|
Morning headlines brought to you by Carolyn Kay MakeThemAccountable.com Top StoryLeahy: Cheney Told GOP-Led Congress It Was ‘Not Allowed To Issue Subpoenas’
(Sen. Patrick) Leahy said that the administration’s stonewalling (on documents related to the National Security Agency’s eavesdropping program) amounted to “contempt of the valid order of the Congress”… Sen. Arlen Specter (said that when he was in charge of the committee) “(W)e were about to issue subpoenas then and one of the senators came to our meeting and said that the vice president had met with the Republican senators and told them they were not allowed to issue subpoenas.” The Heretik
The WorldDenials in Iraq governor's assassination
BAGHDAD - Muqtada al-Sadr's office on Tuesday condemned the assassinations of two southern provincial governors as the radical Shiite cleric distanced himself from the killings, seen as part of a brutal contest among rival Shiite militias for control of some of Iraq's main oil regions.
EU cuts fuel supply to Gaza pending Hamas assurances
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The European Union said on Monday it would not resume paying for fuel shipments to the Gaza Strip's main power plant until it received assurances Hamas would not tax electricity to fund its government.
Syria presses Iraq on U.S. troop pullout
DAMASCUS, Syria - Iraq should set a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign troops, Syria said Monday at the start of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's first official visit to Damascus.
Australia rushes to catch 'Indian express' on trade: report
SYDNEY (AFP) - The Australian government has backed a plan to negotiate a free trade agreement with India, a move which would radically reshape relations with the South Asian power, a report said Monday.
Kadhafi's son looks at new constitution for Libya
BENGHAZI, Libya (AFP) - Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi's son Seif al-Islam, viewed as a possible successor, has outlined plans for the country's first constitution since his father seized power 38 years ago and tore up the old monarchist charter.
Sudan surrounds, attacks volatile Darfur camp: witness
KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudanese forces surrounded and attacked Darfur's most volatile camp on Tuesday to flush out rebels they say are behind recent attacks on police, an army source and camp residents said. The NationSenators offer bleak assessment of Iraq after governor killed
BAGHDAD — A roadside bomb on Monday killed the governor of Iraq's Muthanna province, making him the second governor in as many weeks to become a casualty of violence between rival Shiite Muslim militias in southern Iraq. Word of the assassination came as two prominent members of the Senate Armed Services Committee completed a two-day visit to Iraq and offered a bleak assessment of prospects here.
Extended buildup would exhaust US forces
The Army's 38 available combat units are deployed, just returning home or already tapped to go to Iraq, Afghanistan or elsewhere, leaving no fresh troops to replace five extra brigades that President Bush sent to Baghdad this year, according to interviews and military documents reviewed by The Associated Press.
US military looks to reduce role in Iraq
WASHINGTON - U.S. military officials are narrowing the range of Iraq strategy options and appear to be focusing on reducing the U.S. combat role in 2008 while increasing training of Iraqi forces, a senior military official told The Associated Press on Monday.
REPORT: 68 Percent Of Foreign Policy Experts Favor Redeployment From Iraq
In the third release of the “Terrorism Index,” a survey conducted by the Center for American Progress and Foreign Policy, a bipartisan group of more than 100 respected foreign policy experts see a more dangerous world and a war in Iraq that is “alarmingly” off course. Participants included senior government and intelligence officials, military commanders, and noted academics.
Lieberman Shrugs Off Failed Iraq Predictions, Now Claims ‘Road To Victory’ Goes Through Syria
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) writes today in the Wall Street Journal that the U.S. “road to victory” in Iraq goes through Damascus, and urges Congress to “send a clear and unambiguous message to the Syrian regime“:
Petraeus To Testify Before Senate On September 11
The much-anticipated Senate testimony of Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, regarding the situation on the ground in Iraq has now been scheduled for September 11th. Petraeus’ testimony will accompany a September 15 status report from the White House that is expected to be a key moment in the debate over American involvement in Iraq.
On 9/11. Get it?—Caro
As Democracy Push Falters, Bush Feels Like a 'Dissident'
Two and a half years after Bush pledged in his second inaugural address to spread democracy around the world, the grand project has bogged down in a bureaucratic and geopolitical morass, in the view of many activists, officials and even White House aides. Many in his administration never bought into the idea, and some undermined it, including his own vice president… "OVP (Office of the Vice President) has this little-girl crush on strongmen," said an official.
Top court judge rejects doctor's request
WASHINGTON - A Supreme Court justice on Monday rejected a request by a cancer researcher in a dispute with a university over ownership of thousands of blood and tissue samples.
