Wednesday edition - February 18, 2009

http://punditkitchen.com/

Today's edition was late due to me watching Obama's speech. I hope Obama's foreclosure prevention program will help me either refinance or sell my house. You know, I feel as though I am on one of those reality shows --Tune in to see if Obama's plan will save All Hat No Cattle's Alabama Headquarters!

The real reason the GOP is so angry lies in their bewilderment that God is not on their side after all.  --Grant "Brad" Gerver

The-World-Will-Be-A-Safer-Place-Without George W. Bush

• US military deaths in Iraq war at 4245 The Associated Press

• Fort Lewis soldier killed in Iraq Seattle Times

• 7 Shiite pilgrims die in crash with British vehicle USA Today

• 2nd soldier at Missouri base dies of meningitis AP

• Teens detonate unexploded grenade in Iraq United Press International 

• British, Afghan troops net huge drugs haul AFP

• Obama Says Afghan War ‘Winnable,’ Sends 17000 Soldiers Bloomberg

• Afghan TV set to unveil model contest Reuters

• Al Qaeda figure surrenders to Saudi authorities-TV Reuters

• UN: 5 tons of bombs stolen under Hamas guard AP

• Israel: Gaza borders closed until soldier freed The Associated Press

• Slow progress in "Killing Fields" torturer's trial Reuters 

• Pakistanis rally for peace in militant stronghold AP

Poetry In Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Tuba Sahaab looks nothing like a warrior. She is a slight girl of 11, living in a simple home in a suburb of Islamabad. But in Tuba's case, looks are deceiving.

With her pen, Tuba is taking on the swords of the Taliban. She crafts poems telling of the pain and suffering of children just like her; girls banned from school, their books burned, as the hard-core Islamic militants spread their reign of terror across parts of Pakistan.

A stanza of one of her poems reads: "Tiny drops of tears, their faces like angels, Washed with blood, they sleep forever with anger."

 

Hey, you see this? In a new ranking of US presidents by 65 historians, President Bush came in fifth from the bottom. Of course, Bush was thrilled. That’s better than he did in high school. - Jay Leno

Disturbing News

• Firefighter dies as Aussie fires toll hits 200 AFP

• Los Angeles nears water rationing Reuters

• Cruise ship carrying 105 aground in Antarctica AP

Yet Another Bush Legacy

An independent watchdog group says the government has quietly scaled back enforcement of federal quality regulations at labs that develop medical devices.

The Project on Government Oversight found that the Food and Drug Administration has dramatically reduced inspections of "good laboratory practices" at facilities that do the earliest testing of medical devices. Such inspections declined from 33 in 2005, to seven in 2007, to just one last year,
 

Last week, an American satellite collided with a Russian satellite over Siberia. And Sarah Palin said she could see the collision from her house. - Jay Leno

Republican-Shenanigans News

• Republican obstinacy: How's it working? Boston Globe 

• Calif. Republicans Oust Leader Amid Budget Talks FOXNews

• Gingrich 'disappointed' with Obama's performance MSNBC

• 'Truth commission' could spark more partisanship The Associated Press

• The GOP, Atwitter About the Digital Possibilities Washington Post

Everybody has got Fashion Week fever in New York City, where they had a big 50th anniversary tribute to Barbie. Can you believe that Barbie has been around 50 years? During that time, they have had Preppie Barbie, Wedding Barbie, and Republican Running Mate Barbie.- David Letterman
 

The Blagojevich/Burris Drama Continues

Facing a perjury probe in Illinois and an ethics investigation in Washington, U.S. Sen. Roland Burris pleaded for yet another chance to explain himself after admitting he tried to raise campaign cash for then- Gov. Rod Blagojevich while seeking the Senate seat from him.

Rock-The-Voter News

• Obama to reassure Canada on free trade pact AP

• Clinton comes to Indonesia on symbolic visit Reuters

• Bill Clinton on stimulus: 'It's quite a good bill' CNN

Mexican Drug Violence

VILLA AHUMADA, Mexico – For people caught inside Mexico's drug corridors, life is about keeping your head down and watching your back, especially when the sun dips behind the cactus-studded horizon.

