Boycott the RIAA in March!

With all of the RIAA's misbehavior lately, don't you think it's time for a boycott? Gizmodo has decided to fire up a boycott, pointing out that they get their money from us (the consumers) and that if we don't like what they do, we can do something about it.

So don't buy RIAA controlled music this March. If you're not sure if a particular artist is on an RIAA label or not, check RIAA Radar and find out.

They also offer alternatives to buying RIAA controlled music like attending concerts and buying music from emusic.

Flowchart to help war supporters understand whats been happening!

What Would George W. Bush Do? Check it out


Via Boing Boing

Group Sues US Government Over Medical Marijuana Claims

Armed with a new study showing the drug can ease pain in some HIV patients, Americans for Safe Access has sued the federal government Wednesday over its claim that pot has no accepted medical uses.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court by Americans for Safe Access, accuses the government of arbitrarily preventing "sick and dying persons from seeking to obtain medicine that could provide them needed and often lifesaving relief." Read [Yahoo News]

Iraq: The Hidden Story [video]

For everyone who agrees that the occupation of Iraq is good, I think you should watch this. I think everyone should watch this video, including those sheltered from the realities that others face day to day, because of the U.S., it's imperialistic ways, and Bush's lies.

As Nicole Belle says, "The Beltway media and politicians are insulated and isolated. It's going to take a huge tidal wave from outside the Beltway for them to wake up."

PBS Frontline's 'News War' exposes Bush’s media manipulation

In a great new 4-part series titled News War, PBS Frontline examines the battle between the White House & the national media and how they both fight to set the national agenda. In the first part that aired on Tuesday, Lowell Bergman investigates the Plame affair and breaks down how the Bush administration manipulated the media, which, in turn, manipulated and exaggerated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein. Clip below...

The entire 'News War - Part 1' can be streamed here

Sign the petition for Congress to guarantee permanent funding for PBS and NPR!

Via Crooks & Liars

At least $10 billlion wasted due to private war companies

"About $10 billion has been squandered by the U.S. government on Iraq reconstruction aid because of contractor overcharges and unsupported expenses, and federal investigators warned Thursday that significantly more taxpayer money is at risk."

Federal Investigators, "Urged the Pentagon to reconsider its growing reliance on outside contractors in wars and reconstruction efforts. Layers of subcontractors, poor documentation and lack of strong contract management are rampant and promote waste even after the GAO first warned of problems 15 years ago."

See more about War Profiteering

Of the $10 billion in overpriced contracts or undocumented costs, more than $2.7 billion were charged by Halliburton Co., the oil-field services company once headed by Vice President Dick Cheney.

Noting that auditors still have $300 billion of Iraq spending to review, Waxman said the total amount of waste, fraud and abuse "could be astronomical." Read [AP]

IOM Report: 1 million Iraqis may flee in 2007

Due to the non-stop USA violence-fest and insecurity in Iraq, as many as 1 million Iraqis could flee their homes this year alone.

"The numbers of people that are being displaced are increasing every day," said Jemini Pandaya, spokeswoman for the International Organization for Migration. "The security situation is not improving. It's not changing." Read [Yahoo News]

UNICEF study: Britain, U.S. Worst Places for Children (Seriously.)

A Unicef study found there was no consistent relationship between a country's wealth, as measured in gross domestic product per capita, and a child's quality of life. The Czech Republic, for example, achieved a higher ranking than economically wealthier France, which was mired in the bottom third along with Britain and the United States.

Children's happiness was rated highest in northern Europe, with the Netherlands (with weed being legal? Wow!), Sweden and Denmark leading the list (hey and all those just mentioned have minimal to no involvement in war). Canada received a 12th overall ranking in the study...

http://www.unicef-icdc.org/publications

U.S. House tells Bush 'No More Troops'

From Yahoo News: "The Democratic-controlled House issued a symbolic rejection of President Bush's decision to deploy more troops to Iraq on Friday, opening an epic confrontation between Congress and commander in chief over an unpopular war that has taken the lives of more than 3,100 U.S. troops."

The vote on the nonbinding measure was 246-182, and within minutes, Democrats said their next move would be to challenge Bush's request for $93 billion in new funds for the Pentagon.

Apparently, "Bush made no comment on the developments in the House, and his spokesman said the president was too busy to watch the proceedings on television."

