ThinkFast: August 14, 2006
A U.N.-declared cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel went into effect this morning after a brutal escalation in violence over the weekend. Prospects for sustaining the cease-fire appear “dim” and assembling the international military force in Lebanon “is expected to take at least two or three weeks.”
Despite a “months-long push†to search for militants in “every house and business, street by street, neighborhood by neighborhood,†sectarian violence continues to rock Baghdad. “Car bombs and a rocket barrage struck a predominantly Shiite neighborhood in Baghdad, killing at least 62 people†today.
Illinois has dropped a referendum to ban gay marriage from its November ballot. State officials say supporters say failed to gather enough valid signatures.
“Violence against women in Afghanistan is widespread and mainly happens inside victims’ homes,†according to a report from the U.N. Development Fund for Women. “Acts of violence (against women) are happening with impunity,†the report said.
Saqib Ali, a Muslim candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates, is being protested by a man who sits outside Ali’s house “with a sign reading ‘Islam sucks,’ and a shirt with the slogan, ‘This mind is an Allah-free zone.’”
Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA) made a tax-free profit of $10 million from land sold to the city of Monrovia by claiming that the city “had forced him to sell the property under threat of eminent domain.” Just one problem: “Monrovia officials say that Miller sold the land willingly and that they didn’t threaten to force him to sell.”
“Rich countries have largely failed to back their voluble lip service to combating global poverty by doing more to help,†according to the Center for Global Development. The U.S. ranked 13 of out 21 countries “according to how their policies on overseas aid, trade, security, the environment, migration, technology and investment help poor nations.â€
The Christian Science Monitor has begun an 11-part series by Jill Carroll, who was kidnapped and held for three months by insurgents in Baghdad.
And finally: Two Wisconsin candidates for attorney general brought civility back to politics after a debate between them got a little heated. “That’s why you suck, Paul, because you only listen to people who agree with you,†J.B. Van Hollen told Paul Bucher. “I don’t suck,†Bucher responded. The two made up over fax last Friday after Van Hollen apologized.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date
64 Responses to “ThinkFast: August 14, 2006”
Register
RSSLogin
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog RollAbout Think ProgressContact Us
Donate
http://www.newsvine.com/ _news/ 2006/ 08/ 11/ 322095-hospitalized-sheehan-to-keep-up-protest
Sheehan treated for hunger strike, eating again.
I never quite understood a hunger strike. It has always sort of reminded me of a kid holding their breath.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:17 amIllinois has dropped a referendum to ban gay marriage from its November ballot. State officials say supporters say failed to gather enough valid signatures.
Maybe that’s a sign that this silliness is going away.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:21 amtundra, i would be more hopeful if it were, say, georgia or alabama who had dropped such a referendum…
but, yes, the silliness will eventually go away…
August 14th, 2006 at 9:25 am“Violence against women in Afghanistan is widespread and mainly happens inside victims’ homes,â€
pretty much how it happens world wide it seems…
August 14th, 2006 at 9:27 amSince the GOP in Illinois doesn’t have the “homosexual marriage crisis” to rally around, maybe they can concentrate on selling Bush’s failed policies. Bush and the neocons have made the GOP a bitter pill to swallow–even for die-hard “conservatives” who were sold down the river by neocon lies and false promises.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:35 amI like the story about Gary Miller. While sleezy politicians are nothing new, he seems to have a lot of chutzpah.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:36 amyou like that huh… chutzpah is not the correct term…
August 14th, 2006 at 9:46 ami’d bet the citizens would appreciate having that tax money where it belongs… it’s obvious that miller doesn’t need it…
it notes that the “redevelopment plan for this project area does not currently authorize the use of eminent domain.” But it also notes that, “the Redevelopment Agency is in the process of amending the redevelopment plan to authorize the use of eminent domain.”
I don’t know Katy. They said they were amending it to authorize eminent domain. Of course since they didn’t use it I think he owes taxes because he would not have gotten a fraction of the money of they did it that way.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:49 amThat whole story reminded me of how much I hate eminent domain. It’s really just a way to take something from those who earned it for someone elses own good.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:55 amhttp://www.michaelmoore.com/ words/ latestnews/ index.php?id=7644
The above article is about how depleted uranium is used in the weapons used in Iraq and how it adversely affects our troops (not to mention the Iraqis).
