AllNewsBlog

If Union Workers Currently Are Getting Such a Great Deal...

2011-03-14T20:48:00.005-04:00

Wis. unions rush deals ahead of bargaining law - 14 Mar 2011 at 7:01pm - MADISON, Wis. -- School boards and local governments across Wisconsin are rushing to reach agreements with unions before a new law takes effect and erases their ability to collectively bargain over nearly all issues other than minimal salary increases.

... -- as the tea-partiers & other anti-union types seem to believe -- why would school boards & local governments be rushing to reach agreements with them before the new law takes effect?

In the News: Dec-02

2009-12-02T15:17:00.000-05:00

N.Y. lawmakers set for final vote on gay marriage - 2 Dec 2009 at 2:47pm - The outcome of the vote, which could send the bill to Gov. David Paterson's desk for his signature, remains in doubt.

U.S. approves first "ethical" human stem cell lines - 2 Dec 2009 at 1:48pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government approved the first 13 batches of human embryonic stem cells on Wednesday, enabling researchers using them to get millions of dollars in federal funding as promised by President Barack Obama in March.

Big developing states reject Copenhagen climate plan - 2 Dec 2009 at 1:42pm - NEW DELHI/LONDON (Reuters) - China and other big developing nations rejected core targets for a climate deal such as halving world greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 just five days before talks start in Copenhagen, diplomats said on Wednesday.

Blackwater founder Prince feels thrown under bus - 2 Dec 2009 at 12:42pm - RALEIGH, N.C. -- The man who built Blackwater USA into one of the world's most respected and reviled defense contractors feels that he was thrown under the bus after serving the nation's security interests for years.

Thought for the day:
You can lead a man to Congress, but you can't make him think. -Milton Berle (1908 - 2002)

In the News: Nov-30

2009-11-30T15:22:00.000-05:00

Obama sets new Afghan strategy - 30 Nov 2009 at 2:58pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Monday was prepared to announce he will deploy about 30,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan as part of a new strategy that will stress a U.S. intention to ultimately exit the country.

Sarkozy: French troops to stay in Afghanistan - 30 Nov 2009 at 2:25pm - President Nicolas Sarkozy said Monday that French troops will stay in Afghanistan "as long as necessary" to stabilize the country.

Obama gives order to begin new Afghan strategy - 30 Nov 2009 at 1:32pm - U.S. President Barack Obama ordered military officials to begin carrying out his new strategy in Afghanistan, two days before his speech to unveil a plan that includes the deployment of thousands of more troops.

Supreme Court rules to keep detainee abuse photos secret - 30 Nov 2009 at 1:28pm - WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court did all it could Monday to lock up forever some incendiary photos that show U.S. soldiers abusing foreign prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan.

U.K. to confirm 500 more troops heading to Afghanistan - 30 Nov 2009 at 12:42pm - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's office says he will confirm that 500 extra U.K. troops are heading to Afghanistan.

0.1% GDP growth signals recession's end - 30 Nov 2009 at 9:34am - The Canadian economy expanded 0.1 per cent in the third quarter, the first quarterly gain since the third quarter of 2008.

Thought for the day:
To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short. -Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC)

In the News: Nov-02

2009-11-02T15:24:00.001-05:00

Congress extends benefits to military spouses - 2 Nov 2009 at 3:02pm - WASHINGTON -- Congress is sending to the president a bill that allows military spouses to claim residency in the same state as their wives or husbands.

Court rejects Pa. buffer law on abortion clinics - 2 Nov 2009 at 1:34pm - PITTSBURGH -- A federal appeals court has struck down an ordinance that created two types of buffer zones around medical facilities after a Christian legal group challenged the law on behalf of a nurse who protests abortions.

U.S. court denies Maher Arar's appeal - 2 Nov 2009 at 12:39pm - A U.S. court of appeal on Monday denied Syrian-born Canadian Maher Arar the right to sue the United States over his deportation to Syria, where he was tortured.

Karzai wins as Afghan run-off cancelled - 2 Nov 2009 at 7:53am - Afghan President Hamid Karzai was declared the victor of the war-torn country's presidential election as the election commission cancelled a run-off vote after his opponent withdrew.

Diplomat: US engaged in 'civil war' in Afghanistan - 2 Nov 2009 at 7:25am - WASHINGTON -- A Foreign Service officer who resigned in protest over U.S. policy in Afghanistan says America shouldn't be bogged down in "a civil war" in South Asia.

Cheney FBI interview: 72 instances of can't recall - 2 Nov 2009 at 6:34am - WASHINGTON -- Federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald famously declared in the Valerie Plame affair that "there is a cloud over the vice president." Last week's release of an FBI interview summary of Dick Cheney's answers in the criminal investigation underscores why Fitzgerald felt that way.

Thought for the day:
When a man says he approves of something in principle, it means he hasn't the slightest intention of putting it into practice. -Otto von Bismarck (1815 - 1898)

In the News: Oct-30

2009-10-30T15:17:00.000-04:00

Obama lifts U.S. entry ban for those with HIV - 30 Oct 2009 at 1:44pm - President Obama said Friday the U.S. will overturn a 20-year-old U.S. travel ban against people with HIV early next year.

Ottawa's Omar Khadr legal costs top $1.3M: report - 30 Oct 2009 at 2:21pm - The Canadian government has spent more than $1.3 million in its legal fight against Omar Khadr, according to a published report Friday.

White House backs Clinton's Pakistan remarks - 30 Oct 2009 at 1:18pm - WASHINGTON -- The White House is standing behind Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's blunt suggestion that Pakistani officials know where top terrorists are hiding.

Intelligence spending rises again to $49.8 billion - 30 Oct 2009 at 11:15am - WASHINGTON -- U.S. spy agencies spent $49.8 billion in fiscal year 2009, $2 billion more than in 2008 and the second such multibillion-dollar increase in as many years.

Thought for the day:
Idealism is fine, but as it approaches reality the cost becomes prohibitive. -William F. Buckley Jr.

In the News: Oct-29

2009-10-29T15:20:00.000-04:00

Feds: Chinese drywall reports still inconclusive - 29 Oct 2009 at 2:41pm - WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Federal studies released Thursday cannot yet definitively link imported Chinese drywall to health problems or corrosion of pipes and wires that thousands of U.S. homeowners have been reporting for nearly a year.

House unveils $894 billion healthcare bill - 29 Oct 2009 at 2:36pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives unveiled a broad healthcare overhaul on Thursday that would transform the insurance market, create a government-run insurance plan and levy new taxes on the rich.

Obama restores private intel board's key power - 29 Oct 2009 at 11:59am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama has restored an independent intelligence advisory board's authority to tell the attorney general if it thinks an intelligence agency has broken the law.

Recession unofficially ends as economy grows 3.5 percent - 29 Oct 2009 at 9:22am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy grew in the third quarter for the first time in a year, beating market expectations, as consumer spending and new home-building rebounded, signaling the end of the worst recession in 70 years.

U.N. condemns Cuba embargo by U.S. - 29 Oct 2009 at 7:59am - The United States found itself up against virtually the entire world Wednesday as country after country at the United Nations denounced the nearly 50-year-old trade embargo against Cuba, which the island government says is as strong as ever under President Barack Obama.

Iran wants big changes to draft atom deal with powers - 29 Oct 2009 at 7:22am - TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran will seek major revisions to a U.N.-draft nuclear fuel deal, including shipping abroad its low-enriched uranium (LEU) in stages rather than all at once, a pro-government newspaper reported on Thursday.

Obama considering scaled-down Afghan war plan - 29 Oct 2009 at 6:47am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is considering a scaled-down version of the war plan advanced by his top Afghanistan commander, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, U.S. officials say.

Thought for the day:
An economist is an expert who will know tommorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn't happen today. -Laurence J. Peter (1919 - 1988)

In the News: Oct-28

2009-10-28T15:19:00.001-04:00

House Democrats prepare to unveil health bill - 28 Oct 2009 at 1:56pm - House Democrats have all but finalized a sweeping health care bill that would reshape the medical system, requiring nearly everyone to purchase coverage and creating a new government insurance plan for the middle class.

New home sales drop, durable goods orders up - 28 Oct 2009 at 2:03pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sales of new U.S. homes unexpectedly tumbled in September, their first drop in six months, underscoring the hazards to an economic recovery even as businesses appeared to be stepping up investment.

Military suicides rise in 2008 - 28 Oct 2009 at 8:49am - More Canadian soldiers killed themselves in 2008 than the year before, but the overall suicide rate has remained steady throughout the war in Afghanistan, says a military study.

Thought for the day:
Now and then an innocent man is sent to the legislature. -Kin Hubbard (1868 - 1930)

In the News: Oct-27

2009-10-27T15:22:00.000-04:00

Cuomo sets healthcare reimbursement reform - 27 Oct 2009 at 12:38pm - NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday the creation of a nationwide database to help set health care reimbursement rates, benefiting patients who use doctors outside their insurers' networks and capping an industrywide probe.

Eight U.S. troops killed in Afghan bomb attacks - 27 Oct 2009 at 10:28am - KABUL (Reuters) - Eight U.S. service members working for the NATO-led force and one Afghan civilian were killed in multiple bomb attacks in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, the alliance said in a statement.

Thought for the day:
Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but, unlike charity, it should end there. -Clare Booth Luce (1903 - 1987)

In the News: Oct-26

2009-10-26T15:20:00.001-04:00

Gates: injured troops face too much bureaucracy - 26 Oct 2009 at 2:18pm - WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday that troops injured in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to face too many bureaucratic hurdles.

Report: FBI not reviewing all of its evidence - 26 Oct 2009 at 1:42pm - WASHINGTON -- An inspector general has found the FBI is still not reviewing reams of evidence collected in counterterrorism cases, and still needs more translators.

Kerry: US can't narrow Afghanistan mission - 26 Oct 2009 at 1:14pm - WASHINGTON -- Sen. John Kerry warns that a major U.S. troop pullout could trigger civil war in Afghanistan, adding that a small-scale counterterror campaign is not an alternative to the broader military campaign under way.

3 DEA agents killed in Afghan crash - 26 Oct 2009 at 10:44am - WASHINGTON -- A U.S. official says three Drug Enforcement Administration agents were killed Monday when a U.S. military helicopter went down in the west of Afghanistan.

Thought for the day:
The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that's the essence of inhumanity. -George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

In the News: Oct-15

2009-10-15T15:17:00.000-04:00

Republicans fail to block transfer of detainees - 15 Oct 2009 at 1:36pm - WASHINGTON -- Republicans in the House have lost a bid to block the transfer of any detainees held at the Guantanamo Bay prison to the United States.

Arctic to be ice-free in summer in 20 years: scientist - 15 Oct 2009 at 8:52am - LONDON (Reuters) - Global warming will leave the Arctic Ocean ice-free during the summer within 20 years, raising sea levels and harming wildlife such as seals and polar bears, a leading British polar scientist said on Thursday.

Khadr's family ties to al-Qaeda worry U.S.: UN official - 15 Oct 2009 at 7:30am - A top UN official says the United States is leery of freeing Canadian Omar Khadr from Guantanamo Bay for fear he will return to al-Qaeda once he is released.

Thought for the day:
If you can't bite, don't show your teeth. -Yiddish Proverb

In the News: Oct-14

2009-10-14T15:20:00.001-04:00

VA to ease way for vets to get stress disability - 14 Oct 2009 at 2:34pm - WASHINGTON -- Female soldiers and others serving in dangerous roles behind the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan have long complained it was hard to prove their combat experience when applying for disability for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Math tests: Fourth-grader progress stalls - 14 Oct 2009 at 12:11pm - WASHINGTON -- After two decades of slow and steady progress in math, U.S. fourth-graders made no improvement over 2007, according to nationwide test scores released Wednesday.

Afghan mission chief wants more U.S. troops - 14 Oct 2009 at 11:45am - The top military commander in Afghanistan is expected to tell U.S. President Barack Obama that up to 80,000 more troops should be deployed to the war-torn country.

Abu Ghraib appeal centers on military confusion - 14 Oct 2009 at 11:32am - WASHINGTON -- A female soldier who was photographed at Abu Ghraib prison giving a smiling "thumbs-up" beside a pyramid of naked detainees says she hopes her appeal to the military's highest court will exonerate all whose reputations were tarnished by the scandal.

Iraq puts 2004-08 death toll at over 85,000 - 14 Oct 2009 at 10:03am - Iraq says 85,694 people lost their lives in the country's violence from 2004-08, the first official report by the government on the death toll since the war began with the United States invasion.

N.B. police change stun-gun policy - 14 Oct 2009 at 8:02am - New Brunswick police forces are adopting new guidelines on using stun guns that call for officers not to aim for the chest.

Brown confirms Afghan troops boost - 14 Oct 2009 at 9:20am - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced that he will be sending 500 more troops to Afghanistan.

Thought(s) for the day:
You can only be young once. But you can always be immature. -Dave Barry (1947 - )
My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you I just signed legislation which outlaws Russia forever. The bombing begins in five minutes. -Ronald Reagan (1911 - 2004)

In the News: Oct-13

2009-10-13T15:22:00.001-04:00

Pentagon: recruiting last year was best since 1973 - 13 Oct 2009 at 2:26pm - WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon says it has just finished the best recruiting year since the all-volunteer military was established in 1973.

Palestinians souring on Obama: document - 13 Oct 2009 at 2:17pm - An internal document circulating among members of the party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says the hopes they had placed in U.S. President Barack Obama "have evaporated."

Lawyers seek order to release Kuwaiti at Guantanamo - 13 Oct 2009 at 12:15pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawyers for a Kuwaiti held at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Tuesday asked the judge who ordered him freed to force the Obama administration to release him.

NY top court to consider gay marriage benefits - 13 Oct 2009 at 6:41am - ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York's top court is set to hear arguments against providing government benefits to same sex couples married in Canada or other jurisdictions where such marriages are legal.

US wants bunker-buster fast, denies Iran is reason - 13 Oct 2009 at 6:35am - WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon is speeding up delivery of a colossal bomb designed to destroy hidden weapons bunkers buried underground and shielded by 10,000 pounds of reinforced concrete.

Thought for the day:
The danger is not that a particular class is unfit to govern. Every class is unfit to govern. -Lord Acton, Letter to Mary Gladstone, 1881

In the News: Oct-02

2009-10-02T15:19:00.000-04:00

U.S. Sept non-farm payrolls fall, jobless rate up - 2 Oct 2009 at 9:16am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. employers cut a deeper-than-expected 263,000 jobs in September, lifting the unemployment rate to 9.8 percent, according to a government report on Friday that fueled fears the weak labor market could undermine economic recovery.

Iran nuclear talks with U.S. and allies eases tension - 2 Oct 2009 at 6:13am - GENEVA (Reuters) - Talks between Iran and six major powers over Tehran's nuclear program on Thursday opened the door to improved relations as Iran agreed to allow U.N. inspectors into a newly disclosed uranium enrichment plant.

Thought for the day:
Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society. -Mark Twain (1835 - 1910))

In the News: Oct-01

2009-10-01T15:19:00.002-04:00

Iraq says Sept. civilian deaths lowest since war began - 1 Oct 2009 at 12:19pm - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The number of civilians killed in Iraq in September fell to 125, the lowest level since the 2003 U.S. invasion, according to figures from Iraq's Health Ministry released on Thursday.

Judge orders release of Cheney interview with FBI - 1 Oct 2009 at 11:37am - WASHINGTON -- A federal judge ruled Thursday that the FBI must publicly reveal much of its interview with former Vice President Dick Cheney during the investigation into who leaked the identity of a CIA operative.

Council split complicates Obama's Afghan decision - 1 Oct 2009 at 9:46am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is confronting a split among his closest advisers on Afghanistan, reflecting divisions in his own party over whether to send in thousands more U.S. troops and complicating his efforts to adopt a war policy he can sell to a public grown weary of the 8-year-old conflict.

EPA aims to cut emissions at factories, power plants - 1 Oct 2009 at 7:42am - For the first time, the federal government plans to restrict greenhouse-gas emissions from factories, power plants and other industrial facilities under a proposal revealed Wednesday. The proposed rule requires new facilities and those undergoing major maintenance to limit their greenhouse-gas emissions using the "best available" technology. That might include energy-efficiency steps or equipment under development to capture greenhouse gases and funnel them into storage.

Provide details on Taliban, Pakistan tells U.S - 1 Oct 2009 at 7:24am - ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The United States should provide information about top militants in Pakistan, a government minister said on Thursday, as Washington stepped up pressure on Islamabad to go after Taliban leaders.

At least 6 Afghan civilians die in airstrike - 1 Oct 2009 at 7:04am - An airstrike on a compound in southwestern Afghanistan killed at least six civilians, a local tribal leader said Thursday, after the U.S. military reported that ground forces were coming under fire from inside the residence and called in aircraft. Civilian deaths have been a source of friction between President Hamid Karzai and U.S. military commanders and have infuriated many ordinary Afghans, who claim international soldiers use heavy-handed tactics.

Funny headline of the day: "U.S. demands concrete steps from Iran"

Thought for the day:
The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread. -Anatole France (1844 - 1924)

In the News: Sep-30

2009-09-30T15:19:00.001-04:00

Supreme court to decide how far gun rights extend - 30 Sep 2009 at 2:43pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court revived the legal battle over gun rights in America, saying it would decide whether the constitutional right of individuals to own firearms trumped state and local laws.

