India Shouts "Death To America"

Great, like we need this. Bush has done more harm to the security of this country than any president ever before. We are in peril long after he is finished his tenure.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060228/ap_on_re_as/india_us_protests

FOX News Staff Fund Republican Campaigns

Fair and balanced? What a joke.

http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Fox_executives_donate_generously_to_Santorum_0228.html

1300 Iraqi's Died This Week

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/27/AR2006022701128_pf.html

Hilliary Clinton Says Karl Rove Obsesses Over Her

I think alot of the GOP obsess over her, probably because they are afraid of her. They have to think of any reason to discredit her before the next presidential election. They call her an uberliberal and mock her when she veers to the center, saying that she is playing to the moderate liberals. I don't understand that. If someone is considered liberal, does that mean they can not have ANY views that lean more right, or are more centrist? Does the GOP think people are that black and white? Apparently they do, because their leader is just that way. For example, I lean left but am against abortion. I would never have one for myself, but on the other hand, I don't think now is the time to overturn Roe v Wade. This country is not ready for that. Does that make me a conservative? I don't think so. It makes me a person that can see both sides of an issue and make the best judgement that I can, for myself.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060227/ap_on_el_se/clinton2008

Graphic: How Cargo Gets To The US

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2006/02/26/GR2006022600087.html

Editorial: Bush Is To Blame For The Destruction Of Iraq

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/32747/

Justice Department Threatens To Police Congress

Because they can't get a handle on corruption themselves.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1167705,00.html

Federal Judge Orders Bush Administration To Explain Port Deal

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ports_security

Please, Sheeple, Wake Up Before It's Too Late

What is frightening is what a compulsive liar Bush is. He lied when he said that he just heard about the Dubai deal this weekend.

Suppose you are the president of the US. You start a war on the premise that the country you are attacking is an immenent threat to the US. You are really hard core "Let's fight them there so we don't have to fight them here". Thousands of US troops are killed and continue to be killed. You have done an excellent job brainwashing the country that this war actually has something to do with terrorism.

Then one day the news breaks that a company that is from a country that has supported terrorists, takes over the management of US ports.

If you were this terrorism minded president, and you really did not know about the deal, but then find out about it (yeah right)...would you...

A. Step back and say, whoa, wait a minute...lets take a look at this (cause after all, I am all about protecting the American people-I started a war because of it)...and if it's fine to do, we can do it, but I have to make sure or

B. Say, hey, I didnt know about it, but I support it and will veto any effort to block this.

Does B make sense? Of course not. If you are the president and learn about something like this, you step back and review before issuing any judgements about it.

He issued his judgement immediately, because he knew about it a long time ago and agreed with it a long time ago. He is a lying liar of the worst kind.

Please, sheeple, wake up and look at the character of this president before its too late. Well it may already be too late.

South Dakota Bans Abortion

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/ABORTION_SOUTH_DAKOTA?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

Scientific Discovery-Bushcronium

Science Discovery: Bushcronium

A New Heaviest ElementA major research institution has just announced the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science, even heavier than the previous record-holder, Administratium. The new element has been named Bushcronium.

Bushcronium has one neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 224 deputy neutrons, and 674 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 911. These 911 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Bushcronium has no electrons, it is inert.

However, it can be detected, as it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of Bushcronium causes one reaction to take over 4 days to complete when it would normally take less than a second. Bushcronium has a normal half-life of multiples of 4 years; it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.

In fact, Bushcronium's mass actually increases over time, since each reorganization causes more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.

This characteristic of moron-promotion leads some scientists to believe that Bushcronium is formed whenever morons reach a certain quantity in concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as "critical morass." When catalyzed with money, Bushcronium activates Foxnewsium, an element that radiates orders of magnitude more energy, albeit as incoherent noise, since it has one-half as many peons but twice as many morons.

Was Law Broken In Dubai Deal?

