|
Morning headlines brought to you by Carolyn Kay MakeThemAccountable.com Top StoriesNo attack on Iran ‘this year.’
“A well-informed source tells United Press International that according to senior U.S. intelligence officials, President Bush has definitely decided not to strike any of Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons production facilities this year. The sources say the officials stressed the words ‘this year,’ meaning in 2007. That, however, does not rule out the possibility of military intervention in 2008, right until January 2009, when Bush’s term in the White House comes to an end.”
A New Escapade
At a high level, U.S. officials are working with their Turkish counterparts on a joint military operation to suppress Kurdish guerrillas and capture their leaders. Through covert activity, their goal is to forestall Turkey from invading Iraq… The Turkish initiative reflects the temperament and personality of George W. Bush. Even faithful congressional supporters of his Iraq policy have been stunned by the president's upbeat mood, oblivious to the loss of his political base.
Our president is only happy when he’s planning to kill a bunch of people.—Caro
President Bush Participates in Joint Press Availability with Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the United Kingdom
PRESIDENT BUSH: Look, people who kill innocent men, women and children to achieve political objectives are evil, that's what I think. Steve Bradenton
The World93 slain across Iraq in last two days
A minibus exploded Monday in a Baghdad market, killing at least six people a brutal reminder of the dangers facing Iraqis, who only hours ago were joyously united after their underdog national soccer team won the prestigious Asian Cup.
Relief groups: 8 million Iraqis need aid
About 8 million Iraqis — nearly a third of the population — need immediate emergency aid because of the humanitarian crisis caused by the war, relief agencies said Monday.
Iraqi parliament adjourns for August
BAGHDAD - Iraq's parliament on Monday shrugged off U.S. criticism and adjourned for a month, as key lawmakers declared there was no point waiting any longer for the prime minister to deliver Washington-demanded benchmark legislation for their vote.
Lebanese troops bombard militants
BEIRUT, Lebanon - The army unleashed tank and artillery fire Monday on the hideouts of al-Qaida-inspired militants holed up in a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon, a senior military official said.
Hamas charges Palestinian Authority with spying for the United States
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Hamas leaders who seized control of the Gaza Strip last month say they've uncovered intelligence files that indicate that the Palestinian Authority was gathering information on Pakistan's nuclear program, storing sexual photographs of Palestinian leaders and tracking Islamist forces in other parts of the Middle East.
U.S. diplomat plays down Saudi remarks
UNITED NATIONS - The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Monday stressed the importance of Saudi Arabia's help in bringing peace to the Middle East, a day after he accused the kingdom of undermining U.S. efforts to stabilize Iraq.
Yes, I guess so.—Caro
Taliban claim to kill 2nd Korean hostage
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - A purported Taliban spokesman claimed the hardline militia killed a second South Korean hostage Monday because the Afghan government failed to release imprisoned insurgents. Afghan officials said they hadn't recovered a body and couldn't confirm the claim.
Australia refuses to apologise to terror suspect doctor
Australian Prime Minister John Howard dismissed calls for an inquiry into the bungled case of an Indian doctor suspected of terrorism, and said the Muslim medic should not expect an apology.
Revealed: MI5's role in torture flight hell
An Iraqi who was a key source of intelligence for MI5 has given the first ever full insider's account of being seized by the CIA and bundled on to an illegal 'torture flight' under the programme known as extraordinary rendition. The NationBREAKING: House Democrats Introducing Bill To Investigate Impeachment Of Alberto Gonzales
MSNBC just reported that Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) announced he will be introducing a bill tomorrow that would require the House Judiciary Committee to begin an impeachment investigation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
Click through to watch the video.—Caro
Chief Justice Roberts suffers seizure
WASHINGTON - Chief Justice John Roberts suffered a seizure at his summer home in Maine on Monday, causing a fall that resulted in minor scrapes, Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said… Roberts had a similar episode in 1993, she said.
FBI raids Sen. Stevens's Alaska home
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) raided the home of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) on Monday, advancing the corruption probe that has ensnared the once-untouchable GOP dean.
It's "too soon" to know how the surge is going, but Petraeus "knows" we have to stay in Iraq at least another two years
You are watching a career-obsessed political puppet in action, with General Petraeus. I thought if the surge was a success, we could leave soon? Now it doesn't even matter, we're staying no matter what. Sure it will kill hundreds of US troops a month for the next two years, but at least George Bush can blame it all on the next president, and General Betray-us can blame it all on the next general.