U.S. economy shrinks less in second quarter - 30 Sep 2009 at 10:53am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy contracted in the second quarter at a slower pace than previously thought, while a surprise slide in manufacturing activity in the country's Midwest region in September pointed to a patchy recovery from recession.

High court to review parts of anti-terrorism law - 30 Sep 2009 at 10:13am - WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court will consider whether portions of a law that makes it a crime to provide "material support or resources" to designated terrorist groups are unconstitutional.

About 4,000 U.S. troops to leave Iraq in October - 30 Sep 2009 at 4:36am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will withdraw about 4,000 troops from Iraq by the end of October, the U.S. military commander in Iraq said in testimony prepared for a congressional hearing on Wednesday.

Thought for the day:
If we were to wake up some morning and find that everyone was the same race, creed and color, we would find some other cause for prejudice by noon. -George Aiken

In the News: Sep-29

2009-09-29T15:17:00.000-04:00

Obama considers new Afghanistan strategy - 29 Sep 2009 at 2:25pm - U.S. President Barack Obama met with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Tuesday to talk about a possible new strategy in Afghanistan amid calls for more allied troops in the warn-torn country.

Hoyer cool to repealing wiretap immunity - 29 Sep 2009 at 1:31pm - WASHINGTON -- House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer made clear Tuesday that he would be cool to a Senate proposal to take away the retroactive immunity now given to telecommunications companies that participated in warrantless wiretapping during the George W. Bush administration.

Appeals court upholds dismissal of vaccine suit - 29 Sep 2009 at 11:30am - WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court has ruled that members of the military can be required to be vaccinated against anthrax.

US gov't told it can have access to 3 Americans who have been detained in Ira... - 29 Sep 2009 at 11:00am - WASHINGTON -- U.S. gov't told it can have access to three Americans who have been detained in Iran since July.

Thought for the day:
Opinions founded on prejudice are always sustained with the greatest of violence. -Francis Jeffrey (1773 - 1850)

In the News: Sep-28

2009-09-28T15:20:00.000-04:00

Obama team clears 75 at Guantanamo for release - 28 Sep 2009 at 2:33pm - MIAMI (Reuters) - An Obama administration task force has so far cleared 75 of the remaining 223 Guantanamo prisoners for release as part of its effort to close the detention camp, a military spokesman said on Monday.

Joint Chiefs chairman seeks brain-injury limit - 28 Sep 2009 at 9:34am - U.S. servicemembers who suffer up to three mild traumatic brain injuries or concussions during a deployment — typically from roadside bombs — could be pulled out of combat for the duration of their tour, according to a policy being pushed by Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mullen has spoken out more in the last year about the risks of mild TBI caused by roadside bombs, often invoking a story of a young soldier who endured 30 blasts and is now suffering significant brain damage.

U.S. commander offers troop options for Afghanistan - 28 Sep 2009 at 3:47am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan planned to offer options for policymakers to try to stem Taliban gains, including sending up to 30,000 to 40,000 additional combat troops and trainers, according to defense and congressional officials.

Again -- McChrystal has said that without more troops, NATO forces will likely fail in Afghanistan. First, and most important, what is his operating definition of "success"? Also, if he cannot get more troops, what is his estimate of the probability of success: 40%? 20%? If he does get the 40,000 troops he's requesting, what will be his estimate: 90%? 45%? 20%? There will have to be more to this decision than "If you're against a troop buildup, you're for failure."

In the News: Sep-25

2009-09-25T15:25:00.000-04:00

Shinseki: VA working to resolve GI Bill issues - 25 Sep 2009 at 2:49pm - WASHINGTON -- Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki said Friday he's hopeful that many of the tens of thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans awaiting payment under the new GI Bill will get paid next month.

20,000 U.K. war vets in prison system - 25 Sep 2009 at 10:28am - An increasing number of British war veterans are caught up in the criminal justice system, according to a study released Friday in London.

Conn. land vacant 4 years after court OK'd seizure - 25 Sep 2009 at 8:24am - NEW LONDON, Conn. -- Weeds, glass, bricks, pieces of pipe and shingle splinters have replaced the knot of aging homes at the site of the nation's most notorious eminent domain project.

Five U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan - 25 Sep 2009 at 5:28am - KABUL (Reuters) - Five U.S. troops were killed in three separate incidents in southern Afghanistan, the military said on Friday.

Thought for the day:
I'm not concerned about all hell breaking loose, but that a PART of hell will break loose... it'll be much harder to detect. -George Carlin (1937 - 2008)

In the News: Sep-24

2009-09-24T15:26:00.000-04:00

Suspected U.S. drone kills 3 in Pakistan - 24 Sep 2009 at 2:56pm - BANNU, Pakistan (Reuters) - A suspected U.S. drone fired a missile at a house in a northwest Pakistan militant stronghold on Thursday killing three people, Pakistani security officials said.

Senate votes to triple foreign aid to Pakistan - 24 Sep 2009 at 2:27pm - The Senate voted Thursday to triple foreign aid to Pakistan, with lawmakers saying the legislation could change the crisis-driven nature of U.S.-Pakistan relations and create ties based more on long-term interests. The Senate voted by voice to approve the measure that approves $1.5 billion a year over the next five years for democratic, economic and social development assistance. The measure, a result of House-Senate negotiations, could be passed in the House as early as Friday, sending it to President Obama for his signature.

Palau agrees to take 12 Uighurs from Guantanamo: U.S - 24 Sep 2009 at 1:41pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration has agreed with Palau to transfer up to 12 of the 13 Uighur Chinese detainees still held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the Pacific island nation, according to a letter obtained by Reuters on Thursday.

Obama won't seek new law for terror detentions - 24 Sep 2009 at 1:28pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration will not seek a new law spelling out how it can hold terror suspects indefinitely without bringing charges.

HIV vaccine breakthrough 'gives hope' - 24 Sep 2009 at 9:45am - A medical trial has revealed what could be the most significant development yet in the search for an effective HIV vaccine.

U.N. Security Council calls for nuclear disarmament - 24 Sep 2009 at 9:44am - UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council, at a historic summit meeting chaired by U.S. President Barack Obama, unanimously approved a U.S.-drafted resolution on Thursday calling on nuclear weapons states to scrap their deadly arsenals.

Thought for the day:
The most important scientific revolutions all include, as their only common feature, the dethronement of human arrogance from one pedestal after another of previous convictions about our centrality in the cosmos. -Stephen Jay Gould (1941 - 2002)

In the News: Sep-23

2009-09-23T15:20:00.000-04:00

Carbon capture called 'sheer folly' - 23 Sep 2009 at 1:44pm - A report released Wednesday dismisses a technology that is a cornerstone of Canada's climate change policy as "sheer folly."

Senate Democrats propose surveillance law changes - 23 Sep 2009 at 12:40pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration, for a second straight day, frustrated Democratic lawmakers Wednesday by declining to say whether it backs their demands for more civil liberties safeguards in anti-terrorism surveillance and property seizures.

Complaint suggests NYPD misstepped in terror probe - 23 Sep 2009 at 10:34am - NEW YORK -- Police acting without the FBI's knowledge might have inadvertently helped blow the surveillance of a terrorism suspect and compromised a bomb plot investigation at a sensitive stage by questioning an imam about him, a criminal complaint suggests.

Obama wants worldwide end of fossil fuel subsidies - 23 Sep 2009 at 7:56am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is calling on the world to end massive government subsidies that encourage the use of fossil fuels blamed for global warming.

Reports: Justice reconsidering state secrecy - 23 Sep 2009 at 5:02am - WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department is reconsidering government agencies' ability to use claims of state secrecy to block the release of information about controversial counterterrorism strategies like rendition and warrantless wiretapping, two newspapers reported Wednesday.

Thought for the day:
If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world -J. R. R. Tolkien (1892 - 1973)

In the News: Sep-22

2009-09-22T15:18:00.000-04:00

Stadiums, hotels warned to watch for terrorists - 22 Sep 2009 at 2:54pm - WASHINGTON -- Counterterrorism officials have issued security bulletins to police around the nation about terrorists' desire to attack stadiums, entertainment complexes and hotels - the latest in a flurry of such internal warnings as investigators chase a possible bomb plot in Denver and New York.

Senate panel takes up healthcare affordability - 22 Sep 2009 at 12:33pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democrats pushed to make insurance reforms more affordable for workers and Republicans decried what they called a rush to judgment as debate opened on Tuesday on a sweeping healthcare overhaul.

VA IG says suicide prevention programs implemented - 22 Sep 2009 at 11:58am - WASHINGTON -- The Veterans Affairs Department appears to have stepped up its suicide prevention efforts.

Thought for the day:
The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves. -Jane Goodall (1934 - )

In the News: Sep-21

2009-09-21T15:21:00.001-04:00

Rivalry to try 9/11 cases developing among 4 civilian prosecutors' offices - 21 Sep 2009 at 1:00pm - GUANTANAMO BAY NAVY BASE, Cuba — Four different civilian prosecutors' offices — two in New York, two near the Pentagon — are studying whether to charge and put on trial five alleged 9/11 conspirators.

Report: CIA interrogation harmed inmates' recall - 21 Sep 2009 at 12:01pm - WASHINGTON -- A new scientific paper asserts that the CIA's harsh interrogation program likely damaged the brain and memory functions of terrorist suspects, diminishing their ability to provide the detailed information the spy agency sought.

Report: More troops needed for Afghan war success - 21 Sep 2009 at 10:05am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's top commander in Afghanistan has told him that without more troops the United States could lose the war Obama has described as the nation's foremost military priority.

But, again, has "success" been defined? How many troops will be required to achieve "success"? Is success even achievable with any number of troops? About the Iraq "surge" we were told by countless conservative talkingheads that it wasn't actually the "surge" of 30,000 troops that made any difference, but rather the change in strategy. Now, in Afghanistan, if a change in strategy is needed, why not try that, and then assess how many additional troops may be required?

Thought for the day:
Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president. -Theodore Roosevelt (1858 - 1919)

In the News: Sep-18

2009-09-18T15:22:00.000-04:00

Former CIA chiefs seek halt to interrogation probe - 18 Sep 2009 at 1:53pm - WASHINGTON -- Seven former CIA directors are asking President Barack Obama to quash Attorney General Eric Holder's investigation into harsh CIA interrogations of terror suspects during the Bush administration.

Guantanamo detainees in videolink to families: Red Cross - 18 Sep 2009 at 11:57am - GENEVA (Reuters) - Several detainees at the U.S. camp at Guantanamo Bay have made the first video-teleconference calls to their families, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Friday.

Study links 45,000 U.S. deaths to lack of insurance - 18 Sep 2009 at 8:22am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly 45,000 people die in the United States each year -- one every 12 minutes -- in large part because they lack health insurance and can not get good care, Harvard Medical School researchers found in an analysis released on Thursday.

Thought for the day:
Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game, and dumb enough to think it's important. -Eugene McCarthy (1916 - 2005)

McCain: Missile shield cancellation a 'victory for Putin'

2009-09-17T21:51:00.002-04:00

McCain: Missile shield cancellation a 'victory for Putin' - 09/17/09 10:08 AM ET - Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said on Thursday that the Obama administration's decision to nix a proposed missile shield in Eastern Europe "a victory for [Russian Prime Minister Vladimir] Putin."
...
"This decision calls into question the security and diplomatic commitments the United States has made to Poland and the Czech Republic, and has the potential to undermine perceived American leadership in Eastern Europe," McCain said in a statement.

First of all, shouldn't Eastern Europe, not the U.S., be "leading" in Eastern Europe? Secondly, why must leadership consist mainly of pissing off one's allies?

In the News: Sep-17

2009-09-17T15:24:00.000-04:00

Setback for media shield bill in Senate committee - 17 Sep 2009 at 2:53pm - WASHINGTON -- A bill to give journalists a limited right to protect confidential sources from disclosure was sidetracked Thursday, after senators from both parties said the current version could damage national security.

Gates: US intelligence caused change in plans - 17 Sep 2009 at 10:46am - WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the decision to abandon the Bush administration's plans for a land-based missile defense system in Eastern Europe came about because of a change in the U.S. perception of the threat posed by Iran.

Does he mean because they discontinued the use of cooked/fixed intelligence?

Gov't: Border fence to cost $6.5B over 20 years - 17 Sep 2009 at 9:46am - WASHINGTON -- It will cost taxpayers $6.5 billion over the next 20 years to maintain the fence along the U.S-Mexico border, according to a government audit.

U.S. military shuts largest detainee camp in Iraq - 17 Sep 2009 at 9:43am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military Thursday closed down its largest detention center in Iraq as it continued to release or hand to Iraqi authorities the thousands of people it has held since the 2003 U.S. invasion.

US backs away from missile shield plan - 17 Sep 2009 at 7:20am - Washington is backing away from plans for an anti-missile shield in eastern Europe, the Czech Prime Minister said, in a move that may ease Russian-US ties but fuel fears in former Soviet bloc countries of resurgent Kremlin influence.

Panel begins inquiry into financial meltdown - 17 Sep 2009 at 4:16am - WASHINGTON -- Four months after its creation, a congressionally appointed panel modeled after the 9/11 Commission and the Iraq Study Group is opening a 15-month investigation into the causes of last year's economy-crippling financial collapse.

Will this panel, like the Iraq Study Group, choose to avoid consideration of any internal missteps which may have contributed to the fiasco?

Thought for the day:
The function of science fiction is not always to predict the future but sometimes to prevent it. -Frank Herbert (1920 - 1986)

In the News: Sep-16

2009-09-16T15:20:00.001-04:00

'Regrettable' if Canada quits Afghanistan: Chertoff - 16 Sep 2009 at 7:45am - Michael Chertoff, who served as U.S. secretary of homeland security from 2005 to 2009 under former president George W. Bush, calls it "regrettable" that Canada plans to withdraw from the conflict in Afghanistan.

It certainly would be regrettable were Chertoff not to express gratitude toward Canada for carrying the ball in Afghanistan while the U.S. concentrated its military efforts on Iraq.

Obama sets Afghanistan, Pakistan objectives: document - 16 Sep 2009 at 2:47pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration has set objectives for countering al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan, from boosting Islamabad's counterinsurgency capabilities to building up Afghan security forces so U.S. assistance can be reduced, according to an internal document obtained by Reuters on Wednesday.

EPA scraps Bush-era smog rule and will start over - 16 Sep 2009 at 1:09pm - WASHINGTON -- The Environmental Protection Agency is scrapping a controversial Bush-era rule that set stricter limits for the amount of smog allowed in the air, because it fell short of scientific recommendations.

Judge tosses 'birthers' complaint, puts lawyer on notice - 16 Sep 2009 at 1:00pm - U.S. District Court Judge Clay Land today tossed out a complaint by an Army captain fighting deployment to Iraq by questioning the legitimacy of President Barack Obama.

AP Sources: Delay sought in Gitmo trials - 16 Sep 2009 at 12:04pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is seeking another two-month delay in a handful of key military commission trials of terrorism detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

Military says mental wounds of war run deep - 16 Sep 2009 at 11:26am - ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, expressed frustration Wednesday with the pace of government work to heal the mental health wounds of war.

World's hungry reach record 1B - 16 Sep 2009 at 11:14am - The number of hungry people has passed a record one billion this year at the same time that food aid is at a 20-year low, the United Nations World Food Programme said Wednesday in London.

U.S. Justice Dept wants surveillance methods extended - 16 Sep 2009 at 11:12am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration has asked the U.S. Congress to extend three surveillance techniques for intelligence agencies tracking suspected militants that expire this year, according to a letter to lawmakers.

'Massive fraud': Observers cast doubt on Afghan vote - 16 Sep 2009 at 10:14am - EU observers have branded 1.5 million votes from Afghanistan's presidential election as suspicious and refused to be party to any "massive fraud," flinging the polls into deeper controversy.

3 U.S. soldiers killed in Afghanistan - 16 Sep 2009 at 9:00am - Three U.S. soldiers died when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan, a NATO spokesman said Wednesday.

Hungary to accept Guantanamo detainee - 16 Sep 2009 at 8:54am - Hungary said Wednesday it will accept a detainee from Guantanamo Bay, inching President Obama closer to his pledge to close the ...

Thought for the day:
If man does find the solution for world peace it will be the most revolutionary reversal of his record we have ever known. -George C. Marshall (1880 - 1959)

In the News: Sep-15

2009-09-15T15:19:00.001-04:00

EPA to place limits on power plant water pollution - 15 Sep 2009 at 2:33pm - WASHINGTON -- For the first time in nearly 30 years, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to limit the quantity of toxic metals that coal-fired power plants release into waterways.

Mullen says more forces needed for Afghan war - 15 Sep 2009 at 9:58am - The top U.S. military officer says that winning in Afghanistan will probably mean sending more troops.

Reid asks for investigation into electrocution - 14 Sep 2009 at 3:45pm - WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is asking the State Department and Pentagon to investigate the electrocution death of a 25-year-old private contractor killed while showering in his dormitory in Baghdad.

Official: Company slow to report guard misconduct - 14 Sep 2009 at 8:36am - WASHINGTON -- A senior State Department official says the private security contractor hired to protect the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan was slow to tell the government about misconduct by guards and supervisors.

