Trivia question:

Who said this and to whom was it said?

"Get down, you damn fool, before you get shot!"

Progress. We are not making progress. It is painful for me to say that things are actually getting worse.

A friend of mine just returned after his second 12 month tour. (BTW, he's an intelligence officer.) During his first tour, his mission was to locate the insurgent leaders so our teams could go and kill them. They were pretty successful at that task taking down hundreds of insurgent leaders and henchmen. He was optimistic during his first tour. He saw problems, but he and other leaders believed things could work out under the right circumstances. He volunteered to go back a second time and found that the situation had changed 100%. The primary mission of intel over in Iraq now is to determine those factors that are preventing us from training Iraqi forces taking over security. The biggest obstacles are the inherent and ACCEPTED corruption of nearly all Iraqi military officers. He stated that most if not all Iraqi officers maintain an allegiance to some other militia or insurgent group that supercedes their allegiance to the Iraqi military. He told me about a situation where an Iraqi Battalion commander received food provisions for his troops from the U.S. supply channels (which is normal SOP), but then immediately diverted the shipment for his troops to HIS OWN PERSONAL RESIDENCE!!! And he wasn't prosecuted or forced to return the supplies. This was his entitlement or perk of being a unit commander.

My friend (who is a strong Bush supporter) stated clearly that there is no chance that we can fix the situation in Iraq, AND that our leaders already know and privately acknowledge that.

God I hope he's wrong, but I doubt it.

That Armitage was the leaker of Plame's identity.

Wha?

Now they claim that they knew Plame's leaker was no partisan with an axe to grind.

The entire liberal conspiracy-theory coalition of leftist blogtopia is reeling from the "revelation" that our suspicions from last March were confirmed: Richard Armitage was the leaker described as "no partisan gunslinger" by Novakula in October of 2003.

We're beyond shocked, dismayed, chagrined, disappointed or disa ... ponied that the original source turned out to be (ta dah!) exactly as advertised — someone with no axe to grind. Although the fact that he's a Kool Aide drinking neo-con boob with an Iran/Contra skeleton in the closet is no surprise. (My personal torture remains that Elliot Abrams's name still hasn't surfaced in this case.)

The news content of this story ranks right up there with how many prawns John Mark Karr had for lunch.

Well, I just searched both Ara's site and Mark's and I found nothing indicating they suspected anyone but Rove before this past week. Perhaps, it was a silent suspicion, you know how much bloggers like to keep those to themselves...

Smooth talking Ara seems confused by the hullabaloo:

So what's the big deal here? I mean, Libby is still accused of perjury, false statements and obstruction, right?

Well, first off if Fitz knew it was Armitage all along and continued the hunt for bigger more Republican scented game, I'd say it's a big deal. A big deal. Kinda in the way that Ken Starr went fishing for Whitewater and came up with a cum stained blue dress. That was a big deal, was it not?

Second, it makes the Grand Jury thingie and the long jailhouse stay of Judith Miller pretty shitty. If he knew it was Armitage and still persisted investigating and questioning Rove and Libby et al. Well, that's just low. It's quite obvious that he was looking to just trip someone up.

Oh and it makes Armitage a class A arsehole. He could've come out and stopped this monstrosity long ago. He did not. He sat there, like I picture most liberals when faced with terror threats, with his head in the sand. What a fucking schmuck.

I need you to buy this book!

Act now and get an exclusive offer, never to be repeated!

So isn't it finally time we told the truth? The whole "Plamegate" lie was nothing but a coordinated smear attack on Karl Rove and George Bush and most of the White House by Richard Armitage, Joe Wilson, and George Tenet. Especially Wilson.

All this in a time of war. For shame!

Christopher Hitchens thinks so too!

So it looks like the Plame "leaker" was none other than Richard Armitage, Colin Powell's number 2. Not Rove or Libby or anyone else that the poor Lefties wish to ruin.

Armitage's admission led to a flurry of anxious phone calls and meetings that day at the State Department. (Days earlier, the Justice Department had launched a criminal investigation into the Plame leak after the CIA informed officials there that she was an undercover officer.) Within hours, William Howard Taft IV, the State Department's legal adviser, notified a senior Justice official that Armitage had information relevant to the case. The next day, a team of FBI agents and Justice prosecutors investigating the leak questioned the deputy secretary. Armitage acknowledged that he had passed along to Novak information contained in a classified State Department memo: that Wilson's wife worked on weapons-of-mass-destruction issues at the CIA. (The memo made no reference to her undercover status.) Armitage had met with Novak in his State Department office on July 8, 2003—just days before Novak published his first piece identifying Plame. Powell, Armitage and Taft, the only three officials at the State Department who knew the story, never breathed a word of it publicly and Armitage's role remained secret.

