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Today’s headlines brought to you by Carolyn Kay MakeThemAccountable.com Top StoryBush's Messiah Complex (by Dan Froomkin at washingtonpost.com )
With time running short on his presidency -- and on the eve of a trip to the Middle East -- President Bush seems to have overcome his aversion to talking about his legacy and is now speaking fervently about how he expects to be remembered. As it turns out, the president sees himself as quite the heroic figure… "When he needed to be tough, he acted strong, and when he needed to have vision he understood the power of freedom to be transformative," Bush said of himself… The Bush record, the president (said), is one of liberation -- "liberation, by the way, not only from dictatorship, but from disease around the world, like HIV/AIDS or malaria." All Hat No Cattle
The WorldPentagon says ships harassed by Iran
WASHINGTON - An Iranian fleet of high-speed boats charged at and threatened to blow up a three-ship U.S. Navy convoy passing near Iranian waters, then vanished as the American ship commanders were preparing to open fire, the top U.S. Navy commander in the area said Monday.
So says the Pentagon. It’s a real shame when you just don’t know whether to believe your own government.—Caro
Major joint US-Iraqi operation begins
BAGHDAD - U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a major operation to strike against al-Qaida in Iraq and other extremists, the U.S. military said Tuesday, in an effort to build on a recent overall reduction of violence and push militants from their strongholds.
Hmm… We can’t rightly call it a “surge”, now can we? How about a “throb”, or a “pulsation”, to accompany our president into the danger zone?—Caro
Bomb hits U.N. vehicle south of Beirut: sources
BEIRUT (Reuters) - A roadside bomb exploded near a U.N. peacekeeping vehicle on a highway linking Beirut to south Lebanon on Tuesday, security sources said.
Baghdad Suicide Bomb Kills Sunni Leader
A double suicide attack outside an agency that cares for Sunni mosques and shrines killed at least 12 people on Monday, including the Sunni leader of a U.S.-backed group fighting al-Qaida, officials and witnesses said.
Iraq army day attack toll rises to 14
A suicide attack in Baghdad, which three Iraqi soldiers tried to prevent by flinging themselves on the bomber, killed 14 people, government officials said on Monday, updating an earlier toll.
Iraq death rate belies US claims of success
The death rate in Iraq in the past 12 months has been the second highest in any year since the invasion, according to figures that appear to contradict American claims that the troop "surge" has dramatically reduced the level of violence across the country.
Afghan bomb kills 2 coalition soldiers
KABUL, Afghanistan - A roadside bomb killed two soldiers from the U.S.-led coalition in eastern Afghanistan, and a suicide bomber on a motorcycle attacked a border police patrol in the south, killing a policeman, officials said.
Musharraf: Bhutto Knew Of Risks
Pakistan President Tells "60 Minutes" His Government Provided All Possible Security
It was her own fault that she was assassinated. Click through to watch the video.—Caro
Boy scout saves Maldives president from assassination
COLOMBO (AFP) - Maldivian president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom escaped assassination in his Indian Ocean archipelago thanks to a teenage boy scout who wrestled back a knife-wielding attacker, officials said.
Chavez to slow socialism drive
CARACAS, Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez is putting the brakes on his drive for revolutionary change in Venezuela, shifting away from radical socialist reforms in favor of a pragmatic focus on everyday problems from soaring crime to trash-strewn streets.
North Sudan troops complete southern withdrawal: ex-rebels
JUBA, Sudan (AFP) - North Sudanese troops have completed their withdrawal from oil rich areas of the south, a southern general said on Tuesday, heading off the latest brewing north-south crisis.
Hopes dim for quick end to Kenya's crisis
NAIROBI (Reuters) - The African Union chairman headed to Kenya on Tuesday to help end turmoil that has killed almost 500 people, but hopes of a swift breakthrough seemed to falter. The NationBush defends education law
CHICAGO - President Bush said Monday that if Congress doesn't reauthorize the No Child Left Behind education law, he'll make as many changes as he can on his own.
Drug spending raises US health care tab
WASHINGTON - Seniors and the disabled flocked to the pharmacy counter in 2006 with their new Medicare drug cards, fueling a 6.7 percent increase in health spending, the federal government reported Monday.
