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.

What's Left Unsaid

By Bob Herbert from The New York Times
Have you ever talked sexy to your wife or your girlfriend - or your husband or your boyfriend - on the telephone? Would you keep talking if you thought that one of Dick Cheney's operatives was listening in? Continue reading here...

The Top 10 Conservative Idiots

Last week was not exactly a banner week for the media - Washington Post ombudsman Deborah Howell (2), CNN (4), Chris Matthews and Friends (5) and Bill O'Reilly (6) all make it onto this week's list. Continue reading here...

Iraq's Power Vacuum

By Paul Krugman from The New York Times
In the State of the Union address, President Bush will surely assert, to choreographed applause, that he has a strategy for victory in Iraq. Continue reading here...

Two U.S. Airmen Killed in Baghdad Bombing

A roadside bomb blast has killed two U.S. airmen and wounded another north of Baghdad, the military said Monday. Related:At Least 23 Iraqis Die in Weekend Attacks

Piggy Rove Tears Into Democrats

Karl Rove, the president's chief political adviser, gave nervous Republicans here a preview of the party's strategy to maintain its dominance in the fall elections today, assailing Democrats for their positions on terrorism, the White House eavesdropping program and Mr. Bush's attempt to shape the federal judiciary.

Googling Past the Graveyard

By Maureen Dowd from The New York Times
I don't like the thought of Dick Cheney ogling my Googling. Because what I'm Googling, of course, is Dick Cheney.
Continue reading here...

Frist Calls Alito Democrats' "Nightmare!"

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist told Republican Party activists on Friday night that U.S. Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito was the "worst nightmare of liberal Democrats."

Ass Kisser Reid Apologizes to GOP!

Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) apologized to 33 Republican senators yesterday for a hard-hitting news release that accused them of ethical and legislative lapses, in an awkward about-face that tripped up Democrats' effort to keep the GOP majority on the defensive over alleged corruption.

The Emperor’s Clothes

By Dr. John R. Bomar
In his grand crusade for republicanism, Napoleon Ponaparte marched into Moscow relatively unopposed, then they burned it down around his ears. Continue reading here...

A More Perfect Union

From the Editors of The Nation
After George W. Bush delivers his fifth State of the Union address, on January 31, the President's partisans will try to persuade Americans that even while his extremist agenda runs aground, there is no alternative.

Cheney Says Domestic Surveillance Vital

Vice President Dick Cheney on Thursday defended the Bush administration's domestic surveillance program, saying it is an essential tool in monitoring al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations.

Google Resists U.S. Subpoena of Search Data

The Justice Department has asked a federal judge to compel Google, the Internet search giant, to turn over records on millions of its users' search queries as part of the government's effort to uphold an online pornography law.

The K Street Prescription

By Paul Krugman from The New York Times
The new prescription drug benefit is off to a catastrophic start. Tens of thousands of older Americans have arrived at pharmacies to discover that their old drug benefits have been canceled. Continued reading here...

Bush to Nominate Tobias to Head U.S. Aid Agency

Tobias led Indianapolis-based Lilly from 1993 until his retirement in 1998. During his tenure, the company stepped up marketing for its Prozac antidepressant, with sales of the drug rising 8.6 percent to $2.56 billion in 1997.

US demands quick U.N. action on Iran dispute

World War III Nuke Nuts!
The United States on Thursday demanded that the U.N. Security Council, which has the power to impose sanctions, promptly confront Iran over its nuclear ambitions, while Russia and China urged caution. Related:Iran gets support from Syria Related: France defends right to nuclear reply to terrorism

Bin Laden tape warns of attacks but offers US a truce

A MUFFLED voice believed to be that of Osama bin Laden delivered a chilling warning yesterday that plans for more terrorist attacks in the United States are already being made. But the audiotape, broadcast by the al-Jazeera TV news channel, also offered a truce “with fair conditions to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan”.

Google Maps prompts advertising on roofs

Advertisers are slowly discovering the potential of Google Maps, and some, like the Target store above (more at Google Sightseeing), are even enjoying some unexpected windfall.

Iraq Asks U.S. to Free Six Iraqi Women

Iraq has asked U.S. authorities to release six of the eight Iraqi females in military custody but not as part of a bid to free a kidnapped American female journalist, a government official said Thursday.Militants holding 28-year-old Jill Carroll have demanded U.S. authorities release all Iraqi female detainees or else they would kill the freelance reporter for the Christian Science Monitor newspaper, who was kidnapped Jan. 7 in Baghdad.

