pods.swedesforobama.com

must read in july: report from the fronts mel gibson the no fact zone why no one believes there's a global war on terror the war on terrorble diseases i'm helping the terrorists mega vs mini lebanese blogs marc jacobs (heart) al gore world cup new rules coulter part 3 world cup idiots coulter part 2 pretend nytimes protests copycat coulter hannity in schiavo trouble

- - 2006-07-31 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rush is Pete is Osama

"Until civilians -- frankly, I'm not sure how many of them are actually just innocent little civilians running around versus active Hezbo types, particularly the men -- but until those civilians start paying a price for propping up these kinds of regimes, it's not going to end, folks. What do you mean, civilians start paying a price? I just ask you to consult history for the answer to that.”

- Rush Limbaugh
On the Qana Massacre
July 31, 2006

"We declared jihad against the US government, because the US government is unjust, criminal and tyrannical. It has committed acts that are extremely unjust, hideous and criminal . . . As for what you asked regarding the American people, they are not exonerated from responsibility, because they chose this government and voted for it despite their knowledge of its crimes in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq and in other places."

- Osama bin Laden
On His Fatwa Against America
March 1997

- - 2006-07-31 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Lebanon Update:

Closing in on 600

During the "cease-fire", 49 more bodies were dug up from rubble or burned cars in south Lebanon. YNet (Reuters)

- - 2006-07-31 5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

New curfew leaves us in Alexandria

DC's new juvenile curfew means we have to keep our underaged hookers at our second home in Alexandria, VA (we kid, we kid)

AOL News

- - 2006-07-31 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Family guy presents:
Stewie Griffin - the Untold Story (2005)

Scientist: [Scientist unfreezes Walt's body] Welcome Back,Mr. Disney
Walt Disney: Are the Jews gone yet?
Scientist: Uhh,no...
Walt Disney: Put me back in!
[Slams the crynogen chamber shut]

"Will Disney desert Mel Gibson..." FOX News

- - 2006-07-31 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Local War On Terror™

"Overlooked, Somalia collapses" StarNewsOnline

- - 2006-07-31 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Preach love and the word of God?
Not in this church mister

"Disowning conservative politics,
evangelical pastor rattles flock" NY Times

“When the church wins the culture wars, it inevitably loses,” Mr. Boyd preached. “When it conquers the world, it becomes the world. When you put your trust in the sword, you lose the cross.”

- - 2006-07-31 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

it's not about the war stupid

Once a blue, now a red
In our hearts you are dead

NY Times backs millionaire-Lamont
Wash Post backs millionaire-Lieberman

Greenwich Time

- - 2006-07-30 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Still no truth about the death
of "pinko-commie" Pat Tillman

It doesn't matter if your name is Sheehan of Tillman. If you ask questions, there must be something wrong with you.

"Playing the Atheism Card
Against Pat Tillman’s Family" Truthdig

Kauzlarich, in a stunning display of Christian empathy, blamed the family for continuing to ask questions about the circumstances of Pat’s death, and suggested that the reason they’d found no closure was that infidels such as themselves (the Tillmans did not belong to a church), when they die, are only “worm dirt.”

- - 2006-07-30 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reports From The "Fronts"

FROM THE "FRONT"

"Israeli attack kills 54 civilians, 37 children" CNN

"The building itself was next to the rocket-launcher sites and we are targeting all of those rocket-launcher sites. This was a mistake and we will have a full investigation."

Turn on FOX News:
"They were human shields I tell ya.
Yeah, that's right. Human shields."
They "forget" to let us in on the fact that the IDF video showing rockets being fired from the area were from friday.

"The hiding among civilians myth" Salon

"Cabinet in open revolt over Blair's Israel policy" Observer

THE OTHER "FRONT"

"Catholic official urges end to Gaza offensive" Kuwait Times

"In the Gaza Strip, a forgotten front" SP Times

The European guilt when it comes to Israel keeps this apartheid alive. F**king shameful.

THE OTHER-OTHER "FRONT"

"Afghan forces kill 18 Taliban" CNN
Taliban? Taliban!?!? They still there?

THE OTHER-OTHER-OTHER "FRONT"

"Somali PM says Iran, Libya, Egypt backing militants" Dow Jones

"Stay out of Somalia, US tells..." Reuters
Thought every nation had the right
to defend itself? Appearently not.

- - 2006-07-29 5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ladies and Gentlemen. We got him!

"Gibson's Anti-Semitic Tirade
Alleged Cover Up" TMZ

"Official confirmation: Gibson did spew..."
Deadline Hollywood Daily

"Did Gibson get a break..." LA Times

Will Hollywood shun Gibson? Ari Emanuel

GIBSON RESPONDS

"I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested. I disgraced myself and my family with my behavior and for that I am truly sorry. I have battled with the disease of alcoholism for all of my adult life and profoundly regret my horrific relapse. [I am taking the] necessary steps to ensure my return to health.
The arresting officer was just doing his job and I feel fortunate that I was apprehended before I caused injury to any other person. I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable."
- Mel Gibson

South Park: Mel Gibson is f**king crazy

- - 2006-07-29 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Casualty of War"

In its efforts to cut off Lebanon from the rest of the planet, the Iraeli Airforce bombed Lebanese oil cisterns, resulting in a 15,000-ton oil spill.