Armitage, a well-known gossip who loves to dish and receive juicy tidbits about Washington characters, apparently hadn't thought through the possible implications of telling Novak about Plame's identity. "I'm afraid I may be the guy that caused this whole thing," he later told Carl Ford Jr., State's intelligence chief. Ford says Armitage admitted to him that he had "slipped up" and told Novak more than he should have. "He was basically beside himself that he was the guy that f---ed up. My sense from Rich is that it was just chitchat," Ford recalls in "Hubris," to be published next week by Crown and co-written by the author of this article and David Corn, Washington editor of The Nation magazine.

Armitage was against the Iraq War. He wasn't a guy looking to discredit anyone. Looks like the leak "came from a man who had no apparent intention of harming anyone."

If it turns out that Fitzgerald knew Armitage was the leaker...his career will be toast.

As Captain Ed says here:

This means that the Department of Justice knew the source of the Plame leak within four months of its occurrence. It also knew that the leak had no malicious intent. Patrick Fitzgerald, who almost certainly knew of it within the first days of his investigation, never attempted to indict the man whom he knew leaked the information. Why, then, has Fitzgerald’s mandate continued after the first week of October?

Fitzgerald took the case on September 26. If this book is accurate about its dates, the DoJ and Fitzgerald would have known about Armitage’s role as the source of the leak five days later. Instead of either charging Armitage or closing down the investigation, Fitzgerald went on a witch hunt. He didn’t even talk to Scooter Libby until two weeks after Armitage’s confession. A year later, Fitzgerald had reporters Judith Miller and Matthew Cooper imprisoned for contempt of court for refusing to divulge a source about a leaker from whom Fitzgerald had already received a confession.

This shows the danger of independent investigators who answer to star chambers instead of the elected representatives that have electoral accountability. The entire Fitzgerald investigation is a massive waste of money and energy, an ego project for one man, a wild-goose chase without the goose. Up to now, we all thought that Armitage never came forward or did so much later in the process. This time line shows Fitzgerald as a dangerous Cotton Mather with a briefcase. What else should we think of a prosecutor who hauls people into court and jails them for contempt when his culprit confessed at the very beginning?

HT: Sister Toldja

I saw kos on Bill Maher's show and I must say that everytime I see him, I think that he looks like a geeky little twerp. That is not the picture my brain created at all.

Isn't it funny how we all form pictures in our heads of how we think someone looks based on their writing? This is a thing that happens when we read. We all tend to put faces on fictional characters in books but bloggers aren't characters. We are real and it never ceases to amaze me when I meet bloggers and they don't "look" like I envisioned. I saw Charles Johnson, LGF, recently and I was stunned. I thought him much older and not in anyway hippy-ish. I was wrong. It makes me wonder how people "see" me. Does my writing make people see Medusa or some harping fishwife with hairy moles on the face?

When people meet me in person they always look a little stunned. Not in a bad way, not stricken with fear mostly just a bemused stare. I know that many of you have seen pictures of me, my kids and Dean. Some of you haven't. Pictures don't say everything, especially for me. I take really crappy pictures. I always make a weird face. My best pictures are when I don't see them coming. For those of you that have seen me, did I look like you expected? What did you envision? A fire breathing dragoness? A bunny? I'm curious how my writing makes me "look" in you head.

I won't be offended, I'm perfectly comfortable with my looks. Some people think I'm cute, others don't. It's the way of the world. I just want to know what my fictional face looks like and if I have succeeded in portraying myself close to reality.

Let's just suppose for a moment that 15 years from now embryonic stem cell research has enabled us to live 75 years longer and in excellent health. Let's also say that it has enabled us to cure Parkinsons, Lou Gehrig's disease, and a host of other ailments that plagued us in the past and present. Would those of you who vehemently oppose this research and its funding seek those benefits or allow yourself and family members to receive treatment options that were the direct result of that research?

I know that certain religious groups refuse certain medical procedures due to religious doctrine. Christian Scientists do not accept blood transfusions, vaccinations, or other types of treatment. While I do not agree with their specific religious belief, I admire their moral integrity concerning their belief.

My feeling is that those opposing the research should heed their moral compass and refuse treatment. I don't think that they should be banned from treatment, but if they accept care, they are hypocrites of the highest order. That's just my opinion.

(Now, please don't go down the slippery slope and ask something like, "Suicide bombers have moral integrity when it comes to their belief system. Do you admire them as well?" No, suicide bombers are murdering beasts - Christian Scientists merely hate needles...and someone else's blood.)

