julst like the helmet law

which there isn't one in iowa, cellphone talkers are just as impaired as drunk drivers, and we all know how drunk drivers are treated.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People who talk on cellphones while driving, even using "hands-free" devices, are as impaired as drunk drivers, researchers said on Thursday.

--source

how many more horrific tales must we hear

coming out of iraq regarding our soldiers. it seems that the armed forces lowered the threshold of quality when these men went to enlist. that's what it is. all these stories about our soldiers raping and killing innocent women and children are the direct result of not filtering out the bad seed during enlistment.

BEIJI, Iraq - Five U.S. Army soldiers are being investigated for allegedly raping a young woman, then killing her and three members of her family in Iraq, a U.S. military official told The Associated Press on Friday.

The soldiers also allegedly burned the body of the woman they are accused of assaulting in the March incident, the official said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.

The case represents the latest allegations against U.S. soldiers stemming from the deaths of Iraqis. At least 14 U.S. troops have been convicted.

--full story

Letter of the Day

I heard on the news in Iowa last winter we had thousands of Iowans who had their utilities cut because they couldn't pay their heating bill. But what are Republicans worried about? Flag-burning.

How many thousands of Iowans do you know who have burned the flag? If Iowans burned the flag, it was because they tried to get some heat last winter. Are Republicans out of touch?
- D. A. Benda, Toledo.

attribution

Quote of the Day

"Are we supposed to just sit back and take it?"
--Dam Bartlett in response to the White House attacking the media for leaks made by SAO.

attribution

what a laff.

do you know which colony is a "monkey coloney"?

To Abramoff, African Client was "Monkey Coloney" Jack Abramoff was a devout and observant Jew, we're told. But his religiosity slipped at times -- especially when talking about the clients he considered his marks.

For instance, the tiny African nation of Gabon -- whom Abramoff tried to swindle for $9 million in exchange for setting up a meeting with President Bush -- he referred to as "a monkey coloney [sic]."

We already knew his pet name for some Native American tribes ("troglodytes"), although apparently his nefarious sidekick, Michael Scanlon, didn't know what the word meant. “What am I, a dictionary? :) It’s a lower form of existence, basically,” Abramoff e-mailed Scanlon. Just to be clear, Jack added that the indians were "morons." (Roll Call)

--more muck HERE

jack was king in republican circles. i'm not exactly sure where he stands in democratic circles.

toda's MUST READ of the day

Transvestite gang pesters Magazine Street

--read the rest

bush: i am above the law

WASHINGTON - Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) thought he had a deal when
President Bush, faced with a veto-proof margin in Congress, agreed to sign a bill banning the torture of detainees. Not quite. While Bush signed the new law, he also quietly approved another document: a signing statement reserving his right to ignore the law. McCain was furious, and so were other lawmakers.
...
Rather than give Congress the opportunity to override a veto with a two-thirds majority in each house, he has issued hundreds of signing statements invoking his right to interpret the law on everything from whistleblower protections to how Congress oversees the USA Patriot Act.

--story

saddam would be proud

One of the actions undertaken by the Americans and Iraqis was the expulsion of about 50 Iraqis from a three-block area where the new outpost was being set up. The Iraqi civilians were told to gather their things and go—where to was not clear.

--story

counter to the repuke talking points

Bush and Rove's campaign themes include:

Tax cuts: Make them permanent and prosperity will follow.

Seal the border: A guest worker program isn't amnesty.

Medicare: Democrats talk about it; the GOP reformed it.

Energy: It's time to just say no to Mideast oil.

God and family: Increase faith-based programs and confirm conservative judges who promote family values.

Blame the media: They hate us anyway, and now their leaks are damaging national security.
--story

and the way to counter that? from klook:

Tax cuts: Make them fair and prosperity will follow. Tax cuts that favor the mega-wealthy don't help middle-class families.

Seal the border: Our ports are not secure, thanks to Dubai Dubya.

Medicare: Democrats saved it; the GOP is trying to destroy it.

Energy: It's time to just say no to Mideast oil. So let's actively support alternative energy sources, let's mandate that vehicles consume less fuel, and let's stop buddying-up to oil sheikhs (photo of Bush holding hands with one of his turbaned petro-sweeties).

God and family: Let's honor the vision of the founders and keep government from meddling in church and family matters.

Blame the media: They hate us anyway, and now their lack of oversight is damaging national security.

