May 2007 Archives

Hey. I actually liked that show.

Anyway, working the weekend here just south of Tucson. Haven't had a lot of time to eat/sleep/relax/etc. except for going out to a teppanyaki place called Sakura back in town. Hit that if you get over this way sometime.

Ray also strongly recommends Mi Nidito for Mexican food but I was tired and cranky so I don't have the best rave review for it. Mileage and opinions my vary however cuz the place had a good vibe.

Best of the week: Bush gets crapped on by a sparrow. Look, when nature is against you, this should be taken as a sign. The White House is spinning this as good luck. I saw we cover the boy blunder in crap every day until he's out of office. He could use the luck.

Bonus video of the asswipe wiping.

The Falwell funeral brought out all the head GOP miscreants. It also brought out their base, including a 19-year old "Liberty" University student who brought bombs to the funeral to blow up protesters with. Look, you conservatives scream that the God Hates Fags asswipes can go to the funerals of our war dead; the concept of protesting a hate-filled bigot's funeral is just a drop in the bucket of retribution.

More GOP stalwarts in trouble as the Minutemen start experiencing trouble at the top. Corrupt, brash and narcissistic? From conservative racists? Nah.

The whole anti-immigrant thing is even too much for Bob Novak.

Think the borders are unsecure now? Wait until Bush lets his crony pals ship Border Patrol agents to Iraq.

Then again, they need the help there as even the Air Force is deploying as ground troops.

Memorial Day is coming up and instead of just grilling and hanging with the family, take a few minutes at what the folks at the IAVA have recommended. At the least, thank a vet.

Speaking of our troops, here is a grim story about the cost of war on our troops directly. It is pretty sober.

Meanwhile, the Bushites are once again failing to deliver on getting equipment to our troops; this time the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles.

Between Republicans crying like ninnies (Good job Ohio!) and Democrats selling out, Bush gets a free pass to keep fighting his illegal, immoral, impossible war. Check how your senator did to support or sell out the troops.

Not a real surprise, but FAUXNews covers the Iraq War less than CNN and MSNBC and in some parts of the day spent more time on Anna Nicole Smith than their Commander Guy's debacle. News, huh?

A fluff bit on Al Gore and on whether or not he'll run for president.

In the UK, they are no longer teaching the Holocaust as it will insult Muslims. Same for the Crusades. Apparently, you aren't supposed to contract whatever is being taught at the mosque.

You know what? Screw that. We have the same problem here with creationists and abstinence idiots. You have every right to screw up your own children's minds with mythology, hate, and silly ass concepts of sex and general health. You do NOT, however, have the right to force your narrow-minded bigotry onto the rest of the populace. You don't like public schools? Quit trying to destroy them and go to parochial school where your child will be stilted socially, educationally backwards, and ready for the Dark Ages you so openly crave for.

"This business about graceful exit just simply has no realism to it at all."

- Bush, on the US leaving Iraq, late last year

Read this on my Chimp-O-Matic widget on my iGoogle this morning and got to wondering if Bush is planning to do the same thing with his administration as he continues his lame-but-dangerous-duck impersonation.

Working some bizarro hours this week so not sure what kind of posts I'll be able to make and when. Stay tuned.

"Lying through your teeth again
Suicidal imbecile
Think about it, put it on the fautline
What'll it take to get it through to you precious
Go with this, why do you wanna throw it away like this
Such a mess. Why would I wanna watch you...

- The Outsider, A Perfect Circle

Just an observation I had staring out at the clouds on the way home yesterday with the iPod cranking music into my head.

A good Armed Forces Day to all you folks serving in the defense of our nation - or in whatever misadventures you have been asked to participate in by Dimbulb the president.

To not sully the day too much, let's see how Mr. "Support the Troops" has done this week.

The House passed a bill 408-4 that would allow states to fly their flags at half mast for their fallen soldiers. This is after Bush refused to give an executive order that would have done the same.

Bush has also called a 3.5% pay raise for our troops "unnecessary" and will actually plan to veto the extra half a percent past what it wants to give. This is a grand total of $6 a month for the average ground troop.

