Mistakes Loom Large as Handover Nears (washingtonpost.com)
The ambitious, 15-month undertaking stumbled because of a series of mistakes that began with an inadequate commitment of resources and was aggravated by a misunderstanding of Iraqi politics, religion and society in occupied Iraq . . . .
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF LEGAL COUNSEL EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction), and have at least one year of post-J.D. legal experience. Because OLC's 24 attorneys handle some of the most difficult and important legal issues confronting the Executive Branch, it is highly selective in its hiring. The ideal candidate will have exceptional academic credentials, judicial clerkship or comparable experience, strong background in constitutional law, and outstanding legal research and writing skills.
Apparently these are the qualifications of the people who concluded that torture of American prisoners is legal.
The New York Times > Opinion > The Plain Truth
Of all the ways Mr. Bush persuaded Americans to back the invasion of Iraq last year, the most plainly dishonest was his effort to link his war of choice with the battle against terrorists worldwide.
While the New York Times excoriates the administration over its claims that the war in Iraq was justified in part by links between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda, for some reason the Washington Post offers a half-hearted defense of Dick Cheney's prevarications.
Welcome to DMCC web site - Diplomats & Military Commanders for Change Official web site
The text of the statement by former diplomats and military commanders criticizing President Bush's leadership in foreign affairs.
No Evidence Connecting Iraq to Al Qaeda, 9/11 Panel Says (washingtonpost.com)
The 9/11 panel's conclusion that there is no evidence linking Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein's regime calls into question Bush and Cheney's repeated assertions that there was such a connection and that it justified the war in Iraq.
Retired Diplomats, Military Commanders Fault Bush's Leadership (washingtonpost.com)
A document signed by a group of high-ranking former diplomats and military commanders faults the Bush administration for leaving the country diplomatically isolated and strategically vulnerable.
NutritionData's Nutrition Facts Calorie Counter
An interesting site that provides access to nutrition date on line. I found it while looking up the nutrition data for olives, which are better than I thought, despite a high sodium content. This is good news since I find myself increasingly addicted. My favorites right now are Moroccan oil cured black olives, green Picholines from France, and black Nicoise. A good Kalamata, of course, is also hard to resist.
As George Orwell would say, this begs the question of why so many people for so long have considered Joyce to be so good.
The New York Times > Books > Parlaying an Affinity for Austen Into an Unexpected Best Seller
Jane Austen has long been one of my favorite authors, so I suppose that I will need to take a look at this recent bestseller.
One critic even calls it [Joyce's Ulysses] a 'giant fart joke,' which made me feel somewhat better for having never managed to finish the tome. I've always been slow in 'getting' fart jokes.
Then again, fart jokes have a distinguished history in English literature. Chaucer's best known tale, the Miller's tale, is a fart joke, and Mark Twain wrote at least one example of the genre.
Andrew Sullivan on
Rachel, Gayle and I went to Wheaton Regional Park. It was a perfect sunny afternoon to go out with the family. Rachel enjoyed the ride on the park's miniature train, but was a bit skeptical about the carousel. The ice cream machine ripped us off to the tune of five dollars, and the park staff simply gave a collective shrug when we complained. After the park, Rachel and I hit Starbucks, Barnes and Noble (picked up a copy of
Use of Dogs to Scare Prisoners Was Authorized (washingtonpost.com)
A military intelligence interrogator also told investigators that two dog handlers at Abu Ghraib were "having a contest" to see how many detainees they could make involuntarily urinate out of fear of the dogs, according to the previously undisclosed statements obtained by The Washington Post.
Andrew Sullivan thinks this is just the beginning of the story.
The War in Context has an extended round up of continuing converage over the scandal surrounding the Justice Department's memo approving torture in violation of international law.
An extended discussion of continuing interest in Joyce's Ulysses — highbrow, lowbrow, and everything in between. Thanks to MoorishGirl. (I've never been very good at fart jokes myself.)
MoorishGirl: June 2004 Archives
Congratulations to MoorishGirl on being featured by the Guardian as its web pick and for passing the million visitor mark. Ms. Lalami leads where the rest of us hope to follow.
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Top News Article | Reuters.com
SAVANNAH, Ga. (Reuters) - Facing criticism for methods used to interrogate terrorism suspects held by the United States, President Bush insisted on Thursday he had always ordered questioning methods to remain within the law.
"What I have authorized is that we stay within U.S. law," Bush told reporters in Savannah, Georgia, when asked what measures of interrogation he would authorize if the United States had a terror suspect in custody it knew was planning an attack.
The weight of the evidence, and the phrasing of the denial, suggest that perhaps the president is not being completely forthcoming.
AP CustomWire | The Janesville Gazette | Janesville, Wisconsin, USA
Charles "had this blasphemous idea of taking gospel songs and putting the devil's words to them."
His last Grammy came in 1993 for "A Song for You," but he never dropped out of the music scene. He continued to tour and long treasured time for chess. He once told the Los Angeles Times: "I'm not Spassky, but I'll make it interesting for you."
Rest in peace Ray Charles, dead of liver disease at 73. The AP notes that Charles left behind 12 children, 20 grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. He may be gone, but his music will never be forgotten. The rest is silence.