War is the most horrible creation of mankind, and yet we have a president who not only starts war, but is proud to be called the “war president”. Such an insane macho boy.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:55 ammy “Question to Obama”, for tomorrow, rough draft (combines the best of 3 out of 4 suggestions from TP posters - thanks!):
i want to say that i am so proud of you and your work - except for your early vote for the bankruptcy bill that allows lending institutions and credit card companies to profit from any misfortune incurred by “the mythical little guy 
my question is this:
since corporate interests control the media, and the government,
what can be cone about the persistant recitation of lies and misinformation by the media, and even directly from the administration?
what do you believe can be done to take power away from the ruling class and return it to the people?
i need to ties that last line in better… more suggestions ?
i’d like to get “fairness doctrine” in there somehow…
August 14th, 2006 at 10:00 amWilly,
While noone disputes that he has problems and noone is disputing that it is most likely caused from his time in Iraq. Nobody except him is calling it depleted uranium. Not the doctors (military or civilian) or anyone else that has reviewed his case.
Depleted uranium has been used in 20mm shells for the A-10 for many years. It’s what helps it to basically melt the tanks. There are numerous training sites within the U.S. that those rounds are fired. Those targets are moved around by people not wearing any special gear.
I just think people need to find the cause of his problems and treat him as opposed to taking a quick guess and calling it.
August 14th, 2006 at 10:02 am“Rich countries have largely failed to back their voluble lip service to combating global poverty by doing more to help,†according to the Center for Global Development.
What do they want from us? Don’t they know that we are spenid all this money on two ground wars, a global war on tError, buidling palace/embassies, bases, new weapons and bombs, no-bid contracts, mercenaries and etc. We already are borrowing all we can from China. I mean how much more can we borrow and spend? we have to draw the line somewhere and the poor are not even close to that line apparently. Where do they expect us to get the money from? WWJBF? (who would jesus borrow from)
August 14th, 2006 at 10:04 amThe Christian Science Monitor has begun an 11-part series by Jill Carroll, who was kidnapped and held for three months by insurgents in Baghdad.
I remember a time not too long ago many wacko righties were slamming this woman as an anti-American traitor. Some were even posting here. I almost wonder what they think now….almost….it really isn’t worth my time.
August 14th, 2006 at 10:12 amTundra,
Do you have any news of Squeegy? He hasn’t been around for a while.
August 14th, 2006 at 10:13 amTundra,
There have been plenty of articles in the press about the adverse effects of depleted uranium. The people most affected usually are the inhabitants of the area where the weapons are used. The subject of the above article may or may not be suffering from these effects, but nonetheless any reasonable person knows that using depleted uranium in weapons is without a doubt an anti-humanitarian action. This merely helps to further illustrate the misguided mindset of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and those who support them.
August 14th, 2006 at 10:15 amSaqib Ali, a Muslim candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates, is being protested by a man who sits outside Ali’s house “with a sign reading ‘Islam sucks,’ and a shirt with the slogan, ‘This mind is an Allah-free zone.’â€
The shirt should read “I’m with Stupid,” with an arrow pointing upward. Douchebag…
August 14th, 2006 at 10:15 amZooey,
He’s doing pretty good. His side of the fence at work has picked up quite a bit. While mine has calmed down :)
August 14th, 2006 at 10:18 amIt appears that he is going to keep getting more responsibility at work until he snaps LOL
#4-katy- Sad but true. In every country, no matter what the system of Government is, we have ‘Big Strong Men’, who physically abuse women, because it is just so easy. And the majority of women have no way out, and their tormentors know it, because they are the ones writting the laws in their favor. Even the newest ‘democratic’ nations continue to oppress women, all in the name of religion. That’s ‘progress’, or so we’re told. Oh, by the way, while riding his bike yesterday, GWB ran over an Armadillo, I don’t know if the Armadillo survived the encounter, but COME ON! He didn’t see it? That is impossible to believe. What is WRONG with him?!? It is sickening and disturbing and it needs to be explained, promptly.
August 14th, 2006 at 10:19 amThanks, Tundra. Tell Squeegy — on his break time — Zookeeper says Hey.
August 14th, 2006 at 10:21 amhttp://www.bushwatch.com/ August 14
Politics of Deceit: Dictator Bush’s Scare Tactics Not Working (excerpts), Paul Krugman
Just two days after 9/11, I learned from Congressional staffers that Republicans on Capitol Hill were already exploiting the atrocity, trying to use it to push through tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy… and other Bush nonesense
#13 has good post on real US intentions for middle east. US never had intention to create representative republics in either Afghanistan or Iraq, neither country had much to do on 9/11 but Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Pakistan are our friends! War against terror is really war against freedom. The war on freedom has helped ultra rich in multinational banking & corporations, and military industrial complex make more money and concentrate power. Like our lawmakers, these people are also above the law.
August 14th, 2006 at 10:23 amAnd the majority of women have no way out, and their tormentors know it, because they are the ones writting the laws in their favor.
