Interesting Bit

"Elite" Foces

So even though we're seeing a replay of the Iraq 'elite' story, we should keep in mind that you don't get to be 'elite' by standing up and getting shot. More importantly, you're not very 'secretive' if you give interviews to major American newspapers. Keep that in mind as we travel along this well-trod story arc.

If there's one lesson the U.S. military should have learned from the Iraqi misadventure, it's that you can belittle the enemy all you want because they don't fight the battle by your ground rules, but you end up sounding an awful lot like the Brits did when they complained about the American militia not lining up in a standing formation and fighting the good fight.

Funny how that turned out. Irony can be a cruel mistress.

Going to Freedom

Ahhh... Finally my long awaited vacation is here. One entire week in Freedom eating Freedom Fries imbued with Freedom Mustard.



And BTW, this gotomypc.com is way handy!

Now This is Funny

Quotable

Beware of income inequality statistics. I'll give you a little thought experiment. Forty people are drinking in a bar. Bill Gates walks in. The average income of the people in that bar is a billion dollars. Who cares?
--
George Will on ABC's Sunday morning show.

There You Have It

Pace Demurs on Accusation of Iran - washingtonpost.com

Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said yesterday that he has no information indicating Iran's government is directing the supply of lethal weapons to Shiite insurgent groups in Iraq.

"We know that the explosively formed projectiles are manufactured in Iran," Pace told Voice of America during a visit to Australia. "What I would not say is that the Iranian government, per se, knows about this."

"It is clear that Iranians are involved, and it's clear that materials from Iran are involved," he continued, "but I would not say by what I know that the Iranian government clearly knows or is complicit."

Pace's comments came a day after U.S. military officials in Baghdad alleged that the "highest levels" of the Iranian government have directed use of weapons that are killing U.S. troops in Iraq. No information was provided to substantiate the charge. Administration officials yesterday deflected requests for more details, even as they repeatedly implied Tehran's involvement.

There is More...

Conn Hallinan: The Najaf Massacre, an Annotated Fable

The way the U.S. media has reported the "battle" of Zarqa is a virtual replay of the kind of reporting that characterized the run-up to the Iraq War. The media seems to be taking a chillingly similar tack in its reporting about "Iranian interference" in Iraq. For instance, a recent story in The New York Times reports that Iran may have been involved in the recent kidnapping and murder of five Americans. But the story presents nothing but a series of unnamed sources and speculations.

The Bush administration allegations that Iran has set up insurgent training camps and built anti-personnel bombs that have killed and maimed U.S. soldiers have been routinely reported on all the major networks and daily newspapers with virtually no dissenting voices or questions raised concerning the motives of sources.

Such reporting paves the road to war. Will its next victim be Iran?

Some Perspective... And This is Time Magazine!

How Much Is Iran to Blame for Iraq? -- Monday, Feb. 12, 2007 -- Page 1 -- TIME

The Iranians, according to the intelligence analyst, use Iraqi smugglers to transport weapons across the Iran-Iraq border. However, it is still Iraqi militant groups, not the Iranians, who, in the end, use the weapons against U.S. forces.

Here We Go Again

The Lap-Dog Function of the Media

Salon: Iran and Iraq, Anonymously (2/12/07) by Tim Grieve

In an August 2004 retrospective on journalism in the run-up to the Iraq War, Washington Post editor Leonard Downie Jr. was asked to explain how two stories that called into question the case for war wound up buried deep inside his newspaper. His answer, at least in part: The stories relied on anonymous sources. So what's on the front page of the Washington Post today? A 2,600-word story linking Iran to weapons that are killing U.S. soldiers in Iraq—a 2,600-word story that is based almost entirely on unnamed sources. We say "almost entirely" because the Post's Joshua Partlow does quote one official by name: Labeed M. Abbawi, an Iraqi deputy foreign minister, who says that it is "difficult" to "accept whatever the American forces say is evidence" because the Americans won't speak openly.The rest of the story? The part that makes an Iran-Iraq link? Every bit of it comes from unnamed sources, some of whose identities the Post itself doesn't even know.

(Ad-viewing required.)

See also Editor & Publisher: Washington Post Joins New York Times in Trumpeting 'Anonymous' Claims on Iranian Weapons in Iraq (2/11/07) by Greg Mitchell.
The Associated Press,.. Reuters and others also reported on a briefing in Baghdad on Sunday, agreeing beforehand to the condition that none of the three U.S. officials taking part could be named or even described closely.