Thought for the day:
The government consists of a gang of men exactly like you and me. They have, taking one with another, no special talent for the business of government; they have only a talent for getting and holding office. -H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)

In the News: Sep-04

2009-09-04T15:18:00.000-04:00

Ex-soldier to be sentenced in Ky. for Iraqi deaths - 4 Sep 2009 at 11:12am - PADUCAH, Ky. -- A former soldier is scheduled to be sentenced to life in prison without parole for the rape and murder of an Iraqi teenager and the shooting deaths of three of her family members.

NATO strikes fuel tankers in Afghanistan, many dead - 4 Sep 2009 at 10:14am - KUNDUZ, Afghanistan (Reuters) - NATO aircraft opened fire on hijacked fuel trucks in Afghanistan before dawn on Friday, killing as many as 90 people in an incident that could trigger a backlash against Western troops.

Ottawa's Khadr appeal to be heard by top court - 4 Sep 2009 at 9:49am - The Supreme Court of Canada will hear the federal government's appeal of a ruling forcing Ottawa to press for the release of Canadian Omar Khadr from Guantanamo Bay.

White House will publicly release visitor logs - 4 Sep 2009 at 9:36am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama says his administration will make public a listing of visitors to the White House, reversing a long-standing policy transcending presidents and party affiliations.

Netanyahu to allow new Israeli settler homes: aide - 4 Sep 2009 at 9:28am - JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will approve building new settler homes before considering a freeze that could lead to a resumption of peace talks with Palestinians, an aide said on Friday.

U.S. jobless rate hits 26-year high - 4 Sep 2009 at 9:26am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The pace of U.S. job losses hit a one-year low last month but the unemployment rate jumped to a 26-year high of 9.7 percent, the government said on Friday in a report showing a slowly improving labor market.

Diebold selling US voting machine unit - Thursday September 3, 2009, 3:44 pm EDT - NORTH CANTON, Ohio (AP) -- ATM maker Diebold Inc. has sold its much-criticized U.S. voting-machine business to its bigger competitor, Election Systems & Software Inc. of Omaha, Nebraska.

Thought for the day:
Television has done much for psychiatry by spreading information about it, as well as contributing to the need for it. -Alfred Hitchcock (1899 - 1980)

In the News: Sep-03

2009-09-03T15:16:00.000-04:00

Gates: Obama plan 'only beginning' in Afghanistan - 3 Sep 2009 at 2:54pm - WASHINGTON -- Facing eroding public support for the war in Afghanistan, the Pentagon chief said Thursday that the Obama administration's effort in the eight-year-old conflict is "only now beginning."

Study finds potential way to make an AIDS vaccine - 3 Sep 2009 at 2:49pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The discovery of immune system particles that attack the AIDS virus may finally open a way to make a vaccine that could protect people against the deadly and incurable infection, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

US seeks tighter rules on foreign farm workers - 3 Sep 2009 at 2:32pm - WASHINGTON -- The Labor Department is trying again to roll back Bush administration regulations that made it easier for farmers to hire temporary foreign farm workers.

New U.S. jobless claims fell last week - 3 Sep 2009 at 8:49am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell last week, but the prior period's figure was revised up, according to a government report on Thursday that highlighted the fragility of the labor market.

Thought for the day:
When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other. -Chinese Proverb

In the News: Sep-02

2009-09-02T15:17:00.000-04:00

US extends Iraq contract for Blackwater firm - 2 Sep 2009 at 9:15am - WASHINGTON -- State Department officials say they have extended a contract with a subsidiary of the security firm formerly known as Blackwater USA to provide air support for U.S. diplomats in Iraq despite the fact the company is not allowed to work there.

Iran nuclear "threat" hyped: IAEA's ElBaradei - 2 Sep 2009 at 7:52am - VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran is not going to produce a nuclear weapon any time soon and the threat posed by its atomic program has been exaggerated, the U.N. nuclear watchdog chief said in a published interview.

A year on, Reuters cameraman still held by U.S. army - 2 Sep 2009 at 6:31am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - On September 2, 2008, U.S. and Iraqi troops smashed in the doors of Iraqi journalist Ibrahim Jassam's home, shouting "freeze" and holding back snarling dogs before they hauled him off into the night in his underwear.

Poll: Most Americans oppose more troops for Afghanistan - 2 Sep 2009 at 4:26am - WASHINGTON — A majority of Americans think the country isn't winning the war in Afghanistan, and an even larger majority opposes sending more troops in an effort to turn things around, according to a new McClatchy/Ipsos poll.

Thought for the day:
We are here and it is now. Further than that all human knowledge is moonshine. -H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)

In the News: Sep-01

2009-09-01T15:16:00.000-04:00

Group: US Embassy guards in Kabul are mistreated - 1 Sep 2009 at 2:56pm - WASHINGTON -- Guards hired by the State Department to protect diplomats and staff at the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan live and work in a "Lord of the Flies" environment in which they are subjected to hazing and other inappropriate behavior by supervisors, a government oversight group charged Tuesday.

Judge denies Kuwaiti's request for Gitmo release - 1 Sep 2009 at 12:19pm - WASHINGTON -- A judge ruled that evidence suggests a Kuwaiti man held at Guantanamo Bay was part of terrorist forces, even though in a bid for freedom he claimed to be an Islamic studies teacher who didn't associate with extremists.

Thought for the day:
It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. -Harry S Truman (1884 - 1972)

In the News: Aug-31

2009-08-31T15:16:00.001-04:00

White House: Cheney wrong on interrogations policy - 31 Aug 2009 at 2:12pm - WASHINGTON -- The White House says former Vice President Dick Cheney has his facts wrong on the Obama administration's policies for terror detainee interrogations.

That may not be the only thing he's wrong about.

Court documents name detainees sent to Portugal - 31 Aug 2009 at 12:49pm - The two Guantanamo detainees sent to Portugal last week were a Syrian man whose father is still held at the prison camps and a former Syrian Army recruit once accused of joining forces with Afghanistan's Taliban militia, according to court documents made public Monday.

US officials cancel contract to profile reporters - 31 Aug 2009 at 10:13am - WASHINGTON -- U.S. military authorities in Afghanistan have terminated a contract with a public affairs company that was producing background profiles of reporters covering a war that's becoming increasingly unpopular with the American public.

U.S. commander: Afghan strategy needs change - 31 Aug 2009 at 8:53am - KABUL (Reuters) - The 8-year-old war in Afghanistan can still be won, but only with a revised strategy, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces said on Monday, announcing the conclusion of a long-awaited review that could see him seek more troops.

Blackwater tapped foreigners on secret CIA program - 31 Aug 2009 at 6:47am - WASHINGTON -- When the CIA revived a plan to kill or capture terrorists in 2004, the agency turned to the well-connected security company then known as Blackwater USA.

Thought for the day:
Democracy is the bludgeoning of the people, by the people, for the people. -Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)

In the News: Aug-28

2009-08-28T15:21:00.001-04:00

Taliban growth in northern Afghanistan threatens to expand war - 28 Aug 2009 at 2:50pm - BAGHLAN-I-JADID, Afghanistan — Taliban insurgents have taken over parts of two northern provinces from which they were driven in 2001, threatening to disrupt NATO's new supply route from Central Asia and expand a war that's largely been confined to Afghanistan's southern half, U.S. and Afghan officials said.

Iran slows atom fuel drive, more cooperative: IAEA - 28 Aug 2009 at 1:36pm - VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran has slightly reduced the scale of its nuclear fuel production work and has fulfilled demands for more effective monitoring of its Natanz uranium enrichment site, the U.N. atomic watchdog said on Friday.

US will pay for lawyer in Italian kidnapping trial - 27 Aug 2009 at 3:51pm - WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department has agreed to pay for a lawyer to help a former State Department official fight Italian charges that she participated in the alleged CIA kidnapping of a suspected terrorist in 2003.

Former Guantanamo detainee to sue U.S. government - 27 Aug 2009 at 3:28pm - The family of a former Guantanamo inmate who claims he was 12 when arrested is suing the U.S. government for compensation for a seven-year imprisonment.

Thought for the day:
It's a dangerous business going out your front door. -J. R. R. Tolkien (1892 - 1973), The Fellowship of the Ring

In the News: Aug-27

2009-08-27T15:22:00.000-04:00

Contractor accused of threats to kill witnesses - 27 Aug 2009 at 2:49pm - LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A military contractor under investigation on allegations he overbilled and did faulty repair work on Navy and Army aircraft has been charged with threatening to kill witnesses in the case, according to a complaint unsealed Thursday.

Man dies after being Tasered at L.A. subway station - 27 Aug 2009 at 2:17pm - The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department says a man has died after a deputy shocked him three times with an electric stun gun at a subway station. Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore says the man, who was not immediately identified, was at the North Hollywood Red Line station Wednesday night when a deputy repeatedly asked if he had a ticket.

US fears Yemen next staging ground for al-Qaida - 27 Aug 2009 at 1:51pm - WASHINGTON -- American authorities are pressuring Yemen to counter a rising internal al-Qaida threat more aggressively and improve intelligence-sharing amid growing worries that the country could become the next significant terrorist staging ground.

New jobless claims fall in latest week - 27 Aug 2009 at 9:06am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell last week to 570,000, and those collecting long-term unemployment benefits dropped to the lowest level since April, government data showed on Thursday.

CIA interrogators used Transport Canada documents - 27 Aug 2009 at 7:04am - A survival manual produced by Transport Canada was used by U.S. interrogators at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to set limits on dousing detainees with cold water, according to documents released this week.

Memos: CIA pushed limits on sleep deprivation - 27 Aug 2009 at 6:30am - WASHINGTON -- A year after the Bush administration abandoned its harshest interrogation methods, CIA operatives used severe sleep deprivation tactics against a terror detainee in late 2007, keeping him awake for six straight days with permission from government lawyers.

U.S. soldier killed; August tied for deadliest month in Afghanistan - 27 Aug 2009 at 5:36am - NATO says a U.S. service member has been killed in a militant attack involving a roadside bomb and gunfire.

Thought for the day:
Civilizations die from suicide, not by murder. -Arnold Toynbee (1889 - 1975)

In the News: Aug-26

2009-08-26T15:21:00.000-04:00

CIA sacked Baghdad station chief after deaths of 2 detainees - 26 Aug 2009 at 7:59am - WASHINGTON — The CIA removed its station chief in Iraq and reorganized its operations there in late 2003 following "potentially very serious leadership lapses" that included the deaths of detainees in the U.S. custody, according to a newly released document and former senior officials.

U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy dies - 26 Aug 2009 at 7:22am - The last brother of the Kennedy political dynasty, U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, died late Tuesday night after a year-long battle with brain cancer.

Defunct military court leaves Defence in chaos - 26 Aug 2009 at 5:36am - The Federal Government is scrambling to bring in new legislation to ensure Australia's Defence Force members are covered by a military justice system now the High Court has ruled that the Australian Military Court is unconstitutional.

CIA memo details procedures for breaking detainees - 26 Aug 2009 at 2:58am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sleep deprivation, "insult slaps," water dousing and "walling," or slamming a detainee's head against a wall, were techniques used by CIA interrogators to break high-value detainees, according to an agency memo.

Thought for the day:
Disbelief in magic can force a poor soul into believing in government and business. -Tom Robbins (1936 - )

In the News: Aug-25

2009-08-25T15:22:00.001-04:00

Cheney criticizes "political" CIA probe plan - 25 Aug 2009 at 12:37pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney criticized President Barack Obama's ability to handle national security after the Justice Department appointed a special prosecutor to investigate CIA interrogation abuses.

As a good rule of thumb, probably the more vehemently Dick Cheney objects to a thing, the more beneficial & necessary the thing is. And, again, robbing the bank is illegal, no matter how successfully you robbed it, and no matter how desparately you wanted the cash.

Ottawa takes Khadr ruling fight to Supreme Court - 25 Aug 2009 at 10:50am - The federal government will go to the Supreme Court in a bid to overturn court rulings that would require Ottawa to press for the return of Canadian Omar Khadr from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, CBC News has learned.

New U.S. deaths make 2009 Afghan war's deadliest - 25 Aug 2009 at 7:55am - KABUL (Reuters) - Four U.S. servicemen were killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on Tuesday, making 2009 the deadliest year for the growing contingent of foreign troops since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001.

Thought for the day:
A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.e. -George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

In the News: Aug-24

2009-08-24T15:22:00.000-04:00

Prosecutor to probe alleged CIA abuse - 24 Aug 2009 at 2:51pm - WASHINGTON -- A Justice Department official says Attorney General Eric Holder has picked prosecutor John Durham to investigate CIA mistreatment of terror suspects.

New Shiite alliance excludes Iraqi prime minister - 24 Aug 2009 at 10:21am - Major Shiite groups have formed a new alliance that will exclude the Iraqi prime minister, lawmakers said Monday, a step likely to stoke fears of increasing Iranian influence and shake up the political landscape before January parliamentary elections. The coalition will include the largest Shiite party, the Iranian-backed Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, or SIIC, and anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's bloc, as well as some small Sunni and secular parties.

Official: White House sets up interrogation unit - 24 Aug 2009 at 8:10am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama has moved forcefully to abandon Bush administration terrorism-era interrogation policies, approving creation of a special White House unit for questioning suspects as Attorney General Eric Holder weighs an internal Justice Department call to reopen and pursue a host of prisoner abuse cases.

Guantanamo prisoner detained as teen back in Afghanistan - 24 Aug 2009 at 6:44am - KABUL, Afghanistan — A young Afghan whose six-year detention at Guantanamo came to symbolize many of the problems of the Bush administration's war on terror detention policies arrived in his home country today, less than a month after a federal judge in Washington ordered his release.

Justice Dept advises pursuing CIA abuses: report - 24 Aug 2009 at 4:46am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department has recommended reopening nearly a dozen prisoner-abuse cases, which could expose CIA employees and contractors to prosecution for their treatment of terrorism suspects, The New York Times reported on Monday.

Thought for the day:
When dealing with the insane, the best method is to pretend to be sane. -Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)

In the News: Aug-20

2009-08-20T15:24:00.001-04:00

Drop in world temperatures fuels global warming debate - Wednesday, August 19, 2009 - WASHINGTON — Has Earth's fever broken? Official government measurements show that the world's temperature has cooled a bit since reaching its most recent peak in 1998.

In hot water: World's ocean temps warmest recorded - 20 Aug 2009 at 1:16pm - WASHINGTON -- The world's oceans this summer are the warmest on record.

US training commander 'frustrated' in Iraq - 20 Aug 2009 at 11:37am - WASHINGTON -- The U.S. commander in charge of training Iraqi security forces says the deadly Baghdad bombings obviously represent a lapse in security and that he's personally frustrated with the pace of some training there.

CIA hired Blackwater in plan to kill militants: report - 20 Aug 2009 at 5:39am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The CIA in 2004 hired contractors from the private security firm Blackwater USA as part of a secret program to track and assassinate senior al Qaeda figures, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.

Thought for the day:
Sometime they'll give a war and nobody will come. -Carl Sandburg (1878 - 1967), The People, Yes (1936)

In the News: Aug-17

2009-08-17T15:25:00.002-04:00

Obama administration says marriage law unfair - 17 Aug 2009 at 10:16am - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration has filed court papers claiming a federal marriage law discriminates against gays, even as it continues to defend the law.

Former Gov. Dean calls public option indispensable - 17 Aug 2009 at 9:23am - WASHINGTON -- Former Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean, a leading figure in the liberal wing of his party, said Monday he doubts there can be meaningful health care reform without a direct government role.

Iraq cabinet approves vote on U.S. security pact - 17 Aug 2009 at 7:39am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's cabinet has approved a bill paving the way for a referendum on a bilateral security pact signed last year between Washington and Baghdad, the government spokesman said in a statement on Monday.

U.S. commander in Iraq wants troops deployed - 17 Aug 2009 at 8:00am - The top U.S. commander in Iraq says he wants to deploy American soldiers to disputed territories in northern Iraq following a ...

Thought for the day:
Laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught. -Honore de Balzac (1799 - 1850)

In the News: Jul-10

2009-07-10T15:18:00.001-04:00

Surveillance went beyond warrantless wiretapping - 10 Jul 2009 at 1:44pm - A new internal government report says President George W. Bush authorized secret intelligence activities shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that went beyond wiretapping without court orders.

Report: Bush officials snubbed wiretapping review - 10 Jul 2009 at 1:36pm - WASHINGTON -- Former Attorney General John Ashcroft and ex-CIA Director George Tenet are among the Bush administration officials who refused to be interviewed for a government report on the warrantless wiretapping program.

CIA Director terminated secret program - 10 Jul 2009 at 11:22am - WASHINGTON -- CIA Director Leon Panetta has terminated a "very serious" covert program the spy agency kept secret from Congress for eight years, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, a House Intelligence subcommittee chairwoman, said Friday.

Full CIA investigation called for on Capitol Hill - 10 Jul 2009 at 9:50am - WASHINGTON -- The chairwoman of a House Intelligence panel says it's imperative that lawmakers launch an immediate investigation on the CIA's admission that it misled Congress multiple times over the last eight years.

Thought for the day:
I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. -Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826)

In the News: Jul-09

2009-07-09T15:23:00.001-04:00

U.S. military releases 4 Iranians it held for 2 years in Iraq - 9 Jul 2009 at 12:36pm - BAGHDAD — U.S. military authorities Thursday released four Iranian diplomats it had held prisoner for the past two years as anti-government insurgents staged mass bombings for a second consecutive day, killing dozens and wounding hundreds.

