So we have to wait until September to decide the surge thing isn’t going to work, eh? 30 U.S. soldiers killed already this month. 3 yesterday.

From YahooNews

BAGHDAD - The U.S. Embassy has ordered its staff to wear flak jackets and helmets while outdoors or in unprotected buildings following an increase in mortar and rocket attacks against the heavily protected Green Zone.

The order, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, was issued last week after four Asian contract workers were killed during a barrage into the Green Zone, a 3.5’square mile area along the west bank of the Tigris River in the center of Baghdad. The area contains the U.S. and British embassies and many key Iraqi government offices.

U.S. government employees who work outside of a “hardened structure” such as the current embassy building or travel “a substantial distance outdoors” must wear “personal protective equipment,” meaning flak jackets and helmets, the order said.

A U.S. Embassy spokesman confirmed the order was in effect until further notice. But he refused to say more, citing security, and would not allow his name to be published, citing embassy regulations.

Mortar and rocket attacks have occurred from time to time since the early months of the U.S. presence in Iraq. But the recent attacks have raised new concern since they are occurring despite the U.S.-led crackdown, which has put thousands more American soldiers on the streets in attempts to restore order.

It’s not clear what groups have been responsible for the recent attacks on the Green Zone. Some barrages have been launched from Shiite-dominated areas, but the Green Zone is also within range of Sunni militant strongholds.

One word……O I L. He looks like he’s packing on some more weight, doesn’t he?

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney pressed Iraq’s Shi’ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday to pass power’sharing accords with minority Sunni Arabs as part of benchmarks Washington says are key to ending violence.

Cheney’s unannounced visit, part of a Middle East tour, signals growing U.S. impatience at Maliki’s failure to reach agreement with the Sunnis as American military commanders build up troops to secure Baghdad.

Cheney said discussions also centered on the crackdown in Baghdad, involving the deployment of 30,000 extra U.S. troops, which is seen as a last ditch effort to stave off civil war between the Shi’ites and once-dominant Sunnis.

“The meeting with the vice president (laid) the foundation for practical steps in order to support our efforts on both the security front as well as domestic political issues,” Maliki told a joint news conference with Cheney.

Cheney said the talks also covered political and economic issues and added Washington would continue to support Maliki.

“Obviously we talked about the way ahead in terms of our mutual efforts to help build an Iraq that is safe and secure, is self-governing and free of the threats of the insurgency and al Qaeda,” Cheney told reporters.

Underscoring the huge security challenges plaguing Iraq, a suicide truck bomber killed 14 people and wounded 87 in the relatively peaceful Kurdish region in the north, and three Iraqi journalists and their driver were dragged from their car, tortured and then shot dead near the northern city of Kirkuk.

More at Reuters

Funny, the U.S. didn’t want to extradite Carriles because he might be tortured. I guess torture is ok only if done at the hand of Americans.

From Monsters&Critics

Washington - A US judge on Tuesday dismissed all charges against Cuban exile Luis Posada Carriles, who is accused in Venezuela and Cuba of acts of terrorism.

US District Judge Kathleen Cardone dismissed all seven counts of immigration fraud based on a motion filed by the defence, only three days before Posada Carriles’ trial was due to begin in a Texas court, a spokeswoman for his lawyer confirmed to Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Posada Carriles, 79, is accused by Havana and Caracas of the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner, which killed 73 people. His 350,000- dollar release on bail last month pending the trial had already been strongly criticized by both countries and provoked rallies in Cuba.

Cuban state media on Tuesday criticized the judge’s ‘cynical’ decision and called the trial against Posada Carriles a ‘farce.’

Posada Carriles’ trial in the US was on charges that he lied to immigration officials and on an application to obtain US citizenship last year, including about how he entered into the country in March 2005.

Prosecutors were still reviewing Tuesday’s ruling and had not yet decided whether to appeal, The Miami Herald reported, citing a US Justice Department spokesman.

Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua have all called for Posada Carriles’ extradition, and had criticized the US for trying Posada Carriles on lesser immigration charges.

US courts have refused extradition requests for the one-time CIA operative, saying that Posada Carriles could face torture in Venezuela or Cuba.

Posada was convicted in Venezuela of being one of the masterminds of the airliner bombing, but he escaped from prison after eight years and joined US-directed covert counterinsurgency operations in Central America.

He was also convicted in 2000 in Panama of attempting to murder Cuban President Fidel Castro, but was pardoned four years later by a Panamanian president closely allied with the US.