CPSC to boost toy inspections at ports
WASHINGTON - After an unprecedented year of toy recalls, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is adding staff at the nation's busiest ports and pledging to work more closely with U.S. Customs to stop suspect imports and identify potential hazards before toys hit the market.
Passenger jets get anti-missile devices
Tens of thousands of airline passengers will soon be flying on jets outfitted with anti-missile systems as part of a new government test aimed at thwarting terrorists armed with shoulder-fired projectiles. Three American Airlines Boeing 767-200s that fly daily round-trip routes between New York and California will receive the anti-missile laser jammers this spring, according to the Department of Homeland Security, which is spending $29 million on the tests.
Lord ‘a mercy! We really ARE at war.—Caro
Court refuses to revive MI’s partial-birth abortion ban. (Think Progress)
The Supreme Court today declined to review a ruling by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, which struck down Michigan’s ban on so-called “partial-birth” abortions. The Court’s move effectively outlaws the state’s ban on the procedure, although the Court upheld a similar federal law banning the technique last April.
ARG Poll: Obama, McCain Hold Solid NH Leads (Political Wire)
The final American Research Poll in New Hampshire shows Sen. Barack Obama beating Sen. Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary, 40% to 31%, with John Edwards at 20%... On the Republican side, Sen. John McCain leads Mitt Romney 31% to 24%, with 14% for Mike Huckabee and 13% for Rudy Giuliani.
Obama, McCain get early votes
DIXVILLE NOTCH, N.H. - Residents of two tiny towns stayed up late to give Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain early victories in the New Hampshire presidential primary.
Huckabee Now Leads Republicans Nationally (Political Wire)
A new USA Today/Gallup poll shows Mike Huckabee grabbing the national lead in the Republican presidential with 25%, followed by Rudy Giuliani at 20%, Sen. John McCain at 19%, Fred Thompson at 12%, and Mitt Romney at 9%. While he's not polling well in New Hampshire, the former Arkansas governor has certainly received a bounce nationally. Meanwhile, among Democrats, Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton are tied at 33%, followed by John Edwards at 20%.
Harbinger of Things To Come (by Chicago Stan, writing at MakeThemAccountable.com)
We, in Illinois, have seen the steamrolling effects of the Obama phenomena long before Oprah insinuated her sizable presence into the political process. During the crowded Senate primary race in Illinois, the well-organized and financed campaign of successful investor Blair Hull was a few points ahead just a week before the voting. But Hull's ex-wife, like Oprah, shifted the paradigm by revealing squalid details of their divorce battle.
Clinton heightens terrorism rhetoric
Facing the prospect of defeat in tomorrow’s primary, Hillary Clinton just made her strongest suggestion yet that the next president may face a terrorist attack – and that she would be the best person to handle it.
Voter I.D. requirements reduce political participation, study finds
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Brown University) — A new Brown University study reports that U.S. states that require voters to present identification before casting ballots have lower levels of political participation. The research also indicates that voter I.D. policies discourage legal immigrants from becoming citizens, particularly for blacks and Hispanics, reducing odds of naturalization by more than 15 percent… “This data shows that if voter I.D. policies had not been in place in 2004, voter turnout would have increased by more than 1.6 million. That is a strong argument in itself for change.”
Year of the fat cats (Dean Baker, writing at Comment Is Free, The Guardian )
(T)he average real return on stocks over the last decade has been 3.2%, a bit lower than the yield that was available on inflation-indexed government bonds 10 years ago. This is rather striking. It is unlikely that many people invested in stock for the sort of return that is typically associated with government bonds, which are much less risky. At least for the last decade, stockholders have not been rewarded for taking this risk. This brings us to the topic of CEO pay… The typical CEO is not producing great returns for shareholders. The average return is weak, and in many cases shareholders are incurring loses due to CEO mismanagement. Even in the disaster stories, the CEOs still seem to get extraordinary pay packages. MediaPermanent link to MTA daily media news
Bill Press Is Bringing the Experts into Progressive Talk Radio (A BUZZFLASH INTERVIEW)
I think we have proven that, given an opportunity, we can win. We can build an audience. We can hold an audience. We can make money. We can be successful in talk radio. We have disproven the old theory that liberals can't do talk radio. That's why I feel good about talk radio. -- Bill Press
Click through to read the entire interview.—Caro
Face The Nation: Bob Schieffer on What Iowa Tells Us (by Nicole Belle at Crooks and Liars)
Read carefully between the lines of what Bob Schieffer expresses in his final comment on Face The Nation this past Sunday: “A couple of nice things happened in Iowa that should not be overlooked. An African-American won the Democratic caucuses in a state that is overwhelming white and race was not a factor. No matter who you wanted to win, it’s good to know that can happen…” Did you catch it? It’s been a while so it’s hard to recognize it when it does, but that was just a MSM pundit celebrating liberal values, like colorblindness, diversity and merit over entitlement and saying that we should all look upon them as a good thing.
