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– David Neiwart at Orcinus spotlights something that needs much, much more attention: the racial sorting that apparently went on during the ICE raids. Well, that seems to me to be a topic that requires MUCH follow-up reporting. Any bets as to whether we'll see much of that? Let's hope so. Digby has some excellent thoughts on the media coverage of the raids thus far.
– And speaking of immigration issues, you just can't make this up: a company helping to build a border fence got busted for…hiring illegal immigrants to work on said fence.
– At Fallenmonk, I found a great quote from the GuardianUK on the mess that the Bush Administration has made:
What an amazing bloody catastrophe. The Bush administration's policy towards the Middle East over the five years since 9/11 is culminating in a multiple train crash. Never in the field of human conflict was so little achieved by so great a country at such vast expense. In every vital area of the wider Middle East, American policy over the last five years has taken a bad situation and made it worse….
Go read the whole excerpted bit. It's painfully spot on. Josh Marshall has a great run-down of myths about Iraq. (H/T to Twisted Martini for the link on this one.)
– Attytood has some great links on the Iraqi soccer team and program, which piggy-back on a story that I heard yesterday on All Things Considered about the team's recent loss to Qatar and the reporter listening to the game with residents of Baghdad.
– C&L is running its second annual "Say Something Nice About Bill O'Reilly" contest. Geez, that's gonna be a short one.
– Over at Calling All Wingnuts, Mike Stark has some thoughts about citizen activism…and politicians who step in their own…erm…macaca.
– Mahablog does some great analysis on whose free speech is actually free.
– Jamison Foser has some amazing analysis on early election media narratives for the 2008 Presidential race over at Media Matters.
– Speaking of Media Matters, do NOT miss this gem from Eric Boehlert. It is an especially poignant read knowing that the AP cameraman that Malkin and her ilk have been trying to slander was killed by insurgents in Iraq this past week.
– Sean-Paul at The Agonist has a classic magazine cover. Priceless!
– Poor Kate O'Beirne made the list of the worst things about 2006 from DMI. *sniffle*
– Wonkette discusses the latest incompetent loser to be honored by The Shrub. Teh funny.
– Let's all just take a moment to shower a little love on Digby, for linking up this Lance Mannion smackdown of the idiot that is Snitchens.
– Alicublog talks about sex…bay-bee. (I swear that Phyllis Schlaffley and her beehive must go away. And that goes for all of the sanctimonious clones who want to tell everyone how to live their lives.)
– Can I hear an "awwwww" for Judith Regan getting canned? The LATimes has a great write-up on the clash — and thanks to angie, who last night pointed me to the NYTimes version which contained the nugget that the press release from Harper went out before anyone at Regan's imprint had even been informed that she'd been canned. Ouch!
– Bob Geiger has some fantastic cartoons today. Go have yourself a giggle…
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If something is not done, and soon, the Middle East will ignite a world war. If of course under the gross ineptitude and tutelage of Bush, Rice, Cheney, Rove, Rumsfeld, and the rest it’s not already too late.
Out of Iraq now.
Something must be done quickly in the Middle East. Perhaps it’s too late.
EPU’d – Thanks for the comments on my dive video. My wife and kids have seen it all so often that they run from the room when I’m working on it.
Mr. Ray
Good morning to everyone! I thought I’d stop by and just say hey.
Mornin’ Christy.
Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays. One of my greatest gifts this year was the opportunity to enjoy this community and be even a small part of it.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Taylor at 4 — Merry Christmas to you as well. Great work on the Afghanistan piece. :)
Esten!
Can someone explain why our proxy in the Mideast, Israel, has a “right” to WMD’s and the rest of the Middle Eastern countries do not? Is it because the Israeli government and military have shown a pattern of ‘responsibility’ in their actions over the years?
My entry:
Two hundred PumaPoints to the first person to correctly identify the inspiration!
Oklahoma kiddo,
The only way something will be done imho, is if we lose (perish the thought) a number, big number of troops all at once. i.e. 1983 Lebanon.
Then and only then, will the American people rise up, and finally Bush will be toast.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 7
It’s because Israel is the designated U.S. crony state for the Middle East. Nothing more, less, or other.
Oklahoma kiddo says
December 16th, 2006 at 9:53 am*
Can someone explain why our proxy in the Mideast, Israel, has a “right” to WMD’s and the rest of the Middle Eastern countries do not?
Shhh, that’s supposed to be a secret….
