News (Page 2) -- April 14, 2006

If You Liked the Iraq War, You'll Love the Iran War - "If you liked gas at three dollars a gallon, you'll love it at five dollars or more. If you liked fighting 26 million people in Iraq, you'll love fighting 68 million in Iran. If you liked turning Sunni Muslims against us, you'll love turning Sunni and Shiite Muslims against us. If you liked war in the Persian Gulf, you'll love war all over the Middle East. If you thought things were bad now, wait till Iran retaliates against our air strikes by bombing Israel. When Israel strikes back, the whole Middle East will have to get sucked into the war. And then the fun really starts. ... The man who lost New Orleans and accidentally started a civil war in Iraq is going to have a sound strategy for Iran? Besides which, there is a very real reason why they actively don't plan for these wars. They don't want word of the worst case scenarios (or even realistic scenarios) leaking out and providing a disincentive to go to war. They think if they can convince people it will be easy, everyone will go along."

Iran Leader: Israel Will Be Annihilated - ""Like it or not, the Zionist regime is heading toward annihilation," Ahmadinejad said at the opening of a conference in support of the Palestinians. "The Zionist regime is a rotten, dried tree that will be eliminated by one storm.""

Storm gathering in Iran - "The Iranian authorities and elite are busy transferring their bank accounts from Europe to Asia, or to Switzerland, whose territory is usually outside sanctions. These are multi-billion sums. Many analysts see this as Tehran's precaution ahead of a potential armed clash with the U.S. and its allies, which may take place if the attempt to settle the situation around Iran's nuclear program falls through."

On Cheney, Rumsfeld order, US outsourcing special ops, intelligence to Iraq terror group, intelligence officials say - "The Pentagon is bypassing official US intelligence channels and turning to a dangerous and unruly cast of characters in order to create strife in Iran in preparation for any possible attack, former and current intelligence officials say."

Exxon Chairman Gets $400 Million Retirement Package Amid Soaring Gas Prices - "Soaring gas prices are squeezing most Americans at the pump, but at least one man isn't complaining. Last year, Exxon made the biggest profit of any company ever, $36 billion, and its retiring chairman appears to be reaping the benefits. Exxon is giving Lee Raymond one of the most generous retirement packages in history, nearly $400 million, including pension, stock options and other perks, such as a $1 million consulting deal, two years of home security, personal security, a car and driver, and use of a corporate jet for professional purposes." -- Because that's the way things work in America.

Gas prices soar for holiday weekend - "The survey shows the average retail price of regular, self-serve gasoline in Texas climbed 14 cents this week to $2.73 per gallon. Nationally, the average price climbed 12 cents this week to $2.72 per gallon." -- We're at $2.87 here.

Central Coast area sees $3 gas - "Certain areas of Southern California have already broken the $3-a-gallon threshold, and it appears that all areas will be above $3 as soon as next week. According to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch, the average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.914, which is 7.2 cents higher than last week, 31 cents higher than last month and 29 cents higher than last year."

Oil price breaks $70 mark as Iran nuke tension simmers - "He added that as long as political tensions continue in Iran, crude futures next week are apt to break their previous trading record of 70.85 dollars, reached Aug. 30, 2005, after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf coast."

Neil Young, Son of Famed Reporter, Records "Impeach the President" Song - "“Neil said it should be out in 6 to 8 weeks."Harp magazine reported on its Web site Thursday that Demme had confirmed in an e-mail, “Neil just finished writing and recording -- with no warning -- a new album called 'Living With War.' It all happened in three days… It is a brilliant electric assault, accompanied by a 100-voice choir, on Bush and the war in Iraq… Truly mind blowing. Will be in stores soon.”" -- About damn time.

Coming home — disillusioned - "As I watched the Iraq war begin, I completely trusted the Bush administration. I thought we were going to prove all of the left-wing antiwar protesters and dissenters wrong. I thought we were going to make America safer. Regrettably, I acknowledge that it was I who was wrong."

Bushes Pay $187,768 in Taxes for 2005 - "Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife made more than 10 times as much, overpaid the tax man and are looking for a $1.9 million refund." -- You read that correctly.

China outlaws Outlook - "China has introduced regulations that make it illegal to run an email server without a licence. The new rules, which came into force two weeks ago, mean that most companies running their own email servers in China are now breaking the law."

Whistleblower reveals extent of AT&T spying role - "A former employee recounts how the telco has been reading in your email."

Britain's top scientist sees dangerous rise in global warming - "In a grim warning on climate change, the British government's chief scientist said the world must immediately put into place measures to address global warming, even if they take decades to produce results." -- Don't you love all the conflicting stories about global warming?

Mystery tremors detected deep within Earth - "These are the first recordings of non-volcanic tremors deep inside the Earth. They were recorded in deep boreholes that were drilled down to a depth of about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers). Instead of volcanoes, the scientists think the subterranean rumblings might be caused by processes similar to those that produce tremors near the Cascadia Subduction Zone, an active fault that runs from mid-Vancouver Island to northern California."

TV station declines to air Good Friday baseball game - "A television station declined to broadcast a baseball game because it was being played on Good Friday."

Elderly Woman's Jaywalking Ticket Draws Outrage - ""I didn't want all this publicity," Coyle said Thursday. "But I'm not objecting to being used if it gets the lights changed and gets respect for the elderly.""