Personal letter from soldier who killed self

Yesterday, I wrote about the suicide of Specialist Douglas Barber, an Iraq War vet who suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) upon returning home from fighting on behalf of this country. Continue reading here...

Who Will Stand Up for the Constitution?

By Bob Herbert from The New York Times
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."-BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Continue reading here...

GOP = Religious Fanatics

"The Republican Party has been hijacked by the religious fanatics that, in my opinion, aren’t a whole lot different than Osama bin Laden and a lot of the other religious nuts around the world." From Ohio U.S. Senate candidate Paul Hackett (D)
Courtesy of TennesseeGuerillawomen

Violence Across Iraq Kills Scores

A surge in violence across the country killed scores of Iraqis and two American civilians Wednesday.Related:US Agency says Iraq OUT OF CONTROL Related: Bush Meets With Victims of Hussein's Government

A feelin’ safer now

By Dr. John R. Bomar
Boy, am I glad to finally get it figured out. For a while there I was confused. Lets me see now if I got it right; we didn’t really invade Iraq to capture them terrible weapons that hung like a guillotine over our neck ready to be dropped, or ready to be handed over to more of them Arab kamakazis. Continue reading here...

A Green Dream in Texas

By Thomas L. Friedman from The New York Times
When it comes to energy and the American people, George Bush and Dick Cheney are guilty of the soft bigotry of low expectations. Continue reading here...

Freeway Blogger's Response To Al Gore Speech!

CNN Hiring HATE Speech Enthusiast Glenn Beck!

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on January 17 that CNN's Headline News has hired Glenn Beck -- a nationally syndicated right wing radio host known for making controversial statements -- "for a new prime time program.

A Living Constitution

President, speaking at the Let Freedom Ring Celebration on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, praised the former civil rights leader and his belief in the Constitution. Analysis from Time To Wake. Click title to read on...

Spy Agency Data Led to Dead Ends or Innocent Americans

In the anxious months after the Sept. 11 attacks, the National Security Agency began sending a steady stream of telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and names to the F.B.I. in search of terrorists. The stream soon became a flood, requiring hundreds of agents to check out thousands of tips a month.

Hastert Largely Silent Amid Scandal

House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert remains unchallenged in the most powerful post in Congress, even as a growing corruption scandal roils the Republican leadership.

They're Rounding the First Turn! And the Favorite Is . . .

By Nicholas D. Kristof from The New York Times
The great race of the 21st century is under way between China and India to see which will be the leading power in the world in the year 2100. Continue reading here...

U.S. Constitution in Grave Danger

By Albert Gore Jr.
In an address delivered in Washington to multiple standing ovations, Vice President Al Gore repeatedly attacked the Bush Administration for the expansion of executive power - the ability of the government to wiretap its own citizens without legal authority and kidnap Americans abroad. Audio of the speech: here

King Touched Lives with 1959 Visit to Earlham

By Don Fasnacht
Martin Luther King Jr. was first and foremost an orator, a preacher, a man of words.He established his leadership and expressed the courage of his convictions with the strength of his language. Continue reading here...

Al Gore to Go for the Bush Jugular

It is a measure of the bleakness of these times when the good news is that a Democrat has the courage to stand up and tell the truth (and the media will report it, maybe). Continue reading here...

First, Do More Harm

By Paul Krugman from The New York Times
It's widely expected that President Bush will talk a lot about health care in his State of the Union address. Continue reading here...

Judicial Gag Rule

By Bob Herbert from The New York Times
A casual newspaper reader or television viewer might have gotten the impression that the major problem with last week's Supreme Court confirmation hearings was that some senators on the Judiciary Committee talked too much. Continue reading here...

Sparks Fly over Flyover at MLK March

A bitter dispute over the planned military flyover at Monday's Martin Luther King march has split peace activists, longtime march supporters and East Side community members, and could result in a smaller turnout for what has been the nation's largest MLK march.

Anti-War Activists Take Pelosi to Task

Dozens of heckling, sign-toting anti-war protesters tried to take center stage at the congresswomen's town hall forum on national security -- calling for an immediate de-funding of the Iraq war and impeachment proceedings against President George Bush.