We can halve taxes for millionaires, pay million in bonuses to Halliburton for shoddy, overcharged worked, refuse to investigate oil companies fleecing the population for record profits, but to give a solider under fire an extra $6 a month? Oh hell no, can't do that.

Well, I respect your service. Too bad the "Commander Guy" doesn't.

Waiting for our engineers to save the day. No, not *quite* holding my breath but I have hope I'll get home on time.

The military has begun banning soldiers from using social networking sites and Bill Maher weighs in on it.

Presidential candidates with something to hide. No surprises there but funny to see how those storylines may play out.

The Bible as graphic sex literature in Hong Kong. Odd, but then again, Song of Solomon was about as shocking to me as The Canterbury Tales as a kid.

The web filters here block out a lot so that's all I've got.

I had a pretty steady flow of posts lately but I'm on the road again and without high speed internet in the hotel room. So if you have actually been enjoying frequent rants from me, well, tough luck there.

Aside from losing sleep and watching baseball an inning at a time, not much to comment on as I've been mostly off the grid.

That said, I have to say that I did not shed a tear when I heard that Jerry Falwell died. I'm not going to apologize for having a smile on my face when that sexist, racist, bigoted piece of crap kicked the oxygen habit. May he burn in hell for abusing the name of God to cover for his hatred of his fellow man.

Besides the hate-filled worshipers of this degenerate, I doubt anyone will miss him. Except maybe John McCain, who did everything but give the fat bastard a reach-around in order to earn his blessing. Which he never got. Oops.

It is cold here and rained yesterday. So I'm a bit blah. I'll try to get happy later.

"For six long years our hardworking middle class families have been invisible to this president."

- Hillary Clinton, May 12, 2007, bashing Bush for selling out America to the ultra-wealthy

So, they aren't total scumbags. Hillary finally starts to understand that it isn't necessarily the lies, backdoor deals, corruption, cover-ups, etc. that people hate about Bush. It is that he only listens to billionaires when he does his evil deeds. Welcome to reality.

Meanwhile, Guiliani blows off an Iowa woman who threw a get-together for him because - surprise - he found out she isn't a millionaire, just a regular American. And, let's finally give the guy some credit, John McCain called her to apologize on behalf of all politicians. He's still a scumbag, but not as bad as Guiliani.

Tommy Thompson attacks gay rights, then blames it on a need to pee.

Sam Brownback ain't winning any Wisconsin primary after pissing off Packer fans.

A recently retired Army general speaks out against Bush's Iraq "strategy" and gets fired from CBS. Meanwhile, they let a McCain campaign aide spit out campaign literature like it is news and pay her for the privilege.

More on the cost of Bush. Billions of dollars leave Iraq in stolen oil smuggling. Meanwhile, only 16,000 of 130,000 applicants have received money for Katrina rebuilding, and the program is underfunded by $3 billion dollars.

That ain't all the Katrina survivors have to worry about.

More governors speaking out about their gutted National Guard units. I'm sure Cheney will brand them all as liars and traitors.

Outside of Dallas, it is now illegal to rent to illegal aliens. More examples of such compassionate conservatism to follow I imagine.

Survivor:Beijing has its first problem. Namely, don't drink the water at the Olympics.

Finally, a sorta followup to Bush's Purple Heart story awhile back. I finally found someone deserving of a Purple Heart. I read about this poor terrier that lost its life fighting off a couple pit bulls to save five kids. The terrier died but he did something so heroic that an American sent his Purple Heart to the dog's owner and the SPCA gave the dog a posthumous medal as well.

Note to Bush: saving lives earns you a medal, not getting written up harshly in op-ed pieces about your lying, thieving, conniving, illegal and immoral ways.

I finally got around to reading If Chins Could Kill by Bruce Campbell. Had a blast reading it. Check it out if you have ever had an interest in this guy's acting. And if you don't, why do you even read my blog?

If Chins Could Kill

Got an IM last week with some recommendations on site registry and hosting. I didn't have much to offer as I have my site hosted on a server in the UK and haven't done much shopping as I'm happy enough with them.

