IT'S ABOUT THE TRAGEDY - NOT MORE BUSH-BASHING

New York Post Online Edition: commentary: " And couldn't the editorialists at The New York Times have forborne — even just for a week — making use of the tsunami to complain about U.S. government spending on 'development aid'?"

Yahoo! News - 'Law & Order' Star Jerry Orbach Dies

Yahoo! News - 'Law & Order' Star Jerry Orbach Dies

News Alerts Regarding Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami

Saturday, December 25, 2004, 9:26 PM PST COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) District official in Sri Lanka says 160 dead in tidal waves caused by massive earthquake in Indonesia. Saturday, December 25, 2004, 10:32 PM PST COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) Military spokesman says around 300 dead in Sri Lanka's tidal wave surge, and government official in Indonesia says at least 50 people dead following earthquake in that country. Saturday, December 25, 2004, 10:46 PM PST JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) Death toll reaches 94 in Indonesia's Aceh province after quake, flooding hits region, hospital and local officials say. Sunday, December 26, 2004, 12:26 AM PST NEW YORK (AP) The U.S. Geological Survey says the 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Indonesia is the largest in the world in 40 years. Sunday, December 26, 2004, 1:26 AM PST COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) Hospitals and police say 1,000 people have been killed in Sri Lanka's tidal waves. Sunday, December 26, 2004, 1:36 AM PST NEW DELHI (AP) India's home minister says about 1,000 people have been killed in three states hit by tidal waves. Sunday, December 26, 2004, 4:41 AM PST COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) The prime minister's secretary says Sri Lanka's death toll from tidal waves has exceeded 2,000. Sunday, December 26, 2004, 5:53 AM PST JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) The Health Ministry says more than 1,870 killed in Indonesia from massive earthquake and flooding. Sunday, December 26, 2004, 6:48 AM PST JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) Officials have reported new deaths in Sri Lanka and India, bringing the death toll from massive tidal waves to more than 7,000. Sunday, December 26, 2004, 8:17 PM PST COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) Death toll in Asia earthquake increases to at least 13,390 with new confirmed reports of casualites in Sri Lanka. Sunday, December 26, 2004, 11:11 PM PST COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) Death toll in Asia earthquake increases to nearly 14,000 with more confirmed deaths in Thailand and Indonesia. Monday, December 27, 2004, 2:09 AM PST COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) The death toll in Asia's earthquake has increased to nearly 20,000 as more than 5,000 additional deaths are confirmed in Sri Lanka. Monday, December 27, 2004, 9:35 AM PST WASHINGTON (AP) Secretary of State Powell says eight Americans killed in earthquake. Tuesday, December 28, 2004, 3:17 AM PST COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) The death toll from tidal waves in Asia and Africa has topped 30,000 with the confirmation of about 3,700 more deaths in Sri Lanka. Tuesday, December 28, 2004, 3:28 AM PST LHOKSEUMAWE, Indonesia (AP) The death toll from tidal waves in Asia and Africa is nearing 40,000 as the Indonesian government confirms about 9,000 more deaths. Tuesday, December 28, 2004, 11:36 AM PST LHOKSEUMAWE, Indonesia (AP) The death toll in 11 nations from Sunday's quake and tsunami has surpassed 52,000 after Indonesia announced new figures. Wednesday, December 29, 2004, 3:21 AM PST MEULABOH, Indonesia (AP) A military official says that 75 percent of the west coast of Sumatra island was destroyed by this weekend's quake and tsunami. Wednesday, December 29, 2004, 5:32 AM PST BERLIN (AP) German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has called for a moratorium on debt repayment for for Indonesia and Somalia to help with tsunami relief. Wednesday, December 29, 2004, 6:42 AM PST CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) President Bush says that an international coalition has been formed to coordinate aid to Southern Asian countries ravaged by earthquake-spawned tsunamis. Wednesday, December 29, 2004, 6:50 AM PST JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) The death toll from 12 nations affected by this week's earthquake and tsunamis has surpassed 76,700 after Indonesia's Health Ministry announced new figures.

Yahoo! News - Bush Criticizes U.N. 'Stingy' Comment

Yahoo! News - Bush Criticizes U.N. 'Stingy' Comment: "Measured another way, as a percentage of gross national product, the OECD's figures on development aid show that as of April, none of the world's richest countries donated even 1 percent of its gross national product. Norway was highest, at 0.92 percent; the United States was last, at 0.14 percent." Stupid, stupid UN and AP. Over 100,000 people dead. Maybe a million will be dead when this is all said and done, and the UN with AP's willing assistance has to make this into some sort of pissing match. The US has just about had it with these guys, and I'm talking about the American population. There will be a backlash to this.

