ThinkFast: September 7, 2006
ThinkFast: September 7, 2006
A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report finds that “the U.S. isn’t prepared to handle disasters and lacks an effective way to track $88 billion doled out to help rebuild the Gulf Coast after last year’s killer hurricanes.”
NATO’s top commander, Gen. James Jones, said more troops are needed to in southern Afghanistan where Taliban militants are inflicting heavy casualties on foreign forces. “[The violence is] something akin to poking the bee hive and the bees are swarming,” he said.
39: The percentage of Americans who feel less safe now than they did five years ago. Only 14 percent say the feel safer, and 46 percent feel the same.
“President Bush’s once-solid relationship with Southern women is on the rocks,” the AP reports, thanks to “anger over the Iraq war and frustration with the country’s direction.”
Newest tool in the war on terror: renewable energy. Without renewable power, US forces “will remain unnecessarily exposed” and will “continue to accrue preventable…serious and grave casualties,” according to Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Richard Zilmer.
Congress is “giving up” on comprehensive immigration reform. “I think it would be next to impossible to pass a comprehensive bill that includes dealing with the diversity of 12 million people here in the next three weeks,” Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) said yesterday.
A new poll found that on a 100-point “thermometer” scale, with 100 being the friendliest feeling, “Turkish attitudes toward the United States fell to 20 degrees, from 28 degrees, in the past two years. Over the same period, feelings toward Iran increased to 43 degrees, from 34 degrees.”
Global warming “may be triggering a self-perpetuating climate time bomb trapped in once-frozen permafrost.” Greenhouse gases “once stuck in the long-frozen soil are bubbling into the atmosphere” at a rate five times faster than originally measured.
And finally: The U.S. Office of Special Counsel becomes the fashion police. In last month’s employee newsletter, the agency issued a list of “do’s and don’ts” for “Business Casual” dress. The agency, “whose job includes fighting workplace sex discrimination,” advised women to “avoid tight pants and, ‘before choosing a skirt to wear, sit down in it facing a mirror.’”
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September 7th, 2006 at 9:09 amIraq takes control of military from U.S.
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces handed over control of Iraq’s armed forces command to the government Thursday, a move that U.S. officials have hailed as a crucial milestone on the country’s difficult road to independence.
The prime minister takes control of Iraq’s small naval and air forces and the 8th Iraqi Army Division. However, it is still unclear how rapidly the Iraqi forces will be prepared to take over their own security.
—
Here’s hoping is isn’t just another “mission accomplished” moment for the Bush Administration.
September 7th, 2006 at 9:09 amPresident Bush’s relationship with a lot of people has become quite “rocky” indeed, but then again, how many people can you get to hush hush with $88 billion…?
September 7th, 2006 at 9:11 amUK – Tony Blair faces Labour revolt: 8 junior members of the government resign over Blair departure date.
September 7th, 2006 at 9:16 amFrom the renewable energy story:
Yes…and those huge solar collectors and windmills are so much more unobtrusive.
September 7th, 2006 at 9:22 amMitch,
September 7th, 2006 at 9:23 amI have a stupid “I don’t know squat about computers” question.
When you run the cursor over your sentence, it links to an msnbc story. How do you do that?
(I would have copied the msnbc site in the address bar, pasted it, then have to write, “hey, Guys! A story about Tony Blair!”)
Do you know what I mean?
More friendly fire: Interesting that the there has been only a murmer about the Canadian soldier killed and many more injured by srafing american fighter planes in Afghanistan this week.
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=d507b7d1-09ad-48fd-b97a-0254cf2a023f&k=23577
September 7th, 2006 at 9:25 amA new poll found that on a 100-point “thermometer†scale, with 100 being the friendliest feeling, “Turkish attitudes toward the United States fell to 20 degrees, from 28 degrees, in the past two years. Over the same period, feelings toward Iran increased to 43 degrees, from 34 degrees.â€
Meanwhile, in the USA, thermometer readings have gone from 82 degrees to ‘freezing’, or 32 degrees in Bush’s approval ratings.
September 7th, 2006 at 9:25 amAnyone wanna join me in my bomb shelter and wait out the end of the world?
September 7th, 2006 at 9:27 amAmerica’s Least Wanted
er… make that a “strafing warthog jet”
September 7th, 2006 at 9:27 amtrueblue, it goes like this:
- write something in the comment box
- then click the black box labeled “link” on the top (right)
- write or paste your link
- press ok and post and go have a beer
:)
September 7th, 2006 at 9:29 amThank You!!
September 7th, 2006 at 9:31 amI’ve felt like such and idiot for the longest time for not knowing that!)
:)
you’re welcome – it’s important these days to keep up with all the gadgets, but it’s also fun
September 7th, 2006 at 9:34 amPlacing more troops in Afghanistan is not going to solve the problem. Like the Iraqis, the Afghans want the U.S. to leave their country as soon as possible. Spreading democracy at the point of a gun is never the best way to win over the hearts and minds of a country whom the U.S. arrogantly views as being oppressed.
