Truth is News to Me

Washington Times Needs a Mirror

2009-08-17T13:22:00.000-07:00

The Washington Times, the unofficial mouth organ of the Republican Party, has led the way in comparing the Democratic Party's health reform legislation to Hitler's Nazi Party, but it seems they should be looking in the mirror.

Robert Parry at Consortium News has an article illustrating the connection between the Times' owner, Sun Myung Moon, with known Nazis and right-wing Latin American military dictators.

It's a fascinating read and well-researched, like all writing at Consortium News.

Here's a taste:

Indeed, the Washington Times founder and funder, Sun Myung Moon, built his international religious-business-media empire in collaboration with Japanese fascist war criminals and with operational assistance from ex-Nazi SS officer Klaus Barbie, the so-called “Butcher of Lyon.”

The 89-year-old Moon also has had close ties to later generations of neo-Nazis and right-wing murderers, especially in Latin America where Moon-related organizations threw in their lot with brutal military dictators including some involved in cocaine trafficking.

Yet, in the 1970s and 1980s, Moon emerged as a major financier for the American Right. He sponsored lavish conservative conferences, slipped millions of dollars into the pockets of right-wing activists, supported prominent Republicans and – in 1982 – launched the Washington Times, which has been a prime propaganda vehicle for right-wing causes ever since.

Lou Dobbs Getting Nuttier By the Minute

2009-08-11T12:49:00.000-07:00

I'm sure at one time in his long career Lou Dobbs made sense, but he just seems to be getting nuttier by the minute.

His latest? Calling Gov. Howard Dean a "bloodsucking lefist" and saying "you gotta put a stake through his heart to stop him."

Some will say he was only illustrating a point and not calling for the murder of Dr. Dean, but in the hate-filled political climate fostered by many conservatives, it is downright dangerous.

So much so, in fact, that Howard Dean's brother, Jim, chair of Democracy for America, is calling for Dobbs' firing from CNN and his radio program.

Can't say that I blame him.

Sebelius Speaks Out on Health Care Reform

2009-08-05T10:49:00.001-07:00

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has written an op-ed piece to set the record straight on the administration's efforts at health care reform. The following is an excerpt:

Washington, DC — For decades, Washington has talked about fixing a broken health care system. And for decades Washington failed to act – allowing the special interests to stall reform while the cracks in the system turned into crevices, then craters.

But today, we are closer than ever to the change we need. Key committees in Congress have reached a striking degree of consensus about how to control costs, guarantee coverage, and provide more choices for every American. America’s doctors and nurses have announced their support. And even hospitals, drug and insurance companies have pledged to do their part to control costs.

Change is never easy and recently, some defenders of the status quo have made themselves heard.

One Republican Senator said, “If we’re able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him.” And a leading political strategist urged fellow Republicans to “resist the temptation” to be “constructive or, at least responsible,” and instead work to “kill” health care reform.

These opponents of change may understand how to score political points in Washington, but they don’t seem to understand the stakes for the country. The health care status quo is unacceptable and unsustainable for our families, our businesses, and our nation as a whole.

Evangelicals Invading New England

2009-07-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

From the Christian Science Monitor:

Hallelujah religion is a-rising in Yankee country. As liberal congregations die in a secularizing region, conservative churches with roots outside New England are replacing them with a passionate brand of faith that emphasizes saving souls – even in a land where many think there's nothing to be saved from.

Is nothing sacred.

Robert Downey Jr.'s 'Due Date'

2009-07-27T12:53:00.000-07:00

This just in from AFP:

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Oscar-nominee Robert Downey Jr. is to star opposite Zach Galifianakis in a comedy about an expectant father scrambling to get to the birth of his first child, it was reported Monday.

Downey, nominated for an Academy Award this year for his performance in "Tropic Thunder," will play the father in "Due Date," while Galifianakis ("The Hangover") will play his mismatched travel partner, Daily Variety reported.

The film, due to start production later this year, will be directed by "The Hangover's" Todd Phillips. Phillips told Variety the film was a "a buddy comedy without the buddies."

No doubt in our mind the Downey is among the finest actors of his generation. We haven't seen a movie of his in which he did not shine. Just hope he stays clean and sober.

Cuckolded Husband Narcs on Wife: She Goes to Prison

2009-06-02T09:45:00.000-07:00

The husband of a woman who had an affair while living in Dubai, tipped the local police off to her indiscretion and she and her lover were sentenced to two months in prison for adultry.

The cases highlight the conservative legal code that governs Dubai, a city-state that has advertised itself as a tourist and business mecca in the heart of the Middle East. It caters heavily to Western tastes and lifestyles for its international allure, but its legal code is based on Islamic laws and tribal rules.
Sally Antia and her lover, Mark Hawkins, were arrested May 2 after leaving a Dubai luxury hotel in the early morning hours, according to court documents. Antia's husband, Vince, alerted the police to his wife's infidelity.

The couple should be happy they were only sentenced to prison. Here is what could have happened under a strict enforcement of Islamic law:

Adultery is the most serious of crimes. If the guilty party is married, he or she is sentenced to death by stoning, beheading, or shooting. Stoning is the usual method of punishment. Proof of this crime must be established by confession or by four witnesses to the act.

Debtor's Prisons Repackaged

2009-03-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

I first learned of the concept of a debtor's prison from reading Charles Dickens in my youth. At the time I couldn't see the logic behind the concept because how could someone pay their debt if they were locked up?

At the federal level, the United States did away with this practice in the 1830's. The UK followed suit in 1869. Supposedly, no one can be jailed for failure to pay a debt, right? Sorry, Charlie, that ain't so.

Now this is an extreme case and may have merit, but check this out from AJC.com:

A former employee of Global Destiny Church has asked a Gwinnett judge to put Bishop Thomas W. Weeks III in jail for contempt of court because he failed to repay a debt to her.

A petition for contempt was filed Tuesday by Suzanne Ellis. The petition says that Weeks, and his church empire Global Destiny Inc. and TWIII Ministries Inc., never reimbursed Ellis for about $90,000 worth of items she was asked to buy as an employee.

Bishop Weeks might be going to jail for failing to pay a debt, but the justice system will call it contempt of court, kind of a repackaged debtor's prison.

A legacy of suicide

2009-03-23T13:03:00.000-07:00

Nicholas Hughes, son of poet Sylvia Plath, committed suicide at the age of 47 last week at his home in Fairbanks, Alaska. Plath, killed herself in 1963.

Here is something I did not know:

Ted Hughes [father of Nicholas] relived the tragedy not only through the constant reminders of Plath, but also through the suicide of Wevill, his second wife, who in March 1969 killed herself and their 4-year-old daughter.

Since Nicholas was unmarried and had not children, this sad legacy of suicide will end with him.

What Goes Around, Comes Around

2008-11-04T10:32:00.000-08:00

Oh, the poor Bushies. Dubya's approval rating is around 20 percent and sadness surrounds the White House.

ADMINISTRATION -- WITH RECORD LOW APPROVAL, 'REAL SADNESS' HANGS OVER BUSH WHITE HOUSE: A new CBS News poll finds that President Bush's approval rating is now at just 20 percent -- the "lowest ever recorded for a president." The President's "disapproval rating of 72 percent matches his all-time high, first reached last month." Yesterday, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino complained about about Bush's abysmal approval ratings, claiming that they are like a high school popularity contest. "Everybody would like to be popular. You can all remember that back in high school, everyone really wanted to be popular. Some of us just weren't," she lamented. The Washington Post reported over the weekend that loyal Bushies are engaging in upbeat talk to mask "disappointment and frustration among many White House staffers," who see their boss as "a good and steadfast man who has gotten a bad rap." The Post quoted a "prominent Republican who regularly talks with senior White House officials," who reportedly said, "There is a real sadness there."

McCain Involved in Car Crash?

2008-10-28T08:16:00.000-07:00

Ordinarily we don't hold with conspiracy theories (yeah, right) like the one involving George W. Bush and his National Guard service, or lack thereof, but this article caught our attention:

News Orgs Investigate Possibly Fatal McCain '64 Car Crash

For the past two months, a major American magazine and an allied news service have been engaged in a legal battle with the United States Navy over records that they believe show that John McCain once was involved in an automobile accident that injured or, perhaps, killed another individual.

Vanity Fair magazine and the National Security News Service claim to have knowledge "developed from first-hand sources" of a car crash that involved then-Lt. McCain at the main gate of a Virginia naval base in 1964, according to legal filings. The incident has been largely, if not entirely, kept from the public. And in documents suing the Navy to release pertinent information, lawyers for the NS News Service allege that a cover-up may be at play.

Georgia Ordered to Allow Voting

2008-10-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

Federal judges have ordered the state of Georgia to allow voting by any citizen "flagged" by the state's voter ID law.

The court also ordered Secretary of State Karen Handel to “make diligent and immediate efforts to notify, in a uniform manner, every person whose voter registration presently remains flagged.” Those voters must be told that they can vote by a “challenged ballot,” if necessary, and that there is a discrepancy in the voters’ registration information, the court said.

McCain's Mortgage Buyout Plan

2008-10-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

Remember when John McCain sprung his mortgage buyout plan during his debate with Barak Obama earlier this month? No? We're not surprised.

Not only has it been termed "risky" by Obama and many others, within two days, McCain modified his plan. It is not even mentioned now.