UN Official Backs Down: Rich Nations Not 'Stingy'

Reuters News Article: "UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The international response to a catastrophic tsunami in Asia has been quick and generous, a senior U.N. official said on Tuesday, playing down his earlier comments that wealthy nations were stingy."

U.N. official slams U.S. as 'stingy' over aid - The Washington Times: Nation/Politics - December 28, 2004

U.N. official slams U.S. as 'stingy' over aid - The Washington Times: Nation/Politics - December 28, 2004: "The Bush administration yesterday pledged $15 million to Asian nations hit by a tsunami that has killed more than 22,500 people, although the United Nations' humanitarian-aid chief called the donation 'stingy.' 'The United States, at the president's direction, will be a leading partner in one of the most significant relief, rescue and recovery challenges that the world has ever known,' said White House deputy press secretary Trent Duffy. But U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland suggested that the United States and other Western nations were being 'stingy' with relief funds, saying there would be more available if taxes were raised. "

Reporter Provides Account of Mosul Attack

Yahoo! News - Reporter Provides Account of Mosul Attack: "Maj. James Zollar, the unit's acting commander, spoke to more than a dozen of his officers in a voice thick with emotion. He urged them to keep their troops focused on their missions. 'This is a tragic, tragic thing for us but we still have missions,' he told them. 'It's us, the leaders, who have to pull them together.' Just hours before the blast, Zollar had awarded a Purple Heart to a soldier from the 276th who was wounded in a mortar attack on another part of the base in October. Zollar eventually turned the emergency meeting over to Chaplain Eddie Barnett. He led the group in prayer. 'Help us now, God, in this time of this very tragic circumstance,' Barnett said. 'We pray for your healing upon our wounded soldiers.' With heads hung low, the soldiers trudged outside. They had work to do."

It's Time to Stop Being Hit...a letter from Michael Moore

Welcome to MichaelMoore.com! : Mike's Letter: "We have a mandate to be as radical and liberal and steadfast as we need to be. The progressive beliefs and social justice we stand for, our core, must not be altered. We are 57 million strong. We are building from the bottom up. We are meeting, on the net, in church basements, at work, in small groups, and right now, we are crying, because we are trying to break free and we don't know how." These guys are absolutely nuts! Now they are 57 MILLION strong! That's just ludicrous. Really, be careful reading this if you are prone to die by laughing. Please, oh please, Michael Moore, run for office. I can't wait!

RealClearPolitics - More Advice For The Dems

RealClearPolitics: "From and Reed argue that the first thing the party must do is to face up to some ugly political facts: For the first time since before the New Deal, Republicans are now the majority party from the top of the ballot to the bottom. That's reality -- and we delude ourselves if we take false comfort in the closeness of our loss."

Attack on U.S. Base in Iraq Leaves 24 Dead

My Way News: "BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - An explosion ripped through a mess tent at a military base near Mosul where hundreds of U.S. soldiers had just sat down to lunch Tuesday, killing 24 people and wounding more than 60, officials said. A radical Muslim group, the Ansar al-Sunnah Army, claimed responsibility for the deadliest attack on a U.S. base in Iraq." Slaughter At The Trough Away In A Manger Will the New York Times bother to condemn this? Forcing someone in a headlock is a no no, but beheading civilians is a-ok I guess. The enemy defines the "rules" of war. We won't ever lower our morals to do what they consider just. Since NYT and the other liberal media believes headlocks and sleep deprivation amounts to torture, maybe we should consider the tactics of the enemy? That seems to be legitimized by our own media. The NYT should be based in Fallujah along side the UN. In fact, I'd being willing to help pay for that move.

Time Selects Bush As Person of the Year

My Way News: "NEW YORK (AP) - After winning re-election and 'reshaping the rules of politics to fit his 10-gallon-hat leadership style,' President George Bush for the second time was chosen as Time magazine's Person of the Year."

Bush: Social Security Reform Needed Now

Yahoo! News - Bush: Social Security Reform Needed Now: "Bush has ruled out an increase in payroll taxes to pay for the overhaul. Experts say he would have little choice but to borrow the funds, perhaps $1 trillion to $2 trillion, in order to continue paying benefits for current and near-retirees whose checks are funded by workers' payroll taxes." I've always wondered who these "experts" are. To get this through, I've always thought that it would be ok if I choose to do it, then my taxes would be increased to pay for it. I'm willing to do that.