Groups say states violating voter registration law - 9 Jul 2009 at 9:58am - WASHINGTON -- States across the country are violating part of the federal "motor voter" law requiring voter registration help for low-income residents, according to a coalition of advocacy groups trying to force change through the courts.

U.S. troops badly damaged ancient Babylon - 9 Jul 2009 at 9:19am - Experts for UNESCO say considerable damage was inflicted by the U.S. military in Iraq to one of the world's most important archaeological ...

House Intel Chair: CIA has misled us for years - 9 Jul 2009 at 7:41am - WASHINGTON -- Democrats are accusing senior CIA officials of repeatedly misleading Congress, but Republicans say the allegations are just political maneuvering to protect House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Thought for the day:
A hundred years ago, the electric telegraph made possible - indeed, inevitable - the United States of America. The communications satellite will make equally inevitable a United Nations of Earth; let us hope that the transition period will not be equally bloody. -Arthur C. Clarke (1917 - ), First on the Moon, 1970

In the News: Jul-08

2009-07-08T15:19:00.001-04:00

Torture 'outsourced' to Pakistan, British MP charges - 8 Jul 2009 at 1:27pm - The British government outsourced the torture of a British terrorism suspect to Pakistan, an opposition politician alleges.

Mass. sues feds over definition of marriage - 8 Jul 2009 at 12:16pm - BOSTON -- Massachusetts, the first state to legalize gay marriage, sued the U.S. government Wednesday over a federal law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Israeli report: U.S. and Israel strike settlement deal - 8 Jul 2009 at 9:32am - JERUSALEM (Reuters) - An Israeli newspaper said on Wednesday Israel had won agreement from the United States for the continued construction of 2,500 housing units in Jewish settlements in the West Bank, despite U.S. calls for a freeze.

Thought for the day:
The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition. -Carl Sagan (1934 - 1996)

In the News: Jul-07

2009-07-07T15:16:00.001-04:00

Troops' kids seek mental help - 7 Jul 2009 at 1:58pm - WASHINGTON -- Children with parents in the military sought outpatient mental health care 2 million times last year, double the number at the start of the Iraq war. Pentagon documents also show an alarming spike in the number of military children hospitalized for mental health reasons.

Former Gitmo prisoner says abuse photos exist - 7 Jul 2009 at 1:44pm - WASHINGTON -- A former Guantanamo Bay prisoner says the United States has photographs of him being beaten during his detention and has asked a judge to preserve the evidence.

NY baseball fan settles 'God Bless America' suit - 7 Jul 2009 at 11:57am - NEW YORK -- A baseball fan who says he was kicked out of a Yankees game because he left his seat during "God Bless America" has settled a lawsuit against New York City and the team.

Officials: Fate of Guantanamo detainees uncertain - 7 Jul 2009 at 11:56am - WASHINGTON -- Obama administration lawyers acknowledged Tuesday they are uncertain how they will prosecute and deal with more than 200 detainees being held in the Guantanamo Bay prison.

Report criticizes police handling of G-20 protests - 7 Jul 2009 at 6:56am - A report into how British police handled April protests against the G-20 summit in London said Tuesday the force's tactics were inadequate and should be reviewed. The report by a government-backed watchdog said police had focused too much on tackling violence and not enough on allowing peaceful protest.

Kyrgyzstan approves new U.S. air base agreement - 7 Jul 2009 at 5:49am - BISHKEK (Reuters) - Kyrgyzstan has signed an agreement allowing the United States to continue using a key air base serving U.S. aircraft in operations in Afghanistan, according to a presidential spokesman.

Thought for the day:
Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists of choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable. -J. K. Galbraith

In the News: Jun-25

2009-06-25T15:19:00.000-04:00

Iran Tries to Pacify Protesters With Lord Of The Rings Marathon - June 25, 2009 1:28:00 PM - Iranian state television's Channel Two is playing a Lord of the Rings marathon in an attempt to keep people inside watching hobbits and not protesting in the streets. Normally people in Tehran are treated to one or two Hollywood movies a week, but with recent events the government hopes that sitting through a nine hour trilogy will take the fight out of most. Perhaps this was not the best choice in films if you want your people not to believe that "even the smallest person can change the course of the future."

The peasants are revolting? As Sid Maier would say, "Give 'em some entertainment."

EFF sues for publication of FBI domestic surveillance manual - June 25, 2009 12:24:07 PM - The EFF's recent amicus filing in the case of Warshak v. United States got quite a bit of mileage out of a nice quote from the Department of Justice's surveillance manual, which contains language that appears to clearly forbid the kind of "back door wiretap" of the plaintiff's e-mail that got the FBI in hot water with civil liberties groups over the course of this long-running and important case. Now the EFF appears to be looking to get its hands on a copy of the equivalent manual for the FBI—the agency's Domestic Investigative Operational Guidelines, which details the rules of the road for FBI-run domestic surveillance. The only problem is that its contents are a secret. So, the EFF is filing suit to have the manual's contents released to the public.

Justice Department: Harman not under investigation - 25 Jun 2009 at 2:19pm - WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department says Congresswoman Jane Harman is not the subject or target of an ongoing criminal investigation.

Jobs picture dims and overshadows improved GDP - 25 Jun 2009 at 1:49pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fresh signs of weakness in U.S. job markets on Thursday underlined the strains faced by a recession-struck U.S. economy that contracted slightly less in the first quarter than previously thought.

Politkovskaya murder case to be retried - 25 Jun 2009 at 8:28am - Russia's Supreme Court has overturned the acquittal of three men who stood trial over the murder of high-profile investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya.

Thought for the day:
The test of courage comes when we are in the minority. The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority. -Ralph W. Sockman

In the News: Jun-24

2009-06-24T15:18:00.000-04:00

"Cultural shift" needed in Afghan combat: commander - 24 Jun 2009 at 2:48pm - CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan (Reuters) - The new commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan said on Wednesday foreign troops need to make a "cultural shift" away from conventional warfare and focus on winning the support of Afghans.

U.S. and Venezuela to restore expelled ambassadors - 24 Jun 2009 at 2:01pm - MARACAY, Venezuela (Reuters) - The United States and Venezuela will soon reinstate ambassadors expelled in a diplomatic spat last year, a sign of warmer relations between President Hugo Chavez and what he calls the U.S. "empire."

Where was Gov. Sanford? Argentina, not Appalachia - 24 Jun 2009 at 9:20am - ATLANTA — Gov. Mark Sanford arrived in the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport this morning, having wrapped up a seven-day visit to Buenos Aires, Argentina, he said. Sanford said he had not been hiking along the Appalachian Trail, as his staff said in a Tuesday statement to the media.

U.S. to send ambassador to Syria after 4 years - 24 Jun 2009 at 6:00am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama has decided to return a U.S. ambassador to Syria after a four-year hiatus as talks between the two nations intensify, U.S. media reported Tuesday.

Thought for the day:
We learn something every day, and lots of times it's that what we learned the day before was wrong. -Bill Vaughan

In the News: Jun-23

2009-06-23T15:19:00.001-04:00

Chinese Muslims freed from Guantanamo wary of settling in Palau - 23 Jun 2009 at 1:59pm - Some Chinese Muslim detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, who have been offered resettlement in Palau are wary of moving there for fear it cannot protect them from China, the tiny Pacific island nation's president said Tuesday.

Cop in bar fight video gets 2 years probation - 23 Jun 2009 at 1:43pm - CHICAGO -- An off-duty Chicago police officer convicted of pummeling a female bartender half his size has been sentenced to two years probation and anger management classes.

New U.S. orders in Afghanistan aim to reduce deaths - 23 Jun 2009 at 7:58am - KABUL (Reuters) - The new commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan will issue orders within days requiring troops to disengage from combat when possible, to reduce civilian deaths that have put their mission at risk, a spokesman said.

Judge orders Guantanamo detainee freed - 23 Jun 2009 at 6:11am - WASHINGTON -- The discovery of suicide martyr videos seemed certain proof that Abd al Rahim Abdul Rassak was part of al-Qaida. A closer look at his video, though, showed he was actually being tortured by al-Qaida.

Thought for the day:
There is no nonsense so arrant that it cannot be made the creed of the vast majority by adequate governmental action. -Bertrand Russell (1872 - 1970)

In the News: Jun-22

2009-06-22T15:17:00.001-04:00

Toronto stock market drops 3.5% as spring rally stalls - 22 Jun 2009 at 12:02pm - The Toronto stock market nosedived Monday morning, dragged down by falling commodity prices, amid concerns about the state of the world economy and the prospects for economic recovery.

Court will not revive Plame's lawsuit - 22 Jun 2009 at 11:51am - WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court will not revive a lawsuit that former CIA operative Valerie Plame brought against former members of the Bush administration.

High court rules narrowly in voting rights case - 22 Jun 2009 at 10:20am - WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court has ruled narrowly in a challenge to the landmark Voting Rights Act, exempting a small Texas governing authority from a key provision of the civil rights law.

Court says public must pay for private special ed - 22 Jun 2009 at 10:33am - WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court has made it easier for parents of special education students to be reimbursed for the cost of private schooling for their children.

Copeman named commander at Guantanamo - 22 Jun 2009 at 7:03am - With President Barack Obama pledging to empty the prison camps at Guantanamo, the man entrusted with the mission at Ground Zero is a fellow graduate of the president's Hawaii high school whose family has served a commander in chief for three generations.

Thought for the day:
Don't ever take a fence down until you know the reason it was put up. -G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936)

In the News: Jun-19

2009-06-19T15:18:00.000-04:00

Newly disclosed RCMP email drops bombshell on Taser inquiry - 19 Jun 2009 at 2:58pm - The unexpected disclosure of a key email between senior RCMP officers has raised questions about officers' testimony at the Braidwood inquiry into the death of Robert Dziekanski, resulting in a delay of the probe in Vancouver until September.

Iraq confident about security after U.S. troops leave towns - 19 Jun 2009 at 7:47am - TOKYO (Reuters) - Iraq is confident its security forces can manage alone after U.S. soldiers pull out of towns and cities this month, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said on Friday.

Congress passes restrictions on detainees - 19 Jun 2009 at 5:11am - WASHINGTON -- Legislation to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan this year is on its way to President Barack Obama, but it provides no money for closing the Guantanamo detainee prison and sets tough restrictions on the transfer of its inmates.

Thought for the day:
A great many people think they are thinking when they are really rearranging their prejudices. -William James (1842 - 1910)

In the News: Jun-18

2009-06-18T15:26:00.001-04:00

Gates: Civilian deaths strategic problem in war - 18 Jun 2009 at 2:43pm - WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the accidental killing of civilians in Afghanistan has become one of the military's greatest strategic problems in the faltering war.

It's also a moral/ethical problem. In the Pentagon, strategics trumps ethics? There's also the one-person's-accidental-killing-is-another-person's-collateral-damage factor, and perhaps that's what Gates is really talking about. In a sense, it's unfortunate to use the term "accidental killing" at all, because for each civilian death, someone -- somewhere between the commander in chief and the person who pulled the trigger -- has deemed the risk acceptable.

House Dems want to expand secret briefings - 18 Jun 2009 at 2:01pm - WASHINGTON -- House Democrats are pushing for a big increase in the number of lawmakers who hear briefings on the nation's most sensitive intelligence operations, from the current "Gang of Eight" to about 40.

Report: US not doing enough against gun smuggling - 18 Jun 2009 at 1:16pm - WASHINGTON - Two federal agencies are being faulted for not coordinating their efforts against border gunrunners, a failure one lawmaker says made it easier for Mexican drug cartels to smuggle illegal weapons from the United States.

ISPs must help police snoop on internet under new bill - 18 Jun 2009 at 1:03pm - Internet service providers would have to make it possible for police and intelligence officers to intercept online communications and get personal information about subscribers under bills tabled Thursday.

Court finds convicts have no right to test DNA - 18 Jun 2009 at 10:49am - WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court said Thursday that convicts have no constitutional right to test DNA evidence in hopes of proving their innocence long after they were found guilty of a crime.

Number of VA claims poised to hit 1 million - 18 Jun 2009 at 8:46am - WASHINGTON -- This isn't the same as getting a free duffel bag for being the millionth person to go through the turnstiles: The Veterans Affairs Department appears poised to have hit the 1 million milestone on claims it still hasn't processed.

Thought for the day:
Pity is the virtue of the law, and none but tyrants use it cruelly. -William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)

In the News: Jun-17

2009-06-17T15:19:00.002-04:00

US official denies charge of interference in Iran - 17 Jun 2009 at 1:59pm - WASHINGTON -- The State Department is disputing an allegation by the Iranian government that the United States is meddling excessively in its internal affairs.

But is the State Department explicitly denying that U.S. special ops played any part in encouraging protests?

Iran blames U.S. for bitter post-election dispute - 17 Jun 2009 at 1:37pm - As tens of thousands of supporters of Reformist leader Mir Hossein Mousavi gathered in Tehran Wednesday, Iran accused the United States of "intolerable" meddling in its internal affairs, alleging that Washington has fueled a bitter post-election dispute.

AG Holder: 50 or more Gitmo trials possible - 17 Jun 2009 at 1:11pm - WASHINGTON -- Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday there may be 50 or more trials of Guantanamo Bay detainees as the Obama administration works to shut the detention center by early next year.

Top senator: NSA not violating surveillance law - 17 Jun 2009 at 11:34am - WASHINGTON -- The head of the Senate Intelligence Committee says there have not been flagrant violations of rules governing surveillance of American e-mails and phone calls.

NSA Email Surveillance Pervasive and Ongoing - June 17, 2009 10:16:00 AM - The NY Times has a piece about work being done by Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ) and others to curb NSA efforts to read email and Internet traffic. Here's an excerpt: 'Since April, when it was disclosed that the intercepts of some private communications of Americans went beyond legal limits in late 2008 and early 2009, several Congressional committees have been investigating. Those inquiries have led to concerns in Congress about the agency's ability to collect and read domestic e-mail messages of Americans on a widespread basis, officials said. Supporting that conclusion is the account of a former NSA analyst who, in a series of interviews, described being trained in 2005 for a program in which the agency routinely examined large volumes of Americans' e-mail messages without court warrants. Two intelligence officials confirmed that the program was still in operation.

Senator: Attorney General Holder soft on terror - 17 Jun 2009 at 10:48am - WASHINGTON -- The senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee says Attorney General Eric Holder is too soft on terrorism.

Thought for the day:
War is just to those to whom war is necessary. -Titus Livius (59 BC - 17 AD)

In the News: Jun-16

2009-06-16T15:21:00.000-04:00

AG Holder urges new hate crimes law - 16 Jun 2009 at 2:57pm - WASHINGTON -- Attorney General Eric Holder says recent violent attacks show the need for a tougher hate crimes law.

Pentagon wavers on release of report on Afghan attack - 16 Jun 2009 at 2:06pm - WASHINGTON — Defense Department officials are debating whether to ignore an earlier promise and squelch the release of an investigation into a U.S. airstrike last month, out of fear that its findings would further enrage the Afghan public, Pentagon officials told McClatchy Monday.

Lawsuit: White House won't release visitor records - 16 Jun 2009 at 2:05pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is declining to release documents that would identify visitors to the White House, embracing a legal position taken by the Bush administration, according to a watchdog group that filed a federal lawsuit over access to the records.

NATO boss says Afghan strategy was flawed: report - 16 Jun 2009 at 12:46pm - AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Making individual NATO members responsible for specific provinces in Afghanistan has hindered international cooperation efforts, NATO chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in a magazine interview.

NH soldier killed disarming bomb in Iraq - 16 Jun 2009 at 12:36pm - SALEM, N.H. -- Bright and hardworking like his immigrant parents, Edmond Lo's future grew even more promising when he was offered a full scholarship to a prominent engineering school. But he turned it down, choosing instead to disarm bombs for the Army.

U.S. housing starts jump in May, inflation muted - 16 Jun 2009 at 9:23am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New U.S. housing starts and permits surged in May from record lows, while producer prices rose at a slower pace despite higher gasoline prices, boosting prospects for the economy's recovery from recession.

Iraqis take control of Baghdad's Green Zone - 16 Jun 2009 at 9:19am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - As the armored car carrying Westerners cut to the front of the line at a checkpoint into Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone, an enraged Iraqi leapt from his BMW and yelled at the occupants.

Israel sees deal soon with Obama over settlements - 16 Jun 2009 at 9:04am - JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is negotiating a deal with Washington under which Israeli building in existing Jewish settlements could go forward in certain cases, Israeli and Western officials said on Tuesday.

Pretty safe bet that however this deal is worded, from the Israeli perspective, it will be considered applicable to all cases.

Odierno: U.S. to stick to Iraq withdrawal date - 16 Jun 2009 at 4:17am - The top U.S. commander in Iraq said Monday that the country's "dark days" of violence have passed, and that improved security ...

Italy agrees to take 3 detainees from Guantanamo - 16 Jun 2009 at 3:19am - WASHINGTON -- Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, seeking to restore some shine to his tattered international image, agreed to take three detainees from Guantanamo Bay and praised President Barack Obama after a long meeting at the White House.

Thought for the day:
There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you. -Will Rogers (1879 - 1935)

In the News: Jun-15

2009-06-15T15:18:00.001-04:00

U.S. financial regulation reforms outlined - 15 Jun 2009 at 1:56pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration will target critical weaknesses in the troubled U.S. financial system, such as thin bank capital cushions and eroded lending standards, when it proposes an overhaul of financial regulation this week, two senior officials said on Monday.