Mike Colpitts of HousingPredictor.com had the best description we have seen of McCain's plan in a recent interview:

This [McCain's Plan] is seen as putting a tourniquet on the crisis, but the hemorrhaging will continue. Only 15-17 percent of all mortgages are subprime. The majority of the problem is with homeowners who have adjustable rate mortgages. These people are unable to refinance because their homes don't have the value they did when the original mortgage was taken out.

Is there any hope for these people? Time will tell, but don't count on it.

A U.K. take on new American Socialism

2008-09-22T09:10:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we have to look overseas to find the truth, such as this from Philip Delves Broughton of The Mail Online:

For years now, we have had to listen to bankers attacking Washington for imposing regulations that inhibit the free markets from making even more money.
And all the while, they took exorbitant salaries, justifying them on the grounds of their huge contribution to capitalism.
How bitterly ironic it is, then, to see these one-time freemarketeers becoming socialists overnight.
The schoolyard bullies of Wall Street have gone running to the state for help, pleading to be saved from destruction.
They deserve neither our sympathy nor the billions in taxpayer support they are now receiving.
The truth is that over the past few years, New York's major financial players have created a world of obscene economic excess.
Dick Fuld, head of Lehman Brothers, awarded himself £17.5 million worth of, now worthless, stock.
At Goldman Sachs, more than £9 billion was lavished on employee bonuses.
Bob Willumstad, the boss of AIG, received a guaranteed cash bonus of £2million in 2007, deferred until his sacking yesterday.
What, you might ask, were they being paid for, these men who ignored the most basic kitchen table economics by borrowing 100 or 200 times the value of their capital and whose actions now threaten the Western world with a major slump?

Stop Stonewalling, Sarah Palin

2008-09-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin first said she welcomed an investigation into allegations that she made attempts to have her ex-brother-in-law fired from his state trooper job, but now that she is a candidate for vice president, the stonewalling of the legislative investigation has begun.

The American electorate is being asked to choose Palin as next-in-line for the presidency, and we deserve to know just who she is.

Is Sarah Palin the vindictive, nasty, unethical, back-stabbing politician some claim her to be, or is she a victim of the political process.

If the John McCain campaign operatives have their way, voters won't know until after the election. Some say it will be too late, but does anyone remember Spiro T. Agnew?

It's never too late to take out the trash.

Sarah Palin Won't Talk to Media

2008-09-06T03:35:00.000-07:00

The John McCain campaign will not let Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin answer questions from the media.

Why?

Perhaps they are afraid the real Sarah Palin will come through and the inanity of her selection will become widely known.

Can you say Karl Rove?

More on what's wrong with the media

2008-07-08T07:10:00.000-07:00

Ann Davidow has an excellent take on the lack of real information coming from what passes for media in the US of A.

The glee with which pundits feed on the minutia of politics as if devouring some tidbit of celebrity gossip shows a lack of journalistic gravitas. The Fox News Channel is such a farcical turn on itself it is almost too ridiculous to be taken seriously. Yet a sizeable audience plants itself at the feet of Fox as if its news and views offered something of real value, leaving Fox viewers dangerously misinformed.

But while Fox may field the worst purveyors of intellectually challenged reportage, it isn't the only example of media intransigence. Sean Hannity may be a shameless McCain advocate, but, if Fox tops the list in terms of bias, other news organizations offer up guests who lean one way or the other but add little substance to the political debate. It's as if some producer runs around trying to find representatives of every opinion and throws them in front of a camera to provide a range of views, well founded or not.

Fox is not the only target:

Pundits like Chris Matthews on MSNBC, feel compelled to tell viewers how smart they are, as in ‘when I worked for so and so' or ‘I've been around politics since the beginning of time.' It isn't only that Matthews talks over his guests to showcase his vast knowledge of the way things work, it's his annoying habit of pretending to ask a guest tough questions and then saying at the end "you're a good guy" or something of the sort, as if to ensure his entrée into whatever sphere of influence that particular guest still commands.

And this is why we keep electing morons.

Clinton Backer Offers Bribe?

2008-05-20T09:09:00.000-07:00

Did mega-rich man and long-time Clinton supporter Haim Saban offer $1 million to the Young Democrats of America as a bribe for the votes of their two superdelegates or not?

Here's what is known:

Saban talked with YDA President David Hardt before the North Carolina and Indiana primaries. They talked about a million dollars and they talked about the two superdelegates.

Were the two topics related?

Saban claims no. He would never do that.

But four independent sources say otherwise.

Like the old saying goes, "If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then it is a bribe, er, duck."

Losing Historic Stories From a Prime Piece of Real Estate

2008-04-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

Of all the real estate stories we have read over the years, none are sadder than the razing of historic properties to make room for modern, ugly, and, let's face it, tacky office buildings.

The latest is the pending fate of an historic home in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which has the misfortune of sitting on a prime real estate corner near the city's downtown area. A $12 million office complex of five to three stories is planned for the site.

From looking at a photo of the property, it doesn't seem like much.

Here's what the news account had to say about the house:

Meanwhile, the Hansen Family Partnership hopes to find a new owner for the historic three-story, 12-bedroom house so it can be moved off site and spared being bulldozed, Hagen said. The Hansen group is offering the house for free plus a $10,000 moving allowance.

Hagen said he has had more than 150 inquiries about the house, which was built and originally owned by the Van Eps family, as well as a couple of showings. "I've asked people to submit their proposals (to take the house) by May 1," he said.

Twelve bedrooms? That's not a house, it's a mini-hotel! What stories its wall could tell us. But I don't think anyone is asking.

What a tragedy to lose a bit of history in the interest of developing that real estate for cold-hearted business.

Look for the free trial in requirements management software

2008-03-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

If you are like 99 percent of the world's population you have no idea what is meant by requirements management, even after reading about it on Wikipedia like we just did.

Here's how we understand it:

People working in product development, whether it's for a widget or software, are told what the product needs to do. These are called requirements, as in the product is required to do something in particular.

Often, the requirements will change as the development progresses, or the client decides to add something new. Keeping track of all the requirements can at times become problematic, especially if the changes are coming at the manager from a variety of sources, such as meeting minutes, emails, phone calls, or even little sticky notes left on the office door.

Fortunately for today's product development manager software is available to make this job much easier. But how does the manager decide which software is best for their needs?

How about a free trial of the Requirements Management Software - a real try-it-before-you-buy-it offer.

But what are the features a manager should look for when making an evaluation?

First, the manager should consider if the software is available on demand, which makes it accessible from any computer with Internet access. This is important so the developers can post their progress and the manager can keep track of the changes.

Another important feature is the ability to quickly add fields to the software as the development progresses and additions are added. This is especially important to track what are called dependencies. For example, if Requirement #1 is dependent on Requirement #2, then the manager can make sure everything is in place.

Now, you know just about as much as we do about Requirements Management Software, but if you know more, please feel free to share your knowledge with us.

As the man said, knowledge is power, and don't we all want to be powerful?

Tucker Carlson's Obsession with Hillary's Tax Return

2008-03-15T05:15:00.000-07:00

Tucker Carlson, who did not have his contract with CNN renewed, seems a bit obsessed with the tax returns of Hillary Clinton.

This from Jamison Foser at Media Matters for America:

Carlson, the soon-to-be-former host of the eponymous (and, as of tomorrow morning, defunct) show Tucker, has not only been baffled, he has been positively obsessed:

CARLSON, MARCH 6: "Senator Clinton claims she's too busy to release her tax returns. ... The reality is she wants to keep this information hidden from the voters of Wyoming, Mississippi and Pennsylvania. And they ought to wonder why."
CARLSON, FEBRUARY 25: "Frank Rich makes the point, if we are that biased against Hillary Clinton, we'd be asking to see her tax returns."
CARLSON, FEBRUARY 22: "It has never made sense to me why Mrs. Clinton doesn't release her tax returns."
CARLSON, FEBRUARY 13: "I want to see her tax returns. I want specific tax returns. ... I want to see specific tax returns. ... And we always see them. Why can't we see her[s]? ... I want to see her tax return. ... Is there a reason she's not -- we're not seeing it? ... [I]n order to know where the money is coming from, I think it's fair to see her tax return. That's why Obama has released his. That's why every candidate has and she hasn't."

Tucker's assertion that "every candidate" other than Clinton has released his tax returns isn't quite right. John McCain hasn't released his tax returns, either.

Not that you would know that from watching MSNBC. According to Nexis, there hasn't been a single mention on MSNBC this year of the fact that McCain hasn't released his tax returns. No indication that McCain might even pay taxes, much less that he hasn't released his returns.

If you want more of Carlson's wit and wisdom, it is rumored the he will be back on the air at PBS on Friday nights. Let's hope PBS executives sober up and change their minds.

Are We Drugging Our Own Water Supply

2008-03-10T05:37:00.000-07:00

An Associated Press investigation has found the presence of pharmaceuticals in the drinking water used by 41 million Americans. We are drugging ourselves.

To be sure, the concentrations of these pharmaceuticals are tiny, measured in quantities of parts per billion or trillion, far below the levels of a medical dose. Also, utilities insist their water is safe.

But the presence of so many prescription drugs — and over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen and ibuprofen — in so much of our drinking water is heightening worries among scientists of long-term consequences to human health.