Laura Irked By Criticism of Bush AIDS Plan

Aaawww....are we going to see some Mrs. Alito tears?
U.S. first lady Laura Bush opened a four-day trip to West Africa on Sunday full of praise for the continent's first elected woman president but irritated by criticism of promoting abstinence to help combat AIDS.

More War! More War! More War!

Senators say military strike on Iran must be option
Republican and Democratic senators said on Sunday the United States may ultimately have to undertake a military strike to deter Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, but that should be the last resort.

Pakistan rally against US strike

Thousands of Pakistanis have taken part in anti-American protests after an attack on a village near the Afghan border that killed 18 people. The main demonstration was held in the main city of Karachi with protesters chanting "Death to America".

Situation in Iraq Is Civil War

By Rep. John P. Murtha
According to the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Second Edition, the definition of a civil war is a "war between political factions or regions within the same country." That is exactly what is going on in Iraq, not a global war on terrorism, as the President continues to portray it. Continue reading here

When Ollie Came to Town

By Dr. John R. Bomar
"They took out their knives and stuck them under his fingernails. After they took his fingernails off, then they broke his elbows. Afterwards they
gouged out his eyes. Continue reading here

Is Abramoff the New Monica?

By Frank Rich from The New York Times
THERE'S nothing this White House loves more than pictures that tell a story - a fictional story. Continue reading here

A Protest, a Spy Program and a Campus in an Uproar

The protest was carefully orchestrated, planned for weeks by Students Against War during Friday evening meetings in a small classroom on the University of California campus here.

Played the Fool

By Dr. John R. Bomar
Let’s face it: without the completely false fear mongering of Mr. Bush and the White House leading up to the invasion of Iraq, we would probably not be there now....read complete article here.

Oprah! How Could Ya? By Maureen Dowd

The day we mourned a man whose life was devoted to clarity, this city was hidden in fog. You couldn't see the Potomac, even on its bank. Continue reading here.

Saddam trial judge plans to quit

The chief judge in the trial of Saddam Hussein plans to step down, a source close to the judge told Reuters on Friday, in a development that could throw an already turbulent process into further disarray.

Schoolgirls protest New Orleans' proneness

As President Bush returned to the city for the first time in three months, teenage protesters donned life jackets, goggles and inner tubes Thursday to symbolize their flooded homes and protest New Orleans' lack of defense against future storms.

Pakistan Says U.S. Planes Crossed Border and Killed 18

American planes crossed from Afghanistan into Pakistan's Bajaur tribal region and fired on residential compounds in a Pakistani village early this morning..

The Media Covers The Alito Hearings

By Jeff Danziger

Click on cartoon for full resolution..

Young Men with Bats Kill Homeless Man, Injure Two Others

Young men armed with baseball bats or sticks attacked three homeless men, killing one and hospitalizing the two others early Thursday morning in the city's downtown and beachside areas, police said.

Freeway Blogger: "Adopt a Highway!"

In these times of Alito, Bush's apocalyptic visions, spying and war, it's time we step up and blow this pig outta office. Adopt a highway and spread the gospel...Seditionists unite!

At Least 345 People Die in Hajj Stampede

Thousands of Muslims surging to complete a stoning ritual before sunset stampeded Thursday after some pilgrims tripped over dropped luggage, causing a pileup that killed at least 345 people in the second tragedy to hit this year's hajj.

Maryland Bill on Wal-Mart Health Care Spending Advances

Maryland's Senate voted Thursday to enact a first-in-the-nation requirement that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. spend more on employee health care despite the governor's veto of the legislation.

Alito's Poor Memory

Hearings enter the fourth day.Will there be more tears? Begins at 9:30 EST. Watch it here.
Also see Why Would ScAlito Lie?

Houston TV stations withhold ads attacking DeLay

Several Houston television stations withheld a political ad on Wednesday accusing U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay of corruption after a lawyer for the former House majority leader said the ad was false and could lead to legal action.

The Lawbreaker in the Oval Office

By Bob Herbert from The New York Times

The country has set the bar so low for the performance of George W. Bush as president that it is effectively on the ground.No one expects very much from Mr. Bush.

Bush tries to shape Iraq debate

President George W. Bush on Wednesday tried to shape election-year debate on the Iraq war by warning critics their rhetoric could embolden the enemy and weaken the morale of U.S. troops.