Discovery

- - 2006-07-29 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

non-DC pod.

Brilliant Music Video

Peter, Bjorn and John "Young Folks"
(feat. Victoria Bergsman of the Concretes)

Very artsy, very "clap your hands", very Swedish

- - 2006-07-29 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The US vs Israel?

Hezbollah agrees with cease fire proposal CNN
Israel rejects the offer BBC
...and claims the World has authorised
the continued bombing of Lebanon BBC

The US state department has dismissed as "outrageous" a suggestion by Israel that it has been authorised by the world to continue bombing Lebanon.

NARRATIVE
Israel rejects the U.N:s offer, but when they accept it, the offer will turn into "the US deal". In the M$M, the peace talks will have started after the US got involved, not mentioning that the US blocked any action early on.

- - 2006-07-29 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mel Gibson get caught for DUI,
blames the Jews. Ooops!

"F*****g Jews... The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world." Gibson then asked the deputy, "Are you a Jew?"

More sweet comments from Gibson.

A law enforcement source says Gibson then noticed another female sergeant and yelled, "What do you think you're looking at, sugar tits?"

"You mother f****r. I'm going to f*** you."

"My life is f****d."

Gibson almost continually [sic] threatened me saying he 'owns Malibu' and will spend all of his money to 'get even' with me.

Whole story. "Gibson's Anti-Semitic Tirade -- Alleged Cover Up" TMZ

- - 2006-07-28 5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

F.L.I.P.F.L.O.P.

From stalling (2) to "demanding".

"Bush, Blair call fo Mideast cease-fire" CNN

Still no word of actions on this front
of the so-called "War on Terror™"

"Riots erupt as Somalia minister shot to death" DubaiNews

"Somalia on the brink" Times online

- - 2006-07-28 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

non-DC pods.

Friday Fun Mini Pods

Once upon a time you dressed so fine. You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?

"500 greatest songs of all time" Rolling Stone

Stephen Colbert roasts Chevy Chase GM

How did the Internet look 10 years ago? Internet '96

Short version of the second greatest movie of all time Collegehumor

- - 2006-07-28 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Iran: Did you know...

...that only 1,4% of Iranians attend friday prayer and that 75% don't pray daily.
Muslim fundamentalists?

"100 saker du inte visste om Iran"
(100 things you didn't know about Iran)
Expressen (in swedish)

- - 2006-07-28 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Nothin' but talk

Talk talk talk block international efforts talk talk. Talk talk some more talk talk talk talk talk. Talk talk talk talk block some more international efforts talk talk talk talk.

- - 2006-07-28 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bigger than the Bible baby!

The new IKEA Catalogue is out today. So we take this pod. to celebrate the Swedish world domination.

The New World Order - where everyone must be fashionable dressed, or else...

- - 2006-07-27 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

competence - nowhere to be found

One year later,
and he's still clueless

If you think, just like the cons, that Rummy and Condi, 2, are clueless? What about this guy!

Appearing on right-wing talkshows he talks about changes that need to be made, but when it's time to act. He's somewhere else.

"Why Bolton's first year was a failure" Thinkprogress

Stephen Colbert says "yes" to Bolton C&L

- - 2006-07-27 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hell no, we'll go!

"Swedish troops could join UN Lebanon force"
China Broadcast

Current EU-countries that could/would send military forces to southern Lebanon (Unifil).
- Sweden
- Germany
- Greece
- Italy
- France
- Turkey

Will not send troops
- Denmark
- United Kingdom

Sweden currently have forces in
Kosovo, Afghanistan and Liberia.

- - 2006-07-27 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"You gotta believe in miracles"

"The Phonak Cycling Team was notified on Wednesday by the UCI of an unusual level of testosterone/epitestosterone ratio in the test made on Floyd Landis after stage 17 of the Tour de France," said a team statement.
BBC

- - 2006-07-27 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Updates of this pod. at the bottom

Ignorance is bliss in the No-Fact Zone

The Ayatollah of Cluelessness still has no f**king idea what the U.N. actually does.
He was just at it again. Smearing, spinning, calling names (look who's talking) with no facts.

The U.N. have had observers (doing their job) for over 20 years in Lebanon, maybe it's time Bin Reilly learned. Or maybe he does know, and just lies about it?

Sure the U.N. could give the observers more power to act, but that's only fun until they fire back at the Israelis.

MORE MADNESS

There's also this old (non-factual) U.N.-bashing from a few days ago. From Media Matters

"Why should I or any other American care about what the United Nations does in the Security Council?" - O'Reilly

Pretty much everyone, except less than one percent of the US population (the ones that watch FOX News) agrees that the US runs the U.N. Security Council (with its veto power, which it uses kinda often) so it might be interesting for Americans to know what its representatives does with that power. Just so the population of the US can be informed and make smart decisions about its foreign policies, like in an election.

"You don't hear (from the U.N.) about civilian casualties inflicted by Hezbollah on Haifa." - O'Reilly

Ah, the old "they only go after us"-routine. Maybe if you actually looked it up (like on the internet, were you get all your stories) before you opened your mouth you would know that's not the case. Here, we've increased the size so you can read it....

