the things you believe you're seeing...

Read the whole thing , a riveting story. Powered by ScribeFire .

During a campaign stop in Silicon Valley Thursday, Edwards planned to berate the oil industry for "anticompetitive actions" and outline an energy plan he says would reduce oil imports "and get us on a path to be virtually petroleum-free within a generation." Pretty amazing since the liberals are the main reason why we do not exploit our own oil reserves in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico and also since environmental restrictions mandate about 30 different mixes of gasoline throughout the country causing refineries to shutdown during this time of the year to switch over to these mixes. Not to mention the taxes on gasoline. But thats too hard for the public to understand, its easier to blame "Big Oil" ! Powered by ScribeFire .

One can only hope... Plame called on to explain varied accounts WASHINGTON — Former CIA officer Valerie Plame should explain "differences" in her various accounts of how her husband was sent to the African nation of Niger in 2002 to investigate reports Iraq was trying to buy uranium there, the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said. Plame's differing versions have furthered "misinformation" about the origins of the case that roiled official Washington beginning in July 2003, said Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo. Plame gave those accounts to the CIA's inspector general, Senate investigators and a House committee in March. A February 2002 CIA memo released last week as part of a study of pre-Iraq-war intelligence shows that Plame suggested her husband, former State Department official Joseph Wilson, for the Niger trip, Bond said. That "doesn't square" with Plame's March testimony in which she said an unnamed CIA colleague ...

The left is losing it over the Iraq funding bill...but he is right about the coward/weak part... BILL MAHER, HOST: Now, what did you think of the Democrats, you know, caving in on this Iraq spending bill? Yah, I mean… BEN AFFLECK, ACTOR/ACTIVIST: These fucking people. You know what it is? Democrats, this is the fucking problem with them. MAHER: Let it out, Ben. Let it out. AFFLECK: I’m going to do it right now, because, you know what’s funny about this fucking giveaway? The Democrats live in fear of basically, you know, being called cowards. Of looking soft on military. Of looking like pussies, basically. We’re afraid that somebody’s going to call us a pussy. That someone’s going to criticize us. And these people got elected basically on opposing the war. They got sent to Washington to oppose the war. They went there to make a vote on opposing the war. And then, when they got sent back the bill to, you know, and they were told, “Look, you know, the President’s not g...

From Rosie's blog... juli writes ; How can you expect us (USA) to resolve our differences with the world and have peace when you can’t do this with EH & The V? You need to be an example for your children… U can do this! Own it… there will never b peace if the white men r in charge the women r collateral damage Powered by ScribeFire .

One word...MAKEUP! Powered by ScribeFire .

Sounds like socialism to me, is that what she meant? We Are All in It Together, Clinton Says Tuesday May 29, 12:11 pm ET By Holly Ramer, Associated Press Writer Clinton: Shared Prosperity Should Replace 'On Your Own' Society MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- Presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton outlined a broad economic vision Tuesday, saying it's time to replace an "on your own" society with one based on shared responsibility and prosperity. The Democratic senator said what the Bush administration touts as an "ownership society" really is an "on your own" society that has widened the gap between rich and poor. Powered by ScribeFire .

So did Washington, it got a lot less chilly in DC while she was gone; Pelosi: Climate Change Is a Reality May 28, 7:36 PM (ET) By GEIR MOULSON BERLIN (AP) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday she led a congressional delegation to Greenland, where lawmakers saw "firsthand evidence that climate change is a reality," and she hoped the Bush administration would consider a new path on the issue. After meeting with German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel, Pelosi praised Berlin for its leadership on the issue. Her trip comes ahead of next week's Group of Eight summit and a climate change meeting next month involving the leading industrialized nations and during a time of increased debate over what should succeed the Kyoto Protocol, a 1997 international treaty that caps the amount of carbon dioxide that can be emitted from power plants and factories in industrialized countries. It expires in 2012. Powered by ScribeFire .