Pentagon struggling to explain bombing incident - 15 Jun 2009 at 1:56pm - WASHINGTON -- The U.S. military is delaying release of its investigation into air strikes last month that killed dozens of civilians in Afghanistan, debating whether any more information on the incident should be made public.

Please, please: come clean, explain your problems, and stop targeting civilians.

Court rules Taser inquiry can find officers at fault - 15 Jun 2009 at 1:39pm - The B.C. Supreme Court has dismissed a constitutional challenge by four Mounties who questioned whether a provincial public inquiry could find fault against the federal RCMP officers involved in the death of Robert Dziekanski.

U.S. commander sees fewer foreign fighters in Iraq - 15 Jun 2009 at 12:21pm - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq has seen a significant fall in the number of foreign fighters arriving to battle U.S. and local forces, and efforts by neighboring Syria are starting to bear fruit, U.S. General Ray Odierno said on Monday.

Thought for the day:
An undefined problem has an infinite number of solutions. -Robert A. Humphrey

In the News: Jun-02

2009-06-02T15:21:00.000-04:00

General: War in Afghanistan is 'winnable' - 2 Jun 2009 at 10:50am - WASHINGTON -- The Army general chosen to take over as top commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan told senators Tuesday he believes the war can be won if a proper counterinsurgency campaign is undertaken.

U.S. combat troops to leave all Iraqi cities - 2 Jun 2009 at 9:57am - SAMARRA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. combat forces will vacate all Iraqi cities on schedule by the end of this month, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq told Reuters Tuesday, including the still violent insurgent holdout of Mosul.

Guantanamo's Uighur detainees to get laptops - 2 Jun 2009 at 7:11am - GUANTANAMO BAY NAVY BASE, Cuba — These captives already get to order fast-food takeout from the base and have access to a phone booth for weekly calls. Now some 17 Uighur Muslims awaiting a nation to grant them asylum are about to go high-tech, with laptops and web training.

Thought for the day:
Under conditions of tyranny it is far easier to act than to think. -Hannah Arendt (1906 - 1975)

In the News: Jun-01

2009-06-01T15:24:00.000-04:00

Omar Khadr asks Guantanamo judge to dismiss his U.S. lawyers - 1 Jun 2009 at 1:26pm - Omar Khadr has asked a military judge at the Guantanamo Bay military prison to dismiss his U.S. defence lawyers.

Judge: Gitmo legal documents must be public - 1 Jun 2009 at 1:26pm - WASHINGTON -- A federal judge says the United States must publicly reveal the unclassified documents filed in the cases against more than 100 terror suspects being held at Guantanamo Bay.

Military recruiter killed in Ark shooting - 1 Jun 2009 at 1:17pm - LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Police in Arkansas say a military recruiter has been killed in a shooting at an Army-Navy recruiting office in Little Rock and a second recruiter has been wounded.

FBI reports crime falls in 2008 - 1 Jun 2009 at 11:24am - WASHINGTON -- The FBI says violent crime dropped in 2008, falling 2.5 percent compared to the previous year.

AG orders protection in wake of doctor slaying - 1 Jun 2009 at 7:44am - WASHINGTON -- Attorney General Eric Holder has ordered increased security for a host of unnamed individuals and facilities in the wake of the slaying of abortion Dr. George Tiller.

Thought for the day:
War is like love; it always finds a way. -Bertolt Brecht (1898 - 1956)

In the News: May-29

2009-05-29T15:20:00.000-04:00

Grand jury subpoenas Visclosky's offices - 29 May 2009 at 1:48pm - WASHINGTON -- A federal grand jury has subpoenaed records of Rep. Pete Visclosky in a criminal probe involving a Washington-area lobbying firm that specialized in providing congressional earmarks to defense contractors.

Congressional panel to analyze VA hospital mishaps - 29 May 2009 at 1:04pm - CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- A congressional panel will question Department of Veterans Affairs officials about mistakes that put patients at risk of possible exposure to HIV and other infectious body fluids at three VA hospitals.

Defense contractor with ties to Murtha suspended - 29 May 2009 at 10:15am - JOHNSTOWN, Pa. -- A Pennsylvania defense contractor to whom Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., directed millions of dollars in congressional earmarks has been blocked from doing business with the Navy amid allegations of fraud.

U.S. economy contracts less in first-quarter - 29 May 2009 at 9:02am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy contracted slightly less than initially estimated in the first quarter, while corporate profits rebounded, according to a government report on Friday that hinted the recession was moderating.

Thought for the day:
Hatred does not cease in this world by hating, but by not hating; this is an eternal truth. -Buddha (563 BC - 483 BC), The Dhammapada

In the News: May-28

2009-05-28T15:20:00.000-04:00

U.S. durable goods orders rise, jobless claims ease - 28 May 2009 at 9:43am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods saw their biggest gain in 16 months in April and fewer workers filed for new jobless benefits last week, according to official data on Thursday that suggested the deep recession was abating.

Report: Iraq prisoner abuse photos depict torture, rape - 28 May 2009 at 8:26am - A former U.S. general said graphic images of rape and torture are among the photos of Iraqi prisoner abuse that President Obama's ...

As Obama meets Abbas, Israel defends settlements - 28 May 2009 at 8:00am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israel rebuffed a strong plea on Thursday from its close ally the United States to stop all building in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Obama orders review of government classification - 28 May 2009 at 3:14am - WASHINGTON -- Expanding his drive to open government, President Barack Obama is ordering two studies of whether the government is classifying too much information and using too many different ways to keep it from public view.

Thought for the day:
If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe. -Carl Sagan (1934 - 1996)

In the News: May-26

2009-05-26T15:19:00.000-04:00

California court lets gay marriage ban stand - 26 May 2009 at 1:41pm - SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California's supreme court backed a ban on gay marriage on Tuesday, ruling that a voter-approved proposition defining marriage as between a man and a woman could stand in the trend-setting state.

Pentagon: Some released detainees return to battle - 26 May 2009 at 1:28pm - WASHINGTON -- Five percent of Guantanamo Bay detainees have participated in terrorist activities since their release from the U.S. navy prison, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

Court: Suspects can be interrogated without lawyer - 26 May 2009 at 10:42am - WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court has overturned a long-standing ruling that stops police from initiating questions unless a defendant's lawyer is present, a move that will make it easier for prosecutors to interrogate suspects.

Bomb targeting U.S. convoy in Iraq kills 3 - 26 May 2009 at 10:37am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A bomb struck a convoy of U.S. officials and civilian contractors on a visit to a construction site in western Iraq, killing three people and wounding two others, the U.S. military said Tuesday.

U.S. consumer confidence sees biggest jump in 6 years - 26 May 2009 at 10:25am - NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. consumer confidence soared in May to its highest level in eight months as severe strains in the labor market showed some signs of easing, though Americans' moods remained depressed by historical standards.

Employment insurance numbers jumped 10% in March - 26 May 2009 at 9:35am - The number of Canadians collecting regular employment insurance benefits grew by 65,300, or more than 10 per cent, in March, marking the biggest monthly increase since the job market began to deteriorate in October.

AP source: Obama picks Sotomayor for Supreme Court - 26 May 2009 at 8:26am - WASHINGTON -- Officials tell The Associated Press that President Barack Obama intends to nominate federal appeals court judge Sonia Sotomayor (SUHN'-ya soh-toh-my-YOR') as the first Hispanic to serve on the Supreme Court.

Thought for the day:
Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them. -Paul Valery (1871 - 1945), Tel Quel 2 (1943)

In the News: May-22

2009-05-22T15:28:00.000-04:00

'No information' on whether Khadr cleared for release: Harper - 22 May 2009 at 1:29pm - Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Friday he doesn't know if Omar Khadr is among the 50 Guantanamo Bay detainees cleared for release by the U.S. government.

Pelosi: Nothing more to say on her CIA allegation - 22 May 2009 at 11:43am - WASHINGTON -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday she won't talk any more about her charge that the CIA lied in 2002 about using waterboarding on terrorism suspects.

Is there any more to say? Both parties seem to agree to the essence of the briefing: that specific interrogation techniques were not discussed; that Pelosi asked simply to be assured that no illegal techniques were being employed; and that she was thus assured. What also seems pretty obvious is that the CIA didn't make clear to Pelosi that, in thus providing those assurances, they were using White House legal counsel's tortuous definition of "illegal". Was that misleading? From Pelosi's perspective, the effect was certainly misleading. Did the CIA intend to mislead? I'll guess their intent -- knowing the interrogations were probably crossing the line, and hoping not to provoke an objection -- was to say as little as they could get away with saying.

Obama vows not to send people to war without cause - 22 May 2009 at 10:40am - President Barack Obama is promising newly graduated Navy and Marine officers that he will only send young Americans into battle when "it is absolutely necessary" and when the mission is well-defined.

U.N. seeks $543 million for displaced Pakistanis - 22 May 2009 at 9:12am - ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The United Nations launched an appeal on Friday for $543 million for more than 2 million people displaced by fighting in northwest Pakistan, where officials said villagers were turning against the Taliban.

Gates defends decision to close Guantanamo prison - 22 May 2009 at 8:23am - WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the Obama administration had no choice but to order the shutdown of the prison at Guantanamo because "the name itself is a condemnation" of U.S. anti-terrorism strategy.

Iraqis unhappy about life for U.S. rape soldier - 22 May 2009 at 7:33am - MAHMUDIYA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqis in the town where U.S. soldiers raped a 14-year-old girl and killed her family said on Friday they were unhappy the ringleader received a life sentence in a U.S. court, not the maximum penalty of execution.

Thought for the day:
"When I hear gentlemen say that politics ought to let business alone, I feel like inviting them to first consider whether business is letting politics alone." -Woodrow Wilson

In the News: May-21

2009-05-21T15:25:00.000-04:00

Cheney defends Bush's national security policies - 21 May 2009 at 11:57am - WASHINGTON -- Former Vice President Dick Cheney on Thursday defended the interrogation methods used against terrorism suspects, saying the Bush administration obtained specific information critical in combatting terrorists.

Again, the usefulness of a technique has no bearing on its legality. And, if this is typical Cheney, he's not able to cite the specific critical information which was obtained.

Obama says US prisons tough enough for detainees - 21 May 2009 at 11:09am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama vigorously defended his plans to close the Guantanamo prison camp on Thursday and promised to work with Congress to develop a system for imprisoning detainees who can't be tried and can't be turned loose.

There are detainees who cannot be tried? Even in a grand jury?

House rejects probe into Pelosi CIA claims - 21 May 2009 at 12:48pm - WASHINGTON -- House Democrats on Thursday defeated a Republican push to investigate House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's claims that the CIA misled her in 2002 about whether waterboarding had been used against terrorism suspects.

Three U.S. soldiers killed in Baghdad bombing - 21 May 2009 at 7:05am - The U.S. military says 3 soldiers have been killed and nine others wounded in a roadside bombing in southern Baghdad.

Thought for the day:
I'm convinced there's a small room in the attic of the Foreign Office where future diplomats are taught to stammer. -Peter Ustinov (1921 - 2004)

In the News: May-20

2009-05-20T15:24:00.001-04:00

Senate votes to block funds for Guantanamo closure - 20 May 2009 at 12:13pm - The Senate has voted to keep detainees held in the Guantanamo prison from being transferred to the United States, a major setback for President Barack Obama who wants to close the facility by January.

FBI director concerned about Gitmo releases - 20 May 2009 at 2:45pm - WASHINGTON -- FBI Director Robert Mueller told Congress on Wednesday that bringing Guantanamo Bay detainees to the United States could pose a number of risks, even if they were kept in maximum-security prisons. Responding to FBI concerns, Attorney General Eric Holder said the Obama administration would not put Americans at risk.

Senator: KBR received $83 million in bonuses - 20 May 2009 at 10:31am - A U.S. senator says military contractor KBR Inc. was paid $83 million in bonuses for electrical work in Iraq - much of which came after the military's contract management agency recognized the contractor was doing shoddy electrical work.

Gov't: 250,000 Pakistani refugees expected in camp - 20 May 2009 at 10:03am - WASHINGTON -- Up to a quarter-million Pakistani civilians are expected to remain in refugee camps through the end of the year as a result of fighting between Pakistani forces and insurgents that has forced them from their homes.

Pakistan: 80 militants killed; U.S. says 1 soldier dead - 20 May 2009 at 10:01am - Pakistan's army says troops have killed 80 Taliban militants and taken control of a key town near the northwestern Swat Valley.

Pentagon official: US must take Gitmo prisoners - 20 May 2009 at 9:52am - WASHINGTON -- In an escalation of arguments over closing a prison facility at Guantanamo Bay, a top Pentagon official says members of Congress must rethink their opposition to accepting these detainees into the United States.

Electrician: Contractor did faulty wiring in Iraq - 20 May 2009 at 5:08am - WASHINGTON -- An electrician hired by the Army to help inspect electrical work at facilities where U.S. soldiers operate in Iraq said Wednesday that 90 percent of wiring done in newly constructed buildings by one military contractor was done improperly.

Thought for the day:
Political advertising ought to be stopped. It's the only really dishonest kind of advertising that's left. -David M. Ogilvy

In the News: May-19

2009-05-19T15:23:00.000-04:00

US audit faults security spending in Afghanistan - 19 May 2009 at 2:30pm - WASHINGTON -- The military command overseeing $15 billion in U.S. programs to develop Afghanistan's security forces cannot be sure the money is being managed effectively, a top government watchdog warned Tuesday.

Congressman says CIA briefing list inaccurate - 19 May 2009 at 1:02pm - WASHINGTON -- A top House Democrat raised new questions Tuesday about the accuracy of the CIA's account of congressional briefings on severe interrogation techniques. He said a staff aide the agency listed as attending a 2006 briefing was instead barred from it.

Pentagon says Iranian weapons still coming to Iraq - 19 May 2009 at 12:55pm - WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon says U.S. soldiers are still finding large numbers of Iranian-made weapons in Iraq, despite's Iran's denials.

Pentagon says it's on track for closing Gitmo - 19 May 2009 at 11:30am - WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon says it still expects the prison at Guantanamo Bay to be closed by January 2010 as President Barack Obama has ordered.

Canada's housing market to fall by double-digits in '09: CMHC - 19 May 2009 at 11:05am - Canada's housing market could fall by a large amount in 2009 because a faltering economy will supress how many new and existing homes are traded, according to a new report released Tuesday.

White House wins appeal over e-mail - 19 May 2009 at 10:58am - WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court says the office that has records about millions of possibly missing e-mails from the Bush White House does not have to make them public.

U.S. housing starts, permits hit record lows in April - 19 May 2009 at 9:06am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New U.S. housing starts and permits unexpectedly fell to record lows in April, a government report showed on Tuesday, denting hopes that stability in the housing market was imminent.

Thought for the day:
You cannot acquire experience by making experiments. You cannot create experience. You must undergo it. -Albert Camus (1913 - 1960)

In the News: May-12

2009-05-12T15:23:00.000-04:00

Economic woes hurt U.S. Medicare, Social Security - 12 May 2009 at 3:04pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economic recession has taken a toll on the financial strength of Social Security and Medicare retirement and health programs for the elderly, a government report released on Tuesday showed.

Feds exaggerate predictions of greenhouse gas reductions: watchdog - 12 May 2009 at 2:41pm - The federal government has overstated greenhouse gas reductions expected as a result of its climate change plans and is failing to count the actual reductions to see if they match with predictions, says a report from the environment commissioner.

White House memo challenges finding on warming - 12 May 2009 at 1:56pm - A White House document says U.S. regulation of the gases blamed for global warming will have serious consequences throughout the U.S. economy. The document is a compilation of opinions from numerous federal agencies about the Environment Protection Agency's finding that greenhouse gases are a danger to public health. It was released Tuesday by Republican senators.

Miami VA: Steps taken to prevent contamination - 12 May 2009 at 1:50pm - MIAMI -- The top Veterans Affairs official in Miami said Tuesday she has taken steps locally to prevent the kind of problems that exposed patients to contaminated medical equipment at VA hospitals in three states.

Thought for the day:
Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory. -Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519)

In the News: May-11

2009-05-11T15:18:00.000-04:00

Justice plans new antitrust effort - 11 May 2009 at 2:54pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration warned corporate America on Monday that the government will more aggressively investigate big firms that hurt smaller competitors, contending that lax enforcement by the Bush administration contributed to the current economic troubles.

Lawyers: Ex-soldier deserves death for crimes - 11 May 2009 at 2:35pm - PADUCAH, Ky. -- Federal prosecutors say a former soldier convicted of raping and murdering an Iraqi teenager and killing her family deserves a death sentence because the crimes were so heinous.

Not again: FAA stops military flight over Hudson - 11 May 2009 at 2:26pm - NEW YORK -- The Federal Aviation Administration said it turned down a U.S. Navy request to fly a patrol aircraft past Manhattan on Monday, two weeks after a government photo shoot caused a brief panic near ground zero.

Pentagon to replace top Afghanistan commander: report - 11 May 2009 at 12:48pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon will replace the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, U.S. General David McKiernan, less than a year after he took over the war effort there, CNN reported on Monday.

Pope Benedict calls for Palestinian 'homeland' - 11 May 2009 at 10:33am - Pope Benedict XVI called Monday for Israelis and Palestinians to each have "a homeland of their own, within secure and internationally recognized borders."