BUT, the the Pentagon added another 1,000 troops to the surge, despite House disapproval.

Why not ban certain video games? Clue: Start using the age ratings!

Ban violent games? It's not the games people play that motivate them to kill, kill, kill. The problem the parents AND/OR the environment the child is subjected to throughout life, or the early stages at the very least.

It's not difficult to keep young children away from violent games, they're labeled as violent. SO if you think your kids may become violent, don't let them play it. IT's not sensible to ban a game entirely that others could enjoy, while not committing violence. Plus, action games can improve your vision!

More from Technophile Monkey

N. Korea agrees to ditch nukes, Bolton wins Asshole of the Year

Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, the lead American official at the talks, said the United States will give an unspecified amount of energy assistance to North Korea in exchange for North Korea freezing its production of plutonium.

Everything seems to be going great. Right? Until.... John Bolton (militant fuckhead imperialistic piece of shit) makes these remarks, calling the whole thing "a very bad deal."

From CNN: It makes the Bush administration "look very weak, at a time in Iraq and dealing with Iran that it needs to look strong," Bolton told CNN's Wolf Blitzer Monday.

"I'm hoping that the president has not been fully briefed on it and still has time to reject it," he said.

What the hell is wrong with this idiot? Hey, John Bolton, go continue to fuck yourself.

Congress pushing for ISP data retention: Will use porn to try and get bill passed

Geez. Still goin' at it. According to The Register, "The data retention requirements sit within the so-called Safety Act introduced by Representative Lamar Smith, a Texas Republican, as part of the "Law and Order Agenda" that he and other Republicans have begun pushing in the House."

A large part of this bill is about labeling requirements for porn sites. Bringing tougher restrictions to online porn, etc. However, THIS is part they'll use to gain a nice chunk o' support from many people. As they'll try keep the mass data retention part of this bill somewhat quiet (ha!). They do this all the time with all types of bills, hiding their agendas under a cover which they believe the masses will support.

The Register says "the Safety Act would require the [Attorney General] to order the retention of, at a minimum, the name and address of every subscriber or user corresponding to an assigned IP address or user identification."

While the ISPs aren't going to have this 'data retention bullshit' (and they'll fight against it) it's still a danger to everyone in this country, just the fact that people support this sort of Big Brother nonsense.

Addicted to War: Why the U.S. Can't Kick Militarism

Addicted to War by Joel Andreas is a compelling comic book showing the history of U.S. foreign policy and its effects on our society. It offers insight into the alternative, the things kids aren't taught in school. Until now. Yes, the book is going to be used in some San Francisco public schools.

Frank Dorrel, Publisher of "Addicted to War": "We're really glad that the San Francisco School District, which is apparently against the war in Iraq, well not apparently, obviously is, has chosen to do this."

According to ABC 7, "Frank Dorrel is now helping to supply the San Francisco Unified School District with 4,000 copies of the book for use in high school social studies and history classes. The books are being donated by a local anti-war activist."

From the 'Addicted to War' site: "With 77, hard-hitting, carefully documented pages, including 161 reference notes, this book reveals why the U.S. has been involved in more wars in recent years than any other country.

Packed with historical photographs and quotes from people in the military, the government, and big buisness, Addicted to War explains who benefits from these military adventures, who pays and who dies.

Addicted to War is being used as a history textbook in hundreds of high schools and colleges."

Paul Gigot says "No one ever claimed a link between Iraq and Al Qaeda"

Today on Fox News, Wall Street Journal editor Paul Gigot claimed, “We didn’t go to war because of al Qaeda links.” What an asshole.

Apparently, Paul Gigot didn't read what the White House resolution authorizing force against Iraq said:

"Whereas members of al Qaida, an organization bearing responsibility for attacks on the United States, its citizens, and interests, including the attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, are known to be in Iraq."

What bothers me is that this guy was on the Fox News show with millions of people watching. Bad Fox News, bad. (watch video here)

Escalation: a 1968 anti-war short film by Disney animator [video]

This was created by Academy Award-winning Disney animator Ward Kimball (1914 –2002). The 1968 film protests then-president Lyndon B. Johnson's escalation of the Vietnam war.

via Boing Boing

Jailing Pot Smokers Costs U.S. Taxpayers $1 Billion a Year. Treating Nearly Half of All Americans as Criminals: Priceless

According to the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), "Drug Use and Dependence, State and Federal Prisoners, 2004," 12.7 percent of state inmates and 12.4 percent of federal inmates incarcerated for drug violations are serving time for marijuana offenses. This turns into it costing U.S. taxpayers more than $1 billion a year to keep pot heads locked up. That can be turned into 1 out of 8 American drug prisoners are locked up for marijuana.

