The African Children’s Choir

Sen. Barack Obama is concerned about his personal security –telling the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board Thursday that he and his wife fear there is a potential for violence — even if he does not run for president.
“Being shot, obviously, that is the least-attractive option,” Obama said.

The Illinois Democrat told the Sun-Times he has concluded a 2008 White House bid “would be viable” and he would have “a pretty good chance of winning the nomination.”

For the first time, Obama talked about the downside of his swelling popularity, before his expected presidential announcement in January, after a vacation in his native Hawaii.

Security, Obama said, referring to his wife, is “something that is on Michelle’s mind. And the minds of many of my friends.
“I think it is something that will have to be addressed if I ran. You are not assigned Secret Service protection until you are effectively the nominee.”

Obama said he “might have to build in” his own security provisions.

Read more at the Sun Times

I just saw a tape of Rummy on stage today, and his hands are twitching. Really weird. I wonder if something is wrong with him…..well…..I mean besides being an amoral, self serving, incompetent asshole.

WASHINGTON, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, a lightning rod for critics of the Iraq war, urged the United States on Friday not to retreat in the face of “the agonies and ugliness of combat.”

At a farewell ceremony for Rumsfeld on the grounds of the Pentagon, President George W. Bush heaped praise on him, while Vice President Dick Cheney called him the best defense secretary the United States ever had.

Bush announced last month that Rumsfeld would be replaced by former CIA chief Robert Gates after the president’s Republicans lost control of Congress, in large part due to voter anger over the Iraq war. Gates takes office on Monday.

“It may well be comforting to some to consider graceful exits from the agonies and, indeed, the ugliness of combat. But the enemy thinks differently,” Rumsfeld said at the ceremony, which featured a military parade and brass-band music.

Although he did not mention Iraq in that portion of his speech, his remarks were likely to be seen as a swipe at those calling for a swift withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.

More here

Women’s Ass size study:

There is a new study just released by the American Psychiatric Association
about women and how they feel about their asses.

The results are pretty interesting:

– 10 % of women surveyed feel their ass is too big.

– 5 % of women surveyed feel their ass is too small.

– The remaining 85% say they don’t care; they love him; he’s a good man
and they would have married him anyway.

From The Nation

For the first time since Vietnam, an organized, robust movement of active-duty US military personnel has publicly surfaced to oppose a war in which they are serving. Those involved plan to petition Congress to withdraw American troops from Iraq. (Note: A complete version of this report will appear next week in the print and online editions of The Nation.)

After appearing only seven weeks ago on the Internet, the Appeal for Redress, brainchild of 29-year-old Navy seaman Jonathan Hutto, has already been signed by nearly 1,000 US soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen, including dozens of officers–most of whom are on active duty. Not since 1969, when some 1,300 active-duty military personnel signed an open letter in the New York Times opposing the war in Vietnam, has there been such a dramatic barometer of rising military dissent.

Interviews with two dozen signers of the Appeal reveal a mix of motives for opposing the war: ideological, practical, strategic and moral. But all those interviewed agree that it is time to start withdrawing the troops. Coming from an all-volunteer military, the Appeal was called “unprecedented” by Eugene Fidell, president of the National Institute of Military Justice.

Jon Stewart on Bush’s delay on decision about Iraq

Tony Snow: We do not know when, so I can’t give you a date, I can’t give you a time, I can’t give a place, I can’t give you a way in which it will happen.

Bush: I want to hear from as many ideas and opinions as possible. Today I heard from ahhhhhhhh some opinions.

As seen on Countdown…
JIBJAB Nuckin’ Futs! Countdown Olbermann
NUCKIN’ FUTS! - The JIBJAB Year In Review

No one needs to be of superior intellect like those aboard the futuristic starship, the Enterprise, to know this is a stupid idea.

Bill would permit the blind to hunt

AUSTIN - A state lawmaker wants to make sure that no Texan is left out when it comes to hunting, even if the hunter is legally blind.

Rep. Edmund Kuempel, a Seguin Republican, has filed a bill for the 2007 legislative session that would allow legally blind hunters to use a laser sight, or lighted pointing instrument. The devices are forbidden for sighted hunters.

Blind hunters would also have to have a sighted hunter along with them, and they could hunt any game that sighted people can hunt in the same seasons and using the same weapons.

“I’ve seen this on TV before, when they’re taking target practice,” Kuempel said. “When they aim the gun the guide tells them, aim two inches higher or two inches lower and you’re on the target, and you’re off and running.”

Source: Chron.com Texas

NORTH KOREA/U.S. TO MEET FACE TO FACE AHEAD OF 6-PARTY TALKS

PALM BEACH COUNTY KIDS NOW HAVE ACCESS TO GAY RESOURCE SITES

BUSH CRITICIZES NELSON’S TRIP TO SYRIA

WOMAN DIDN’T BREAK LAW BARRING WOMEN FROM GOING BARE CHESTED WHEN SHE EXPOSED HER BREASTS

34 MINUTE EXECUTION QUESTIONED

JAPAN PM SURVIVES CONFIDENCE VOTE If only we had a confidence vote!

PAKISTAN EQUIPPING THE TALIBAN

U.S. INTELLIGENCE REPORTS CASTRO NEAR DEATH

PROFILES OF NEW FACES IN CONGRESS

RICE REJECTS TALKS WITH SYRIA, IRAN

SENATOR WYDEN TO PROPOSE HEALTHY AMERICANS ACT

MORE AMERICANS HUNGRY AND HOMELESS IN 2006

DELIVER MAIL LIKE IT’S 1999

This is the base Jill Metzger, who was supposedly kidnapped, was stationed.

BISHKEK (Reuters) - Kyrgyzstan threatened on Friday to review its agreement with the United States on the use of a military airbase in the Central Asian state following the fatal shooting of a Kyrgyz citizen by a U.S. airman.

U.S. relations with its key Central Asian partner soured this month after the U.S. Air Force airman killed a fuel truck driver at a checkpoint in a security incident.

On Friday Kyrgyzstan’s parliament passed a resolution calling on the government to take tough action.

“Our assessment of this tragic incident has been too soft,” member of parliament Kubanychbek Isabekov was quoted as saying by 24.kg news agency. Other MPs called on the government to evict U.S. troops altogether.

Around 1,000 U.S. airmen are stationed at the base, set up to support operations in nearby Afghanistan. It is also a big hard currency earner for the indebted former Soviet country.

More at Reuters