Comment by Cyra Brown — August 14, 2006 @ 10:19 am
You know what? I would love to see all women practicing Kung-Fu, Jiu-Jitsu, Nippon Kempo, Judo or Boxing. That would scare the shit out of cowards.
August 14th, 2006 at 10:24 am16
but nonetheless any reasonable person knows that using depleted uranium in weapons is without a doubt an anti-humanitarian action. This merely helps to further illustrate the misguided mindset of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld
I’m not sure about the possible effects, I’m not a nuclear physicist. I do know that it was used in those same shells back in the early 90’s. I also know that A-10’s fired those same rounds in engagements in Somalia at ground targets. I am assuming that any era of people that allowed that to happen are equally guilty?
August 14th, 2006 at 10:25 amCyra,
GWB ran over an armadillo!? With his bike? Jeebus, that was quite the achievement. It’s probably dead — the Secret Service probably blasted it into oblivion for its attack on Dear Leader.
August 14th, 2006 at 10:25 amYou know what? I would love to see all women practicing Kung-Fu, Jiu-Jitsu, Nippon Kempo, Judo or Boxing. That would scare the shit out of cowards.
Comment by Juan C
Me too, Juan. Good morning! But sometimes its the “mind f*ck” that leaves you laying on the floor. No hitting required.
August 14th, 2006 at 10:27 am[…] [HT: ThinkProgress] [link] […]
August 14th, 2006 at 10:31 amFor an analysis of the differences between the Muslim communities in the U.S. and Europe, see:
August 14th, 2006 at 10:31 amHomegrown Terrorism in the U.S. and Europe.”
#24-Zooey- That’s the report I heard. I wonder if he screamed “Bring Em’ ON!” before impact?
August 14th, 2006 at 10:33 amA “waste” product of the process used to enrich uranium for use in nuclear reactor power plants and nuclear weapons production, the Pentagon loves the toxic and radioactive material because it is cheap, plentiful, and extremely effective in penetrating heavy tanks and other armored vehicles. Approximately 700,000 tons of this discarded radioactive material have accumulated within the United States over the 60 years of the nuclear age.1 When a DU-coated projectile impacts a solid surface, the pyrophoric properties of this heavy metal cause it to ignite. As the projectile quickly burns through the armor the intense heat results in an aerosolized release of radioactive alpha particles. During the explosion, uranium combines immediately with oxygen, producing clouds of uranium oxide dust known to be chemically poisonous and believed to be highly carcinogenic. Thus a DU weapon’s explosion exposes the living environment to both nuclear and chemical poisoning. Ingestion of uranium oxide particles in the body subjects humans to internal, versus external, radiation, requiring appropriately new medical research to determine the impacts on the DNA and on performance of various bodily functions.
Even more frightening is discovery of the Pentagon’s use of a dangerous “nuclear waste cocktail” that includes transuranic elements such as plutonium, neptunium, and americum. This suggests pure uranium (U), as well as depleted uranium (DU), is included in the spent nuclear fuel mix. There are apparently only three U.S. locations possessing such “nuclear cocktails”–nuclear plants in Paducah, Kentucky, Portsmouth, Ohio, and Oak Ridge, Tennessee.2
more
August 14th, 2006 at 10:34 amZooey,
Have you ever had a “mind f*ck†that leaves you laying on the floor? Ahhh she was great, I never knew it could happen :)
OK, it was a shoddy attempt
August 14th, 2006 at 10:37 amHave you ever had a “mind f*ck†that leaves you laying on the floor?
Comment by Tundra
Yes. And after many years, I’m a happy person, and he’s married to a person just like him.
:-)
Have a great day, ya’ll!
August 14th, 2006 at 10:46 amKaty;
August 14th, 2006 at 10:50 amI don’t approve of Miller, I would like to see him cough up the money and spend a couple of years in prison. Its just this is such a shameless example of lying, and fraud and tax evasion I think he is a quintensential Republican con artists. Its such a blatant criminal actions unseen since Tom DeLay.
Tundra,
Nobody moves targets around on military live fire sites for fear on non-exploded rounds.