Muslim Lawmaker Hears From Iraq Sheiks
WASHINGTON (AP) - Rep. Keith Ellison, Congress' only Muslim, made a weekend trip to Iraq, where a pair of sheiks urged him to help counter al-Qaida's vision of Islam… "They were very upset and concerned that al-Qaida is misrepresenting Islam," Ellison told reporters Monday during a conference call from Germany on his way back to the U.S. "And they were talking to me about what I can possibly do to work with them to give a clearer, more accurate picture of what Islam is all about."
Waxman and Obama Introduce Bill to Improve Emergency Medical Care and Response
On Wednesday, July 25, 2007, Rep. Waxman and Sen. Obama introduced legislation to help struggling emergency departments across the United States… The legislation introduced, H.R. 3173, Improving Emergency Medical Care and Response Act of 2007, will provide support for research into emergency medicine and create a 5 year independently evaluated pilot program.
“I think I’d be dead if I’d stayed with the first provider.”
(In Sunday)'s NY Times … Karen Pasqualetto, describes her fight for treatment… “I think I’d be dead if I’d stayed with the first provider,” she said… Get that? She'd be dead if she stuck with her insurance company. In the United States of America, our health care system fails us. And, our leaders still haven't come up with solutions. That's what this health care debate is about. Real people really suffering and really dying.
House OKs boost to veteran mental care
WASHINGTON - The House took steps Monday to improve counseling and care for the tens of thousands of military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with brain injuries and post traumatic stress disorder.
Pelosi looks for unity on energy bill
WASHINGTON - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tried to solidify Democratic support Monday behind her energy package and head off a rebellion among some oil-patch Democrats who argue the legislation would hurt U.S. energy production.
Dems unveil ethics plan
House and Senate Democrats on Monday unveiled an ethics package they touted as the strongest reform in decades, attracting bitter criticism from Republicans who vowed to fight the bill’s altered earmark-transparency rules.
Congress eyes pay raise for itself
WASHINGTON — After raising the minimum wage by 70 cents an hour this week, many members of Congress are ready to give themselves a pay increase of roughly $4,400 per year. That would take their annual salaries to nearly $170,000.
Don’t do it, Democrats. Do not do it.—Caro
Democracy Corps Focus Group Analysis: Frustration, Demand for Change Continue to Grow (pdf)
Political environment remains largely unchanged, with intense pessimism driven by Iraq, health care, and a general sense that government is failing across the board. Democrats in Congress are given credit for trying to deliver change, particularly on Iraq, but frustration with the failure to actually accomplish meaningful change is growing more acute. MediaPermanent link to MTA daily media news
In Games, an Insight Into the Rules of Evolution
In recent papers, Dr. (Martin) Nowak has argued that cooperation is one of the three basic principles of evolution. The other two are mutation and selection. On their own, mutation and selection can transform a species, giving rise to new traits like limbs and eyes. But cooperation is essential for life to evolve to a new level of organization. Single-celled protozoa had to cooperate to give rise to the first multicellular animals. Humans had to cooperate for complex societies to emerge.
I include this excerpt and the one below in the media section because they show why the 35-plus year campaign by a few right-wing rich families to convince Americans that greed is good has failed and will continue to fail. I’d write a book about it if I could find a publisher.—Caro
Who’s Minding the Mind?
The subconscious brain is more active, independent and purposeful than once thought. Sometimes it takes charge… New studies have found that people tidy up more thoroughly when there’s a faint tang of cleaning liquid in the air; they become more competitive if there’s a briefcase in sight, or more cooperative if they glimpse words like “dependable” and “support” — all without being aware of the change, or what prompted it.
Refreshing Fare
(W)e suggest readers might find the following two articles a refreshing respite from the Am not-Are too deluge: In a piece for McClatchy Newspapers on Friday entitled “Clinton’s foreign record questioned,” Matt Stearns took the time to examine just what experience, exactly, Clinton keeps referring to… The other piece, in today’s Boston Herald, takes a historical look at speaking to dictators: “No harm in talking to tyrants: Presidents have long done just that.”… Actual reporting and historical reality trump stenography every time.
