Today's headlines/articles from Randi's site

From http://www.TheRandiRhodesShow.com:

- CACI v Randi Rhodes – Randi’s victorious decision

- We need Al Gore to run for President. Sign up to Draft Gore for '08!

- Join Randi on Sunday, November 11th for Peace Action of Michigan's 50th Anniversary Celebration. Get the DETAILS.


It’s Friday, Ya Bastards!

WEEK IN REVIEW:

WAR ON TERROR:
Terror Watch! The government’s terror watch list is 860,000 names long. Can you imagine what telemarketers would pay for that? We’re All Terrorists! There were 20,000 matches of travelers with the terror watch list in 2006!

The FBI and Homeland Security officials are warning again that modified footwear is being used to conceal bombs.

Family Security Matters has the 10 Most Dangerous Organizations in America. Think Progress, Media Matters, and Moveon.org all make the list, but al-Qaeda does not. Haven’t these people heard who started the wildfires?

Some Presidential candidates are now worried that Bush is getting ready to go to war with Iran. Mitt Romney, on the other hand, said that the option of blockade or bombardment should be left on the table.

Not to worry though: Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that planning for an Iran strike is just “routine”.

Bush asked Congress to approve $196 billion dollars to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Democrats say the request was timed to avoid embarrassing comparisons to Bush’s veto of children’s health insurance. Speaker Pelosi released this statement after Bush asked Congress for more war cash.

Yesterday, the US UNILATERALLY imposed sanctions on Iran's MILITARY! Russia, China, France and England will not be joining us, neither will the United Nations.

Sen. Hagel said "Unilateral sanctions rarely work" and Putin said this could bring talks to a dead end. ''It's not the best way to resolve the situation by running around like a madman with a razor blade in his hand".

If war with Iran did take place, oil experts are saying that it would result in dire consequences and “hell would break loose in the oil markets”.

WHERE'S OSAMA? IN TORA BORA
According to Col. David Hunt, who wrote this, the US had Osama bin Laden in their sights in August of 2007 and did not kill him.

RUMMY:
Donald Rumsfeld, while in Paris today, was slapped with a criminal complaint charging him with torture!

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES:
Firefighters seem to be gaining the upper hand in the wildfires. Then a massive clean-up and recovery operation begins. At least 12 people have been found dead.

Back in June, a GAO report said that the U.S. Forest Service and Department of Agriculture failed to accomplish the "fundamental step" of planning out what assets and resources were needed to prepare for approaching fire seasons.

The Santiago Fire, which has scorched more than 22,000 acres, is being confirmed as ARSON!

San Diego County has losses that top $1 billion dollars, with some of the largest fires still burning out of control. A $70,000 reward has been posted for information leading to the arrest of the people responsible for setting the Santiago fires.

Though firefighters are gaining some control over the fires, questions are being raised about equipment and coordination.

The California National Guard said that equipment shortages, caused in part by the war in Iraq, could slow the guard’s response if a major disaster struck, like a fire.

Fox news had said earlier in the week that AL QAEDA may have started the wildfires in California. It was actually a faulty reference to An FBI memo from back in 2003.

S-CHIP:
The House passed a new version of the S-CHIP bill by a vote of 265-142, short of a veto-proof majority. And of course Bush is vowing to veto this bill if it reaches his desk.

PRIVATE SECURITY:
Condi Rice ordered measures for private security guards in Iraq including improved training and better rules of engagement and, of course, sensitivity training. Let’s get them at least sensitive enough to stop shooting people.

Seems as though Blackwater may have engaged in tax evasion. A Blackwater spokesperson released a statement saying that Henry Waxman's contention is "incorrect".

Sen. Kerry wants to know if the Bush administration had any part in possible tax evasion by Blackwater. Kerry sent a letter to the Small Business Administration asking them if they played any role in helping Blackwater avoid paying almost 32 million in taxes.

The State Department pays private security contractors $4 billion a year.

Is US border patrol up next for Blackwater?

WIRETAPPING:
Presidential hopeful Chris Dodd posted a video on ChrisDodd.com about his plans to try and derail the new FISA bill if it includes retroactive immunity for telecom companies.

Groundswell: Barack Obama and Joe Biden have joined Chris Dodd in vowing to kill the wiretapping bill if it includes immunity for the big telecom companies.

The White House is finally considering showing their secret NSA documents to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The House Intelligence Committee and the House Judiciary Committee have not seen the documents and WON'T unless they include IMMUNITY for telecoms in THEIR LEGISLATION. Quid pro quo? You decide.

THE ’08 CANDIDATES:
Happy 60^th B-Day Hillary. Elvis Costello sang “Happy Birthday Mrs. President” to Hillary last night at her $1 million par-tay!
Here is some video of the event.

The mob reportedly considered whacking Giuliani back in 1986. Here is the CNN report.

Giuliani was asked if waterboarding is torture. He said he wasn’t sure. It depends on who is doing it.

Wayne Barrett – Village Voice got copies of Rudy's testimony before the 9/11 commission. Rudy didn't know who Osama bin Laden was prior to 9/11, didn't know what al Qaeda was until after 9/11 and blames his lack of interest/knowledge on the FBI.

Fred Thompson says that the Iraqi insurgency is a bunch of kids with IED’s. Watch the video.

VAST RIGHT WING CONSPIRACY? YES IT WAS…AND LED BY A WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION GOP HYPOCRITE!!!
Richard Mellon Scaife, who funded "The Arkansas Project" in order to HUNT BILL CLINTON, is in the middle of his SECOND divorce. Apparently his wife caught him in a $40 Motel room with a woman who had been arrested previously for PROSTITUTION. Background or Refresher Course for those of us who remember the 90's.

SIDEBARS:
Oil Company BP has agreed to pay $373 million in fines after admitting to criminal activities in a fatal Texas explosion, an oil spill in Alaska and illegal propane trading.

Bill Maher had to throw some loud and disruptive 9/11 conspiracy theorists from the audience on his live-broadcast HBO show. (NOTE: This video uses profanity)

If you are going to be in Dutchess County this weekend, take cover, Dick Cheney is going hunting.

Have you ever gone into a candy store or grocery store and ate some grapes or grabbed a handful of jellybeans before paying? A guy was arrested the other day for doing just that.

Condi went as far as saying that the US mishandled the case of Maher Arar, a Canadian who was arrested, deported and tortured…but she stopped short of an actual apology.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

past show posts...