Paul Armentado (AlterNet) reports that according to the most recent figures available from the FBI, police arrested an estimated 786,545 people on marijuana charges in 2005 -- more than twice the number of Americans arrested just 12 years ago. Among those arrested, about 88 percent -- some 696,074 Americans -- were charged with possession only. The remaining 90,471 individuals were charged with "sale/manufacture," a category that includes all cultivation offenses, even those where the marijuana was being grown for personal or medical use. These totals are the highest ever recorded by the FBI, and make up 42.6 percent of all drug arrests in the United States.

Marijuana isn't a harmless substance, and those who argue for a change in the drug's legal status do not claim it to be. However, pot's relative risks to the user and society are arguably fewer than those of alcohol and tobacco, and they do not warrant the expenses associated with targeting, arresting and prosecuting hundreds of thousands of Americans every year.

New Technology for Mind Reading Raises Ethical Debates

The London Guardian reports that scientists have now learned to use high resolution brain scans to translate brain activity patterns into meaningful thoughts about a person's intention.

"Using the scanner, we could look around the brain for this information and read out something that from the outside there's no way you could possibly tell is in there. It's like shining a torch around, looking for writing on a wall," said John-Dylan Haynes at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Germany, who led the study with colleagues at University College London and Oxford University.

There is talk of refining this method in the hopes that judgment will be passed before any laws have been broken. Currently, the software used to spot the subtle differences in brain activity, is only about 70% accurate with predicting a person's intentions.

Barbara Sahakian, a professor of neuro-psychology at Cambridge University, said "A lot of neuroscientists in the field are very cautious and say we can't talk about reading individuals' minds, and right now that is very true, but we're moving ahead so rapidly, it's not going to be that long before we will be able to tell whether someone's making up a story, or whether someone intended to do a crime with a certain degree of certainty."

The Quotable Atheist by John Huberman

"Meanwhile, religion continues to be granted far too much respect and too little critical examination in our culture and mainstream media.We need to change the cultural climate so as to make supernatural, occult, and faith-based claptrap feel unwelcome and to make adults ashamed of the blithe surrender of their otherwise sound minds to idiocy.We need climate change. Bullshit levels are rising globally, threatening to submerge intellectually low-lying areas. Much of the United States is already inundated.Temperatures are rising; IQs are dropping. Four of the five stupidest years on record have occurred since 2000."

In his book, The Quotable Atheist: Ammunition for Non-Believers, Political Junkies, Gadflies, and Those Generally Hell-Bound, John Huberman has collected powerful and moving quotations from a variety of people concerning organized religion and the belief in God.

... As Sam Harris wrote in The End of Faith, "Unreason is now ascendant in the United States -- in our schools, in our courts, and in each branch of the federal government. Only 28 percent of Americans believe in evolution; 68 percent believe in Satan. Ignorance in this degree, concentrated in both the head and belly of a lumbering superpower, is now a problem for the entire world."

Read more excerpts at Alternet.

Televangelists and Tax-Exempt Private Luxury Jets

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has filed a complaint with the IRS against Preacher Mac Hammond for using church funds to not only but a jet plane, but also a stunt plane.

Last fall, Hammond endorsed Rep. Michele Bachman, which CREW also filed a complaint about for violating the prohibition against clergy endorsing political candidates.

The purchasing of luxury jets, however, is indeed common among Televangelists. The funds used to purchase the jets, are basically payed for by taxpayers. Churches receive tax-exempt donations, and in return donors get tax deductions.

I wasn't aware that luxury jets were necessary for spreading the Word. Perhaps they put those streamers on the end of them? Maybe that is why Hammond also bought a stunt plane, to write the Message in the sky? And I haven't heard a complaint from any Republicans about this.

Via AlterNet

Update: Judge Declares Mistrial in Watada Case

On Wednesday, presiding judge, Lt. Col. John Head declared a mistrial, in the court-martial of First Lt. Watada, over a technicality. Beginning the court-martial, Judge Lt. Col. Head had Watada sign an agreement admitting that he failed to deploy to Iraq, and that he had given several antiwar speeches, for which he was charged with 'conduct unbecoming of an officer'. During exchanges in the trial, however, Watada disagreed.

