal:

"BAGHDAD - Iraq's prime minister said Monday his country wants some type of timetable for a withdrawal of American troops included in the deal the two countries are negotiating."

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Almost as good as McSame's plan for paying down the deficit.... McSame's plan for dealing with Iran.

Diplomacy, y'all.

McCain jokes about killing Iranians with cigarettes

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One step closer.

Initiative would allow pot sales at liquor stores:

"Relax it and tax it."

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Old Lady is My Running Mate

Vote for DBT's MySpace Songs!

Click Here!

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'Don't hit on Hillary, bring us all back, let her do that stuff. Leave her alone, you don't need to do that, you are higher than that. Bring us up higher than that,' Weiss said with 82 years of experience.'

Wilmington , NC. April 28, 2008"

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No comment necessary. Gnashing of teeth required:

US troop deaths hit 7-month high in Iraq:

"The killings of three U.S. soldiers in separate attacks in Baghdad pushed the American death toll for April up to 47, making it the deadliest month since September."

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I like the style of writing in this personal diary over at DK. Wish I had some of these skills.

Daily Kos: Crazy Sorrow:

"I once started a novel titled Crazy Pussy, but abandoned it later as an exercise in bad judgment. It was based on a woman I once knew. Unspeakable things had been done to her. She was a strange mix of beauty and darkness, tenderness and rage, passion and loathing. She captured me without my having fired a shot in my own defense. Our’s was a raging roller coaster of earthly delights and bone deep horror."

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Thanks for the spiders.... and trippy bands... and glow sticks.

Albert Hofmann, father of drug LSD, dies in Switzerland:

"Albert Hofmann, the father of the mind-altering drug LSD whose medical discovery inspired — and arguably corrupted — millions in the 1960s hippie generation, has died. He was 102."

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Embarrassingly Superior to Me

Crazy! Newsie people talking the sense on the TV. Does. Not. Compute.

Republicans: Masters at twisting the connotations of good, decent words into something you have to whisper.

Give the Republicans a word such as 'ice-cream' and they'll turn it into pukeshittraitor cream.

They really are that good.

"'Doesn't elite mean 'good?' Is that not something we're looking for in a president anymore? ... I know elite is a bad word in politics. You want to go bowling and throw back a few beers. But the job you're applying for---if you get it and it goes well---they might carve your head into a mountain. If you don't actually think you're better than us, then what the fuck are you doing? ... [N]ot only do I want an elite president, I want someone who is embarrassingly superior to me.'
---Jon Stewart"

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New Freakin' Rule:

Real Time with Bill Maher: New Rules On Being An Elitist:

"Referring to voters who America has left behind economically as “bitter” isn’t an insult. In fact, it’s a compliment, acknowledging that they’re smart enough to understand what’s happening to them. The hopeful, now those are some idiots. So let’s separate the bitter – my people – from the idiots. If you think the Democrats are going to take away your Bible, you’re an idiot. If you think they’re going to take away your gun, you’re an armed idiot. And if you think they’re going to take away your gun and give it to a Mexican to kill your God, you’re Bill O’Reilly."

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Can Bob Schieffer's comment be the final word on the Made in China, manufactured bullshit flag pin issue. Please?

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Why a nation should never blindly support the military. You can support the frontline troops but never trust the leadership.

This NYT article is.... just.... BushCo has destroyed our military from every conceivable angle.

Behind Military Analysts, the Pentagon’s Hidden Hand - New York Times:

"A few expressed regret for participating in what they regarded as an effort to dupe the American public with propaganda dressed as independent military analysis.

“It was them saying, ‘We need to stick our hands up your back and move your mouth for you,’ ” Robert S. Bevelacqua, a retired Green Beret and former Fox News analyst, said."

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Welcome to the no-freakin-shit club.

Pentagon institute calls Iraq war 'a major debacle' with outcome 'in doubt':

"WASHINGTON — The war in Iraq has become 'a major debacle' and the outcome 'is in doubt' despite improvements in security from the buildup in U.S. forces, according to a highly critical study published Thursday by the Pentagon's premier military educational institute."

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Won't pass, but at least it is another step in the right direction. Ron Paul backed it too!