The secretary-general blamed Hezbollah for triggering the crisis and accused it of holding Lebanon hostage with its campaign against Israel.
CNN

And actually there're no U.N resolutions about the Israeli attacks on Lebanon, cause the US keeps vetoing it. Remember? Earlier in this pod.?

So much anger directed... at ignorance... must... keep... writing... turning into... Ted.... Stevens....

UPDATE: The U.N. has still not condemned Israel for the attack on its observers. The US keeps blocking.
Maybe Bill will report that tonight....

"FOX News (officially) abandons journalism in the Middle East" Eric Boehlert

BONUS: "Why is it so difficult to understand that you can be pro-Israel, anti-terrorism, and pro-Arab all at the same time?"
SuperFrenchie screws up the narrative

- - 2006-07-26 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It's getting hot in herre

Stockholm is still hot as hell BBC Weather

"Water shortage as Sweden swelters" The Local

The (global warming "improved") weather might have had something to do with the huge increase of tourists in Stockholm. The Russians and Chinese are coming strong (the Russians now spend more money than the visiting Americans).

Someone who seems to be enjoying it is Tiger. Hanging out in the capital with his wife and her twin sister (yes, Tiger Woods swedish model wife has a twin sister, you big perve you). He was also seen with his mother in law who is part of the swedish government.

- - 2006-07-26 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gay Ol' Day

A little something for our buddy James Dobson and also sort of a tribute to one of the reasons we love American Politics soooo much.
The hypocrisy, ooh the hypocrisy.

BILL CLINTON

ANN COULTER: I think that sort of rampant promiscuity does show some level of latent homosexuality.
Wonkette

"Rampant promiscuity" = gay. Wonder if she'll use the same thinking when being interviewed on Rush Limbaugh's show, or when appearing on the O'Reilly Factor (together with Dick Morris)?
Aaah, sweet, sweet irony.

Cause they're trapped in the closet.
Rush Limbaugh, Dick Morris and
Bill O'Reilly are trapped in the closet.
They're not coming out of the closet.

JEFF GANNON

Jeff Gannon on Rick Santorum’s gay press secretary: “I think it’s a tribute to Rick Santorum. I think it says a lot about the man.” On Media Matters’ David Brock: “At 35, he decided that he loved shoving dollar bills down the pants of the twinks down at [D.C. gay strip club] Wet.”

THE PHELPS FAMILY

How do you best deal with anti-gay protestors and expose their own "issues"? This comedian hits on a Phelps family member and that seems to do it.

"I saw that look! God has brought us together"

NON-D.C.

Fomer 'NSYNC member (and southern baptist raised) Lance Bass finally comes out. People

- - 2006-07-25 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Swedish Government knew
of Oil-for-Food corruption

Sweden "knew of oil-for-food payoffs"
A Swedish Foreign Ministry official who spoke with Swedish Radio said the country didn’t want to act in fear that companies would be blacklisted.
the Local

Eliasson: I knew nothing about Iraq payoffs
"It is possible that embassies are informed - that is routine - but hundreds of reports come in every week, and the [Swedish] organization that would be most expected to act would be the delegation to the UN," he said.
...
The Swedish government was sent information from the embassy in Amman, in which it was claimed that Iraq was demanding commission of 10 percent on every contract signed with foreign companies, money that was to be paid into a special account.
the Local

A few years to late, but nice to see it's in the open. It's still not to late for the government to blame their own corruption on the French or the U.N.

- - 2006-07-25 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

McCain in '08 (not really)

Even though he's on the road kissing ass and eating dirt for '08, McCain had some problems answering questions... on the Daily Show!?!

"President Bush has been very clear that, through his leadership, he has made the world safer. My question to you is simly this: how much safer can the world afford to have him make us?" McCain dodged the question repeatedly — prompting Stewart to actually say, "Don’t dodge the question!"

C&L (with video)

- - 2006-07-25 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

More Running Than Cutting

One day, I'll show you Harvard guys hehe. I'll be prezzz

First they failed to save Afghanistan from the Taliban and fixed that by no longer considering the Taliban a terror group.
When the Iraq war is looking more and more like a lost cause, the "global" War on Terror™ is changed and now means the Israel - Palestine - Lebanon conflict. Cynical and cruel but might help give a little November-boost.
Mission accomplished!

s.f.obama song of the day:
Not our proudest moment, but good fun.

CUT AND RUN - HIS NAME IS D U B
(music: whatever you feel like)

Even though he's a cowboy in every shot
An everyday man he's certainly not
He rose to fame as kinda dumb
With remarks that just left us numb

Cause his name is Dubs
His politics ends with stubs
Cause his name is D u b s

Once again his political life is a drag
Chances are he's gonna wave the flag
Since the M$M never checks his source
He blames his problems on a foreign force

Leave us all to scrub
He's at the country club
Cause his name is D u b

(clap your hands)

Cause his name is Dubs
His politics ends with stubs
Cause his name is D u b s

(clap your hands)

Leave us all to scrub
He's at the country club
Cause his name is D u b
Cause his name is D u b
Cause his name is D u b

- - 2006-07-25 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

First day's coverage one week later

It was a little suprising to see that the Nation are writing about this now. This was sorta the basics of the current Lebanese-Israeli conflict. Does it justify? No!
Does it explain? Yes!