That said, here's an article on some green solutions that look neat. Not sure about their uptime statistics, but it should sounds like a nice way to host your site.

If any of you give one of these guys a shot, I'd be interested in your experience.

Have heard some choice bits on NPR lately and have picked up on some stories this week I'd like to share. I'm waiting on a slew of callbacks on cases I have and am pretty much prepped for my trip next week.

Meh.

The Army is trying to give Captains financial incentives to encourage them not to retire from active duty. According to the story though, it isn't enough and dollar signs are not the problem.

The problem may be the broken promises by the Pentagon that sends troops right back into the fray despite promising to keep soldiers at home long enough for their kids to remember who they are. Oops.

The House is trying another tactic. Fund the war, but only in increments. The first would last until the end of July. Bush is planning to veto it. You know, since paying in segments is nothing like submitting a false budget then throwing in emergency supplemental bills whenever you feel like it.

Someone can try to explain this to me but I'm confused on how SecDef Gates says that he currently has enough money to fund the war into July, but if Congress gives him more money now but cuts off the funding in July if Bush doesn't compromise on anything, it is actually worse for the Pentagon. How is getting more money to fund you past July worse than having only enough to get you into July?

Polls show that Americans don't trust any politicians. I'm not sure if this news is surprising to anyone.

More fallout from the Kansas tornado National Guard response.

You can have a beer called the Silver Bullet, Fry Guys can tempt your kids into eating fatty fries, and Victoria's Secret ads are like having soft core porn on during prime time TV, but don't you dare sell an energy drink called Cocaine.

The Rand Corporation - a waaaaay conservative think tank - just came out with a manual on nation building, and entirely missed the part where you concern yourself with the culture you are introducing your troops into. It contrasts our very successful occupation of Japan with the debacle in Iraq, focusing on the minor details like knowing the language, religious, and social composition of the land you are in. You know, just little stuff like that.

Bush's quandry. Too bad he's dragging us down with him.

The pope versus liberation theology in South America.

Finally, one nice story concerning the last traditional bow maker in China. Yes, he has apprentices so not all is lost.

Oh yeah, I keep meaning to link this to you.

Tired of the morons always winning? Tired of reality TV and know-nothing celebrities? Tired of kids idolizing the dregs of society who contribute nothing to the betterment of the world?

Want to participate in an empty jesture just to get some of that frustration off your chest?

Good, then head over here and sign yourself up on the Send Paris Hilton to Jail petition. If nothing else, read the comments of those who posted and realize that people just don't like this vapid little piece of street trash.

Like me.

"Then we kick the press out."

- Cheney, 5/9/2007, in Baghdad

The above quote is courtesy of Cheney's surprise visit to Baghdad today. These surprises piss me off for a couple reasons. First, shouldn't these asshats grow some balls and show up planned in a warzone of their own making? It literally serves them right. Second, do they even tell the Iraqis or just show up unannounced as if Iraq is an untrusted pet project.

Third, I guess, would be - once again - grow a pair you warmongering chickenhawks. At least McCain went to war instead of making excuses. He's still a punk bitch, but he at least served and not in a "I'm hiding in an Alabama hangar" kind of way.

As for the quote, Cheney still thinks full disclosure and press reporting (not that they are any good at full disclosure) is more dangerous than terrorists. Mostly because he has so much to hide, I imagine.

Meanwhile, the US Embassy is now demanding that their employees wear flak jackets and helmets in the Green Zone. Wait, isn't that supposed to be the safe part of Iraq?

This is probably because almost no one from either the Commerce or State departments will volunteer to go to Iraq. Hmm, I can't imagine why. Maybe they should draft some College Republicans to do the job. They won't join the military, they all want us to stay in Iraq until Judgement Day, and unless they have internships with the government, they sure the hell aren't doing anything this summer. It is a perfect match I think.

Bush spread empty words of consolation in Kansas today. Oh, I'm sure he thinks he cares, but when it comes time to write the checks, he'll probably be on one of his ten vacations a year. Just another photo op.