Good Morning Taylor and Christy.
Christy @ 5 – Thanks so much for that. Scott is such an amazing guy. Believe it or not, he’s not getting any coverage, so it meant a great deal to him. As you know too well, the corp. hack pack are ignoring him completely.
Oklahoma kiddo @
7
because they’re, um, how do you say this politely…well, not brown.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 7
Can someone explain why our proxy in the Mideast, Israel, has a “right” to WMD’s and the rest of the Middle Eastern countries do not? Is it because the Israeli government and military have shown a pattern of ‘responsibility’ in their actions over the years?
Or might it have something to do with the fact that AIPAC owns probablys 80% of our elected officials?
Thanks Taylor for your work!
And thank you Christy and FDL’ers!
did I go into moderation or did it just go totally into the ether? (didn’t get a message)
oh, and it was teh most brilliant comment ever, lol
Re: Eric Boehlert on Warbloggers (above). I guess Pickles was sent up to do the admin work to the MSM on the warbloggin’ meme. Heckuvajob Laura!
Bye Bayh.
jayt @ 16,
I was wondering the same thing. I posted to answer ok kiddo, and message said “server error” I was thinking it is my server?
It is a slow morning or I am having problems with my computer. I refresh and it keeps popping up “no new comments.”
TeddySanFran @ 18
Yayh!
Apple at 19 — this is the rush weekend for shopping for a lot of folks. I remember it was a little slow last year — but will check on the server error thing to be sure we aren’t having a tech issue…
TeddySanFran @
18
Will Ambassador Joe be crushed?
TeddySanFran @
19
Well – he has, to me, some intolerable messages about “working togetther”, bi-partisinship, etc (I live-blogged his speech from mys son’s H.S. graduation)
But he tends to vote well. Nonetheless, bye-bayh indeed.
Thanks Christy.
It could be my server. Last night I ran a scan of my files and everything seemed fine, but we never know.
Apple at 24 — Well, I looked with my rudimentary skills and can’t find anything. Will e-mail our folks to be sure…although I haven’t gotten a server error message this morning. But just in case — don’t want it causing problems for everyone else.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 21
I’m feeling guilty over the amount of internet shopping I’ve done this year. I’ve saved petrol in my own endeavor, but UPS has eaten the production of a small oilfield beating a path to my door.
Ms. Marsh — fantastic interview, thank you. I agree whole heartily with Christy that you need to be on a daily transmission in real world media.
And Laura as a spokesperson for the authoritarian idiocy is a wonderful turn. They are really scraping hard to find a water carrier since Rush stepped off the train. It is a glorious turn of events to watch the First Lady get sent up the flag pole in this regard. I will try not to enjoy watching her slide back to the ground (and below, if the blogosphere continues to aid gravity at all).
Next time, let’s hope we get a President who can do more than recite simple sloagans.
oh – I *am* in moderation…
Maybe we could ‘mediate’ the moderation…?
I’d settle for a President who could actually speak without mangling the language.
Joyce @ 27
Next time, let’s hope we have an informed public who demands more than that.
Joyce at 27 — Amen to that!
EvilDrPuma @
8
Um, he’s a milkman?
jayt at 28 — just a sec — am still checking on the server issue…one thing at a time, gang…
Christy,
You mean I should be shopping? Being a man, I wait until next weekend and then it is rush,rush,rush. You would think I would learn one of these years.
Your day with the Peanut and making cookies sounds really neat. Enjoy, they grow up sooo fast.
I do not expect you to answer as you are really busy today. Have a lot of fun!!!
Christy Hardin Smith @ 34
jayt at 28 — just a sec — am still checking on the server issue…one thing at a time, gang…
s’okay – I was just kidding.
Oklahoma kiddo @
7
Can you explain why we have a right to have WMDs? We haven’t been responsible in our foreign policy actions. i say we vote to disarm.
Please… give what you can to make some neglected or abused child a little happy this Christmas morning. For come Dec. 26, these little guys have another 364 days, at least, of unhappiness ahead.
Oklahoma kiddo @
7
Okay, here are the rules:
1)Anyone who fought Hitler is allowed to have nuclear weapons.
The fighting against Hitler does not actually have to be successful. (See “France, nuclear weapons, possession of”). If Poland wanted nukes, technically they could have them, being both white and Hitler-fighting.