In the course of a five-month inquiry, the AP discovered that drugs have been detected in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas — from Southern California to Northern New Jersey, from Detroit to Louisville, Ky.

Water providers rarely disclose results of pharmaceutical screenings, unless pressed, the AP found. For example, the head of a group representing major California suppliers said the public "doesn't know how to interpret the information" and might be unduly alarmed.

How do the drugs get into the water?

People take pills. Their bodies absorb some of the medication, but the rest of it passes through and is flushed down the toilet. The wastewater is treated before it is discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Then, some of the water is cleansed again at drinking water treatment plants and piped to consumers. But most treatments do not remove all drug residue.

And while researchers do not yet understand the exact risks from decades of persistent exposure to random combinations of low levels of pharmaceuticals, recent studies — which have gone virtually unnoticed by the general public — have found alarming effects on human cells and wildlife.

"We recognize it is a growing concern and we're taking it very seriously," said Benjamin H. Grumbles, assistant administrator for water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Bishop McGuinness Three-Peats in State Basketball

2008-03-09T07:41:00.000-07:00

Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Oklahoma City won its third consecutive state basketball title in Class 4A Saturday, March 8. The the three-peat is the seventh championship title in 11 years for the boys basketball team.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Top-ranked Bishop McGuinness defeated eighth-ranked Southeast 80-63 in the class 4A state championship game Saturday afternoon at Jim Norick State Fair Arena.

This is the third consecutive title for the Irish (26-4). In addition, McGuinness has now won basketball and football championships in back to back seasons.

All five starters for the Irish finished in double figures. Ryan Randolph finished with a team high 19 points.

Daniel Orton and Jeffrey Merritt both scored 14 points for McGuinness.

Orton, a 6-10 junior center, also had 11 rebounds and seven blocked shots before fouling out with 4:16 left.

“It is very satisfying,” said McGuinness head coach Tondrell Durham. “We did a nice job and had great balance tonight.”

Ben Smith had a game-high 23 points for the Spartans (18-9). Teammate Darrell Traylor added 17.

Orton's presence forced Southeast to take a lot of perimeter shots. The Spartans managed to hit just 5-of-30 from three point country.

The Irish led 22-13 after the first period thanks to making 9-of-12 shots in the frame.

McGuiness extended to a 38-26 advantage at the half. Gabe Ikard, who finished with 10 points, gave the Irish that lead with a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Citizen Journalism and Grammar Software

2008-03-06T06:21:00.000-08:00

The proliferation of so-called citizen journalism is generally seen as a boon to democracy in the Information Age.

A paper produced by We Media refers to this as participatory journalism. In their introduction they have this to say:

We are at the beginning of a Golden Age of journalism — but it is not journalism as we have known it. Media futurists have predicted that by 2021, "citizens will produce 50 percent of the news peer-to-peer." However, mainstream news media have yet to meaningfully adopt or experiment with these new forms.

It may be the "Golden Age of journalism," but so far it hasn't yet become the age of golden journalists.

Sure, anyone with access to the Internet can become a "citizen journalist" but so far most of them are lacking in fundamental writing skills, such as proper grammar.

Most of these "participatory journalist" would do well to take advantage of an online grammar checker. Educators did society a great disservice when they started cutting back on the teaching of basic grammar.

Some will argue that the available grammar checkers in popular programs such as Microsoft Word are adequate for the average reader, but why not take advantage of advanced contextual grammar checker software?

The best software scans the entire text and "operates a complex set of procedures based on the context of your very own newly created English text."

As an old-school journalist and editor, I welcome the new journalism. It is just what this country needs to combat corporate-own media to ensure the "real" news is presented.

But would it hurt the citizen journalist to make sure his copy is grammatically correct and his message is not being misinterpreted?

Britney Spears' Tormentors Detained

2008-01-22T06:25:00.000-08:00

No one's candidate for mother of the year, Britney Spears, received some poetic justice as paparazzi chasing her were detained by police and charged with reckless driving. No word if Spears was wearing panties.

Los Angeles police Lt. Mario Munoz said officers observed several cars following a white Mercedes-Benz around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday in Mission Hills.
The cars were following Spears' car too closely and traveling at unsafe speed. They also made several unsafe lane changes, authorities said.
Munoz said officers stopped the Mercedes, interviewed Spears and released the 26-year-old pop star after verifying her driver's license.
But the four photographers in the cars chasing her were booked for investigation of reckless driving.

Sweet Wedding Favors

2007-12-06T09:40:00.000-08:00

Thought I had just about seen it all until I went to the wedding of a friend's son and was given candy wedding favors. They were not just any old candy, but personalized mints.

I didn't know if I should be insulted because they thought my breath was bad, or happy to get free mints. I opted for the mints which came in a little box with the bride and groom's name and the date of the wedding. How cute.

Thinking it must have cost quite a bit to have these made up (and having a daughter of marrying age), I cornered my friend at the reception to ask about them. Was I ever amazed when he told me how little they cost and how quickly they were delivered.

Seems the kids couldn't decide until the last minute what to order, but the candy favors made it in plenty of time. Quick service, tasty mints - can't get any better than that.

What I didn't do was ask why the bride was wearing a white dress with black trim. Some things are better left unknown.

I still have the box of mints given as a wedding favor and show them to all my friends. What a great idea.

President's brother under investigation

2007-11-08T10:13:00.000-08:00

Ran across this item on Neil Bush:

Neil Bush, the president's forgotten brother who single-handedly brought down the savings and loan industry, is back in the news and under investigation by the Education Department. Just like his older brother, George W., everything Neil touches turns out badly. Why are these guys allowed to continue to rob and cheat the American taxpayer?

When did he get out of prison? Oh, that's right. He never went. My bad.

Can Affiliate Elite Software Make You Thousands?

2007-10-18T07:36:00.000-07:00

Soon-to-be-released software promises to show you how to do all the research necessary to earn thousands of dollars promoting your product through affiliate programs.

The software, Affiliate Elite, is reviewed by Shawn Pringle, himself a successful money-maker on the Internet. Pringle offers a video preview of some of the major features of the program which will be ready in early November.

We took the bait and signed up at Pringle's site to check it out.

Once you provide your email address and confirm that you do indeed want to see what the buzz on Affiliate Elite is all about, you are sent to a page containing four videos.

Pringle, in a down-home style that is refreshing, walks you through a new project and shows you how easy it is to find profitable affiliate programs to promote, and there are thousands; a reverse Google search that shows all the Adwords listings and organic listings of a particular web site; analyzing Adwords competition, which shows you all the Adwords for any keyword you enter; and finding Super affiliates, those that are successful in promoting products.

With this software you can find out who your competition is and where they are advertising, and the keywords they are using. Powerful stuff.

Now there will be a monthly fee involved because of the bandwidth used, your ROI should more than compensate for that. In addition, there is a money-back guarantee.

What are you waiting for? Pre-order now and get bonus tips-and-tricks from an interview with the developer.

Iranian Students Protest

2007-10-08T13:40:00.000-07:00

Seems that at least some Iranians are growing restless with their president and protesting at Tehran University. Will American students ever get off their fat asses and make a stand? Odds are against it.

TEHRAN, Oct. 8 — For the second time in less than a year, university students in Tehran on Monday mounted a protest to a speech by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. More than 100 students clashed with supporters of Mr. Ahmadinejad at Tehran University, where he was speaking to mark the beginning of the new school year.

Mr. Ahmadinejad angered students and professors at the university after his election in 2005 when he appointed a cleric as the university’s president. Many liberal professors and students have been dismissed since then, and activists have come under increasing pressure.

“Death to the dictator,” and “Free jailed students,” shouted the protesters, referring to three student activists who have been jailed since May, said witnesses who asked not to be identified out of fear of repercussions.

“It is more than four months since three students have been jailed and are under the worst kind of physical and psychological torture,” said Mohsen Seyedin, a student activist, according to the Web site for Amir Kabir University in Tehran. Pro-democracy students there had protested during a speech by the president in December. “Mr. Ahmadinejad must answer why they should pay this price for criticizing him.”

Students at Tehran University said Monday that only the most ardent supporters of the president were allowed to be present for the speech. The protesters gathered outside and scuffled several times with the Ahmadinejad supporters, as well as with riot police officers stationed outside the university.

Is it really a virtual reality real estate tour?

2007-09-27T13:39:00.000-07:00

There are a whole bunch of real estate Web sites out there in the cyber world extolling the benefits of virtual reality especially in the area of sales.

Could it be true? Can we really walk around homes for sale in the virtual world? How great is that?

Imagine our disappointment when we realized most of these real estate sites were only offering panoramic photos of the the inside of the houses and we weren't really transported (cyberly, of course) into the home. We must have read way too much science fiction growing up.

Yes, it's true. What these sites call virtual reality is neither. When are they going to quit putting up pictures and calling it a virtual tour and getting our hopes up?

The closest thing we have found is the video virtual reality real estate tour. At least with video, one has real movement, and in some cases an actual person leading the tour.

So listen up, real estate agents. Stop calling your pathetic little photographs virtual reality or we'll take our phasers off stun.

U.S. Out of Iraq in Five Years, Says Report

2007-09-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

A report by the United States Institute of Peace says it will be five years before all American troops can be removed from Iraq. The number of troops can be halved in three years.