A gripping and thoughtful book which deals engagingly with serious questions. I couldn't put it down. —The Rev. Dr. Paul Burgess, author, Let The Finder Beware

It is a truly original work by experienced wordsmiths who never forget to engage the reader. —Trudy W. Schuett, editor, Des7ert Light Journal

"This is a fantastic yet completely believable science-fiction book with a very modern twist. From philosophical standpoint, there is nothing that will spark the debate over interminable longevity like Methuselah's Daughter. That's an issue that society needs to tackle before science fiction becomes science fact."--Danielle D. Emery, MD, Billings MT

What does it mean to love? How much of what we call love-- and experience of love-- is social convention? How much is tied intrinsically into the human condition? This excellent, exuberant, exhilarating book does its level best to answer the most important questions humanity can ask.—Andrew Cory, editor, The Punning Pundit

“It’s great!!” —Anthony Parisi, bookseller

"I loved this novel! Not only could I not put it down, to the point of neglecting my own writing, but I was deeply intrigued by the heroine, and when I finished reading her tale, I almost went into a post-partum depression!" —Kristina O'Donnelly, author, Lands of the Morning series.

It is my favorite genre, scifi...but it is also deeply and profoundly about love. And the human condition and sorrow and pain and loss. And hope…. A year and half ago I read a book called The Time Traveler's Wife, also a scifi love story. Although the plotlines are nothing alike, the same sense of wonder, of reading something entirely new, imbues Methuselah's Daughter. I fully expect Daughter to top the charts too. Oh, hope you love it as much as I did. –Matoko Kusanagi, author, Quantum Ghosts

JC Watts and Wendy Wright of Concerned Women For America appear confused about Plan B. That doesn't mean ALL RIGHTWINGERS though, Ara. People should be more careful about how they write.

Plan B is a morning-after contraceptive pill. It is not an abortion pill and therefore, I and I am certain a fair amount of "Rightwingers" are just fine with it. Especially those of us that have an idea about how reproduction actually works.

Just in case some of you out there aren't sure, conception doesn't happen immediately after ejaculation. It can take up to 4 days for conception to actually happen. And yes, I mean conception not implantation or anything else. So, taking a morning-after pill is not and I repeat is not the same as an abortion. It is the same as using the pill, a condom or any other method of birth control. Not an abortion.

Hooray, for Plan B!

Update: Plan B info here Please note that contraceptives prevent pregnancy. Prevent is not the same as terminate.

Please empty your bladder before viewing this clip.

Saw the article, couldn't resist.

I agree with Ara on this one.

Over at Daily Kos, diarist 'thereisnospoon' makes a crucial point: Democrats musn't argue points of law when opposing the warrantless wiretaps. They must say that, by avoiding the required warrants, Bush raises the suspicion that he is NOT surveilling terrorists — he is surveilling his political enemies.

Democrats shouldn't try arguing the law, it's much better to go with your strengths. So, they should absolutely just start flinging crap and seeing what sticks. I must say that I do believe that most people who actively support Democrats are closet coprophiliacs. Seriously.

Lefty freakazoid at Dkos says:

The technicalities of Constitutional Law are the realm of reason. Voters actually VOTE based on emotion. They don't really care if Bush is breaking the law; they care if he's doing something morally wrong.

The truth is that if Bush wiretaps a terrorist and doesn't bother with a warrant first, the public admires him [for being] a no-bullshit, Dirty Harry kind of guy.

But if he's hiding political Mafia tactics under the cloak of National Security, then they see him as the worst kind of villain you can imagine.

The key is getting them to entertain the unthinkable notion of what we all know is undoubtedly true: that Bush isn't Dirty Harry; he's the corrupt cop Dirty Harry has to bring to justice.

Well, nobody knows how to entertain America better than Democrats. I await with bated breath for the next season of "How Can We Lose Another Election?" starring The Democratic Party. I hope they broadcast it in HDTV.

It was announced this morning that the next season of Survivor is going to begin with a division into tribes based on race. Linda Holmes at MSNBC has the early commentary.

There will be an "African-American" tribe, an "Asian-American" tribe, an "Hispanic" tribe, and a "White" tribe. I have to say that I object to be represented by a tribe whose name is a color. They could as easily been called the "European-American" tribe, could they not? Let's go the other way: How about the "Black" tribe, the "Yellow" tribe, the "Brown" tribe, and the "Overseer" tribe?

Personally, I think it's a bad idea. But I have to admit, I'm probably going to be watching for the first couple of episodes, at least. And that, folks, makes it genius. I sincerely hope it doesn't blow up in their faces.

UPDATE: Welcome, Pajamas Media readers! Pay no attention to Tim. He's just sore because reality keeps cramping his worldview.

UPDATE II: Hey Tim, apparently Mary Katherine Ham also failed to get your memo.

What do you think would happen if you walked up the the average man or child on the street and asked them what is the significance of August 22, 2006? People who read this blog and all the other political blogs I know of would say something to the effect of 'Iran responds today' or its 'doomsday' or 'Aug. 22, 2006 corresponds, in the Islamic calendar, to the 27th day of the month of Rajab of the year 1427'. You'd all be WRONG.

