Wednesday edition - January 25, 2006

 

US Mail: Lisa Casey - PO Box 88 - Ashford, AL 36312

 

 

The US could have saved Iraq's cultural heritage
Guardian Unlimited, UK - 1-25-06
In the preparations for the first Gulf war under Dick Cheney, then defence secretary, the Pentagon brought together detailed advice on the cultural heritage of Iraq and Kuwait from around 80 international experts and institutions

Hussein trial in disarray, delay
Chicago Tribune, United States - 1-25-06
BAGHDAD -- Immersed in a leadership crisis, the Iraqi Special Tribunal abruptly delayed a scheduled resumption of Saddam Hussein's trial Tuesday amid bickering ...

Observers: Light sentence may tarnish US
philly.com, PA - 1-25-06
DENVER - An unexpectedly light sentence for an Army interrogator who once faced life in prison for the death of an Iraqi general could tarnish the government and hurt human-rights efforts around the globe, observers said.

B.O.O.B. = Bush Obfuscating Obvious Blunders

Every morning, I just slam my fingers in a drawer and give thanks that we once lived in the best country in the world.—Grant Gerver

N.S.A. S.N.A.

The-World-Is-A-Safer-Place-Without-Saddam News

Can't We All Just Get Along?

The US-led Iraqi reconstruction effort has been hampered by poor planning and internal squabbling between branches of the military and civilian contractors, according to the preliminary draft of a report on the US$25 billion project.

 "Bob Novak is not in jail because he sang like a canary to the Grand Jury. He is a denizen of the deep who crumbled like a cookie." – Joseph Wilson, husband of Valerie Plame

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I Hope Review - "Like the best social commentary it slips in under your radar while you're busy appreciating the art." - James McSweeney

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Disturbing News

 Got a nice ring to it: George W. Stalin —Grant Gerver

 B.O.O.B - Part 2

The White House is dodging questions about Hurricane Katrina response and has instructed other agencies to join it in fending off investigators, Sen. Joseph Lieberman said on Tuesday. The White House denies the allegations.

Lieberman went so far as to suggest that the Department of Homeland Security is trying to kill the investigation.

Republican Shenanigans

"There's a huge controversy after the Bush administration demanded that the search engine Google turn over records of people who search for pornography. You know, there's a legal term for those people: Men." --Jay Leno

Interesting Historical Perspective of NSA

In the 1970s, for instance, the NSA drew intense criticism for its role in spying on critics of the Vietnam War and other political opponents of the Nixon administration.

Rock-The-Voter News

 Shock And Awe. Now there's a nostalgic puker for ya.—Grant Gerver

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Looking for Bigfoot BY MIKE PALECEK

Selected by January magazine as its “best of Fiction, 2005”

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The American Dream — psst ... it's not real. Wake up!
Looking for Bigfoot is the story of Jack Robert King, American writer and talk radio personality, who sets off from the family home in Iowa in search of reality, to find the truth buried within the myth about America. Click here for more

 

Vandalizing Veterans Through Compassionate Conservatism

More than a quarter-million veterans considered to have higher incomes could not sign up for health care with the Veterans Affairs Department during the last fiscal year because of a cost-cutting move.

E-mail

Subject: Body Armor

Hi Lisa,

AHNC asked whether the troops need body armor or not. I wondered, "What is Ceradyne Inc. and why is the contract sole-sourced to them? Do they have no competitors? Was there no bidding?" Maybe we should "follow the money," as they say.

So I turned to the Ceradyne website, http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=97537&p=irol-governance , to see who might be on their board. Lo and behold, there was one Milton L. Lohr, whose official Ceradyne bio appears below:

Milton L. Lohr
Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (Chairman)


Mr. Lohr served on our board of directors from 1986 until early 1988, when he resigned to accept a position as Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisitions. He held that position until May 1989 and was re-elected to our board of directors in July 1989, and has served on our Board of Directors since July 1989. Mr. Lohr is currently a partner of L. F. Global Investments, LLC, a San Diego based financial firm with activities in money management funds, venture capital and asset management companies. He served as the first Deputy Under Secretary for Acquisitions in both the Reagan and Bush administrations, with responsibility to assist in overseeing the Department of Defense's major acquisition programs as well as exercising oversight of international programs and U.S. Arms Control Compliance activities. He also served as U.S. Acquisition Representative to the NATO Conference of National Armament Directors and provided leadership guiding U.S. armament cooperative programs, and in developing and establishing policy initiatives aimed at promoting cooperation on major weapon systems and technology among the NATO Allies. He also served on the Four Power Group with members from the U.K., France, Germany and the United States. Mr. Lohr previously held the position of President of Defense Development Corporation, a defense-related research and development company from 1990 to 1993. Mr. Lohr also held the position of Senior Vice President of Titan Systems, a defense-related research and development company, from 1986 to 1988, and was founder and CEO of Defense Research Corporation, a defense consulting firm, from 1983 to 1986. Mr. Lohr served from 1969 to 1983 as Executive Vice-President of Flight Systems, Inc., a firm engaged in aerospace and electronic warfare systems. Mr. Lohr has over thirty-five years experience in government positions and aerospace and defense management. He served as a panel member on the President's Science Advisory Committee (2 years), a member of the Defense Science Board (15 years) and a member of the Army Science Board (8 years), as well as other ad hoc government related assignments. Mr. Lohr obtained a B.S. degree in Engineering from USC in 1949, and a M.S. degree from UCLA in 1964.