Duke comeback falls short in title game THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Monday, May 28th 2007, 4:59 PM BALTIMORE - There were hugs, handshakes and plenty of tears. The Duke lacrosse team had run through a myriad of emotions over the past 14 months, and now it was over. The Blue Devils had an almost unfathomable comeback fall short in a 12-11 loss to Johns Hopkins in the NCAA championship game Monday, and afterward the locker room was eerily silent. No team had ever experienced what Duke had endured. The Blue Devils never even got the chance to finish their 2006 season, and then made it all the way back to the title game. Minutes after the loss, however, that was no consolation. "Right now I think everyone in here is thinking, 'Wow, we just lost the national championship.' In a couple of weeks, maybe we'll say, 'Look what we accomplished,"' goaltender Dan Loftus said. "But we wanted a national championship. That's what we came here for." It would have be...

Mike Vaccaro of the NY Posts writes that if Met fans boo Barry Bonds this week while the Giants are visiting New York but do not offer the same greeting to Guillermo Mota, who is returning from a 50 game ban for testing positive for steroids, then all Met fans will be hypocrites of the worst kind. Mets fans will boo Bonds, all right, and that is their right. But those boos had better be rooted in the malice of jeering fearsome opponents, not just one currently embroiled in a scandal. Because this week, the Mets will welcome back a relief pitcher named Guillermo Mota who is sure to strengthen an already-rugged bullpen, a pitcher who showed flashes of electricity last autumn, a pitcher in whom Willie Randolph hopes to be able to entrust plenty of seventh and eighth innings across the next four months. A pitcher who today will complete a 50-game ban imposed by baseball because he did something that Barry Bonds has never yet done: He flunked a steroid test. He peed in a cup and that cup pr...

Google, which often uses cute little alterations on the logo to commemorate holidays completely ignored Memorial Day. Not to worry, they do remember holidays like Edvard Munch's Birthday - December 12, 2006 or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Birthday - May 22, 2006 or the most important day of all time their own birthday; Click here to see all of Google's Doodle logos.

Since it appears that the US Congress is about grant legal status to 20 million lawbreakers currently in the US you would think that the Mexican audience would show a tiny bit class; Miss USA Heckled Uploaded by hotternews I would have thought her moment to relive would be the evening gown competition, except this time not falling. Powered by ScribeFire .

After the dust-up between Rosie and Elisabeth on The View a couple of days ago, the NY Post Page Six reports that after the show ended Rosie's writer on the show (writer?) defaced all the pictures on Elisabeth by drawing mustaches on on all of them. ABC confirms that this did happen. Very professional and classy behavior.... May 25, 2007 -- ROSIE O'Donnell left "The View" with a bang, not a whimper, following her on-air smackdown with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck on Wednesday. Yesterday, Rosie's chief writer, Janette Barber, was allegedly escorted from the building after she was caught drawing moustaches on photographs of Hasselbeck that hang in the "View" studios. The Post's Adam Buckman reports ABC confirmed in a statement only that "photographs at 'The View's' offices were defaced. Rosie O'Donnell was not in the building. ABC Legal and Human Resources are investigating the matter." Barber is an old friend of O'Donnel...

After all, she's the one that got it all started with this incredibly stupid rant on why Bush should be impeached... JOY BEHAR: I was watching Al Gore on, on “Larry King” last night and, you know, he has a new book out, Al Gore, where he basically really says that Bush was the worst president that we’ve ever had in the history of the country…Does anyone have any idea why we can’t get rid of this guy who stole the election in 2000, killed the surplus with tax cuts…Wanting to privatize social security. Let me get through the list. He withdrew us from the Kyoto Treaty, John Ashcroft. Sat in the classroom after learning about 9/11…He lied to us to get us into the war. He awarded a no-bid contract to Halliburton, Abu Ghraib. He promoted his friend Michael Brown to take care of Katrina. Heck of a job, Brownie. Remember that? He doesn’t listen to the Iraq Study Group. He choked on a pretzel…He waited a week to visit New Orleans and then only to watch some jazz. He stood by Alberto Gonzale...

