Zawahiri Taunts Bush

The deputy leader of al Qaeda aimed a fresh fusillade of threats and scorn at the United States in a videotape broadcast Monday, serving notice that he was alive and well despite a recent attempt by the CIA to kill him with a missile strike in Pakistan.

US Will Not Give in to Carroll's Kidnappers

The American journalist appeared veiled and weeping in the video broadcast by Arabic satellite channel Al Jazeera on Monday night. Her voice could not be heard on the tape but Al Jazeera said she called for U.S. forces and the Iraqi Interior Ministry to release all women in their custody.

Justice Is Over!

Bayh, Evan (D-IN)Biden, Joseph R., Jr. (D-DE)Boxer, Barbara (D-CA)
Clinton, Hillary Rodham (D-NY)Dayton, Mark (D-MN)Dodd, Christopher J. (D-CT)
Durbin, Richard (D-IL)Feingold, Russell D. (D-WI)Feinstein, Dianne (D-CA)
Jeffords, James M. (I-VT)Kennedy, Edward M. (D-MA)Kerry, John F. (D-MA)Lautenberg,Frank R. (D-NJ)Leahy, Patrick J. (D-VT)Levin, Carl (D-MI)Menendez, Robert (D-NJ)Mikulski,Barbara A. (D-MD)Murray, Patty (D-WA)Obama, Barack (D-IL)Reed, Jack(D-RI)Reid, Harry (D-NV)Sarbanes, Paul S. (D-MD)Schumer, Charles E. (D-NY)Stabenow, Debbie (D-MI)Wyden, Ron (D-OR)
Thank these Senators for voting Yes for the Filibuster!
Tip O' the hat to Tennessee Guerilla Women

Army forces 50,000 soldiers into extended duty

The U.S. Army has forced about 50,000 soldiers to continue serving after their voluntary stints ended under a policy called "stop-loss." Related: President to Cut Army Reserve lowest level in three decades. Related: Ken Salazar fights cuts

The Lost Children

By Bob Herbert from The New York Times
The times — as a fellow named Dylan sang more than 40 years ago — they are a-changin'. This time it's not the emergence of the tie-dyed 60's and the flowering of the boomer generation. But the changes are at least as fundamental. Continue reading here...

Message to Democrats

It’s the pre-war lying and half-truths, stupid
By John R. Bomar
The one thing Americans will not tolerate is being lied to. Conscious, clever and cunning lies from a President and his administration are an abomination to America’s concept of a free and open government of and by the people. Continue reading here...

A False Balance

By Paul Krugman from The New York Times
"How does one report the facts," asked Rob Corddry on "The Daily Show," "when the facts themselves are biased?" He explained to Jon Stewart, who played straight man, that "facts in Iraq have an anti-Bush agenda," and therefore can't be reported. Continue reading here...

1/4 of AIDS Grants Go to Religious Groups

Conservative Christian allies of the president are pressing the U.S. foreign aid agency to give fewer dollars to groups that distribute condoms or work with prostitutes.Among those winning grants were: Samaritan's Purse, it says its mission is "meeting critical needs of victims of war, poverty, famine, disease and natural disaster while sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ."

Journalists seriously injured in Iraq

ABC news anchor Bob Woodruff and camera operator Doug Vogt were seriously injured in a bomb attack in Iraq on Sunday, the U.S. television network said. At the time of the blast, they were traveling with an Iraqi Army unit in an Iraqi vehicle near Taji, Iraq, the network said.

The Young Turks Filibuster Show!

They are currently pushing for a filibuster of Supreme Court nominee Alito. Go here to watch the show live...
Alert!! Alito Filibuster Gaining Momentum!

Courtesy of Tennessee Guerilla Women

Spies, Lies and Wiretaps

Editorial from The New York Times
A bit over a week ago, President Bush and his men promised to provide the legal, constitutional and moral justifications for the sort of warrantless spying on Americans that has been illegal for nearly 30 years. Continue reading here...

Thank You American Media!

You're doing one HELL of a public service by saving the Right Wing Christ-o-Fascist Zombie Brigade's Agenda!
CNN:Kerry's call for a filibuster of Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr.'s nomination to the Supreme Court reinforced the "elitist" label given to Kerry by the GOP during the 2004 presidential campaign because he made the statement from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
I implore everyone to kill your God-Damned television!

Climate Expert Silenced By NASA

The top climate scientist at NASA says the Bush administration has tried to stop him from speaking out since he gave a lecture last month calling for prompt reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases linked to global warming.