Congressman introduces bill to decriminalize personal marijuana use:

"Congressman Barney Frank today introduced bi-partisan legislation aimed at removing federal restrictions on the individual use of marijuana. One bill would remove federal penalties for the personal use of marijuana, and the other – versions of which Frank has filed in several preceding sessions of Congress – would allow the medical use of marijuana in states that have chosen to make its use for medical purposes legal with a doctor’s recommendation. Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) joined Frank as a cosponsor of the federal penalties bill. The cosponsors of the medical marijuana bill are Rep. Paul, along with Reps. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), and Sam Farr (D-CA)."

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Cleaning out the blog closet

Thursday's blog closet clean out.

Conservative say the stupidest things.

Occupying Iraq Is Just Like Occupying ... Alabama?

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Why Clinton sucks and Obama rocks:

Clinton leadership a study in missteps:

"Put simply, Obama has shown he can offer a compelling vision, execute a complicated strategy to convey it and, all the while, keep the ledger in the black. That’s not a bad first step to becoming a strong leader."
>>>

Obama can rightly claim he has run a more consistent, disciplined and technologically savvy campaign. While Clinton has blown though nearly a half-dozen campaign slogans and failed to put concerns about her credibility to rest, he has clung to essentially the same leadership and governing message he outlined in his 2004 speech at the Democratic convention. There has been little drama inside his operation — or at least if there was, it has been kept largely concealed.

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The media covers for McSame after he gets asked a legit question from a school girl.

Daily Kos: Saving Captain McCain:

"Heckling? She wasn't heckling John. She had him pinned down with hostile fire. She was practically mauling him. John's only chance of rescue was for intrepid journalists to infiltrate behind enemy lines and extract him, at great risk to themselves, from the maw of mild criticism.

And so it goes with our pathetic news media. Every time Our Hero gets into political trouble, journalists can be found to succor McCain from himself."

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Oh baby. Can't wait for this to drop. Faster porn. Yes!!!

Coming soon: superfast internet:

"THE internet could soon be made obsolete. The scientists who pioneered it have now built a lightning-fast replacement capable of downloading entire feature films within seconds.

At speeds about 10,000 times faster than a typical broadband connection, “the grid” will be able to send the entire Rolling Stones back catalogue from Britain to Japan in less than two seconds."

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What may be the dumbest headline ever.

Alcoholics Not to Blame for All Drunk Driving Cases

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I want one!

And like any good teen sensation she's working on a record deal.

Still.... I want one!

Tiny teenager from India is smallest girl in the world

"She will even be releasing an album with her favourite Indian pop star, the bhangra/rap star Mika Singh."

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Stuck on You

Its always big fun to check out what people are googling when they stumble across this site. The word 'Ass' and its many variations is a popular search term for locating AAW. The below search from yesterday warmed my heart and made me grin real big like.

"www.google.com/search?q=why is Hillary Clinton being such an Ass"

Why indeed.

Senator Clinton Isn't A Republican, As Far As I Know

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Jack Cafferty from CNN posted this beauty before Gerry "It sure does suck to be white" Ferraro resigned (wasn't fired) from the Clinton campaign.



But the home run, knock-out punch for the Hillary/Ferraro ticket came last from from Keith O. who so took Hillary to task that I hope she cried (assuming her power hunger allows her to cry... for real).



See this is the type of racism that the Hillary's and the Ferraro's of the world perpetuate.

I'm sure this reporter wouldn't have been in the position she was in if she wasn't black. None of the white reporters were attack.

Charmayne Brown, Black Reporter, Attacked On Camera By White Family In SC - Media on The Huffington Post

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Meanwhile, Obama picks up even more military endorsements.

Obama Receives Endorsement of Flag Officers from Army, Navy and Air Force

Because.... SURGE!

Car bomb kills 18 in Baghdad - Yahoo! News:

"The policeman and a hospital official said 18 people died. The hospital official said 57 others were injured.

The attack is the latest in a string of violence to grip Iraq's capital after several months of relative calm that followed a surge of U.S. forces last year.

There also has been a sharp increase of U.S. military deaths in recent days. Twelve Americans have been killed in the past four days, bringing the overall U.S. military death toll since the start of the war to 3,987, according to an AP count"

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I'm all for some quality time in the can, but this is brutal:

Boyfriend: Woman lived in bathroom:

"The case drew nationwide attention after Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple said it appeared the Ness City woman's skin had grown around the seat in the two years she apparently was in the bathroom.