Speaking of annoying cartoon characters, the Hamas version of Mickey Mouse got yanked off the air. I imagine they'll find another way to teach their children how to hate and strap bomb vests to themselves. Real wholesome folks, Hamas. I mean, I know Palestinians, but I don't think they'd vote for a terrorist group to teach their kids to be as bad as Nazis, drooling at the concept of blowing up a school bus. Apparently there are enough who do though.

It would be sad except it is more disgusting than anything else. Scum of the earth, kindly keep the kids out of it and let them try to have a decent childhood before you screw it all up for them.

There are gaps in staffing at the White House as senior level folks leave and it is hard to find people to replace them. I mean, how do you sell that? "We're at 28% and you'll likely lose your job in less than two years. The world hates us and most of us are just corrupt puppets following a mad king. COME ON BOARD!"

Meanwhile, Bill O'Reilly has lifted his self-imposed boycott of France since they elected a pro-American conservative. A few things wrong with that. One, the conservatives have been in power for 12 years. Two, Sarkozy is not Tony Blair toy poodle to be told what to do. Three, every time the French befriend us we get something like Vietnam handed to us on a silver platter. Four, our imports from France actually increased during the "boycott". Five, let's face reality: we have really made it hard for anyone to blindly support our policies.

And John Murtha says the Bushites might extend our troop's tours yet another three months. Other than redneck wife-beating racists, is there a constituency Bush is determined not to piss off?

A couple more articles on the movie that you must see if you enjoying laughing at all.

Studio 360 had an interview with the folks behind the movie and in front of the camera.

Meanwhile, StarWars.com covers the movie and its links to Star Wars.

"Time and again, when the people of Kansas need help, the Kansas National Guard has responded without hesitation. Now the Guard needs Washington’s help. The President and Congress need to step up to the plate and give our Guard members the support they deserve...."

- Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, February 27, 2007

Bush must have a thing for hating women governors. First Blanco in Louisiana during Katrina, now Sebelius in Kansas over the tornadoes this weekend.

The White House is blaming the governor for not having enough resources available to her state National Guard. She is pointing out that her state's equipment is getting shot up in Iraq.

Their excuse is that she didn't request replacement equipment. Given the record, that would be called a lie.

Think Kansas is alone with this problem? Think again. Many other states are equally as screwed.

One note on the potential Fort Dix attackers. They weren't caught by secret torture prisons, or illegal wire tapping, or any criminal methods advocated by Bush, Cheney, Gonzales, et al. They were caught by an informant tipping off the FBI and use of video surveillance and analysis of video the morons shot of themselves acting like agitated gun nuts.

So much for the PATRIOT Act BS.

Okay, that was a horrible pun, but seeing as six fundamentalist idiots plotted to kill as many soldiers at Fort Dix before getting caught, I plan on insulting them without care.

Meanwhile in Louisiana, our compassionate conservatives have been teaching their children well as one of them planned to assassinate Hillary Clinton. Look, while not a fan of her's, can we at least deal with this at the ballot box?

Politics by way of health news. Republicans in the Senate got their two cents in on a bill that passed that would allow Americans to import drugs from overseas. This is a good thing, right? Sure it is, except for the GOP change that ties it to the FDA ensuring the drugs would be safe. So, get this: the FDA would have to approve drugs it has no jurisdiction over. The bill will never go into action, and the GOP can keep cashing checks from their greedy pals in the pharamaceutical companies that the bill was trying to get around in the first place.

Score one for evil.

Meanwhile, Bill Clinton is working with a couple pharamaceutical companies to make AIDS drugs available to poor third world folks for under a dollar a day. This would save lives and be a good PR boost for those Big Pharma members who pitch in on this.

Score one for everyone wins.

See the difference?

Turns out reconstruction in the Gulf Coast has another hurdle: FEMA. After being asleep at the switch as Katrina unfolded, the agency is now withholding funds to local communities that paid for debris removal services.