Shooting at Baghdad base leaves 5 U.S. soldiers dead - 11 May 2009 at 10:04am - BAGHDAD — Five American soldiers have been killed in a shooting at a U.S. base in the Iraqi capital, the military said in a statement. The statement said the shooting occurred at about 2 p.m. Monday at Camp Liberty, near Baghdad International Airport.

Thought for the day:
There is more to life than increasing its speed -Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948)

In the News: May-06

2009-05-06T15:17:00.001-04:00

Source: No charges seen over interrogation memos - 6 May 2009 at 6:19am - WASHINGTON -- Justice Department investigators say Bush administration lawyers who approved harsh interrogation techniques of terror suspects should not face criminal charges, according to a draft report that also recommends two of the three attorneys face possible professional sanctions.

Red Cross: Afghan women, children dead after U.S. bombings - 6 May 2009 at 5:50am - The international Red Cross said Wednesday that its officials saw women and children among dozens of dead bodies in two villages ...

Karzai orders probe into alleged civilian deaths - 6 May 2009 at 5:11am - Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai ordered an investigation on Wednesday following allegations that more than 30 civilians died in a U.S.-led bombing.

Thought for the day:
The universal brotherhood of man is our most precious possession, what there is of it. -Mark Twain (1835 - 1910), Following the Equator

In the News: May-05

2009-05-05T15:15:00.000-04:00

EPA: ethanol crops displaces climate-friendly ones - 5 May 2009 at 11:38am - WASHINGTON -- The Environmental Protection Agency says that corn ethanol - as made today - has a worse impact on climate than gasoline when land use changes are considered.

Probe of interrogation memo lawyers nears end - 5 May 2009 at 11:06am - WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department is nearing the end of its probe into Bush administration lawyers who wrote secret memos approving harsh interrogation techniques.

Afghan official sees 30 bodies killed in airstrike - 5 May 2009 at 11:02am - Bombing runs by U.S.-led coalition jets killed dozens of civilians taking shelter from a fierce ground battle between Taliban militants and Afghan and international forces, two Afghan officials said Tuesday. The U.S. confirmed fighting Monday in western Afghanistan and said reports of civilian deaths were under investigation. One Afghan official said angry and mournful villagers transported an estimated 30 bodies to a provincial capital to show officials. Other officials estimated the civilian toll to be between 70 and 100.

House Democrats won't give Obama funds to close Gitmo - 5 May 2009 at 5:47am - WASHINGTON — The Obama administration's bid for $50 million to move prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility was left out of the Democratic-authored emergency war-spending bill unveiled Monday.

U.S. military says Afghan bibles have been destroyed - 5 May 2009 at 5:12am - KABUL (Reuters) - Bibles in Afghan languages sent to a U.S. soldier at a base in Afghanistan were confiscated and destroyed to ensure that troops did not breach regulations which forbid proselytizing, a military spokeswoman said.

Thought for the day:
The most common of all follies is to believe passionately in the palpably not true. It is the chief occupation of mankind. -H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)

In the News: May-04

2009-05-04T15:21:00.000-04:00

White House: No extra bank bailout money needed - 4 May 2009 at 2:37pm - WASHINGTON -- The White House says it has no plans to ask Congress for more taxpayer money to bail out struggling banks.

Pentagon's top auditor criticizes KBR support work - 4 May 2009 at 11:38am - WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon's top auditor on Monday criticized KBR Inc.'s performance on a $31.7 billion combat support contract, pointing to numerous instances where the company failed to make sure U.S. taxpayers were getting the most for their money.

U.S. denies letting troops convert Afghans - 4 May 2009 at 8:36am - KABUL (Reuters) - The U.S. military denied Monday it has allowed soldiers to try to convert Afghans to Christianity, after a television network showed pictures of soldiers with bibles translated into local languages.

U.S. asks Germany to take Guantanamo inmates: German government - 4 May 2009 at 7:48am - BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States has made a formal request to Germany to take in some prisoners held at its military prison in Guantanamo Bay, a spokesman for Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Sunday.

Thought for the day:
Money frees you from doing things you dislike. Since I dislike doing nearly everything, money is handy. -Groucho Marx (1890 - 1977)

In the News: May-01

2009-05-01T16:40:00.001-04:00

U.S. says troops will not face trial over Iraq raid - 1 May 2009 at 10:51am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. soldiers will not appear in Iraqi courts to answer any charges relating to a raid this week that killed two people in Iraq and triggered condemnation from Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the U.S. military has said.

Pentagon uses Facebook, Twitter to spread message - 1 May 2009 at 7:37am - FORT MONROE, Va. -- You don't often hear a three-star general using the word "friend" as a verb.

Military: 3 American troops killed in Iraq - 1 May 2009 at 6:56am - Three U.S. troops have been killed in fighting west of Baghdad, the military said Friday, making April the deadliest month for ...

UN asks Israel to freeze Arab home demolitions - 1 May 2009 at 6:28am - A U.N. agency has asked Israel to freeze demolitions of Arab homes in east Jerusalem, citing a housing crisis in the part of ...

Former 'enemy combatant' pleads guilty in Illinois - 1 May 2009 at 5:20am - PEORIA, Ill. -- A man whose case sparked a furious legal debate over whether the government can hold terrorism suspects indefinitely entered a surprise guilty plea, admitting to training in al-Qaida camps and coming to the nation's heartland a day before Sept. 11.

Thought for the day:
My loathings are simple: stupidity, oppression, crime, cruelty, soft music. -Vladimir Nabokov (1899 - 1977)

In the News: Apr-30

2009-04-30T15:18:00.001-04:00

Britain ends combat operations in Iraq - 30 Apr 2009 at 8:02am - British troops ended six years of combat operations in Iraq on Thursday, beginning to withdraw from the southern city of Basra after a bloody and costly mission that was deeply unpopular at home. Prime Minister Gordon Brown praised his military's accomplishments and sacrifices, speaking after meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki at Brown's Downing Street office in London.

Iraq war wanes; military families' struggles don't - 30 Apr 2009 at 7:16am - HAMLET, N.C. -- Spc. Jobel Barbosa had spent the past hour with his family in a parking lot after a public ceremony marking his unit's deployment to a war that's coming to an end. It was time to go.

Thought for the day:
Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions. -Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

In the News: Apr-29

2009-04-29T15:20:00.001-04:00

Study: World can 'safely' burn only 25% of remaining oil, coal - 29 Apr 2009 at 1:12pm - The world can burn only a quarter of proven reserves of oil, gas and coal to be confident of staying within safer climate limits, ...

Transsexual wins $500,000 lawsuit - 29 Apr 2009 at 11:05am - A federal judge has awarded a former Army Special Forces commander nearly $500,000 because she was rejected from a job at the ...

Holder: 30 Gitmo inmates approved for release - 29 Apr 2009 at 10:51am - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder says about 30 detainees have been cleared for release from Guantanamo Bay.

U.S. economy performed worse than expected in Q1 - 29 Apr 2009 at 10:40am - The U.S. economy turned in a worse performance than expected in the first quarter as it contracted at an annualized pace of 6.1 per cent, the U.S. Commerce Department said Wednesday.

Thought for the day:
Television news is like a lightning flash. It makes a loud noise, lights up everything around it, leaves everything else in darkness and then is suddenly gone. -Hodding Carter

In the News: Apr-28

2009-04-28T15:21:00.000-04:00

Fed court revives rendition lawsuit against Boeing - 28 Apr 2009 at 2:09pm - SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal appeals court has ruled that a Boeing Co. subsidiary can be sued for allegedly flying terrorism suspects to secret prisons to be tortured as part of the CIA's "extraordinary rendition" program.

Feds disavow toxic water study on Marine base - 28 Apr 2009 at 1:15pm - In an abrupt reversal, the U.S. government is disavowing a report that had reassured Marines and their families there was little or no increased cancer risk for adults who drank contaminated water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

Sources: Sen. Specter intends to switch parties - 28 Apr 2009 at 12:13pm - WASHINGTON -- Several officials say veteran Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania intends to switch parties, advancing his own hopes of winning a new term next year while pushing Democrats one step closer to a 60-vote filibuster-resistant majority.

Most Americans oppose interrogation probe: poll - 28 Apr 2009 at 12:00pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most Americans oppose a U.S. congressional investigation into harsh interrogation methods used on terrorism suspects during the Bush administration, a poll said on Tuesday.

British court acquits 3 charged in 2005 London bombings - 28 Apr 2009 at 9:55am - A British jury cleared three men on Tuesday of charges that they helped suicide bombers who killed 52 people on London's transit system four years ago.

Obama orders review of New York City flyover - 28 Apr 2009 at 2:57pm - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama has ordered an internal review to determine how the decision was made to send of one of his official airplanes on a low-flying photo op past the New York City skyline.

Pandemic-preparedness money stripped from stimulus - 28 Apr 2009 at 8:55am - Congress stripped nearly $900 million to combat an influenza pandemic from the economic-stimulus package earlier this year as ...

Thought for the day:
When the politicians complain that TV turns the proceedings into a circus, it should be made clear that the circus was already there, and that TV has merely demonstrated that not all the performers are well trained. -Edward R. Murrow (1908 - 1965)

In the News: Apr-27

2009-04-27T15:21:00.000-04:00

Britain would consider taking Gitmo detainees - 27 Apr 2009 at 2:11pm - LONDON -- British Justice Secretary Jack Straw said Monday his country would consider taking Guantanamo Bay detainees if the United States asks for such help to close the detention facility.

Obama seeks reversal of mountaintop mining rule - 27 Apr 2009 at 1:35pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration wants to reverse a last-minute Bush-era rule that allows mountaintop mining waste to be dumped near streams.

US Official: Harman was monitored, but not by NSA - 27 Apr 2009 at 11:57am - COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The top U.S. intelligence official says California Democrat Jane Harman was monitored by a government wiretap but that the surveillance was not directed by the National Security Agency.

Lesbian couple legally marries in Iowa ceremony - 27 Apr 2009 at 11:36am - A lesbian couple has apparently become the first same-sex couple to legally wed in Iowa since a court ruling took effect legalizing gay marriage.

Holder meets with British officials, tours Tower - 27 Apr 2009 at 10:16am - LONDON -- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, on the first stop of a European tour, met privately on Monday with British officials to talk about intelligence-sharing and terrorism.

U.S. forces say kill 7 al Qaeda suspects in Iraq - 27 Apr 2009 at 9:44am - TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - Seven suspected al Qaeda insurgents were killed in clashes with U.S. forces in a largely Sunni Arab province of Iraq, the U.S. military said Monday.

Iraqi government claims U.S. raid violated agreement - 27 Apr 2009 at 6:48am - BAGHDAD — An early morning U.S. raid that left two Iraqis dead was launched without Iraq's permission, a serious violation of the rules that are supposed to govern American military conduct here, the Iraqi government said Sunday.

Thought for the day:
War is the biggest ego trip of all time. -Molly Wiest

In the News: Apr-24

2009-04-24T15:33:00.000-04:00

White House: No point appealing photos' lawsuit - 24 Apr 2009 at 2:57pm - The White House says it was clear an appeal of a court ruling ordering the administration to release photographs of prisoners abused by U.S. military or civilian personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan would not succeed.

New, deadly swine flu hits Mexico, may spread - 24 Apr 2009 at 12:51pm - MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A deadly strain of swine flu never seen before has broken out in Mexico, killing as many as 60 people and raising fears it is spreading across North America.

Appeals court tosses Gitmo suit _ again - 24 Apr 2009 at 12:25pm - WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court has for a second time rejected a lawsuit by Guantanamo Bay detainees who say they were tortured and denied religious rights.

Petraeus: Tunisian militants attacking Iraq - 24 Apr 2009 at 11:17am - WASHINGTON -- The top U.S. military commander in the Mideast says attacks in Iraq will continue for some time, and they may be the work of a network of foreign fighters from Tunisia.

U.S. soldier dies in noncombat incident in Iraq - 24 Apr 2009 at 8:56am - The U.S. military says an American soldier has died as a result of a noncombat related incident in a province north of Baghdad.

US military worried about Taliban move on Pakistan - 24 Apr 2009 at 7:57am - WASHINGTON -- The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said in an interview broadcast Friday that he's "extremely concerned" about indications the Taliban was moving closer to Pakistan's capital of Islamabad.

Canadian soldier found dead on base in Afghanistan - 24 Apr 2009 at 7:43am - An investigation has been launched into the death of a Canadian soldier whose body was found in her room at Kandahar Airfield.

U.S. lawyers to meet Sudan Gitmo detainee families - 24 Apr 2009 at 5:43am - KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Lawyers from the Pentagon's legal office will meet with families of Sudanese Guantanamo detainees to discuss how they might be released, a Sudanese foreign ministry official said Friday.

Thought for the day:
On account of being a democracy and run by the people, we are the only nation in the world that has to keep a government four years, no matter what it does. -Will Rogers (1879 - 1935)

In the News: Apr-23

2009-04-23T15:22:00.000-04:00

Greg Mitchell: U.S. Soldier Who Killed Herself--After Refusing to Take Part in Torture - April 23, 2009 - With each new revelation on U.S. torture in Iraq, Afghanistan and Gitmo (and who, knows, probably elsewhere), I am reminded of the chilling story of Alyssa Peterson, who I have written about numerous times in the past three years but now with especially sad relevance. Appalled when ordered to take part in interrogations that, no doubt, involved what we would call torture, she refused, then killed herself a few days later, in September 2003.

Court rules PM must press U.S. for Khadr's return - 23 Apr 2009 at 1:37pm - A Federal Court judge ruled Thursday that Prime Minister Stephen Harper is obliged to press the United States for the return of Omar Khadr to Canada.

Cuomo questions TARP, pressure on BofA's Lewis - 23 Apr 2009 at 1:15pm - NEW YORK (Reuters) - An investigation of Bank of America Corp revealed facts that raise questions about the transparency of the U.S. government program to help banks in the financial crisis, New York's top legal officer said in a letter made public on Thursday.

U.S. mass layoffs rise to highest on record - 23 Apr 2009 at 11:13am - NEW YORK (Reuters) - Large-scale U.S. layoffs rose again in March, according to Labor Department data on Thursday, as the economy struggles with what many expect will be the country's worst post-World War II recession.

Lewis testified that U.S. urged silence on Merrill deal: report - 23 Apr 2009 at 8:32am - NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp CEO Kenneth Lewis testified under oath that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and then-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson pressured him to keep quiet about losses at Merrill Lynch & Co, which the bank was buying, the Wall Street Journal reported.

US lacks civilians for Afghan 'civilian surge' - 23 Apr 2009 at 8:25am - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is having trouble finding the hundreds of civilians it wants to bolster the troop buildup in Afghanistan. So military reservists might be asked to do the civilian jobs.

Thought for the day:
It isn't that they can't see the solution. It is that they can't see the problem. -G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936), Scandal of Father Brown (1935)

In the News: Apr-22

2009-04-22T15:19:00.000-04:00

Pelosi knew NSA had listened to Harman phone calls - 22 Apr 2009 at 2:44pm - WASHINGTON -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she knew a few years ago that California Democrat Rep. Jane Harman had been overheard on a government wiretap.

Report: Bush policies led to prisoner abuses - 22 Apr 2009 at 2:40pm - WASHINGTON -- The brutal treatment of prisoners by the military at Guantanamo Bay, Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison and Afghanistan was systematic and a direct result of the CIA's early use of harsh interrogation tactics, according to a Senate report.

LaHood to reject FAA secrecy on bird data - 22 Apr 2009 at 2:28pm - Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says he intends to overrule the Federal Aviation Administration on its plan to keep secret data on where and when collisions between birds and airplanes occur.

Intel director: High-value info obtained - 22 Apr 2009 at 12:37pm - The Obama administration's top intelligence official privately told employees last week that "high value information" was obtained in interrogations that included harsh techniques approved by President George W. Bush. "A deeper understanding of the al-Qaeda network" resulted, National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair said in the memo, in which he added, "I like to think I would not have approved those methods in the past."

Army officer feels vindicated by Senate report - 22 Apr 2009 at 7:34am - WASHINGTON -- An Army Reserve brigadier general demoted because of prisoner abuses at the Abu Ghraib facility in Iraq says a new Senate report supports claims that uniformed military people were made "scapegoats" for Bush administration prisoner interrogation policies.

U.K.: All terror suspects arrested in raids released - 22 Apr 2009 at 6:59am - British police say all 12 suspects arrested in anti-terror raids earlier this month have been released without charge.

Britain won't charge 12 arrested in anti-terror sweep - 22 Apr 2009 at 6:50am - Twelve men arrested in a series of anti-terrorist raids involving hundreds of officers across northwest England earlier this month will not face charges due to insufficient evidence, British prosecutors said Wednesday.

Thought for the day:
The surprising thing about young fools is how many survive to become old fools. -Doug Larson

In the News: Apr-21

2009-04-21T15:18:00.001-04:00

Cheney: US gained information from interrogations - 21 Apr 2009 at 10:31am - WASHINGTON -- Former Vice President Dick Cheney says the U.S. government gained valuable intelligence from its aggressive interrogations of high-value detainees after the September 2001 terrorist attacks.

Isn't this kinda like saying you needed money, so you didn't think twice about robbing that bank, but you shouldn't be prosecuted, because robbing the bank succeeded in getting you that money you needed?