In January 2004 Sheik Sayed Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, presided over a major prisoner exchange with Israel, in which the Lebanese guerrilla movement and political party secured the release of more than 400 Arab prisoners in return for the bodies of three Israeli soldiers and an Israeli businessman and alleged spy, Elhanan Tannenbaum, whom Hezbollah had kidnapped.
Moments before the exchange was sealed, Ariel Sharon withheld three Lebanese detainees, one of whom, Samir Kuntar, had killed a family of three in the Israeli town of Nahariya in 1979. Nasrallah, having failed to release Kuntar and the two other men, declared that Hezbollah would "reserve the right" to capture Israeli soldiers until the men were freed.
On July 12 Nasrallah launched the most daring assault of his tenure as Hezbollah's leader: the capture of two Israeli soldiers in a raid that left eight other Israeli soldiers dead. He called the attack "Operation Truthful Promise."
OneGoodMove (from the Nation)

Thought at least one of the cable news channels would have reported this. Since they're swarming in on the Middle East and they have hours to fill.
CNN:s reporters (picture by Atrios)

- - 2006-07-24 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rupert Murdoch would rather help
straightTALKER McCain than Hillary
(suprise, suprise)

nice shirt Rupert

Poor old Rupert will never change, he continues to blame the "elites" for everything (by that he doesn't mean the neocon oligarchs).

Independent Online

Murdoch's successful "us vs them"-bubble has spread beyond his media outlets. As SuperFrenchie learns when looking at the lazy, lazy american M$Ms reporting about Landis great win in the Tour de France.

The French were irked?
By Landis’ victory?
Where, when?
SuperFrenchie

- - 2006-07-24 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Firepants in '08!!

Newt "I know nothin' about nothin'" Gingrich is having a look at his chances to run for President in '08.

"Two volleyballs in every garage!" Wonkette

- - 2006-07-24 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

UPDATE: The BBC site have been updated after the EU voted to continue funding stem cell research

The War On Science™

Like most successful talking points from the US, the "stem cell research = murder" one is now coming to Europe.

"EU mulls stem cell research ban" BBC
Together they could block adoption of the EU's 54bn euro (£37bn) research budget for 2007-13, of which stem cell research forms a very small part.

BAN E.U. FINANCED
STEM CELL RESEARCH
Austria
Germany
Italy
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Poland
Slovakia

KEEP IT LIKE
IT IS NOW
Belgium
Finland
Spain
Sweden
UK

The framing of "Snowflake babies" Frameshop
This is the logic, of course, of the 'culture of life' frame. In this frame, the idea of 'life' begins at the very moment of cell division. But unlike Progressives who refer to that fertilized egg as an 'embryo,' the Nightlight adoption agency refers to that embryo as a 'preborn child.'
According to this logic, the IVF process produces a surplus of 'pre-born' children in a frozen state--'snowflake babies.'

Old pod. about theocratic talking points.
I.D. comes to sweden

- - 2006-07-24 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You're a Nazi, I'm a Nazi,
we're all Nazis

Not only did fights break out during a protest against Israel's attacks on Lebanon in Stockholm... The Local
...but some of the protestors in Malmo had banners claiming that the Israelis are Nazis, with the Star of David = swastika.
Someone filed a complaint with the police against the people with the Nazi-banners, but the Malmo police points out that it's not against the law to use a swastika in a demonstration. However, prosecutor Sven-Erik Alhem will look into the matter. Was there a difference in circumstances etc. SVT Text (in swedish)

- - 2006-07-23 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Why no one takes the talks about
a "global war on terror™" seriously
(cause when it's Africa... well you know)

"Ethiopians enter new Somali town" BBC
"Somali Islamist vow holy war..." Yahoo

Osama's buddies are calling for a Jihad and...

The United States urged Ethiopia to exercise restraint and said the U.S., European Union, African Union, Arab League and others in an international contact group on Somalia will meet soon to consider the volatile situation.
...
"We are watching the situation very closely," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Thursday in Washington. "We would urge the Ethiopian government to exercise restraint."
Yahoo

What a diff'rence a day makes
Twenty-four little hours

Remember the last time political enemies in
this region used religion to fight each other?

"Catholic complicity and Rwanda genocide" NPR
"The Cross and the Genocide" AFROL

Sorry Somalia. You're f**ked, and we don't care.

- - 2006-07-23 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Aaaah, how cute!

Israeli girls writing messages on shells.

"Teach your children" OneGoodMove

"Putting things in perspective" On The Face
(explaining the picture above)

The perspective you get is that the girls don't know what the shells are used for since they don't see pictures of dead Lebanese on TV. (??)

- - 2006-07-23 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bring that Westbury-fury

O'Reilly continues to be kind of a chicken outside his TV-studio Yahoo News

- - 2006-07-22 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bush hates Jesus and the US Economy

Jesus is crying as the Bushies change NASA's mission so it doesn't pay so much attention to earth. NY Times

What would Jesus drive?

When will someome challenge Bush's lack of faith in the US economy? He still seems to think the environmental (and labor) laws active in every western nation would break the US economy. Kinda sad.

- - 2006-07-22 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Stupid Pissing Contest

Still, it's nice to see that the State Dept. has learned something from the Tsunami.

EVACUATED CIVILIANS FROM LEBANON (friday)
Sweden 6800
Denmark 5000
Germany 4200
United States 3000
France 3000
United Kingdom 3000

Yummy, yummy, yummy. I'll act soon, promise.