Below is a letter from 11 Democratic senators specifying the law that they believe was broken during this deal. Specifically:

Under 50 U.S.C. App. � 2170(b), the CFIUS must conduct the 45-day investigation "in any instance in which an entity controlled by or acting on behalf of a foreign government seeks to engage in any merger, acquisition, or takeover which could result in control of a person engaged in interstate commerce in the United States that could affect the national security of the United States." This amendment, known as the "Byrd Amendment" and enacted in 1993, was intended to mandate that a review occurs if the transaction in any way "could" affect our national security. Prior to the Byrd Amendment, the determination to engage in this 45-day review period was discretionary to the Administration.

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Congressmen_write_Rumsfeld_Chertoff_Snow_on_0223.html

UPI Reports Dubai To Take Over 21 Ports

Not the six that was widely reported. Is there anyone in this administration that can tell the truth?

http://www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism/view.php?StoryID=20060223-051657-4981r

Media Reports That Bush Did Not Know Of Dubai Deal

Until after it was approved by his administration. So what? Why is this news? He knows now and approves of it, when he has the power to do something to stop it. Everytime something unpleasant occurs in this administration, it's "I didn't know", "I wasn't informed". If that's the truth then Bush is still responsible for not cleaning house. But it all comes down to money. National security is not as important to him when there is some financial gain somewhere. What other reason could there be for all of this?

Bin Laden Treated At Dubai Hospital 2 Months Before 9/11

And visited by a CIA agent? Weren't we looking for him prior to 9/11?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/waronterror/story/0,1361,584444,00.html

Sago Foreman Allegedly Falsified Inspection Reports

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MINER_INDICTED?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

California Doctors Refuse To Give Lethal Injection

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/california_execution

Frist Threatens To Block Dubai Port Deal

Kudos. I will give credit where it is deserved. I guess not all conservatives are sheeple. I don't understand what harm it would do Bush to meet with Senate leaders to discuss their concerns. Oh yeah, maybe I do understand. It's my way or the highway, even when his own party majority leader and others in the Republican party want a review of this issue. It's just his mentality.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/21/AR2006022100722_pf.html

Dubai To Take Over 6 Eastern Ports

Is this in the interest of national security? I don't know much at all about Dubai and frankly, I don't care. Our ports should be secured by US-noone else. What is the rational for this? I don't understand. This is mind boggling. Bush started a war on the pretense of protecting this country from terrorists, and then he turns around and leaves us vulnerble. Why then, are American servicemen in Iraq, if we are opening the floodgates at home? Is it for nothing?

I do know that UAE has not always been cooperative with the US on the actual war on terror. They housed Bin Laden, gave the US a hard time in aquiring Bin Laden's bank accounts, and funneled money that was used for terrorist activities. That should be more than enough to say no to this deal. And Bush goes on TV saying he is concerned about the message it would give to the world, that some countries are good enough to do business with and others are not. Frankly, I don't give a rats ass what message will be sent. The people who need to get a message will never get it. The time to worry about what other countries thought about us was before they hated us, before the Iraq war was begun. That was the time to seek allies, cooperation, and unity. But now that everything is such a mess, and being that he is a little slow on the uptake, he is concerned about image. Enough people hate us already, thanks to our esteemed president. This is absolute lunacy.

Firm Sues to Block Foreign Port Takeover
Saturday, February 18, 2006

WASHINGTON - (AP) A company at the Port of Miami has sued to block the takeover of shipping operations there by a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates. It is the first American courtroom effort to capsize a $6.8 billion sale already embroiled in a national debate over security risks at six major U.S. ports affected by the deal.

The Miami company, a subsidiary of Eller & Company Inc., presently is a business partner with London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., which Dubai Ports World purchased last week. In a lawsuit in Florida circuit court, the Miami subsidiary said that under the sale it will become an "involuntary partner" with Dubai's government and it may seek more than $10 million in damages.