Soldiers Finally Get Extra Armor

Army officials said Wednesday that they had decided to send additional body armor to Iraq to protect soldiers from insurgents' attacks. In at least 74 of the 93 fatal wounds that were analyzed, bullets and shrapnel struck the marines' sides, shoulders or areas of the torso where the protective plates did not reach.

Attack polluters, not environmental leaders

By Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
PUBLIC RELATIONS strategist Michael Shellenberger of El Cerrito and pollster Ted Nordhaus of Oakland have quite literally made their careers out of misguided attacks on environmentalists...

Israel stops contact with Robertson

Israel has suspended contact with evangelist Pat Robertson for suggesting Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine punishment for withdrawing from the Gaza Strip.

New Orleans unveils controversial rebuilding plan

The plan calls for a much smaller city, estimating just half of the 500,000 people who lived there before Hurricane Katrina struck on August 29 will return in the next two years.

Georgian jailed for life for Bush attack

A Georgian man has been sentenced to life in prison for throwing a grenade at a rally attended by US President George W Bush in Tbilisi last May.

Alito Almanac: Credibility Gap

Anyone who tuned in for a random five minutes of Samuel Alito's confirmation hearing might have come away reassured of what he called "an open mind" on Roe v. Wade.
Third day of hearings begin today at 9:30 AM EST. Can be seen here.

Blunt, Boehner Share Broad Network of Lobbyist Ties With DeLay

Representatives Roy Blunt of Missouri and John Boehner of Ohio have been among the key intermediaries between Republican lawmakers and lobbyists since their party took control of the U.S. Congress in 1995.

Doing the Alito Shuffle

By Maureen Dowd from The New York Times
WASHINGTON You've got to like a man who knows how to juggle. Samuel Alito picked up the skill on a summer vacation a decade ago, and his juggling talent was on full display yesterday...

Alito Hearings: Day Two

Alito said his approach to the issue of abortion would be different today than in 1985. He said that "his 1985 statement -- that the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion. Analysis from Tennessee Guerilla Women

Cost of Iraq War Could Top $2 Trillion

The cost of the Iraq war could top $2 trillion, far above the White House's pre-war projections, when long-term costs such as lifetime health care for thousands of wounded U.S. soldiers are included, a study said on Monday.

NSA WhistleBlower "Black World"

"I specialized in what's called special access programs," Tice said of his job. "We called them 'black world' programs and operations." A whistleblower the agency would like to keep quiet.

Swiss Probe Uncovers Secret CIA prisons

New revelations have surfaced regarding the alleged operation of secret prisons in Europe by the CIA, with a Swiss newspaper publishing details of an intercepted message sent by Egyptian officials.

Extra Armor Could Have Saved Many Lives, Study Shows

A secret Pentagon study has found that at least 80 percent of the marines who have been killed in Iraq from wounds to their upper body could have survived if they had extra body armor.

Alito Confirmation Hearings Enter Second Day

The hearings second day begin for Supreme court nominee Samuel Alito. You can watch it on C-Span. Hearings start at 9:30 AM EST. The Case AGAINST Alito from The Nation.
Continued Hearing analysis: Asking All the Wrong Questions from Time To Wake

Waging a War We Could Be Proud Of

By Nickolas D. Kristof of The New York Times
One of the lessons of the tsunami a year ago is that however stingy we Americans have been in giving foreign aid, we want to do better. Courtesy of True Blue Liberal

Crazy Navy Chaplain Declares Victory

Navy Denies That He Couldn't Pray In Jesus's Name
A Navy chaplain who had been on an 18-day hunger strike resumed eating Saturday and reported for duty yesterday at the base chapel in Norfolk, saying he had finally wrung from the Navy the right to pray publicly in the name of Jesus.

US rejects Guantanamo criticism

The US has rejected a call by the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, for the closure of its detention camp at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

Gunmen in Baghdad abduct reporter

A 28-year-old freelance reporter on assignment in Iraq for a Boston-based newspaper was abducted by gunmen in Baghdad over the weekend and remains missing, with US and Iraqi authorities yesterday scouring the war-torn city in search of her

Iraq bombers breach tight security; 29 killed

Two suicide bombers reportedly wearing Iraqi police uniforms struck the heavily guarded Interior Ministry headquarters Monday, killing 29.