Elisabeth Hasselbeck finally fights

US forces find Iranian money in Baghdad raid May 23 10:44 AM US/Eastern US forces have killed two gunmen and discovered a large amount of Iranian currency and bomb-making materials in a raid on the Baghdad Shiite neighbourhood of Sadr City on Wednesday. US troops searched 11 buildings during the raid in search of a cell involved in importing weapons from Iran into Baghdad and southeastern Iraq. "As they continued to search the buildings, coalition forces found a large quantity of Iranian money, more than 6,000 dollars in US money and improvised explosive device-making materials," said the statement. During the search US forces came under attack from four gunmen and confirmed killing two of them. Washington has repeatedly accused Iran of funding armed groups in Iraq and trying to distabilise the country, a charge it has denied. On May 28, the US and Iranian ambassadors to Iraq will meet to discuss their respective policies in the war torn country. Powered by ScribeFir...

From The Strata-Sphere ; A delegation of Sahwa al-Anbar, (Anbar Awakening) the tribal alliance in the restive Sunni province of Al Anbar, has made an unprecedented visit to Sadr City, the Baghdad stronghold of radical Shiite imam Moqtada al-Sadr, according to pan Arab daily al-Sharq al-Awsat. “We have taken this step to place national interest ahead of any differences” said the head of the US-endorsed Sunni alliance Hamid al-Hayas. “This is an effort to bring closer together the Sunni and Shiite Iraqi points of view. We want to deliver a message to all the political groups to put aside their differences and act for the common good” he said. … At the end of the meeting the two sides signs a joint document in which they vowed to fight the terrorism of al-Qaeda. The group has become increasingly isolated within the Sunni insurgency because of its indiscriminate targeting of civilians. Powered by ScribeFire .

Bribe U.S. Rep. Jack Murtha gave nearly $50,000 to 19 House freshmen who abandoned a week-old pledge to toughen House ethics rules by voting against a reprimand of Murtha for reportedly violating those rules. Despite last week's media blitz promoting tougher ethics enforcement, a group of freshmen Congressmen failed their first practical test Tuesday night, when they refused to reprimand one of their colleagues for an apparent ethics violation. In fact, those freshmen wouldn't even allow a debate to occur on the House floor, killing a privileged resolution before it could be considered by the full House. On May 16, Democrat lawmakers held a news conference in Washington, DC, where more than two dozen freshmen announced a push for stronger ethics enforcement. The members followed up that event with local media, garnering widespread attention for vowing to reform Congress. "Members of Congress must know that if they break the rules," Ohio's Zack ...

From the Chicago Tribune. I guess it would have been hard to trash Wal-Mart while you work for them. No worries. Michelle Obama resigns position with Wal-Mart supplier Posted by Christi Parsons at 4:35 pm CDT Michelle Obama resigned her position as a director of Treehouse Foods today, ending the relationship with the Wal-Mart supplier that had threatened to become a problem for her husband, Barack Obama, in his bid for the Democratic nomination for president. Treehouse supplies pickles and other specialty foods to Wal-Mart, a frequent target of union leaders who say the company treats its workers unfairly. Michelle Obama cited increased demands on her time for resigning the position, which she had held since the summer of 2005. But the decision comes as Democratic presidential candidates are distancing themselves from any ties to Wal-Mart, a key target of one of the party's most important constituencies. Several labor unions are engaged in a public campaign to change Wal-Mart...

Boehner on the immigration bill Powered by ScribeFire .

From the WP; New Strategy for War Stresses Iraqi Politics U.S. Aims to Oust Sectarians From Key Roles By Ann Scott Tyson Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, May 23, 2007; Page A01 Top U.S. commanders and diplomats in Iraq are completing a far-reaching campaign plan for a new U.S. strategy, laying out military and political goals and endorsing the selective removal of hardened sectarian actors from Iraq's security forces and government. The classified plan, scheduled to be finished by May 31, is a joint effort between Gen. David H. Petraeus, the senior American general in Iraq, and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker. More than half a dozen people with knowledge of the plan discussed its contents, although most asked for anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about it to reporters. Powered by ScribeFire .

Washington Post; Democrats Relent On Pullout Timetable By Shailagh Murray Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, May 23, 2007; Page A01 Democrats gave up their demand for troop-withdrawal deadlines in an Iraq war spending package yesterday, abandoning their top goal of bringing U.S. troops home and handing President Bush a victory in a debate that has roiled Congress for months. Bush, who has already vetoed one spending bill with a troop timeline, had threatened to do the same with the next version if it came with such a condition. Democratic leaders had moved ahead anyway, under heavy pressure from liberals who believe that the party won control of Congress in November on the strength of antiwar sentiment. But in the end, Democrats said they did not have enough votes to override a presidential veto and could not delay troop funding. The spending package, expected to total $120 billion when the final version is released today, would require Bush to surrender virtually none of his war...

