Apologies to Todd Rundgren. I lost my job, and was looking (successfully) for another one, thus my Bunnypants-like prevarication to keep on blogging.

I'll do better, honest. And thanks for hanging in there.

See ya in the friendly skies!

Saw this yesterday...

A congressional committee has opened an investigation of the State Department's inspector general, alleging he blocked fraud investigations in Afghanistan and Iraq, including potential security lapses at the newly built U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
...
Ralph McNamara, the former deputy assistant inspector general for investigations, said in an Associated Press interview Tuesday that he came forward with the allegations against his former boss because he worried that State Department employees would be at risk when working in the new embassy.

"A rocket — an unexploded munition — went through a portion of a cement ceiling there, and it was supposed to be an area able to withstand a direct hit from a missile that did explode," said McNamara. He said investigators wanted to look into charges that the walls were not built to the required thickness or concrete consistency, but they were blocked from pursuing it.

U.S. workers, he said, "were putting their lives on the line and assuming that the facility they were going into was going to provide them all the protection they needed, and that's not true. ... With all these allegations coming in, we need to make sure these folks were being protected.

Does anyone have the schedule for upcoming Medal of Freedom ceremonies? I wonder which one Krongards will get his MoF at, because a team player like him is always rewarded by Beloved Leader.

Apparently the puppet government of Whatizname Maliki is showing a little spine (I guess they're not getting their kickbacks from the contractors on time) concerning Blackwater. They're revoking their "license" to do business in Iraq, which effectively takes them out of the "protection" racket. And it means that the US officials who use them for bodyguards can't anymore...

The US has suspended all road journeys by its diplomats in Iraq outside Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone.
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"For their own interests, the Americans should hire a new company to protect their people so they can move freely."
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In a statement sent to US citizens in Iraq on Wednesday, the US embassy said it had suspended all road journeys by its diplomats throughout the country in order to conduct a safety review.

I've wondered how long the Iraqis would tolerate the "security" companies running rampant in their country. The whole "contractor" thing has been such a legacy of the unlamented Rummy that I'm betting that the current (and certainly next) powers that be will be looking for a way to get rid of them, expediently and quietly. They are useful, but becoming a political embarrassment at home, something that never increases your longevity as an entity that receives money from our Uncle (unless you're really, really connected which Blackwater is right now).

**Yawn**

A judge Wednesday morning agreed to release O.J. Simpson on a $125,000 bail bond while he awaits trial in a bizarre armed robbery case involving sports memorabilia.

Once again, it's Mourning in America. Move over Britney, you're yesterdays news.

Remember, Anbar is better. That pretty much sums up General David's report to Congress last week. Amazingly the House of Representatives was more concerned with suppressing the demonstrations by Code Pink than they were about asking actual kwestions.

From what I saw, and heard the sum total of their questions was "we (especially those of us too chicken to put on a uniform) really appreciate your service, Mon General ... now do you have a fancy chart for us, cause we loves us some charts..."

The Senate was slightly better, every republican felt compelled to blast the MoveOn ad, although I heard none of them object to the denigrating of Silver-Star winner John Kerry in 2004. So, MoveOn bad, Swift Boaters good. American politix in a nutshell, delivered by nutcases.

General Prevaricatus is over in the UK today telling them how well it's all going. I wonder if he'll be visiting all the other 35 allies later this month. He'll be a busy boy...good thing all is well in Anbar.

Back again... more on that later. So today, Huckleberry Graham managed to filibuster (gee, didn't the republicans want to end that practice?) a basic civil right enumerated in the US Constitution... the right to Habeus Corpus.

The Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007, as the legislation wending its way through Congress is known, would not have been necessary but for these failures of Congress and the administration. But justice now demands passage of the measure, sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) and ranking Republican member Arlen Specter (Pa.). In the Senate, where debate commenced yesterday, the legislation has been attached as an amendment to a defense bill. A vote on the amendment is expected later this week.

So they've voted on cloture for Huckleberry's filibuster, and the American people lost 56-43, because 60 votes were needed to make that little fascist from South Carolina sit down (aren't you South Carolinians proud of ol'Huck?) I guess this is revenge for Ft Sumter or something.

Another sad, sad day for our Republic. You have to hope that someday grown-ups with spine will once again govern here. But I guess not (I'm looking at you Nancy and Harry) any time soon. The other funny thing is how folks like St John of the Keating Five likes to cite his sacrifice to "protect and defend" our rights, and then he votes against Habeus. Nice.

Vulnerable incumbents like Normy Coleman should also be especially remembered next year for their votes... it might not matter today, but next November, it will in a big way.

1. Hello, it's me
   
2. R U Surprised anymore?
   
3. Blackwater, Quicksand....
   
4. American Idle
   
5. General Petraeus' Most Excellent Adventure
   
6. Hey, be you, Hey be us, Hey we're fucked