"The United States faces too many challenges around the world to continue its current level of effort in Iraq, or even the deployment that was in place before the surge," the report said.

A sustainable military presence "is likely no more than half the current level within three years, with a view to removing all units within five years, when all US bases should be turned over to the Iraqi government," it said.

"Only when the Iraqis and their neighbors perceive the real prospect of US withdrawal will they feel the need to take on greater responsibility."

The institute's report was released at the start of a week of drama in Washington as General David Petraeus and Baghdad ambassador Ryan Crocker, the top two Americans in Iraq, prepare to testify in Congress Monday and Tuesday.

---

The Bush administration should focus on five key objectives as it charts its next steps in Iraq, the institute's report said. Those were:

-- Prevent Iraq from becoming a safe haven for international terrorists;

-- Restore US credibility, prestige and capacity to act worldwide;

-- Improve regional stability;

-- Limit and redirect Iranian influence;

-- Maintain Iraq as a single, independent state.

GOP Senator 'Not Gay'

2007-08-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

After pleading guilty to a lesser charge following his arrest in the Minneapolis airport for lewd behavior, Idaho Sen. Larry Craig said at a recent news conference, "I am not gay. I never have been gay."

Sure. And Bill Clinton never inhaled.

When will the Republicans ever fess up to having certain needs?

"I did nothing wrong at the Minneapolis airport," he said at a news conference with his wife, Suzanne, at his side.

Craig's defiant stance came as Senate Republican leaders in Washington called for an ethics committee review into his involvement in a police sting operation this summer in the airport men's room.

"In the meantime, the leadership is examining other aspects of the case to see if additional action is required," Sen. Mitch McConnell and other top GOP lawmakers said in a written statement.

A private group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, also filed a complaint with the ethics committee seeking an investigation into whether Craig violated Senate rules by engaging in disorderly conduct.

Good Dental Hygiene Improves Health

2007-08-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

We were not aware of this buy good dental hygiene can improve a person's overall health, at least according to information provided by a Calgary dentist.

It seems that healthy teeth, gums and jaw joints has a positive affect on the rest of the body; just as a healthy body is a good influence on the condition of your mouth.

Recent research indicates that women with gum disease are up to seven times more likely to deliver premature babies than women with healthy gums. In addition, unhealthy gums can contribute to heart disease and strokes when the bacteria from infections enter the circulatory system.

This same gum disease can be a major cause of bad breath. Makes sense when you think about it, but who likes to think of halitosis?

Good dental health can also alleviate TMJ, lower back pain and headaches.

Who'd a thunk it?

Everything's Outsourced Now

2007-08-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

Couldn't believe our eyes when we first saw this, but some knucklehead is now offering SEO Outsourcing!

For those of you not in the know, SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, the fancy name for manipulating a web site to boost its ranking in Google, Yahoo!, Ask and other search engines.

What about those poor domestic SEOs who have Red Bull and Baby Ruth bills to pay. Man, it just ain't right to take caffeine and candy out of their mouths.

And wait. These SubContinent come-latelys also offer - gasp! - other web services at a fraction of the cost. How dare they!

Oh, we're talking about graphics, scripting, database solutions, directory submissions, link acquisitions - the whole nine yards.

Where will it ever stop.

This country is bleeding, man, and it's way past time for it to come to an end.

Be patriotic. Hire an American

Looking for a long-term rental in Spain

2007-08-10T09:53:00.000-07:00

Ever since we spent two great weeks on the Costa del Sol several years ago, our dream has been to rent a piece of Spanish property for a long term. We now may be able to realize that dream now that we have access to the funds left to my wife from her grandfather's estate.

Since we are both wannabe writers, we see this as an excellent opportunity to work on our dream in an idyllic setting - warm, sunny climate and friendly people. We may even want to invest in buying a small place in Spain, but we'll just have to wait and see how this works out.

We've done a bit of homework on the purchasing in Spain and it does seem a bit complicated with the reservation agreement, paying up-front fees, getting the land registry checks and understanding the intricacies of a contract written in Spanish.

We're both already taking Spanish lessons, not the language spoken in Mexico and most of Central America, but Castilian, the official language of Spain. A much more beautiful version in our opinion.

Health care in Spain is another area we are focusing on. After all, we will be spending nearly a year there and want to make sure all bases are covered.

We're still a ways out from making any firm commitments at this point, but plan to add periodic updates here as we firm things up.

Stay tuned.

Thompson's Trophy Wife Running the show

2007-07-29T06:27:00.000-07:00

Jeri Thompson, trophy wife of Fred Thompson, used to be a spokesperson for the Republican party, now she's a hand's on manager of his not-yet-announced presidential campaign.

But in the past few days Jeri Thompson has suddenly emerged as the real political power behind her husband Fred's presidential campaign.

Mr Thompson, 64, a former senator and actor who is running second in most polls of Republican nominees even before he has officially declared his candidacy, last week replaced his campaign manager in a shake-up of his top team - which, it has emerged, was initiated by his wife.
Another senior aide quit after clashes with Mrs Thompson, a youthful-looking 40, who is in effect managing her husband's White House bid and has hiring and firing authority over staff, according to campaign insiders.

Dems Keep Losing

2007-07-20T11:47:00.000-07:00

Despite all the rhetoric, Congressional Democrats are so impotent they still can't stand up to the Bush Administration.

By now you'd think the lackluster Democratic leadership of Congress would have learned. They may have a majority in the House and Senate but they don't have either the power or the legislative savvy to defeat the despotic rule of President George W. Bush or his GOP lemmings on the Hill.
This point became all too clear Wednesday as the Republican minority defeated yet another grandstanding attempt by the Democratic majority to change the course of Bush's failed Iraq war.
The all-night debate, staged by Democrats to showcase "the importance of the issue," lumbered to a sleep-deprived halt as Democrats fell eight votes short of the 60 needed to even get a vote on whether or not to pull troops out of Iraq.
Like all previous attempts by Senate Democrats, the effort failed and failed miserably.

Surge expected to get longer

2007-07-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

From AP:

WASHINGTON - While many in Congress are pushing President Bush to alter course in Iraq by September if not sooner, his new status report on the war strongly implies that the administration believes its military strategy will take many more months to meet its goals.

The report cited no specific timeframe, but its language suggests what some U.S. commanders have hinted at recently: The troop reinforcements that Bush ordered in January may need to remain until spring 2008.

That's a military calculation at odds with an emerging political consensus in Washington on bringing the troops home soon.

The disconnect between the military and political views on the best way forward is a symptom of four-plus years of setbacks in Iraq — not only missteps by the U.S. government but also by Iraqi political leaders, who have fallen far short of their stated aim of creating a government of national unity.

In the view of some members of Congress — and not just Democrats — the time has long passed for the Iraqis to show that they can parlay U.S.-led military efforts into progress on the political front.

Bush to Congress: Up Yours!

2007-06-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

The White House told Congress to stick it where the sun don't shine when two congressional committees issued subpoenas for documents relating to the firing of U.S. attorneys. Is anyone surprised?

Excerpt from Yahoo News:

Bush's attorney told Congress the White House would not turn over subpoenaed documents from former presidential counsel Harriet Miers and former political director Sara Taylor. Congressional panels want the documents for their investigations of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' stewardship of the Justice Department, including complaints of undue political influence.

The Democratic chairmen of the two committees seeking the documents accused Bush of stonewalling and disdain for the law, and said they would press forward with enforcing the subpoenas.

Bush breaking law

2007-06-19T08:55:00.000-07:00

Seems that it takes a report from the General Accounting Office to point out what many of us already knew.

From Capitol Hill Blue:

President George W. Bush breaks the law by failing to follow provisions of legislation passed by Congress and illegally modifies those bills through the use of "signing statements" that add his own interpretations or limitations.

That's the conclusion of an investigation by the General Accounting Office, an independent investigatory arm of Congress.

Administration critics say the report is another indication of how the Bush Administration ignores the law of the land.

Closer to war with Iran

2007-06-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

The Bush administration took another step on the path to war with Iran in the guise of a diplomat's statement in Paris. Will the American people allow this?

PARIS - A senior U.S. diplomat accused
Iran on Tuesday of transferring weapons to Taliban insurgents in
Afghanistan — the most direct comments yet on the issue by a ranking American official.

Bush feeling bad

2007-06-06T12:31:00.000-07:00

President George Bush is upset because Scooter Libby's family is suffering over his felony conviction.

If he feels that badly maybe he needs to clear his conscious and come clean with the American people about his role in the outing of a CIA covert operative.

Torture: It doesn't work

2007-05-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

Experts: torture doesn't work

The "aggressive" interrogation techniques that the Bush administration advocates for use on terror suspects is coming under fire from experts who call the practice "outmoded, amateurish and unreliable."

Even members of the Bush administration, including Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, have begun to question the use of torture to gain information from suspects.

But President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney continue to push use of such techniques, calling them a "valuable tool" in the so-called war on terror.

Getting the Most Out of Your Ink Cartridges

2007-05-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

Now that the "newsness" of that wonder multipurpose printer you just bought has worn off, it's time to start thinking about saving money on your ink cartridges. Here are some tips on effective ways to save ink:

Use the draft mode of printing whenever possible. It will use less ink and your cartridges will last longer.