The Miami subsidiary, Continental Stevedoring & Terminals Inc., said the sale to Dubai was prohibited under its partnership agreement with the British firm and "may endanger the national security of the United States." It asked a judge to block the takeover and said it does not believe the company, Florida or the U.S. government can ensure Dubai Ports World's compliance with American security rules.

A spokesman for Peninsular and Oriental indicated the company had not yet seen the lawsuit and declined to comment immediately.

The lawsuit represents the earliest skirmish over lucrative contracts among the six major American ports where Peninsular and Oriental runs major commercial operations: New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia. The lawsuit was filed moments before the court closed Friday and disclosed late Saturday by people working on the case.

The sale, already approved by the Bush administration, has drawn escalating criticism by lawmakers in Washington who maintain the United Arab Emirates is not consistent in its support of U.S. terrorism-fighting efforts. At least one Senate oversight hearing is planned for later this month.

The Port of Miami is among the nation's busiest. It is a hub for the nation's cruise ships, which carry more than 6 million passengers a year, and the seaport services more than 30 ocean carriers, which delivered more than 1 million cargo containers there last year.

A New Jersey lawmaker said Saturday he intends to require U.S. port security officials be American citizens, to prevent overseas companies operating domestic shipping facilities from hiring foreigners in such sensitive positions. Republican Frank A. LoBiondo, chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, cited "significant" security worries over the sale to Dubai Ports World.

Caught by surprise over the breadth of concerns expressed in the United States, Dubai is cautiously organizing its response. The company quietly dispatched advisers to reassure port officials along the East Coast, and its chief operating officer - internationally respected American shipping executive Edward "Ted" H. Bilkey - is expected to travel to Washington this week for meetings on Capitol Hill and elsewhere.

The Bush administration in recent days has defended its approval of the sale, and has resisted demands by Congress to reconsider. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack described the United Arab Emirates on Friday as a "long-standing friend and ally" and said the United States and UAE had a good relationship.

President Bush visited the seaport in Tampa, Fla., but did not mention the dispute Friday. The president said an important element of defeating terrorism was taking precautions domestically and working with local government officials.

"We've got to protect ourselves by doing smart things in America," Bush said. "I appreciate working with the mayors on homeland security issues."

One of those mayors, Martin O'Malley of Baltimore, on Saturday harshly criticized the president's approval of the ports deal as an "outrageous, reckless and irresponsible decision" and urged the White House to reconsider the sale. Baltimore is one of the affected ports, and O'Malley is co-chairman of the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Task Force on Homeland Security. O'Malley also is running for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Maryland.

Dubai Ports World declined through a spokesman to respond to O'Malley's remarks.

In New York, families of some victims from the September 2001 terror attacks planned to criticize the deal during a press conference Sunday with Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer, a leading critic of the sale. Schumer said he is dubious any assurances can justify involvement by the United Arab Emirates in American ports.

Schumer and other critics have cited the UAE's history as an operational and financial base for the hijackers who carried out the attacks against New York and Washington.

"A lot of families are incensed by this, because you're talking about the safety of the country," said William Doyle, whose son Joseph died at the World Trade Center. ""We have a problem already in our ports because all of our containers aren't checked, but now they want to add this unknown? It's not right."

LoBiondo's legislative proposal would amend federal maritime laws to require facility security officers, which operate at terminals in every U.S. port, to be American citizens. LoBiondo said there are presently no citizenship requirements, which he said permits foreign companies who are or become partners in domestic terminal operations to employ security officers who are not Americans.

"We cannot be lax about our nation's security nor fail to recognize that our ports are realistic targets of terrorists," LoBiondo said.

Who's Counting Bush's Mistakes?