And on the "cut and run" meme - most Americans can understand the concept of "good money after bad." At this point, it's clear that the invasion of Iraq was a huge mistake. To continue slogging it out in a baseless, unproductive, expensive war is to throw good money (American lives, military resources, etc.) after bad. Never forget: The majority of American voters are with the Democrats on Iraq.

i say HELL yeah, BRING IT ON!

betcha didn't know THIS:

There is a lot of touching detail about the relationship between Buffett, 75, and Gates, 50. The NYT says the two "have become extremely close business associates and confidants since they met in 1991," traveling together, advising one another, and "regularly playing online bridge games."

warren buffett gives his fortune away

i didn't believe it either until i read the story:

FORTUNE EXCLUSIVE: The world's second richest man - who's now worth $44 billion - tells editor-at-large Carol Loomis he will start giving away 85% of his wealth in July - most of it to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
--more

sounds like moi

i should have made this Quote of the Day:

There are two ways to fight a battle like ours. One is to whisper in the ear of the masses, try subtlely and gradually to change the gender expectations and mythic structures of our culture. That's me. The other is to step up and confront the thousands of atrocities that are taking place around the world on an immediate, one-by-one basis. That's a great deal harder, and that's Equality Now. It's not about politics; it's about basic human decency.

speaking of Q's that have faded away

what happened to Q television network? all their webs are down and mail bounces. they had a good thing going, didn't they? i just got this PR on june 17th. if anybody knows what happened here, please, drop me a line.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Network adds to its line up of Hollywood Stars and National Leaders

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - June 13, 2005 -- QTELEVISION NETWORK, the television network for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community, announced today that it has signed Cheryl Jacques on as special political commentator of the weekly "Political IQ" segment of "On "Q Live" as well as a special guest host for other events.

"We are absolutely thrilled to have Cheryl join our team. She is a true professional and national leader for the GLBT community - we couldn't have asked for a better person and politician to join our network," said Frank Olsen, President and CEO of QTelevision Network. "We are always looking to add to our dynamic team, and this is a great score for us - we anticipate that Cheryl will add great value."

A national leader in the gay civil rights movement, Cheryl Jacques was the first openly gay State Senator in Massachusetts history. She served as the President of the Human Rights Campaign and successfully spearheaded the defeat of the Federal Marriage Amendment. Cheryl Jacques is a sought after national speaker on gay civil rights and politics. She appears frequently as a commentator on such shows as the CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, ABC's World News Tonight, The O'Reilly Factor, CrossFire, ABC's Good Morning America, Nightline, Fox News, CNN, NPR and many other television and radio broadcasts. Jacques is of Counsel to the Boston law firm of Brody, Hardoon, Perkins & Kesten.

"I am excited about being part of the QTelevision team and having the opportunity to speak to the GLBT community about the impact politics has on their lives" said Jacques. "QTelevision is a dynamic network that offers a variety of educational and informative programming."

QTelevision Network is unique in that it was built by and for the gay community. The company offers a channel that will unite gay and lesbian audiences through a network that educates, entertains and informs. The network is currently traveling across the country to present live, national coverage of gay pride celebrations during the entire month of June.

About QTelevision Network: This television network was organized to create and develop a network devoted to providing television programming for the gay and lesbian community. While the company expects much of its subscriber base to be comprised of members of the gay and lesbian population, management also believes that quality programming about the gay and lesbian experience, designed to entertain, educate and inform, will attract many other segments of the viewing public. The company's programming will be available on a subscription basis to those desiring its programming. The network will broadcast 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Providing distribution via satellite ensures availability of the network across the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. QTelevision Network is the Network for the Gay Games VII. For further information on programming and subscriptions, please visitwww.qtelevision.com.

Press Release Information Source: QTelevision Network

say it again, sam

from today's papers:

"In the general's briefing, the future American role in Iraq is divided into three phases. The next 12 months was described as a period of stabilization."—Today's NYT.

"The president said that we have moved from a period of major military conflict to a period of stabilization."—Donald Rumsfeld, press conference, May 2, 2003.

the report on indian gaming interests

and how money influenced lawmakers' actions. iow, a briefing on how corrupt our government has become. it can be seen HERE.

FARPOINT.FACTOID

the number of civilians who have lost their lives in iraq since our invasion: 50,000... 20,000 higher than the administration admits to. that puts george bush ahead of saddam in how many people's blood is on his hands.

Letter Of The Day

Rear Adm. Harry Harris has described the suicides of three prisoners at the U.S. facility at Guantanamo Bay as an act of "asymmetrical warfare." Harris would have us ignore the fact that these men have been held for four years without charges, contact with an attorney, contact with their families; they are subject to torture and "stress positions" with absolutely no idea if or when they will ever get out.

These were not acts of desperate men who had lost all hope, according to Harris.

Rather, they were carefully choreographed and conducted military operations intended to strike at the United States and our freedoms from their prison cells. They attacked America by killing themselves.

What a load of dung. I do not know anyone foolish enough to drink that Kool-Aid. You exemplify everything that is wrong with the U.S. military and America today.

— Larry Wohlgemuth, Vietnam-era veteran, Ankeny.

attribution