News -- April 6, 2006

Libby Says Bush Authorized Leaks - "Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff has testified that President Bush authorized him to disclose the contents of a highly classified intelligence assessment to the media to defend the Bush administration's decision to go to war with Iraq, according to papers filed in federal court on Wednesday by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the special prosecutor in the CIA leak case."

Bush Recognizes Fears About Iraq - ""When America speaks, we ought to mean what we said," Bush told the World Affairs Council of Charlotte. "I meant what we said when we embraced that resolution that said `Disclose. Disarm. Or face serious consequences.' Words mean something in this world if you're trying to protect the American people." "I fully understand that the intelligence was wrong, and I'm just as disappointed as everybody else is," Bush said. "But what wasn't wrong was Saddam Hussein had invaded a country, he had used weapons of mass destruction, he had the capability of making weapons of mass destruction, he was firing at our pilots. He was a state sponsor of terror. Removing Saddam Hussein was the right thing for world peace and the security of our country."" -- World peace? Which world?

Democracy is as George says - "First it was weapons of mass destruction and then when the damn elusive things didn’t turn up, it was all about bringing “democracy to Iraq.” During the run-up to bringing that democracy, the war drums reverberated across the land and the old men in Washington talked it up. They talked it up while the compliant media mills incited the jingoistic armchair patriots across the land. “It’ll be a cake walk;” “they’ll welcome up with roses and sweets;” “we’ll be in and out of there in no time.” And, the mother of all the neocons’ phraseology: “Mission Accomplished.” Here we are some three plus years later and there was no cake, or roses, or sweets. Needless to say, George and the rest of the chicken hawks did accomplish a few things. They succeeded in murdering a few hundred thousand innocent Iraqi men, women and children. And, they managed along the way, to condemn to death some 2,635 men and women of the U.S. military -- between Afghanistan and Iraq."

JUST THREE YEARS AGO - "How anyone can say things are better today in Iraq baffles me. Even the Iraqi stooges catering to the U.S. are beginning to grumble. It is appalling that Bush can take to the airwaves and say things are improving in Iraq. Even more appalling is the belief by the majority of the U.S. public that this is true. ... It is very hard to put things in perspective, but an Iraqi friend of mine told me about a recent discussion he had with a relative who visited Baghdad a couple of months ago. The relative told him, "Compared to today’s Baghdad, the embargo years were the golden years." That is a statement in which no one should take pride."

Iran Oil Exchange - "It's worth repeating: this isn't a zero-sum game. Iran doesn't seem to be entering this venture in order to shut down the dollar but to offer an outlet for entities that don't want to be dependent on the U.S. currency. It's a classic hedge strategy, and it wouldn't be surprising at all if competitors to the U.S. global trade (you know who you are) enter into Euro-based exchanges in order to keep their downside covered -- just in case something happens and our trillion dollar IOUs come due."

Dr. Death Gets FBI Visit - "The Austin-American Statesman today reports that Dr Eric Pianka, who has been at the center of a media firestorm for wishing death upon 90% of humanity via an airborne ebola bio-attack, today received a visit from the FBI after he was reported as a potential terrorist."

Discovered: the missing link that solves a mystery of evolution - "Scientists have made one of the most important fossil finds in history: a missing link between fish and land animals, showing how creatures first walked out of the water and on to dry land more than 375m years ago. ... As such, it will be a blow to proponents of intelligent design, who claim that the many gaps in the fossil record show evidence of some higher power."

McGill challenges funding decision - "The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council refused $40,000 in funding to McGill professor Brian Alters, citing among its reasons that he didn't prove scientifically accepted evolutionary theory in his proposal."

It's simple: Theocracy and freedom cannot coexist - "Or is it? Are Americans quick to see the evils of theocracy abroad, but slow to recognize creeping theocracy at home? That's my question after reading “American Theocracy,” a new book by former Republican strategist Kevin Phillips. In foreign affairs, environmental and science policies, and economic decisions, Phillips argues, the growing influence of what he calls “radical religion” on government threatens the future of American democracy."

