Sunday, January 20

Russia: Could Use Nuclear Weapons in Preventive Attacks in Case of Major Threat

“Baluyevsky spoke amid persistent disputes between Moscow and the West over issues including U.S. plans for missile defense facilities in former Soviet satellites, NATO members' refusal to ratify an updated European conventional arms treaty, and Kosovo's bid for independence from Serbia .” The administration seems to be bent on provoking the entire world.

Israeli Airstrikes Kill Two Militants in Gaza

“At least 30 Qassam rockets -- a makeshift device used by Palestinian militants -- and 10 mortars were fired by militants into Israel on Friday, bringing to 220 the number of rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza in the past week, the IDF said. The Israeli Army has retaliated with military strikes that have killed at least two dozen Palestinians.” As soon as Bush leaves, everything is back to normal. So much for peace.

Iraqi Shiite Festival Escapes Bloodshed

“Fearing a spectacular attack on the masses of self-flagellating faithful who marched on the shrines in Karbala , Iraqi authorities flooded the city with 30,000 police and soldiers. Soviet-made tanks guarded approach roads.” This is the first time since the invasion that there have been no deaths in Karbala on the holiday.

Afghan War Only Just Beginning, Security Group Warns

“The war in Afghanistan is only just beginning as NATO forces, far from pursuing remnants of a defeated Taliban, are entering a widening and deepening conflict they may well lose, security NGO said on Saturday.” And they are just figuring this out?

Huckabee Embraces Confederate Flag to Woo White Evangelicals

“The populist campaign of Mike Huckabee, seeking to mobilize an insurgency of white evangelicals against the Republican establishment, took an abrupt turn today after the former Arkansas governor directly appealed to voters on the issue of race, summoning his fellow candidates to stop calling for the removal of the Confederate flag from government offices.” He will do anything to lure the evangelicals, including proposing to amend the Constitution, in order to bring it more in line with the Bible.

E-Voting Train Wreck 2008: The Horry County, SC Disaster

“Local media and CNN are reporting that Horry County South Carolina's ES&S touch-screen voting machines are in a near total meltdown…This is happening in a state where election officials were recently asked about their paperless ES&S iVotronic touch-screen (DRE) voting system and the fact that other states have found the machines to be insecure, poorly designed, inaccurate and not accessible for voters with disabilities.” More electronic voting shenanigans are happening in South Carolina , while the New Hampshire recount is showing inaccuracies in the electronic counts.

Cheney Secret Service in Trouble Over Protester Arrest

“The agent who made the arrest, Virgil D. Reichle Jr., said in a deposition that he was left hanging with an untenable arrest because two agents assigned to the vice president had at first agreed with a Denver agent that there had been assault on Mr. Cheney by Mr. Howards, then changed their stories to say that no assault had occurred.” If you do not stay in your “free-speech zone,” the Secret Service may just fabricate a story to arrest you. (Free Reg. Required.)

Washington, D.C.: The Battle to Remold the Mall

“The National Park Service envisions a prime venue for demonstrations: a broad space at the foot of the Capitol with restrooms, seating, a paved surface, even a stand for the media. Attorneys for activist groups fear a designated, government-approved ‘pit,’ limiting freedom of speech and movement in a hallowed place of protest.” Another “free-speech zone” is in the making. (Free Reg. Required.)

National Firearms Ban 'Reasonable'?

“A Second Amendment advocacy organization is asking the Bush administration to withdraw a legal brief that leaders fear could be used to support ‘any gun ban – no matter how sweeping,’ as long as some court somewhere determines it is ‘reasonable.’” If we lose the meaning of the Second Amendment, we might as well consider America gone for good.

Minneapolis Health System Purges Drug Trinkets

“The backlash against the cozy relationships between doctors and drug makers gained steam from article in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2006. It said research had shown that even cheap gifts, such as pens, can affect doctors' prescribing decisions.” Perhaps this means that the citizens of Minneapolis might actually receive the drugs they need, instead of the drugs big Pharma says they need.

Stimulate This: Why the Talk of Economic Stimulus Will Remain Talk

“This crisis may seem brand new. It isn’t. And please dump that word 'recession' because it doesn’t do justice to what we are talking about here. The highest inflation rate in 17 years and the biggest housing crisis in a quarter of a century didn’t just happen. Major banks writing down billions of dollars practically every week is not normal. Wall Street going from boom to gloom almost overnight was not caused by somebody making a mistake.”

U.S. Stocks Post Steepest Drop Since July 2002

“ U.S. stocks posted the steepest weekly drop since July 2002 after lower-than-estimated home construction, retail sales and manufacturing reinforced speculation that the economy is entering a recession.”

Tasering the Country into Submission

“Designed to pump electricity into a human being, the Taser has been used inappropriately, and has resulted in the deaths of innocents across this country for far too long now. It is time to remove this weapon from the arsenal of police officers who do not deserve to wear the badges they have.”

Report: N.Y. Cops Joked About Dying Man

“Police officers were taped joking about a dying, homeless Guatemalan immigrant after he was found on the side of a deserted road in their suburban town, a TV station reported.” To protect and serve.

Official: Video Destroyed in Shock Case

“A special education school destroyed videotape showing two of its students being wrongly given electric shock treatments despite being ordered to preserve the tape, according to an investigator's report. One student was shocked 77 times and the other 29 times after a prank caller posing as a supervisor ordered the treatments at a Judge Rotenberg Educational Center group home in August.” This place sounds more like a secret CIA prison than a “special education” school.

New Contact Lenses Go Bionic

“Scientists have taken the first step toward creating digital contact lenses that can zoom in on distant objects and display useful facts.”

Ancient 'Lost City' Discovered in Peru, Official Claims

“Ruins recently discovered in southern Peru could be the ancient 'lost city' of Paititi, according to claims that are drawing serious but cautious response from experts.”

Gay Tiger Attacks Huckabee

“As Mr. Huckabee’s remarks about homosexuality and bestiality reached their crescendo, the irate tiger leaped over an eighteen-foot barrier and began mauling the presidential candidate.” Satire.

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