For today is the greatest day known to man. It is the day that the latest greatest version of Madden NFL football is being released for your favorite video game system.

A co-worker call in sick today? You thought it was doomsday related? Heck no. They were the first in line at midnight to pickup Madden 07. They are currently recovering from their sickness by playing their 15th game of the day by now.

If they come into work tomorrow and have blisters on their fingers, you'll know why.

Unfortunately, while today is a great day, my wife isn't thoroughly convinced enough to allow me to purchase the game. DOH! So it looks like I will go Madden-less on the Madden-oliday.

If there are any QOAE readers that are Madden fans, please speak up and leave a comment.

Did anyone else see the Comedy Central William Shatner Roast yet?

Man it was funny. "Betty White just Shatner pants!" LOL!

Ryan Sager has been called incomprehensible by cooler and more talented heads than mine. Now he's just a lazy ass fool. In a drive-by smear against Senator George Allen(R) of Virginia, he calls the movie Gods and Generals "pro-Confederate". Then he points out that Allen had a cameo role in the movie, so therefore this is more stunning evidence that Allen is a racist bigot homophobe running dog lackey. /sarc

Gods and Generals was written by Jeff Shaara as a prequel to his deceased father, Michael Shaara's, "The Killer Angels", which Jeff then sequeled with "The Last Full Measure". I have read all three books and I have seen both movies (Gods and Generals and the Killer Angels movie is called "Gettysburg"). The only way Gods and Generals can be interpreted as "pro-Confederate" is in the accurate depiction of the military success of the Southern armies relative to later in the war. (and Robert Duvall's R. E. Lee is a portrayal far superior to Martin Sheen's in Gettysburg, but that's my opinion and OT.)

I don't mind that Sager doesn't like George Allen. But, for Christ's sake, come up with a real reason. He's so desperate to trash Senator Allen that he forgets to check his facts (or know some history). I realize that this is par for the course in some circles but there are those of us who expect more from Real Clear Politics.

Rhianna asks, "what is the difference between Erotic Art and pornography"?

I believe the difference is pretty stark. Erotic Art has a subtle aesthetic that pornography lacks. One is beautiful and meant to be admired the other is graphic and meant to be used as a means to an end. While erotic art can be used as a stimulus it still retains an artistic purity and isn't at all vulgar.

Anyone have any other thoughts?

I've got a lot going on today. I've asked for topic suggestions in the past and I have failed miserably at getting them up. So instead of suggestions, I ask today for submissions.

Is there a topic you'd love to have debated here? Write something up, it can be long or short. Email it to me [buttgrape(AT)yahoo(dot)com] or leave it in the comments. I'll post it and we can have some fun.

I don't care what subject you choose and I don't care if you are a lefty or a righty. I also don't care if you are purposely tryin to start a flamewar. I'm cool with all of it.

So, if you have something - let's see it.

Mark is disappointed and I can't say that I blame him. Civil Right's leader Andy Young was expressing his affinity for Wal-Mart in an attempt to better their image when he stated that Wal-Mart should replace the Mom and Pop shops of the neighborhood.

Why should they? According to Young the Jewish, Arab and Korean shop owners had “ripped off” urban communities for years, “selling us stale bread, and bad meat and wilted vegetables.”

“You see those are the people who have been overcharging us,” he said of the owners of the small stores, “and they sold out and moved to Florida. I think they’ve ripped off our communities enough. First it was Jews, then it was Koreans and now it’s Arabs.”

As a Civil Right's leader, Young should strive to hide his obvious racism better than say, ummm, David Duke. Oh well, he did apologize. To me it was more of a "sorry I got caught" apology than a genuine "I can't believe I said such sweeping, malicious things about Jews, Koreans and Arabs" apology. Better than nothing, I guess.

Racism is racism no matter who utters it. My only hope is that Democrats don't start trying to sweep this away as something less evil than some stupid utterances of a Republican. We should all be equally affronted by these comments not looking to one up each other with who said something worse.

I'm offended by all things racist, not just racism from Democrats. I don't do a giddy dance because some Dem said something offensive enough to overshadow idiocy from a Republican. They all piss me off.

Party loyalty doesn't extend to filthy racists. Just ask Rick Santorum's campaign headquarters.

When Dean and I got married, we made a pact. The pact was that if either of us ever had the chance to have really naughty sex with the super famous person that we really were hot for we could do it without guilt or marital repercussions. We each named the person we wanted and we reserved the right to update the person. Obviously, neither of us really believe we'll ever have the chance but you never know.

Would you ever do it? Would be able to give your spouse one shot at an unlikely escapade?

Just for giggles, is there someone super famous that you'd love an opportunity to get down and dirty with? Name him/her.

Mine will probably shock you. Tell me yours and I'll tell you mine.

Ara has some ideas but I think that he's over thinking it. If the Republicans are as awful as the liberals believe then the Democrats don't have to do anything at all (which shouldn't be really hard).