From the BBC; Pakistani UN peacekeeping troops have traded in gold and sold weapons to Congolese militia groups they were meant to disarm, the BBC has learnt. These militia groups were guilty of some of the worst human rights abuses during the Democratic Republic of Congo's long civil war. The trading went on in 2005. A UN investigative team sent to gather evidence was obstructed and threatened. The team's report was buried by the UN itself to "avoid political fallout". Powered by ScribeFire .

...just voted to not reprimand unethical behavior. Surprised? House Defeats Bid to Reprimand Murtha May 22 07:27 PM US/Eastern By CHARLES BABINGTON Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - House Democrats rejected a Republican bid Tuesday to reprimand Rep. John Murtha, a senior lawmaker accused of threatening legislative reprisals against a GOP member who had crossed him. Before and after the largely party-line vote, which caused some Democrats discomfort, Republicans taunted Democratic leaders about their campaign promises to run a more ethical and open Congress. The House voted 219-189 to kill the Republicans' motion to reprimand Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat, Iraq war foe and close ally of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Two Democrats—Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Jim Cooper of Tennessee—voted against killing the motion. One Republican—Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania—voted for the motion to table, or kill, the proposed reprimand. Blumenauer said in a statement that ...

Thanks ABC News... The CIA has received secret presidential approval to mount a covert "black" operation to destabilize the Iranian government, current and former officials in the intelligence community tell the Blotter on ABCNews.com. The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject, say President Bush has signed a "nonlethal presidential finding" that puts into motion a CIA plan that reportedly includes a coordinated campaign of propaganda, disinformation and manipulation of Iran's currency and international financial transactions. Powered by ScribeFire .

Can't wait for the season finale, but why a 8 month lay-over until Season 4? Rumor has a "game-changer" happening in the last 5 minutes, among other surprises including an original cast member taking a dirt nap... Powered by ScribeFire .

Michelle Obama; "And I think that if Barack does what he's supposed to do and this campaign is… run well, and he can be clear and articulate in his message… he'll be the next president of the United States and… we will be swearing him in '08." Powered by ScribeFire .

From the Washington Examiner; When Democrats took control of Congress last year, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., promised voters that her party would “drain the swamp” and “lead the most honest, most open and most ethical Congress in history.” Four month later, Democrats are reflooding the swamp with earmarks and more. . . . No wonder the former head of the Congressional Accountability Project called Pelosi’s first pick for House Majority Leader “a one-man wrecking crew” of congressional ethics. Rogers has since filed a formal complaint, but don’t expect the House to hurry to consider it. Pelosi is defending Murtha against Rogers and other critics. Earmarks have so distorted the legislative process that repealing even the worst of them is becoming nearly impossible. Members of Congress who dare challenge these sacred cows are on notice from Pelosi and Murtha that they will meet a similar fate as Rogers and Tiahrt. Looks like that swamp won’t be going dry anytime soon....

DC Madam for Hillary! May 22, 2:54 PM First, we learned that adult movie star Jenna Jameson supports Sen. Hillary Clinton’s run for president of the United States. Now, we learn that another, um, Taboo Titleholder backs the New York senator’s White House ambitions: Deborah Jeane Palfrey, aka, the “D.C. Madam.” Yeas & Nays tracked down Palfrey following her appearance at Nathans of Georgetown’s “Q&A Cafe” Tuesday (where she told Nathans owner Carol Joynt that she's a “conservative Democrat”) and inquired into the politics of this former escort service owner. Palfrey admitted that she’s pulling for Hillary in 2008. “I think she’s great,” she said. “She’s bright and articulate.” But she doesn’t have similar feelings for the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, however. “I hate him,” Palfrey said. “He only got there because of his father.” Palfrey’s attorney, Montgomery Blair Sibley, walking alongside her, interjected with a joke, “There goes your pardon!” Hate? Th...