British cannot detain terror suspects without trial

"LONDON (AP) Britain's highest court has ruled that the government cannot detain terror suspects indefinitely without trial." It's more of the same attitude that this is a police action, not a war.

Bush supports strong dollar

"WASHINGTON (AP) President Bush has pledged to work with Congress to assure markets the U.S. supports a strong dollar." This type of statement signals the end of the rising euro. Evidently, the US has decided that europe has suffered enough. This is like the US attempting to extend on olive branch to europe. I think that the US has really been controlling the rising euro behind the scenes to punish europe and to raise US exports. Too much dollar weakness will be detrimental in the long run. (One of those problems has been China). So now it's time to reverse course a bit. If the dollar gets stronger soon, then I think this validates my point. (If not, oh well, wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong. ;) )

Judge Suspended For Wearing Blackface To Party

NBC 4 - News - Judge Suspended For Wearing Blackface To Party So, my question is (and I'm being legit here) why was the judge racist? Because of the black face, or because of the black face and jail jumpsuit? If a non-black person wears black face makeup, is that racist in of itself? If a non-white person where's "white face" makeup, is that racist also? And why? My thoughts are that society will view wearing makeup to look like a person of a different color (race) is racist. That to me seems to be the liberal thought process and since the main stream media is liberal, and the media "defines" what society is thinking... Well, that's how I come to that conclusion. My self: no I don't think dressing up or wearing makeup should ever be considered a racist act (by itself). In my opinion, it's truly racist to jump to the conclusion that just because someone wears a costume and/or makeup that he/she is being racist.

Yahoo! News - Ohio Electors Vote Despite Challenge

Yahoo! News - Ohio Electors Vote Despite Challenge Ohio Electors Vote Despite Challenge By CARRIE SPENCER, Associated Press Writer COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio delegation to the Electoral College (news - web sites) cast its votes for President Bush (news - web sites) on Monday, hours after dissident groups asked the state Supreme Court to review the outcome of the state's presidential race. As members of the Electoral College met across the nation to affirm the results of last month's election, the 20 GOP electors in Ohio voted unanimously for Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites). "The vast majority of people understand this election is over," said Gov. Bob Taft, who was at the electors' voting session in the state Senate chamber. The challengers who went to the Supreme Court question whether Bush won the key swing state by 119,000 votes, guaranteeing his victory over Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites). The court did not act on their request before the electors cast their ballots. The Rev. Jesse Jackson (news - web sites) and attorney Cliff Arnebeck of the Massachusetts-based Alliance for Democracy accused President Bush's campaign of "high-tech vote stealing." Jackson said the challengers noticed Bush generally received more votes in counties that use optical-scan voting machines and questioned whether the machines were calibrated to record votes for Bush. Critics of the election claim there were disparities in vote totals for Democrats, too few voting machines in Democrat-leaning precincts, organized campaigns directing voters to the wrong polling place and confusion over the counting of provisional ballots by voters whose names did not appear in the records at polling places. The challengers allege unlawful ballots were added to the total and legally cast ballots were altered. Without listing specific evidence, the complaint alleges 130,656 votes for Kerry and John Edwards (news - web sites) in 36 counties were somehow switched to count for the Bush-Cheney ticket. The complaint also cites several reports of Election Day problems, including people who allegedly saw their vote "hop" to Bush on touch-screen machines after they voted for Kerry. If the court decides to hear the challenge, it can declare a new winner or throw out the results. "While the existence of anomalies could possibly be explained by human error or technical malfunctions, the fact that, in every case in Ohio known to the contestors, the error favored the Bush-Cheney ticket, strongly indicates manipulation or fraud," the challengers said in a court filing. While members of the Ohio delegation to the Electoral College voted in the state Senate chamber, about 10 protesters walked a sidewalk nearby. State police said the group was denied a permit to demonstrate on Statehouse grounds. Congressional Democrats sent a letter to the governor on Monday, asking him to delay the electoral vote or at least consider the results unofficial until the disputes are resolved. "The vote is required to move forward by law, and it will more forward," Taft spokesman Orest Holubec said. "The vote has been certified by the secretary of state, and all of the valid provisionals have been counted." Carlo LoParo, spokesman for Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, said that for the challengers' accusations to be true, officials of both parties would have had to conspire to throw the election. "That's simply a ridiculous assertion," he said. Led by a coalition representing the Green and Libertarian parties, the challengers are paying for recounts in each of Ohio's 88 counties that will begin this week. The recounts are not expected to be complete until next week. Kerry issued a statement last week saying reports of voting problems should be investigated to ensure there are no doubts in future elections. His campaign does not dispute that Bush won the election, but supports the recounts. Elsewhere, an unknown Democrat earned a footnote in history by casting one of Minnesota's 10 Electoral College votes for John Edwards, Kerry's running mate — the state's first "faithless elector," the dubious name for those who bypass the candidate who won the state's popular vote in the general election. No one claimed credit for the Edwards vote. Several electors said they suspected someone unconsciously mixed up the two Johns on the ticket. "I'm certainly glad that the Electoral College is not separated by one vote," elector Michael Meuers said. In New Mexico, a district judge in Santa Fe refused to order an immediate recount of presidential votes, saying the matter should wait until the state canvassing board takes it up on Tuesday. The board's chairman, Gov. Bill Richardson, reiterated his opposition to the statewide recount sought by the Libertarian and Green parties' candidates, saying it "will not reform our election laws." The parties say a recount would point to possible problems with various types of voting machines. Congress announces nationwide totals in January.