If the country is as bad off as the liberals would have you believe then the Democrats will win easily. They haven't in the past because the Democrats can't stop doing the one thing that makes the voters think they are worse. Talking.

If the Democrats would just shut up, they'd win. They won't though and the election will be an uphill battle for them.

If this story is true then I feel horrible for those parents. An awful lot of us will owe those people an apology.

How the Republicans are sure to respond...

Click picture to make it larger.

Liked it? You can enjoy more Prickly City by visiting their site.

HT: Mike Veeshir

Wondering why you haven't heard from Nancy Pelosi lately on all the corruption in the Republican Party? Or is it like hitting yourself on the thumb with a hammer? (it feels so good when it stops).

Gateway Pundit has a pretty good compilation of the possible reasons. Just keep scrollin'.

I have been found out. Lately, I have been on a trash the lying liberal media binge. The reason? I had oral surgery last week and have been on painkillers. I needed to post something and trashing the lying liberal "anything" is just easy. So easy, in fact, that I can do it while stoned off my gourd.

Now what?

Who can I trash now? What should I post about? Oooh I know. I can post strategies for Republicans to help them keep control of Congress. Ara does that for Democrats all the time. Lucky for us, Democrats are too dumb to listen to Ara.

Lets see what can the Republicans do to keep ahead of the Democrats...

They can ask Americans what the Democrats would do differently to protect them. Hell, ask the Democrats. They seem to feel it more important to object to every idea rather than do their job and put forth ideas. Some will say that they shouldn't give their precious ideas to thr Republicans because if they work, they'll claim the credit. More proof that the Democrats put Party above Country.

The Democrats aren't the Opposition Party they are the Angry Wife Party. An angry wife (Democrats) wants the husband (Bush) to solve all the problems without any assistance from her. If he (Bush) really loved her (Democrats), she would moan, he'd figure out why she was unhappy. Instead of telling her husband (Bush) in a straightforward manner (truthfully) what is wrong (hates everything Republican), she (Democrats) gets pissed about everything else (Patriot Act, Judges, etc) until she's (Democrats) nothing more than a shrew (kossites) and he (Bush and the Republicans) is looking elsewhere (Tony Blair) for comfort (help fighting the WOT).

I write about what I want. I write about what I know and who I choose to write about is personal, mostly. I don't have the time nor the desire to write about every single person hurt because of war. I'd have nothing else to do.

If I choose to write about a journalist abduction, I will. That doesn't mean that I am required to write about them all. It also doesn't mean that I believe the lives of "liberal" journalists are less worthy than a "conservative" one. I have no idea the political affiliation of all journalists. I don't even know the ones I watch for a certainty. The difference is familiarity. If Cokie Roberts were taken hostage in Iraq, I'd write about it. I know her. Her face has been in my living room for years, just like all the journalists from Fox. I watch Fox and I am familiar with all the personalities. Sorry if you don't like it but it is what it is.

I didn't write about Jill Carroll. Not in the positive nor in the negative. I'll also have you know that when Jill Carroll was released I didn't jump on the "she's a terrorist supporter" bandwagon either. I didn't know much about her and therefore I didn't write. It's ridiculous to suggest that I am beholden to anything but my own whim when I write.

My whim, like yours, is the reason I blog. Just like you.

Hey, that looks pretty good.

A Fox News correspondent and his cameraman were kidnapped Monday in Gaza by Palestinian gunmen who ambushed their vehicle, a spokeswoman for the cable news network confirmed.

Washington-based correspondent Steve Centanni, 60, and freelance cameraman Olaf Wiig, a New Zealand native, were in a parked television transmission van in the center of Gaza City, about to head to their usual live spot location when two vehicles blocked them in.

A masked man held a gun to their bodyguard, forcing him to the ground, and kidnapped Centanni and Wiig, as well as their translator, who was later released.

Fox News declined to comment on the abduction, but the network's Jerusalem-based correspondent, Jennifer Griffin, provided brief updates to viewers about the situation throughout the day.

"Right now the network is trying to arrange their safe release," she said at 2 p.m. PDT.

No shit.

Wow. Wow 2.

Hard to believe isn't it?

Open thread.

Girls, if you ever see a cute guy hanging out with other guys and they are wearing orange vests that have the words "Work Program" on them. Don't give out your phone number.

"Work Program" = Chain Gang

Men, we women do appreciate when you notice our beauty efforts. We don't spend all that time in front of the mirror for ourselves. Some women say they do, they're lying. If women only cared about their own opinion, they'd expend much less effort.

I use expensive perfume, for me. I enjoy the smell and I like smelling pretty. I put on smokey lipstick to perfect my pout, for you. Mascara to make my lashes seem long and full, for you. 20 minutes with the hair products, for you.

