TGIF/Weekend edition - August 3-5, 2007

I often wonder what secrets this administration has  --  that we haven't found out about yet.

{{chills down my spine}}

The White House announced a twenty-billion-dollar arms deal with Saudi Arabia on Monday. The deal includes fighters and bombers and missiles and drones. That's nothing compared to the anti-aircraft missiles we're selling Israel to shoot them down. - Argus Hamilton, comedian

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

• U.S. military deaths in Iraq at 3,659 AP

• www.iraqbodycount.org

• 4 American Soldiers Killed in Baghdad Forbes, NY

• Five Aussies injured in Iraq The Australian

• SKorea hopes US-Afghan summit will help resolve hostage crisis International Herald Tribune

• Marine found guilty in death of Iraq civilian Boston Globe

• New U.S. air campaign south of Baghdad AP

• Pentagon Chief Says Political Progress in Iraq Discouraging Voice of America 

• Rice: Israel ready for Palestinian talks AP

• Arabic press unconvinced by Rice BBC News

• US admits only 57 Iraqi refugees in July AP

Valerie Plame Wilson Update

Valerie Wilson may be the best known former intelligence operative in recent history, but a federal judge in New York ruled Wednesday that she was not allowed to say how long she worked for the Central Intelligence Agency in the memoir she plans to publish this fall.

Although the fact that Ms. Wilson worked for the C.I.A. from 1985 to 2006 has been published in the Congressional Record and elsewhere, the judge, Barbara S. Jones of Federal District Court in Manhattan, said Ms. Wilson was not free to say so.

“The information at issue was properly classified, was never declassified and has not been officially acknowledged by the C.I.A.,” Judge Jones wrote.
 

"Man, it was hot today. ... It was so hot today, Hillary spoke before the Senate topless." - Jay Leno

Disturbing News

• 19 Million People Homeless, 178 Dead after Floods in India Sofia News Agency 

• Russian quake leaves 2000 homeless in Far East Reuters.uk

• Passenger Train Derails in Congo, Killing 100 and Trapping Others New York Times

• First Alarm About Bridge Raised in 1990 Forbes

Don't Worry, Be Happy

The head of the National Transportation Safety Board said Friday people shouldn't fret about general bridge safety across the country, notwithstanding figures showing more than 70,000 are rated structurally deficient.

"I don't believe that they should be worried at all," NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker said

BUSH’S NEW STRATEGIC PLAN: ‘FIGHT THEM THERE, WHILE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE COLLAPSES HERE’

Rupert Murdoch bought the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. He owns conservative tabloids and Fox News. The next day the Wall Street Journal ran a front-page story about new medical research which found that supporting President Bush can regrow hair. - Argus Hamilton, comedian

Republican Shenanigans

• White House accused of meddling with EPA AP

• A Look at the Fund-Raising of a GOP Noncandidate New York Times

• Feds asked to review Republican appointee for Interior Seattle Times

"According to the Washington Post, Hillary Clinton has been showing a little cleavage out there on the campaign trail. People feel this is why her lead over Barack Obama has increased. ... But I think there's something to it. In fact, today, Barack Obama made a speech with a rolled up sock in his pants." –Jay Leno

FBI Violates the Constitution

 The FBI violated the Constitution when agents raided U.S. Rep. William Jefferson's office last year and viewed legislative documents, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.
 

Rock-The-Voter News

• Pakistan Criticizes Obama on Comments Washington Post 

“Hillary is dressing sexier. Yesterday, she was seen shopping at Victoria Pantsuit.” - David Letterman

Biz-Tech News

• Oil Prices Decline to $76.57 a Barrel Forbes

• Big lender to close, citing mortgage crisis Boston Globe

• Katrina victims lose flood insurance case San Jose Mercury News

"Rupert Murdoch -- he's from Australia, billionaire -- now owns two United States newspapers, Fox network, National Geographic magazine, MySpace. I'm thinking, 'Why can't we build a fence to keep this guy out?'" –David Letterman

Bush-Prison-Torture News

• Cuban migrants on hunger strike over Guantanamo detention USA Today
   

Jon Stewart: When Dick Cheney smiles, an angel gets water-boarded

Go-F***-Yourself News

• Veep using GIs for gain, Hillary says New York Daily News, NY

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