Soldier denies Tillman berated him in battle
(A) chaplain told investigators that (Sgt. Bryan) O’Neal said (Pat) Tillman was harsh in his last moments, snapping, ’Would you shut your (expletive) mouth? God’s not going to help you; you need to do something for yourself, you sniveling ...” “He never would have called me ‘sniveling,”’ O’Neal said. “I don’t remember ever speaking to this chaplain, and I find this characterization of Pat really upsetting. He never once degraded me. He’s the only person I ever worked for who didn’t degrade anyone. He wasn’t that sort of person.”
Shedding Pen Name, Private Says He’s ‘Baghdad Diarist’
The decision of an Army private who has been writing anonymously for The New Republic to reveal his identity has not quieted critics at the rival Weekly Standard who continue to question the accuracy of the soldier’s deeply critical accounts from Iraq.
O’Hanlon Contradicts His Own Research To Portray Surge As Successful
In today’s New York Times, Brookings analysts Michael O’Hanlon and Ken Pollack argue that “the administration’s critics seem unaware of the significant changes taking place” as a result of the President’s surge strategy in Iraq. Just last week — on July 26 — O’Hanlon published a starkly different assessment of the conditions in Iraq.
Should everyone vote?
Jonah Goldberg: We test immigrants before they can go to the polls; why not everyone else?
Novak On YouTube Debate: ‘It Was Really Disgusting’
Appearing on Bloomberg Television this weekend, Novak said of the YouTube debate, “I thought it was really disgusting. … The reporters were terrible but this was ludicrous.” Novak argued, “You know when we did away with the monarchy and went through democracy, there was a lot of fear that this sort of thing would happen. It took 200 years but we got there.”
Oh Dear God, Make Them Stop: The Hill Picks The Most Beautiful List
Just proving once again that politics really is a beauty pageant, the publication The Hill puts out their “Hottest on the Hill” list. The only consolation? Nancy Pelosi is on the list.
http://www.mediachannel.org/wordpress/2007/07/30/blogosphere-at-age-10-is-improving-journalism/">Blogosphere At Age 10 Is Improving Journalism
Although hard to believe, this month marks the 10th anniversary of blogging. And what a milestone it is. Technology & ScienceSupercomputer Makes Near-Instant Movies of California Quakes
Only in California will you soon be able to experience a life-threatening earthquake and watch a locally made, supercomputer-generated, 3-D movie of that shaking ground within 30 minutes of the first jolt.
"Magic" blackboard
New interactive electronic board engages students and teachers.
New Test Helps Detect Spreading Breast Cancer
Assists doctors in deciding appropriate therapy
NASA Insiders Propose Stepping Stone Path to Deep Space
GOLDEN, Colo. – NASA's Constellation Program – including the deployment of the Orion crew vehicle replacing the space shuttle – will first be assigned to International Space Station flights, then propel humans and cargo to the Moon. Expeditionary missions to Mars and beyond will follow. EnvironmentGlobal warming forces Forest Service to reconsider strategy
Among all the talk of carbon sequestration, biofuels and corporate average fuel economy, forests have been mostly overlooked on Capitol Hill. By some estimates, the forests could absorb 500 million tons of carbon dioxide a year — about a third of the carbon dioxide the United States produces annually… Later this year, the Forest Service is expected to unveil a global warming-related forest management plan.
Mighty Lake Superior Mystifies Scientists
Something seems amiss with mighty Superior, the deepest and coldest of the Great Lakes, which together hold nearly 20 percent of the world's fresh surface water… (O)ver the past year, its level has ebbed to the lowest point in eight decades and will set a record this fall if, as expected, it dips three more inches.
Electric Racers Speed Past Fuel Dragsters
Electric vehicles are making their presence felt at amateur drag races across the country, challenging gas-powered cars and motorcycles. The "amp heads,'' computer geeks and tree-hugging environmentalists driving the electron-powered vehicles are starting to kick some major rear end.
U.S. vehicles rank bottom in fuel efficiency
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States ranks at the bottom of industrialized countries in vehicle fuel-economy standards, but would jump far up the list if legislation to boost mileage requirements clears Congress and is signed into law, according to a report released on Monday. For more headlines, visit MakeThemAccountable.com. |
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
