Said Scott Sommer, handler for the 2009 Best in Show winner at Westminster Stump, a 10 year old Sussex Spaniel: "They did something miracle," he said. "Because here he is now and looking great and just won Westminster, and I'm just like thrilled."

I'm happy for the old dog, coming back from… Read full post »

In his Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday, Leon Panetta, Obama’s pick for the CIA directorship, “said there is no intention to hold CIA officers responsible for the policies they were told to carry out. CIA interrogators who used waterboarding or other harsh techniques against prison… Read full post »

UPDATE:

I have now seen a close-up photo of the Holmes' TD that shows clearly that Holmes did, in fact, touch both feet to the ground in the endzone. Thus, my comment following this that he didn't score I now withdraw. 

Two fairly quick observations about two quite different sports: 

1)… Read full post »

New material in boldface - 2/1/09

Attorney General nominee Eric Holder in written response to a question posed to him during his Senate confirmation hearing by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) stated:

“Prosecutorial and investigative judgments must depend on the facts, and no one is above the law.… Read full post »

Well there's people and more people

What do they know know know

Go to work in some high rise

And vacation down at the Gulf of Mexico

Ooh yeah

And there's winners and there's losers

But they ain't no big deal

'Cause the simple… Read full post »

Coverage in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution

See this story from RawStory.

Reuters' story here.  Read full post »

In preparation for Obama's eagerly awaited inauguration address, which is being touted as something some expect to be etched in marble someday, Obama's Chief of Staff is quoted as saying in today's Washington Post:

"Rahm Emanuel ... said the 'culture of responsibility' would be sought for A… Read full post »

I received this report this morning from E, a World Can't Wait activist:

Vets for Peace and other groups have put together a newspaper called War Crimes Times. It’s a newspaper that exposes the crimes of the government. Elaine Brower, Col. Ann Wright and Michael Ratner were… Read full post »

We are finally coming to the end of the long international nightmare of George W (Whatever I Can Get Away With) Bush and Dick (I’ll Shoot You in the Face, Even If You’re My Friend) Cheney.

That’s what most of America, at least, and the world hope… Read full post »

"At least three Palestinians in Gaza were shot dead yesterday after Israeli soldiers fired on a group of residents leaving their homes on orders from the military and waving white flags, according to testimony taken by the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem." 

"Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi… Read full post »

From Chris Hedges' main address to a NYC Emergency Meeting on Gaza. Read full post »

See this and many other striking photos and accompanying story at the UK's Daily Mail Online.   Read full post »

I have over these past eight years been repeatedly struck  by the widening gap between where majority sentiment is in this country (and the world) and what the leading political representatives and the opinion makers (mainstream media and a significant segment of the alternative media) are willi… Read full post »

Israel continues to claim that the hundreds of civilian deaths (including children) in its war upon Gaza are the result of Hamas using civilians as human shields.

Israel repeated this claim today in responding to the International Committee of the Red Cross' unusually blunt criticism of Is… Read full post »

Song for Gaza: "We Will Not Go Down" by Michael Heart on YouTube. Read full post »

Steven Erlanger of the New York Times writes today ("For Israel, 2006 Lessons but Old Pitfalls"):

"This time, Israeli military commanders are leading from the front, not trying to direct the infantry from television screens. This time, the military has clear plans, in stages, drawn up with… Read full post »

The murderous, collective punishment - war crimes - being meted out upon Palestinians in Gaza by Israel - with the US government's approval - is sparking outrage around the world. Not only must people of conscience speak out about this, but a deeper understanding of what's afoot is urgently needed. I… Read full post »

"Amid the tidal wave of human misery swamping Gaza City’s central hospital a horrified Norwegian volunteer doctor found a minute to type a text message on his mobile phone to friends back home.

“'We are wading in death, blood, and amputees. Many children.… Read full post »

I am reminded when reading this of the infamous interview with Madeline Albright in which she said that the deaths of 500,000 Iraqi children due to the US backed sanctions against Iraq during Clinton's presidency was "worth it." 

Three more children slain by Israeli warplanes   

Paul Krugman's newest essay at the New York Times, "Bigger Than Bush," skewers the GOP for its racist backlash strategy, aka the "Southern Strategy." He, as usual, makes a great deal of sense, but he also has not gone far enough and is bound by the limitations of looking at possibilities… Read full post »

Yesterday the NYT's Bob Herbert wrote an Op-Ed ("Add Up the Damage") about Bush in which he called for "a great hue and cry — a loud, collective angry howl, demonstrations with signs and bullhorns and fiery speeches — over the damage he’s done to this country."

The column received,… Read full post »

The first job of any nation state is to protect its citizens. And so I can assure you that if -- I don't even care if I was a politician -- if somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep at night,… Read full post »