In the News: Jul-30

The Ridiculous LexisNexis Search that the Justice Department Used - July 30, 2008 11:05:00 AM - The politicization of Bush's Justice Department, which this week was officially determined to be illegal, has a funny side too. Sometime in 2005-2006, White House Liaison Jan Williams attended a seminar on LexisNexis searches, and wrote one herself. When she left, she passed it on to her successor Monica Goodling in an email. Justin Mason, author of SpamAssassin, is skeptical about its accuracy: [First name of a candidate]! and pre/2 [last name of a candidate] w/7 bush or gore or republican! or democrat! or charg! or accus! or criticiz! or blam! or defend! or iran contra or clinton or spotted owl or florida recount or sex! or controvers! or racis! or fraud! or investigat! or bankrupt! or layoff! or downsiz! or PNTR or NAFTA or outsourc! or indict! or enron or kerry or iraq or wmd! or arrest! or intox! or fired or sex! or racis! or intox! or slur! or arrest! or fired or controvers! or abortion! or gay! or homosexual! or gun! or firearm! Needless to say, when asked about it, Williams first said she didn't remember ever seeing it, then said she'd used an edited version just once. LexisNexis records show she used it, as shown, 25 times. Note that 'sex!' appears twice in the query. Must be VERY important.

U.S. combat deaths in Iraq plunge in July - 30 Jul 2008 at 2:26pm - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The number of U.S. soldiers killed in combat in Iraq has dropped sharply in July and the monthly total is likely to be the lowest since the U.S.-led invasion of the country in 2003.

CIA cites Pakistan spy agency's ties to militants - 30 Jul 2008 at 2:22pm - WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration suspects rogue elements in Pakistan's spy agency are helping militants stage attacks from the tribal region bordering Afghanistan, a U.S. counterterrorism official said Wednesday.

Minn. officers involved in botched raid get medals - 30 Jul 2008 at 1:27pm - MINNEAPOLIS -- Eight police officers who raided an innocent family's house last year, trading fire with the terrified husband, have received medals.

Israel's Olmert to announce he's leaving office: TV - 30 Jul 2008 at 1:05pm - JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will announce on Wednesday that he will leave office in two months, Israel's Channel Two television reported.

How Successful Was The Surge? - 30 Jul 2008 at 1:00pm - The troop surge of 2007 was extremely controversial. Now that it's over, questions remain about how successful the tactic was.

GOP blocks action on tax, renewable energy package - 30 Jul 2008 at 12:20pm - WASHINGTON -- For the fourth time this summer Republicans stopped the Senate from taking up wide-ranging legislation that extends tax breaks for teachers, businesses and parents and provides tax credits to an array of renewable energy entrepreneurs.

Arctic sheds huge chunks of ice - 30 Jul 2008 at 11:45am - MONTREAL (AFP) - Two masses of ice together measuring almost 20 square kilometers (seven square miles) have broken off an Arctic ice shelf, the biggest breakup of Arctic ice in three years, Canadian officials announced.

House panel votes to cite Rove for contempt - 30 Jul 2008 at 11:17am - WASHINGTON -- A House panel Wednesday voted to cite former top White House aide Karl Rove for contempt of Congress as its Senate counterpart publicly pursued possible punishments for an array of alleged past and present Bush administration misdeeds.

Judge says EPA ignored law, failed to protect Everglades - 30 Jul 2008 at 9:01am - A federal judge struck down key parts of a controversial state Everglades cleanup law Tuesday and slapped the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for failing to enforce the federal Clean Water Act.

China to censor Internet during Games: organisers - 30 Jul 2008 at 8:54am - BEIJING (AFP) - The Beijing Olympics were plunged into another controversy on Wednesday as China announced a backflip on Internet freedoms for the thousands of foreign reporters covering the Games.

Gitmo war crimes judge penalizes prosecutors - 29 Jul 2008 at 4:21pm - A military judge penalized U.S. prosecutors Tuesday by blocking their use of a May 2003 interrogation as they finished presenting ...

Thought for the day:
Not to know is bad. Not to wish to know is worse. -African Proverb