Poll: Most don't believe in body's resurrection - "Most Americans don't believe they will experience a resurrection of their bodies when they die, putting them at odds with a core teaching of Christianity. ... Only 36 percent of the 1,007 adults interviewed a month ago by the Scripps Survey Research Center at Ohio University said "yes" to the question: "Do you believe that, after you die, your physical body will be resurrected someday?" Fifty-four percent said they do not believe and 10 percent were undecided. "This reflects the very low state of doctrinal preaching in our churches," said Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., and editor of the Southern Baptist Journal of Theology."

Biblical parks may get tax deal - "A biblical theme park in Orlando where guests pay $30 admission to munch on "Goliath" burgers and explore reproductions of 2000-year-old tombs and temples could get a property tax exemption written into state law. A Senate committee easily passed a bill that would grant theme parks "used to exhibit, illustrate, and interpret biblical manuscripts ... " an exemption from local property taxes, like churches, even though the parks charge money. The legislation is designed to resolve a tax dispute between Holy Land Experience and the Orange County property appraiser, but legislative staffers say the exemption could encourage the development of other parks to take advantage of the tax break."

Jobless rate higher for U.S.-born than immigrants - "The unemployment rate for immigrants working in the United States fell below the rate for U.S.-born workers for the first time since the Labor Department started tracking those numbers a decade ago."

Protesters Defend Carrying Mexican Flags - "Hundreds of protesters gripped Mexican flags as they marched for immigration reform in the past few weeks, but they say a display of cultural unity is being mistaken as a lack of loyalty to the United States."

High-school coach fired for aiding illegals' cause - "English prof: 'We gots 2 show the U.S. that they aint (expletive) with out us'"

Congressional pork includes some real stinkers - "While cutting back on many pet projects, lawmakers have included some real stinkers in federal spending bills for 2006, according to a watchdog group that announced its annual Washington pork menu on Wednesday. $13.5 million for an Irish group that funds the World Toilet Summit? $1 million for water-free urinals? $500,000 for a teapot museum? Those projects, and nearly 10,000 others, account for a record $29 billion in federal pork-barrel spending for the current budget year, Citizens Against Government Waste said."

80% of kids don'twanna be Prez - "A new online poll conducted by Scholastic magazine says more than 80% of kids don't want to be the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth. Amazingly, that's a nearly total flip from 2004, when 75% of the elementary and middle school children did want to rule the roost from the White House. ... "If you're President, you can control what's going on in the world," Nate said." -- And that's what George thinks too, Nate.

9,000-Year-Old Dental Drill Is Found - "Proving prehistoric man's ingenuity and ability to withstand and inflict excruciating pain, researchers have found that dental drilling dates back 9,000 years."

Ancient Pyramid Discovered in Mexico - "Archeologists announced on Wednesday they have discovered a massive 6th-century Indian pyramid beneath a centuries-old Catholic religious site."

Benzene Levels in Soft Drinks Above Limit - "Cancer-causing benzene has been found in soft drinks at levels above the limit considered safe for drinking water, the Food and Drug Administration acknowledged Wednesday. Even so, the FDA still believes there are no safety concerns about benzene in soft drinks, or sodas, said Laura Tarantino, the agency's director of food additive safety."

Teen Convicted Of Gun Possession In Online Photos - "The 16-year-old boy's photos were posted on the popular social networking site MySpace.com. He posed with a number of rifles and a .45-caliber pistol, a .22-caliber revolver and a .357-caliber revolver."

All Children Vulnerable to Online Predators - "Between the arrest of Brian Doyle, deputy press secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, and the testimony of a child pornography victim on Capitol Hill, the dangers of online predators have been major news this week. Authorities say that's a good thing, and that parents can learn an important lesson from the headlines — any child, even overachievers from healthy homes, can be lured into the underworld of child pornography from online predators. ... Experts recommend parents take away their children's webcams and keep the computer out of the bedroom. They also say communication with children is key."

3 Arrested at Mass. Baby Shower Brawl - "An argument at a baby shower escalated into a brawl in which one man was shot and the pregnant guest of honor was beaten with a stick, police said."

What Drives People to Want to Be Amputees? - "Karl is a double amputee, but not by accident, birth or disease. He is an amputee by choice."

Hilton to play Mother Teresa's role - "Malayalam film director T Rajeevnath is to meet hotel heiress Paris Hilton in the US in April to discuss if she can play the title role of his film on Nobel laureate Mother Teresa." -- Posted as a possible sign of the apocalypse.




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