- - 2006-07-21 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The difference between "murder"
and "side effect" brings us to...

The War On Terror-ble Diseases™

C&L (with video)

No matter where he works, Tony Snow
is still a f**king douchebag.

- - 2006-07-21 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Once a blue, now a red
In our hearts, you are dead

Lieberman trails Lamont for the first time.

OLD HOLY JOE POD
Lieberman gets some loving from David Brooks. This David Brooks? Yes, that one.

- - 2006-07-20 5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Lesson learned from the Tsunami...

The Swedish hi-tech
evacuation of Lebanon

The Canberra Times reported that the Australian effort was being unfavourably compared with that of a number of countries including Sweden, while USA Today slammed America's apparent inaction, pointing out that three ships had been chartered by Sweden to carry citizens to Cyprus.

According to foreign ministry spokeswoman Nina Ersman, text messaging has been a major tool in the Swedish evacuation operation.
"In the last week we have sent out five text messages to everyone in Lebanon who is registered with a Swedish mobile network," she told The Local.

Telia's Jan Sjöberg explained that its mobile subscribers who were in Lebanon were sent an SMS as early as last Friday, which told them that an evacuation would be taking place.

Since then, further messages have told people to get to a certain hotel at a certain time, depending upon their priority status.

"The GSM technology allows us to do this," said

The Local

- - 2006-07-20 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I'm helping the terrorists, ooops

When visiting D.C. last summer I took some pictures with my crappy cellphone camera. One of the buildings featured in the little montage I put together after returning home was John Edwards Georgetown home. The montage was then posted under pods. as "D.C. summer 05" (as you can see to the right).

click to enlarge, house at bottom of picture

Now the terrorists know where an enemy of totalitarian governments everywhere live.
Could it be...
"...an apparent retaliation for criticism of its disclosure of classified intelligence to America's enemies." - David Horowitz

In my defense, they'd have to look pretty darn hard to find the house featured in the montage.

- Magnus, s.f.o.

- - 2006-07-20 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Great blog posts about
the Lebanon-Israel conflict

"I’m beginning to realize how isolated we might be once the Western nationals leave Lebanon…"
Back to Iraq 3.0

"First, the US is in a weaker position to influence the outcome of this crisis than any time in the last three decades. Our influence in the region couldn't be lower. Our identification with Israel couldn't be higher. And our ability to work with Arab moderates and have them defuse the situation seems nonexistent.
Does anyone really believe that Hezbullah or Hamas are going to listen to the leaders of Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia?"
SyriaComment

- - 2006-07-20 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bring your helmet and kevlar
Sven is going on a trip

After looking at HonestReporting (monitoring anti-Israel bias) and Palestine Media Watch (monitoring anti-Palestine bias), we thought it would be better to send our own guy to the region.

- - 2006-07-20 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Sorry.... sorta"

such large breasts, so many jokes to be made

Lance "big pimp" Armstrong says he was just kidding when he called the French National Team assholes. Well sort of kidding. It was fun for the crowd he was entertaining at the time.

Asked about it in an interview last night, Armstrong replied: “It was a joke. You don’t understand.” Then he walked off camera.
The Times Online

In Armstrongs defense; the Times story makes it sound like he's some sort of Texas Bush-lover, which he certainly is not.

BONUS - GOOGLEFIGHT.COM
Lance Armstrong = 15 million
Zinedine Zidane = 28 million
By FOX News standards that means Zidane
is almost twice as good as Armstrong.

- - 2006-07-19 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Brownback questions the word of God?

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being"
Genesis 2:6-7

It used to be that we believed that we got our soul (life) when we took our first breath. Wonder what we'll believe in 200 years?

- - 2006-07-19 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The US continues to stall
about Gaza and Beirut

American officials signaled that Ms. Rice was waiting at least a few more days before wading into the conflict, in part to give Israel more time to weaken Hezbollah forces.
NYTimes

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan put it rather differently, calling for a cessation of hostilities to provide a window in which diplomacy might be conducted.
For the time being, Israel will get its way, and Mr Annan's mediators will have to pursue their mission against the din of continued conflict.
BBC

Do we dare to guess that the ignorant
will blame the UN when this is over.

UPDATE: Reporter to White House:
"Why don't you want the fighting to stop?"
Raw Story

- - 2006-07-19 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

He's greedy, he's a whore,
he's not here anymore.
He's greedy, he's a whore
he's not here anymore.

"Reed Concedes..."

11Alive.com Decision 2006

- - 2006-07-19 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Stephen Colbert's Microphone Accident

- - 2006-07-18 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Quote of the day

"Some of these news outlets are very one-sided"
- FOX & Friends host E.D. Hill about arab news

F&F stories that day:
FOX News reports about how life is in Israeli bomb shelters. The fear of Hezbollah rockets. How will Israel deal with Hezbollah, Iran, Syria? Why isn't the UN helping Israel? Where will Hezbollah strike next? Is the Hezbollah acting in the US?
...you kinda get the picture.

- - 2006-07-18 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Mega vs Mini Trend

How can a small (terrorist) militia like Hezbollah put pressure on the only superpower in the Middle East? How can Wikipedia challenge mega-established Encyclopaedia Britannica? Why do nerds who live in their mom's basement put pressure on giant media companies?