'We pried the toilet seat off with a pry bar and the seat went with her to the hospital,' Whipple said. 'The hospital removed it.'"

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Nader Sucks

This piece of egotistical shite. If the far left gets suckered by this douchebag again, I swear, I'm going to spike the granola with the brown acid and be done with the lot of them.

Just as bad as the christian right being suckered by Bush/Rove et al.

Sorry, I'm not to hip on Nader seeing how he's largely responsible for Bush being in office the past 8 years.

ABC News: Ralph Nader Flirts with '08 Bid:

"Ralph Nader has formed a presidential exploratory committee, and said in an interview Wednesday that he will launch another presidential bid if he's convinced he can raise enough money to appear on the vast majority of state ballots this fall."

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Anecdotal, but still....

Daily Kos: I just got off the phone with the Obama campaign:

"Today, after John Edwards dropped out I called both campaigns asking them flat out, 'Why should I vote for your candidate?' Hillary's people said they would call back, but the Obama people talked with me for over twenty minutes."

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Mr. Irrelevant... except that he will still tie shite up in knots so bad upon exit that it will take 4 years just to untangle them.

Britney Spears makes more news than Bush.:

"When asked to name the person they had heard the most about in the news lately, 24% of the public named Obama and 23% named Clinton. In a week when he proposed a major economic stimulus plan, just 5% of Americans named George Bush as the person they had heard the most about. About twice as many (11%) named Hollywood actor Heath Ledger, who died last week."

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Culture of life my arse.

Think Progress � 1 million::

"1 million: Iraqis who have died “as a result of the conflict in their country since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, according to research conducted by one of Britain’s leading polling groups.” The survey also found that “20 percent of people had had at least one death in their household as a result of the conflict, rather than natural causes.”"

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That Man I Shot

Please help a member of Congress whose doing the right thing. Sign Rep Wexler's Impeachment petition.

Join Wexler's Call for Cheney Hearings

Because.....

Playing war has great consequences.

That Man I Shot:

"The New York Times found 121 cases in which veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan committed a killing in this country, or were charged with one, after their return from war. In many of those cases, combat trauma and the stress of deployment — along with alcohol abuse, family discord and other attendant problems — appear to have set the stage for a tragedy that was part destruction, part self-destruction.

Three-quarters of these veterans were still in the military at the time of the killing. More than half the killings involved guns, and the rest were stabbings, beatings, strangulations and bathtub drownings. Twenty-five offenders faced murder, manslaughter or homicide charges for fatal car crashes resulting from drunken, reckless or suicidal driving."

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'Bomb Auschwitz to stop the killing'. Kinda pregnant.

Bush's answer to everything. Bomb it.

Bush: US should have bombed Auschwitz:

"President Bush had tears in his eyes during an hour-long tour of Israel's Holocaust memorial Friday and told Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that the U.S. should have bombed Auschwitz to halt the killing, the memorial's chairman said."

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Mitt the Mo is going to save the south. Well, yee-freakin'-haw.

Yo, Mitt, some Yankee has been saying this to the South in some form or fashion since 1866.

Save it, OK.

Romney pledges to save southern economy :

"BLUFFTON, S.C. - Mitt Romney on Wednesday swapped talk of resurrecting the auto industry that helped him in Michigan with a pledge to pay attention to textile and other industrial job losses that have punished the South.

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The most evil industry evah. Talk about corporate welfare.

I hate insurance companies with a bloody passion.

Consumer group rips insurance industry

"WASHINGTON - U.S. insurance companies systematically overcharge customers and underpay home and auto claims to pad their already-fat bottom lines, a consumer group said Thursday.

The Consumer Federation of America's insurance director, J. Robert Hunter, said insurance companies have enjoyed robust profits and contained losses largely by 'methodically overcharging consumers, cutting back on coverage, underpaying claims and getting taxpayers to pick up some of the tab for risks the insurers should cover."

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By the time you were born there were four other siblings.....

Separated-at-birth twins get married :

"LONDON (AFP) - Twins who were separated at birth and adopted by different sets of parents later married each other without realising they were brother and sister, a peer has told the House of Lords.

