Charges Sought Against Rumsfeld Over Prison Abuse - "A lawsuit in Germany will seek a criminal prosecution of the outgoing Defense Secretary and other U.S. officials for their alleged role in abuses at Abu Ghraib and Gitmo."
Bitch Slapping Dick Cheney - "This was a stinging rebuke to Cheney, who had brought his mentor, Don Rumsfeld, into the Bush 43 tent over the strenuous objections of the Bush 41 crowd. Cheney and Rumsfeld shared the same world view of the NeoCon crowd, which included a fierce distrust and anger toward the CIA. ... The appointment of Gates also marks the end of Cheney's dominance within the Bush Administration. Cheney has been conspicuously absent since the Republicans were routed at the polls. His efforts to save Rummy were rebuffed. And with the Senate in the hands of the Democrats, Cheney's influence on the Hill is over. Don't be surprised if Dick Cheney develops a heart condition in the next couple of months that will force him to resign as the Vice President. Whether he stays or goes, the era of Cheney's supremacy at the White House is done. The neocons are discredited, as is Cheney, and their pet projects--from warrantless wiretapping to torture to trashing habeus corpus--are dead as well."
Cheney in a Box - "He knows what’s going on. He knows that Bush Senior, and Brzezinski, and Baker, and the rest of the “old order” Republicans have muscled in and are taking over. He knows he won’t be able to bomb Iran, kill another 650,000 Iraqis, or declare martial law at home. And, he also knows that Conyers and the rest of them will be nosing-around the Halliburton “no bid” contracts; going through every sordid detail with a fine-tooth comb, and dredging up new scandals on a daily basis. He grasps all of that. He understands the political climate and he knows that he only has two choices left; offense or defense?"
Gates likely to sustain terror war - "Defense Secretary-designate Robert M. Gates is not expected to rein in the aggressive global war on al Qaeda started by predecessor Donald H. Rumsfeld or reverse the transformation of the Army, but instead focus on how to win in Iraq and get American troops home, current and former Pentagon officials say."
Powell aide: Torture 'guidance' from VP - "A former top State Department official said Sunday that Vice President Dick Cheney provided the "philosophical guidance" and "flexibility" that led to the torture of detainees in U.S. facilities."
Democrats are set to subpoena - "The agenda is likely to be dominated by the Iraq war, but could include probes into the Bush administration's warrantless surveillance, environmental policies and new prescription-drug program for seniors. Industries, such as oil companies, could also come under closer scrutiny."
Somber analysis of Iraq's future - "The situation in Iraq is "even worse than we thought,'' with key Iraqi leaders showing no willingness to compromise to avoid increasing violence, said Leon Panetta, a member of the high-powered advisory group that will recommend new options for the war."
Forget democracy and bring home troops, Bush will hear - "A commission of experts appointed by President George W Bush will advise him to abandon his dream of cementing a new democratic system in Iraq and instead tackle the security crisis so that the withdrawal of American troops can begin."
Democrats Push for Troop Cuts Within Months - "Democratic leaders in the Senate vowed on Sunday to use their new Congressional majority to press for troop reductions in Iraq within a matter of months, stepping up pressure on the administration just as President Bush is to be interviewed by a bipartisan panel examining future strategy for the war."
Impeachment Call Echoes Near Independence Hall - "In 1974, Elizabeth Holtzman, then a Congresswoman from New York City, served on the House’s Judiciary Committee, which drafted Impeachment charges against then-President, Richard M. Nixon. On Nov. 11, 2006, she appeared on a panel, in Philadelphia, PA. Holtzman believes George W. Bush has “subverted the Constitution” and that “the people are ahead of the politicians” and will bring Bush and Dick Cheney “to impeachment.”"
Lieberman refuses to close door on switching parties - "Sen. Joe Lieberman on Sunday repeated his pledge to caucus with Senate Democrats when the 110th Congress convenes in January, but refused to slam the door on possibly moving to the Republican side of the aisle."