Paul breaks nose in dog mishap LOS ANGELES - Paula Abdul broke her nose over the weekend after she fell while trying to avoid stepping on her Chihuahua, her publicist said Monday. Abdul was recovering from the mishap and will appear on "American Idol" Tuesday and its season finale Wednesday, publicist David Brokaw said. "She's a little sore, but is doing fine," he said. Abdul told the syndicated entertainment TV show "Extra" she tore cartilage in her nose and fractured her toe. "I took a nasty fall ... trying not to hurt my dog. I bruised myself on my arm ... my chest, my waist all the way down to my hip. All from my little chubby Tulip," Abdul said. The dog was not hurt, Brokaw said. Powered by ScribeFire .

In the newspaper interview, Carter said Bush had taken a "radical departure from all previous administration policies" with the Iraq war. I guess Jimmy forgot that the Clinton administration advocated regime change in 1998, The Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 called for regime change in Iraq. Of course being the Clinton adminstration they didn't do much else; SEC. 3. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS REGARDING UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD IRAQ. It should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and to promote the emergence of a democratic government to replace that regime. Powered by ScribeFire .

He was celebrated by the left and promoted by the media because he accused the military of atrocious crimes in Iraq. He even said he participated in them. One problem, he made it all up. He's been arrested... ‘Abusive veteran’ charged with falsifying record Man who never served in Iraq told anti-war groups he committed atrocities SEATTLE - A man who tried to position himself as a leader of the anti-war movement by claiming to have participated in war crimes while serving in Iraq is facing federal charges of falsifying his record. Jesse Adam Macbeth, 23, formerly of Phoenix, garnered attention on blogs and in some alternative media after he began claiming in 2005 to have been awarded a Purple Heart for his service, which he said included slaughtering innocents in a Fallujah mosque. His story was contradicted by his discharge form, showing that he was kicked out of the Army after six weeks at Fort Benning, Ga., in 2003 because of his “entry level performance and conduct.” Powered by...

From the Washington Times: Fewer than 20 senators are publicly committed to supporting the immigration deal that hits the Senate floor today while nearly 40 are already opposed or have serious concerns, underscoring how difficult it will be for President Bush and his allies to craft a coalition that can pass the bill. A Washington Times survey of Senate offices and public comments after the deal was announced Thursday found an additional 32 senators who said they cannot even take a position yet — a result of the fact that the deal was written in secret by a dozen senators and the Bush administration, wasn't even finalized until yesterday and still hasn't reached many Senate offices. "I did not agree to any immigration deal and was not part of the negotiations," said Sen. Jim Bunning, Kentucky Republican and a likely opponent. "From what I have heard about the bill, it gives amnesty to the estimated 12.5 million illegal immigrants in this count...

The makers of "Loose Change" are apparently going to be appearing on "The View" May 24th to offer their proof of the attacks of 9/11 being an inside job. Why oh why does ABC allow this crap on their airwaves. Barbara Walters where are you? Elisabeth Hasselbeck should refuse to appear on the program that features this fact-challenged movie. Even one of the makers of the film admits its full of crap; “We made that film essentially as a bunch of kids. That’s the reality of the situation…I would be the first to admit that our film definitely contained errors, it still does contain some dubious claims, and it does come to some conclusions that are not 100% backed up by the facts.” The only reason Rosie wants these guys and their film on is because it is anti-American and blames the US for the attacks on 9/11. Rosie is a disgraceful person and a America hater. If ABC had any shred of credibility left they would refuse to allow these people and their movie on their sh...

Low Gas Prices Result in Long Lines at Pump Gas Pump Posted: Today at 1:10 p.m. Raleigh — For a few hours Friday, a gas station in Raleigh was a popular spot among motorists. The Raceway on South Saunders Street was selling gas for $2.88 a gallon, which caused traffic jams around the store. Sheri Youssef said she had been waiting nearly an hour to get gas. "I had no idea it was going to be like this when I got here," she said. After awhile, the gas station raised the price to $2.94 a gallon, which is still considered by many to be a bargain compared to some gas stations. "This is outrageous, (but) nothing we can do about it, but live with it," driver Ronnie Moore said. "We are supposedly a super power, but yet we are held captive by the oil companies. What is it? I don't understand it," driver Paul Williams said. What the hell does being a super power have to do with the oil companies? Powered by ScribeFire .

