Normal is not something to aspire to, it’s something to get away from.
– Jodie Foster
– Jodie Foster
(A tip o’ the hat to IndyLib for the quote.)
Recent Posts
- Day 14: Louisiana Senator Approvingly Compares Trump to Stalin
- Day 13: Elon Musk Flexes His Muscles
- Day 12: While Elon Musk Takes Over, We Podcast With Driftglass and Blue Gal
- Day 11: Harm of Fascist Regime’s Foreign Aid Freeze Comes Into View
- Day 10: The Fascist Regime Blames a Plane Crash on Nonwhite People
coming from Judith Miller, former BushCo water carrier, uh, I mean NYT reporter: Topeka Capital-Journal
So, Judith, are you proud of what you helped them accomplish?
Now abortion is the root of illegal immigration in Missouri? [AP/myway ]
A little delusional?
Here’s the LINK.
Some wingnuts just don’t get it, do they? Reminds me of an old Frank Zappa lyric:
Dumb all over… a little ugly on the side
By the way, CG, I absolutely love your new sig line. How about those new bumper stickers that read: Pelosi for President in ’07… why wait?
were born with a hardhat on and a lunch pail in hand.
Oy
The President’s team ‘has a plan’ regarding the seemingly irrational obsession with keeping John Bolton working at the United Nations.
We just don’t know what that plan is. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will vote Bolton down, decisively and definitively, if called to vote this week.[snip]
I need to consider the implications of this analysis a bit more closely — but essentially, here are the options as I see them now.
Bolton could be recess-appointed to his current position, but he would have to work for no pay.
Alternatively, Bolton could be “nominated” to a lesser position at the United Nations — and some are suggesting that in such a Deputy role, Bolton could be made the “Acting Ambasssador.” The fact is that all of the deputy jobs that Bolton might be appointed to are ‘encumbered’ — meaning people hold those positions. In addition, that appointment would also have to be submitted to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for action, which would certainly be negative.
Another bizarre but possible White House strategy is to appoint John Bolton Deputy National Security Advisor to the President, a position NOT subject to Senate confirmation, and then make him “Acting Ambassador to the United Nations.”
Some believe that this is the strategy that White House General Counsel Harriet Myers is trying to cook up.
Here is a link to a legal analysis of the possible ways they could do this. It’s a pdf file. Bush is trying to shove Bolton on the UN like a giant suppository. Whatever dumb trick they try will likely be legally challenged this time. Cripes, Bolton is like that ugly rash that won’t go away.
Page 1 – Climate Change News
A new technique for measuring the state of the world’s forests shows the future may not be as bad as previously feared. An international team of researchers say its Forest Identity study suggests the world could be approaching a “turning point” from deforestation. While many tropical nations are still undergoing deforestation, other nations – including India and China – are increasing their forest reserves. The study found that nations do not become deforested due to greed so much as due to the desperation of the poor for firewood and land to farm. When per capita GDP reaches $4600 per person, many nations undergo a transition from declining to increasing forest reserves.
The UK Environment Secretary David Miliband has called for a binding global deal on reducing greenhouse gas emissions that goes beyond the Kyoto Protocol. He said a new deal needs to include more countries than the Kyoto agreement, with richer nations leading the way. But he said a deal won’t be reached this week at the United Nations climate meeting being held in Nairobi.
Rainwater harvesting could prove a cheap, easy solution to Africa’s water woes, according to a UN report. Scientists found enough rain falls in some countries to supply six or seven times the current need, and provide security against future droughts (and potential water wars). A pilot project in a Kenyan Maasai community has improved supplies and done away with the daily trek to collect river water. And this news comes not a moment too soon: Some computer models of climate change forecast that extreme droughts will become five times more common in Africa as greenhouse gas levels rise.
