Rice, in Baghdad, Insists That Iraqis Are ‘Making Progress’
By PHILIP SHENON
Published:BAGHDAD, Oct. 5 — Wearing a helmet and a flak jacket and flanked by machine-gun-toting bodyguards to defend against insurgents, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice came here Thursday, insisting that there were new signs of progress in Iraq and that the Bush administration had never sugarcoated its news about the American occupation.
Ah, progress.
This week, my column explains what Ramadan is.
If, however, a Muslim breaks the fast intentionally, he/she must make up the day and also pay a penalty. Possible “fines” include 60 days of additional fasting, feeding 60 meals to the poor or freeing a slave. That’s why I’m never gonna be a Muslim. Damned if I’m gonna risk getting rid of my slaves (or, as we call them in the newspaper biz, interns).
Read the rest of the column, if you’d like.
It turns out that Speaker Hastert has known about Foley’s page-o-philia since 2004.
Rather than trying to shift the blame on me, those who are employed by these House leaders should acknowledge what they know about their action or inaction in response to the information they knew about Mr. Foley prior to 2005.
So, now the questions are 1) when does Hastert go and 2) who is gonna try to take down with him and, of course 3) who replaces him. The Speaker of the House of Representatives is third in the presidential line of succession, you know.
The FOXNews network outdid itself last night.
With e-pedophile Rep. Mark Foley (Republican-Florida) and his enablers sinking the GOP’s Congressional campaign, FOX did what any fair and balanced network would under the circumstances — they turned Foley into a Democrat.
The image below is a screen-grab from Bill O’Reilly’s show last night.
Welcome to the No Spin Zone!
“Sex offenders are not petty criminals. They prey on our children like animals and will continue to do it unless stopped.”
-Rep. Mark Foley (Republican from Florida), speaking to the House Judiciary Committee on June 9, 2005. At the time, Foley was the chairman of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children’s Caucus.
“During the congressional debate in 1998 over President Bill Clinton’s affair with a White House intern, Foley called Clinton’s actions vile and told the St. Petersburg Times that ‘it’s more sad than anything else, to see someone with such potential throw it all down the drain because of a sexual addiction.’”
-The Washington Post, in a story about Foley’s career in Congress.
“Get a ruler and measure it for me”
-Rep. Mark Foley (Republican from Florida), in an Internet instant message to an underage boy. Foley resigned on Friday.
“Top House Republicans knew for months about e-mail traffic between Representative Mark Foley and a former teenage page, but kept the matter secret and allowed Mr. Foley to remain head of a Congressional caucus on children’s issues, Republican lawmakers said Saturday.”
–The New York Times, September 30, 2006.
“With ever more children accessing material over the Internet, we support efforts to bolster online protections that prevent children from being exploited to pornographic images and solicitations.”
-Page 83, 2004 Republican Party Platform: A Safer World And A More Hopeful America
“A Republican staff member warned congressional pages five years ago to watch out for Congressman Mark Foley, according to a former page.”
On Saturday, from 1pm to 3pm, I will be a guest on Mad Pundit Radio, a political talk show on WGST 640AM and hosted by Regular Guys guy Eric.
WGST broadcasts are streamed live via one of the Internets. The Internets are a series of tubes.
Is Brian Bannon Atlanta’s best stand-up comedian?
I think so, but who am I to say? I also think that the cafeteria at the Dekalb Farmers Market is the best restaurant in the city.
How about I just say that my favorite Atlanta stand-up, Brian Bannon, is tonight’s guest monologist for the Doug Dank project. The show starts at 10.
The dish in front of me is grey and shiny.
“Russian dog,” says my waitress Nancy.
“Big dog,” I reply.
“Yes,” she says. “Big dog’s penis…”
Read the rest of the story here
Or better yet, listen to the excellent podcast. The Beijing penis emporium story starts at 22m 40s.
Incidentally, the founder of the restaurant is said to have discovered the nutritional benefits of animal penises while living in Atlanta.
