The Failed Pacifist

Jill Carroll is Free!

She's Free! She's Free! She's Free!

posted by Doran @ 8:12 AM 0 comments

Flash! Iraq War Casualties

Xeni found a rather stunning illustration of death in Iraq, over time.

via BoingBoing

posted by Doran @ 1:13 AM 0 comments

Tom Delay Wants to Carry Guns

Congressman Tom Delay wants to carry concealed weapons. He lost his concealed handgun license (CHL) when he was indicted on felony charges, including money laundering. But he wants his guns, and one of his attorneys filed an appeal on March 14. A date for the hearing has yet to be announced.

posted by Doran @ 7:54 AM 0 comments

Scalia: "There may be no end to this war"

Was Justice Scalia's recent gesture really obscene? Probably not. But why is that the story? Who really cares?

Should Scalia have recused himself today in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld? Well, there it gets a little stickier with the Justice's recent comment: "I had a son on that battlefield, and they were shooting at my son. And I am not about to give this man, who was captured in a war, a full jury trial."

But, listening to Nina Totenberg's report on Monday, the thing that really floored me was this remark by Justice Scalia.

"The problem with Guantanamo... is that there may be no end to this war."

A war without end. This is what we are living.

posted by Doran @ 11:08 PM 0 comments

Shakeup? We'll See.

Andrew Card is out. Joshua Bolton is in.

posted by Doran @ 7:55 AM 0 comments

Feingold/Hackett 2008

Yea, like you have a better idea.

posted by Doran @ 11:10 PM 0 comments

Teacher on Leave for Bush/Hitler Comparison

The AP is reporting that a Aurora, CO. high school teacher has been placed on leave after pointing out similarities between speeches by President Bush and Adolph Hitler.

During a February 1 world geography class at Overland High, social studies teacher Jay Bennish was recorded by a student, who later took the recording to a Denver radio station.

On the recording, Bennish told the students that some of Bush's speech "sounds a lot like the things that Adolf Hitler used to say. We're the only ones who are right, everyone else is backwards and our job is to conquer the world and make sure that they all live just like we want them to."

The recording also has the teacher saying he wasn't saying the two men were the same, just that there were some "eerie similarities" between the them. He is on paid leave while the school district investigates whether he violated policy.

posted by Doran @ 1:32 PM 1 comments

Bill Payment Triggers DHS Alert

Bob Kerr of The Providence Journal is reporting about Walter Soehnge, a retired teacher in Texas who decided to pay off a large chunk of his J.C. Penney credit card bill. After sending in a $6522.00 check, Mr. Soehnge noticed that the payment been received, but hadn't reduced his credit card balance. After calling the credit card company, he found his payment was being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.

They were told, as they moved up the managerial ladder at the call center, that the amount they had sent in was much larger than their normal monthly payment. And if the increase hits a certain percentage higher than that normal payment, Homeland Security has to be notified. And the money doesn't move until the threat alert is lifted.

So got that? A large payment on your credit card balance will trigger an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security.

via BoingBoing

posted by Doran @ 11:37 AM 0 comments

Criminal Investigation of Tillman Death

The Army has been ordered to open a criminal investigation into the death of Corporal Pat Tillman in 2004. This after three other investigations were found by inspector general's office to be "deficient".

posted by Doran @ 9:34 AM 0 comments

Texas Cop Threatens Reporter

A reporter for the Dallas Morning News has filed a complaint against Gladewater, TX. police Officer Bryan T. Naismith. Reporter Dave Michaels says the he went to the cop's house to interview him regarding a shooting last year. On his way to the house, the reporter says Officer Naismith (driving another vehicle) bumped Mr. Michaels' car, forcing him to pull over, then pulled a shotgun on him.

A man dressed in civilian clothes and carrying a shotgun got out and yelled at the reporter, demanding to know his identity. Mr. Michaels said that he identified himself and that the man then pointed the shotgun through his open car window, toward his chest, and ordered him out of the car.

When Mr. Michaels filed the complaint, he reportedly was told that he had provoked Officer Naismith by visiting the neighborhood.

posted by Doran @ 7:51 AM 0 comments