China Detains 3 Who Criticized Government

The New York Times > International > Asia Pacific > China Detains 3 Who Criticized Government: "Yu Jie and Liu Xiaobo, literary figures, and Zhang Zuhua, a political theorist, were detained in raids at their homes, relatives and friends said. Mr. Yu's relatives were handed a warrant that said he was suspected of 'participating in activities harmful to the state,' said his wife, Liu Min."

Cleveland Paper Cites Voter Problems

Yahoo! News - Cleveland Paper Cites Voter Problems: "The Cleveland Plain Dealer's review of voting patterns in Cuyahoga County showed that many of the approximately 1,000 voters in the two precincts cast ballots just steps away at machines meant for the other precinct." Pathetic. 1000 votes! This is surreal how this story can make the national news. Bush first won by 130,000, now it's 119,000. Oh boy, Kerry might get a few hundred more. I am so fed up with the press and MoveOn and Moore and all the rest of the leftist wacko's out there pretending that there's a chance for Kerry to become president. I'm also tired of Ohio being looked at as THE state that put Bush over the top. So why bother voting if you don't live in Ohio! It's as if none of the other states count. This is exactly what they did in 2000 with Florida. Trust me, if Bush won Florida (or Ohio) and no other states, he would NOT be president.

Fewer Teens Engaging in Sex, Study Finds

My Way News: "The National Center for Health Statistics said that for girls aged 15 to 17 the percentage who had ever had intercourse declined from 38 percent in 1995 to 30 percent in 2002. For boys, the agency said, the decline was 43 percent to 31 percent." Could the results possibly have something to do with the morality of the then president and the current president? (Is there any doubt?)

Powell: Fissures With Europe Being Closed

Yahoo! News - Powell: Fissures With Europe Being Closed: "The Dutch government has been angered by a new U.S. law that would authorize the United States to take military action against the Hague-based International Criminal Court if any U.S. serviceman is hauled before the tribunal to face war crimes charges."

Berlusconi gets off

"MILAN, Italy (AP) An Italian court has acquitted Premier Silvio Berlusconi of corruption charges."

US Passenger Jet Lands In Vietnam

"HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam (AP) A U.S. passenger jet has landed in Vietnam for the first time since the end of the Vietnam War."

MSNBC - Of mice, men and in-between

MSNBC - Of mice, men and in-between This is disgusting. To even contemplate it is difficult. It is just so wrong. Of course if you're anti-God or anti-Christ, then maybe your perspective is different. This may give you a (false) hope of immortality. I mean, the possibity is that you can simply transfer your brain cells to a new creature. If you don't believe in the soul, then this would seem very appealing. A way to live forever... to be like a god. Exactly what Satan wants us to think... (Read Genesis chapt. 3) " 1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."

RUMSFELD SET UP; REPORTER PLANTED QUESTIONS WITH SOLDER

DRUDGE REPORT FLASH 2004: "RUMSFELD SET UP; REPORTER PLANTED QUESTIONS WITH SOLDER" Thu Dec 09 2004 11:49:38 ET Chattanooga Times Free Press reporter Edward Lee Pitts is embedded with the 278th Regimental Combat Team, now in Kuwait preparing to enter Iraq, and is filing articles for his newspaper. Pitts claims in a purported email that he coached soldiers to ask Defense Secretary Rumsfeld questions! Check out the Drudge Report for more.