“Your Honour,” he said. “I have always believed that I have a legal and moral defence. I realise that the government can make arguments and you can make rulings contrary to that, but that does not negate my belief that I have a defence.”

“To me,” Watada told the court, leading soldiers into battle in Iraq “means to participate in a war that I believe to be illegal.”

Aaron Glantz (GNN) reports that Col. Head had ruled that Watada’s claim—that the war is immoral and illegal—would not be a permissible defence at trial, and that Watada had hoped to argue under the so-called Nuremberg Principals which arose from trials of Nazi war criminals after World War II.

Lt. Watada's attorney, Eric Seitz, had this to say about the trial; “Every time the government has tried to prevent political speech, which they are attempting to punish, from infusing the trial proceedings it has created a major mess and many of those cases resulted in mistrials.”

“The government tried in artificial ways to prevent the defendants from explaining in their own way why they were there and why they did what they did,” Seitz said. “But there is a contradiction, because they are the core issues of what led the defendant from being there in the first place.”

Many antiwar activists cheered for the mistrial declaration. Mike Wong, a San Francisco social worker who deserted the Army rather than fight in the Vietnam War, stated that A GI Rights hotline has been set up for the men and women fighting the war, who want to get out of Iraq. Wong says that the army is now receiving 2000 calls a month.

“The military doesn’t want the American public to know that soldiers are talking about this in the barracks. Some soldiers think he’s a disgrace and others think he’s a frickin’ hero. But what it’s causing is for soldiers to discuss, to debate, and what’s really frightening to this administration is that soldiers are thinking. They don’t want soldiers to think. They want soldiers to follow orders.” -Geoff Millard (about the court-martial)

Every Soldier has a Right, a Duty to Disobey Illegal Orders

Today, in Fort Lewis, Washington, the court-marshal of First Lt. Ehren Watada begins (see interview with Watada). He is charged with "missing movement" and "conduct unbecoming an officer" including the "use of contemptuous words for the President." Ehren, from Hawaii, has questioned the legality of the war in Iraq, and refused deployment.

His defense includes all the lies Bush has fed to us about the war : the fraudulent basis for the war, the absence of a formal declaration from Congress (which has no constitutional authority to transfer its war-declaring power to another branch), the war crimes, and the flagrant violations of international treaties such as the United Nations Charter. However, prosecutors told the presiding judge that Watada's truthfulness is irrelevant to the case. They do not mean to allow Watada to prove what he has said about the President is true.

"The war in Iraq is in fact illegal," Watada told TruthOut.org. "It is my obligation and my duty to refuse any orders to participate in this war. An order to take part in an illegal war is unlawful in itself. So my obligation is not to follow the order to go to Iraq."

Lt. Col. Head, the presiding judge at Watada's trial has already stated that he will uphold a motion "to prevent the defense from presenting any evidence on the illegality of the war."

Via Alternet

Bush's war on the Iraqi people

Is this a war on terrorism, or a war on Iraqi's? Air America reports that last month, the U.S. government stopped accepting all but the latest version of Iraqi passports. Hundred of Iraqi's have been stopped from entering the U.S., including some college students.

The only way for Iraqis to get a valid passport and get into the U.S., is to go back to Baghdad and get a new passport. If you don't maybe the U.S. will crush your car with a tank.

The Occupation Project: A Campaign of Sustained Nonviolent Civil Disobedience to End the Iraq War

Voices for Creative Nonviolence has just launched the 'Occupation Project: A Campaign of Sustained Nonviolent Civil Disobedience to End the Iraq War' (visit site to sign-up). The campaign began today, February 5, and will run for eight weeks. The campaign challenges Representatives and Senators to publicly declare that they will vote against any further funding for the war in and occupation of Iraq.

Today a total of eight local congressional offices were occupied across the country, including the San Francisco offices of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA), and the Portland office of Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR). Members of Veterans For Peace, one of the 18 organizations endorsing the campaign, participated in an action at a congressional office in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Dan Pearson, a spokesperson for the Occupation Project, explained the campaign’s goal is to defeat the $93 billion “emergency supplemental” war funding bill that the Bush administration forwarded to Congress yesterday.