For the big guy. Against the little guy. Every. Single. Time.—Caro
Clinton may be a target of Rove's reverse psychology
(Karl) Rove's weeklong broadside against (Hillary) Clinton … looks suspiciously like an exercise in reverse psychology that his team employed three years ago… In the run-up to the 2004 Democratic National Convention, … Rove's team opened fire at Kerry. Their thinking went like this, (Rove lieutenant Matthew) Dowd explained: Democrats, in a knee-jerk reaction to GOP attacks, would rally around Kerry, whom Rove considered a comparatively weak opponent, and make him the party's nominee. Thus Bush would be spared from confronting Edwards, the candidate Republican strategists actually feared most.
It may be a head fake, but it may be a double head fake. Rove could think Clinton is the strongest candidate, but wants to fool us into think he doesn’t think she’s the strongest candidate. So, it’s probably best that we just nominate the person we think will govern best, instead of worrying about what Karl Rove says.—Caro
Reagan Diaries: George W: "Find the Kid a Job"...
'A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the political one who lives in Florida. The one who hangs around here all the time looking shiftless. This so-called kid is already almost 40 and has never had a real job. Maybe I'll call Kinsley over at The New Republic and see if they'll hire him as a contributing editor or something. That looks like easy work.'
Own to Rent: The Way to Save Subprime Borrowers
Under this security of housing proposal, the foreclosure process would be changed so that the current homeowner would have the option to remain in their house as a renter paying the fair market rent… The former homeowner could then remain in their home as a renter for as long as they liked… We can design a mechanism that will directly benefit millions of moderate income homeowners who are struggling to hang on to their homes. Or, we can come up with schemes that will benefit the banks and hedge funds who speculated in mortgage debt. Place your bets.
Leona Helmsley Is Dead at 87
The real estate developer’s conviction for tax evasion in 1989 became an emblem of that decade’s excesses.
Her famous quote? “Only the little people pay taxes.”—Caro MediaPermanent link to MTA daily media news
Technology helps reinvent cell phone ads
SINGAPORE - Mobile phones are a potential gold mine for advertisers, the most personal and intimate way to communicate and engage with subscribers — more than 2 billion of them and counting worldwide. Yet the advertisers' two-liner text pitches have largely fueled a growing hate club, with recipients quickly equating the messages with spam they abhor on desktops.
People don’t want ads. And they don’t want to pay for subscriptions. They want content for free. And many of us give it to them.—Caro
No Pay to Play
A contributor to the e-mail newsletter for readers of a New York Times sports magazine is "apparently not...psyched" by the managing editor's announcement that "in lieu of an actual paycheck, he could offer writers...an author bio, mentioning any books they’ve written and the address of their personal websites": "I wonder whether (editor Bill) Brink's superiors know that he's actually asked writers to work for FREE."
Power of the Crowd to...Buy a Soccer Team
Influx Insights points out an amazing example of the purchasing power of the crowd. A group of 50,000 soccer fans have ponied up $70 each over the Internet at MyFootballClub.com.uk to buy a soccer team. Syndicates aren't anything new, really. For instance, racehorses are often owned by a syndicate of owners. But what's clever here is the use of the Internet to pull together a buying group.
We could do the same thing with media. If we dared to work together.—Caro
Catapulting the Puppies and Horsies (by Digby)
Today, Carl Levin made some news by calling for the "removal" of Maliki. But that wasn't what led the news on CNN -- it was that he and Warner, "war critics," said the surge was working… They are getting their word out, the press sensing a new narrative is playing along (yea we're winning!) and dissent once more gets drowned out. This is a huge problem for the left and one that we'd better learn how to deal with. It's not censorship --- it's "news management," which gets them to the same end.
Big News Orgs Who Gushed Over O'Hanlon Ignore Skeptical Op-Ed By U.S. Troops
Just stunning. By now you've all almost certainly read yesterday's riveting New York Times Op-ed piece by U.S. troops in Iraq arguing that the belief that the American occupation can win this counterinsurgency is "far fetched." By any reasonable standard, this should have been big news… Rather, this Op-ed has been met with near-total silence.
Behavior: Hostility May Raise Risk for Disease
Anger and hostility may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, a new study suggests.
More proof that Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly are killing their audience. And so are bloggers who provoke and promote anger and hostility, even if they call themselves progressives.—Caro
Are Democrats really so lame?
Matt Bai's heralded anatomy of Democratic disarray in the Bush years: "The Argument: Billionaires, Bloggers and the Battle to Remake Democratic Politics."… is flawed by his failure to grapple with the negativity, lo, the hatred behind the Republican revolution of the '70s and '80s, some of which is still politically operative today. Does he really think Reagan rode to power on the Laffer curve, not by bashing Cadillac-driving welfare queens, scruffy war protesters and big bad government?
Media Should Put Front-Runners on Back Burner
A radically sensible proposal from one columnist: "Instead of crowning 'front-runners' on the basis of money and polls, instead of declaring individuals unelectable, how about more attention to candidates' ideas?"… Baer adds a welcome touch of humility and resolve when admitting he's "certainly been guilty of such coverage. Many in media have. But the race at hand seems a good place to start to defy convention."