When I go out with my husband, I really tart it up. I do that for you and for him. He likes it when you notice and give an appreciative stare or even a hoot. He likes it a lot. So do I.

Most women like it but many are loathe to admit it. It gives us all a bit of a thrill when you notice the effort we have put into our appearance with a cat call. We dig it. If we didn't, we'd stop using enhancements. We'd stop caring about our appearance. Some of us have, most of us NEVER will.

Here is the advice. If you shout out a cat call while wearing a vest that clearly states "Work Program", we know that the only thing missing is the chain attaching you to the rest of your gang.

Don't expect a phone number. Okay? Even if I wasn't unavailable, I know with much certainty that a guy on a chain gang ["Work Program"] isn't going to be Prince Charming.

You're damn lucky that I nodded a thank you.

Americablog says that our airline alert went Code Red because Lieberman lost.

Could it possibly be Code Red because a major airline terror plot with at least 21 arrests was uncovered in Britain by Scotland Yard?

A plot to blow up planes in flight from the UK to the US and commit "mass murder on an unimaginable scale" has been disrupted, Scotland Yard has said.

It is thought the plan was to detonate explosive devices smuggled in hand luggage on to as many as 10 aircraft.

Police are searching premises after 21 people were arrested. Home Secretary John Reid said they believed the "main players" were accounted for.

High security is causing delays at all UK airports.

The threat level to the UK has been raised by MI5 to critical after the arrests in London, High Wycombe and Birmingham.

Critical threat level - the highest - means "an attack is expected imminently and indicates an extremely high level of threat to the UK".

Three US airlines are believed to have been targeted.

Mr Reid said had the attack gone ahead it would have caused a loss of life of "unprecedented scale".

Is a Lieberman Primary loss so important to ENGLAND? Is that why they raised their alerts too?

If this kind of shit doesn't embarrass my liberal friends, then nothing will. I see nothing reasonable in these reactions. They are shameful and just a little bit sick.

This may come as a total shock to some of our readers but I have never understood the problem with gays serving openly in the military. Michael Barone writes,

In 1993, our military leaders argued that exclusion of open gays was necessary for military effectiveness. I think it's a fair question whether that's the case any longer.

Personally, I think it's a fair question whether it was ever the case. I mean, our guys in uniform (thank you for your service) are trained to face (and inflict) horrors no one should have to imagine, let alone experience. And somehow they're gonna get the willies if they know the guy in the next cot is gay? If so, it's the guy getting the willies who should be discharged. Who's going to want to trust his nerves in battle?

Tim, since my two nephews, though enlisted, haven't yet reported for basic training, you're my go-to guy for this question: Is there any potential combat operational circumstance where your buddy has to put his hand on your ass in order to fire a weapon? 'Cause I can see, if you knew he was gay, this might impact your combat effectiveness, whether it was welcome or not. (Tongue-in-cheek alert)

Now we have this stupid policy affecting national security in a more than obvious way. We must have dependable, loyal Arabic translators coming out of our ears to be able to throw this guy out on his ear.

This case gives President Bush a perfect opportunity to score major points by abolishing the policy once and for all. Another advantage would be that Yale and the rest of those law schools would be able to welcome military recruiters and ROTC programs back with open arms. But, unfortunately, I would be as surprised by the former as I would by the latter.

One more thing: [Not News] Andrew Sullivan is a dope. Clinton was president in 1993 when Don't Ask, Don't Tell went into effect.

McKinney is OUT!!!!!!

So is Joe Lieberman.

Mark Adams says that the MSM will be on the hunt for bloggers. Bloggers are evil incarnate to the MSM. I'm with that. Where Mark loses me is here:

"However, the Righties of Wingnuttostan wish they had a fraction of the "get out of your pajamas and get out there" spirit of Liberal Blogtopia. You can't buy dedication. You can't sell passion. You can't fight ideas with stock options."

Yes, yes, we sad pathetic Rethuglicans wish we were as effective as you liberals are at getting out the vote...

If we were as successful as the liberals, I'd be listening to President Kerry's droning voice instead of my beloved Bushie. So, eat me.

Here's the thing, why can't you just write an article that defends the blogosphere and the activists within without further polarizing it? Aren't we bloggers first? Shouldn't we support bloggers over the MSM?

Do we now have to just support bloggers we agree with? C'mon man, we bloggers should unite against our common enemy, the Mainstream Media. We can cat fight later. Remember, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Rightwing bloggers are your friends when the fight is with the MSM and defending blogging is on the line.

Today is the Michigan Primary and perhaps other states as well. Go do your civic duty and vote. If you live in Michigan, I'm asking again that you request the Republican ballot and cast a vote for Keith Butler.