To be more blunt, the government that did away with minimum wage laws to screw over local construction workers is complaining that communities paid too much when all that was left was either waiting for the Corps of Engineers - who were overwhelmed - or pay contractors either feeling the squeeze or just blatantly robbing folks.

To be even more blunt, why is a government who handed the keys to the Treasury to their corporate pals when rebuilding Iraq busting the asses of American citizens who are just trying to get their lives back together?

The Republican front runner for president so far is either Guiliani (don't get me started!) or Mitt Romney.

Besides sounding like a piece of baseball equipment, I really can't help feeling confused as to why they would pick this guy. Stacy spent some time a few weeks ago trying to explain his appeal and all I came away with was the idea that this guy was Bill Clinton without the unfaithfulness and lot of bigotry.

Weird example number one: this guy calls Pat Robertson a force that strengthens and nurtures our country? Really? Hate and bigotry improve America? News to me.

Bizarro world example two: when asked what his favorite book is (after the Bible of course), Romney responded with Battlefield Earth. Look, I read a lot of sci-fi and there is no way that book qualifies as great sci-fi. And the movie was pure drek. And the links to Scientology that can be made? Seriously, the joke is too easy.

So, between pandering to hatemongers and Scientologists, I really have to question whether the GOP has gone insane.

Then again, their alternative is Mr. "Immigration Will Destroy Western Civilization" Tancredo.

More random Republican idiocies such as additional stuff on Limbaugh's "Barack the Magic Negro" song.

Also, our government accepted only $40 million of $854 million offered by foreign nations to help the Katrina recovery. The world offers to help us despite all the ill we've done under Bush and he doesn't even accept their goodwill.

More on the hunt for a war czar.

YouTube footage of a blundering Border Patrol incident in Arizona.

News from the police state as the LAPD goes wild at an immigration rally.

Bush and the internets redux. Incidentally, he's the Commander Guy now.

Some prominent historical GOP families are thinking of leaving. Praise Bush!

We get very focused on what happens within our borders, enough so we forget the rest of the world is out there.

So, to shine a little flashlight at the rest of the planet, let's see how they do presidential elections.

Turkey is caught in a situation where they are in danger of losing their democracy rather than let Islamic fundamentalists take over their country.

Meanwhile, the only candidate there has withdrawn but Islamic politicians are planning to change their process of electing their president from a parliamentary vote to a general election. Sounds like they are advocating democracy, but this is more of a way to get their religious mobs to vote and discourage others from doing so.

France has a new president, but this doesn't help Turkey either.

That said, Sarkozy will at least be more willing to talk to the US. Then again, he's been equated to a Nazi so that doesn't say much for what people think of us overseas.

Two Iraq related notes. Kansas is having problems getting help to their tornado-striken citizens because much of the gear is in Iraq. Also, religious extremists are forcing women to wear head scarves before dealing with them. So much for our democracy experiment.

Plus, we're advocating heroin production in Afghanistan. Joy.

You volunteer to serve in our military. You get sent to Iraq for all the wrong reasons. Your president doesn't provide you with body armor, proper weapons, and armored vehicles. He serves fake turkey to you for Thanksgiving as a photo op. He tries to cut your combat pay and veteran's benefits, while hiring mercenaries at five times your pay or more. Oh, and when Congress wants him to stop the war, he ignores them.

What could be worse? Losing custody of your child for answering your nation's call. Granted, I can't put this all at the feet of George Bush, but he'd better stop letting his boy Al fire all the government lawyers long enough to get this problem fixed. As in right the hell now.

Oh the bright side, at least someone agrees with Bush's surge. Too bad it's al-Qaeda's number two goon. Does that mean Bush is an enemy of America? Don't laugh, stuff like that is how he got re-elected.

That and disenfranchising Ohio voters.

Turns out our soldiers aren't very ethical. Hmm, what was your first clue? Abu-Ghraib? Seriously, between rotten schools, reality TV, and corrupt role models, do you blame them?

Speaking of an utter lack of ethics, the White House is "requesting" that reporters wear yellow cancer bracelets that say "Tony Snow." Okay, here's the deal: you don't co-opt the media anymore, quit making them take sides, and stop pimping their emotions to a guy who calls half of them traitors. And make a frigging donation to the Lance Armstrong Foundation while you sick bastards are at it.