The Catastrophe Is Not Over

By Jennifer Moses from the Washington Post
While the rest of the country wakes up in the morning to read about the latest round of Washington scandals, the misery in Louisiana continues unabated. Continue reading here...

Bolivia's Leader Cuts His Pay to Hire Teachers

And our media and our Government calls them left wing wackos!
New Bolivian President Evo Morales has cut his salary by more than half and declared that no Cabinet minister can earn more than him, with the savings to be used to hire more teachers. Related: Morales selects a coca grower to head the fight against drug trafficking.

Taliban Burn Down Three Afghan Schools

in a restive southern province of Afghanistan, the latest attacks in the militants' campaign against the U.S.-backed government and its efforts to promote education.

How Do You Like Your Democracy Now, Mr. Bush?

Hamas's stunning victory underlines the contradictions and hypocrisies in Bush's Mideast policies. Bush pushes for elections, confusing them with democracy, but seems blind to the dangers of right-wing populism. Continue reading here...Related:Bush Warns US May Cut Aid to Palestinians

Wash. Legislature Passes Gay Rights Bill

Washington lawmakers passed a gay rights bill Friday in a major victory for activists who had watched the measure fail in the Legislature for nearly 30 years.

Propaganda Planted Overseas

Welcome to the 21st Century Rumsfeld!!
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld acknowledged in a document made public on Thursday that information spread by the Pentagon to influence foreign peoples and enemies increasingly seeps back home and is "consumed by our domestic audience."

Using Our Fear

By Eugene Robinson from the Washington Post
Once upon a time we had a great wartime president who told Americans they had nothing to fear but fear itself. Now we have George W. Bush, who uses fear as a tool of executive power and as a political weapon against his opponents. Continue reading here...

Kerry Calls For Filibuster of Alito!

Senators called Thursday for a filibuster of Samuel Alito's Supreme Court nomination."Judge Alito will take America backward, especially when it comes to civil rights and discrimination laws," Kerry said. Sign the petition here!

Health Care Confidential

By Paul Krugman from The New York Times
American health care is desperately in need of reform. But what form should change take? Are there any useful examples we can turn to for guidance? Continue reading here...

State of the Union

By Thomas L. Friedman from The New York Times
On Tuesday President Bush will deliver his State of the Union and map out priorities for his last three years. The direction in which America needs to go is obvious: toward energy independence. Continue reading here...

A Reading From 1984 from Mike Malloy

Mike Malloy is reading from George Orwell's 1984 every night on his radio program. I couldn't think of a better radio personality to read from this nightmarish book. Click here or title to listen to a select recording...

Our Leaders Are Feeding Us Propaganda

by Molly Ivins
We live in interesting times, we do, we do. We can read in our daily newspapers that our government is about to launch a three-day propaganda blitz to convince us all that its secret program to spy on us is something we really want and need. Continue reading here...

Agent Orange Victims Win Lawsuit

Two US Firms Ordered to Pay $62 Million in Medical Compensation
It is the first time that a local court ruled in favor of Vietnam veterans who suffered from cancer and other latent diseases believed to have been caused by exposure to Agent Orange...

Above Reproach

President Bush: "If people give me advice and they're forced to disclose that advice, it means the next time an issue comes up I might not be able to get unvarnished advice from my advisors...Continued excellent analysis from Demarkracy

Hamas Wins Big in Palestinian Elections

Thanks for trying to spread your form of Democracy George!
The radical Islamic group Hamas won 76 seats in voting for the first Palestinian parliament in a decade, election officials announced Thursday evening.
Related: Nevermind Democracy George Bush Wants Abbas to Remain Palestinian Leader

Rumsfeld: Army Not 'Broken'

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld yesterday strongly rejected warnings in a Pentagon-contracted study that the Iraq war risks "breaking" the U.S. Army.
Related: From Morning Sedition- The War On Brains with Mort Milfington discussing Rumsfeld "He's an Army Man!"
Listen to the Funny!! click on link..

A President Who Can Do No Right

By Bob Herbert from The New York Times
We should be used to it by now. There are a couple of Congressional committees trying to investigate the tragic Hurricane Katrina debacle, but the Bush administration is refusing to turn over certain documents...Continue Reading here...

Granny D!

At the age of 90 she walked across the country to raise awareness for campaign finance reform and last year ran for Senate in New Hampshire. Be sure to check out her own Do It Yourself Impeachment site http://tarandfeathers.org
Tip O' the Hat to Freeway Blogger

Baby Steps Forward, 2,000 Giant Leaps Back

Va. Senate Passes Gay Marriage Ban
"The only place in the constitution to put this is in the Bill of Rights," said Sen. Stephen D. Newman (R-Lynchburg). "There is currently no right in the United States or certainly not in Virginia, for anything other than a marriage between one man and one woman."