2)Any nominal democracy is allowed to have nuclear weapons. That’s how Pakistan got them. Fortunately, a subsequent coup that overturns democratic rule does NOT mean you have to give the nukes back, so coup-leader/dictator/”President” Musharef get’s to keep Pakistan’s nukes.
3)Non-democratic states must be white-ruled (Apartheid South Africa) or contain at least a billion people (China).
So Israel is eligible under rule 2, and got a ruling that they also qualified under rule 1 because of the Warsaw uprising and so forth, even though technically they were not a nation-state.
Rule 2 is the tricksy one. That’s why it’s really important to portray Iran as a crazy country run by mullahs and a demented unshaved strong-man who dresses like Barack Obama, rather than a country where religous figures have a lot of influence with their democratically-elected president. The Bush administration has also attempted to amend rule 2 to exclude countries that did not militarily defeat Alexander the Great. This would let India and Pakistan stay, but keep out the dirty
PersiansIranians.Hope this helps.
bg @ 32
Nope, but I like that one.
Another fun smackdown of Hitchens comes courtesy of Angry Black Bitch and her sister C-Money . . .
Tag team snark! You gotta love it.
Apple Canyon 2…
Merry Christmas.
Oklahoma kiddo,
Thank you and a Merry Christmas to you and your family too.
We get out of school on Friday the 22nd at 1:00, when does your school vacation start?
Since there are only a few of us here today, I thought I could ask that question without upsetting anyone.
SeanPaul Kelly over at Agonist is reporting that the Iranian election has high turnout and it looks – for now – as if the reformers are winning. That’s a story that’s getting no coverage … then again, we’re not big on democracy in countries we want to bomb.
http://agonist.org/sean_paul_k….._the_polls
well said, Siun!
hey Angie!
I’m really impressed with SeanPaul’s Iran coverage – he’s recently been there and has a lot to say about what’s really happening and not being noticed here.
We let our kids out for Christmas, after school, this coming Tuesday. I’m going to give my guys an algebra test Tuesday. The surprise for them is that it won’t count, unless they want it to.
Siun says
December 16th, 2006 at 10:47 am*
SeanPaul Kelly over at Agonist is reporting that the Iranian election has high turnout and it looks – for now – as if the reformers are winning.
Well, that’s interesting. Wasn’t it just a little under two years ago that Ahmadinejad had an approval rating of around 10%? If he’s even hanging close, that just shows the value, in that part of the world, of opposing the U.S. and George W. Bush.
Just for fun…
Hell really *does* freeze over!
We have no business occupying other people’s countries. Just what gives us the ‘right’ to do this?
Hi Siun– thanks for that link. So many of us crave real news, and it is so nice to find more, real and relevant information other than Miss America, the Duke case, and Nicole Richie.
blergh; all while the planet is on fire in so very many ways.
Those pesky liberal theologians at SMU are stirring up trouble . . . Seems they aren’t too keen on SMU becoming the host to the Shrub’s presidential library. From the blog of Paul Burka, senior editor of The Texas Monthly:
I do believe somebody’s gone from preachin’ to meddlin’ . . . and that list is just for starters, ’cause the letter keeps on going.
Here’s an Amen! for the folks at SMU!
(h/t Josh Marshall for the link)
Hommage to Wallonia?
Hello? Is this thing on?
Arrgh . . . we’ve been EPU’d, Patrick! Quick, to the next thread!
Maybe the fence company could have the Latinos hammer the nails from the Mexico side of the fence….that should make everybody happy. I used to work with an illegal immigrant. He was a blue eyed blond Canadian. I bet he would have been pulled out of line given a blue bracelet and let go.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 50
Because we can.
I entered the O’Reilly contest.
I said that Bill has a very nice first name.
Siun @ 44
Interesting such a hugh turnout. I wonder if other countries are doing what we did, trying to send a message to the government and the world as a whole that we are seriously trying to change things. My friends in Russia say there will soon be such an opportunity for referendum there.
I need some linky-love. My ISP shut me down for comment spammers, my readership is waaaay down, and I’m just feeling sorry for myself. HR says I don’t get paid for two more weeks, “because you’re a new hire”, my CCs are all maxed out.
On the bright side, the kids, wife and dogs still love me. So Happy Holidays, everyone.
Let the War on Christmas commence! :)
JF
((((Jo Fish))))
You know we’re being EPU’d.
Come on up.
any off the cuff links…?
“Never in the field of human conflict was so little achieved by so great a country at such vast expense.”
And never has the death of 3,000 innocents caused such grief, expense, and suffering.