"Megaplayers vs. Micropowers" Foreign Policy

- - 2006-07-18 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Swedes "cut and run"

Swedes being evacuated from Lebanon.
Some 200 still stuck in southern Lebanon without any guarantees that they will be able to leave.

"The EU is demanding that the Israelis grant safe conduct and guaranteed security for all. As soon as we get such assurances we can send the buses,"

The Local

- - 2006-07-17 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Where Are They Now?

So shocked that middle America don't like Bush anymore. Dan "I rather eat my salad than listen to the President" Quayle got up and left a John Mellencamp concert.
No word if he fake signed any autographs without a pen on the way out. Old habits die hard you know.

Mercury News

- - 2006-07-17 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Cheapass French Jokes

SuperFrenchie
Some good points from SuperFrenchie. Still no Hezbollah leaders killed or captured, 100 civilians killed (15 kids), but France gets accused of being anti-semitic when calling for Israeli restraint (something the US did as well)
European guilt is easy to use and play on when it comes to Israel. It was a lot easier to deal with apartheid in South Africa...

"So now Israel responds to a weakened Hezbollah provocation by destroying the civil infrastructure of the one country in the region that is most friendly to it, and some Americans find it strange that most countries find it disproportionate?"

Yahoo News
Lance Armstrong is still a stubborn bitch. This time however he's not so much stubborn, just a bitch

UPDATE: If you act like a non-champion, you're gonna get treated like a non-champion.
Welcome back "asshole"

- - 2006-07-16 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

UPDATE:
Another blog worth checking out about
the subject We (heart) Lebanon
Warning! Contains images of "soft targets"
(dead children, very un-M$M)

CONDI RICE ALL OF A SUDDEN LOVES THE UN
“We first need a way ahead. Let’s recognize that simply going in and shuttling back and forth, if you don’t know where you’re trying to go, is not going to help.” It was vital, Ms. Rice said, to work with the United Nations and other parties “to lay a foundation so that we don’t have continual further crises.” NYTimes

Joshua Landis have a great blog about Syria and the region

The US has sought to isolate Syria, cut off its regional trade, push it out of Lebanon, and starve it of international funds and assistance.
Syria believes it must hurt the US where it can in order to force Washington to rethink its anti-Syrian and general regional policies. Syria insists that Washington must engage it if it wants even a modicum of Syrian cooperation. It will continue to encourage its allies to attack American interests in Lebanon and Israel until it gets that engagement.
With the United States on the run in Iraq, frustrated by the Hariri government's weakness, extended in the UN by its losing showdown with Iran, and embarrassed by Israel's aggressive anti-Palestinian policies, Syria is feeling strong. It can now go on the offensive. Damascus feels confident that Washington cannot counter-attack at this time. It has few arrows left in its quiver.
Syriacomment.com

Hezbollah Raid Opens 2nd Front for Israel
The attack Wednesday was almost sure to bolster the martial reputation of Hezbollah, which probably enjoys more support in the rest of the Arab world than in Lebanon itself, where other sectarian factions have pushed for it to disarm. Nasrallah has vowed on numerous occasions to seize soldiers as a bargaining chip for the Lebanese prisoners; in one speech, he said it would happen this year.
Washington Post

- - 2006-07-15 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The M$M lie
We love it when our favorite fake narrative
of how the M$M hate Bush gets busted

Remember when the mainstream media
loved Bush? Well, that's so last year.

Watching the Middle East spiral into chaos, combined with the ever-worsening civil war in Iraq, reminded me of how, a little over a year ago, we were being told that because there were some protests in Lebanon and some things that vaguely resembled elections in other countries - not to mention the biggie, an election in Iraq - that George W. Bush Was Right All Along. The Iraq war did spread freedom and democracy!

Paul Waldman

- - 2006-07-15 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Continuing the theme of Pay to Pray...

"The $in$ of Ralph Reed"
GQ via The Huff

- - 2006-07-15 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Church of Scientology's "bible" really sums it up the best....

"If you want to make
money, start a religion"
(see at the bottom of this pod.)

Mark brought his camera down to their 4th of July celebration (1999). And, well, they didn't really like that and called in the "intergalactic super force" (the police).

Consumerist (Google video)

Since they were talking to each other with their human voices we have to assume that Tom Cruise was not there.

Maybe we shouldn't have posted this. "The Office of Special Affairs" could come knockin'. It wouldn't be the first time they came to Sweden to take care of people who question their religion.
The lawsuit brought against Zenon Panoussis by the church financially ruined him. He now live in Holland but his address is not known.

Translation from the state dept. summary after the Swedish constitution was changed after pressure from the US: "A short time after the first publication of parts of the bible, the Swedish state dept. was contacted by representatives of the Church of Scientology, American members of congress and the American embassy in Stockholm."

Maybe we're heading the same way with the case of the MPAA vs the Pirate Bay.

Please note: The quote is not exactly what the bible says. We might be brave sometimes, but we're never stupid.

- - 2006-07-15 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

We're All Screwed

leaflet, dead civilians and bombed out Lebanese streets

The Swedish state dept. has gotten a budget increase of about 8 million USD to help them get the 4500 swedes that are trapped in Lebanon out. DN (in swedish)
A "rescue team" (??) is to fly to Cypress to stand by to assist if there are any swedish casualties.

