U.S. Seeks to Throw Out Terror Convictions

(link)

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department has asked a judge to throw out the convictions of a suspected terror cell in Detroit because of prosecutorial misconduct, reversing course in a case the Bush administration once hailed as a major victory in the war on terrorism, legal sources said Tuesday.

The department told U.S. District Judge Gerald Rosen that it supports the Detroit defendants' request for a new trial and would no longer pursue charges of material support of terrorism. That means the defendants at most would only face fraud charges at a new trial, the legal sources said.

Read the rest here: (link)

I guess railroading people for political gain sometimes comes back to bite one in the ass. Will all the noise from the RNC drown out this news story?

UPDATE (link)

Bush causing future problems

Does anyone actually think the war on terror can be won?

Is anyone that stupid?

Yesterday Bush stated that the war on terrorism could be not won.

"I don’t think you can win [the war on terror]. But I think you can create conditions so that the — those who use terror as a tool are — less acceptable in parts of the world."

I thought to myself- was he ever truly stupid enough to think that we could win. Well, today he came out and said we would win. (link)

"We meet today in a time of war for our country, a war (i.e., the war on terror) we did not start yet one that we will win."

I guess he is as dumb as I thought. Does we really think we can stamp out all terrorism?

Terrorism has been a part of the world for a long time. It will continue to be a problem forever. Take a look at another country with a terrorist problem-- Chechnya :

Yesterday, it was alleged that the two planes that crashed in Russia were acts of terrorism caused by two females from Chechnya It is thought that these two women had a first hand experiences with Russia's military actions in their personal lives.

One allegedly had a brother taken away by Russian troops and he has never been seen again. Killed.. (Link) It looks as if both have lost relatives in military action. Murder. (link)

“Dusk was falling over the Chechen village of Kirov-Yurt when the Russian troops approached Uvais Nagayev, 32, at the gate of his family house. They asked him and his friend Zaur Dagayev, 29, for their passports, beat them to the ground, and dragged them to a nearby cemetery.
They made the men lie down on gravestones and shot them. Mr Dagayev was killed outright. Mr Nagayev, wounded, managed to crawl home under cover of darkness. Six days later, on May 3 2001, he was taken from his home again by Russian troops. This time he did not return.”

(I do not mean to imply that we are the same as the Russian military-- But, we might look that way when U.S. Service men and women are accused of murdering prisoners-- or taking pictures of prisoners in various humiliating ways.)

The policy's of the current administration in Washington set us up for future acts of violence from angry family members that have had experiences similar to those of the two women from Chechnya.

Guantanamo bay- Holding people with out any REAL legal help, Not charging detainees with a crime or letting family know whether they are dead or alive. This does not help family's understand what has happened to there loved ones.

A General or his Press Secretary shrugging their shoulders and explaining that a School, hospital, market or a wedding party was bombed by error does not help our terror free free future. Lives were lost and family's tend to get angry. Look at what happened when the USA got pissed in the wake of 9/11.

Terrorism is here to stay. But, our current foreign policy is what will cause it to be a larger reality then it needs to be.

You can not win the war on terrorism if you do not win peace in the end.

Another picture of love bug.  

Call the CDC and the FDA

Why do so many rock stars die of complications from lymphoma?

Question

I wonder:

How many protesters that are protesting against the post 9/11 world that Bush and Company have created--- will be charged with terrorism based on post 9/11 laws?

Death count

If they can make the prediction that the 1000th U.S. Service man will die in Iraq during the Republican National Convention. Is there a prediction of how many American protesters will die during The Grand Old Republican Jamboree?

I hope everyone in the DANCEMOB make it through the convention.

It Takes Real Courage . . . . . .

Michael Moore Has put a open letter to the president on his site. (Link) The letter is standard fare for Mr. Moore. But I love the opening line of the letter "It Takes Real Courage to Desert Your Post and Then Attack a Wounded Vet".

Toward the end of the letter Mr. Moore talks about how the American troop death toll will hit 1,000 during the republican convention. Is this a good prediction?

Does the pentagon chip in a give the 1,0000th corpse a door prize. Will Mr. Bush talk to their family no matter what their political views are?