See also A Tiny Revolution: New York Times Reveals 'Reporter' Michael Gordon Actually Voice-Activated Tape Recorder (2/10/07) by Jonathan Schwarz.
The Times requires only what the "U.S. Says" to merit a front-page headline about how the "Deadliest Bomb in Iraq Is Made by Iran"—compelling Schwarz to lampoon correspondent Gordon's "literally inhuman" lack of skepticism.
"I'm not sure why everyone didn't figure this out before now," said [Executive Editor Bill] Keller, pointing to the fact that, in Gordon's 26-year career, all of "his" stories have consisted entirely of transcribed statements by anonymous government officials. [Managing Editor Jill] Abramson said the paper had decided to acknowledge Gordon's identity because—after the tape recorder's front page story today,"...there "was no place left to take the joke." Keller described how he and Abramson "really had a good laugh" while editing the Iran story, which is based on the following sourcing: "U.S. Says...United States intelligence asserts...reflects broad agreement among American intelligence agencies...military officials say...The officials said...Administration officials said...they assert...Other officials believe..."

See also Huffington Post: 'People Without Names' (PWN) Using New York Times to Escalate Tensions With Iran (2/10/07) by Mark Weisbrot & Robert Naiman.
The New York Times article provides no evidence for its reported allegations.... The 1900-word article offers no quotes from any experts who might question the allegations made by PWN, although there are many who would. Some readers might remember the author of the article, Michael R. Gordon, from the reporting prior to the Iraq war. His most notorious contribution was an article of September 8, 2002 entitled "U.S. Says Hussein Intensified Quest for A-Bomb Parts," co-authored with Judith Miller.

More BowlShit... (And this is from the Liberal Media!)

See if you can find any hard evidence of anything being made in Iran. Other than what you are being told--and where is the critical press to ask the difficult questions?

This handout photo released by the U.S. military, shows an 81mm Mortar round believed to be from Iran and found in Baghdad, 13 January 2007.

This handout photo released by the U.S. military, shows Iranian anti-tank rocket propelled grenades seized in Baquba as well as in Baghdad between 2006-2007.

This handout photo released by the U.S. military, shows 81mm Mortar tail assembly fragment believed to be from Iran and recovered from attacks in new Baghdad, November-December 2006.

AND OF COURSE PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE!!!

This handout photo released by the U.S. military, shows the aftermath Explosive Formed Projectile (EFP) attack on Iraqi police in Hilla, 10 June 2006.

THIS IS THE FUNNIEST PART: KEEP IN MIND THAT THE IRANIANS ARRESTED IN ARBIL WERE N FACT KNOWN TO BE IRANIANS AND WHERE IN THE KURDISH AREA BY PERMISSION AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE BAGHDAD GOVERNMENT--SO THE IRANIAN ID CARD WOULD BE EXPECTED. BELIEVING WHETHER OR NOT THE NAME MATCHED OR DID NO MATCHED IS, ONCE AGAIN, AN ACT OF FAITH.



This handout photo released by the U.S. military, shows an identification card of an Iranian revolutionary guard corp. (IRGC) found on an alleged an Iranian agent arrested last month in Arbil.

This image provided by the U.S. military on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2007 shows what officials call "explosively formed penetrators,"or EFPs.

So what have we learned here? Do you see any objective evidence of that you are being told? I would not be able to introduce any of these things into evidence if I were to take these to a trial.

And now based on these evidence you are asked to jump on the band wagon for War No. 2.

Wrong on So Many Levels

I read this once and questions pop into my head:

1. Are those the same anonymous officials who told us about Iraq's WMDs?
2. Iran is the only country that produces these sort of explosives?
a. How come we didn't hear from these for the past 3 years?
b. And how is it exactly that only Iran is producing these weapons... This doesn't even make sense. The IEDs in Iraq can be produced and the ingredients can be found in pretty much any hardware store. So what is so unique about these things?
c. Do you really think that the Iranians would give to Iraqis such a unique material that anyone and their aunts could trace it back to Iran so easily?

This is simply nonsense. You can see how propaganda works. The medial is imply reporting without more anything the Administration is leaking out. Pretty soon you will have no choice but to believe the lies.

Iran Sending Explosives to Extremist Groups in Iraq

"Iran is a significant contributor to attacks on coalition forces," said a senior defense official in Baghdad, who like the two other officials spoke on condition of anonymity. He added: "Iran is the only country in the region that produces these weapons."

WoW

A drawing of what the Skywalk will look like when it is completed. The U shaped walkway would extend 70 feet over the Grand Canyon and have a see through floor that looks down 4,000 feet.

If Only...

... We had a real Government for the People.

Criminals Control the Executive Branch - by Paul Craig Roberts

The very least Congress can do at this very late stage is to make it perfectly clear in no uncertain terms that any attack on Iran under any pretext without the authorization of Congress after a careful examination of the pretext will lead to the immediate removal of Bush and Cheney from power, as will any escalation of the war in Iraq without explicit authorization by Congress.

