Sunday, January 13
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John deLaubenfels is the guest editor today. |
The U.S. Military Inflicts More Damage On Its Own Credibility
By Glenn Greenwald.
"The Turks haven't learned the British way of denying past atrocities: It is not illegal to discuss the millions who were killed under our empire. So why do so few people know about them?" George Monbiot includes some blood-curdling examples of British torture and murder.
Gross Distortions, Sloppy Methodology and Tendentious Reporting
How the New England Journal of Medicine undercounted Iraqi civilian deaths. By Andrew Cockburn.
Army Tosses Abu Ghraib Conviction
Even low-level officers are getting a free pass for these atrocities. Does one American in ten have any inkling of how the world loathes us for this "See no evil, hear no evil" attitude?
Appeals Court Rules Against Ex-Detainees
"'Because the plaintiffs are aliens and were located outside sovereign United States territory at the time their alleged [Religious Freedom Restoration Act] claim arose, they do not fall with the definition of 'person,' the court ruled." See above comment.
William N. Grigg's take on the latest police state action to make the news.
The United States has become a pitiful, pathetic giant, screaming in terror as a few tiny speedboats come within - gasp! - two hundred yards of three of our colossal ships. Jim Lobe adds some observations. For a great example of bed-wetting by the rabid right, see this.
Prankster May Have Been Behind Radio Threats
Doesn't matter: The U.S. government will still use the incident to ramp up hysteria against Iran.
Bush Visits His Odious Saudi Friend
"How do you punish the principal global purveyor of fundamentalist Islam, someone who backed the Taliban and continues to harshly suppress political freedoms, women and religious minorities? If you’re President Bush, you reward him with a state visit, of course!" Bush's hypocrisy knows no bounds.
Ashcroft Deal Brings Scrutiny in Justice Dept.
"When the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey needed to find an outside lawyer to monitor a large corporation willing to settle criminal charges out of court last fall, he turned to former Attorney General John Ashcroft, his onetime boss. With no public notice and no bidding, the company awarded Mr. Ashcroft an 18-month contract worth $28 million to $52 million." No worries, this will all be smoothed over; Ashcroft is at the high end of the JustUs department.
"Listening to the presidential forum the other night, I was struck by how antifree market all but one of the candidates are on [energy policy]. Of course, Romney, McCain, Giuliani, Huckabee, and Thompson don’t embrace the free market for anything, really. But they pay lip service to it on many issues. When it comes to energy, they don’t do even that." By Sheldon Richman.
"Expelled Valdosta State University (VSU) student T. Hayden Barnes has filed a lawsuit against the university, VSU President Ronald Zaccari, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and other VSU administrators after being punished for publicly protesting the school’s decision to construct two new parking garages on campus." The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) is on the case.
Massive Crime Wave Sweeps the Country
"It's a nice sunny day so you decide to go anti-war protesting with your friends. You will be arrested." Garry Reed describes the myriad of laws that suddenly pop into existence whenever anyone objects to the war.
But Whatever You Do, Don't Legalize It
“A prostitute is more likely to have sex with a police officer than to get officially arrested by one.” Surprise, surprise. Must be swell to be able to demand "freebies," eh? To Protect and to Swerve.
Fraud and Abuse Levels Stun UN
Again, I'm shocked. Shocked!
Precious Metals Sparkle as US Dollar Continues Slide
Dump those increasingly worthless dollars!
Global Cooling? Saudi Arabia Covered With Snow in Coldest Winter for 20 Years
Psst! Don't tell Al Gore; it might push him over the edge.
Paraguay: A Brief History of National Suicide
'War Nerd' Gary Brecher looks at the second bloodiest war in the Western Hemisphere.
CLS links to a humorous video from ONN (Onion News Network). Warning: profanity.
Source of Mysterious Anti-Matter Found
"As a black hole or neutron star destroys a star, tremendous amounts of radiation are released. Just as electrons and positrons emit the tell-tale gamma rays upon annihilation, so too can gamma rays combine to form electrons and positrons, providing the mechanism for the creation of the antimatter cloud, scientists think." Pretty cool!
Everest Conqueror Edmund Hillary Dies
I was a small tot in 1953 when he climbed Everest. I remember at the time my dad recounting speculation, based upon pilot observations, that Everest might not be the highest mountain on earth.
A photo blog.