Non-Presidential Material

How stupid can one bored senator be? This stupid:

"In 2003, Boykin gave speeches at evangelical Christian churches in which he painted the war on terror as a Christian fight against Satan and suggested that Muslims worship idols.
....
A Pentagon investigation the following year found that Boykin violated regulations by failing to make clear he was not speaking in an official capacity when he made the speeches, sometimes wearing his Army uniform. The probe also found Boykin violated Pentagon rules by failing to obtain advance clearance for his remarks.

In the letter, Allen said his confidence in Boykin's abilities overrides any concerns about what may surface during confirmation hearings should the administration nominate Boykin. Specifically, Allen mentioned the religious statements as well as U.S. interrogation policies at the Guantanamo Bay prison, Abu Ghraib in Iraq and elsewhere.

'Granted, these are issues which cause discomfort. But I firmly believe the nomination of General Boykin to be important enough to take a stand,' Allen wrote."

Emphasis added. What a dick, but that's not surprising, he's a ReThug.

Absolutely Wonderful News

There will be a little less vermin in Washington, D.C. Hahahahahahaha- haha, what a relief.

"...he realized he might lose in this November's election."

UPDATE: Via CNN we get more confirmation.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Tom DeLay , who was forced to step down as House majority leader last year after being indicted in his home state of Texas, will drop out of his re-election race, two Republican congressional sources told CNN Monday.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

Via MSNBC there's more.

"...DeLay told him in an interview that “the polling on him in the 22nd District was going down,” as a result of his part in a campaign contribution controversy.

Controversy my ass, he is up to his eyeballs in all kinds of illegal crap & he's going to jail, I hope.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

ABC piles on.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

More Dead

Sadly, these numbers no longer seem to be a big story. It's more about our Strategy for Victory or other Bu$hCo fictions.

"Nine more American troops died in Iraq, the U.S. military reported Monday, five of them in a vehicle accident in a remote, rain-soaked western area. Their deaths brought the number of service members killed so far this month to 13 — nearly half the number who died in all of March."

Spring

Maybe.

Things Are Better

Really, they are better, really. Go read the post from TBogg.

Deep Heat

Saddam Hussien is an evil bastard, OK? But I doubt he will/did have the same impact as Bu$hCo's ignoring the real problem of global warming. There is just no long term thinking going on in Washington, D.C. It's a bourgeois town, you know.

"Even the coldest, darkest depths of the world's oceans can't escape the harmful effects of global warming -- and that includes deep-sea corals, local researchers have found.

The scientists are connecting the ocean's increasing absorption of carbon dioxide -- a greenhouse gas produced by burning fossil fuels -- with changes in the chemistry of seawater. More carbon dioxide leads to a reduced supply of calcium compounds used by corals and other marine creatures to build their shells."

Good Grief

Another drowning victim.

"A bill passed the Florida House with a push from Bush that would force high school kids to declare their major field of study. Now keep in mind that Jeb doesn't really like public schools. Too many poor folks mixing with the rich kids, you know. But Jeb claims he wants to reduce the dropout rate with this cockamamie scheme."

Gun Sales in Baghdad

The NRA must be so proud.

"L. Paul Bremer III, the former top American administrator in Iraq, did not step between Iraqis and their guns. He issued an order that essentially upheld Iraqi law: everyone 25 and older with a 'good reputation and character' could own one firearm, including an AK-47, the world's most popular killing machine."

Bu$hCo's Legacy?

Hell, yeah. These bastards are, as the SideKick says, drowning women's health care & women.

"Texas already has a dismal track record of funding family planning. Even before the cuts, only one in seven women — less than 20 percent — who qualify for care will receive it, according to the Department of State Health Services.

Opponents say the cuts were irrational, disruptive and political."

You don't say? So why do women keep voting for the ReThugs in Texas? Or anywhere for that matter?

Site Update

As you can see, I've been able to reinstall the WWOZ button on the left side of the blog page. I lost the code & they graciously sent it to me again. Please click on the button & it will take you to the WWOZ website. This is one great radio station, so please help support it, particularly after the double devastation of Katrina & Bu$hCo. They've got great shows & DJs, so listen as well. I used to listen with my dialup & it went pretty well. Now, with DSL, it's way better, of course. I'm not sure where the "> is coming from, but it doesn't seem to be doing any harm, it just looks dumb. I also suggest that you click on the Shutterwi link to see some great wood duck photos the SideKick took this last weekend while we were on a short mini-road trip to the Cities. All ducks are beautiful, but the wood duck is the most gaudy & good eating duck here in the northwoods. It was a good weekend with the kid & son-in-law. We had good food, as usual, plus I bought a jig to make wooden hinges & some router bits to make picture rail, a type of molding that allows hooks to be hung from it, thus, you don't need to pound nails, et.al., into the walls in order to hang up artwork. The kid wants it for their home & it sounds like a good idea to me. Plus, since the kid wants it, Mrs. coldH2O can't be too mad at me for dumping a chunk of change at the woodworking store. The good news is that one of the bits for the picture rail will also be used for the wooden hinges. So, buy your kids a shop vac, produce some molding for them, eat a good cheeseburger & click on the WWOZ button to listen & donate. I'm thanking you in advance.

National Heat

This poll does indeed warm the cockles of my heart.

"After years of controversy, 71 percent of Americans now say they think global warming is real, according to a telephone survey of 1,200 people for the advocacy group Environmental Defense."

The Rich Can See For Miles

& miles & miles & miles.

"In other words, another version of welfare for the rich, a pernicious pattern of unpublic service this administration has been striving to live up to since 2001."

Real Justice Alright

How long before down looks like up. & which side do you think Bu$hCo will be on?

"Strong productivity gains and subdued wage growth boosted before-tax profits to 11.6% of national income in the fourth quarter of 2005, the biggest share since the summer of 1966.
....
Meanwhile, the share of national income going to wage and salary workers has fallen to 56.9%. Except for a brief period in 1997, that's the lowest share for labor income since 1966."

Emphasis added.

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha hahahahahahahaha.

"The last of U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris' key staffers appear ready to abandon her campaign for the U.S. Senate in a wave of resignations expected to start this weekend.

Sources close to the campaign said Friday that the defections would touch virtually every level of her operation."

UPDATE: Hahahahahahahahahaha.

Money, Money

Another reason why people know the economy isn't as great as Bu$hCo claims it is. Full disclosure: I own an IPod, &, frankly, love it.

"To use a favorite word of my grandmother's, call it the Tchotchke Economy (a Tchotchke is a small trinket): Plenty of nifty, ever cheaper electronic stuff -- and ever more costly housing, education, healthcare. An iPod is swell, but it doesn't exactly make you middle class.

Why does this describe America in 2006? Don't blame it on immigrants. Blame it on the people running the government, who have made sure that the lion's share of the productivity gains go to the richest 1 percent of Americans. With different tax, labor, health, and housing policies, native-born workers and immigrants alike could get a fairer share of our productive economy -- and still have the nifty iPods."