September 7th, 2006 at 9:48 amNATO’s top commander, Gen. James Jones, said more troops are needed to in southern Afghanistan where Taliban militants are inflicting heavy casualties on foreign forces. “[The violence is] something akin to poking the bee hive and the bees are swarming,†he said.
Wait, I’m confused. Didn’t we just hear that things were going “swimmingly” in Afghanistan?
September 7th, 2006 at 9:48 amFor more information on the ramifications of Bush’s “extraordinary renditions” see: http://writ.news.findlaw.com/commentary/20051107_bergen.html
And yesterday Bush introduced a bill which would essentially exempt the U.S. from Common Article 3, and re-write the War Crimes Act of 1996 to grant retroactive immunity for these crimes.
September 7th, 2006 at 9:50 amtrueblue,
Thanks for asking that question…I’ve been meaning to tell you how to do that….
Yeah, right…I didn’t know how either…
September 7th, 2006 at 9:50 am39: The percentage of Americans who feel less safe now than they did five years ago. Only 14 percent say the feel safer, and 46 percent feel the same.
14% – delusional psychotics
September 7th, 2006 at 9:54 am39% – waiting for GWB to press the magic “safe feeling” button
46% – the rest of us
Good Morning, Zooey!
September 7th, 2006 at 9:55 amLearn somethin’ new every day!
“President Bush’s once-solid relationship with Southern women is on the rocks,†the AP reports, thanks to “anger over the Iraq war and frustration with the country’s direction.â€
When Colonel Angus has lost the affection and admiration of Miss Prissy, the Colonel should know he’s really lost something…
September 7th, 2006 at 9:56 amRegarding the methane story – this is not the first study to suggest a feedback loop that may lead to run-away warming if pushed too far. The scariest quote from the IPCC report, when you think about its implications, is this:
“The rapid forcing of a non-linear system has a high prospect of producing surprises,” (p. 78).
Almost weekly I have noticed stories pointing out these dangers – coverage of peer-reviewed scientific journal articles. In a report about west Siberian bogs that have begun to melt Fred Pearce of New Scientist magazine points out that they contain “some 70 billion tonnes of methane” and that if the bogs dry the methane will oxidize, but if they remain wet, “as is the case in western Siberia today, then the methane will be released straight into the atmosphere.” Methane is a much stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
September 7th, 2006 at 9:56 amNewest tool in the war on terror: renewable energy. Without renewable power, US forces “will remain unnecessarily exposed†and will “continue to accrue preventable…serious and grave casualties,†according to Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Richard Zilmer.
See how it is, people? Renewal energy as a tool for war.
September 7th, 2006 at 9:56 amThe U.S. Office of Special Counsel becomes the fashion police. In last month’s employee newsletter, the agency issued a list of “do’s and don’ts†for “Business Casual†dress. The agency, “whose job includes fighting workplace sex discrimination,†advised women to “avoid tight pants and, ‘before choosing a skirt to wear, sit down in it facing a mirror.’â€
They just want to watch…
September 7th, 2006 at 9:58 amLearn somethin’ new every day!
Comment by trueblue
Good morning, true, haven’t connected in a couple days.
September 7th, 2006 at 9:59 amPresident Bush’s relationship with a lot of people has become quite “rocky†indeed
Except, maybe, for Rockey (Vacarella)
September 7th, 2006 at 10:05 amGeorgie + Rockey = BFF!
September 7th, 2006 at 10:06 amThey just want to watch…
Comment by Zooey
You are a sick chic! LOL!
September 7th, 2006 at 10:10 amYou are a sick chic! LOL!
Comment by trueblue
Takes one to know one!
I think I’ve returned to junior high this morning…
September 7th, 2006 at 10:16 amyou do seem rather chipper this morning…………
something you’re not telling me?
September 7th, 2006 at 10:27 amIn Retrospect; Torture, secret prisons might not have been such a great idea
Doubts surface if architects of Sept. 11 attacks will ever go to trial
By Greg Gordon, Marisa Taylor and Stephen Henderson / McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON – President Bush’s stunning transfer of 14 top terror suspects to Guantanamo Bay boosted hopes that, at last, the architects of the Sept. 11 attacks will be brought to justice.
But some legal experts questioned whether their trials will ever occur – and whether Bush’s maneuver is merely a power play to win congressional support for special military courts similar to those already struck down by the Supreme Court.
September 7th, 2006 at 10:50 amWell here we go again, and as usual me and my iMac are way behind or totaly absent of the appropiate equipment..LOL….I don’t have a little thingy to click on to add link’s. What’s with that.?…Any suggestions.?
Good post’s all….BnF…I heard bush’s speech and right away thought he was covering his administration’s butt and asking to get the congress to put in a bill to exempt the entire lot of them from prosacution of war crimes….So typical. The bill was probably already drawn up….Sure Frit’s and others will push for that before the end of this session……
Good Morning True, Zooey, Wayne and all….Another hot day on it’s way to you Zooey……..Blessings, we need them …..Peace, along with impeachment.
September 7th, 2006 at 10:58 amWhy does Bushit keep makeing those silley speaches on TV, the only station that carry them is CNN. I think most people and stations are fed up with his crap. I wouldn’t believe any thing that dummy said any more.
September 7th, 2006 at 11:46 am