Pope urges 'firm, humble' dialogue with Muslims - "Pope Benedict XVI urged Catholics to engage in "firm and humble" dialogue with Muslims, in an address to bishops from Germany, which has a sizable Muslim minority."
Letter From Canada: The New Christian Right - "When things get bad in the United States it is reassuring to turn to Canada, a country with a high standard of living, a small military and a national healthcare plan. Canada always seemed to be, if a bit duller than America, also a bit saner. But this is changing. ... The prime minister, who has begun, in very un-Canadian fashion, to close his speeches with the words "God Bless Canada," is also a born-again Christian. And Harper is rapidly building an alliance with the worst elements of the US Christian right."
German scholars unveil "politically correct" Bible - "A group of 52 biblical “specialists” have released a new version of the Bible in which inclusive language and “political correctness” have replaced some “divisive” teachings of Christianity in order to present a “more just language” for groups such as feminists and homosexuals."
A Sneak Peek at a Fractured Web - "Globetrotting researchers are building the first detailed almanac of government internet censorship around the world. The early results aren't pretty."
49 Million U.S. Adults Notified Of Data Breaches: Study - "An estimated 49 million U.S. adults have been told over the last three years that their personal information has been lost, stolen or improperly disclosed, a research firm said Friday."
Raid here ends girl's captivity as a sex slave - "At the age of 13, they say, she was smuggled into the U.S. from Oaxaca, Mexico, the first leg of a horrific journey that led her to a Harding Place area apartment. There she was beaten, raped and forced into a life of prostitution — an ordeal requiring her to have sex with as many as 40 men a day."
Paedophile jailed for transatlantic 'internet rape' - "Once he had the girls' e-mails, the father of two used a highly advanced programme to hack into their PCs, demonstrating the "horrors that lurk within the internet and the minds of some individuals who use it". By threatening to crash their systems, he then blackmailed his victims into stripping and sending revealing poses of themselves."
LA police in YouTube beating film - "An investigation is under way after a video of a man being repeatedly beaten by Los Angeles police officers was posted on the internet site YouTube."
Marijuana, the Anti-Drug - "Legalizing herbal cannabis would devastate the pharmaceutical manufacturers and allied corporations in the chemicals, oil, "food," and banking sectors. Put simply, the synthetic drug makers stand to lose half their sales if and when the American people get legal access to cannabis."
Report to offer climate change evidence - "A long-awaited report by an international scientific network will offer much stronger evidence of how man is changing Earth's climate, and should prompt balky governments into action against global warming, the group's chief scientist said Monday."
Outcry as clinic offers 'designer baby' embryo screening for 200 diseases - "But critics warn the ground-breaking technique is another step towards the creation of the 'designer baby'. They fear extended genetic screening may eventually be used to create babies chosen for physical characteristics, such as blue eyes or blond hair."
Transhumainists See "Cyber" Homo Sapiens Future: Part Digital, Part Biological Man - " Whether events will play out like this or not remains to be seen. But Moravec’s scenario makes a point—the world and the life upon it changes, and simply because we are the agents of change, doesn’t mean we won’t be affected by it."
Manatees may be smarter than we think - "Scientists have long assumed brains with many folds — such as those belonging to dolphins and humans — are a sign of intelligence. But Reep argues the cause behind those brain folds is unknown, and smooth-brained manatees don't seem to be missing anything important." -- I'm thinking most animals are smarter than humans think they are.
Space broadcasts to be in high definition - "The broadcasts, scheduled for Nov. 15, will be carried by Discovery HD Theater and the Japanese broadcast network NHK. ... "For the first time ever, this test lets us stream live HDTV from space so the public can experience what its like to be there," Rodney Grubbs, NASA principal investigator, said."
Quote of the Day
"You appear intelligent, but when you open your mouth the effect is spoiled."
~ Graydon, What Planet Are You From?
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