August 14th, 2006 at 11:16 amTundra,
August 14th, 2006 at 11:26 amIf you want read this about DU useage.
was it Friday that Jason Hendler kept bringing up the 9/11 commission report? WELL, JMH, of you’re here, this is for YOU:
Gullible Americans
Paul Craig Roberts
The two co-chairmen of the 9/11 Commission Report, Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton, have just released a new book, “Without Precedent: The Inside Story of the 9/11 Commission.†Kean and Hamilton reveal that the commission suppressed the fact that Muslim ire toward the US is due to US support for Israel’s persecution and dispossession of the Palestinians, not to our “freedom and democracy†as Bush propagandistically claims. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article14531.htm
August 14th, 2006 at 11:34 amLike the line from from “Full Metal Jacket”
“if they run their VC, if the don’t run their well disciplined VC”
August 14th, 2006 at 11:53 amDU ammunition has been around a heck of a lot longer than Bush & CO. It has been the ammo of choice for our tank main guns for well over 25 years now. It is also used in many other weapons systems, the A-10 for instance as mentioned above. It is not immoral or illegal to use it. In fact it may be the only ammo capable of defeating some armor on the battle field.
August 14th, 2006 at 11:54 amWhile DU not being illegal is a matter of law, it not being immoral is a matter of opinion.
August 14th, 2006 at 12:03 pm“Illinois has dropped a referendum to ban gay marriage from its November ballot. State officials say supporters say failed to gather enough valid signatures”
This ought to be good news for Dem candidates; no red meat issue to bring the wingers out to the polls. And the state GOP is in the doldrums anyway, given George Ryan’s problems and the mess Bush has made of anything he touches. It’s going to be a very low-turnout election in November.
August 14th, 2006 at 12:15 pmI’m happy to see at least one state population with enough reasonable viewpoints to not sign onto a petition for a gay marriage ban referendum.
August 14th, 2006 at 12:18 pmClare,
I think it is more a realization, that gay marriage is largely a non-issue. There are so many far more important issues out there, war, health care, poverty, drugs, crime, illegal immigration, etc….
August 14th, 2006 at 12:20 pmHas the armadillo apologized for getting in the way of the First Bicycle (Message Courier One?) yet?
August 14th, 2006 at 12:25 pmBush/Blair Concocted Terrorism?
Monday 14th of August 2006
by Jay Randal
Whenever Pres. Bush and PM Blair are floundering politically, then mysteriously a terrorist threat gets revealed or thwarted, but never passes the smell test!
The current alleged terrorist plot is another Dubya and his poodle Blair operation. None of the so-called plotters even had chemicals to manufacture any liquid explosives, so the personal hygiene products seized by airport security personnel is completely unjustified. Besides the plotters supposedly were going to blow up liquid chemical devices, so NOT something pasty like toothpaste, nor waxy like chapstick or deodorant bars, nor creamy like skin lotions, nor foamy like shaving gels, nor pleasant smelling like perfume or cologne, nor to mimic applesauce or other edible food items. Contact lens wash, shampoo, or other pure liquefied products can be banned as a precaution in carry-on baggage, but seizing tubes of toothpaste is rediculous.
This whole bogus charade seems to be an attempt to prop-up the Bush Regime, and Blair’s government, at a critical time, and to divert attention away from the Iraq fiasco and Israel’s vile aggression on Lebanon!
( Jay Randal, political activist and writer in Stone Mountain, Georgia.)
August 14th, 2006 at 12:26 pmI was in the 4/5 Fielld Artillery Fort Riley, KS 1st Infantry Division Mechanized.
I have that opinion, because I have seen just how destructive standard High Explosives are. Depleted Uranium is not needed. My opinion is based on personal experience in the United States Army. What is your opinion based on.
Which service did you serve in?
August 14th, 2006 at 12:29 pmNobody moves targets around on military live fire sites for fear on non-exploded rounds.
Comment by Spudge_Boy — August 14, 2006 @ 11:16 am
Spudge,
I’ve been on range details were we moved tracked vehicles and replaced them. When something gets shot up for long enough there isn’t a good target any longer. There was always EOD and engineers doing a majority of the moving, they wern’t in any protective clothing either though.
August 14th, 2006 at 12:34 pmIf Bush and Blair wanted tubes of toothpaste to be the concocted terrorist device, then they should have claimed the terrorists planned on using plastic Semtex explosive inside of toothpaste containers, then all is needed is a fuse to light at the end of it > not too big of a deal since matches and lighters are still allowed on airlines > lol.
August 14th, 2006 at 12:40 pm…….america is to blame….blah blah blah….america is to blame….blah blah blah…..Bush is the devil…..blah blah….Rove will eat you babies if you give him the chance……blah blah blah….WE planned 9/11…blah blah blah….All the hurricanes and other natural occuring weather patterns have been caused within the past six years…blah blah blah…..Religion=Satan….blah blah blah…..terrorism is not as big of a problem as most people think…blah blah blah….Cheney’s daughter is gay because he abused her….blah blah blah…..Gore won!!! Blah blah blah…..Kerry was defeated by a bunch of religious fanatics….blah blah blah……Cindy Sheehan should never be questioned….blah blah blah…..the main-stream media is in Bushs back pocket….blah blah blah….Saddam was running a tidy little country…..blah blah blah….Israel has over-reached……blah blah blah……the failure of american schools is all Bushs fault…..blah blah blah…….health care? Bushs fault…blah blah blah….social security? Bushs fault…..blah blah blah……sunburn on the beach?Bushs fault…blah blah blah…..speeding ticket?Bushs fault…….blah blah blah….constipation?Bushs fault….blah blah….blah….