The AP says; When the leading Republican presidential candidates sit down with their top advisers, those with a seat at the table don't exactly look like America, to use the phrase popularized by former President Clinton. The 2008 presidential race is notable for the presence of a woman and a black among the leading Democratic candidates. But progress is much slower when it comes to diversifying the ranks of top decision-makers within the various campaigns, especially those of the Republicans. The campaigns of the top GOP candidates — Mitt Romney, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani — couldn't point to any key advisers who are black, although there are some women in the top tier. Not unsurprisingly, those campaigns with the most women and minorities among top staff members are Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama . Really, well thanks to Michelle Malkin we have this photo of the AP board of directors; Hmmm... Powered by ScribeFire .

Same day headlines on FT.com; Oil climbs on fears of US petrol shortages Oil prices ease amid increase in US supplies Powered by ScribeFire .

George Will says the government is making the most off of the high gas prices... As Will points out, gasoline itself carries about a 3% profit margin for oil companies. That's about 13 cents a gallon at today's prices. (Their overall profit margin is less than 10%, which puts it slightly behind most other consumer-product industries.) Will demonstrates where the rest of the money goes. In the example given, state and federal governments take 58 cents from every gallon, or four times what Big Oil gets in profit. San Francisco takes an additional 8.5% in city/county sales tax, which on $3 per gallon would be another 25 cents. Since the government bite is based on the sales price as a percentage, the government gets more as the price goes up. Not only that, but now the government wants to impose a "windfall profits" tax on an industry that doesn't have windfall profits, making the government an even larger beneficiary of higher prices, and guaranteeing that prices wi...

It's amazing sometimes when you read how the AP spins Democratic failures. The Iraq Surrender amendment vote failied miserably today by a 29-67 vote. Thats a 38 vote difference. But the AP finds the silver lining; WASHINGTON - The Senate on Wednesday rejected legislation that would cut off money for combat operations in Iraq after March 31, 2008. The vote was a loss for Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., and other Democrats who want to end the war. But the effort picked up support from members, including presidential hopefuls previously reluctant to limit war funding — an indication of the conflict’s unpopularity among voters. The proposal lost 29-67 on a procedural vote, falling 31 votes short of the necessary votes to advance. So don't worry white flag wavers, you are only 31 votes short and hey, you picked up some support from Presidential candidates. I would assume that means that Hillary and Obama voted in favor of the surrender proposal. Hell, Obama said he is glad that h...

From NRO: "Objectivity"? [Kathryn Jean Lopez] A reporter who was in one of the congressional press galleries when word came in that Jerry Falwell had died e-mails: The reaction from the reporters? Grins and chuckles mostly. One grizzled veteran journalist said, “I hope they (CNN) remember all the horrible things he said.” Another reporter simply said, “It is a good day.” 05/15 03:49 PM Powered by ScribeFire .

Breitbart.tv Exclusive: The confrontation over Cuba continues. Michael Moore has challenged Fred Thompson to a health care debate. At issue -- Moore's trip to Cuba and Thompson's criticism of that trip. Moore noted Thompson's evident favor for Cuban cigars as a possible violation of the trade embargo. Now, Thompson responds. Cigar in hand. Run, Fred, Run! Powered by ScribeFire .

From Fox News front page... Hard Time at Gitmo Detainee cries 'torture,' says he was forced to use unscented deodorant and read newsletter full of 'crap' We better check the SOP on torture and see if that is in there... Powered by ScribeFire .

It will be interesting to see who supports this bill and who opposes it...(via Michelle Malkin ) WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressmen Stevan Pearce, along with Rep. Peter King and Rep. Bill Shuster, introduced a bill today that would protect those who come forward to report suspicious activity from frivolous civil liability prosecution. If passed, the bill, known commonly as the 'John Doe' protection legislation, would grant immunity to anyone who alerted transportation security to actions believed to be threatening or to any personnel that "takes reasonable action to mitigate such activity." "We cannot have Americans thinking twice when it comes matters of national security," said Congressman Pearce. "If a passenger sees something threatening, they should report it immediately and do so without the specter of potential prosecution hanging over their head." "Alert Americans are often our first and last line of defense in protecting the country from ...