No town knows this better than Villa Ahumada, where the entire police force quit after 70 cartel hit men roared through last spring, killing the police chief, two officers and three townspeople.

Residents were left defenseless again last week when gunmen returned and kidnapped nine people, despite the soldiers manning checkpoints far outside town.

Well, more problems with the Democrats. Republicans are now calling for the new Illinois Sen. Roland Burris to resign after he apparently lied to investigators about talking to Rod Blagojevich’s brother about campaign money. Rod Blagojevich has a brother? How bad is his hair? Geez!- Jay Leno

 

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Biz-Tech News

• Crude oil slides below key threshold of $35 a barrel Los Angeles Times

• US gasoline price highest in 3 months -Energy Dept Reuters UK, UK

• GM, Chrysler now say they need billions more Detroit Free Press

• Goodyear cutting nearly 5,000 jobs after 4Q loss AP

• Halliburton Wins $98.7 Million Service Contract With Mexico's Pemex CNNMoney.com

• Gold prices soar as Dow takes a dive The Associated Press

• Hundreds swarm Stanford's Antigua bank Reuters 

• Police foil bomb attack at Citibank in Athens AP

Another Messy Texan

The federal government says R. Allen Stanford's investment businesses were too good to be true, and shut his companies down on Tuesday.
 

Click here to see political donations from STANFORD FINANCIAL GROUP

A new poll of historians just came out. And the poll has named former President George W. Bush one of the ten worst presidents of all time. But on the bright side, Bush was selected second best president named George Bush.
- Conan O'Brien

Bush-Prison-Torture News

• Cruelty, chaos marked Guantanamo Bay prison's early days, ex-guard ... Fort Worth Star Telegram

• MI5 fed questions to CIA for interrogation guardian.co.uk, UK

• Iraq Says It Is Interrogating 4 Men Returned by US From Guantánamo ... New York Times

• Ind. Senate: don't move Guantanamo detainees here Fox 28, IN

A Description Of W

“He’s so clearly a neglected 13-year-old that there’s something really kind of heartbreaking about him,” McKay said, calling him “a good-time Charlie” who was “just used his whole life to front questionable business endeavors, and in a way that’s what his presidency was."

President Obama today signed his trillion dollar economic stimulus bill into law. The spending package passed through Congress with almost no Republican support, but Obama says he’s still focused on bringing real bipartisanship to government. He even went so far as to send every Republican in Congress today a jar of peanuts, which I thought was nice.- Jimmy Kimmel
 

Jet Proof Nuke Power Plant

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Tuesday required makers of new nuclear power plants to design the reactors so they can withstand the impact from a commercial jetliner.

This space reserved for fine artists ...

who need some free public exposure!
AHNC wants to display a new painting, drawing, sculpture or photograph with a credit/bio in each Wednesday edition.
Interested artists should e-mail a clear close-up photo of each piece as a jpeg file to click here  to email me  or send a link if you have a website.

How soon and how well this takes off depends on your submissions. So if you or someone you know wants to show their fine art, this is a fine space to do it.  

Go-F**k-Yourself News

• Cheney furious at Bush for not pardoning Libby Los Angeles Times

Email

Subject: Stimulus

Lisa,

I hope you are doing well. I really do. W/O you and your website I'd be lost. I don't even want to think about it!!!!!!!!

I hope Obama's new program will help you and others. Fingers crossed as you always say. $10 in the mail for you and every month from now on. I depend on you, now you can depend on me.

Love, Jenny from Idaho

Thank you so much, Jenny. Every dollar helps!! I have about enough dinero left for a little over a month. So your support helps me a lot.

It is scary watching this economy tank.

I sure hope Obama's plan can stop this financial domino effect.

The first bank bailout helped the banks not the people. I was just turned down for an FHA loan, tried to get another loan and was turned down for that one until the IRS could provide them with my 2008 return, which I was told would take two to three months. My copy of my 2008 return wasn't good enough. What BS.

Yeah, fingers crossed because some days I just sit down and cry, just like many other people are doing across this nation. It is a feeling of helplessness. I'm luckier than most though, at least I have this website to make me laugh and people like yourself to give me hope.

Thank you, Jenny.

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