US raid on Iraq mosque sparks Sunni anger

Sunni Arab political parties in Iraq condemned the weekend U.S. raid on the Baghdad offices of an influential Islamic organization, accusing the U.S. military of targeting Muslim clergy and violating a place of worship.

Torture Author Alberto Asked to Testify on Spy Program

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Sunday that he had asked Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales to testify publicly on the legality of President Bush's top-secret domestic spying program.

Santorum Goes Crazy

Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, the No. 3 Senate Republican, told the gathering that liberal judges are "destroying traditional morality, creating a new moral code and prohibiting any dissent."

The Nixon Syndrome

By Bob Herbert of The New York Times
Whether he knew it or not, President Bush was faced with a crucial philosophical choice in the frightening and chaotic aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Guns Flow Easily Into Mexico From the U.S.

The most popular instruments of robbery, torture, homicide and assassination in this violence-racked border city are imported from the United States.

U.S. helicopter crash kills 12 in Iraq

A U.S. helicopter crashed in Iraq, killing all 12 people on board, and five Marines died in a spate of attacks in the west of the country on one of the worst weekends for the U.S. military since the 2003 invasion.

Final Rapture Watch

Milf Cardinal Milfngton in his last sermon on Morning Sedition from the recently disgraced diocese of Willacoochie, Georgia.
Click on title to listen...

Update! Freeway Blogger

Freeway Blogger official site can be found here.
　
Here's what you do:
1) Put paint on cardboard

2) Put cardboard on freeway

3) Repeat　

Author of Bush's Brain on No Fly List

You can't make this stuff up. James Moore (note the scary anglo name), co-author of Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential is on the No Fly List. What's even scarier is - Moore is working on a new book, all about the misery that King George and Turdblossom have wrought.

Ethics Issues Slammed the Hammer

Rep. Tom DeLay (Tex.), one of the most powerful and feared Republican leaders in Washington, abandoned his quest to regain his House majority leader post yesterday, bowing to pressure from fellow Republicans worried about the growing corruption and campaign finance scandals linked to his office.

The Wiretappers That Couldn't Shoot Straight

By Frank Rich of The New York Times
ALMOST two weeks before The New York Times published its scoop about our government's extralegal wiretapping, the cable network Showtime blew the whole top-secret shebang.

Bad News for Republicans Weekend Round-up

Americans Died for Lack of Body Armor
Republicans Ditch Delay
Republican Loses Votes of Cold Beer Drinkers
See full list. Click title to view or here.

Female US journalist kidnapped in Baghdad

Unknown gunmen kidnapped a female U.S. journalist in Baghdad on Saturday after shooting dead her driver, police said.

Let Us Prey

By Joe Conason
Jack Abramoff and his deeply religious right-wing cronies express their "biblical worldview" by swindling Indian tribes and bribing legislators. Verily, mysterious are the ways of the Lord.

Reach Out and Touch No One

By Maureen Dowd from The New York Times
Doing the math, you've got to figure that the 12 wise men and one wise woman had about 30 seconds apiece to say their piece to the president about Iraq, where vicious assaults this week have killed almost 200 and raised U.S. troop fatalities to at least 2,189.

The Freeway Blogger!

The good people at Daily Kos have decided that January 8th will be the first nationwide action for the guerrilla impeachment drive, so you know what to do: make a sign, put it up where people will see it.

Bush's Islamic Theocracy:Poverty and fear dominate life for Iraq's Gypsies

Among the millions of impoverished Iraqis, Jameel Mahmoud Hassan has the dubious distinction of being among the poorest of all. A wonderful book, Bury Me Standing, about the history and plight of the Gypsies.

RFID Propaganda!

Computer chips get under skin of U.S. enthusiasts
Forgetting computer passwords is an everyday source of frustration, but a solution may literally be at hand -- in the form of computer chip implants. What they don't tell you is this...

Marc's Dream Diary May 12th '04

Morning Sedition's Marc Maron reading from his Dream Diary from May 12th 2004, "The Weather God." Click title to listen or here.

The Case Against Alito

With Judge Samuel Alito, the Senate Judiciary Committee faces its most consequential Supreme Court confirmation hearing in a generation. His record demonstrates that Alito is at odds with the interests of ordinary Americans.

What is Lobbying Reform?

Reporter: "In light of the Abramoff deal, what's the President, or White House surrogates on his behalf doing to talk about lobby reform on the Hill?"
McClellan: "Lobby reform?"