French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin proposed on Monday introducing punitive taxes on imports from countries that refused to sign the UN’s Kyoto Protocol to curb global warming. [This should have been done years ago. I hope the whole EU and Canada get on board!] And here’s another splendid idea: Solar panels are now compulsory on all new and renovated buildings in Spain as part of the country’s efforts to bring its building rules up to date and curb growing demand for energy, ministers said on Monday. Meanwhile, here at home Sen. Barbara Boxer promises major policy shifts on global warming, air quality and toxic-waste cleanup as she prepares to lead the U.S. Senate’s environmental committee.
Page 2 – Medical News
The flu drug Tamiflu will now be required to carry a warning of potential psychiatric effects, based on observations primarily in Japan, where the drug is widely prescribed. Millions of doses of Tamiflu are being stockpiled by governments and the UN in the event of a pandemic flu outbreak, such as might occur if the bird flu mutates into a form easily transmitted between humans.
A natural painkiller six times more powerful than morphine has been found – in human saliva. The discovery may lead to new types of non-addictive, non-psychoactive yet powerful painkillers, and the molecule is simple enough that it should not be overly difficult to manufacture.
Daily consumption of red meat may increase a woman’s chances of developing the hormone-sensitive type of breast cancer. However, not all agree the effect is a cause for alarm.
The curative benefits of clay have been touted in European spas since the time of the Romans. Now, the medical community is beginning to find that the hype over the health benefits of clay may have a scientific basis.
You are what your grandmother ate: A mother’s diet can change the behavior of a specific gene for at least two subsequent generations, a new study demonstrates for the first time. New mouse experiments lend support to the idea that we inherit not only our genes from our parents, but also a set of instructions that tell the genes when to become active. These instructions appear to be passed on through “epigenetic” changes to DNA – genes can be activated or silenced according to the chemical groups that are added onto them. The findings could help explain the curious results from recent studies of human populations – including one showing that the grandchildren of well-fed Swedes had a greater risk of diabetes.
Page 3 – Other News
After 10 years, NASA has lost contact with the orbiting Mars Global Surveyor. The other spacecraft at Mars (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and twin rovers) are being used to assist in trying to reestablish contact with the Global Surveyor, which may have a balky solar panel.
who needs coffee with a nice shot of outrage is enough to jolt one awake in the morning?
Glad the power lock is down and people are going to come out swinging. Couldn’t be anything worse than being disappeared.
Here’s more insanity:
The House has passed the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act despite opposition from dozens of organizations including the National Lawyers Guild, Humane Society and Natural Resources Defense Council. The bill makes it a felony for animal rights activists to engage in non-violent protests that result in businesses losing money. Legal experts say a protester could be charged with terrorism if they engaged in a sit-in that caused a business to lose profits. Congressman Dennis Kucinich said the law would have a chilling effect on non-violent protest. Kucinich said the country has to be very careful of painting everyone with a broad brush of terrorism.
Non-violent protest is now going to be called terrorism if someone looses money over it?
Does anyone doubt that the Military Commissions Act should be dipped in preparation H and shoved up Bush’s ass? (as well as those asses who voted for it) Bipartisanship? Pffft. It’s time for all out war against American torture, the stripping of rights like habeus corpus, and the CIA’s kidnapping and secret prison scams. Currently on Raw: “‘CIA acknowledges presidential order for
detention facilities abroad’… Developing…”
Bush’s Daddy won’t save him from eventual impeachment.
Retired husband syndrome
How sad and funny at the same time. Those poor Japanese women are thinking “How can I miss you when you won’t go away?”
Hey want to get your dander up right now, turn on Cspan2, and listen to the Senate debate an ag emergency admendment to some bill, not sure which at this moment, but it’s totally bipartisan bill that has passed before and now Senator from New Hampshire is trying to toss it out saying, voters told us to cut spending. Farmers all over this country particularily midwest and west are going out of business due to crop failure. WEll Susan Collins just had it put aside, but it should come back up in awhile. Susan is presenting the bill to keep inspectors in Iraq.
Harold Ford, Jr. has decided he doesn’t want to be chairman of the DNC:
He’s going to make James Carville cry.