Having delivered this ultimatum, Congress must immediately begin investigations of the Bush Regime's attack on civil liberties and the separation of powers, on the Bush Regime's use of lies and deception to lead America into a war with Iraq, on the Bush Regime's violation of the Geneva Conventions, and on the Bush Regime's plans to attack Iran.

The American people and their representatives in Congress must face the fact that criminal and dictatorial persons control executive power in the United States and immediately rectify this highly dangerous situation.

It's Deja Vue All Over Again...

Remember this?



And now we have this about the bombs made by Iran which evidently can only be triggered when "American vehicles drive by an infrared motion sensor."

See the subtlety of the propaganda? Why, Iraqi vehicles don't blow up when they drive by the motion sensors? Why not simply say "when a vehicle drive by..."?



See the full photo here.

Reunited!

I Wonder...

How much AIPAC has given to this writer to come up with this story. These days AIPAC is in over-drive with their Holocostmongering.

Pathetic.

Israel sounds alarm on Iran's nuclear efforts - Los Angeles Times

Israeli leaders rarely invoke the Holocaust in the face of enemies. The Jewish homeland founded after Adolf Hitler's genocide has, for the last generation, felt secure enough to fight its many battles with little or no help.

But the specter of a nuclear-armed Iran has rattled Israel's self-confidence. Its politicians and generals warn of a "second Holocaust" if, as in the 1930s, the world stands by while a heavily armed nation declares war against the Jews.

Spelling out that scenario, Israeli officials have begun an unusually open campaign to muster international political and economic pressures against Iran. They warn that time is growing short and hint that they will resort to force if those pressures fail to prevent Iran's development of an atomic weapon.

How About an Idiocy Tax to Fund the Senate?

U.S. should weigh war on terrorism tax: Lieberman

Sen. Joseph Lieberman said on Tuesday that Congress should consider a tax to fund the U.S.-declared war on terrorism and reduce the need to cut domestic programs to pay for security spending.

A former Democrat who supports the Iraq war and backs President George W. Bush's plan to send 21,500 additional troops to Iraq, Lieberman said the proposed increase in the Pentagon's budget for next fiscal year will squeeze funding for critical domestic programs.

"I think we have to start thinking about a war on terrorism tax," the independent Connecticut lawmaker said. "I mean people keep saying we're not asking a sacrifice of anybody but our military in this war and some civilians who are working on it."

Hilarious!!!

Mac vs. PC: The revenge of the PC

No War on Anyone!

Get your ribbon here.

I Miss Los Angeles

Los Angeles



Cloudy

70°F

Feels Like

70°F

-----------------------------



Evanston



Partly Cloudy

3°F

Feels Like

-11°F

--------------------------------

Ok, Well... We Are All Sad About it. But, Can We Move On?

Shame on Me... Fooled me Twice

George W. Bush is again guiding the nation toward a preemptive war –
this time with Iran – without allowing anything like a full debate of
the underlying facts, probable consequences of the conflict or peaceful
alternatives.

Bush is following the same course he chose in the run-up to war in Iraq: he insists that war is “a last resort” yet puts in motion the engines of war; he times the release of alarming intelligence reports for maximum political effect; he brushes aside doubts and warnings; he then presents war as unavoidable or a fait accompli.

Despite the painful lessons from the Iraq War disaster – including more than 3,000 U.S. soldiers dead and Iraq torn apart by sectarian civil war – the key institutions of Washington, particularly the Congress and the press, are playing similar roles, too.

The capital again is possessed of an air of unreality as the clock ticks down to a likely military showdown with Iran.

Fool me Twice, Shame on Me

U.S. can't prove Iran link to Iraq strife

Bush administration officials acknowledged Friday that they had yet to compile evidence strong enough to back up publicly their claims that Iran is fomenting violence against U.S. troops in Iraq.



Administration officials have long complained that Iran was supplying Shiite Muslim militants with lethal explosives and other materiel used to kill U.S. military personnel. But despite several pledges to make the evidence public, the administration has twice postponed the release — most recently, a briefing by military officials scheduled for last Tuesday in Baghdad.



"The truth is, quite frankly, we thought the briefing overstated, and we sent it back to get it narrowed and focused on the facts," national security advisor Stephen J. Hadley said Friday.



The acknowledgment comes amid shifting administration messages on Iran. After several weeks of saber rattling that included a stiff warning by President Bush and the dispatch of two aircraft carrier strike groups to the Persian Gulf, near Iran, the administration has insisted in recent days that it does not want to escalate tensions or to invade Iran.



Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates seemed to concede Friday that U.S. officials can't say for sure whether the Iranian government is involved in assisting the attacks on U.S. personnel in Iraq. "I don't know that we know the answer to that question," Gates said.