Newt Gingrich is convinced Republicans can win any debate with Democrats as long they don't talk about:

- Iraq
- Katrina
- Walter Reed
- George Bush himself
- Firing US attorneys

Let me just add pissing on the Constitution, legalizing torture, spying on citizens, giving rich people and corporations massive tax breaks, hiring Halliburton and mercenaries, and so on. How about being on the wrong side of American public opinion on stem cell research, science in general, abortion and the environment. Oh, and the whole "I don't believe in evolution" thing doesn't help your cause as being considered as sane and credible.

Meanwhile we can't even help the Iraqis provide for their own wounded.

Last stop: Rush Limbaugh is a racist. But you already knew that.

The NRA wants suspected terrorists to be able to buy all the guns they want. I see their point though. They are assuming the the concept of a suspected terrorist is anyone not rich and white. I presume the law would be a bit more circumspect than GOP membership rules.

Bush has no clue who we are fighting in Iraq. No surprise there.

McCain considers openly gay military members an "intolerable risk" to America. Considering society is more threatened by anti-democracy, racist imperialists like his pimp Bush, I'd question his perspective.

The House has expanded the concept of hate crimes to include sexual orientation and disabilities. Bush, after vetoing stem cell research and getting our troops out of a civil war, will use his third veto against gays, transgenders, and the disabled.

I don't get it.

I really do not understand why people venerate Bush as some kind of ethical, moral, conscientious, respectable role model and leader. I also don't get why people think he is religious.

He's an addict, full of hate. He likes to deny freedom to his citizens and advocate torture. He cheats with our money, and probably on his wife.

What redeemable value does he have?

So, the following stories confuse me more than they annoy me.

First, a veteran who earned three Purple Hearts decided he'd give one of them to Bush for all the "abuse" he'd been taking from the Democrats and some members of the media.

As the article states, the leap of faith here is that a) Bush taking heat on an op/ed page is synonymous to getting shot, and b) that newspaper writers and a member of the Democratic Party are enemies of the United States. Both logical progressions are complete and utter BS. But I don't really think I can blame the vet for his flawed logic as much as I blame Bush for accepting the gift. Real classless move from a guy who already held no esteem in my world view.

And in recent days, Bush used a pen given to him by an Ohio man who lost his son in Iraq to sign the veto that would have ended the war. While I am in no place to judge a man who has lost his son in war, I can and will judge Bush for taking said pen and using it as a political prop.

I should know to expect this but it just keeps surprising me.

As bad as Bush is, and how much worse his band of worshiping dolts adore him, I'm still glad to live in the US than in India where you can still be burned at the stake if you are accused of "black magic".

Yikes!

The feds busted up a gang of Alabama asshats for attempting to set up a machine gun nest and kill Mexicans. Also found were over 200 homemade hand grenades.

In Austin, a bomb was found outside an abortion clinic. Uh oh, the "culture of life" is getting ready to kill again.

Also in Texas - go figure - the Chamber of Commerce in Beaumont has created its own newspaper to argue for tort "reform." i.e. eradication of the right to sue corporations. This is happening in an area of vast industrial pollution where lawsuits occur often, and for good reason.

Whether it is killing people based on race, blowing up doctors and their patients whose ethics you don't agree with, or trying to lie to people through the media, this is the GOP folks. They have no moral high ground, they are feeling up against the ropes even though they have power and the will to use it without any second-guessing. So, here it goes, zealots with bombs and ample stores of racism, hate, and self-loathing to use them.

We'll be fighting against the fundamentalist agents of evil soon I imagine, but it won't be the al-Qaeda kids, it'll be our own.

It turns out that since kids are eating way sweets, juices, and bottled water than ever before, our public campaign to reduce cavities has been faltering over the past decade. Hey folks, tap water won't kill your younguns. News you can use.