A former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisitions in the Reagan and Bush-I administrations? He's probably an old pal of Rumsfeld's or of Poppy Bush himself. I would never suggest any impropriety in defense acquisitions by the current administration, but I do have to wonder why only Ceradyne in the world can meet DOD specs for this body armor. The question of whether the troops needed the armor is a good one, of course, but the question of why it was sole-sourced to Ceradyne deserves an answer too. A $70 MM exclusive from Uncle Sam isn't going to do ol' Milton's stock options any harm.

Today's edition was excellent as always!

Rick

Thanks Rick.

This doesn't look like another B.O.O.B. move.  Mr. Lohr also gave $2000 to Bush in 2003.


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Good News

 Alito says the Constitution does not give women the right to an abortion. I'd like to point out that it doesn't require women to carry pregnancies to term, either.—Zing!

B.O.O.B. - Part 3

U.S. officials have said the shipment by a New York packer of veal with spinal material, barred under the Japan-U.S. beef trade agreement, was human error and an isolated case.

That explanation has not satisfied Japanese officials, who note that a U.S. government inspector at the packing plant, one of about 40 facilities certified by the U.S. government as eligible beef suppliers to Japan, was unaware of the violation

 Biz/Tech News

Here's an interesting story... The bestselling toy in the Arab world is a doll named Fulla. It's like a Barbie doll except she comes with the Muslim headscarf. The second most popular toy over there is her boyfriend -- Osama Ken Laden.—Jay Leno

 Oh, Those Wild & Crazy Bush Twins

Belying the Reliable Source’s recent characterization of Barbara as “trampy,” she was attired in a sexy yet perfectly tasteful sequin-trimmed tank top as she sat sipping her cocktail. Jenna, ever the wild one, was spotted standing — some say dancing — on the sofa.

 St. George

President George W. Bush was scheduled to visit the Methodist Church

outside Washington.

 

Karl Rove made a visit to the Bishop, and said to him

"We've been getting a lot of bad publicity among Methodists because of Bush's

position on stem cell research and the like. We'd gladly make a

contribution to the church of $100,000 if during your sermon you'd say

the President is a saint."

 

The Bishop thinks it over for a few moments and finally says, "The

Church is in desperate need of funds and I will agree to do it."

 

Bush pompously shows up looking especially smug today and as the sermon

progresses the Bishop begins his homily: "George Bush is petty, a

self-absorbed hypocrite and a nitwit. He is a liar, a cheat, and a

low-intelligence weasel. He has lied about his military record and had

the gall to put himself in a jet plane landing on a carrier posing before a

banner stating 'Mission Accomplished.' He invaded a country for oil and

money, and is using it to lie to the American people. He is the worst

example of a Methodist I've ever personally known.

 

But compared to Dick Cheney and the rest of his cabinet, George Bush is

a saint.

 

 Bush-Prison-Torture News

A Texas paper is reporting that lobbyist Jack Abramoff charged a client $25,000 to have lunch with President Bush. Not suprisingly, this is the most anyone has ever paid to have lunch at Chuck E. Cheese.—Conan O’Brien

Osama & Larry King?

Maybe it's his suspenders. Or maybe it's his seven wives. Or guests like Tammy Faye Messner and psychic James Van Praagh. Whatever it is about Larry King, Osama Bin Laden apparently digs him.

 Go-F***-Yourself News

 Dick Cheney Inspires the Art World

 Paris Hilton had to testify in a lawsuit recently and at one point the attorney had to explain to Paris the difference between her left and her right. Paris explained, "I don't know left and right, I only know top and bottom." - Conan O'Brien

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US Mail: Lisa Casey - PO Box 88 - Ashford, AL 36312 

Odd News

Deaf Chinese dancers perform 'Thousand-hand Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva', or 'Guan Yin', at a shopping mall in Hong Kong January 24, 2006. Retailers in the territory are arranging various kinds of cultural performances in a bid to boost sales before the Chinese Lunar New Year of the Dog which falls on January 29. Photo by Bobby Yip  

 

Peace.