Listen to the Democracy Now! interview with Kathy Kelly, Executive Director of Voices for Creative Nonviolence.

Bush's Record Low 28% Approval Rating

According to the latest CBS News poll, the president's overall approval rating has now fallen to a mere 28%—the lowest in his presidency. Not too surprising. However, to help put this approval rating into perspective, Jaimie Etkin (Radar) has put together 2 lists; 1 of people and things with equal popularity, and the other list with people and things with greater popularity.

OTHER THINGS WITH A 28 PERCENT APPROVAL RATING
• Boxer Briefs
• Kelly Osbourne
• Body Hair on Guys
• Reptiles
• A Wall Along the Mexican Border
• Text Message Flirting
• Porn
• Cottage Cheese

THINGS WITH AN APPROVAL RATING HIGHER THAN BUSH
• Brussels Sprouts (51%)
• Coke Zero (41%)
• Hillary Duff (52%)
• Jennifer Love Hewitt (36%)
• Fruit Cake (40%)
• Kevin Federline (45%)
• Rosie O'Donnell on The View (46%)
• Crocheting (72%)
• Fishing (49%)
• Legalizing Prostitution (58%)
• The Dentist (45%)
• Hanson (53%)
• In-Laws (68%)
• Figs (76%)
• The Name "Shiloh Nouvel Jolie Pitt" (29%)
• Ciara's Goodies (55%)
• The Pussy Cat Dolls (56%)
• Ryan Seacrest (60%)
• Spiceworld (57%)
• MTV VJ John Norris (35%)
• The Barenaked Ladies (73%)
• Russian Pop Duo T.A.T.U. (58%)
• The "Dude, You're getting a Dell!" Guy (42%)
• The Backstreet Boys (66%)
• Nickelback (57%)
• Sum 41 (63%)
• Hootie & The Blowfish (84%)
• Stepping in Dog Shit (35%)
• Walking in the Rain Without an Umbrella (60%)
• Small Breasts (50%)
• Getting Kicked in the Balls (41%)

Radar Online

Watch out for DNA sucking Feds!

According to The New York Times, U.S. authorities will soon begin collecting DNA samples from suspects arrested or detained by federal authorities, including hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants. Before the U.S. Justice Department changed them, the rules were that it was only convicted felons who had their DNA logged. Now, all you have to do is look suspicious, and the feds can detain you for just that. You no longer have to commit a crime to get your DNA stolen from you and filed into the U.S. database.

"DNA profiles have the potential to reveal our physical diseases and mental disorders. It becomes intrusive when the government begins to mine our most intimate matters," said Peter Neufeld, co-director of the Innocence Project, which has exonerated dozens of prison inmates using DNA evidence.

The Raw Story

Rupert Murdoch says News Corp. loves Bush. Surprise!

Rupert Murdoch talks about the Internet and digital media growth, and how Fox News is a bias as you can get.

From The Hollywood Reporter: Asked if his News Corp. managed to shape the agenda on the war in Iraq, Murdoch said: "No, I don't think so. We tried." Asked by Rose for further comment, he said: "We basically supported the Bush policy in the Middle East...but we have been very critical of his execution."

I never thought you would be so blunt and staright forward about it Murdoch. So for all the people that absolutely sweat Fox News. Do you really think it's healthy to watch one news station for all your news. Especially a news station where the CEO just said that "[they] basically supported the Bush policy in the Middle East..." ?

American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War On America

Twenty-five years ago, when Pat Robertson and other radio and televangelists first spoke of the United States becoming a Christian nation that would build a global Christian empire, it was hard to take such hyperbolic rhetoric seriously.

Today, such talk no longer sounds like hyperbole but poses, instead, a very real threat to our freedom and our way of life. In American Fascists, Chris Hedges, veteran journalist and author of the National Book Award finalist War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, challenges the Christian Right's religious legitimacy and argues that at its core it is a mass movement fueled by unwavering nationalism and a hatred for the open society.

The Christian Right, like these early fascist movements, doesn't openly call for dictatorship, nor does it use physical violence to suppress opposition (sometimes). Today's movement is not yet revolutionary. But the ideological architecture of a Christian fascism is being cemented in place, whether it be voluntary or involuntary.