Things to do when you are dead: James "Scotty" Doohan of Star Trek fame had his ashes beamed, erm, rocketed up, into space recently. The link is basically a play-by-play of his last day on earth.

Things not good for your health. The Governor of Oregon is currently spending a week trying to survive on a common allotment of food stamps. Here's a tip: goodbye filet mignon and hello Banquet box. Kudos for him to even take a moment of his life to realize how hard it is at the bottom.

Don't show up drunk to your wedding. Your brother may fill in for you.

Some Gulf War vets have apparently been diagnosed with changes in their brain. This may bode ill for our troops in this war.

That said, some bad habits are tradition, and the world is moving on anyway. First, the Irish ban smoking in pubs. Arguably a very healthy thing to do, but come on! Its a pub. But now, the Aussies are watering down their beers. I'm not sure I want to bring a kid into this world full of idiot redneck presidents and shitty beer, even the foreign stuff.

Not directly health related, but the environment does help keep us alive. I'm officially going to stop calling Benedict "Nazi Pope" for awhile but just for sounding more rational than George Bush. I reserve the right to call him that if he gets reactionary on us again. Anyway, he recently announced that Catholics should try to be more "green" and environmentally conscious. Unlike Bush, he's not a rapture monkey who sees destroying God's creation as a way to get in our maker's good graces.

In that same vien, the Bushites are pushing for new oil drilling platforms at a beach near you.

The military is more worried about climate change than terrorism.

"Condi" is going to Syria and isn't labelled a traitor. Yeah, it is her job, but she hasn't been doing that all too great anyway.

Republican Rep. John Shimkus compares the Cubbies to al-Qaeda. This is insulting to anyone with a team not made of asshats and to any soldier as he's comparing their war to a game. He can go Cheney himself too.

Conservatives are blaming the Virginia Tech massacres on a lack of prayer and spankings. No, I can't make this stuff up.

News flash: Bill O'Reilly is a rude prick.

The Army is censoring milblogs and will likely ban them soon. Meanwhile, more on the shortage of soldiers in NCO and mid-level officer positions.

Paul Harvey wants us to kill women and children in the Middle East, if not outright nuke them.

Good day.

Seeing that Bush has only vetoed bills promoting stem cell research and getting our troops out of harm's way, Bush has issued a bombastic set of lies and mistruths to justify his position in an address to the nation tonight.

Meanwhile, press goon Perino tries to justify the Mission Accomplished banner (see the end of the article). Whatever.

Here's a timeline of the Iraq War hitting the highlights and lowlights of the conflict. And here is unreported news of civilian deaths in Iraq.

To end this post, here's a story on how Halliburton wantonly gives our troops tainted, e-coli-laden water to shower in. Disgusting in more ways than one.

I didn't think he had the stones to do it on "Mission Accomplished" Day, but Bush probably got forced to step up and veto the Democrat's troop withdrawal funding bill.

And now, two retired Major Generals who served in Iraq have spoken out against Bush's efforts to sell out our military.

UPDATE: General Eaton's open letter to the president.

"I think it’s also important for the president to lay out a timetable as to how long they will be involved and when they will be withdrawn."

- For more of this, click here

More bad news recaps of Mission Unaccomplished from the Sydney Morning Herald, NPR, Huffington Post, and the San Francisco Chronicle, amongst many others.

If you are interested, press releases from Obama and Edwards.

A disturbing note on Iraq in that, no matter if Congress can get our troops back, Bush still has a shadow army of contractors and mercenaries to fall back on.

“Major combat operations have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.”

- Bush, May 1, 2003

It is been four years since Bush idiotically declared the above statement. ThinkProgress has a sobering look at the cost of war in lives and dollars since May 1, 2003. It is really worth a look at.

This is what that money could have been better used for. As for the lives lost, so much more joy would be in the world today without all those deaths.

Today Bush is getting a bill that could end this war - or at least our involvement in it - by next year. He's going to veto it. The GOP won't stop him, the Democrats don't have enough votes. Here's hoping the God whose name he commits evil in will judge him accordingly. Meanwhile, we've still got the cretin in office for a couple more years. Good luck.