Do not use color cartridges for black and white prints. The color cartridge will use many colors to make the black ink and will deplete the cartridge sooner.

When printing a proof color copy, use the draft mode. It will save the more expensive color ink.

If printing one page of a multi-page document from Microsoft Word, use the "Print Current Page" setting.

Need only part of a page printed? Highlight the area and use the "Print Selection" option.

Think before printing something from the Internet. Do you really need to have it in color? If not, print it in black.

Making a copy of a bill to put in a file? Use the lowest possible resolution to save ink and money.

Finally, you might consider purchasing compatible ink cartridges from an online retailer. They work just as well with the same quality. Many online retailer will also offer free delivery of ink cartridges.

When deciding on an online retailer, choose one that offers ink cartridges for the major name brand printers, such as Hewlett-Packard, Epson, Canon, and Lexmark.

America Betrayed

2007-05-24T08:28:00.000-07:00

You have to check out Keith Olbermann's latest special comment at MSNBC.

The American people have truly been betrayed by Congress and the president.

Hitting the nail on the head

2007-05-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

A. Alexander at PDB has it right when he calls the Democratic leadership in Washington cowards:

Excerpt:

Every major poll in the nation revealed that, on Iraq, a large majority of the American people were on the Democratic Party's side. All the Democrats would have had to do was make a compelling case for cutting off funding, had Bush continued in his obstinance, and the American people would have quickly seen the light and supported that move, too. Instead, the Democrats immediately reverted to their spineless, warmongering Democratic Leadership Council ways and caved into Bush's bluster!

Cowards!

Linking for Google

2007-05-17T14:45:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting article on linking strategies for Google written in plain English. The information was taken directly from a patent application filed by the search engine monster.

The writer has cut through all the legal crap and presents just the information a webmaster needs.

Check it out.

Impeach Gonzales Now

2007-05-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

Since the attorney general is doing exactly what George Bush wants him to do, Hal Brown thinks Congress should impeach Alberto Gonzales.

We think that's a good start. Then they can move right on up the ladder.

A horrible way to go

2007-05-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

We do a lot of surfing the Internet here at truthisnews and we've been seeing a lot of news stories about the disease mesothelioma which is caused by breathing in asbestos fibers.

Right now we're seeing a lot of stories coming out of the United Kingdom, but Japan is also talking about it. Being curious souls we did some checking on mesothelioma symptoms, just in case.

Most of the symptoms, such as shortness of breath or other breathing difficulties, chest or abdominal pain, can also be attributed to other diseases. Seems that for a doctor to make an accurate diagnosis he will have to know if the patient had ever been around asbestos.

Since it can take up to 50 years for the disease to show up, it is affecting mostly older people. Take heed: if you know of someone with these kind of symptoms find out if they ever worked around asbestos. Then make sure they tell their doctor.

Interesting note: musician and songwriter Warren Zevon died of mesothelioma after not recognizing the symptoms. Actor Steve McQueen is also said to have died from the disease.

Missing Guard Units Put Communities at Risk

2007-05-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

So much of America's National Guard is deployed to Iraq fighing the Bush War that when a natural disaster strikes, such as last week's tornado in Kansas, state's can't find enough personnel and equipment to help the stricken communities.

From the Center for American Progress Action Fund:

On Friday, a deadly tornado hit the small town of Greensburg, KS, killing at least 10 people and obliterating 95 percent of the town. The National Weather Service classified the tornado as an F-5, the highest categorization.

But with approximately 60 percent of its equipment sent to Iraq, the Kansas National Guard's response to this disaster will be impaired.

"I don't think there is any question if you are missing trucks, Humvees and helicopters that the response is going to be slower," Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) said. "The real victims here will be the residents of Greensburg."

Unfortunately, the situation is Kansas is not unique. Although scientists expect global warming to intensify natural disasters, the National Guard is increasingly overstretched and like other U.S. troops, stuck in the middle of a vicious civil war in Iraq.

North Carolina Gov. Michael Easley (D) notes, "We the governors rely on the Guard to respond to natural disasters, a pandemic or terrorist attack. ... Currently, we don't have the manpower or the equipment to perform that dual role" of responding to state and federal needs.

Gonzo passes authority to aides

2007-05-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

Nothing Alberto "Gonzo" Gonzales does surprises us anymore. Well, maybe if he told the truth we would be shocked.

Capitol Hill Blue:

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales gave two top aides authority to hire and fire political appointees other than U.S. attorneys, according to a Justice Department order obtained Monday by The Associated Press.

The March 2006 order gave Gonzales' then-Chief of Staff Kyle Sampson and later White House liaison Monica Goodling authority to hire and fire about 135 politically appointed Justice Department employees who did not require Senate confirmation.

Labeled "Internal Order," the document bestowed "the authority, with the approval of the attorney general, to take final action in matters pertaining to the appointment, employment, pay separation and general administration" of non-civil service employees of the Justice Department.

Such employees include deputy assistant attorneys general and press aides. U.S. attorneys, who serve as the top federal prosecutors in their state districts, normally require Senate confirmation and would not be covered by the order.

McCain on Bombs, Kicking Dogs

2007-04-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

This is a new low even for John McCain who wants to be so much like George W. Bush that he keeps putting his foot in his mouth. Not only does he want to put a bomb under Jon Stewart's desk, he wants to kick his dog.

From the Mouth of a (political) Babe

2007-04-24T08:31:00.000-07:00

Who else has the stones to tell the truth?

Barak on Bush:

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama said Monday that President Bush has fallen short in his role as leader of the free world, and the 2008 election is a chance to change that.

"This president may occupy the White House, but for the last six years the position of leader of the free world has remained open. And it is time to fill that role once more," Obama said in a speech to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Team Link Network Great Way to Make Money

2007-04-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

When we signed up for the affiliate program offered by Team Link Network we quite frankly we're expecting much.

Not only did they pay the 25 percent commission like they advertise, they also pay on a weekly basis. We were amazed at their honesty, which is rare in the affiliate market.

You owe it to yourself to check them out. It's like free money.

Turning down federal dollars

2007-04-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

The Bush White House has shot itself in the foot over its sex ed programs. Many states are saying no thanks.

Exerpt:

In Ohio, Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland said that regardless of the state's sluggish economic picture, he didn't see the point in taking part in the controversial State Abstinence Education Program anymore.

Five other states — Wisconsin, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Montana and New Jersey — have dropped out of that grant program or plan to do so by the end of this year. California has refused all along to participate in the program, which is managed by a unit of the Department of Health and Human Services.

War is easy

2007-04-01T16:16:00.000-07:00

Found this on the 'net

2007-03-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

Can you believe someone would defile the image of our great president, George W. Bush, in this way? They should be ashamed of themselves and take it down right away!

Rep. Kucinich Not Happy With Dems

2007-03-29T08:46:00.000-07:00

Dennis Kucinich says the Dem plan for the troops is a disaster for America. We Agree.

From Ravelbabel.com:

U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich is not at all happy with the Military Funding Bill passed by the House last week, calling it "a disaster for America."

Kucinich made the comments in an exclusive telephone interview with the editors at truthdig.com, and he didn't hide his displeasure with the Democratic party.

"The Democrats should have been voting—or come up with a plan to get out of Iraq," Kucinich said. "Not one that’s going to keep us there a year or two. It’s the same kind of thinking that led us into Iraq—that we didn’t have any alternatives."

He said the Democrats should be listening to the American people and taking steps to immediately end the war and bring the troops home.

" ... that means to set in motion a plan to end the occupation, close the bases, bring the troops home using money that’s already in the pipeline to do so. At the same time there’s a parallel process of bringing in international security and peacekeeping forces to stabilize Iraq. And we can get that help once we end the occupation."

Time for George to go

2007-03-26T13:07:00.000-07:00

When Republicans are calling for the ouster of President George Bush, things must really be bad.

Sen. Chuck Hagel, the conservative Republican who broke ranks with George W. Bush over the failed Iraq war, says Senators on both sides of the political aisle now talk openly of impeaching the President.

"Any president who says, I don't care, or I will not respond to what the people of this country are saying about Iraq or anything else, or I don't care what the Congress does, I am going to proceed - if a president really believes that, then there are - what I was pointing out, there are ways to deal with that," Hagel said Sunday on ABC's "This Week."

Elizabeth Edwards Facing More Cancer

2007-03-22T12:03:00.001-07:00

Our thoughts go out to the Edwards family.

CNN Reports:

CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina (CNN) -- Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards said Thursday his wife's cancer has returned but his bid for the White House will continue.

"The campaign goes on," the former senator from North Carolina said at a news conference, contradicting earlier media reports to the contrary.

John Edwards said tests this week had shown his wife, Elizabeth, had cancer in a rib on her right side. He said the cancer is treatable but not curable.

"We are very optimistic about this," he said, noting that the tumor is small in size and has a "relatively minimal presence."

Elizabeth Edwards said she was "incredibly optimistic" and said her expectations about the future were unchanged.

"I expect to do next week all the things I did last week. And the week after that, and next year at the same time," she said.

And she wanted her husband to continue his run for the presidency.

Thompson 'Hammers' Russert

2007-03-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

Go get 'im Doug. From Capitol Hill Blue:

I'm trying, and failing, to understand why Meet the Press gave an indicted former member of Congress, a corrupt politician who resigned in disgrace, a forum upon which to espouse hate and division Sunday as President George W. Bush's illegal and immoral Iraq war enters its fifth year.