Breaking News

"TORONTO (AP) Canadian supreme court approves same-sex marriage."

Japan to extend troops in Iraq

"TOKYO (AP) Japan's trade minister says Cabinet has approved a plan to extend the country's deployment of troops in Iraq for another year."

Chinese Companies Seen Following Lenovo-IBM Lead

Yahoo! News - Chinese Companies Seen Following Lenovo-IBM Lead: "'It is no longer a question of if you are going to work with a manufacturer in China,' Dougherty said. 'It's a matter of when and how much equity and how much co-manufacturing occurs.' " Cringe.

Yahoo! News - U.S. to Test Its Missile Defense System

Yahoo! News - U.S. to Test Its Missile Defense System: "Critics charge the technology is neither ready nor affordable, and say it fails to address the greater threat of weapons of mass destruction brought into the country by terrorists or other means." Hmm. Obviously the technology exists and is affordable if we are deploying. And I fail to see the logic on how a "missile defense" system is to stop WMD's "brought into the country by terrorists or other means" (what other means???).

Who poisoned Yushchenko?

Times Online - World: Who poisoned Yushchenko? Yushchenko before and after: smooth-faced only five months ago and pock-marked by the effects of poison (AP)

Yahoo! News - Iraqis May Extend Election Amid Violence

Yahoo! News - Iraqis May Extend Election Amid Violence Sure, why not. Whoever said a vote has to be in one day anyway. As far as I'm concerned, the vote could be over an entire month. Why not use absentee voting? This is real possibility.

Troops Put Tough Questions to Rumsfeld

My Way News: "Troops Put Tough Questions to Rumsfeld" Rumsfield answered these tough questions with his typical honesty. He's just so straight forward that it completely baffles the liberals. But this is what makes up the core of most conservatives.

Chinese company purchases IBM PC business

BEIJING (AP) China's biggest computer maker Lenovo Group announces it has acquired IBM Corp.'s PC business. PC's aren't IBM's biggest money maker by a long shot, but this will have huge attention. The perspective is what counts here.

Yahoo! News - China Bans Video Game for Breach of Sovereignty

Yahoo! News - China Bans Video Game for Breach of Sovereignty: "BEIJING (Reuters) - China, sensitive about issues of national sovereignty, has banned a computer sports game that classifies Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and Tibet as countries and has threatened to fine Web sites that supply the game and net cafes that let patrons download it."

Yahoo! News - Iraq Churches Bombed; 1,000th American Killed

Yahoo! News - Iraq Churches Bombed; 1,000th American Killed: "Allawi visited Moscow, where President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites), an opponent of the U.S. invasion, gave him a candidly gloomy view: 'I cannot imagine how elections can be organized under a full occupation of the country by foreign troops,' he said. 'I also cannot imagine how you on your own will be able to restore the situation in the country and stop it from breaking up.'" To restore the situation? Restore it to what? The glory days of a brutal dictator? Or does he mean the glory days of his Soviet Union trading illegall arms with a tyrant?

Yahoo! News - Dollar Drops to Another Low Against Euro

Yahoo! News - Dollar Drops to Another Low Against Euro: "The euro rose to a new high of $1.3470 in European trading amid concerns over the U.S. trade and budget deficits and worse-than-expected U.S. employment data. The old record was $1.3460 set Friday."

Yahoo! News - Rumsfeld confirms will stay on, vows transformation of US military

Yahoo! News - Rumsfeld confirms will stay on, vows transformation of US military: "'The image of handing over that country to people who go around chopping off heads is not a pretty one -- that's a dark image.'" I've really warmed up to Rumsfield because of his matter-of-fact statements such as this.

CNN.com - Dems'�new Senate leader criticizes Justice Thomas - Dec 5, 2004

CNN.com - Dems'�new Senate leader criticizes Justice Thomas - Dec 5, 2004: "When asked to comment on Thomas as a possible replacement for Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Reid told NBC's 'Meet the Press': 'I think that he has been an embarrassment to the Supreme Court. 'I think that his opinions are poorly written. I just don't think that he's done a good job as a Supreme Court justice.'" Until Senator Reid specifies which opinions are poorly written, I think this should be treated as a racist statement.