US to release five female prisoners in Iraq

It's about freakin' time!
A US military spokesman in Baghdad confirmed Wednesday statements by Iraq Justice Ministry officials who said five women detainees are scheduled to be released Thursday. The US says it does not negotiate with kidnappers. The US says it does not negotiate with kidnappers. The US says it does not negotiate with kidnappers.

Sentence in Death Of Iraqi Angers Son

Mohammed Mowhoush, the son of an Iraqi general who "died" in U.S. custody in late 2003, assailed the U.S. military yesterday for imposing a reprimand instead of prison time. Related: War Protester Daniel Burns was sentenced to a six-month prison sentence for throwing his own blood in a military recruiting office.

The Fear Will Soon Be Deafening

Local Va. Officials Will Test Use of Sirens for Terrorism Alerts
The Washington region's emergency managers have concluded that the high-tech devices put in place since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks are not enough to warn masses of people.

The Conservatives Are Crazy!

Conservative Drops Offer of $100 Bounty at UCLA
The conservative activist who is waging a campaign against what he contends are UCLA's "radical professors" Monday withdrew his offer to pay students bounties of up to $100 per class to provide information about their teachers. But he pledged to continue his effort with unpaid volunteers.

Delusion and Illusion Worthy of Dickens

By Maureen Dowd from The New York Times
The Democrats will never win the White House as long as they're stuck in Bleak House. They're slipping and sliding in the same crust-upon-crust of mud and caboose-creeping fog and soft black drizzle and flakes of soot that blacken the chamber of law in the opening of the terrific Dickens novel. Continue reading here...

Bush on Wiretap from Mike Malloy

Click on links to hear the sound bytes
Intro Freakin' Liar
Bush's Ideology Free Speech Our "Custom" Bush on Wiretap
Where are the phone calls coming from again?

Mr. President, Have You Read This? Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Google censors itself for China

Leading internet search company Google has agreed to censor some of its services in China in order to satisfy Beijing's restrictions on free speech.Google hopes the new web address for China will boost its access to one of the world's largest internet markets.

Gonzales Defends Eavesdropping

Mr. Bush refused to acknowledge the program's existence and said public discussion of it was "shameful." Now, however, senior administration officials are delivering a series of stump speeches.The administration's aggressive response in recent days reflects a clear shift in strategy.

Judge Sends War Protester to Prison for Six Months

At least 30 peace activists sang a hymn as protester Daniel Burns was handcuffed Monday before beginning the six-month prison sentence he received in federal court for throwing his own blood in a military recruiting office. Related:A US military interrogator convicted of killing an Iraqi general by stuffing his head into a sleeping bag was sentenced to a reprimand and fine but escaped jail time.

Being there

By Dr. John R. Bomar a decorated and disabled veteran of the war in Vietnam
When you’re a soldier in an Army of occupation in a hostile land it’s open season on you’re a** every minute of every day and night. And hunting season is always open – it doesn’t ever close. Continue reading here...

Still No Word

Still no word on the kidnapping of female journalist Jill Carroll. Deadline ended last Friday. Related: Two German engineers kidnapped in Iraq Also: Five US troops were killed Monday in separate incidents across Iraq, the US military said Tuesday.

EU 'knew about CIA torture flights'

European governments probably knew that the CIA was flying prisoners across their territory for interrogation and torture in other countries, a report claimed today.

A Letter From Kentucky

The Freeway Blogger!
Living in a small (less than 1600 population) town in southern KY, I've long felt helpless in terms of influencing politics here. Click on title to read this great letter to the Freeway Blogger from Kentucky...

Judge Alito's Radical Views

If Judge Samuel Alito Jr.'s confirmation hearings lacked drama, apart from his wife's bizarrely over-covered crying jag, it is because they confirmed the obvious. Judge Alito is exactly the kind of legal thinker President Bush wants on the Supreme Court. He has a radically broad view of the president's power, and a radically narrow view of Congress's power. He has long argued that the Constitution does not protect abortion rights.

Bolivia's new leader vows change

Evo Morales has been sworn in as Bolivia's first indigenous president, pledging to end "500 years" of injustice against his people. Related:McCain:America must explore alternate energy sources to avoid being held hostage by Iran or by "wackos" in Venezuela

Halliburton Knew Their Water Was Foul

Troops and civilians at a U.S. military base in Iraq were exposed to contaminated water last year, and employees for the responsible contractor, Halliburton Co., could not get their company to inform camp residents, according to interviews and internal company documents.