Get it at Amazon

Interview with Ehren Watada, first Officer refusing to fight in Iraq

Truthout interviews 1st Lt. Ehren Watada to find out why he's chosen to be "the only known U.S. military officer to publicly refuse to be sent to Iraq."

Watada believes the war is illegal and that "he is duty-bound as an officer under international and military conventions to refuse unlawful orders." Watada's court-martial begins today and he faces up to 4 years in prison and an Army dismissal.

Watch the interview...

9/11 Taking the Fun Out of Cartoons

Last week in Boston, the late night cartoon Aqua Teen Hunger Force character was around town making 'obscene gestures'. His figure was displayed on battery powered boards that flashed lights. Police mistook these for explosive devices, which lead to the whole city going into panic. Hundreds of officers were involved in the security operation, which also included major roads being shut down and railways suspended. The bomb squad even 'detonated' one of the 'devices' in a controlled explosion.

This marketing campaign cost Turner Broadcasting System (who owns CNN) $2 million, $1 milion to cover the security operation, and the other $1 million as a goodwill gesture. Menino (the city's mayor) on Monday defended the city's response to the stunt, which he described last week as outrageous in the heightened security environment the United States has been in since the September 11 attacks of 2001.

Bush to Congress: $2.9 trillion spending plan

First, ""My formula for a balanced budget reflects the priorities of our country at this moment in its history: protecting the homeland and fighting terrorism, keeping the economy strong with low taxes and keeping spending under control while making federal programs more effective," Bush said." Wow. I personally love when ever he says this, " protecting the homeland and fighting terrorism,"

Bush is also proposing to increase the maximum Pell grant, which goes to low-income students, from the current $4,050 to $4,600. Oh wow, and extra $550! Are you serious? Bush is out of his mind, as Democrats are pushing for even larger increases.

"The president's budget is filled with debt and deception, disconnected from reality and continues to move America in the wrong direction,"
--> Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad.

Bush is just looking for ways (that aren't going to work) to make things better, without stopping his 'war.' Here's a clue to increase domestic spending: turn off your war machine.

Yahoo! News

Another victim of the U.S. fear culture and propaganda

A Penn Law School student who allegedly fired his weapon at the door of two neighbors he suspected of terrorism was suspended yesterday from the law school.

His lawyer, Peter Bowers, said the attack on the men he believed were terrorists - actually two roommates studying bio-engineering at Drexel University - "appears to have been a mental health or emotional issue."

Authorities "need to do appropriate mental health evaluations," Bowers said.

His client, Joseph Cho, 31, of Pine Street near 44th, is still awaiting arraignment for his alleged role in the assault. The two victims are each of Indian descent.

Cho, a Yale University graduate, has been charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, trespassing and vandalism, said Lt. John Walker, with Southwest Detectives.

He had gone to the Drexel students' apartment at 12:30 p.m., pounding on their door. When they didn't answer, Cho shot rounds from his legal Glock-9 into the door's lock.

He was later arrested by police.

"It is a bizarre case that we are investigating," Walker said. "You would think he would be more tolerant and more understanding to different cultures of people" because of his educational background.

Yesterday, Provost Ron Daniels sent a memo to the university's deans and senior administrators, stating that "the student has been temporarily suspended from the law school. The matter will be reported to the Law School's Committee on Student Conduct and Responsibility for its consideration."

The university, Daniels continued, was offering support services to any students seeking counseling to deal with the matter.

Cho, meanwhile, was described as an "outstanding young man," Bowers said. "It's really an unfortunate incident."

The law student enlisted in the Army after the Sept. 11 attacks and served for three years. He was given an honorable discharge, according to Bowers.

Philadelphia Daily News

Bush to Seek Record $716 Billion for Defense Spending

Next week, Bush is putting in a request for $716 Billion for defense and to fund the war on terror. According to Tony Capaccio (Bloomberg.com), the budget will go something like this: $93.4 billion in additional money for fiscal 2007 to cover costs of the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. The remaining $622.6 billion would cover the year ending Sept. 30, 2008 and include $141.7 billion for the wars.

Capaccio also writes, "The military funding request is greater than the annual gross domestic product of all but 14 countries." Meanwhile, Bush has pulled funding for healthcare programs, such as Access to Care, for citizens with no insurance to receive affordable health care. So now we have people who can't afford their medications, and who are walking around with disease and pain with no way to receive help, however they will be defended by Bush, with $716 billion!