Who'd a thunk it... Powered by ScribeFire .

According to Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, the San Francisco Chronicle reporters who wrote "Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal That Rocked Professional Sports," Mike Murphy, equipment manager of the San Francisco Giants, testified that since Bonds became a Giant in 1993, the size of his uniform jersey has gone from 42 to 52. His cap size has expanded from 7 1/8 to 7 1/4, even though while it was expanding he shaved his head. (Bonds reportedly shaved his head because his hair was falling out as a result of steroid use.) And Fainaru-Wada and Williams also say Murphy testified that Bonds's baseball shoe size has changed from 10½ to 13. The book was great! Powered by ScribeFire .

So Linda Mason blames Charlie Gibson, that old white guy, for Katie Couric's lousy ratings; Brian Montopoli: You told me, a little while back, that you were "the first woman at every job I had at CBS News." And that includes in 1971, when you were the first female field producer for The CBS Evening News With Walter Cronkite. I'm curious your take on Katie Couric's experience as the first solo female nightly news anchor. Linda Mason: I'm just surprised at how, almost 30 years after I worked on the "Evening News" as the first woman producer, that Katie is having such a tough time being accepted by the public, which seems to prefer the news from white guys, and now that Charlie's doing so well, from older white guys. I guess they want the reassurance of a Walter Cronkite. I had no idea that a woman delivering the news would be a handicap. And I'm afraid that Katie's paying a price for being the first woman. But I think it's a great t...

Akon, an R&B singer committed a simulated rape on a unsuspecting 14 year old girl whom he dragged on stage during one of his shows. But all Jeff Leeds of the NY Times can bring himself to say is that his conduct crossed the line? Yet it was Akon, a smooth, Senegalese-American R&B singer, whose conduct in an amateur video circulating online recently seemed to cross a line for Verizon, which last week said it would cease advertisements involving him. Verizon also terminated its sponsorship of the pop star Gwen Stefani’s tour, for which Akon is the opening act. The move by Verizon has sent a chill through the ranks of touring pop artists and agents, who are left scratching their heads over their vulnerability to such penalties. Reuters continues to mislead readers... R&B singer Akon sorry about underage stage romp Thu May 10, 2007 3:44AM EDT LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - R&B singer Akon apologized on Wednesday for an underage liaison that drove phone company Verizon Communica...

Big corporations help 'rape rapper' tour U.S. Verizon, others partner with Akon, probed for sexual assault of girl, 14 Posted: May 3, 2007 3:21 p.m. Eastern © 2007 WorldNetDaily.com Hip-hop superstar Akon is touring the U.S. with the help of major U.S. corporations, including a partnership with Verizon, despite being under investigation for a simulated rape of a 14-year-old preacher's daughter caught on video last month at a concert in Trinidad. Patrick Manning, prime minister of Trinidad, called for a formal investigation of the explicit April 12 performance at Trinidad's Club Zen, which has since been closed by authorities. "I have taken very careful notice of this matter and the owner of Zen owes it to the public to take responsibility," said Manning. "I will be interfacing with Zen because that kind of thing should never be allowed to happen in this country." Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds described the on-stage antics with Danah Alleyne as ...

Do they really think we are all that stupid? Yes they do... President's Veto Dependent on House Speaker's Signature By Susan Ferrechio CQ Daily The much-anticipated presidential veto of the Iraq supplemental spending bill was to have taken place already, but a signature - or lack thereof - has been standing in the way. And it's not President Bush's signature - it's House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's. The conference report on the bill (HR 1591 - H Rept 110-107) was adopted by the House and cleared by the Senate last week, but Pelosi, D-Calif., wanted time to personally read it and sign it before sending it to Pennsylvania Avenue. "It's a major piece of legislation and you have to go through it word for word and line by line," Pelosi spokesman Nadeam Elshami said Monday. "She believes this is very important legislation, which she will sign and the president will receive Tuesday." The White House had wanted to get the bill and send it back, compl...