This article states facts. So after reading it, can one Bush supporter give me one good reason (and let's leave terrorism out of this because it is a blind spot with most) why he should still be president? Surely, if conservatives wanted to give Bill Clinton the boot because of a blow job, GWB is ten times worse a president.

http://www.alternet.org/story/32382/

Privacy And Civil Liberties Board Exists Only On Paper

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-liberties20feb20,0,5039697.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Another Example Of Paranoid Tainted So Called Security Measures

If this passes, we will be spending lots of tax dollars to eavesdrop on people having a few beers. Where else can terrorists plot? Let's see, they can go to malls, church, college, the supermarket...let's just go all the way and put security cameras in public restroom stalls. Terrorists have to go to the bathroom after all. If we feel that we have to go to these measures to find the terrorists, then we must believe as a nation, that they are coming into this country in droves. Thanks for all the protection, Mr. President.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-02-14-chicago-cameras_x.htm

School Bus Drivers Join War On Terror

We are becoming a paranoid nation. We have to protect ourselves and be aware of what is going on around us. But if the Bush adminstration REALLY wants to protect us, they should find a way to close the borders, cut illegal immigration, secure our ports, and improve security in airports (which they claim they have done but we all know it isn't nearly good enough). That is what is going to protect us, keeping terrorists out of this country in the first place, not having school bus drivers on the lookout, children in tow and all. Will it cost a ton of money? Yes. But is there anything more important to spend it on?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060218/ap_on_re_us/school_bus_drivers_terrorism_4

Chavez Responds To Rice Warning

Says, "Don't Mess With Me Girl".

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9924691/print/1/displaymode/1098/

Jyllands-Posten Editor Explains Decision To Publish Muslim Cartoon

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/17/AR2006021702499.html?sub=AR

Quail Hunting

European Ministers Forced Out Of Their Jobs Due To Cartoon Fiasco

This is unbelievable. Isn't there anyone over there that has any influence over these people? Foreign leaders have to step down over this? One thing is for sure, Muslims feel like the world is against them for their religion. It's us against the rest of the world. We are in this for the long haul. This isn't going to die when the controversy over the cartoon dies because it really is not about the cartoon.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-02-18T195732Z_01_L18607690_RTRUKOC_0_US-RELIGION-CARTOONS.xml&archived=False

Sex Week At Yale

College sure wasn't like this when I went.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IVY_LEAGUE_SEX?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

Mardi Gras Set To Begin

Isn't it amazing that New Orleans is able to pull this off, six months aster Katrina? I hope it is a huge success.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/17/AR2006021702007.html

Child Pornographer Gets Life Sentence

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CHILD_PORN_SENTENCE?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

Howward Stern vs. Oprah Winfrey

Howard Stern earns 93,000 per hour. Oprah stands to earn more when she enters the satellite radio wars. I am depressed.

http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/invest/extra/P145081.asp

Cleric Offers Over 1 Million To Kill Cartoonist

I am all for free speech and freedom of the press. But was it really wise to publish a cartoon mocking Islam, when we are in the middle of a war and sensitivities are so high?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11383819/

Senate Rejects Wiretapping Probe

Business as usual.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/16/AR2006021602155.html?referrer=email

Bush Asks For 2.2% Pay Raise For Military

Surely, they deserve better than this. John Kerry is leading a group who want to increase this pay raise and below is a letter to Congress asking for it. Those batty Democrats are at it again, asking for money for the troops and being unpatriotic. I though Bush supported the troops? Support of the troops means more than being a cheerleader. He should put his money where his mouth is. He cries that those that oppose the war, oppose the troops, but he gives more to the rich in tax breaks than he does to servicemen who risk their lives on his whims. I guess he supports them when it's time to shut up the dissenters, with alot of rhetoric.

Kerry calls Bush’s proposed pay raise for troops the “lowest in 12 years.”

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) led a 10-Senator effort to increase the pay for servicemembers. The President’s budget specifies a 2.2% increase – the smallest pay raise for our military since 1994.

“Our troops are sacrificing so much, in every corner of the world. Shortchanging them and the families who love them is a lousy way to say thanks,” said Kerry, who authored the letter.
“Our military deserves leadership that matches their service and patriotism. Getting our troops the pay raise they deserve is the very least we can do to show how much we value everything they do for us. I’m going to fight for a fair military pay raise until it becomes a reality, and I thank my colleagues who have joined me in doing so,” added Kerry.