David Alton, an independent, pro-life member of the Lords, said the brother and sister were granted an annulment after a high court judge ruled that the marriage had never validly existed."

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The Candy Cane Massacre

They don't call it the wild, wild West for nothing.

Tiger kills San Francisco Zoo patron, injures two others:

"(12-25) 21:12 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- One zoo visitor was mauled to death and two others severely injured when a Siberian tiger escaped from its grotto at the San Francisco Zoo early Christmas evening and went on a bloody rampage in front of terrified zoo patrons.

The tiger - the same animal that chewed a keeper's arm during an attack last December - was shot to death outside a zoo cafe by four officers who managed to distract the animal as it mauled one of its victims."

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When 'protecting our freedoms' goes horribly wrong. Who could of predicted.... who could of predicted.

Norad/Google Santa Tracker goes Horribly Wrong:

"Washington, DC (Rotters) - Children worldwide breathed a collective sigh of relief as Santa reportedly dodged an errant anti-missile strike this evening. The Department of Defense insisted that the strike was an accident due in part to NORAD's participation with Google Earth in providing a Santa Claus tracking service this year. Santa and all of his reindeer suffered a close call but were unhurt according to North Pole sources."

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A REAL hero. An amazing human being.

GI saves Iraqi boy in long-shot adoption:

"MAUSTON, Wis. - Capt. Scott Southworth knew he'd face violence, political strife and blistering heat when he was deployed to one of Baghdad's most dangerous areas. But he didn't expect Ala'a Eddeen"

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Tommy is my best buddy Shipper's boss. You can check the trip I took to Palau a couple of years ago here:

Reverse Mars, bitches!

'Drilling up' into space for energy

Tommy Remengesau Jr. is interested, too. "We'd like to look at it," said the president of the tiny western Pacific nation of Palau.

The Defense Department this October quietly issued a 75-page study conducted for its National Security Space Office concluding that space power — collection of energy by vast arrays of solar panels aboard mammoth satellites — offers a potential energy source for global U.S. military operations.

It could be done with today's technology, experts say. But the prohibitive cost of lifting thousands of tons of equipment into space makes it uneconomical.

That's where Palau, a scattering of islands and 20,000 islanders, comes in.

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Yes, is it?

Is camouflage bacon really necessary? :

"While shopping at a local grocery store earlier this week, I was taken aback by something I found in the meat counter - bacon in a camouflage package."

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We're # 12!

Travel day today. Here's to hoping that the skies are friendly today.

Slobberbone fan Stephen King keepin' it real:

Q&A: Talking with Stephen King - TIME:

"I mean, I know people who can tell you who won the last four seasons on American Idol and they don't know who their f------ Representatives are."

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Riiiiiiight. OK.

Rove: "Congress Pushed Bush to War in Iraq Prematurely"

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One Meal-ee-on Dollars.

This guy is a Super Genius.

Ga. man tries to deposit fake $1M bill:

"AIKEN, S.C. - A bank teller in Clearwater had a million reasons not to open an account for an Augusta, Ga., man Monday, authorities said. Alexander D. Smith, 31, was charged with disorderly conduct and two counts of forgery after he walked into the bank and tried to open an account by depositing a fake $1 million bill, said Aiken County Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Michael Frank."

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We're # 12! We're #12! We're #12!

Iceland best place to live, Africa worst: U.N.

"BRASILIA (Reuters) - Iceland has overtaken Norway as the world's most desirable country to live in, according to an annual U.N. table published on Tuesday that again puts AIDS-afflicted sub-Saharan African states at the bottom.

Rich free-market countries dominate the top places, with Iceland, Norway, Australia, Canada and Ireland the first five but the United States slipping to 12th place from eighth last year in the U.N. Human Development Index."

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The Roof is Literally on Fire

Wouldn't it save tax payer money to let nature take its course?

Republican's spare no expense when it comes to offing people.

The Raw Story | Alabama pushes to kill inmate before cancer does:

"Even though most US executions have been postponed due to a debate about lethal injection, the state of Alabama intends to execute Daniel Siebert on Thursday because of concerns that pancreatic cancer might kill him first."

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Fear news network.

I'll be driving through the fires tomorrow. Wish me luck. Hopefully I can get some good pictures.

