Dying man reunited with dog

Not politics, just sad, and nice.

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NYT on Obama's evolving, and devolving, views on gay marriage, and a new excuse from the White House

The latest explanation from the White House, for why President Obama filed out not one, but two, questionnaires in 1996 claiming he would support same-sex marriage, is that the future President, and constitutional scholar, didn't understand the difference between "civil unions" and "marriage" when he repeatedly stated that he was in favor of legal same-sex marriages.

I hope this gives folks some sense of why many in the gay community have become so frustrated with the President.  There's a lack of seriousness in the way he treats our community far too often.  It's almost as if he thinks we don't deserve a real, adult answer. Read the rest of this post...

Grayson would consider support for Progressive in primary against a corporate Dem. in a winnable race

Alan Grayson, former Democratic representative from Florida, appeared before an impromptu group of progressives at Netroots Nation 2011 Saturday afternoon. After presenting fascinating data on the deterioration of the middle class, he took questions and comments from the group.

Asked if he would support a progressive candidate against a corporate-style Dem in "selected districts," Mr. Grayson said that yes, he would consider publicly backing a progressive primary challenger.

This, he admits, runs counter to his earlier position, but as he says, "I've changed my views" in that regard. He cited the example of Tea Party Republicans who have successfully "disciplined" (his word) members of their own party who have strayed from Tea Party values. He now feels that progressives can learn from that example.

This is good news for those who believe, as I do, that the best way to work with the Democratic party is to scare those who run counter to progressive, and frankly, Democratic, values.

This is also good news for those of us who believe in building a strong progressive coalition that isn't necessarily the same as the Democratic coalition. (Click the link above for more.)

Good news all round. Thank you, Mr. Grayson.

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US money missing from Iraq may be closer to $18 billion

Not to worry though. Just because our infrastructure is crumbling at home and unemployment is high, we really couldn't use that money anyway. It's much better to flush it down the toilet in Iraq. Al Jazeera:

Osama al-Najai, the Iraqi parliament speaker, has told Al Jazeera that the amount of Iraqi money unaccounted for by the US is $18.7bn - three times more than the reported $6.6bn.

Just before departing for a visit to the US, al-Najai said that he has received a report this week based on information from US and Iraqi auditors that the amount of money withdrawn from a fund from Iraqi oil proceeds, but unaccounted for, is much more than the $6.6bn reported missing last week.

"There is a lot of money missing during the first American administration of Iraqi money in the first year of occupation.

"Iraq's development fund has lost around $18bn of Iraqi money in these operations - their location is unknown. Also missing are the documents of expenditure.

Instead of worrying about a tweeted penis, maybe we ought to focus a bit more on the wars that are killing the US economy. No? Read the rest of this post...

Report: Pakistan tipped off militants, again

This is not good news, if true.

U.S. officials say Pakistan has apparently tipped off militants at two more bomb-building factories in its tribal areas, giving the terror suspects time to flee, after U.S. intelligence shared the locations with the Pakistani government.

Those officials believe Pakistan's insistence on seeking local tribal elders' permission before raiding the areas may have most directly contributed to the militants' flight, though they also suspect low-level security officials may have tipped the militants off.

U.S. officials have pushed for Pakistan to keep the location of such targets secret prior to the operations, but the Pakistanis say their troops cannot enter the lawless regions without giving the locals notice.

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Springsteen and the E Street Band - Tenth Avenue Freeze Out

Sad news for music fans today as The Big Man, Clarence Clemons died a week after suffering a stroke. Read the rest of this post...

Gaddafi war crimes report emerges

If he survives, his remaining years in The Hague are not likely to be as comfortable as they are today. The Guardian:

The documents, some of which the Observer has seen, will form damning evidence in any future war crimes trial of the Libyan leader at the International Criminal Court. The court's prosecutors are expected to travel to the city to view the documents once the daily bombardments have ceased.

One document shows the commanding general of government forces instructing his units to starve Misrata's population during the four-month siege. The order, from Youssef Ahmed Basheer Abu Hajar, states bluntly: "It is absolutely forbidden for supply cars, fuel and other services to enter the city of Misrata from all gates and checkpoints." Another document instructs army units to hunt down wounded rebel fighters, in direct violation of the Geneva Conventions.

Plans to bombard the city are also in the archive, say investigators, who also claim they have a message from Gaddafi relayed to the troops ordering that Misrata be obliterated and the "blue sea turned red" with the blood of the inhabitants. The documents are expected to form a crucial element of any trial against Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam and his intelligence chief Abdullah Senussi if, as is expected, ICC judges confirm indictments for war crimes and crimes against humanity that are demanded by its chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo.

As bad as Gaddafi is, the NATO campaign leaves much to be desired. The latest report is confirming more civilian deaths. Read the rest of this post...

Video: I got a chance to speak with former Cong. Alan Grayson at Netroots Nation

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