Patriot$ don't a$k Question$. United Republik of Amerika

US-Iraqi fight with cult cover-up for a massacre?

Independent reporters in Iraq have discovered that the battle between a messianic cult and U.S.-Iraqi forces was a cover-up. With a possible motive of suppressing Shia-Sunni unity which was growing in the area of Najaf.

"We were going to conduct the usual ceremonies that we conduct every year when we were attacked by Iraqi soldiers," Jabbar al-Hatami, a leader of the al-Hatami Shia Arab tribe (supposed 'cult') said.

"We thought it was one of the usual mistakes of the Iraqi army killing civilians, so we advanced to explain to the soldiers that they killed five of us for no reason. But we were surprised by more gunfire from the soldiers."

From another eyewitness to the tragedy: "American helicopters participated in the slaughter," Jassim Abbas, a farmer from the area said. "They were soon there to kill those pilgrims without hesitation, but they were never there for helping Iraqis in anything they need. We just watched them getting killed group by group while trapped in those plantations."

Via AlterNet

Saddam hanging photos being used to "mentally torture" Guantanamo inmates

According to lawyers for Australia's only Guantanamo inmate, Guantanamo Bay prisoners were shown photos of Saddam Hussein hanging from a rope post-execution.

"Displaying photos of condemned men to those who may be facing capital charges can only be interpreted as an attempt to intimidate and compel submission under a threat of death and mentally torture an already abused detainee population," Joshua Dratel said in a statement to the Australian media.

Dratel also said photos of Saddam's 2006 trial were on a poster in a Guantanamo exercise yard, which read: "Because Saddam chose not to co-operate and not tell the truth, because he thought by lying he would get released, for that reason he was executed."

Via REUTERS

Rep. McGovern Introduces HR 746 - "Safe and Orderly Withdrawal from Iraq Act"

Rep. McGovern's bill, the "Safe and Orderly Withdrawal From Iraq Act," (H.R. 746) gives the Bush Administration 6 months to complete the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

"I believe that we must change the dynamic in Iraq. We must end our occupation, engage the countries in the region to help the Iraqis negotiate an end to the sectarian violence tearing their country apart, and let the Iraqi people determine their own destiny," Rep. McGovern said today on the House floor.

McGovern seems to understand that there will never be a military 'victory' in Iraq. Why doesn't Bush? He does, he just won't admit it and has a hidden agenda.

Sign the petition for a Safe and Orderly Withdrawal From Iraq...

U.S. - Iranian waltz (dance of death) could trigger war?

"On Jan. 20, militants kidnapped and killed four American soldiers in a raid in Karbala, and a fifth was killed in the firefight. A U.S. defense official said one possibility under study is that Iranian agents either executed or masterminded the attack, a suspicion based on the sophisticated and unusual methods used in the attack, including weapons and uniforms that may have been American." What ? Based on what? Where's the real evidence here?

Also - "There has been speculation that the Karbala assault may have been in retaliation for the arrest of five Iranians by U.S. troops in northern Iraq." Really? Who would have thought?

A #2 U.S. general told USA Today that Iran was supplying Iraqi Shiite militias with a variety of powerful weapons. "We have weapons that we know through serial numbers ... trace back to Iran," Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno said. Give me a break. Haven't we heard this kind of bullshit before?

Bush Admits He Lied (again)

Surprise! Last week, President Bush stated that Defense Secretary Rumsfeld and Vice President Cheney would "remain with [him] until the end of [his] presidency". A week later, Rumsfeld resigns from office to be replaced by CIA Director Robert Gates. Bush admitted that while he was telling reporters that Rumsfeld was staying, he had talked to Rumsfeld about resigning and was actually searching for his replacement. Watch video

O'Reilly wouldn't call Penn "anti-American" minutes after Factor referred to Penn as "anti-American"

O'Reilly (remember that jackass?) says: “You know that the Fondas and [Sean] Penns are going to say, ‘Listen, I’m as American as you are…I just see things differently.’ And I’m willing to give them the benefit of that doubt. I don’t want to say that they’re anti-American.”
But that's really crazy how just moments earlier, this happened:


To close the segment, O'Reilly asked Michelle Malkin if she had "any personal message for Sean Penn," to which she replied, "I'm glad that he's gone now from D.C."

Via Media Matters