Media Torn Over Whether To Cast Clinton As ‘Weak’ Or ‘Calculating’ For ‘Emotional’ Display
(Monday) at a campaign event in New Hampshire, Sen. Hillary Clinton’s (D-NY) “eyes welled up with tears” as she spoke about why she was running for president. “It’s not easy, and I couldn’t do it if I didn’t passionately believe it was the right thing to do,” she said… The media’s excoriation and mocking of Clinton contrast with their treatment of prominent conservative politicians who have cried in the past. Their tears, according to these pundits, are “genuine,” “poignant,” and “extraordinary”.
Personally, I found it humanizing. Click through to watch a compilation of the media’s coverage.—Caro
Playing The Wrong Clip (by dday at Hullabaloo)
I know the big story today is that a sleep-deprived Hillary Clinton, under the kind of pressure that really only people who have run for President understand, actually showed some emotion on the campaign trail… But in a sane world, the real exchange that you'd be seeing all over the cable nets is … one where Hillary outs Chris Matthews as little more than a stalker… “‘I never understood why you're obsessed with me,’ she replied. ‘Honestly, I've never understood it.’”… To his credit, Tweety actually did show the clip on his show (Monday)… He looked like he was just kicked in the stomach.
Bad Call (by Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo)
I think on (Hillary Clinton’s) MLK and Lyndon Johnson remark, the edited quote that's circulating from The Politico is misleading… (What she said was,) “‘I would point to the fact that that Dr. King's dream began to be realized when President Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, when he was able to get through Congress something that President Kennedy was hopeful to do, the President before had not even tried, but it took a president to get it done. That dream became a reality, the power of that dream became a real in peoples lives because we had a president who said we are going to do it, and actually got it accomplished.’”
It was the knowledgeable pol, Johnson, who actually got equal rights codified into law.—Caro
O’Hanlon Mourns That Obama Was Right On Iraq (Think Progress)
Brookings fellow Michael O’Hanlon continues his abysmal record of staking out the wrong positions on Iraq in an article in this morning’s Wall Street Journal, criticizing presidential candidate and Illinois Senator Barack Obama’s position on the war. It is puzzling why newspapers print O’Hanlon’s analysis, since he’s been repeatedly wrong in staking out his inconsistent and often incoherent positions on Iraq.
Fox News Used Planted Actor In Focus Groups (by Lee Rogers at RogueGovernment.cm)
During (Monday night’s) Fox News GOP debate, (pollster and phrasesmith Frank) Luntz organized a focus group to provide feedback from so called random Republican voters. However, one of the people in the focus group was also used in a previous focus group Luntz organized for the September 5th, 2007 GOP presidential debate. Take a look at the two videos taken from both focus groups and you'll see that the same guy appears in two supposedly random focus groups.
Well, we don’t really know that the guy is an actor, but he apparently is a plant. Click through to watch the two videos and to see stills from both events, showing the same person asking questions.—Caro
Dirty Politics 2008
Political mudslinging as a campaign tactic is as popular as it's ever been. Romney, Clinton, Huckabee, Giuliani, Obama - no one's managed to steer clear of targeted rumors and malicious gossip. NOW on PBS travels to South Carolina, the home of legendary no-holds-barred campaigner Lee Atwater, to see where negative stories come from, how they spread, and whether they can be effectively defeated with positive messaging. "In South Carolina, we know how to run negative campaigns," Rod Shealy, a veteran campaign strategist who was convicted for violating campaign laws, tells NOW. "Your challenge as a campaign is to damage your opponent without getting caught doing it."
