TGIF/Weekend edition - January 11-13, 2008

I wonder how much that handshake is going to cost us?

"President George Bush is in Israel right now. But he doesn't really fit there. He showed up today wearing a 10-gallon yarmulke." --David Letterman

The-World-Is-A-Safer-Place-Without-Saddam News

• US Military Deaths in Iraq at 3921 The Associated Press

• www.iraqbodycount.org

• 21 Qaeda fighters killed in US air blitz: Iraq sheikh AFP

• Commanders Tout Success of Iraq Strikes The Associated Press

• Belgian court jails Iraq suicide bomb recruiters Reuters

• Japan resumes Afghan war role Guardian Unlimited

• Afghanistan Welcomes Possible US Troop 'Surge' Voice of America 

• Saudi FM urges restraint by US and Iran AP

Promises, Promises

On the one-year anniversary of President Bush's announcement of a troop surge in Iraq, it's worth looking back to see what he promised the American people would happen...

Disturbing News

• Mom charged in 'possessed' girls' deaths AP

• No sign of 4 kids thrown from bridge AP

It Worked for Hillary So Bush Cries

President Bush had tears in his eyes during an hour-long tour of Israel's Holocaust memorial Friday and told Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that the U.S. should have bombed Auschwitz to halt the killing, the memorial's chairman said.

Concept by AHNC viewer Rick

"'Sometimes it's not easy, but when I look at you, and I know what you have to take upon your shoulders and how you do it, the manner in which you do it, the courage that you have, the determination that you have, and your loyalty to the principles that you believe in -- it makes all of us feel that we can also . . . move forward." - Bush's new poodle, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert

Closing Line from Ann Coulter's Column On Her Father's Death

Now Daddy is with Joe McCarthy and Ronald Reagan. I hope they stop laughing about the Reds long enough to talk to God about smiting some liberals for me.

Republican Shenanigans

• Anti-Clinton Film Panned As Advertising The Associated Press

• Calif. congressman won't seek reelection Los Angeles Times

• Texas AG Investigating DA's E-Mails The Associated Press

• 'Abramoff Effect' Keeps Hammering Republicans CBS News

• Republican candidates turn to high risk tactics Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom

"California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger gave his 'State of the State' address. He talked about his solution to health care. He said, 'Walk it off. Do a few laps. There's nothing wrong with you. Exercise the tumor away.'" --Jay Leno

Wow! Probation for Blackwater Gunrunning. That'll Teach Them!

Two former employees of Blackwater Worldwide, the beleaguered contractor whose practices in Iraq are under federal scrutiny, were sentenced to probation Thursday on gunrunning charges.

"And on the Republican side, congratulations to John McCain. He was a big winner up in New Hampshire, too. ... Fascinating comeback story, this John McCain, quite a guy. Highly decorated veteran. Spent 5 1/2 years in prison then went into politics. Usually it's the other way around." --Jay Leno

Rock-The-Voter News

• Kucinich Seeks NH Dem Vote Recount The Associated Press

• Kerry Endorses Obama as Campaign Goes Nationwide New York Times

Space Invaders: Five Million Aliens for Hillary

Will José Crow Voter ID Laws Pick Our President?

by Greg Palast

State Representative Russell Pearce of Mesa Arizona has warned us:

“There is a massive effort under way to register illegal aliens in this country.”

How many? According to the Congressman’s office, there are five million: Democrats, he says, who are not good Americans - they’re Mexicans!

Really?! Holy Cow! The Senator has uncovered a conspiracy to flood the voter rolls with Brown Hordes who’ve swum the Rio Grande just for a chance to vote for Hillary Clinton?!
 

"How about this? Hillary Clinton won the New Hampshire primary last night, huh? ... It was a surprising victory and today she is denying that she used human growth hormone." --David Letterman
 

Biz-Tech News

• Oil Rises as Possible US Interest Rate Cut May Spur Economy Bloomberg

• Bank of America May Buy Countrywide After Stake Slump (Update1) Bloomberg

• Plan to reroute jets may mean more noise AP

• Over 100,000 died in China work accidents in 2007 Reuters

• What Apple's Got On Tap At Macworld Expo InformationWeek

• Open Source Security Bugs Uncovered PC World

"White House press secretary Dana Perino's posts on a new White House "trip notes" blog are arriving late, and boring. Perino seems to have taken her writing cue from pool reports, which are largely unrevealing chronological accounts, long on useless detail and short on analysis." - Dan Froomkin, Washington Post

FBI Wiretaps Cut Off

A telephone company cut off an FBI international wiretap after the agency failed to pay its bill on time, according to a U.S. government audit released on Thursday.

Bush-Prison-Torture News

• Abu Ghraib Officer: Probe Was Incomplete The Associated Press

• Our shameful Guantanamo anniversary Salon 

A Welcome Change for Iraqis

After weathering nearly five years of war, Baghdad residents thought they'd pretty much seen it all. But Friday morning, as muezzins were calling the faithful to prayer, the people here awoke to something certifiably new.

For the first time in memory, snow fell across Baghdad.

Go-F***-Yourself News

• Cheney touches down in Good Life City WALB-TV, GA

Need A Job?

 A NASCAR race car, sponsored by the U.S. Border Patrol. Billboards hundreds of miles from the Rio Grande, promoting a career as a border agent. TV commercials for the federal agency, aired during Dallas Cowboys games.