Ill-informed Fox anchors spread fears of al Qaeda link to California fires:

"Questionable 4-year-old FBI memo presented as new to stoke terror fears Did al Qaeda start the California wildfires? As more than a million people escaped the flames, Fox News anchors couldn't help speculating about a terrorism link to the blazes ravaging southern California. 'I've heard some people talk about this a little bit to me, but have you heard anybody suggest that this could be some form of terrorism,' Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy asked Wednesday morning. Correspondent Adam Housley said he's received 'hundreds of comments' from readers of his Fox News blog speculating about a link to terrorism."

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Self imposed terrorism.

CA Guard Warned Of ‘Less Effective Response’ To Fires Due To Equipment Shortages Caused By Iraq:

"The San Francisco Chronicle reported last May that the California National Guard had been depleted and warned that severe “equipment shortages could hinder the guard’s response to a large-scale disaster,” such as a “major fire”: In California, half of the equipment the National Guard needs is not in the state, either because it is deployed in Iraq or other parts of the world or because it hasn’t been funded, according to Lt. Col. John Siepmann. While the Guard is in good shape to handle small-scale incidents, “our concern is a catastrophic event,” he said. “You would see a less effective response (to a major incident),” he said. At a press conference five months ago, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) echoed these concerns, stating, “A lot of equipment has gone to Iraq, and it doesn’t come back when the troops come back.” The Chronicle reported that the California National Guard was missing about $1 billion worth of equipment."

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I love the Japanese.

Cell Phone Message Warns Train Gropers:

"Did you just grope me? Shall we head to the police? That's the message women are flashing on their cell phones with a popular program designed to ward off wandering hands in Japan's congested commuter trains."

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Flying Monkey Love

Take Action: Tell Congress to Dump Rush

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More Republican douchebaggery.

Can't they even do a little background work before they start lying? What's the point if you're lying, right?

Daily Kos: ME-Sen: Ooops

GOP press release this morning:

October 2, 2007

"Congressman Tom Allen missed each of the three votes the House of Representatives held yesterday, bringing his missed votes total to 132. He also missed three days of votes for a fundraising [sic] trip to California two weeks ago. Over the last three weeks the House has only held votes on ten days -- Congressman Allen has missed four of those days completely, for a total of 22 votes.

"Maine Republican Party Chairman Mark Ellis said, "Congressman Allen really seems to have lost interest in showing up to work. At the very least, he should tell his constituents why he is choosing to leave them unrepresented in Congress less than a year after he was reelected. For these and the many other days that Tom has skipped votes, Mainers deserve to know the answer to the question: Where was Tom?"

Yeah, where was he? The Maine GOP actually tells us in a subsequent press release:

"October 2, 2007

"It has come to our attention that Congressman Tom Allen was in Bangor on Monday attending the funeral of a family member. Without question, the most difficult times in our lives are those in which we grieve the loss of family or friends. Our thoughts are with Congressman Allen and his family during this difficult time," said Maine Republican Party Chairman Mark Ellis."

Nice crocodile tears. And for the record, Allen's voting record is a stellar 98 percent.

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Republicans are in the process of creating a bill that would ban monkey/pigeon unions.

The abandoned monkey who has found love with a pigeon:

"They're an odd couple in every sense but a monkey and a pigeon have become inseparable at an animal sanctuary in China. The 12-week-old macaque - who was abandoned by his mother - was close to death when it was rescued on Neilingding Island, in Goangdong Province. After being taken to an animal hospital his health began to improve but he seemed spiritless - until he developed a friendship with a white pigeon."

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Can I get a frickin' amen!

The fall of the Godmongers / Praise Jesus, it's the collapse of evangelical Christian rule in America. Rejoice!:

Do you know this clenched and panicky group? Of course you do. They're the throngs of megachurch lemmings Karl Rove masterfully manipulated and rallied and whored to Bush's very narrow advantage in two elections."
.......
"And why? Because the fundamentalist mind-set is not so much a firm and rational set of beliefs based on thoughtful interpretation of strict Biblical screed as it is, well, a paranoid wallowing in fear. Fear of the Other, fear of change, of progress, of the new and different and young and the sexual and the truly spiritual. And as we all know from almost seven years of Bush, fear knows no reason. It knows no stability. Fear is simply insatiable, voracious, and about as un-Godlike as Jesus with a machine gun."