Is Tim Russert so desperate for controversy that he has to book Tom DeLay, easily one of the most criminal political hacks in Washington, on the top-rated Sunday news talk show and let him call war protestors unpatriotic and claim that anyone who wants to end the Iraq war is "aiding and abetting the enemy?"

DeLay is political vermin, one step away from a jail cell for influence peddling and taking bribes and, yet, there he was on Meet the Press being treated with deference by lap-dog Russert.

Felons OK for Army, Gays Not

2007-03-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

From a column by Steve Chapman:

Thanks to the growing demands of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. military has had increasing trouble finding and keeping recruits. So it's had to lower its standards. How much? Since 2003, the number of convicted felons allowed to join has nearly doubled – to 1,605 last year. The military has also welcomed nearly 44,000 enlistees convicted of serious misdemeanors. Going from an orange jumpsuit to desert camo must be a refreshing change.

But the Pentagon hasn't eliminated its standards entirely. You still can't serve your country if you have a thing for people of your own sex. And if you are secretly gay, you can be kicked out if your sexual orientation becomes known. Since 1993, more than 11,000 troops have been discharged under President Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. If you were in the Army, would you rather bunk next to a homosexual or an ex-con?

This policy is now under scrutiny in Congress, with Rep. Martin Meehan, D- Mass., sponsoring a bill to lift the restriction. It's an important issue that unfortunately is used as a proxy for broader goals. Liberals reject all discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Conservatives generally oppose gay rights. Both tend to ignore the question of whether don't-ask-don't-tell helps the performance of the military.

Ya Gotta Hear It To Believe It

2007-03-11T10:07:00.000-07:00

Alex has some interesting interviews on SoonerThought the Podcast, but why he keeps interviewing that dude named Jake, we'll never know. Now "Jake" - if that's his real name - claims to have a hybrid blog where you can upload video comments.

What a crock.

Listen in, check out the sites, and tell us what you think.

Where has FOX been on the Walter Reed Scandal?

2007-03-07T09:24:00.000-08:00

Steve Young, writing in the Philadelphia Inquirer, points out the blatant non-coverage of the Walter Reed Medical Center scandal.

Here's an exerpt:

On talk radio or Fox News, it's been all Anna Nicole Smith, Britney's hair or lack of same, American Idol nudie pics, Al Gore's perfidious hypocrisy, Obama's connection to racist churches, Hillary's connection to Satan.

Do you see anything on that list that mentions the national shame that is Walter Reed Army Medical Center? Not when there was righteous indignation to be vented over Melissa Etheridge calling her partner wife at the Oscars.

To his credit, new Secretary of Defense Robert Gates didn't bring charges against some Army private but instead felled the Walter Reed commandant and a secretary of the Army. Perhaps Gates should have been in charge during Abu Ghraib and Katrina. But you heard nary a peep of indignation from O'Reilly against the Republican Congress, which, for the last six years, not only stood by and allowed Walter Reed to happen but actually conspired in the abomination.

McCain backtracks on 'wasted' comment

2007-03-01T13:35:00.000-08:00

Last night on David Letterman's show, John McCain, who is working hard at becoming the new darling of the far right had this to say: “Americans are very frustrated, and they have every right to be. We’ve wasted a lot of our most precious treasure, which is American lives.”

Oops!

Today's he's backtracking: “I should have used the word, sacrificed, as I have in the past.”

Hey, John, tell us how you really feel. Or are you waiting for the next polls to tell you how you feel?

Surprise: US data on Iran 'unreliable'

2007-02-25T09:07:00.000-08:00

Looks like the Bushies have been cooking up data again.

This from The LA Times:

VIENNA — Although international concern is growing about Iran's nuclear program and its regional ambitions, diplomats here say most U.S. intelligence shared with the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency has proved inaccurate and none has led to significant discoveries inside Iran.

The officials said the CIA and other Western spy services had provided sensitive information to the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency at least since 2002, when Iran's long-secret nuclear program was exposed. But none of the tips about supposed secret weapons sites provided clear evidence that the Islamic Republic was developing illicit weapons.

The American people can't afford to let the NeoCons bully the U.S. into another war based on faulty intel.

Beware the Bush Budget

2007-02-21T10:39:00.000-08:00

Matt Taibbi has a great article concerning the horrors of the new Bush budget and Bush plans to gut services going to the most needy to pay for making his tax cut permanent and repealing the estate tax.

For example, if the estate tax is repealed the Walton family (the Wal-Mart Waltons, not the Walton's Mountain clan) would save about $32.7 billion dollars over the next ten years. During that same time frame Medicaid would lose about $28 million.

Now that's a fair trade. I'm sure the Waltons would make thier windfall available to take care of the needy. Not.

Congress needs to wake up.

Chopper Flying for Dummies

2007-02-16T07:56:00.000-08:00

Ran across a short article the other day talking about a company that allows you to fly one of their helicopters with a minimum of training. Now this would certainly be a creative gift.

Of course you have to be in the Lakeland, Florida area, but for the real flying buff, this could be worked into their regular vacation. And who couldn't use a vacation to Florida (not in hurricane season, of course.)

You can sign up to spend a few hours in ground school and take off, hover and land the chopper. Or spend less time and just hover around a bit at the controls. A certified pilot is with you at all times.

I'd do it myself, but I suffer from severe motion sickness. (No kidding.)

Can war be far behind?

2007-02-12T06:06:00.000-08:00

With the lastest information coming from "Senior US defence officials in Baghdad" it appears some in the Bush administration are setting the stage for an attack on Iran.

From The Independent:

The officials speaking in Baghdad used aggressive rhetoric suggesting that Washington wants to ratchet up its confrontation with Tehran. It has not ruled out using armed force and has sent a second carrier task force to the Gulf.

"We assess that these activities are coming from senior levels of the Iranian government," said an official in Baghdad, charging that the explosive devices come from the al-Quds Brigade and noting that it answers to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader. This is the first time the US has openly accused the Iranian government of being involved in sending weapons that kill Americans to Iraq.

Notice how the quotes are from unnamed sources so that "plausible deniability" can be used by the Bush administration.

We've got to stop this madness now!

Police Use Taser on Skateboarder

2007-02-09T10:51:00.000-08:00

A young man skateboarding on the campus of San Diego State University was subdued by two college cops with a Taser after he became belligerent. Skateboarding on campus is prohibited.

OK, skateboarders can be obnoxious, but it takes two cops and a Taser to get one under control. Puh-leez.

Two big cops, a Taser, and a smartass skateboarder? Trouble will soon follow.

Show me the money

2007-02-07T05:39:00.000-08:00

Wonder where the cash went?

From CNN:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- The Federal Reserve sent record payouts of more than $4 billion in cash to Baghdad on giant pallets aboard military planes shortly before the United States gave control back to Iraqis, lawmakers said Tuesday.

The money, which had been held by the United States, came from Iraqi oil exports, surplus dollars from the U.N.-run oil-for-food program and frozen assets belonging to the ousted Saddam Hussein regime.

Bills weighing a total of 363 tons were loaded onto military aircraft in the largest cash shipments ever made by the Federal Reserve, said Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. (Watch Democrats put the former top U.S. official in Iraq on the spot Video)

"Who in their right mind would send 363 tons of cash into a war zone? But that's exactly what our government did," the California Democrat said during a hearing reviewing possible waste, fraud and abuse of funds in Iraq.

On December 12, 2003, $1.5 billion was shipped to Iraq, initially "the largest pay out of U.S. currency in Fed history," according to an e-mail cited by committee members.

Bush Still Lying; People Still Dying

2007-02-02T07:06:00.000-08:00

As Doug Thompson points out in this piece at Capitol Hill Blue, the presidency of George W. Bush will be forever remembered for all its lies.

Thompson writes:

Most politicians lie. They call it “spin” or “positioning” or “situation analysis” but evasion of truth becomes part of political life.

Yet lying is so ingrained into the Bush Administration that it now is impossible to accept, on face value, anything the President or his appointees say.

How true. Whenever I see Bush's lips move I know he's spouting lies.

The man has lost credibility, if indeed he ever had any to begin with, with all Americans who can think for themselves.

What a sad, tragic state of affairs. Will Congress stand up to his lies?

Oh, they'll make a show to get a sound bite or two, but nothing will change until fundamental alterations are made into how we elect our so-called leaders. After all, they, too, are politicians and are dependent upon large campaign donations from the Corporacracy.

Will the American people finally rise up and force change? Don't hold your breath.

Canada gives 'mea culpa' to torture victim

2007-01-30T07:52:00.000-08:00

Canada's Bush-lite prime minister did something that the U.S. president would never consider: apologize for a mistake that caused great pain to another human being.

From MSNBC:

TORONTO - Canada's prime minister apologized to Maher Arar on Friday and announced the government would compensate him $8.9 million for its role in his deportation by U.S. authorities to Syria, where he was tortured while held in prison for nearly a year.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper again called on the U.S. government to remove the Ottawa engineer from any of its no-fly or terrorist watchlists and reiterated that Ottawa would keep pressing Washington to clear Arar's name.

"We think the evidence is absolutely clear and that the United States should in good faith remove Mr. Arar from the list," Harper told a news conference in Ottawa. "We don't intend to either change or drop our position."