Below is the text of the letter:

February 16, 2006

The Honorable Judd Gregg, ChairmanThe Honorable Kent Conrad, Ranking MemberCommittee on the BudgetUnited States SenateWashington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Gregg and Senator Conrad:

As you begin consideration of the President’s FY 2007 budget request, we urge you to include a pay increase that meets the needs and reflects the sacrifice of America’s military personnel and their families.

The President’s budget request includes a 2.2% increase in military pay—the smallest increase since FY1994. Such a paltry increase neglects the value of their service and the very real challenges of recruiting and retaining an all-volunteer military in time of war.

The men and women of the American military are doing everything we ask of them—and more. They are being deployed at historic rates, many serving on their second, third, or even fourth combat deployments. In Iraq and Afghanistan, they are working with local and coalition partners to increase security so that those nations can stand on their own, free of tyranny. They are fighting terrorists and working with partners to win the War on Terror. They are deterring aggression in key strategic areas. We have seen American forces give aid to innocent victims of natural disasters, both here in the United States and around the world. We know they stand ready to defend our country, our allies, and our way of life on a moment’s notice.

Surely they deserve a raise of more than 2.2%.

Last year, the Army, the Army National Guard, and the Army Reserve all failed to reach their recruiting targets. The Army, in fact, fell 6,700 recruits short in 2005—its biggest shortfall since 1979. Individuals choose to serve for many reasons: patriotism, a sense of duty, a desire to defend their country and make the world a better place. But we also know that adequate pay is one of the requirements of maintaining a professional, all-volunteer military.

In recent years, Congress has relied on a formula to increase military pay by 0.5% above the Employment Cost Index (ECI). This year, the administration’s request is only equal to the ECI.

Congress must do better.

Sincerely,

John Kerry
Edward Kennedy
Jeff Bingaman
Tim Johnson
Bill Nelson
Barack Obama
Christopher Dodd
Richard Durbin
Mark Dayton
Frank Lautenberg

Alleged Death Squad In Iraq

Linked to the Iraqi government. No matter how many times this adminstration tries to sell me that things are going well, I just know it isn't. Not because of all the bad news that comes out of Iraq, but lack of good news that comes out. Sure there are those anecdotes you hear about, but what about those things that are going to get us out of this country? Like having a viable government, setting up complete running water and electricity, and overall reconstruction? How is this country going to be reconstructed when vigilanties/insurgents blow themselves up over and over again? And with so much of the reconstruction money having been misued and embezzled? The insugency does not seem to be waning. They seem to be gaining. What a mess.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/16/AR2006021600180.html

Political Candidate Behaving Badly

Sigh...Don't you long for the old days when men behaved like real men?


Comptroller Asks Woman to 'Walk Again'Wednesday, February 15, 2006 ANNAPOLIS, Md. -

State Comptroller William Donald Schaefer reacted angrily Wednesday to questions about whether he may have offended an aide to Gov. Robert Ehrlich at a meeting of the Board of Public Works.

After the young woman brought him a beverage at Wednesday morning's meeting at the State House, Schaefer stared intently as she walked back to the governor's office. Then, just as she reached the door, he summoned her back as people waiting to testify before the board watched.

When the aide, looking puzzled, returned to the table, Schaefer told her, "Walk again," and watched her as she made the second trip to the exit.

When reporters asked him after the meeting about the incident, he called their interest "dumb." He said "this little girl" ought to be "happy that I observed her going out the door."

At one point after the meeting, the comptroller went into the governor's private office and returned to say the woman was embarrassed by the incident. But Schaefer, 84, was unapologetic about his actions.

"The one who is offended is me," the Democratic comptroller told reporters.

"She's a pretty little girl," he said. "The day I don't look at pretty women is the day I die."