Dennis Kucinich won Sunday’s ABC Democratic debate, according to the online voters. Why doesn’t he get more ink and more air time?—Caro
Olbermann on NBC
“Countdown With Keith Olbermann” the highly rated cable news program, will be shown on network television on Sunday before a preseason NBC football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers… “‘Countdown’ is rocketing right now over at MSNBC — its ratings are going through the roof,” said Phil Griffin, senior vice president of NBC News.
Hannity Speaks At Rudy Fundraiser
Bill Shine, Fox's senior vice president of programming, said Hannity should not be judged according to the standards of journalistic ethics, which speak out against actively helping a candidate in such a manner. "Sean is not a journalist - Sean is a conservative commentator," Shine said. "Sean doesn't hide, and never has hidden, his beliefs from anyone." (Emphasis added.)
http://www.mediachannel.org/wordpress/2007/08/20/the-la-times-tells-its-readers-shut-up/">The L.A. Times Tells Its Readers: 'Shut Up'
A Times editorial attacks the concept of reader comments on news stories, declaring Google a greater threat "than Osama bin Laden."
Sexist (and Racist) Guest Line-up on Daily Show and Stephen Colbert
Prefacing with the statement "I love Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart," Marshall relates how a scan of the mock journalists' guests "confirmed something that I’ve known but haven’t wanted to confront—both Stewart and Colbert have an abysmal record when it comes to interviewing women." Technology & ScienceWhat happened on August 16
On Thursday, 16th August 2007, the Skype peer-to-peer network became unstable and suffered a critical disruption. The disruption was triggered by a massive restart of our users’ computers across the globe within a very short timeframe as they re-booted after receiving a routine set of patches through Windows Update. The high number of restarts affected Skype’s network resources.
Puh-leeeeze! This is the silliest excuse I’ve ever heard.—Caro
Online gamers rehearse real-world epidemics
PARIS (AFP) - A fantasy plague that accidentally ran amok in the Internet's most popular game world, populated by nine million flesh-and-blood players, may help scientists predict the impact of genuine epidemics, according to a study released Tuesday.
Pain medicine use has nearly doubled
WASHINGTON - Retail sales of five leading painkillers nearly doubled over the last eight years, reflecting a surge in use by patients nationwide who are living in a world of pain, according to a new Associated Press analysis of federal drug prescription data… Oxycodone, the chemical used in OxyContin, is responsible for most of the increase. Oxycodone use jumped nearly six-fold between 1997 and 2005.
Not everyone who takes OxyContin is in pain.—Caro
How Much Do Public Schools Really Cost? (pdf)
We find that (in Australia) a 5 percent increase in test scores (approximately one standard deviation) is associated with a 3.5 percent increase in house prices. Our result is in line with private school tuition costs, and accords with prior research from Britain and the United States. Estimating the effect of school quality on house prices provides a possible measure of the extent to which parents value better educational outcomes.
Time Travel Machine Outlined
Unlike past ideas for time machines, this new concept does not require exotic, theoretical forms of matter. Still, this new idea requires technology far more advanced than anything existing today, and major questions remain as to whether any time machine would ever prove stable enough to enable actual travel back in time.
I don’t care so much about TRAVELING back in time, but it would be really neat to be able to see and hear back in time. Considering the fact that when we look at the most distant galaxies we’re looking back in time (because of the time it takes for their light to reach us), you’d think at least looking back might be possible.—Caro
After 4.5 Billion Years, Sunshine Finally Figured Out
Princeton researchers, working at the underground Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Italy, have made the first real-time observations of low-energy solar neutrinos, fundamental particles that are created by the roiling nuclear reactions inside the sun and that stream in vast numbers from the sun's core. EnvironmentBush Official Faces Contempt Charge for Not Studying Environmental Impact of Fire Retardant
A federal judge in Montana has ordered the Bush administration's top forestry official to explain why he should not be held in contempt of court for the U.S. Forest Service's failure to analyze the environmental impact of dropping fish-killing fire retardant on wildfires.
Simple solar solutions
You can harness the power of the sun in some simple ways that will save you money and help the environment. Remember the good old clothesline?
Scientist Unveils Plan on Climate Change
A New Mexico Tech scientist believes he has found a way to head off dangerous climate change. Oliver Wingenter said the idea is simple -- fertilize the ocean so that more plankton can grow.
Islands Emerge as Arctic Ice Shrinks to Record Low
Previously unknown islands are appearing as Arctic summer sea ice shrinks to record lows, raising questions about whether global warming is outpacing U.N. projections, experts said. Polar bears and seals have also suffered this year on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard because the sea ice they rely on for hunts melted far earlier than normal. For more headlines, visit MakeThemAccountable.com. |
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