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They All Betray-Us

Officers of the Armed Forces are fair game for criticism. They aren't on the front lines getting shot at or torn apart by IEDs.

MoveOn was completely justified in its ad criticizing Betrayus b/c he's a damn lying shill for the White House and it was a GD debacle how the Republicans took the important time out of Congress to debate some stupid effing bill to shake a finger at them and for damn too many Democrats to vote for that finger shake. All involved should be ashamed. 1st freakin' amendment.

So now we've got to waste time again to make a point at the hypocrisy. FAUX news said this about the generals last week. Again, fair game and nothing wrong with it... except for the hypocrisy part.

Glenn Greenwald - Political Blogs and Opinions:

"As we learned from both our Senate and House last week, in the United States we must never 'attack the honor and integrity . . . of members of the United States Armed Forces.' All good patriots from both parties agree on this. That is why I was so shocked and outraged -- and more than a little upset -- when I went to FoxNews.com this morning and saw this: "

Our generals are betraying our soldiers . . . again.

This, however, is completely indefensible and the Pill-Popper should never work again.

Army of Dude: The Real Deal:

Blue Girl directed me to a very interesting story about Rush Limbaugh, who called veterans opposed to the war phony soldiers. Of course, this is the same Rush Limbaugh who threw a fit about the Moveon.org Petraeus ad, calling it 'contemptible' and 'indecent.' Apparently anyone in the military is above criticism as long as they agree with Rush's brave belief that we should be in Iraq 'as long as it takes.' And I use the term 'we' loosely, as I believe the closest Rush has ever gotten to combat was watching We Were Soldiers with surround sound."

.......

This is Chevy in Baghdad. Brian Chevalier was going to reenlist but decided against it before he was killed on March 14 during our first mission in Baqubah. His phony life was celebrated in a phony memorial where everyone who knew him cried phony tears. A phony American flag draped over his phony coffin when his body came home. It was presented to his phony mother and phony daughter.

I would be in awe if I ever met a real life soldier, and not a phony one like Bill, Matt or Brian Chevalier. Thank you, Rush Limbaugh, for telling me the difference. I hope your ass is ok.

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Damn, I already need a drink....

Ain't a matter of 'letting' its a matter of 'tryin' to stop 'em' where I come from...

Author: Letting kids drink early reduces binging

Rare Scotch whisky tops world record auction price:

"LONDON (AFP) - A 157-year-old whisky was sold for more than 29,000 pounds (41,500 euros/59,200 dollars) Friday, setting what is thought to be a world record auction price for a bottle of Scotch. ADVERTISEMENT The Bowmore single malt, which was bottled in 1850, was sold at McTear's auctioneers in Glasgow for 29,400 pounds to an anonymous telephone bidder, beating the distillery itself"

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Fightin' Giraffes

YES! A big fat asterisk for a steriod fat asshole.

Sometimes there is justice in the world.

Hank Aaron remains the all-time home run king.

Bonds ball going to Cooperstown-with asterisk:

"(09-26) 07:20 PDT NEW YORK -- Barry Bonds' record-breaking home-run ball will be sent to the baseball Hall of Fame with an asterisk, the New York fashion designer who won the famed orb said today, citing an online vote that drew more than 10 million votes. Some 47 percent of those voting believe the ball should be permanently branded to acknowledge the public's suspicion that he used steroids, said Mark Ecko, who had set up a Web site for fans to vote on the ball's fate. About 34 percent had wanted it sent to the Hall of Fame directly while 19 percent wanted it banished forever by blasting it into space."

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Since I started with some San Francisco related news I thought I'd share some pics I snapped during a bike yesterday after work. We've had ridiculously beautiful weather of late.'

Golden Gate Bridge - Marin Headlands. Just beyond those first hills is the Tennessee Valley.

Watching the ships roll out.

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Winning hearts and minds by treating them like wild turkey shoot?!?

U.S. snipers accused of 'baiting' Iraqis

WASHINGTON - Army snipers hunting insurgents in Iraq were under orders to "bait" their targets with suspicious materials, such as detonation cords, and then kill whoever picked up the items, according to the defense attorney for a soldier accused of planting evidence on an Iraqi he killed. Gary Myers, an attorney for Sgt. Evan Vela, said his client had acted "pursuant to orders."