Click through to watch the video.—Caro
3 Days of Peace, Love and Bipartisanship (by dday at Hullabaloo)
(Monday began) the event history will record as Wankstock, where old men and older men from all over the country will get together at the University of Oklahoma and sing in the manner of the old Joni Mitchell song, "and we got to get ourselves, back to the center!" They're coming to demand unity, which I've always found as the best way to unify any groups of people with differences, by demanding it. Their grievances are legion; they want bipartisanship, although there isn't really an agenda to embrace. If the Democrats want to let the Bush tax cuts expire for those making $200,000 or more, and the Republicans don't want any expiration, is the bipartisan position letting the tax cuts expire for those making (infinity-$200,000)/2? It's unclear.
By The Time They Got To Wankstock (by digby)
(M)ay I just reiterate how predictable it is that the Bloomer Wankstock has now decided to insist that the candidates "renounce partisan bickering"?... "Partisan bickering" means the Democrats proposing to let the Bush tax cuts expire… You see, it's divisive for Democrats to even hint that the Republicans have been on the wrong track. We need to move on from that kind of partisan ugliness and "get something done" which is actually get nothing done. What the Bloomberg discussions and the calls for bipartisanship are all about is to narrow the range of options for the Democratic nominee.
And here it comes … (by Paul Krugman)
When the economy was (sorta, kinda) strong, it showed that tax cuts work, and so we needed to make the Bush tax cuts permanent. Now the economy is falling off a cliff — although according to the White House, nobody is predicting a recession (I seem to know an awful lot of nobodies) — and you know what that means: we’d better make the Bush tax cuts permanent.
Whoopsie! Kristol's First New York Times Column Attributes Quote To Wrong Author (by Greg Sargent at TPM Horse’s Mouth)
So those critics who argued against the appointment of Bill Kristol as a New York Times columnist because of the quality of his work -- rather than merely because of ideology -- will now have yet more proof that they were on to something. That's because it looks as if Kristol's first column will already require a correction: Kristol seems to have attributed a quote to the wrong author. In the column, Kristol quotes Michelle Malkin… Only Malkin is now claiming that she didn't write this. Instead, she notes, the quote actually comes from Michael Medved… Bill Kristol, quota hire.
Bill Scher has more.—Caro
Some Brand-Name Bloggers Say Stress of Posting Is a Hazard to Their Health
Blogger Om Malik’s heart attack — and his blogging about it — raises the issue of what happens when a blogger becomes a name brand.
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, and leave room for others.—Caro
Taser unveils holster with music player
A handy new holster from Taser International Inc. holds not only your stun gun but a music player too.
So who will write the music to be tased by?—Caro Technology & ScienceDaily Poll: Will Yahoo Life! Revolutionize the Way We Use E-Mail? (Stan Schroeder at Mashable)
Yahoo Life! … seems to be quite polished even at this early stage. The premise is this: take Yahoo Mail, and make it the hub of your daily online activities; turn e-mail addresses into social profiles; connect e-mail to other services, and use the info from the contacts in these services according to the context. Here’s an example from the CES keynote: you’re calling a couple of your friends to dinner. You drag their profiles to a map and you can easily suggest a restaurant that’s conveniently placed for everyone (not to mention that you can also see your friends’ food preferences).
When do we reach the point of having too much information about each other?—Caro
Professors help students virtually
The days when students had to trek across campus to get professors' help during "office hours" may be slipping away. Harvard University computer science professor David Malan has launched "virtual office hours," allowing students to chat via text or microphone in live, online help sessions.
Blue diamond glows red
WASHINGTON - The famed Hope Diamond glows a mysterious red when exposed to ultraviolet light, a finding that scientists say can help them "fingerprint" blue diamonds and tell the real ones from the artificial.
High Levels of Stress After 9/11 Raised Heart Disease Risk
Cardiovascular problems surfaced in people with no history of heart trouble
And Republicans have worked mightily hard to keep you stressed out about terrorism, friends. Republicans are not good for us, in so many ways.—Caro
US Ranks Last Among Other Industrialized Nations On Preventable Deaths, Report Shows
ScienceDaily (Jan. 8, 2008) — The United States places last among 19 countries when it comes to deaths that could have been prevented by access to timely and effective health care, according to new research. While other nations dramatically improved these rates between 1997--98 and 2002--03, the U.S. improved only slightly.
Parental Control of Eating Leads to Lighter Toddlers
Pushing child to eat more or less food had same effect on weight at age 2, study says
Mercury-vaccine link to autism disproven: study
A new study provides more proof that childhood vaccines with mercury as a preservative -- no longer on the market -- did not cause autism, researchers reported on Monday.