Captain Ed outlines the double standard at the UN. Since some of our readers haven't made up their minds on the conflict, I reproduce a clearly written portrait of the two sides:

...please remember that Israel actually comports to the rules of war. They wear uniforms to distinguish themselves and attach their insignia to equipment and outposts to mark the IDF as combatants. They do not launch their attacks from within civilian populations, nor do they hide their command and control in such areas. They have not carpet-bombed Lebanon but attempted to destroy selected targets based on intelligence, which has not proven faultless but at least shows some restraint.

Hezbollah, on the other hand, hides its forces in civilian clothing, They place rocket launchers and anti-aircraft guns next to apartment buildings and houses to shield them from Israeli attack. Instead of targeting Israeli military assets with their rocket barrages, the Hezbollah terrorists have aimed them indiscriminately at civilian population centers. Only because their missiles lack both large-scale explosive power and sophisticated targeting have they proven inefficient at their purpose -- to kill Israeli civilians and terrorize Israel into defeat.

...

The UN should not even bother investigating Lebanese and Hezbollah complaints until they make an effort to fight within the rules of war. If one wants to end terrorism, then the global community must insist on reciprocity by both sides before taking up the question of violations. Holding Israel to an impossible standard against an enemy determined to use civilians as shields while never noting the grotesque strategy of the terrorists only encourages more terrorism.

Via: Cox and Forkum

A Reuters photograph of smoke rising from buildings in Beirut has been withdrawn after coming under attack by American web logs. The blogs accused Reuters of distorting the photograph to include more smoke and damage.

The photograph showed two very heavy plumes of black smoke billowing from buildings in Beirut after an Air Force attack on the Lebanese capital. Reuters has since withdrawn the photograph from its website, along a message admitting that the image was distorted, and an apology to editors. ... Adnan Hajj, the photographer who sent the altered image, was also the Reuters photographer behind many of the images from Qana – which have also been the subject of suspicions for being staged.

LONDON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Reuters withdrew all 920 photographs by a freelance Lebanese photographer from its database on Monday after an urgent review of his work showed he had altered two images from the conflict between Israel and the armed group Hizbollah.

Global Picture Editor Tom Szlukovenyi called the measure precautionary but said the fact that two of the images by photographer Adnan Hajj had been manipulated undermined trust in his entire body of work.

"There is no graver breach of Reuters standards for our photographers than the deliberate manipulation of an image," Szlukovenyi said in a statement.

"Reuters has zero tolerance for any doctoring of pictures and constantly reminds its photographers, both staff and freelance, of this strict and unalterable policy."

Well now, that is interesting. Staging photos to make Israel look like war criminals. Who would've ever thought such was possible? Besides most conservative bloggers and Ara, I mean.

Hahahahahaha!

Keith Butler was the first Republican to win a Detroit City Council seat in 50 years. Any Republican that can pull that off has got to be someone special.

Butler Pledges Fight Against Out Of Control Federal Spending

U.S. Senate candidate Keith Butler pledged today that he would not author, submit or support earmarked funds while serving in the U.S. Senate. Earmarked funds are federal grants or projects that are slipped into budget bills without going through the Committee hearing process.

"Federal spending is out of control and earmarking of funds for projects that do not go through the normal congressional hearing process is at a record level. I pledge that I will not author, submit or support earmarked funds while I am in the U.S. Senate. I will work very hard to make sure that Michigan receives its fair share of federal funds but I will do so in congressional hearings and in an open and above board manner. Every taxpayer dollar spent by the federal government should require a public vote of elected representatives," said Keith Butler candidate for the U.S. Senate.

Butler went on to say, "Career politicians have become too cozy with the special interest groups and that has lead to the explosion of earmarked funds. Earmarking of funds is wrong, it leads to corruption of the political system, and it needs to end." Click to see the pledge that Keith Butler signed.

Read a short bio on Keith Butler

Keith Butler on the issues.

If you live in Michigan, please don't forget to vote in the August 8th Primary. When you do, please vote for Keith Butler. We have two good candidates running for the Republican nomination, I just like Keith Butler more. Do it for me. If he wins, it'll be the highlight of my August!

I haven't laughed this hard in weeks. Atrios is funnier than kos...

Joe's Greatest Betrayal

I don't think Lieberman's going to replace Rumsfeld and I don't think he expects to, but consider what it would mean if he expected to do so after the Novemeber elections. It would mean that Joe would be deliberately handing his Senate seat over to a Republican - the governor is a Republican, after all, and would appoint a replacement until the special election. If Joe were running for re-election knowing that he was going to dance into the SecDef job soon afterwards that would, in fact, be his greatest betrayal.

The Hardcore lefty fringe is working overtime to defeat Joe. The same Joe that a mere 6 years ago was good enough for the #2 seat in the Executive branch, according to the liberals. Now they want him out. Badly. They want him skewered. They don't feel like they are doing anything wrong but if Joe wins and then accepts a Job from Bush, he will have committed the biggest betrayal.