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Caught a big hawk just chillin' in a tree. Probably full of pigeon and rat. Umm-mmm.

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Sigh. Stupid, stupid mfer.

Bush Defends No Child Left Behind: "Childrens Do Learn":

"'The No Child Left Behind Act is working,' Bush said with first lady Laura Bush, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (I) and School Chancellor Joel Klein at his side. 'I say that because the nation's report card says it's working. Scores are improving, in some instances hitting all-time highs.' ad_icon A few moments later, he added, 'As yesterday's positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured.' The official White House transcript later corrected the statement to 'children.'"

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Immigrant point. Yes, we honor our immigrants here.

Purty view of my neighborhood.

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When giraffes attack. Man, this is pretty brutal. I've never seen anything like this on Discovery.

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Alcatraz and the Palace of Fine Arts

Smokin' Legs

These are the Republican nutjobs that O'Lielly, Pill-popper Lush and the rest of the propaganda machine incite to violence with their BS. Shite like this boils my blood.

Consider me a violent progressive/liberal. Any f'ing conservative meat head that would rather use his fists than his mouth, look me up. I'll be happy to stomp your ass. Unfortunately it is the only thing you understand.

POSs plain and simple. Scum of the f'ing earth.

Check out the pictures, too.

The People Who Assaulted a Gold Star Father on September 15th:

"Carlos Arredondo, 47 year old father of two sons, arrived in the nation's capitol on Monday, 09/10/07 to share a memorial he has made to honor for his eldest son, Alex.

Carlos has visited thirty of the United States with the traveling memorial to his son Alexander. Lcpl. Alexander S. Arredondo, USMC was killed on 08/25/04. He was 20 years and 20 days old. The memorial consists of a casket, poster- size photographs of Alex when he graduated from boot camp, before his second tour in Iraq, lying in state at his wake, and a photo of Alex with his younger brother Brian. Saturday, September 15, 2007 consisted of first a rally, a march towards the capitol and then a die-in.

Carlos pulled the memorial along the march route approaching the rotunda near the capitol building. Several of the marchers requested for him to speak about the memorial where a crowd gathered around him. After finishing, several people walked with Carlos as he pulled the memorial. Several pictures of Alex dressed in his blues were attached to the display. As Carlos passed counter protesters, one man ripped a picture of Alex from the memorial. Carlos leaped on the man to retrieve the picture. It was at that point that approximately five others all began to attack Carlos by kicking him in the head, legs, stomach and back."

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When good journalist sell their souls.

When traditional media is broken....

Never, ever has this story been discredited. Never. Ever.

DAN RATHER: TASED AND CONFUSED Greg Palast

In September 2004 when Rather cowered, Bush was riding high in the polls. Now, with Bush’s approval ratings are below smallpox, Rather has come out of hiding to shoot at the lame duck. Thanks, Dan.

It began on September 8, 2004, when Rather, on CBS, ran a story that Daddy Bush Senior had, in 1968, put in the fix to get his baby George out of the Vietnam War and into the Texas Air National Guard. Little George then rode out the war defending Houston from Viet Cong attack.

The story is stone-cold solid. I know, because we ran it on BBC Television a year before CBS (see that broadcast here). BBC has never retracted a word of it.

But CBS caved. So did Dan.

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When traditional media works like it is suppose to.... exposing hypocrisy.

David Shuster should have his own show.

Blackburn tries to filibuster but Shuster ain't letting it happen.

"When has a newspaper ad ever killed anyone".

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Nuh, uh. We retain Jeebuseseses's's Survival Instincts.... wait... don't think Jeebus was all that good at survival..... nevermind.

Modern Humans Retain Caveman's Survival Instincts:

"Like hunter-gatherers in the jungle, modern humans are still experts at spotting predators and prey, despite the developed world's safe suburbs and indoor lifestyle, a new study suggests.

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Use hickory wood and a sweet sauce for the tastiest legs.

Best part is the owner of the leg is coming to reclaim it.

Man Buys Smoker, Finds Human Leg Inside:

"A man who bought a smoker Tuesday at an auction of abandoned items might have thought twice had he looked inside first."

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