Rivers shrinking: Flow of many rivers in decline - 21 Apr 2009 at 3:01pm - WASHINGTON -- The flow of water in the world's largest rivers has declined over the past half-century, with significant changes found in about a third of the big rivers.

Lawmaker asks for release of spy case transcripts - 21 Apr 2009 at 2:05pm - WASHINGTON -- The former senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee asked the Justice Department on Tuesday to release all transcripts of her recorded conversations involving the treatment of two pro-Israel lobbyists accused of spying.

EPA restores stricter reporting of toxic pollution - 21 Apr 2009 at 1:45pm - WASHINGTON -- The federal government plans to once again require companies to fully disclose the toxic chemicals they release into the air, onto land and into water.

Obama open to prosecution, probe of interrogations - 21 Apr 2009 at 12:55pm - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama said Tuesday the United States lost "our moral bearings" with gruesome terror-suspect interrogations and he left the door open to prosecuting Bush administration officials who vouched for their legality.

Supreme Court limits warrantless vehicle searches - 21 Apr 2009 at 10:42am - WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that police need a warrant to search the vehicle of someone they have arrested if the person is locked up in a patrol cruiser and poses no safety threat to officers.

Thought for the day:
Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice. -Baruch Spinoza (1632 - 1677)

In the News: Apr-20

2009-04-20T15:20:00.001-04:00

Justices skeptical on allowing Iraq to be sued - 20 Apr 2009 at 1:56pm - WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court seemed skeptical on Monday about holding the current Iraqi government responsible in American courts for the acts of Saddam Hussein's regime.

Va. whistleblower loses bid for reinstatement - 20 Apr 2009 at 10:12am - WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of a fired bank executive who blew the whistle on alleged shoddy accounting practices and wants his job back.

Official: Obama doesn't want interrogation charges - 20 Apr 2009 at 6:12am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama does not intend to prosecute Bush administration officials who devised the policies that led to the harsh interrogation of suspected terrorists, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said Sunday.

Thought for the day:
Civilizations in decline are consistently characterised by a tendency towards standardization and uniformity. -Arnold Toynbee (1889 - 1975)

In the News: Apr-16

2009-04-16T14:50:00.001-04:00

No charges against CIA officials for waterboarding - 16 Apr 2009 at 2:35pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration on Thursday informed CIA officials who used waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics on terror suspects that they will not be prosecuted.

NY governor introduces bill to allow gay marriage - 16 Apr 2009 at 11:01am - NEW YORK -- Gov. David Paterson announced plans Thursday to legalize same-sex marriage in New York, making a political gamble that he can ride the momentum of other states that have recently allowed the practice.

Mich. Muslim group says FBI asking people to spy - 16 Apr 2009 at 10:40am - DETROIT -- A Michigan Muslim organization said Thursday it has asked U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate complaints alleging the FBI is asking followers of the faith to spy on Islamic leaders and congregations.

Senate panel to investigate wiretapping violations - 16 Apr 2009 at 10:35am - WASHINGTON -- Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein says she will investigate indications of new wiretap violations by the National Security Agency.

US soldier gets life for murders of Iraqi prisoners - 16 Apr 2009 at 10:33am - A senior United States soldier has been jailed for life for the murder of four bound and blindfolded prisoners in Iraq, a court martial said.

Thought for the day:
It is knowledge that influences and equalizes the social condition of man; that gives to all, however different their political position, passions which are in common, and enjoyments which are universal. -Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

In the News: Apr-15

2009-04-15T15:23:00.000-04:00

Fan cries foul over ejection from Yankee stadium - 15 Apr 2009 at 2:07pm - NEW YORK -- A baseball fan says he was ejected from Yankee Stadium for leaving his seat to use the bathroom while "God Bless America" played.

Afghan women pelted with stones during rape law protest - 15 Apr 2009 at 1:04pm - Afghan women protesting against a new law that severely undermines women's rights were pelted with stones in the country's capital Wednesday, say reports.

Report: United States ripe for recruiting by extremists - 15 Apr 2009 at 7:47am - Homeland Security officials are warning that right-wing extremists could use the bad state of the U.S. economy and the election of the country's first black president to recruit members to their cause. In an intelligence assessment issued to law enforcement last week, Homeland Security officials said there was no specific information about an attack in the works by right-wing extremists.

Thought for the day:
Before a war, military science seems a real science, like astronomy. After a war it seems more like astrology. -Dame Rebecca West

In the News: Apr-14

2009-04-14T15:21:00.000-04:00

10 years later, the real story behind Columbine - 14 Apr 2009 at 1:48pm - A decade after [Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold] made Columbine a synonym for rage, new information — including several books that analyze the tragedy through diaries, e-mails, appointment books, videotape, police affidavits and interviews with witnesses, friends and survivors — indicate that much of what the public has been told about the shootings is wrong.

NY governor wants gay marriage bill - 14 Apr 2009 at 1:37pm - ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York legislative officials say Gov. David Paterson is expected to introduce legislation to legalize gay marriage.

Canadian soldier killed, 4 wounded by roadside bomb in Afghanistan - 14 Apr 2009 at 11:32am - One Canadian soldier was killed and four others were wounded when their armoured vehicle struck a roadside bomb north of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan, the Canadian military said Tuesday.

US troops could stay in Mosul past June 30 - 14 Apr 2009 at 11:19am - WASHINGTON -- The top U.S. commander in a northern Iraq province where al-Qaida remains a strong threat says his combat troops may stay in cities there past a June 30 deadline requiring them to pull back.

Appeals Court: Marine can't sue Murtha - 14 Apr 2009 at 10:58am - WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court has ruled that a Marine cannot sue Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha for defamation.

Thought for the day:
The only alternative to coexistence is codestruction. -Jawaharlal Nehru (1889 - 1964)

In the News: Apr-13

2009-04-13T15:18:00.000-04:00

Afghan villagers say NATO strike killed civilians - 13 Apr 2009 at 12:50pm - ASADABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) - An overnight NATO-led airstrike on a remote Afghan village killed six civilians, including two children, Afghan officials said on Monday, but Western forces said they had targeted armed militants.

Obama to ease limits on U.S.-Cuba family ties: official - 13 Apr 2009 at 12:35pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Monday will lift some U.S. restrictions to allow Cuban Americans to travel more freely to the communist-ruled island and send financial assistance to family members, a U.S. official said.

Sudan's Bashir hails Obama's overture to Islamic world - 13 Apr 2009 at 10:48am - KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan's leader welcomed on Monday "positive signs" sent by U.S. President Barack Obama to the Islamic world, striking a more conciliatory tone toward Washington, seen as an enemy of Khartoum in the past.

Thought for the day:
The real hero is always a hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest coward like everybody else. -Umberto Eco (1932 - ), Travels in Hyperreality

In the News: Apr-09

2009-04-09T15:17:00.000-04:00

CIA says shuttering detention "black sites" - 9 Apr 2009 at 2:44pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The CIA will decommission the infamous "black sites" where terrorism suspects were interrogated with harsh techniques that included waterboarding, agency director Leon Panetta said on Thursday.

Obama to seek $83.4 billion for Iraq, Afghan wars - 9 Apr 2009 at 2:31pm - WASHINGTON -- Congressional aides say President Barack Obama is seeking $83.4 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan into the fall.

Obama announces new record system for vets - 9 Apr 2009 at 12:28pm - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama on Thursday promised a more efficient record system to ease delays in health care for wounded veterans, as the government copes with more than 33,000 military personnel injured in two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Returning troops getting tested for brain injuries - 9 Apr 2009 at 10:43am - FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. -- Every soldier who's gone to war in the past year paused before leaving to take a brain test - basic math, matching numbers and symbols and identifying patterns to measure response time and accuracy. Now that some of these troops have returned, they're taking a fresh round of tests, all part of a broad effort by the military to better treat head injuries.

U.S. jobless claims ease in latest week - 9 Apr 2009 at 9:40am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless aid fell last week, but the number of people on unemployment rolls surged to a record in March, data showed on Thursday, suggesting the labor market's decline has not yet hit bottom.

Jobless rate climbs to 7-year high of 8% - 9 Apr 2009 at 8:10am - Canada's employment situation continued to deteriorate in March, as 61,000 jobs were lost - with all the cuts coming in full-time work.

Shia rally marks anniversary of fall of Baghdad - 9 Apr 2009 at 6:35am - Tens of thousands of supporters of an anti-U.S. Shia cleric rallied Thursday at a main downtown square in Baghdad to protest the U.S. military presence and mark the sixth anniversary of the fall of the Iraqi capital to American forces.

Thought for the day:
Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons. -Woody Allen (1935 - )

In the News: Apr-08

2009-04-08T15:16:00.000-04:00

US to attend group nuclear talks with Iran - 8 Apr 2009 at 2:51pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration said Wednesday it will participate directly in group talks with Iran over its suspect nuclear program, marking another significant shift from former President George W. Bush's policy toward a nation he labeled a member of the "Axis of Evil."

Safety team warns of 'catastrophic' wiring in Iraq - 8 Apr 2009 at 6:47am - WASHINGTON -- A military team sent to evaluate electrical problems at U.S. facilities in Iraq determined there was a high risk that flawed wiring could cause further "catastrophic results" - namely, the electrocutions of U.S. soldiers.

Thought for the day:
When a thing ceases to be a subject of controversy, it ceases to be a subject of interest. -William Hazlitt (1778 - 1830)

In the News: Apr-07

2009-04-07T15:20:00.000-04:00

Red Cross: Gitmo medical personnel violated ethics - 7 Apr 2009 at 1:57pm - WASHINGTON -- Medical professionals who monitored CIA interrogations at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility violated medical ethics, the International Committee of the Red Cross says in a report.

Vermont legalizes gay marriage with veto override - 7 Apr 2009 at 11:26am - Vermont has become the fourth state to legalize gay marriage and the first to do so with a legislature's vote.

Judge: U.S. hid witness' mental illness in Guantanamo cases - 7 Apr 2009 at 6:49am - WASHINGTON — The Justice Department improperly withheld important psychiatric records of a government witness who was used in a "significant" number of Guantanamo cases, a federal judge has concluded.

As Iraq rape trial begins, attorneys attack law - 7 Apr 2009 at 3:54am - PADUCAH, Ky. -- Former soldier Steven Dale Green is accused of raping a 14-year-old girl and killing her and her family while serving in Iraq, but he won't face an Iraqi or military jury.

Thought for the day:
I must say that acting was good training for the political life that lay ahead of us. -Anthony Burgess (1917 - 1993)

In the News: Apr-06

2009-04-06T15:19:00.000-04:00

Accused chief torturer for Khmer Rouge blames U.S. for regime's rise - 6 Apr 2009 at 11:32am - American policies in the 1970s buoyed the rise of the Khmer Rouge to power in Cambodia, the man accused of being the brutal regime's chief torturer testified Monday in Phnom Penh.

Obama declares US 'not at war with Islam' - 6 Apr 2009 at 8:44am - ANKARA, Turkey -- Barack Obama, making his first visit to a Muslim nation as president, declared Monday the United States "is not at war with Islam" and called for a greater partnership with the Islamic world.

One might think it goes without saying that the U.S. is not at war with Islam, but apparantly, sadly, it does not.

Obama commits U.S. to eliminating nuclear weapons - 6 Apr 2009 at 7:53am - PRAQUE, Czech Republic — For half a century, American presidents have talked about easing or eliminating the threat of nuclear annihilation while maintaining an arsenal at the core of U.S. defense strategy.

Thought for the day:
Of course, our failures are a consequence of many factors, but possibly one of the most important is the fact that society operates on the theory that specialization is the key to success, not realizing that specialization precludes comprehensive thinking. -R. Buckminster Fuller (1895 - 1983), Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth, 1963

In the News: Apr-03

2009-04-03T15:21:00.000-04:00

N.C. Sen. Burr delays Duckworth vote - 3 Apr 2009 at 12:05pm - U.S. Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina is delaying the nomination vote and swearing-in of injured Iraq veteran Tammy Duckworth for a top post in the Veterans Affairs administration.

Iowa court says gay marriage ban unconstitutional - 3 Apr 2009 at 10:29am - DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Iowa Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling Friday finding that the state's same-sex marriage ban violates the constitutional rights of gay and lesbian couples, making Iowa the third state where marriage will be legal.

Jobless rate bolts to 8.5 percent, 663K jobs lost - 3 Apr 2009 at 9:45am - WASHINGTON -- The nation's unemployment rate jumped to 8.5 percent in March, the highest since late 1983, as a wide swath of employers eliminated 663,000 jobs. It's fresh evidence of the toll the recession has inflicted on America's workers, and economists say there's no relief in sight.

Obama, Sarkozy find common ground on Guantanamo - 3 Apr 2009 at 7:43am - STRASBOURG, France -- In a symbolic gesture, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told President Barack Obama on Friday that France would accept a prisoner from Guantanamo Bay if that would facilitate the closing of the controversial detention center where terrorist suspects are held.

Thought for the day:
Most of the time I don't have much fun. The rest of the time I don't have any fun at all. -Woody Allen (1935 - )

In the News: Apr-02

2009-04-02T15:06:00.000-04:00

House votes on FDA authority for tobacco - 2 Apr 2009 at 1:00pm - The 298-112 roll call Thursday by which the House approved a bill that would for the first time give the government powers to regulate tobacco products.

Judge: Bagram prisoners can challenge detention - 2 Apr 2009 at 11:50am - WASHINGTON -- A federal judge says prisoners in the war on terror being held at a military air base in Afghanistan have a right to challenge their detention in a U.S. court.

Thought for the day:
If one morning I walked on top of the water across the Potomac River, the headline that afternoon would read "President Can't Swim". -Lyndon B. Johnson (1908 - 1973)

In the News: Apr-01

2009-04-01T15:20:00.000-04:00

Israel's new foreign minister dismisses Annapolis - 1 Apr 2009 at 1:58pm - JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's new foreign minister angered Palestinians and raised the prospect of tension with Washington by saying Wednesday that Israel was not bound by a deal to start negotiations on establishing a Palestinian state.

Harper 'deeply troubled' by Afghan move to limit women's rights - 1 Apr 2009 at 1:52pm - Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Wednesday that Canada remains committed to its mission in Afghanistan, but he voiced strong concerns about new Afghan legislation that would limit women's rights in that country.

US replaces Blackwater for some Iraq security - 1 Apr 2009 at 1:16pm - WASHINGTON -- The State Department said Wednesday it has signed the Virginia-based private security firm Triple Canopy to take over protecting U.S. diplomats on the ground in Iraq from Blackwater Worldwide, now known as Xe.

Toronto police arrest at least 100 in major raid targeting guns, gangs - 1 Apr 2009 at 9:23am - Police arrested at least 100 people early Wednesday morning in a large-scale raid linked to guns and gangs investigations across the Greater Toronto Area.

No forensic match for ammo in Blackwater shooting - 1 Apr 2009 at 8:44am - FBI scientists were unable to match bullets from a deadly 2007 shooting in Iraq to guns carried by guards for U.S. government ...

General: Afghan-Pakistan insurgents get stronger - 1 Apr 2009 at 8:52am - WASHINGTON -- The top U.S. general in the Mideast says the Taliban and other insurgents are growing ever stronger in Afghanistan. General David Petraeus is promising the U.S. military will fight "relentlessly and aggressively" to foil the extremists there and in neighboring Pakistan.

Taliban say U.S. reconciliation offer "lunatic" - 1 Apr 2009 at 8:22am - KABUL (Reuters) - Taliban insurgents rejected on Wednesday a U.S. offer of "honorable reconciliation" as a "lunatic idea" and said the withdrawal of foreign troops was the only way to end the war in Afghanistan.

Monthly U.S. death toll in Iraq lowest since beginning of war - 1 Apr 2009 at 7:51am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The number of U.S. troops killed by hostile action in Iraq fell in March to the lowest level since the 2003 invasion, but total civilian deaths remained above January's low point.

Thought for the day:
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. -Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882)

In the News: Mar-31

2009-03-31T15:20:00.001-04:00

Senator: US can't ignore Iraqi refugees - 31 Mar 2009 at 2:41pm - WASHINGTON -- A Democratic senator is warning that as U.S. troops are withdrawn from Iraq, the U.S. should not ignore the plight of millions of Iraqis who are displaced from their homes in Iraq or living as refugees in other countries.

Levin: No US aid until Pakistan takes on militants - 31 Mar 2009 at 1:48pm - WASHINGTON -- Pakistan must prove it is willing to take on extremists within its own borders before the U.S. delivers financial aid or weapons to the government there, a key senator said Tuesday.

Now, to continue military operations in Afghanistan, in practical terms, the U.S. must maintain some sort of right-of-passage agreement with Pakistan, no? It seems Pakistan is the party in a position to make a deal here. The alternatives for the U.S. are: to move all troops & equipment in & out of Afghanistan by air (risky & expensive, & perhaps still thru Pakistan's air space); simply to dictate to the sovereign state of Pakistan how the U.S. will make use of its territory (politically risky & almost certainly illegal); or to make a deal to go thru Iran instead (yeah, right).

Ex-military officers back continued ban on gays - 31 Mar 2009 at 1:24pm - NEW YORK -- More than 1,000 retired military officers, including several who were top commanders, are urging President Barack Obama and Congress to maintain the law that bars gays from serving openly in the armed forces.