On the Verge of Political Reform

Getting Caught vs. Coming Clean by David Sirota
Can you hear that sound coming from Washington? It is the Democrats licking their chops as Republicans seem to collapse under the weight of corruption scandals.

Elephants on the Run!

From the White House to Capitol Hill, prominent Republicans scrambled Wednesday to shed campaign contributions linked to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Iraq Blasts Kill at Least 130 Iraqis, 11 U.S. Soldiers

Suicide bombers carried out twin assaults Thursday on one of Shiite Islam's most sacred sites and a police recruitment center, killing at least 130 people and wounding hundreds. Five American soldiers were also killed.

King George: I Don't Need No Stinkin' Senate

The Boy King's latest appointees stink so bad that he just couldn't risk sending them over to his Republican controlled Senate for confirmation. He sure as hell couldn't wait a day or so for the senators to mosey on back from recess.

Blasts in Iraq Kill at Least 70!

Suicide bombers targeted Shiite pilgrims in the south and police recruits in central Iraq Thursday, killing almost 80 people in a stepped-up line of attacks. Thursday's bombings come one day after insurgents killed 53 people.

Early Morning Sedition:Wang Dang Sweet Poon Tang!

Early Morning Sedition rant from Marc Maron about waking up to the sounds of Ted Nugent. Sue isn't happy at all.....
Click the title to listen...

The Sago Mine Disaster

In the long history of coal mine tragedies in Appalachia, few have borne the compound misery suffered in Sago, W.Va., where a dozen families were plunged from exultation to furious grief by a false report that their loved ones had survived a deadly mine explosion on Monday.

Saving the House, By David Brooks

Disclaimer: I usually don't do this but Brooks is sounding like a democrat here.
Here's some red meat for you conservatives!
I don't know what's more pathetic, Jack Abramoff's sleaze or Republican paralysis in the face of it. Abramoff walks out of a D.C. courthouse in his pseudo-Hasidic homburg.

Need Medicaid? Show Your Passport, By Bob Herbert

Buried in the nearly 800-page federal budget bill is a nasty little provision, ostensibly aimed at immigrants, that will make it difficult for many poverty-stricken U.S. citizens to get the health care they are entitled to under Medicaid.

Cheney strongly backs "eavesdropping" operation

Vice President Dick Cheney on Wednesday strongly defended a secret domestic eavesdropping operation and said that had it been in place before the September 11 attacks the Pentagon might have been spared.
Note: Why don't they stop calling it "eavesdropping", and call it what it is, Spying!

'Marlboro Man' in Iraq War Photo Suffers from PTSD

So whatever happened to Lance Cpl. Blake Miller -- the U.S. Marine pictured as a kind of war-weary "Marlboro Man" in one of the most widely published iconic images of the Iraq war?

Culture of Corruption

Scott McClellan, White House Press Secretary, was asked to respond to allegations that the White House has fostered corruption and abuse of power.
Report from Time to Wake

Bill O'Reilly Lied on Letterman

In Letterman appearance, O'Reilly repeated false claim that school changed "Silent Night" lyrics. Dave: 60% of what Bill says is crap; Video.

More Than 40 Killed in Bombings in Iraq

Insurgents killed more than 40 people in a string of bombings throughout central Iraq today in the deadliest day since national parliamentary elections three weeks ago.

Families Say 12 of 13 W.Va. Miners Dead

Family members report that 11 of the 12 coal miners who were initially thought to have survived an explosion in a coal mine have died. The sole survivor is hospitalized.
Update:From the AP, why did they lie about it?

It's Not Personal, Jack, It's Strictly Business, By Maureen Dowd

The sight of Jack Abramoff striding out of federal court here yesterday, looking like a stocky gangster from a 40's movie in black fedora and trench coat, may seem like the strongest evidence so far of how graft and hubris have overwhelmed the capital.

Spooky AOL Ad Says Big Brother Is Watching the Internet

Why is a company that profits from Internet use demonizing the Internet?
Despite the set-up that this is an equal debate, the sinister music, dark voiceover and cold imagery leave the viewer with the impression that the Internet will one day lead to humanity's very destruction.

R.I. legislators override governor's medical marijuana veto

The Rhode Island House of Representatives voted today to override Gov. Donald Carcieri's veto of a bill legalising medical marijuana. The vote makes Rhode Island the 11th state to pass such a law.