Drug addiction genes identified
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Scientists in China have identified about 400 genes that appear to make some people more easily addicted to drugs, opening the way for more effective therapies and addiction control.
Small Lifestyle Changes Can Boost Longevity
Not smoking, exercising, moderate drinking, eating veggies could add 14 years, study says.
Stopping smoking isn’t exactly a “small” lifestyle change. But it’s a very important one.—Caro
New Blueberry Bushes Offer High Yields Of Plump, Phytonutrient-rich Fruit
ScienceDaily (Jan. 8, 2008) — Combining tenacity with taste, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in Poplarville, Miss., have bred three new blueberry cultivars that can take the heat of growing in the South while offering high yields of plump, phytonutrient-rich fruit.
Winemaking Waste Proves Effective Against Disease-causing Bacteria In Early Studies
The findings suggest that specific polyphenols, present in large amounts in fermented seeds and skins cast away after grapes are pressed, interfere with the ability of bacteria to contribute to tooth decay. Beyond cavities, the action of the wine grape-based chemicals may also hold clues for new ways to lessen the ability of bacteria to cause life-threatening, systemic infections.
Precursor of Life Molecules Found Around Star
Astronomers have found the first signature of complex organic molecules in the dust cloud around a distant star, suggesting that these building blocks of life may be a common feature of planetary systems. In our solar system, the large carbon molecules, called tholins, have been found in comets and on Saturn's moon, Titan, giving its atmosphere a red tinge. Tholins are thought to be precursors to the biomolecules that make up living organisms on Earth EnvironmentPolar Bear Fate Undecided
The head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took responsibility Monday for missing a deadline requiring a final decision on whether to give polar bears federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. "Rather than speed up protections for this iconic animal, the Bush administration is speeding up its giveaway of polar bear habitat to big oil," said Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., in a statement. Markey chairs the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.
In Greenland, Ice and Instability
A scientific scramble is under way to clarify whether the erosion of the world’s most vulnerable ice sheets can continue to accelerate.
China ice festival feels heat from climate change
Chinese scientists have warned that climate change is hurting the most famous draw in the northern city of Harbin -- its annual ice sculpture contest. Average annual temperatures in the city perched on the edge of Siberia hit 6.6 degrees Celsius (44 Fahrenheit) last year, the highest average since records began, and the ice sculptures are feeling the heat.
Canada needs carbon tax quickly - gov't panel
OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Conservative government needs to quickly impose a price on carbon to stand any chance of meeting its own targets for cutting emissions of greenhouse gases, an official panel said on Monday.
GE Energy Joins SunPower for Calif. Solar Projects
SAN JOSE, Jan. 8, 2008 -- As part of its ecomagination initiative, GE Energy Financial Services will finance five commercial and public solar power installations in California, including the largest single-roof system in the U.S.
Germans to build giant wind farm in Australia
Sydney - German renewable-energy company Conergy AG on Tuesday announced plans to build Australia's largest wind farm in a 50-50 joint venture with local financial powerhouse Macquarie Bank.
Corn... fuel... fire! U.S. corn subsidies promote Amazon deforestation
Amazon deforestation and fires are being aggravated by US farm subsidies, claims STRI’s staff scientist William Laurance. According to Laurance, whose findings are reported this week in Science (December 14), a recent spike in Amazonian fires is being promoted by massive US subsidies that promote American corn production for ethanol. The ethanol is being blended with gasoline as an automobile fuel.
Archer Daniels Midland to Bury Carbon From Ethanol Plant
OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 8, 2008 -- One million tons of carbon will be buried and monitored from 2009-2012 to test effectiveness of carbon sequestration.
GM to Unveil Hydrogen-Electric Cadillac
DETROIT (AP) - General Motors Corp. will unveil a hydrogen fuel-cell-powered Cadillac crossover concept vehicle at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Tuesday. GM envisions the five-passenger Provoq going 300 miles on a single fill-up of hydrogen, getting 280 miles from hydrogen power
Green woes greets India's new "People's Car"
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's "People's Car" has yet to be unveiled and the advertising campaign has not even begun, but some Indians are already raving about Tata Motor's new $2,500 car -- despite the fears of environmentalists. For more headlines, visit MakeThemAccountable.com.
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