I think I may have forgotten something….Did I say blah blah blah?
August 14th, 2006 at 12:43 pmTundra,
OMFG! When the hell did they start putting our soldiers in harms way for no freaking reason. We fire artillery rounds at tanks and jeeps that had been in the same place since World War II. These things were hit with artillery rounds and still made great targets.
I don’t have a rank. I served during Desert Storm. Was only in 2 years and made it to PFC. Where did you serve? Rank?
August 14th, 2006 at 12:54 pmyea… that’s a good start, mike… now tell all your buddies you got it covered, no need to stop in at TP to muddy things up more… thanks…
August 14th, 2006 at 12:59 pmHey Look Everyone, Mike just discovered you can “cut and paste”
Bravo, Mikey, Bravo
Next week, Mike will learn all about Microsoft Excel ‘97
August 14th, 2006 at 1:01 pmSanto seek therapy please > lol.
August 14th, 2006 at 3:01 pmSaqib Ali, a Muslim candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates, is being protested by a man who sits outside Ali’s house “with a sign reading ‘Islam sucks,’ and a shirt with the slogan, ‘This mind is an Allah-free zone.’â€
The shirt should read “I’m with Stupid,†with an arrow pointing upward. Douchebag…
Comment by Zooey — August 14, 2006 @ 10:15 am
Truett called his protest “an experiment,” explaining: “I had heard that Muslims were generally intolerant of views other than their own, and so I thought I would put it to the test.”
LOL, Muslims are intolerant of views other than their own? Pot meet kettle…
August 14th, 2006 at 5:16 pmBuckarooBanzai! …are you sure you are on the right board with that cr*p? Do you know how to copy and paste? Or after hiting the bong you forgot? When was last time in 97? excel lent!…How’s your software now? Biatch!
Comment by amstrong — August 14, 2006 @ 5:20 pm
What are you talking about? First comment on this topic. Me thinks you have me confused with another post.
August 14th, 2006 at 5:26 pmIt looks like Israel has now indeed eliminated Hezbullah as a “state within a state” within Lebanon.
Instead, it is now the most supported, the most powerful, the majority voice in Lebanon. No longer a state within a state, when the “army” takes up positions in southern Lebanon it will be full of Hezbullah fighters.
What Israel has succeeded in doing is alienate moderates within Lebanon, throughout the middle east, and throughout the world.
It has lost support and its military has lost credibility. Expect a change of government at the very least. It must be dawning on the IDF, if not on the U.S. military, that air campaigns and traditional ground operations cannot and will not stop determined nationalist guerilla movements. Someone in the IDF must realize that Islamic militias will be able to shell them with impunity from now on, with more and more devastating and accurate missiles, and that they have no choice but to negotiate now, and get more favorable terms, or later, when their back is against the wall.
What the U.S. has done by encouraging and supporting this campaign is strengthen Islamic militarism everywhere.
Brought to you by the guys who brought you Iraq and who want to nuke Iran.
Hopefully Lebanon will now have a chance to rebuild. Israel should be forced to pay reparations.
August 14th, 2006 at 5:28 pm[…] Think Progress […]
August 14th, 2006 at 5:35 pmOMG, looser is one of my biggest pet peaves. You are a loser!!!! Not a looser!!!
August 14th, 2006 at 8:46 pmKnock it off armstrong. Everybody knows I am not that raving lunatic. If I were I would have made no sense.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:19 pmMy comment was aimed at Democrats are loosers, not you.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:19 pmOhhh, wait. You outed yourself!! Dumbass.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:22 pmSorry Doc, your up. :)
August 14th, 2006 at 9:43 pmHmm, that is odd. Somehow I repeated after I wrote a new post.
August 14th, 2006 at 10:13 pm#114 Oh Joyce, I love those who deserve and welcome love :)
August 14th, 2006 at 10:14 pmIsn’t 50 people dying in Iraq EVERYDAY enough reason to fire Bush and jettison the whole Adminstration, Jesus!
August 14th, 2006 at 11:05 pmSanto has run amuck on another TP thread > where is Judd when he is needed?
August 15th, 2006 at 1:37 am