A Life, Wasted

Early on Aug. 3, 2005, we heard that 14 Marines had been killed in Haditha, Iraq. Our son, Lance Cpl. Edward "Augie" Schroeder II, was stationed there. At 10:45 a.m. two Marines showed up at our door. After collecting himself for what was clearly painful duty, the lieutenant colonel said, "Your son is a true American hero."

U.S. Air Strike Kills Iraqi Family of 12

A U.S. air strike that Americans said was directed at suspected bombers killed a family of 12 in their home north of Baghdad Monday night, Iraqi officials said Tuesday.

Bush pushes for Patriot Act renewal

President George W. Bush opened a 30-day push to gain renewal of the anti-terrorism USA Patriot Act on Tuesday with a partisan blast at Democrats and a meeting with U.S. prosecutors who called the law essential.

G.O.P. Lobbyist to Plead Guilty

Jack Abramoff will plead guilty to three felony counts in Washington on Wednesday as part of a settlement with federal prosecutors.

What Was Left :audio slide show from The New Yorker

In late September, the photographer Robert Polidori travelled to New Orleans to record the destruction from Hurricane Katrina. Here, with Matt Dellinger, Polidori talks about his trip and his work, accompanied by an extended portfolio of images.

W.Va. Mine Explosion Traps 13

Bad news. 11 of 12 miners are dead say families.

Morning Sedition's 1st Morning Remembrance

Mort Mortenson pays tribute to those recently departed individuals who changed our world forever. Click title or here to listen.

Support for Bush drops among US military

Support for President George W. Bush's Iraq policy has fallen among the US armed forces to just 54 percent from 63 percent a year ago, according to a poll by the magazine group Military Times.

Morning Sedition: Dream Diary

Marc and his dead cat Butch make a trip to LA. This is dedicated to the new Air America Radio Mornings...Fuck you Danny Goldberg! Click title to listen or here.

Ten Amazing Predictions for 2006: Juan Cole

Caveat emptor: The author, a historian, has a fair amount of expertise with the past, but knows nothing out of the ordinary about the future.

The Machete Budget, By Bob Herbert

If Congress were merely useless, the country would be better off. But it's worse than useless. In the iron grip of a Republican Party that is almost slavishly devoted to the Bush administration, it's downright destructive, especially to the interests of poor and working people.

Muslim Scholars Were Paid to Aid U.S. Propaganda

A Pentagon contractor that paid Iraqi newspapers to print positive articles written by American soldiers has also been compensating Sunni religious scholars in Iraq in return for assistance with its propaganda work.

Russia cuts off gas to Ukraine

Russia has used the winter cold as a defensive weapon for centuries, as invaders from Napoleon to Hitler learned bitter lessons about the power of ice and snow.Russia has shown that modern demand for energy makes the old defence an offensive tool.

No Bubble Trouble? By Paul Krugman

In spite of record home prices, housing in most of America remains surprisingly affordable, thanks to low interest rates. That fact may seem to say that there's no housing bubble. But it doesn't.

Roberts Wants a Raise!

Chief Justice John Roberts wants a raise. As posted on the Supreme Court's website, Robert's Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary argues that the failure to raise judges' pay is a "direct threat to judicial independence."

Propaganda Program Orders Soldiers to Promote Iraq War

Good soldiers follow orders and hundreds of American military men and women returned to the United States on holiday leave this month with orders to sell the Iraq war to a skeptical public.

Morning Sedition: Rapture Watch (live)

Rapture Watch with Milf Cardinal Milfington from the recently disgraced diocese of Counter Grove, New Jersey. Click title or here to listen.

Iraqi Civil War? Some Experts Say It's Arrived

Fourteen members of a Shiite Muslim family are slaughtered in their home. Days later, masked gunmen invade a Sunni Arab household, killing five people. Organized political killing proceeds, as if there had not been elections two weeks ago.

Behind the Eavesdropping Story, a Loud Silence

THE New York Times's explanation of its decision to report, after what it said was a one-year delay, that the National Security Agency is eavesdropping domestically without court-approved warrants was woefully inadequate.

The DeLay-Abramoff Money Trail

The U.S. Family Network, a public advocacy group that operated in the 1990s with close ties to Rep. Tom DeLay and was funded almost entirely by corporations linked to embattled lobbyist Jack Abramoff, according to tax records and former associates of the group.