] The Times said Powell's reservations included Bolton's
] harsh treatment of subordinates. It said the former
] secretary of state praised Bolton's performance on some
] matters during his tenure as undersecretary of state, but
] the newspaper quoted associates saying his comments fell
] far short of the endorsements offered by President Bush
] and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Powell lost a lot of respect when he went to UN with the "mobile labs" story. It will be interesting to see if he gets any of it back putting a few more holes in the sinking Bolton ship.

Powell Discusses Bolton Nomination with Senators

] The supporters of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr,
] whose Mahdi Army militiamen signed truces last year with
] U.S.-led forces, filled Firdous Square and spilled into
] nearby avenues, waving Iraqi flags and burning effigies
] of U.S. President George W. Bush, British Prime Minister
] Tony Blair and Saddam.

Two years ago when we tore down the statue of Saddam, the square was largely empty. I guess things are better because people aren't as afraid, but the fact that they fill the square against us is telling.

Yahoo! News - Thousands Protest on Baghdad Anniversary

] The custody request from Bush cited new allegations of
] neglect and challenges Schiavo's diagnosis as being in a
] persistent vegetative state. The request is based on the
] opinion of a neurologist working for the state who
] observed Schiavo at her bedside but did not conduct an
] examination of her.
]
]
] The neurologist, William Cheshire of the Mayo Clinic in
] Jacksonville, is a bioethicist who is also an active
] member in Christian organizations, including two whose
] leaders have spoken out against the tube's removal.
]
]
] Ronald Cranford of the University of Minnesota, a
] neurologist who was among those who made a previous
] diagnosis of Schiavo, said "there isn't a reputable,
] credible neurologist in the world who won't find her in a
] vegetative state."

A couple of thoughts come to mind here immediately. "Peacekeeper Missle" is an oxymoron. "Christian activist-bioethicist" doesn't even make it to that level. It ranks somewhere below "Model-Actress." Second, a doctor making a diagnosis without ever examining the patient? What the hell sort of quackery is this?

I have said previously I feel sorry for the families involved, but frankly, if the 15 years this woman has been kept alive were being done "to" someone instead of "for" someone it would be considered the most heinous of crimes and I am having a hard time with finding where that distinction comes from.

On the other hand, this is perfect timing. The 2nd anniversary of the Iraq invasion was just a few days ago, and no one ia talking about that.

Supreme Court Rejects Terri Schiavo Case

"A federal judge ordered the Bush administration Monday to either charge terrorism suspect Jose Padilla with a crime or release him after more than 2 1/2 years in custody.

U.S. District Judge Henry Floyd in Spartanburg, S.C., said the government can not hold Padilla indefinitely as an "enemy combatant," a designation President Bush gave him in 2002."

It's about F-ing time. Actually it was about F-ing time two years ago. If Padilla is a POS terrorist, charge and try him. Or release him - thats the LAW. Can't help but wonder if the real reason the govt. is dragging their feet is that maybe their case is flimsy with a massive loophole that could let him walk.

While I agree totally with Judge Floyd's ruling, I expect it to be over turned by a higher court... and so it will start all over again. *sigh*.

LB

We'll see, I'm not so sure. These guys tend to go odd ways on some things, but I'm not sure the Supremes are willing to let anyone have that kind of power. Too bad it will still take a while before it gets there.

Judge 'Charge or Release Padilla'

] The problem comes, it seems to me, when we try to collate
] fairness with sameness, logic with theory, and social
] justice with scholarly taboos. Larry Summers may have
] said a foolish thing, but the fact that such innocuous
] words at a vaunted university of "liberal free speech"
] caused an uproar makes me wonder if we don't need to do
] some deeper thinking about the true principles of
] feminism.

This is one of the reasons I like Georgie. She manages to recast what was a polarizing comment back into a reasonable discussion. This is why she's that "nice old lady" and Ann Coulter is a screeching harridan.

DISCERNING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 'FAIR' AND 'SAME'

] The tapes raised questions about mistreatment and
] misconduct, however, said the investigators, who
] suggested some clips needed more scrutiny to rule out
] abuse. The military has cited 10 substantiated cases of
] abuse at Guantanamo, and announced Tuesday an extension
] would be granted for an investigation to interview of
] witnesses in the United States and abroad.

Is anyone surprised?

AP: Videos Show Guantanamo Prisoner Abuse

] The Army is now planning to keep at least 120,000
] soldiers in Iraq for the next two years to train and
] fight with Iraqi forces against insurgents, a senior Army
] general said yesterday.

Quagmire doesn't begin to describe this debacle.

U.S. troop level likely at 120,000 for 2 years

] Police say that after two men robbed the woman, one of
] them called the victim on his cell phone to apologize and
] to ask her out on a date.
]
]
] The victim, 18, declined the request, instead giving the
] cell phone number to police, who arrested Brent Brown,
] 25, on Thursday.

And again, something with no real point, just funny.

ABC News: Cops: Alleged Robber Calls Victim for Date

] "It's not a terrible loss," Army Burns, spokesman for the
] Pentagon's Iraq Project and
] Contracting Office, told the Los Angeles Times.

Wait... the SPOKESMAN's name is Army Burns??? I think we've found our Bagdhad Bob!

Major US contractor withdraws from Iraq reconstruction effort: report

] The provision would apply to all schools, elementary
] through college, that receive federal aid. Education
] groups worry that the provision could be the opening
] wedge in a campaign by Washington to influence what
] schools teach.
]
]
] Byrd carries a copy of the Constitution in his breast
] pocket %u2014 over his heart %u2014 and often waves it on
] the Senate floor. He lamented in a recent speech that
] even some of his colleagues in Congress didn't know fully
] what it said. "An informed public is our best defense
] against tyranny," he said.

I'm not especially in favor of saying teach this or teach that, but this is one I'm 100% in favor of. Way to go Robert Byrd!

Yahoo! News - Mission to Mandate Teaching of Constitution Inserted Into Bill