Chubbles is frog boys best friend. But, he only likes him at night. Chubbles is the first object to make it through the night in the crib. He has never even allowed a blanket in the crib. 

Eating rasins at Starbucks. This Starbucks does not have highchairs. Why? 

Starbucks

Why do they find a need to shake my iced coffee and tea? It used to be so simple. I would go in and order an iced coffee and they would give it to me. Now they have to waste time and shake it. Why?

The other day they were out of Iced Coffee. They told me they had not made a new batch. I asked them to put ice in a cup and pour hot coffee over it. The guy behind the counter looked at me as if I were crazy. It seems like a rather simple request compared to all the strange things other people order. Well Mr. Starbucks just had this blank stare. Eventually I was able to persuade him to give me a cup of Ice to go with my cup of hot coffee. On the plus side he did give me the ice in one of the “for here” ceramic cups. (Actually, I think they call it a “to here” cup)

For a company that strives to be environmentally friendly, one would think they would let people know that they have ceramic cups on hand for people that are drinking their coffee on site.

Trains and boys

Why do boy's love trains so much? Aunt A sent us a train video the other day We have already watched it several times.

We went to the train station to watch the trains. When it came he got rather scared by the loud noise. I am happy to report that it did not permanently scar him. He still loves trains.
 

Here he is with Thomas The Tank Engine. He loves Thomas. He calls all trains “Toot-Toot”
 

Trivial Pursuit Book Lover's Edition

I see that they have created a Trivial Pursuit Book Lover's Edition.
It has got to be rather hard. I wonder how hard it actually is. I found two question's on the web from the game.

How tall is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein?
Like I know that off the top of my head. My guess is tall.

Patrick O'Brian introduced Captain Jack Aubrey in which novel? My guess is Master and Commander A book I have never read but am told is rather good.

Am I right?

Water lover with train bonus

Last Friday was “J”s final swim lesson for the summer. He sure loves the water. The pool is right next to the train tracks so he is able to see all the trains go by.

Waiting for swim lessons to start. 

Swim lessons. Last day. 

Todays new recipe:

Enchilada Filling:

1 cup (8oz) Cream cheese
½ cup Chopped (stuffed olives)- Green Pimiento stuffed Olives
4.25(oz) can Chopped Olives – Drained(not much to squeeze out (½ cup Chopped Black olives)
1½ Cup chopped green and red Bell peppers
¼ cup raisins (packed)
Bunch of green onions (4+) Chopped

Cayenne Pepper to taste (?)

Beat Cream Cheese until light and creamy.
Slowly add other ingredients until well blended.

Makes enough filling for 12 Enchilada's

***Tastes great before cooking- Would be great as a cracker spread.
***Why does an enchilada look so sad with out melted cheese on it?

After eating dinner:

"Juice-Juice" the two year old enchilada eater was not impressed with the dinner.
My wife thought it tasted to “different” But gave it a 5 on a scale of 1-10
My opinion: I think Chopped spinach would be great in this. The raisins gave it a little to much sweetness. Cut back on the raisins. Nice mix of sweet and hot.

Recipe modified from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest By Mollie Katzen

A chance encounter-

Yesterday, my son and I were sitting in the car with the windows rolled down. We were waiting for my wife to come out of the store with a jar of cough medicine for my son.

A old lady walks up to my window and says “Excuse me sir, why do cows wear bells?” Stunned, I reply with “What?”. She says “Why do cows wear bells?” I reply “Uh- I don't know.” She looks at me points to her head and exclaims “Because their horns are Broken.” She then turns and walks a few feet before spinning back to us and asking “Where do people with one arm shop”. Knowing it had to be a joke I tell her that I have no idea. She pauses and says “A second hand store”. Then she wanders off into the parking lot.

A question for the ages

Why do they not make taco shells with a wider opening?

Bypass Compulsory Web Registration

BugMeNot has got to be one of the best sites on the web. Next time you visit a site that requires you to log in try BugMeNot and see if you can get in with out having to give personal information. Works great with the Washington Post

Why won't they let Ted fly?

Q: Why won't they let Ted fly?
A:Everybody knows Ted Kennedy is no threat unless you're driving in a car with him.