That is like a spouse that you divorced (because YOU cheated) gets remarried and then you are pissed. Hey, once you step out on a bitch, you got no more claim. Got that player?

Ned Lamont, Markos and Jane's little lapdog.

So now he says he doesn't know anything about blogs, even though he let these two direct or appear in commercials with him, took tens of thousands of dollars from them, and let them coordinate all sorts of free publicity for him. This is pretty funny.

Suitable for laughing out of the Democratic party.

(courtesy of OpinionJournal.com)

Boston Globe and Boston Herald Editorial staffs:

...reports the Boston Herald's Victoria Buckingham: " In a 1994 editorial, the Globe described U.S. dealings with Iran as resembling a 'tar baby' and even articulated the term's assumed meaning in a 1998 editorial on China's censoring of the Internet: 'The Communist rulers of Beijing ended last year tangling with a tar baby. The tar baby--passive, sticky and invincible--was played by the Internet, which the leaders want to censor.' " (The Herald also referred to the Big Dig as a "tar baby" in a 2004 editorial.)

Molly Ivins:

"It now looks, with 20-20 hindsight, as though he should have taken a few more deep breaths before smacking that tar-baby that is Afghanistan."

John Kerry:

In a 2003 interview with the Boston Globe, John Kerry described 1992 hearings on missing soldiers in Vietnam as a political "tar baby."

And Tim, I would defend to the death your right to commit to writing your arrogant presumption to tell me what I can write about and what I can't, but dont' ever delude yourself that I would heed your high-handed, censorious commandments.

Dean got fired today. It took them a week to decide, we have been holding our breath and waiting.

Now we know and knowing is better than not. Still sucks major ass though. I hate that we are losing the benefits more than his salary.

It's not totally earth shattering but it's close, Dean says I don't have to start turning tricks or anything. That's a relief, it's way too hot for hookin'.

This is what Libs evidently mean when they say they own the racism issue.

Bite me.

(HT: The EEEEEEEEEEEEEEvil LGF)

UPDATE: 2006.08.02 2200 GMT I've been expecting the pic to get yanked without comment or apology and it looks like it might have happened. About two hours ago, it wasn't there. Then it was back again. Now it's gone again. The comments still refer to it though. Is it just my browser? Tried Firefox and IE. No pic. I have a screen snap though, as I'm sure a lot of other sites do too. Click on the LGF link if you haven't seen what I'm talking about.

So far it's been crickets, but I'm really waiting to hear someone defend this little stunt. I hope the defense is of the "OK for me, but not for thee" variety because that seems to work in their minds while the rest of us just keep shaking our heads.

UPDATE: 2006.08.02 2245 GMT The artist speaks! BWA HA HA! I was right.

As the composer of the work in question, allow me to make some broader points clearer. This will be my last word on the subject, but all are free to debate further, of course.

Lieberman has attempted to activate a voting demographic that his strategists believe will aid him in his quest.

To this end, he has imported a figure, Bill Clinton, who has standing with the American black community, and has repeatedly asserted his personal credentials as one who has worked on behalf of that community.

Yet Lieberman has engaged in race baiting (with the Lamont flyer) as a cynical attempt to game this demographic, and he has engaged in other activities which cast doubtful shadows upon this allegiance.

Thus, in my opinion, Lieberman is pretending to be something that he is not for personal gain, exactly like the vile caucasian minstrel show performers of Vaudeville. And so my artist's impression stands.

If we as a people run from controversial imagery, we will never stop running. Better to unearth and deal with the unpleasant than to live in fear. [ironic Mitt Romney-esque emphasis added. -MTR]

As for those who would heap ad hominem at the expense of reasoned debate on the greater issues...I care not what you think, and you are free to ignore my work as you wish. By: darkblack on August 02, 2006 at 02:42pm

I'm having a really crappy week and it doesn't look to be getting any better. Can't explain why just yet, trust me it sucks. It's also hot. 85° at 9am isn't very promising for the rest of the day.

Is Castro dead yet? I need something to cheer me up...

Got any funny links or jokes?

The Israeli Press is suggesting that Qana was staged. I hope it was. I've been sick over the volume of civilian deaths since this started. I'll amend that. I'm sick to death of death, in general.

I cried when I saw the footage. All those children. My God, I haven't felt this horrified since Beslan. So, I hope it was staged. I hope it was a big hoax to make Israel look bad. I'd be thrilled if that were true because then it would mean that all those children didn't just get slaughtered in their homes because they live near a rocket launcher. I pray it's bullshit but I'm not putting down any money on it. I really don't think so.

Maybe... But I'm not feeling that lucky, I've had some real shitty luck lately.

Val Prieto is on this story like a Cuban on a life raft.

Anyone wanna place their bets on Castro's departure for Hell? I'm going with August 6th since my first choice, 6-6-06, has passed.

From Chuck Schumer