Shareese DeLeaver, a spokeswoman for the Republican governor, would not disclose the name of the woman who delivered the drink to the comptroller or of another woman Schaefer also stared at as she returned to the private office after bringing drinks to the governor and Democratic State Treasurer Nancy Kopp, the other two board members.

"We're not releasing the names of the assistants. They don't have any desire to have their names in print or to speak with the press," DeLeaver said.

Deputy Treasurer Howard Freedlander said Kopp would not have any comment because she did not see what happened.

Schaefer recently marked 50 years in public service; he is a former governor and mayor of Baltimore. He is seeking re-election in November to a third four-year term.

Odd remarks and antics by Schaefer at meetings of the Board of Public Works are commonplace. He once complained about a Spanish-speaking McDonald's clerk and has suggested that there should be a public registry of people with AIDS.

He also has referred before to women as "little girls," although women who have worked for him have celebrated the term and said he treated them with respect. After a campaign ad in 2002 suggested he was unfair to women, some of his former employees held a rally, waving signs that read "Little Girls for Schaefer."

Bush Wants 75 Million for Iran

I certainly hope I heard this wrong.

Will someone reign this guy in? Are his handlers that afraid of him that they won't tell him he is out of his gord?

The money is is supposed to be to "spread democracy". LOL. They want to use it for media and, get this, to allow Iranian's to study in the US. Yep, that's right. Great idea!

He says he won't negotiate with terrorists. The president of Iran wants to obliterate Israel. That makes him a terrorist. This is "just hush till I'm out of office money so I can take credit for stabilizing the middle east, and then when there is a new president, you can let loose" money. Same reason he doesn't want a timeline for ending this war...he wants the inevitable to happen on someone's else's watch. The end of this war will not be pretty, and he wants to be far from DC when that happens.

This man is insane.

Teen Sends One Rose To Each Of 500 Female Classmates

Awww...Isn't that a sweet thing to do? It seems that the older we get, the more jaded and less romantic we are.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VALENTINE_ROSES?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

More On Cheney

While I believe this was a stupid accident and am not a conspiracy theorist, some interesting questions came up while watching commentary about the quail incident.

1. Expert hunters on one program commented that a 28 gauge shotgun is not very powerful at all, and they were stymied as to how the victim could have received such injuries using that gun, at 30 yards away.

2. The sherrif's office determined that alcohol was not a factor here. How can they make such a statement when they did not even get to interview Cheyney until 14 hours after the incident? Did they take his word for it?

3. The incident happened near Chorpus Christi, a city with top notch medical facilities, yet he was taken to a hospital much further away, a very small hospital. When it was determined that they could not treat the victim, the was then moved to a larger facility. Some are wondering if this was an effort to maintain secrecy. Why all the efforts for secrecy?

If it was an accident, then an accident is an accident, it happens in hunting. One could assume that it is nothing more than Cheyney's MO (which I tend to believe), but others might think that there is more than meets the eye here. The media is all over this story, and it's noone's fault but Cheyney's due to his need for secrecy. It backfired. Now all of the conspiracy theorists are taking this to an unbeleiveable level. But that's what happens when you think you are not accountable to American Citizens when you hold high political office...wether the situation be a war or an accident hunting quail.

Army Recruiting More With Criminal/Drug Histories

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-army14feb14,0,3722038.story?coll=la-news-a_section

Valentine's Day Articles

Happy Valentine's Day

The History Of Valentine's Day
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/valentine/?page=history

Valentine-Less
http://www.valentinecentral.com/newsletters/issue2.html

Valentine's Gift Can Expose A Cheating Husband
http://www.valentinecentral.com/newsletters/issue7.html

Valentine's Day Movies
http://www.collegiatetimes.com/news/3/ARTICLE/6429/2006-02-07.html?sid=189b11aa0e13cff35591df38f80579cc

Cheyney Shoots Man While Hunting

Old men should not be hunting. I mean, the guy he shot was 78...you have to be able to run like hell if you see Cheyney behind the barrel of a shot gun, pointing it at you. I almost chuckled when I read this, but then thought that would not be nice.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11312757/

