It's no wonder Iraqis are not impressed with Bush-style democracy

Morgues in the Valley of Peace have more corpses than they know what to do with because of the excessive violence. Remember all of the rosy outlooks that we heard at the beginning of the invasion? When are we going to hear more from that crowd so they can fill in the gaps between their words and the realities on the ground today?

The men who wash the bodies and wrap them in white cloth according to Muslim custom have gained a first-hand view of the ferocity of Iraq's rising sectarian violence.

Kareem al-Haidari said he usually handles 50 to 60 bodies each Friday, the Muslim holy day on which more and more Iraqis are praying for the safety of their loved ones.

"There are usually signs of torture and mutilation like the drilling of eyes and skulls, or severed limbs," he said.

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Nearly 2/3 of Army's combat brigades not ready for wartime missions because of Bush incompetence

Great, now the Republicans' incompetence is destroying our military readiness. Read More......

Open thread and a little Paris blogging

Just got back from a really nice dinner, or what the Italians might call a spaghettata. Get a bunch of friends together, whip up a simple meal, put way too many people around way too small a coffee table, and eat. It was the birthday of Chris' wife Joelle, and her brother called to invite them to his bday dinner. They'd already left for the south, so he invited me, which was incredibly nice since I've only met him once. Anyway, just a really nice evening with a lot of people I didn't know. And interestingly enough, everyone at the party hated Bush.

Anyway, by popular demand, here is Nasdaq in all her Weight Watchers glory (I can't really tell that she's fat, but apparently she is).



And here are a few other photos from the past 24 hours. First, the series of cafes down the block:



Next a rather popular late-night crepe stand, also down the block (on Blvd. Montparnasse, for those in the know):



Guy on the metro, waiting for the train:



Guy on the train (without eye candy, there is no life):



The new Metro train. It has no driver. And all the cars are connected, you'll note that you're looking at the inside of two cars. It's pretty cool. I have no idea how, in a country as union-strong as France, they got away with a train that has no driver.

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Gay-hating neighbor gets hers in court

And I can't wait for the fundies to freak out over this one. They'll scream First Amendment and how the Bible will now be outlawed (and I'd love to have them explain to us, under oath, where the Bible directs us to threaten and harass people with AIDS in their own homes). Then let them defend these kind of actions as they would pertain to someone who is black or Latino, since, after all, it's "protected" speech. Physically threatening them, and basically trying to drive them from their home because of their race. There wouldn't even be anything to discuss.

The court did a great job here, and the fundies are again showing their true colors. Mark my words, the national religious right groups WILL jump on this case and defend the AIDS-hating bigot, and then, again, we'll know the true color of their character. Read More......

It's painful for Lieberman to say he's a Democrat

Nagourney takes a look at candidate Joe Lieberman. For me, the most illustrative quote in the article -- and one of the most telling of the campaign -- comes from Chris Dodd, his fellow Senator from Connecticut:

“I said, as painful as it is, the first words out of your mouth and the last words out of your mouth every time you speak have to be ‘I’m a Democrat,’ ” Mr. Dodd recounted on Thursday. “You can say whatever you want after that.”

That really sums up Lieberman. Painful to say "I'm a Democrat." Read More......

52% want US out of Iraq in 12 months

And the rest can send their kids. Read More......

Blogging is hitting the big-time in France

Who knew? Read More......

Bush proposing new legislation that would permit him to throw any American in jail, forever, without a trail or attorney

We reported this, briefly, this morning. Over at DailyKos they've excerpted more of the worst of the article.

This is police state legislation, not American legislation. You simply cannot give the government the authority to throw whichever American citizen it wants in jail permanently, with no trial and no attorney, simply because some government bureaucrat "suspects" you have ties to terrorism. There is no evidentiary basis for "suspects." It's simply a gut decision.

This is the legislation of a police state. And I suspect Bush and the Republicans are offering this as their last-ditch effort to spare the Republicans in the elections this fall. Try get a police state and watch the Democrats scramble in disarray, unable and unsure if they want to challenge it.

In the meantime, the Republicans have now gone beyond bashing gays and Muslims and women and Latinos for political gain. They've now decided to declare a police state in order to win the election.

Anyone, and particularly any Republican, who doesn't stand up against this legislation doesn't deserve to be called an American.

This is simply disgusting. Read More......

Mel Gibson, while being arrested, reportedly starts yelling about "the fucking Jews"

And they apparently have the arrest report to prove it. And video.

I want to hear what the religious right, oh Israel lovers that they are, have to say about their hero the film producer now. More from the NY Daily News:

A blitzed Mel Gibson launched into an obscenity-laced tirade when he was busted on suspicion of drunken driving early yesterday, threatening an officer and making anti-Semitic and sexually abusive remarks, according to a police report.

The "Passion of the Christ" director repeatedly said, "My life is f----d," according to the report by Los Angeles County Deputy James Mee, which was obtained by TMZ.com. The celebrity news Web site posted excerpts of the handwritten report...

According to the incident report obtained by TMZ.com, the Road Warrior embarked on a belligerent, anti-Semitic outburst when he realized he had been busted.

"F-----g Jews. The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world," Mee's report quotes him as saying.

"Are you a Jew?" Gibson asked the deputy, according to the report.

The actor also berated the deputy, threatening, "You motherf----r. I'm going to f--- you," according to Mee's report.

The actor also told the cop he "owns Malibu" and would spend all his money "to get even with me," Mee said in his report.

TMZ quoted a law enforcement source as saying Gibson noticed a female sergeant on the scene and yelled at her, "What do you think you're looking at, sugar t--s?"

Deputy Mee then wrote an eight-page report detailing of the incident, but higher-ups in the sheriff's department felt it was too "inflammatory" to release and would merely serve to incite "Jewish hatred," TMZ said.

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Religious right suing to put porn star in public school as teacher

Never thought I'd see the day that the religious right would fight to put a porn star in a supervisory role over our children. But, you see, she's a Christian so it's now okay. The fact that I'm a Christian and a gay man, that makes me akin to a pedophile to these people. But this woman got laid on camera for cash and she's okay as a role model. Imagine what they'd say if it was a gay teacher who had done gay porn? Then again, it's not like the religious right actually gives a damn about the word of God, or anything they profess, so we shouldn't be surprised when they contradict themselves.

Do as I say, not as I screw. Read More......

Your morning coffee

What's interesting in the morning papers...

- AP: US citizens suspected of ties to terror can be detained indefinitely and denied access to a court of law under new Bush-sponsored legislation. Which begs the question, so you mean all those 5,000 Americans whose phones Bush tapped because he suspected them of having "ties to terrorism," they could be locked away forever under this new law, and that's a good thing?

- Wash Post: House passes legislation raising minimum wage and cutting estate tax.
- Wash Post: Robberies surge in DC (surprise)
- NYT: Six shot at Seattle Jewish center.
- NYT: Bush intimidation of whistleblowers continues.
- AP: Joe Lieberman faces political abyss Read More......

Christian right hero Mel Gibson arrested for drunk driving, 0.12 alochol level

So how does drunk driving and speeding fit with Christian values? Another wingnut hypocrite.

Whose child would Jesus kill while drunk? Read More......