Dillusions

Mohammed Saeed Sahaf (former Iraqi Information Minister):



There are no American infidels in Baghdad. Never!


...


Be reassured, Baghdad is safe, fortified and great.


...


We defeated them yesterday. God willing, I will provide you with more
information. I swear by God, I swear by God, those who are staying in
Washington and London have thrown these mercenaries in a crematorium.

Dick Cheney (current U.S. Vice President):



We've been very successful with going after al Qaeda. They're still out
there, they're still a formidable force. But they're not nearly as
formidable as they once were, in terms of numbers and so forth.


...


The reality on the ground is, we've made major progress. We've still
got a lot of work to do. There's a lot of provinces in Iraq that are
relatively quiet. There's more and more authority transferred to the
Iraqis all the time.


...


You heard my speech, when Don [Rumsfeld] retired. I think he's done a superb job.



--Thanks to Needlenose

:)

For Those Who Need to Know

Instructions For Basic Bra Sizing:

Step #1: Get a soft measuring tape.

This is the only type of measuring tape that can be used for accurate
measurements. If you do not have one, you can get one a Wal-Mart or
many other stores for less than a dollar.

Step #2: Take off your bra.

The measurements you take will be much more accurate if your bra is off.
Almost all women wear cup sizes that are too small which smashes the
breasts down causing the measurement to seem smaller than they really
are. If your breasts hang or sag, just try and get someone to help you
so that you can prop your breasts up while measuring. If you really
need to, just take the measurements with a bra on. The size will still
be a lot closer than anything you have been wearing and the fit a whole
lot better. And if you need help or feel the numbers are just not
making sense, just take BOTH measurements, one with the bra on and one
with the bra off and call us and we will help you determine the best
size.

Step #3: Measure underneath your rib cage.

This measurement will help you determine your band size. So measure right
underneath your breasts where a bra band would normally sit. Make sure
that you keep the tape level all the way around and pull the two sided
together until they meet and lie flat against your body. Do not pull it
too tightly but it does need to be somewhat snug. Whatever number you
get here, in almost all cases just needs to be rounded up to the
nearest even number. So if the measurement is 33 than you would just
round up to 34. Very easy. But there is one exception to this rule. If
you measure 34 1/4 or even 34 ½, you should round down to 34 instead.
The reason for this is simple. Bras lose elasticity every time you wear
them so the fit will only get less and less supportive the longer you
wear the bra. So when you first purchase a bra it needs to feel snug
but not too tight on the LOOSEST hook. Then as the bra stretches from
wear, you can move the hooks in tighter to maintain a higher level of
support longer. If you buy a bra and need to wear it on the tightest
hook from the start, you have nowhere to go but to buy a new one when
it starts getting stretched out. For a bra to be supportive, you must
wear the correct band size.

**So for the above example, the band size is 34. I will use this measurement again below to determine the final size needed.

Step #4: Measure across the widest part of your bust line. (NEVER MEASURE
UNDER YOUR ARM PITS AND UP OVER THE TOP OF YOUR BREASTS AND NEVER ADD
INCHES.)

Just measure across your nipples at the widest part
of your breasts. Nothing at all needs to be done to this number except
rounding it up if the measurement falls between two numbers. So if you
measure 41 ½ just round it to 42. That is it. Nothing else.

Step # 5 Do a little math.

Now take the number from step 4 and subtract the number from step 3. This
then gives you a cup size to go along with the band size that was
determined earlier. The band size we had earlier was 34 and for the
above example the bust measurement was a 42. So you have 42-34 = 8.

So you have a band size of 34 and an 8 inch difference for the cup size so
your bra size is a 34H. Each number represents a cup size as the chart
below details.

1 = A
2 = B
3 = C
4 = D
5 = DD(E)
6 = F(DDD)
7 = G
8 = H
9 = I
10= J
etc. etc.

Now you have a size that will fit you so much better and support you so
much better and make you look so much better than anything you have
ever worn before.

Steven Patrick Morrissey

"Steven Patrick"... hmmm... Who knew?

Guess Where Will We Be

Super Bored Sunday to some

Apathy, of course, is not limited to women. Dr. Jim Dreyfus, a physician from Flossmoor, is one of the few men willing to put his indifference on display.
"I do try to make nice when I talk to patients, but it's just not that important to me," he said.

Instead, Dreyfus and his wife will attend the matinee of "Radio Golf" at the Goodman Theatre, even though their seatmates have canceled.

"I'm just hoping that the actors show up," Dreyfus quipped.

According to Roche Schulfer, the Goodman's executive director, canceling was never an option. The show must go on--albeit with half-price tickets. "Sure, we'll lose some sales that particular night," he said. "On the other hand, it's a great day to pick up a bargain."