Yahoo! News - Bush Determined to See Iraqis Vote Jan. 30

Yahoo! News - Bush Determined to See Iraqis Vote Jan. 30

Russia's Putin Calls U.S. Policy 'Dictatorial'

Yahoo! News - Russia's Putin Calls U.S. Policy 'Dictatorial': "'Even if dictatorship is packaged in beautiful pseudo-democratic phraseology, it will not be able to solve systemic problems,' Putin said. 'It may even make them worse.'" Ahh. Now there's the Putin I'm used to seeing. Btw, can anyone please explain "pseudo-democratic phraseology"? Examples will be appreciated.

WILLIAMS VICTORY: BEATS JENNINGS, RATHER IN DEBUT

DRUDGE REPORT FLASH 2004: "WILLIAMS VICTORY: BEATS JENNINGS, RATHER IN DEBUT" After reading the AP story, it's become very apparent that NBC is using Williams to become more conservative. If this is true, it will reap huge ratings for years to come. I may actually watch NBC Nightly News again.

China tests ballistic missile submarine

China tests ballistic missile submarine - The Washington Times: Nation/Politics - December 03, 2004: "The submarine is in the early stages of being outfitted and is not yet equipped with new JL-2 submarine-launched nuclear missiles."

Junior highs fare well on ITBS scores

press-citizen.com | Local News: "According to the test results re-leased this week, 74.4 percent of all eighth-graders passed the reading comprehension portion of the exam, while 82.6 percent were considered proficient in the math part. This bests the state targets � 66.7 percent passing for reading, and 65 percent for math �to meet standards of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Under the federal law, 100 percent of all students will be required to be proficient in read-ing and math by 2014."

Iran-Suicide Bombers

Iran-Suicide Bombers: "200 pledge willingness to carry out suicide attacks against Americans, Israelis" 200! WOW! Oh what will we do??? Last I checked, we have about 2 million men and women who have pledged to protect the United States no matter what the cost.

Bush Calls for Full U.N. Oil-For-Food Probe

Yahoo! News - Bush Calls for Full U.N. Oil-For-Food Probe: "Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota, who is investigating corruption in the oil-for-food program, Wednesday called on Annan to resign. He said former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein reaped some $21.3 billion from the program because of Annan's lack of oversight." I'm beginning to really take notice of Sen. Norm Coleman.

Yahoo! News - Dollar woes worsen as rival currencies hit new heights

Yahoo! News - Dollar woes worsen as rival currencies hit new heights: "The euro's seemingly inexorable rise to record highs has set alarm bells ringing in the eurozone, where policymakers at the European Central Bank were meeting in Frankfurt on monetary policy." I had a cousin who taught me how to play super-chess, two sets of chess pieces on a board 4 times the normal size. Chess by itself is hard enough to figure out, this was simply ridiculous. The world economy is like super-chess compared to a national economy. There's no super-computer that's going to figure this out. I'm thinking the US is pushing this and the EU is also pushing this and they both have their reasons and nobody really knows who's winning. But someone is going to start to emerge as a victor sooner or later. The only advantage for the EU is that their currency is increasing it's value as a business world currency. That could prove to be a big advantage, if the EU manufacturing sector survives. I think we are getting closer to a massive correction and my guess is it will occur when China's yuan stops being pegged to the dollar. Maybe next spring.

Putin: Ukraine Revote Would Be Fruitless

News: "`A revote could be conducted a third, a fourth, 25th time, until one side gets the results it needs,' Putin said sarcastically, in televised comments from the meeting at Vnukovo-2 airport." Now that's interesting. I usually fall on the other side of Putin, but I'm squarely in his corner with this (except...). I keep seeing reports of voter fraud, but have yet to see any substantial evidence. It seems everyone wants a revote except Russia, which makes sense, because as it stands now, they benefit. So what happens now if the pro-west guy wins? There's still going to be a lot of people really pissed off (and even more so), enough to start a civil war most likely. The thing that is completely being missed is how this proves our electorate system is better. There shouldn't be direct elections for the president exactly because of this circumstance, something we found ourselves in just 4 years ago.

BROKAW EXIT MORE AUDIENCE THAN RATHER, JENNINGS COMBINED

DRUDGE REPORT FLASH 2004: "The 10.6 rating/19 share for NBC NIGHTLY NEWS came in at the high end of the network's internal projections, increasing the pressure on incoming Williams to retain momentum." I wonder if this had anything to do with Williams being on Hannity yesterday and coming off as somewhat conservative sounding. Also, Rush had clips throughout his show of Brokaw's finest moments (which of course was when Rush was on the show).

Bush Adamant on Iraq Election Schedule

My Way News: "Bush Adamant on Iraq Election Schedule"