Hartsongs

NAJAF, Iraq - For nearly three weeks, Amer al-Jamali hasn't been able to go to work. He cannot visit his father, find medication for his diabetic children or even sleep on his roof to escape the city's suffocating heat made worse by power outages.

President Bush's re-election campaign insisted on knowing the race of an Arizona Daily Star journalist assigned to photograph Vice President Dick Cheney...

Data of casualties from armed conflict are inherently difficult to accurately collect because of the uncontrolled environment of wartime.

Astounding best estimates suggest that for every battle death, nine indirect deaths occur and up to 13 nonfatal injuries.

Therefore, to get a better understanding of actual wartime deaths and injuries, one can multiply a listed military death toll by a factor of 22.

As of today, Lunaville cites 1024 coalition deaths x 22=22,528

A train carrying activists to Canada to buy drugs left Monday on a rolling protest against U.S. prescription drug prices.

The "Rx Express" was paid for and arranged by a taxpayers' group that wants the government to be allowed to negotiate a national bulk-purchasing program for pharmaceuticals to reduce their cost to Medicare patients and others.

Wonder what will happen when they cross the border coming back into the U.S. Will they be arrested as 'terrorists'?

via AHNC

All Hat No Cattle got a mention in the N.Y. Times. Can't say I agree with the author's opinion of the site, which is one of my first reads; although, these days getting any computer time is scarce...

"Cheney knew that the firm was counting projected cost-overrun payments as revenues. The vice president was aware of who owed us money, and he helped us collect it."

Halliburton CEO David Lesar

"Precisely because America is powerful, we must be sensitive about expressing our power and influence." Resident Bush

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy on Thursday said he had been misidentified on a terrorism watch list when he tried to board airliners between Washington and Boston.

The well-known Massachusetts Democrat was stopped five times as he tried to board U.S. Airways shuttles...

First he said thatthey were under fire, then they weren't, then sputtered that Kerry must have been making it all up...

False Terrorist Warnings: Like rumors of the Second Coming, they never happened

The New & Improved Iraqi 'Freedom'

The emergency measures signed into law by the prime minister empower the government to impose curfews, make arrests, restrict the movement of foreigners, open mail, tap telephones and ban political groups, street protests and meetings.

You don’t suppose…

That the ban on Al Jazeera had anything to do with them reporting this story about Iraq’s new executioner, do you?

Or maybe this?

Irreplaceable historical sites and religious artefacts are being destroyed by the US-led occupation forces, says Iraq's interim culture minister.

Sites including Babylon, one of the world's most renowned archaeological treasures, are being damaged by the occupation forces, according to minister Mufid al-Jazairi.

Iraq's Most Wanted

Chalabi & Chalabi

counterfeiting and financial irregularities...

Republican Shenanigans

“The regime of Fidel Castro George Bush has turned Cuba New York into a major destination for sex tourism replacing Southeast Asia as a destination for pedophiles and sex tourists from the United Sates and Canada," Bush claimed.

"Sex tourism is a vital source of hard currency to keep his my corrupt government afloat," he claimed.

"Bush said that putting an end to human trafficking will be an essential part of his foreign policy."

”The traffic in human beings brings shame and suffering to our country and we shall lead the fight against it," he promised.

"You are in a fight against evil, and the American people are grateful for your dedication and service," he told those at the conference.

"Human life is the gift of our Creator and it should never be for sale."

In the meantime…
Agencies are flying in extra call girls from around the globe to meet the expected demand during the Aug. 30-Sept. 2 (GOP) gathering at Madison Square Garden… Charging from $300 to upwards of $1,000 for an hour of companionship and a whole lot more, escorts said they can always count on conventioneers for big business.

REQUIRED READING
Gavin DeBecker

Apocalypse Not Now (kangaroo facts masquerading as knowledge)

"It would be interesting if the standards of Truth in Advertising were applied to television news as they sometimes are to television commercials. In that unlikely situation, TV news writers would be required to use phrases and words that convey accurate information – as opposed to the phrases and words they use today...POSSIBLE: As in 'Next Up: Possible links between Saddam Hussein and tooth decay…'”

Media Fear Tactics

Working three jobs seven days a week is tiring --and hasn't raised our household income above poverty level despite the Resident saying that Kerry was 'lying' when he spoke to that issue, however, I have to disagree.

Seems more and more people are standing on corners with signs; told my son that I've heard some of them bring in quite a bit of money that way & maybe I should try it. "Just don't let anyone I know see you." So much for that idea.

Little time left for writing, and I miss it. Back to jotting down ideas and notes on envelopes or whatever happens to be handy...

Greg Palast informs us that 90% of the Florida 'felon' list is erroneous, including "criminal of the future" Thomas Cooper, whose date of conviction is January 30, 2007.