Olympics Fun

http://home.datacomm.ch/marco.fernando/fla/bozzetto/olympics.swf

141 Programs Bush Wants To Cut Or Kill

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060209/ap_on_go_pr_wh/budget_program_cuts_glance

Ex-CIA Official Says Bush "Cherry-Picked" Intel For War

More evidence that Bush and his people lied their way into this war. What is it going to take for people to wake up and smell the coffee? His supporters just keep saying that those who make these allegations have political motivations and are plain lying. Every one of them? The evidence just keeps rolling in every day. Of course, now that we are in Iraq and started this mess, we have to finish it correctly, but that is not the point. Do we really want a president that would put us in harm's way in order to carry out whatever agenda he has?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/09/AR2006020902418.html

Wounded Soldier Must Pay For Destroyed Body Armor

Aren't you sick of the military denying that they don't have the proper body armor? And now they say that they don't know how something like this happened. How could they not know? They sent multiple correspondance to this kid, telling him to pay up. With military recruiting at record lows, and the deficit sky high, it's no wonder they have to make an injured soldier pay for his on body armor. That may sound like a conspiracy theory, but I am sick of the incompetency of everyone involved in this war, and the soldiers having to take the brunt of it. Is that unamerican? I don't think so. I can't believe that this is not making everyone jump up and down yelling, and holding those responsible accountable.

West Virginia’s two U.S. senators asked top military leaders Tuesday to explain why 1st Lt. William “Eddie” Rebrook IV had to reimburse the U.S. Army $700 last week for body armor and other gear damaged after he was seriously wounded by a roadside bomb in Iraq.

More than 200 people —from West Virginia and across the country — donated more than $5,700 to Rebrook after reading about his body armor payment to the Army.

Rebrook, 25, who was medically discharged from an army base in Fort Hood, Texas, last week, said he wouldn’t keep the donations. He’s passing along the money to charity and a Louisiana woman who lost her home in Hurricane Katrina. He said the woman’s son helped save his life in Iraq.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., sent a letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld Tuesday, demanding that the Army refund Rebrook’s money immediately.

“I was outraged this morning when I read the story about what happened to Eddie,” said Rockefeller, who nominated Rebrook for admission to the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., when Rebrook attended George Washington High School in Charleston. “I’m heartbroken that he can’t continue his career, and I’m shocked that he has been treated this way by our military.”

At a U.S. Senate hearing Tuesday, Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., asked why Rebrook was forced to pay for body armor damaged when he was wounded in Iraq.

“How can it be that the Army is charging wounded soldiers for replacing damaged body armor? Is this standard practice?” Byrd asked during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Department of Defense’s 2007 budget.

Rumsfeld and Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army’s chief of staff, attended the hearing.
“That is a very unusual story,” Schoomaker responded. “I have no idea why we would ever do something like that. We have issued body armor, the very best that exists in the world. Every soldier has it.

“We certainly have procedures that account for battle loss, and I just find it a highly unusual story. But we’ll certainly follow up and correct it if there’s any truth to it.”

“First Cavalry Division leadership is going to do everything to ensure this issue is brought to a conclusion that is both in line with procedures that apply to all its soldiers and in the best interest of our veterans who have served so proudly and honorably in Iraq,” Lt. Col. Scott Bleichwehl, the division's spokesman at Fort Hood, told the Killeen Daily Herald for today’s edition.

Bleichwehl said soldiers are not held financially responsible for any equipment lost, damaged or destroyed in combat.

Rebrook said he borrowed $700 from his buddies to pay back the U.S. Army for the destroyed body armor and gear. He plans to pay them back out of his own pocket.

A Charleston radio station, WKWS-FM 96.1, raised $700 for Rebrook in less than an hour Tuesday morning. One woman hand-delivered a check for $350 to the radio station Tuesday.
“We read the story on the air, and the phones started ringing,” said the station’s Mike Fitzgerald.