Israeli primeminister Olmert has said that Israel will end the attack on Lebanon when the kidnapped soldiers are returned, the rocket attacks on Israel ends and when Lebanon comply with UN resolution 1559 (incl. disarmament of Hezbollah).
No word if Israel will comply with the UN resolution dealing with their use of force in Gaza (the one stalled by the US).
Both sides are running to the UN for help and then bitch about and blame the UN when they're not living up to their own part of the deal.

"European citizens to be evacuated from Lebanon" CNN

- - 2006-07-14 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Friday Fun Mini Pods

Kevin Smith talks about his Superman script and in a funny way sums up why "Hollywood (American) movie" is a curse word.
If you have no story, no plot, no intentions. Just insert spiders, giant spiders.

about 20 min long

Maxim ranks the worst comedians ever. What!?! No Colin Quinn and Dennis Miller on the list? Maxim

Our love for "clap your hands, lalalala, Jesus is coming"-music continues. Check out this video from swedish mega-sized group I'm From Barcelona. The video is a few months old, but they're about to be released in Europe soon.
So get in line people!

- - 2006-07-14 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Marc Jacobs (heart) Al Gore

click image to enlarge

Marc Jacobs (click "special items")
The Nation

Maybe we should pitch our Al Gore, number 5 Jersey to Jacobs...

- - 2006-07-13 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"The US vetoes UNs demand
that Israel leave Gaza"

The US stalled the resolution so when it was presented it was "outmoded". Nice job Bolton!

"It (the resolution) condemned the firing of rockets into Israel as well as the Israeli assault on Gaza and pressed the Jewish state to halt its 'disproportionate use of force' against civilians."

The Star Online

- - 2006-07-13 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Look Who's Looking Out For Himself

Worlds biggest asshole has no problem keeping the money he's making from his Jessica Lunsford bumper stickers.

SJIHBO

- - 2006-07-13 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Helping the Terrorists

In true Geraldo-fashion FOX News reveals the positions of Israeli forces. Hannity, O'Reilly, Malkin, Ingraham and everone at AIM cheers as the Israelis open fire on the camera crew aiding the terrorist (not really).

Raw Story (with video)

- - 2006-07-13 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Post-World Cup New Rules

In the post-World Cup world we live in people seems to have a lot to say about the world game. Some of these thoughts are coming from american blogs and people who we have to assume are clueless about football (Huffington Post, we're looking in your direction).
If only there some sort of rules, maybe new ones, that would make it easier for people to write these blog entries and not look like complete football-idiots.

New Rule
Don't suggest there should be instant replay for tough decisions during the game. That just proves that you haven't actually been to a real football game, making you a non-expert on the subject.

New Rule
"Joga bonito" is a Nike commercial, not a tactic. If you must use the term don't say "joga bonito - play beautifully". We all know what it means. We saw the Nike commercial.

New Rule
Don't present you own ideas on how to settle the game instead of penalty kicks. People who actually watched every one of the 120 minutes leading up to the penalty kicking welcome them.

New Rule
Nobody cares about the FIFA ranking and it is not used to describe how good the teams are. The ranking is set by how well the teams finish at the big tournaments, but mostly how they do in qualifying. France (8th) play England, Germany or Italy to qualify while the US (5th) fights off Haiti.

New Rule
Don't imply that football is kind of a girlie sport and then make comparisons to the most feminine sport ever, baseball.

New Rule
Don't call Zinedine Zidane "Zizou". The only ones who call him that are people who have read on the internet that others call him that.
...also. New Rule. When pretending to be all knowledgeable about "Zizou", don't sound suprised that he got sent off. It was his 14th red card.

New Rule
Don't pull the old "It's football, but they can't use their hands"-joke. It's only funny to the 1/60 of the world population who have ever heard of american football.

New Rule
David Beckham is loved by 12 year old school girls because they think he's "cute". He should therefore never be referred to as "soccer great".

UPDATE: Just when you think the US is never gonna be a "true" footballing nation (whatever that means), you read this in the LATimes. Mike Penner sums up the feelings of going from being the best team in the world to the worst in a matter of weeks, the everyday life of a football fan in a nutshell.
That plus this video of "The dawn of US soccer hooliganism" makes us believers again.

- - 2006-07-11 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

More Fun With MAnnie

"In addition to the three examples identified by plagiarism expert John Barrie (commissioned by The New York Post), three other examples cited by The Rude Pundit, and a list of fifteen items already reported by RAW STORY, the continuing investigation has turned up four more examples."

Raw Story

UPDATE: Ann gets taken apart by....
Donny Deutsch (!?!?!) C&L

- - 2006-07-10 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Football Turns Us All Into Idiots

Fabio Cannavaro gets robbed of World Cup Best Player Award.
Who are these idiots that vote for this thing? Oh, that's right. It's the "journalists".

BBC Sports

Why not give the thing to Beckham when you're at it. Idiots!

More World Cup

SuperFrenchie is upset about an American who have seen some Nike Commercials and Lance Armstrong and is all of a sudden an expert on France and.... "soccer" (??)
Idiot!