Cuba has also accused Posada Carriles of masterminding a string of 1997 bombings at Cuban tourist sites, in which one Italian tourist was killed.

From Yahoo! News:

Coulter: Obama poll lead helps al-Qaida

WASHINGTON - A recent Newsweek poll showing Democrat Barack Obama leading top Republican presidential hopefuls could have been made up and might help al-Qaida, conservative commentator Ann Coulter said in her latest verbal broadside.

Coulter, a best’selling author known for outrageous and often controversial statements, was asked Sunday on Fox News’ “At Large” what she thought about the survey results.

“I think this is Newsweek doing more push polling for al-Qaida,” she said, referring to campaign’season telephone calls to voters masquerading as neutral surveys but designed to build opposition to targeted candidates.

Asked by host Geraldo Rivera whether she thought Newsweek would make up the results, Coulter said, “Yes, I do,” adding, “In polls where people are actually allowed to vote, Republicans do a lot better.”

Coulter did not explain how the poll might help the terrorist group. Since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, some Republicans have argued that their party would do a better job of protecting the U.S. against terrorism than Democrats.

Coulter’s remark drew a response from Evans Witt, chief executive officer of Princeton Survey Research Associates International, which conducted the Newsweek survey.

“As the 2008 election campaign continues to heat up, I am sure that there will be informed and incisive criticisms of polls from many observers,” he said. Coulter’s comments “do not fit into this category,” he added.

Wednesday Odds and Ends

A few stories that may have flown past your desk while you weren’t looking

LOS ANGELES - It’s a boy for Kevin Costner and his wife, Christine

Cayden Wyatt Costner was born at 10:30 p.m. Sunday at a Los Angeles area hospital, the 52-year-old actor-director’s publicist, Paul Bloch, said Monday. The baby weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces.

“Both mother and son are doing well,” said Bloch, adding that the baby has dark hair. He is the couple’s first child. There were no other details.

Costner and Christine Baumgartner wed in September 2004. It was his second marriage and the first for Baumgartner, now 33.

Costner won director and best picture Oscars for 1990’s “Dances With Wolves.”

His film credits also include “The Bodyguard,” “The Untouchables,” “Bull Durham,” “Waterworld,” “Tin Cup,” “JFK” and “Field of Dreams.”

Corzine Resumes Duties

New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine resumed his duties Monday, nearly a month after a high’speed crash on the Garden State Parkway almost killed him.

He can walk again, but only slowly and with special crutches, and he plans to work from the governor’s mansion at first rather than trying to return to the Statehouse.

“The most important for me to express, again, is my gratitude for so many people who have made it possible for me to be sitting here,” Corzine said Monday outside the mansion in Princeton. He used the crutches to maneuver down five steps to a chair set up for his news conference.

The governor’s State Police-driven SUV had been going 91 mph - with Corzine unbuckled in the front passenger seat - when it crashed April 12, breaking Corzine’s leg, 11 ribs, his collarbone and his sternum. He underwent three surgeries on the leg and was on a ventilator for more than a week.

Dead Man’s Parents Fight Over His Dog

MEMPHIS, May 7 (UPI) — The Memphis estate of the late Ron Callan Jr. is worth an estimated $2 million, but the heated battle among his survivors is over his dog, Alex.

Of course there are issues over the estate — a boat and $200,000 worth of wine that the 35-year-old owned — but the main focus in court so far has been his 13-year-old Golden Retriever Alex, The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported Monday.

Callan’s parents, who are divorced, are fighting for custody of the dog, since Callan did not leave a will.

The custody battle has been so intense that a judge has appointed an attorney to represent the canine’s interests.

“Obviously, this is a very unusual set of circumstances and is the first time your guardian ad litem has been involved in a matter such as this,” writes attorney Paul Royal of his four-legged client. “At first glance, the petition seems almost frivolous, but after speaking with all parties, it is evident that this is a highly emotional issue for all involved.”

Callan died of a gunshot wound to the chest on New Year’s Day. The death was ruled a suicide.

Outbreak kills 250,000 fish at hatchery

BOISE, Idaho - About 250,000 rainbow trout died in a sudden disease outbreak at a southwestern Idaho fish hatchery, a loss of about 8 percent of Idaho’s annual output of catchable’sized trout.

It was the second such outbreak of ichthyophthirius multifilis in as many years at the state Department of Fish and Game hatchery in Nampa. Officials say it likely resulted when stress from overcrowding weakened the fish, making them more susceptible to the parasite.

