The Iraqi government launched an inquiry on Monday into how guards filmed and taunted Saddam Hussein on the gallows, turning his execution into a televised spectacle that has inflamed sectarian anger.

Good. I agree with the statement Rattle quoted:

Executions are generally expected to be solemn affairs –- certainly not opportunities for thugs to score some final sectarian points before the “enemy” is disposed of.

SignOnSanDiego.com -- Iraq govt to probe filming of Saddam hanging

If the holidays have made you forget how screwed up everything is right now, this photo essay should remind you.

TIME: The Best Photos of the Year 2006

In what police describe as a "probable" suicide leap, a prominent Monterey Bay Area attorney fell at least nine floors to his death at the Embassy Suites Hotel Monterey Bay in Seaside the morning before Christmas.

Sanford was active in the national arena. He appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2004 beside Elk Grove resident Michael Newdow when he argued unsuccessfully that the words "under God" should be stricken from the Pledge of Allegiance.

A passionate believer in "a dynamic Constitution," Sanford always carried a copy of the U.S. Constitution in his pocket, Mills said.

"He was a champion of the downtrodden, he represented homeless people in Santa Cruz, and fought for free speech," Mills said.

Mills said Sanford decided in recent years to add journalism to his many occupations.

Almost immediately, he caused a stir after he joined the White House Press Corps in 2005, making waves as the first reporter to ask then-White House press secretary Scott McClellan whether the leaking of CIA agent Valerie Plame's name might be considered an act of treason.

Lawyer falls to death at hotel

Executive Order 12958 declared that in 2000, every classified document 25 years of age or older would be automatically declassified unless the classifying agency had already sought and received that document's exemption (anything that could cause an "identifiable" risk to national security, would violate a person's privacy or involves more than one agency is exempt). After two three-year extensions granted by the Bush administration in response to cries from the CIA, FBI, NSA and other agencies that they didn't have the manpower to review all of their papers in time, the final deadline has arrived. And President Bush is enforcing it.

Howstuffworks: U.S. to declassify massive amounts of information

Here's a Santa's-eye view of Denver International Airport,

This is quite surreal...

Boing Boing: Snowed-in Denver airport viewed from above (photo)

The "Great Man" theory of history is usually attributed to the Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle, who wrote that "the history of the world is but the biography of great men." He believed that it is the few, the powerful and the famous who shape our collective destiny as a species. That theory took a serious beating this year.

...Look at 2006 through a different lens and you'll see another story, one that isn't about conflict or great men. It's a story about community and collaboration on a scale never seen before. It's about the cosmic compendium of knowledge Wikipedia and the million-channel people's network YouTube and the online metropolis MySpace. It's about the many wresting power from the few and helping one another for nothing and how that will not only change the world, but also change the way the world changes.

Time Magazine announces that the Prosumer is mainstream.

Person of the Year: You - CNN.com

A Russian anti-terror hit team raided the offices of the oppositional "United Civil Front" in Moscow. It's founder, Garry Kasparov, was removed from a German TV news discussion, at the behest of Russian authorities. Things are looking dangerous for the former world chess champion, who will participate in a "March of the Dissidents" on Saturday.

And you thought the Patriot Act was bad...

Garry Kasparov: 'We will march!'

Islamic militants are using a recent peace deal with the government to consolidate their hold in northern Pakistan, vastly expanding their training of suicide bombers and other recruits and fortifying alliances with Al Qaeda and foreign fighters, diplomats and intelligence officials from several nations say. The result, they say, is virtually a Taliban mini-state.

Taliban and Allies Tighten Grip in North of Pakistan - New York Times

Simplest and safest is bribery. I don't know why we don't do it more often. Almost makes me believe the guys running things are secret war nerds themselves, because otherwise they'd do bribery as a way of bringing down "rogue states" all the time. Just do the math. Right now, November 12, 2006, the official cost of Iraq is around $340 billion. Suppose we'd just bombed Iraq with dollars; we'd be the heroes of the world, and every family in Iraq would be - are you ready for this?-$70,000 richer. That would make Iraq one of the richest countries in the world.

Kinda puts the spending in perspective, don't it? This article is great. I am so glad Jello introduced us to eXile. eXile is one of the coolest things on the web.

eXile - Issue #251 - War Nerd - How To Win In Iraq - By Gary Brecher

If you're feeling charitable over the holidays you could do worse than to donate to one of these.

dc0de wrote:

Please, take a moment to thank your nearest sailor, airman, soldier, marine, and coast guard. If you don't know any, here are a few links to find a way to say "Thanks".

http://www.uso.org/whatwedo/specialprograms/

http://www.military.com/Content/MoreContent1/?file=support_troops

http://www.usocares.org/src/uso_home.htm

Thats my 2¢, YMMV.

dc0de.

RE: Top Democrat: Bring back the draft - CNN.com