The bulk of money for Rebrook was raised Tuesday after the soldier’s story was posted on americablog.com, a popular liberal political blog.

Donations ranged from $1 to $400, said John Aravosis, who runs the Internet blog. More than 187 people gave money. About 200 people posted to the blog.

“Everybody thinks liberals hate soldiers,” Aravosis said. “But the majority of people get that it’s not right to abuse our troops.”

Rebrook’s right arm was shattered in an explosion while he was standing in the turret of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle in January 2005. Field medics removed his body armor, and it was later incinerated, Rebrook said. A Black Hawk helicopter airlifted him to a combat support hospital in Baghdad.

Rebrook, who graduated with honors from West Point, said he was never given any records that documented the body armor loss.
When he turned in his gear last week, Rebrook said he was told to pay nearly $700 or face not being discharged for weeks. The bill included a $570 charge for his Kevlar vest and gear destroyed in battle, and $130 for other lost items.

Rebrook said he was asked to provide statements from witnesses that he lost his body armor in battle.

He said he thought he could write a memo, explaining that the body armor was stripped from him after he was injured. But that wasn’t sufficient, he learned last week.

“I understand what they were saying, but from my perspective it was a hard pill to swallow,” Rebrook said Tuesday.

Despite the “bureaucratic snafu,” as Rebrook calls it, he holds no grudges. “I love the Army,” Rebrook said. “I love my soldiers. I loved being in it.”

Dozens of Charleston Gazette readers called the newspaper and sent e-mails, criticizing the Army and praising Rebrook for his service in Iraq. Some readers offered to pay Rebrook for the entire cost of his body armor.

“It’s a disgrace to humanity for our military to do that to a young boy who graduated from West Point,” said William Crouch of St. Albans. “I’m so mad now I can’t stand it.”

USA Safe From Kindergarden Students

I understand the need for security, but isn't this just plain paranoia? This is the Bush tactic...scare everyone to death that they can't use common sense and then adhere to whatever ridiculous policies are made, without exception.

WHILE ATTORNEY GENERAL Alberto Gonzalez assures the U.S. Senate that the Bush Administration’s domestic eavesdropping program is a vital “early warning system” for terrorists, another homeland security measure strikes at a local elementary school.
The kindergarten class at Lakewood’s Taft Elementary was planning a field trip to NASA Glenn Research Center. It’s a popular trip because it’s free, because the NASA staff already has age-appropriate tours that fit well with school curriculum, and, well, it’s outer space, for pete’s sake. They’ve got rocket ships.

And NASA works the education angle hard. According to the agency, “A major part of the NASA mission is ‘To inspire the next generation of explorers . . . as only NASA can.’” And of course they talk about math and science. NASA says about 400 school groups took tours last year.
But school principal Margaret Seibel says this year’s trip for Taft kindergarteners — we’re talking 6-year-olds here — had to be canceled due to homeland security concerns.

Since new security regulations went into effect in May 1, 2005, access to the Visitor Center is restricted to United State citizens. All others might be terrorists.

No tourists from France, no exchange students from Tokyo and, no foreign national kindergarteners on field trips.

“I was told they would not make any exceptions,” Seibel says.

Because two kids in the kindergarten class are not U.S. citizens, the teacher had to cancel the trip.

“It was just a policy that came down from the Homeland Security Department,” said Chief Community and Media Relations Officer Linda Dukes-Campbell. “We are a federal reservation, and we have to work within those ramifications.”

Dukes-Campbell says, though, that the agency is “looking at a policy revision” that might allow kindergarteners onto the federal reservation for field trips. She says they’re “hoping to have language” in order in a couple of weeks.

Get your permission slips ready.
— Michael Gill

Iranian Protests Mount In Response To Islam Mocking

How stupid for European newspapers to run such nonsense. They must be begging for a terrorist attack. Is the US then supposed to go in and help them when it happens?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/06/AR2006020600226.html