The outbreak happened in January, but became public this week because the state agency is trying to manage remaining stocks of 6- to 8-inch fish at its five other hatcheries to make certain lakes and streams still get enough fish to satisfy anglers.

Tom Frew, who manages the Nampa site, said careful manipulation of stocks at other facilities should make up for the losses. He said scientists are assessing just what went wrong. One possible change to avoid future outbreaks, he said, might be to reduce the number of fish raised at the Nampa hatchery and increase it elsewhere.

“The parasite multiplies very rapidly,” said Frew, who estimated the cost of the die-off at $40,000, including fish food and labor. “By the time we see symptoms, the disease has a pretty strong hold on the animal.”

In all, the state produces about 3 million catchable’sized trout every year, among some 26 million total fish produced.

Man blames “mooning” on medication

HAMPTON, Maine, (UPI) — A Hampton, Maine, man accused of showing his buttocks to motorists crossing a bridge blamed his behavior on prescribed medication.

Mark Stretton pleaded guilty in Portsmouth District Court to a charge of indecent exposure-lewdness and told the judge at the time of his September pants droppings he was intoxicated by prescription medication, Seacoast Online reported Tuesday.

“It was due to my medication,” Stretton told the judge. “I’m on a lot of medication and it causes diarrhea, and that’s what happened.”

Portsmouth prosecutor Corey MacDonald said the charges would have been more severe if motorists had been shown more than just Stretton’s buttocks.

“Witnesses saw a rear-end view, if you will,” MacDonald told the court.

Stretton was ordered by the judge to seek medical help for his underlying condition and pay a fine of $500. Half of the fine is suspended pending a year of good behavior.

Have a great rest of the week - The Blue Herald Gang

(Cross-posted at Vagabond Scholar)

Folks who live in Los Angeles may be familiar with one of its great NPR stations, KCRW. As KCRW reports (emphasis in original):

The Internet Radio Equality Act (H.R. 2060), introduced by Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL), would save many independent music webcasters from going out of business by nullifying the decision of the Copyright Royalty Board requiring webcasters to make large royalty payments.

The act provides reasonable royalties for artists and their labels by putting royalties paid by webcasters under the same system and standards as royalties paid by satellite radio services. This act has special provisions to protect public radio webcasters like KCRW and needs your support.

Or, as The SaveNetRadio Coalition puts it:

The future of Internet radio is in immediate danger. Royalty rates for webcasters have been drastically increased by a recent ruling and are due to go into effect on July 15 (retroactive to Jan 1, 2006!). If the increased rates remain unchanged, the majority of webcasters will go bankrupt and silent on this date. Internet radio needs your help!

Read more »

By PETER PRENGAMAN, Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES - A wildfire roared across brush-covered hills in the city’s sprawling Griffith Park on Tuesday, triggering evacuations of homes and some of the city’s most famous landmarks.

A wall of flames raced across ridges and jumped fire lines late in the evening as the fire drew closer to homes and the Griffith Observatory.

Hundreds of firefighters and five water-dropping helicopters rushed to Los Angeles’ landmark park - a mix of wilderness, cultural venues, horse and hiking trails and recreational facilities set on more than 4,000 acres on the hills between Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley.

Late Tuesday, authorities called for a mandatory evacuation of homes that sit along the park’s southern edge as the fire burned out of control after dusk.

Steve Yoo, who lives in the evacuation area, said he was able to pack his passport, wallet and some clothes into a duffel bag before leaving home.

“You need to evacuate, you need to evacuate your houses immediately,” a police officer said over a loudspeaker. “The fire is coming toward the neighborhood.

Rangers evacuated the park’s Vermont Canyon area, which includes the Los Angeles Zoo, two golf facilities, a merry-go-round and school, said Jane Kolb, a city Department of Recreation and Parks spokeswoman.

Fire Capt. Rex Vilaubi said the evacuations were voluntary and the areas were not in imminent danger of being overrun.

Authorities were investigating whether the fire broke out after a person discarded a cigarette at one of the park’s golf courses, a law enforcement official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.

The person tried to put out the fire but was badly burned and was taken to Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, the official said.

Nearly 2,000 customers were without power in the area around the mandatory evacuations, although Department of Water and Power officials said it was not immediately known whether the outage was related to the fire.

The blaze erupted on the second day of a heat spell. The National Weather Service said downtown hit 97 degrees, 23 degrees above normal, tying the record for the date.

read more at YAHOO! NEWS