SuperFrenchie

UPDATE: Some idiot thinks he has the answers to why "soccer sucks" and why americans don't care The Hoff
Earlier pod. Who cares if americans care

MORE IDIOTS!
Neil Cavuto and John Gibson

- - 2006-07-10 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The big, fat idiot (with an erectile problem)
distorts the numbers behind global warming.

Think Progress

- - 2006-07-10 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

From Gaza, with Love

Mona Al-Farra blogs from Gaza City in the occupied Gaza Strip.

Women, health, children and human rights in
Occupied Palestine. A blog by Dr. Mona El-Farra.
From Gaza, with Love

- - 2006-07-08 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Who Cares If Americans Care?

We never really got why Americans have to care about football, or "soccer". Americans have their own perfectly fine sports to eat nachos at.
However, SuperFrenchie sums up why he thinks Americans don't care about "soccer" (if Americans don't care about "soccer", why even use that silly word). He has got some interesting points though, as always.

SuperFrenchie

....to bad the French will have to settle for the silver. Come on Italy!!!

- - 2006-07-07 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Go to Venezuela, You Idiot!"

Finally someone who took the righties at their word and actually went to Venezuela. The country that you can't explain, so it must be communist.

"My guess is that if Chavez succeeds in Venezuela -- a big 'if' in a country of endemic corruption, poverty and crime, in the backyard of the U.S. superpower -- its economic system will end up looking more like Sweden than Cuba."

Jeff Cohen, Common Dreams

- - 2006-07-07 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Friday Fun Mini Pods

George Washington
"Got a wig for his wig. Got a brain from his heart.
He'll kick you apart, he'll kick you apart."

Take the best music you can find, add "god" (wearing white, "clapping you hands-pop" etc) stir and sprinkle what looks like a high school quir on top. You now have an awesome a cappella version of Sufjan Stevens "Chicago".

Some americans are bitter cause they suck at sports. Cracked

It was fun the first time.
Hasselhoff "Jump in my car" Google Video
In other Hoff-news. If your drunk at Wimbledon and no one knows who you are, it's a great idea to scream "Don't you know who I am? I'm the Hoff". The Sun

- - 2006-07-06 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Copycat Mannie, part:2

Maybe, one day, Ann Coulter will write a book of her own.

the Raw Story

- - 2006-07-05 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Garrulity helps our enemies"

This soviet propaganda poster should have been used by the AIM/Freeeeepers at their NYT "demonstration". Then they might have had more people there.

"The Day Spa Protest"
MyDD

RELATED:
"China to ban news reports..." Independent
"The newbies guide to detecting the NSA" Wired

- - 2006-07-04 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

No flags were hurt during
the making of this website.

- - 2006-07-03 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Science of the Media

Jonathan went to see Al Gore in An Inconvenient Truth and makes a great point about the media's response.

Gore noted that in an exhaustive study of almost every piece of research published on global warming in scientific journals, a sample of 928 articles was examined. Every single one of those 928 studies concluded that global warming was happening and that human activity was substantially responsible for it. In other words, as Gore has noted, the scientific debate about global warming and its sources, is over.
In a parallel study of 636 news accounts of global warming, by contrast, 53% suggested that there was no scientific consensus on the question of global warming and its causes.

Any questions?

- - 2006-07-03 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ted Stevens angry
You not like it when Ted Stevens angry

Ted Stevens explains the Internets. Sort of...
Wired (with mp3)

- - 2006-07-03 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

World Cup fallouts

Before the World Cup it was repeated over and over that you should not "mention the war", while in Germany. This was to be (and became) a time for the germans to make peace with their history, their flag and themselves. Sadly, they're not returning the favor to the italians.

BBC Sports

Come on Italy!!

- - 2006-07-03 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Copycatty Coulter Pilfers Prose"

NY Post
All that silicone must be killing her back.
It's pretty bad when the Post turns on you.

QUESTION: What happens now?
A) Coulter appears on hannity&COLMES 60 times the coming two weeks. Pretending to face her accusers head on, but really just blabbing about something else (like always).
B) Nothing. Answering her critics means she admits they exists.

What would Phyllis Schlafly do?
(our guess is B)

- - 2006-07-02 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Schiavo revisited

Hannity's Schiavo nurse might lose her license for making up stuff about Michael Schiavo.
C&L (with video)

OLD HANNITY/SCHIAVO STUFF

The video of Hannity coaching the nurses.
Huffington Post (.mov)

Listen to Keith's interview with Michael Schiavo
MP3, 6 min 32 sec, 3,8 mb,

"Hannity goes after Michael Schiavo"
Newshounds

Nobel Prize nominee, I think not
Media Matters

- - 2006-07-01 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Europe Rules!!
...or at least kicks the football a little bit better.

WORLD CUP SEMIS
Germany-Italy Hoping for Italy, fears Germany will once again get a little help from the crowd and the ref. (not bitter, not bitter, not bitter)

Portugal-France Hopes and believes the french will win. The portuguese came out of the lose/lose game against England (neither team semifinal worthy) and the french once again proved that you shouldn't trust Nike commercials. Especially the ones where Eric Cantona promotes the "beautiful" game.

GIANLUCA PESSOTTO
Remember to send a thought to "the Professor" and his family. Even the biggest Juve-hater cannot deny that...

"Ci sono grandi giocatori e giocatori grandi. Gianluca Pessotto fa parte di quest'ultima categoria.&