Seriously folks: Looks as if it took three weeks to get this Ted Kennedy thing fixed. How is it for the common man?

What is next from them? “Show me your papers, citizen!” Nixon had the IRS, FBI and CIA. Now they have the TSA to harass the opposition party.

Database snafu puts US Senator on terror watch list

US Senator Ted Kennedy (Democrat, Massachusetts) (Link) was prohibited from flying because his name sparked a terror alert, the Associated Press reports. Apparently, the Senator's name came up on a terrorist watch list, or no-fly list, while attempting to board a US Airways shuttle out of Washington.
A vigilant airline clerk refused to allow Kennedy to board. After numerous phone calls, the Senator did manage to get home to Boston, but the same comedy ensued as he attempted to return to Washington, the wire service says

.

Was this the GOP trying to keep him away from the DNC? Or are known drunks now considered terrorist?

A fun web offering about people wondering about his drinking at the DMC. Is Ted drunk yet? (Link)

First rule:

The first rule of PATRIOT act is, you do not talk about PATRIOT act.

Cell Phone drunks

They are working on cellular phone with a user-friendly alcohol breathalizer. Look people can not drive well while talking on the phone. How much worse will the be with a few beers in them.

The best part of the phone:

Even more impressive is the device's "Booty Feature," which allows the caller to dial certain numbers only if he or she is above a pre-set alcohol threshold. As Kathleen O'Connell, interim marketing manager, explains, "Imagine you met some chick at a Hollywood club last week, for whom beer goggles are a requirement. Intoxicating Talk's service will only let you dial that girl's number if you're absolutely drunk enough to deal with the situation."

New use for the playpen

I have been just informed that our dryer is not a clothes hamper. I think I have found a new use for the unused playpen. How long do you think it will last?

Lower the price of soda

Notice the price of a soda at a restaurant. I am told that the margins at restaurants are rather low. Restaurants make money on fountain drinks. (Alcohol appetizers and deserts are also high profit items). The mark up soda has got to be at least 50?% (my guess) What % of your restaurant bill is Soda or Tea? Have you looked at the menu to see what they are charging. It is amazing that they can get away with this.

What is the risk to the restaurant? The customer may drink water. (LOST PROFIT) But more importantly with out the strong taste of sugar and tongue numbing carbonation we may figure out how crappy the food is. Thus lowering the cost of soda should help business.

17% of people drink water in family restaurant: (link)
Why? My opinion is they charge to much. There opinion we are uneducated and need to be educated on what is on the menu. (are we that dumb)

The Olive Garden and Coke got together to try and combat water drinking and came up with “H2No”. Their plan? Shove more soft drinks down our throat. Read about it here.

My solution stop charging so much for soda.

Anarchists for Nader?

Looks like Anarchist have lost their understanding about what it means to be a anarchists. I see many flaws in their argument. Looks like some of think the can “underscore their opposition to the Bush administration.” by voting for Nader: (link)

ATHENS, Ohio - A group of anarchists is taking an unusual step to make its political voice heard — going to the polls.
Anarchists generally pride themselves on their rejection of government and its authority. But a faction of them fed up with the war in Iraq say they plan to cast anti-Bush votes this fall.
The voting debate was just one of the topics explored at the three-day North American Anarchist Convergence, which brought about 175 participants to Ohio University.
Some attendees rejected the voting proposal.
"Ultimately, those who are voting are either bad anarchists or not anarchists at all," said Lawrence, a "Californian in his mid-40s" who declined to give his last name. "No one can represent my interests. We reject political professionals."
Others said they are embracing their right to engage in the political process, and plan to vote for John Kerry, Ralph Nader or anyone who can underscore their opposition to the Bush administration.

Julia Child

Julia Child died on Friday the 13th instead of cremation they will CREME BRULEE her. Her friends at “This Old House” will be supplying the blow torch.

She will missed. A rather fun life story. A US agent in Europe . . . .

Rick James

Singer Rick James died the other day. The idiots on the T.V. called him “super freak”. Did they not listen to the song? It is about a girl not him. The T.V. Also informed me that he was a pillar of the community a role model . . . The freak used his crack pipe to burn holes in a women that he and his girlfriend had tied down. What a great role model. Oh well

test

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