Don't be looking for anything like that from Bushco. To admit mistakes is to show weakness, and once the American administration starts down that road, it can only lead to prison for all of them.

Don't usually do this

2007-01-26T13:39:00.000-08:00

OK, we've been spending most (OK, ALL) of our time blogging about politics and now it's time for a break.

A woman we met in Northern Virginia (Roxanne J., if you're keeping score) turned us on to her online business and we liked the looks of it so much we thought we'd help her out. Besides, her two teenage sons are the most polite, well-mannered kids we have ever met, including our own.

Anyway, Roxie (she hates that name by the way which is why we use it) is involved with Acai Plus, a great nutritional supplement that's been talked about in all the major media from Oprah to The Wall Street Journal (notice we didn't give either a link!)

If you're into making money from the web (we're much too lazy), click on Roxie's link and give it a try. They've got a novel approach that you need to check out. It's one crazy marketing strategy.

Roxanne: We really loved that chicken dish and are looking forward to having it again next time we drop by.

Another magnet for your viewing pleasure

2007-01-25T07:10:00.000-08:00

Can't add anything to this. Order it here.

Worst Possible? Surely Not.

2007-01-16T10:55:00.000-08:00

Jane Smiley writing at HuffingtonPost makes a good case that George W. Bush is the worst possible president.

Is she right? You be the judge.

Exerpt:

What we saw the other night, when he proposed more war against more "foes" was the madman the last six years have created. This time, in his war against Iran, he doesn't even feel the need for minimal PR, as he did before attacking Iraq. All he is bothering with are signals--ships moving here, admirals moving there, consulates being raided in this other place. He no longer cares about the opinions of the voters, the Congress, the generals, the press, and he especially disdains the opinions of B/S/and B.

Read the rest then make up your minds.

Favorite 'fridge Magnets

2007-01-10T10:26:00.000-08:00

These magnets are available from BuzzFlash:

Impeachment will not happen

2007-01-08T12:26:00.000-08:00

There are many efforts underway (and have been for years) calling for impeachment of President Bush such as impeachbush.tv, impeachforpeach.org, and afterdowningstreet.org.

But the new Democratic leaders has declared impeachment off the table.

Recently some columnists have been bringin the impeachment issue up, pointing out that the Nixon impeachment was at one point off the table until the people rose up in indignation.

But, folks, America is a lot different now than it was in 1973-74. We have become fat and lazy, waiting for someone else to take action. The idealism of 30 years ago is dead. The idealists now have families, mortgages, car payments, etc. The young have no interest in changing things because they think there's nothing in it for them.

No, impeachment will not happen. Don't believe it? Wait and see how few turn out for the big impeachment rally in Washington later this month.

Can the Dems deal with Iraq?

2007-01-02T08:12:00.000-08:00

From Capitol Hill Blue:

Congress returns to work on Thursday, where Democrats will inherit a congressional agenda dominated by the war in Iraq, increasing their exposure to what has only been a politically damaging issue for Republicans.

In the weeks ahead, the new Democratic Congress will be confronted with President Bush's new plan for Iraq and a White House request that lawmakers authorize an estimated additional $100 billion to pay for the war.

Democrats also may be asked to support a plan lifting restrictions on reserve deployments to ease the strain on active-duty troops.

While Democrats may try to deflect as much attention as they can toward Bush — citing the president's ownership of the war and congressional limitations on foreign policy — they no doubt will find themselves playing a starring role in a debate that cost Republicans votes in the midterm elections last fall.

"They'll have to show they can govern and govern in a way that will help the executive branch resolve this," said James Thurber, director of American University's Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies.

But resolving Iraq won't be easy, and Democrats run the risk of going too far in criticizing the president. Recent polls show Americans remain frustrated with Bush's handling of the war, but don't think Democrats have offered much of an alternative.

"They will be in the majority, and they will be blamed if they try to block the president from implementing an exit strategy," Thurber said.

Kaplan hits it on the head

2006-12-30T05:07:00.000-08:00

Exerpt from Marty Kaplan at huffingtonpost.com:

One by one, refugees from the Bush Administration have been telling the truth about what goes on inside there. Though Colin Powell has been doing it in a particularly craven way -- telling Washington intimates, off-the-record -- he's been doing it nevertheless. Paul O'Neill did it. Tyler Drumheller, Lawrence Wilkerson, Pentagon whistleblowers, others whose names we didn't know before they exited: they've done it.

Why do these people wait? What does it say about Washington's code of conduct that loyalty to patrons, power and Party outweighs loyalty to truth, to country, to national security, to tens of thousands of America's finest young people, now wounded or dead?

For all we know, Condi, Tony and the rest of them may already be whispering sweet somethings into Bob's ear. It may be verbal Viagra for him. But for them, it's too late. The I-fought-it-from-the-inside tales they tell Bob, or their memoirs, or their biographers, will undo no damage they have done. Their reputations, like their conscience, are already beyond salvage.

Repubs continue abandoning war

2006-12-28T06:29:00.000-08:00

From AlterNet:

Even staunch Republicans like MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough, who supported the war and voted twice for Bush, is asking what's going on. On his December 20 show, Scarborough was appalled by Bush's statement, "I encourage you all to go shopping more." MSNBC analyst Mike Barnacle noted that "this President is isolated, delusional, and stubborn." Bush's "delusion," according to Barnacle, is going to result in the deaths and carnage of our troops and people throughout the Middle East. "I don't think [Bush] knows what he's saying . . . He is totally isolated from reality," Barnacle added. "The deaths of American soldiers now verges on the criminal."

What the country needs

2006-12-12T07:53:00.000-08:00

Seems that what this country needs if for someone to "monica" Bush.

Check it out.

Wal-Mart offers long-time employees new shirt

2006-12-04T07:32:00.000-08:00

If you work for Wal-Mart for 20 years or more, your reward is a nice polo shirt. This is part of the mega-companies effort to reach out to employees to show that they really do care.

In addition, each employee will receive an additional 10 percent discount on one item of their choice.

Nothing says "we care" like a token discount.

Can we trust NewsTrust?

2006-11-28T03:30:00.000-08:00

There's an article in AlterNet by Rory O'Connor concerning a self-described "online social news network" that promises "free, not-for-profit service" offering " the most trusted news of the day, as selected by community members using state-of-the-art media literacy tools."

A noble cause, to which we say, "Hooray."

But look carefully at the second paragraph:

After all, we live in an age of media scams and scandals -- from blowing it up on "Dateline" NBC to making it up in the New York Times (and the Daily News and USA Today and the Boston Globe and the New Republic and so on, ad nauseum and seemingly ad infinitum…) and from Jon Stewart's "Daily Show" to O.J. Simpson's "If I Did It" show… from Fox News to faux news all the way to even phonier video 'news' releases… and from government-and-corporate-sponsored "opinion" commentary to paid Pentagon propaganda posing as authentic journalism to Disney's undocumented 911 "docudrama" -- wherever and whenever you look, examples of media make-believe abound.

Did you catch it?

He lumps "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" in with everything phony about the news.

Well, here's some news for Mr. O'Connor: "The Daily Show" is fake news, and they never claim to be anything else. It's comedy, not news.

Of course, Stewart's (and his writers') wit continually cut through the crap to get to the heart of the matter (through comedy), but it's still comedy.

O'Connor almost had us there. Too bad.

Scientists studying caveman DNA

2006-11-16T13:50:00.000-08:00

From the New York Times:

The archaic human species that dominated Europe until 30,000 years ago is about to emerge from the shadows. With the help of a new DNA sequencing machine that operates with firefly light, the bones of the Neanderthals have begun to tell their story to geneticists.

One million units of Neanderthal DNA have already been analyzed, and a draft version of the entire genome, 3.2 billion units in length, should be ready in two years, said Dr. Svante Paabo, the leader of the research project at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.

Biologists expect knowledge of the Neanderthal genome to reveal, by its differences with the human genome, many distinctive qualities of what it means to be human. Researchers also hope to resolve such questions as whether the Neanderthals spoke, their hair and skin color, and whether they interbred at all with the modern humans who first arrived on their doorstep 45,000 years ago, or were driven to extinction without leaving any genetic legacy.

There's no truth to the rumor that it is the same DNA found in the Neo-Cons.

Molly Ivins' Advice

2006-11-10T07:36:00.000-08:00

Molly Ivins has some advice for Democrats following the election.

O.K., here's what the D's have going for them. New kids. Easy, popular first moves -- for example, increasing the minimum wage. Republicans so inept that it's painful. You want to look at some really, really basic legislation, try fixing the Medicare prescription drug bill. Or the bankruptcy bill. Or new dollar and trade policies.

Then we get to the real meat of this election. There are all manner of shuffle steps and politically shrewd thing for the D's to do. But now is not the time to be clever. The Democrats won this election because we are involved in a disastrous war. We know how to do this: Declare victory, and go home.

Who's cutting and running now

2006-11-08T14:40:00.000-08:00

RUMSFELD OUT!

WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld resigned today, just hours after the Republican party suffered a resounding defeat in nationwide mid-term elections, a vote that became a referendum on President Bush's strategy for the war in Iraq and on Rumsfeld's own stormy stewardship of the Pentagon.