Men freed on basis of DNA ask Texas for help - 31 Mar 2009 at 1:12pm - AUSTIN, Texas -- More than a dozen men who spent a total of more than 200 years in prison for crimes they did not commit are asking Texas lawmakers to improve the state's criminal justice system.

Guard needs more money to send troops to border - 31 Mar 2009 at 1:23pm - WASHINGTON -- A National Guard official says the Guard would need additional funding to send more troops to the U.S.-Mexico border.

Basra wary of U.S. forces after light British touch - 31 Mar 2009 at 11:13am - BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - People in the Iraqi city of Basra fear the U.S. troops taking over from departing British forces, whose relatively light touch contrasts with the U.S. military's fearsome, and sometimes trigger-happy, reputation.

Winning hearts & minds with trigger-happy fearsomeness? And why are U.S. troops taking over? Weren't U.S. forces going to serve only in a back-up role, as of the SOFA effective date -- or is it not yet in effect?

U.S. January home prices drop record 19 percent - 31 Mar 2009 at 11:16am - NEW YORK (Reuters) - Prices of U.S. single-family homes in January plunged a record 19.0 percent from a year earlier, showing a U.S. housing market that is still in the throes of a deep recession, according to a Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller report on Tuesday.

Canadian economy contracted 0.7% in January - 31 Mar 2009 at 9:32am - The Canadian economy shrank by 0.7 per cent in January, as activity in the manufacturing, wholesaling and construction sectors fell, Statistics Canada said Tuesday.

U.S. offers olive branch to non-violent Taliban - 31 Mar 2009 at 9:06am - THE HAGUE (Reuters) - The United States offered Taliban fighters who renounce violence in Afghanistan an "honorable form of reconciliation" on Tuesday as part of a revamped strategy to tackle a deepening insurgency.

Clinton: New team not using 'war on terror' term - 30 Mar 2009 at 5:03pm - THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the Obama administration has indeed abandoned the term "global war on terror."

US soldier jailed for life for Iraqi murders - 30 Mar 2009 at 5:28pm - A US army sergeant has been sentenced to life imprisonment for his part in the murder of four Iraqi detainees in Baghdad.

Thought for the day:
Reporters are like alligators. You don’t have to love them, you don’t necessarily have to like them. But you do have to feed them. -White House source, on plans for frequent press briefings during Tokyo economic summit meeting, quoted in US News & World Report 5 May 86

In the News: Mar-30

2009-03-30T15:25:00.000-04:00

EPA head announces new port emissions proposal - 30 Mar 2009 at 2:47pm - NEWARK, N.J. -- The head of the Environmental Protection Agency wants to limit emissions along the nation's coastline and within its seaports, just as the agency does along highways, with tougher pollution standards on large commercial ships.

77 names added to slain journalists memorial in DC - 30 Mar 2009 at 2:24pm - WASHINGTON -- The journalism and free speech museum called the Newseum added 77 names to its Journalists Memorial on Monday to honor reporters, photographers and broadcasters who died while covering the news, including several killed in Mexican drug violence. Mexico ranked second only to Iraq among the deadliest places for journalists last year, said Alberto Ibarguen, the Newseum's chairman and president and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The names of five journalists killed in Mexico were added to the memorial wall, along with 13 who were killed in Iraq in 2008.

Locke urges census volunteers to boost outreach - 30 Mar 2009 at 1:28pm - WASHINGTON -- New Commerce Secretary Gary Locke on Monday exhorted census volunteers to boost outreach in hard-to-count communities as a top lawmaker urged the government to halt immigration raids to ensure an accurate count.

Double-digit unemployment looms, OECD tells G8 - 30 Mar 2009 at 8:34am - ROME (Reuters) - The global economic crisis will hit jobs hard, with unemployment set to reach double digits in many developing and advanced countries, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said on Sunday.

IRAQ: Caravan camp for displaced widows’ families - March 30, 2009 9:08:16 AM - BAGHDAD, 30 March 2009 (IRIN) - A camp consisting of 150 caravans has been set up by the Baghdad local authorities to accommodate a specific group of internally displaced persons (IDPs), a local official said on 29 March.

Thought for the day:
Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite. -John Kenneth Galbraith (1908 - 2006)

In the News: Mar-26

2009-03-26T15:19:00.001-04:00

U.S. economy shrinks, profits plunge in Q4 - 26 Mar 2009 at 1:09pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. corporate profits plunged a record $120.1 billion in the fourth quarter as the economy shrank at its fastest pace since 1982, depressed by a slump in consumer spending and exports, government data showed on Thursday.

British police probe torture allegations by former Gitmo prisoner - 26 Mar 2009 at 11:09am - Police will investigate allegations that the British government was complicit in the torture of a former Guantanamo Bay detainee, the U.K. attorney general announced on Thursday.

More bad wiring imperils troops in Iraq - 26 Mar 2009 at 8:29am - WASHINGTON -- The military is racing to inspect more than 90,000 U.S.-run facilities across Iraq to reduce a deadly threat troops face far off the battlefield: electrocution or shock while showering or using appliances.

U.S. missiles hit NW Pakistan, rewards offered - 26 Mar 2009 at 8:14am - PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Missiles believed to have been fired by a U.S. drone aircraft killed four people in Pakistan's North Waziristan region on Thursday, hours after a similar strike killed seven in neighboring South Waziristan.

Obama to tighten screws on Wall Street: officials - 26 Mar 2009 at 8:06am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a bid to quash Wall Street excesses that nearly caused the collapse of the U.S. financial system, the Obama administration will propose tough restrictions on financial firms, hedge funds and derivatives markets.

States consider drug tests for welfare recipients - 26 Mar 2009 at 7:32am - CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Want government assistance? Just say no to drugs.

Thought for the day:
To understand the heart and mind of a person, look not at what he has already achieved, but at what he aspires to do. -Kahlil Gibran (1883 - 1931)

In the News: Mar-25

2009-03-25T15:25:00.000-04:00

Pentagon exploring robot killers that can fire on their own - 25 Mar 2009 at 1:35pm - WASHINGTON — The unmanned bombers that frequently cause unintended civilian casualties in Pakistan are a step toward an even more lethal generation of robotic hunters-killers that operate with limited, if any, human control.

U.S. death toll in Iraq hits post-invasion low - 25 Mar 2009 at 1:00pm - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The number of U.S. troops killed in combat in Iraq has fallen to its lowest level since they invaded in 2003, the spokesman for U.S. forces in Iraq said on Wednesday.

U.S. immigrant detentions violate human rights: report - 25 Mar 2009 at 8:52am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The detention of hundreds of thousands of immigrants every year in the United States represents a violation of human rights, Amnesty International USA said in a report on Wednesday.

Durable goods orders jump 3.4 percent in February - 25 Mar 2009 at 8:50am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New U.S. orders for long-lasting manufactured goods unexpectedly rebounded in February, rising for the first time in seven months, according to a government report on Wednesday that could bring some cheer to an economy mired in recession.

Thought for the day:
Many that live deserve death. And some die that deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then be not too eager to deal out death in the name of justice, fearing for your own safety. Even the wise cannot see all ends. -J. R. R. Tolkien (1892 - 1973), The Lord Of the Rings

Fox host apologizes for mocking of Canadian Forces

2009-03-23T22:57:00.002-04:00

Fox host apologizes for mocking of Canadian Forces - 23 Mar 2009 at 9:48pm - The host of an over-the-top, late-night Fox network show has apologized for disrespecting the Canadian military with a recent segment on his intentionally inflammatory program.

OK, Fox should have apologized, of course, and it's good that they did. But how did this happen in the first place? How can one not know that Canada is fighting in Afghanistan? If you haven't read anything in the news about Afghanistan in the last seven years, perhaps you shouldn't be hosting a TV show on the topic of, you know, Afghanistan.

Teenager dies after being tasered

2009-03-23T22:51:00.000-04:00

Teenager dies after being tasered - 23 Mar 2009 at 10:02pm - A 15-year-old boy has died in Michigan after police used a Taser stun gun to subdue him, police have said.

In the News: Mar-23

2009-03-23T15:19:00.000-04:00

U.S. existing home sales rose in February - 23 Mar 2009 at 2:53pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sales of previously owned U.S. homes rose at their fastest pace in nearly six years in February, data showed on Monday, offering some hope to an economy battling a 15-month recession.

Court won't hear appeal by former Border Patrol - 23 Mar 2009 at 11:11am - WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal from two former Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting a fleeing drug smuggler and trying to cover it up.

Fox News show raises ire by mocking Canadian Forces - 23 Mar 2009 at 10:42am - The intentionally inflammatory Fox News show Red Eye, with Greg Gutfield, has sparked outrage with a segment mocking the Canadian Forces within days of the latest Canadian deaths in Afghanistan.

Thought for the day:
Politicians are the same the world over: they promise to build a bridge even when there is no river. -Nikita Khrushchev (1894 - 1971)

In the News: Mar-20

2009-03-20T15:17:00.001-04:00

Israel to investigate killings of civilians in Gaza operation - 20 Mar 2009 at 11:00am - JERUSALEM — The Israeli army's chief prosecutor on Thursday announced an investigation into the killings of Palestinian civilians during Israel's military incursion into Gaza earlier this year as soldiers' testimony about the operation triggered a public furor.

U.S.: Air strikes kill 11 insurgents in Iraq - 20 Mar 2009 at 5:59am - The U.S. military says at least 11 insurgents were killed in an air strike on their hideout in the south of Diyala province.

Thought for the day:
Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life. -Terry Pratchett, Discworld

In the News: Mar-19

2009-03-19T15:19:00.001-04:00

U.S. jobless rolls swell to record high - 19 Mar 2009 at 2:39pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. workers drawing state unemployment benefits hit another record high early this month and factory activity in the Mid-Atlantic region shrank again as the economy battles a severe downturn.

Multiple threats mounting to world food supply, experts warn - 19 Mar 2009 at 1:13pm - Soaring demand and rising prices threaten to create a "perfect storm" in the global food industry, experts warned on Thursday.

Toronto police used Tasers 367 times in 2008: statistics - 19 Mar 2009 at 11:34am - Toronto police fired Tasers 367 times to subdue people in 2008, more than double the number of times the stun gun was used by frontline officers in 2006, according to the force's statistics.

Wal-Mart awarding $2 billion to U.S. hourly employees - 19 Mar 2009 at 10:38am - CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc is awarding approximately $2 billion to its U.S. hourly employees through financial incentives, including handing out $933.6 million in bonuses on Thursday, after the world's largest retailer gained market share amid a recession.

Official: US releases data unless harm foreseen - 19 Mar 2009 at 9:55am - WASHINGTON -- A Justice Department official says the Obama administration is ready to tell federal agencies to release records to the public unless foreseeable harm would result.

Diebold Admits Flaw In Voting Software - March 18, 2009 6:44:00 PM - At a public hearing in California, Diebold's western region manager has admitted that the audit log system on current versions of Premier Election Solutions' (formerly Diebold's) electronic voting and tabulating systems — used in some 34 states across the nation — fails to record the wholesale deletion of ballots, even when ballots are deleted on the same day as an election. An election system's audit logs are meant to record all activity during the system's actual counting of ballots, so that later examiners may determine, with certainty, whether any fraudulent or mistaken activity had occurred during the count. Diebold's software fails to do that, as has recently been discovered by Election Integrity advocates in Humboldt County, CA, and then confirmed by the CA Secretary of State. The flaws, built into the system for more than a decade, are in serious violation of federal voting system certification standards.

U.S. workers on jobless benefits hit record high - 19 Mar 2009 at 8:53am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. workers drawing state unemployment benefits scaled another record high early this month, government data showed on Thursday, highlighting the difficulties of getting new jobs as the economy battles a severe recession.

In the News: Mar-18

2009-03-18T15:18:00.000-04:00

Fed to buy long-term U.S. government debt - 18 Mar 2009 at 2:41pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday, in a surprise move, said it will buy up to $300 billion worth of longer-term U.S. government debt over the next six months and expand purchases of mortgage-related debt to help ease credit market conditions.

Pentagon to bring families to Dover if they choose - 18 Mar 2009 at 2:12pm - WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon says it will pay for families of fallen soldiers to travel to the Delaware air base where the U.S. military's deceased are flown from overseas.

US endorses UN gay rights text - 18 Mar 2009 at 12:24pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is formally endorsing a U.N. declaration calling for the worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality, a measure former President George W. Bush had refused to sign.

Sources: Pentagon to stop forced tour extension - 18 Mar 2009 at 12:55pm - The Army will substantially reduce use of the unpopular practice of holding troops beyond their enlistment dates and will pay $500 to those still forced to stay in the service, defense and congressional officials said Wednesday.

Federal judge denies release of alleged terrorist - 18 Mar 2009 at 12:16pm - CHARLESTON, S.C. -- A federal magistrate in South Carolina has ruled an alleged al-Qaida sleeper agent must stay behind bars as the criminal case against the man continues.

Thought for the day:
I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell. -Harry S Truman (1884 - 1972)

In the News: Mar-17

2009-03-17T15:17:00.002-04:00

House moves to make federal info more accessible - 17 Mar 2009 at 2:45pm - WASHINGTON -- The House voted Tuesday to simplify the way the federal government handles information with the goal of making documents more available to the public.

Gay-themed film cost Oklahoma teacher her job - 17 Mar 2009 at 1:58pm - Gay rights groups are complaining about the firing of a rural Oklahoma high school teacher who lost her job last week after assigning a play about the 1998 death of a gay college student. But the tiny school district says the move came after the teacher held a mock "funeral" for a canceled film production of the play. The episode began in January, when Debra Taylor showed students at Grandfield High School The Laramie Project, a 2002 film based on the play of the same name, about the murder of Matthew Shepard. The students soon decided to film selected scenes themselves for an in-class project.

Canadian accused at U.S. border of 'stealing American jobs' - 17 Mar 2009 at 1:49pm - A B.C. sales representative who markets equestrian products in Canada was barred from crossing the U.S. border to attend a trade show last month by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer who accused him of trying to steal American jobs.

To the extent that it's possible literally to steal a job (American or otherwise), it ought to be illegal to do so, but... wth?

Filmmaker to Debut Tale of Ex-Marine - March 16, 2009 8:00:58 PM - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An Oneonta filmmaker will premier a documentary this week about a former Marine-turned peace activist who co-founded the group Iraq Veterans Against the War.

U.S. housing starts rebound - 17 Mar 2009 at 8:51am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New U.S. housing starts unexpectedly rebounded in February, surging 22.2 percent, according to data on Tuesday that provided a rare dose of good news for the recession-hit economy and fractured housing market.

Senator suggests AIG execs should kill themselves - 17 Mar 2009 at 8:18am - IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley suggested that AIG executives should take a Japanese approach toward accepting responsibility for the collapse of the insurance giant by resigning or killing themselves.

Or perhaps Grassley should resign, as a member of a legislative body which failed in its responsibility to regulate the financial industry?

Canada contributes $21M to fund for Afghan police - 17 Mar 2009 at 6:45am - Canada will put $21 million toward the salaries of Afghan police and prison guards over the next two years, it was revealed on Tuesday.

CIA director taps retired senator for advice - 16 Mar 2009 at 4:56pm - WASHINGTON -- CIA Director Leon Panetta has tapped a retired Republican senator to help guide him through a Senate Intelligence Committee investigation into the agency's Bush-era interrogation and detention practices.

Thought for the day:
Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back into the same box. -Italian Proverb)

In the News: Mar-16

2009-03-16T15:23:00.001-04:00

Red Cross report: CIA tortured terror suspects - 16 Mar 2009 at 2:28pm - WASHINGTON -- The CIA's secret interrogation program amounted to torture for some of the 14 "high-value detainees" held by the agency, according to published excerpts of an internal 2006 report by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

NY atty gen to probe AIG bonuses for fraud - 16 Mar 2009 at 1:32pm - ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York state's attorney general is demanding that American International Group have details on his desk this afternoon about who is getting its multimillion-dollar bonuses.

U.S. output plummets, manufacturing at record low - 16 Mar 2009 at 11:29am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. industrial output fell to its lowest level in almost seven years in February and manufacturing in New York state slumped further this month, according to data on Monday that pointed to a worsening economy.

El Salvador's new leader, a TV journalist, promises push for unity - 16 Mar 2009 at 7:46am - El Salvador's new president, whose victory gives a former rebel movement its first taste of power, is promising a unity government in a Central American nation still polarized by a civil war that raged from 1980 to 1992.

Thought for the day:
Democracy is the art of running the circus from the monkey cage. -H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)

In the News: Mar-13

2009-03-13T15:22:00.001-04:00

Obama admin moves to protect military officials - 13 Mar 2009 at 2:53pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is trying to protect top Bush administration military officials from lawsuits brought by prisoners who say they were tortured while being held at Guantanamo Bay.

Pakistan Taliban say 24 dead in U.S. missile strikes - 13 Mar 2009 at 11:41am - PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Taliban militants recovered 24 bodies and were searching for more on Friday, hours after suspected U.S. drones destroyed a camp in Pakistan's northwestern region, militants and officials said.

Obama administration names Fried as Guantanamo Closure Czar - 13 Mar 2009 at 7:44am - The Obama administration Thursday created a top level diplomatic position of globe-trotting Guantanamo Closure Czar to plead individual war on terror detainee cases in Europe and the Middle East.

Thought for the day:
The only winner in the War of 1812 was Tchaikovsky. -Solomon Short