Big Ol' Smitty

Does this have a chapter on "falafels"?

You don't even like potatoes?

Why are they anti-milk? Isn't it painful for cows not to be milked? Well they were right on this, at least, from my experience.

Oatmeal, Chocolate Soymilk

Fish are tasty. But a diet that limits meat intake is, technically, more energy efficient.

Yes. Margarat Hassan's death really bothered me. If this woman is not off limits, then who is? What could possibly be the motivation in killing such a gentle woman who had dedicated her life to making Iraq a better place?

Meal 1-Oatmeal, Milk Meal 2-Turkey Wrap, Potato Salad, Apple, Water Meal 3-Hamburger Helper, Water Meal 4-Peanut Butter, Milk

1420 calories isn't all that bad, but the 107 fat grams are disconcerting. I'd say one of these every now and then if you're fit and active wouldn't kill ya. It just looks like it would be a chore to eat.

I liked this

"The fundamental violations of international law committed by terrorists, be they in Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, Spain, or Russia, render them ineligible for Geneva Convention protection. To apply the Geneva Conventions universally would be the undoing of those treaties. If there is no price to pay for doffing their uniform or shuttling combatants in Red Crescent ambulances, then soldiers would figure such illegalities to be worth it. Serious violations of the laws of war would become the equivalent of jaywalking. Those advocating universal application of the Geneva Conventions to [terrorists] are, in effect, encouraging future combatants to transform hospitals into ammunition depots and schools into machine gun nests. " Source: http://www.ocnus.net/artman/publish/article_14990.shtml

We can't expect very young men who are in a combat theater being shot at, IED'd, and booby-trapped to put down their weapons and start singing Kumbayah. At this point, all they are trying to do is stay alive and achieve their mission objectives. They aren't thinking politically or socially. They are stressed to the max, exhausted, hyper-alert and in pure survival mode. My heart aches for them and I can't say that I wouldn't have done the same thing given the circumstances.

The Macho Man had great fashion sense.

Your sig kicks ten kinds of ass. I almost forgot about the Macho Man. Thank you for reminding me.

We hadn't discussed this yet. Go at it. http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/11/14/iran.nuclear/

I think the real problem is the metrosexuals, and if you disagree then your beliefs are stupid and your mother smells. I'm learning the folder. You're a savant.

And she speaks so well! Why wouldn't she?

I think we do have over a million. And here's a chart of casualties from various wars. http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004615.html Yeah, but do we have millions? And we aren't even close to a million soldier deaths total in every war we have fought. So what the heck, someone jumped the gun. Yeah, maybe not millionS.

Although I don't particularly like her politics, I think it's cool to see a black female in such an important position. I also think it would be cool if she ran for President sometime down the line.

I think we do have over a million. And here's a chart of casualties from various wars. http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004615.html

Um, that's kind of hyperbolic. I meant the other definiton. 2. (Rhet.) Relating to, containing, or of the nature of, hyperbole; exaggerating or diminishing beyond the fact; exceeding the truth; as, an hyperbolical expression. ``This hyperbolical epitaph.'' --Fuller.

Um, that's kind of hyperbolic.

Yeah, I remember the first time I saw those pictures and the smiling faces I thought we should just obliterate the whole fucking city.

That's fucked up.

White House Orders Purge of CIA 'Liberals,' Sources Say Agency officials believed to be disloyal to Bush are reportedly the targets by Knut Royce WASHINGTON - The White House has ordered the new CIA director, Porter J. Goss, to purge the agency of officers believed to have been disloyal to President Bush or of leaking damaging information to the media about the conduct of the Iraq war and the hunt for Osama bin Laden, according to knowledgeable sources. "The agency is being purged on instructions from the White House," said a former senior CIA official who maintains close ties to both the agency and to the White House. "Goss was given instructions ... to get rid of those soft leakers and liberal Democrats. The CIA is looked on by the White House as a hotbed of liberals and people who have been obstructing the president's agenda." One of the first casualties appears to be Stephen R. Kappes, deputy director of clandestine services, the CIA's most powerful division. The Washington Post reported yesterday that Kappes had tendered his resignation after a confrontation with Goss' chief of staff, Patrick Murray, but at the behest of the White House had agreed to delay his decision until tomorrow. But the former senior CIA official said that the White House "doesn't want Steve Kappes to reconsider his resignation. That might be the spin they put on it, but they want him out." He said the job had been offered to the former chief of the European Division who retired after a spat with then-CIA Director George Tenet. Another recently retired top CIA official said he was unsure Kappes had "officially resigned, but I do know he was unhappy." Without confirming or denying that the job offer had been made, a CIA spokesman asked Newsday to withhold naming the former officer because of his undercover role over the years. He said he had no comment about Goss' personnel plans, but he added that changes at the top are not unusual when new directors come in. On Friday John E. McLaughlin, a 32-year veteran of the intelligence division who served as acting CIA director before Goss took over, announced that he was retiring. The spokesman said that the retirement had been planned and was unrelated to the Kappes resignation or to other morale problems inside the CIA. It could not be learned yesterday whether the White House had identified Kappes, a respected operations officer, as one of the officials "disloyal" to Bush. "The president understands and appreciates the sacrifices made by the members of the intelligence community in the war against terrorism," said a White House official of the report that he was purging the CIA of "disloyal" officials. "The suggestion [that he ordered a purge] is inaccurate." Another former CIA official who retains good contacts within the agency said that Goss and his top aides, who served on his staff when Goss was chairman of the House intelligence committee, believe the agency had relied too much over the years on liaison work with foreign intelligence agencies and had not done enough to develop its own intelligence collection system. "Goss is not a believer in liaison work," said this retired official. But, he said, the CIA's "best intelligence really comes from liaison work. The CIA is simply not going to develop the assets [agents and case officers] that would meet the intelligence requirements." Tensions between the White House and the CIA have been the talk of Washington for at least a year, especially as leaks about the mishandling of the Iraq war have dominated front pages. Some of the most damaging leaks came from Michael Scheuer, former head of the CIA's Bin Laden unit, who wrote a book anonymously called "Imperial Hubris" that criticized what he said was the administration's lack of resolve in tracking down the al-Qaida chieftain and the reallocation of intelligence and military manpower from the war on terrorism to the war in Iraq. Source: Baltimore Sun

Nice balance. You have inspired me. I am going to aim higher in my pursuit of news and turn off the television. What do you think of the Economist? I just sent off for a subscription.