President Bush announced Rumsfeld's departure during a news conference and said he had nominated former CIA Director Robert Gates as his next secretary of defense. Rumsfeld and the Pentagon declined to comment on the decision.

Laatest threats to world peace

2006-11-06T08:19:00.000-08:00

Bush, bin Laden and the Dear Leader in the North are seen by the world as the greatest threats to world peace.

Bechtel Bails From Iraq

2006-11-03T07:17:00.000-08:00

War profiteer calls it quits in Iraq, reports the LA Times:

A firm that prides itself on its safety record saw dozens of its workers killed. And a company that celebrates achievement won't know for a long time, if ever, exactly what it accomplished.

The assignment Bechtel won from the U.S. government in early 2003 was unique: Apply the brick and mortar needed to restart the long-starved and war-damaged Iraqi economy, allowing the country to blossom into a modern and free industrial state. Rarely had a single corporation been given so much power to affect so many so quickly.

More than three years later, Bechtel says its work on Iraq's water and electrical plants, its bridges, schools and port, is done.

The company said this week at its headquarters here that it had completed 97 of 99 projects for a total of $2.3 billion, a sum that included its undisclosed fee. Only two Bechtel employees are left in the country. At its peak, there were 200 people from Bechtel supervising tens of thousands of Iraqis.

Boehner's Boners

2006-11-02T08:26:00.000-08:00

House Majority Leader John Boehner:

BOEHNER: I think Donald Rumsfeld is the best thing that's happened to the Pentagon in 25 years. This - this Pentagon and our military needs a transformation. And I think Donald Rumsfeld is the only man in America who knows where the bodies are buried at the Pentagon, has enough experience to help transform that institution. Let's not take the problems in Iraq, the tough fight that we're in there and blame it on anyone. [ABC, 10/29/06]

BOEHNER: I personally like Don Rumsfeld. I think he's been the perfect person to be our defense secretary over the last five years. He knows more about the Pentagon, knows more about reforming the military than virtually anybody in the United States, and knows where the bodies are buried at the Pentagon and has a strong enough will to make the changes necessary to reform that operation. And that's where I am personally. [CNN, 9/5/06]

Are Bush Judicial Nominees Buying Their Way In?

2006-10-31T09:45:00.000-08:00

Lotta questions here:

At least two dozen federal judges appointed by President Bush since 2001 made political contributions to key Republicans or to the president himself while under consideration for their judgeships, government records show. A four-month investigation of Bush-appointed judges by the Center for Investigative Reporting reveals that six appellate court judges and 18 district court judges contributed a total of more than $44,000 to politicians who were influential in their appointments. Some gave money directly to Bush after he officially nominated them. Other judges contributed to Republican campaign committees while they were under consideration for a judgeship.

Cesca on Repugnicans

2006-10-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

Bob Cesca on Republicans:

I guess it's too much to expect that the Republican Party would run in this election based on its record. But when that record is so drenched in scandal, incompetence, greed and, most tragically, blood, the only thing they have left is their tendency for racism, homophobia, terror and outright intolerance.

But you know, it's not without calculation. The saddest statement of all is that these tactics actually work within the Republican base. Nothing is going to increase GOP turnout more than its fear of gays, miscegenation and Hollywood crusaders. Case in point, why do you suppose not a single black senator has been elected in the South since Reconstruction? In other words, these ghoulish tactics speak almost as much to the attitudes of the Republican base, which prides itself on its moral values, as it does to the party's leadership: your Mehlmans, your Roves, your Cheneys and Bushes.

And they have the balls to say the Democratic candidates are running on a platform of hatred.

Bush Fight?

2006-10-23T07:48:00.000-07:00

George H.W. Bush: "I would hate to think ... what my son's life would be like" if their Republican Party lost its majorities.

George W. Bush: "He shouldn't be speculating like this, because -- he should have called me ahead of time and I'd tell him they're not going to (win)."

Here's what we hate to think: what our lives will continue to be like if Bush, the Lesser, is able to run roughshod over this country.

Whistling past the cemetary

2006-10-19T11:34:00.000-07:00

Is The New York Times whistling past the cemetary?

Yes, according to Robert Parry.

Exerpt:

The Times also might want to take note of the curious provision in the law that would jail “any person” who “collects or attempts to collect information by clandestine means or while acting under false pretenses, for the purpose of conveying such information to an enemy of the United States.”

Since the Bush administration and its political allies often have accused the New York Times of collecting and publishing information, from confidential sources, that is helpful to U.S. enemies – for instance, the stories about Bush’s secret wiretapping program – this provision arguably could apply to Times reporters and editors.

'A long dark road of shame'

2006-10-18T03:19:00.000-07:00

One of the co-author's of the special prosecutor law, former U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Holtsman of New York, has this to say about the Military Tribunals Law signed yesterday by George W. Bush:

Today will go down in the annals of infamy. By signing the military tribunals bill into law, President Bush has taken this country down a long dark road of shame.

The bill countenances abuse of detainees in defiance of the Geneva Conventions and the country's past moral values and it suspends habeas corpus in defiance of the constitution. As bad as these features is the bill's grant of a pardon to President Bush and his top Cabinet officials for any crimes they may have committed under the War Crimes Act of 1996.

When a president violates the country's criminal laws and then gets a secret grant of immunity for those crimes, he makes a mockery of the rule of law. Then all lawlessness is permissible.

This provision in the bill creates a culture of impunity for torture and abuse of detainees. It was slipped into the bill in secret, without hearings or debate. Most members of Congress, most reporters and most Americans have no idea that this has happened.

By doing this the President has stuck a horrific blow at our basic democratic values and our constitutional system.

Instead of pardoning himself with the complicity of Congress, the President should be making public what acts of prisoner abuse he authorized the CIA to undertake or what acts of theirs he ratified.

The 'real' reason for invasion of Iraq

2006-10-17T03:58:00.000-07:00

From AlterNet:

Even as Iraq verges on splintering into a sectarian civil war, four big oil companies are on the verge of locking up its massive, profitable reserves, known to everyone in the petroleum industry as "the prize."

Georgia supressing vote?

2006-10-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Less than a week after a judge struck down Georgia's photo ID requirement for voters because it violated the state Constitution, nearly 200,000 letters — not the originally reported 20,000 — were sent out to registered voters, notifying them they may not have a valid driver's license or state-issued photo ID.

Photo ID is not required to vote Nov. 7. A state judge ruled Sept. 19 that Georgia's voter ID law violated the state Constitution.

David Worley, a Democratic appointee to the State Election Board, is threatening to file a complaint with the U.S. Justice Department, charging the board with voter suppression for mailing the letters after the law was struck down.

The letter suggests that if a voter does not have a photo ID, they will not be allowed to vote on Election Day.

"Essentially, this is a taxpayer-funded voter suppression effort by the Republicans and a willful violation of the court's order," Worley said. "I think it is a violation of the Voting Rights Act, and I intend to take whatever legal action is available, including filing a complaint with the Justice Department. This shows the lengths to which Republicans are willing to go to stay in power."

Where have we heard this before?

2006-10-11T07:23:00.000-07:00

Hastert Says Any Coverup in Foley Scandal Merits Firing

Oh, yeah. Bush on the outing of Valerie Plame.

Did they really think we'd forget so soon?

Hastert better get a different playbook. Rove's has outlived it usefullness.

Who knew, who told

2006-10-04T08:34:00.000-07:00

Wayne Madsen Report claims to know who leaked the Foley IM's and where else this scandal is going.

Good explanation of falling oil prices

2006-09-29T08:10:00.000-07:00

From TomDispatch:

What the hell is going on here? Just six weeks ago, gasoline prices at the pump were hovering at the $3 per gallon mark; today, they're inching down toward $2 -- and some analysts predict even lower numbers before the November elections. The sharp drop in gas prices has been good news for consumers, who now have more money in their pockets to spend on food and other necessities -- and for President Bush, who has witnessed a sudden lift in his approval ratings.

Is this the result of some hidden conspiracy between the White House and Big Oil to help the Republican cause in the elections, as some are already suggesting? How does a possible war with Iran fit into the gas-price equation? And what do falling gasoline prices tell us about "peak-oil" theory, which predicts that we have reached our energy limits on the planet?

Read Article

Political consultants make out like the bandits they are

2006-09-27T08:06:00.000-07:00

Do we need more proof of the need for campaign finance reform?

From Capitol Hill Blue:

Almost half the nearly $4 billion spent on the U.S. presidential and congressional election campaigns two years ago went to consultants offering media advice and other services, a public interest watchdog group said on Tuesday.

Candidates for president, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and political groups spent about $1.78 billion on 600 professional consultants during the 2004 federal election, said the Center for Public Integrity, which conducted a study of campaign spending.

Two-thirds of the $1.78 billion went for media consultants who provide strategic political advice, produce advertising and buy air time, the study found.

President Bush spent more than $343 million to win re-election in 2004 with more than 68 percent going to consultants. The Democrat he defeated, Sen. John Kerry, spent nearly $300 million, just over half on such advisers.

The center's Wendell Rawls said the fees are fueling the skyrocketing cost of federal elections and candidates this year are spending about 12 percent more.

It took about $7 million to win a U.S. Senate seat in 2004 and $1 million to win a House seat, 11 times more than in 1976, he said. During the same period, the cost of living rose three fold.