Bushies Ineptitude Reaches A New Low

Supplier Under Scrutiny on Arms for Afghans

Since 2006, when the insurgency in Afghanistan sharply intensified, the Afghan government has been dependent on American logistics and military support in the war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

But to arm the Afghan forces that it hopes will lead this fight, the American military has relied since early last year on a fledgling company led by a 22-year-old man whose vice president was a licensed masseur.

With the award last January of a federal contract worth as much as nearly $300 million, the company, AEY Inc., which operates out of an unmarked office in Miami Beach, became the main supplier of munitions to Afghanistan’s army and police forces.

Since then, the company has provided ammunition that is more than 40 years old and in decomposing packaging, according to an examination of the munitions by The New York Times and interviews with American and Afghan officials. Much of the ammunition comes from the aging stockpiles of the old Communist bloc, including stockpiles that the State Department and NATO have determined to be unreliable and obsolete, and have spent millions of dollars to have destroyed.

In purchasing munitions, the contractor has also worked with middlemen and a shell company on a federal list of entities suspected of illegal arms trafficking.

300 Million to a shell company run by a couple of kids, wow, where do I sign up for my share?

Our Fascist State - Business Reaps Reward- Taxpayers Bear the Cost

Wal-Mart Prevails in Case to Recover Health Costs

The family of Deborah Shank has lost its last chance to stop Wal-Mart Stores from recouping hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expenses from an accident settlement the Shanks hoped to use for her future care in a nursing home.

Last November, the WSJ reported in a front-page story how the retail giant had sued Deborah Shank—a 52-year-old former Wal-Mart employee left permanently brain damaged from a car accident nearly eight years ago—for the money and won. Like most employee health plans, Wal-Mart’s gives it the right to recover medical expenses for accident-related care if a worker also collects damages in an injury suit.

After losing in federal court and again on appeal, the Shanks’ last legal hope was a bid to the U.S. Supreme Court. Yesterday, though, the court announced it wouldn’t take up the case, bringing the matter to a close.

More companies see such recoveries as a way to make a dent in soaring health care costs. Daphne Moore, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, said, “It’s a very sad case, and we understand that people have a very emotional and sympathetic reaction.” But the plan, she said, is obligated to act in the interest of the health benefits of its employees as a whole. The benefits are designed so that when an employee does have an accident, “the plan steps in and covers those medical expenses so our associates don’t have to worry about them being covered,” and then later to reimburse the plan if and when they receive funds for the accident from a third party, she said.

Wal-Mart originally sued for nearly $470,000 in medical expenses after the May 2000 accident, charging that the Shanks had violated the terms of the health plan by not reimbursing it. But after legal fees and some medical expenses, only $417,000 of the $700,000 that Mrs. Shank was awarded remained in a special trust set up specifically for her care.

Though the case was long shot, some health plan law specialists hoped the U.S. Supreme Court would tackle it to resolve a still murky question in the courts over the extent to which company health plans can recover from employees’ accident settlements. Many plans use language like Wal-Mart’s, which dictates that it is to be paid first out of any settlement, regardless of what remains for the injured person. Moreover, the victim is responsible for all legal costs in pursuing the suit.

As for Deborah Shank, her husband (pictured with her at right) says the family still has some of the roughly $10,000 in donations it received last fall after a flurry of media attention to supplement her care in a Jackson, Mo., nursing home. When it runs out, she may have to be moved from a private to a semi-private room. “I was ready for the worse, but I’m still disappointed,” he says. “Now the government will be all that’s left to take care of her.”

So now that the fascist control the SCOTUS, the tax payers are on the hook. This money was in a trust fund for her future care, now it goes to Wal-Mart and the tax payer will have to cover the cost of her care for the next 30 years.

MN-06 Bachman Takes Stupid To A New Level

This woman may be the stupidist person ever elected to Congress, and there have been some real idiots over the years. Somehow in her warp little mind she see this as the big differentiator that will get her re-elected. The people of MN-06 you get what you deserve when you elect this type of idiot. Shouldn’t you be hiding in a bush somewhere looking for “the gays”.

Bachmann is pro-choice on bulbs

How many members of Congress does it take to change a light bulb? Americans may soon find out, courtesy of a contrarian piece of legislation introduced this month by Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota.

Titled the "Light Bulb Freedom of Choice Act," the bill seeks to repeal the nationwide phase-out of conventional light bulbs, the kind that have been used for more than a century -- pretty much since the invention of the incandescent light bulb.

Bachmann, a first-term Republican, is challenging the nation's embrace of energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights, saying the government has no business telling consumers what kind of light bulbs they can buy.

"This is an issue of science over fads and fashions," Bachmann said in an interview Tuesday.

"Congress tends to jump on whatever the current buzz is in the 24-hour news cycle, " Bachmann said.

Her bill, the first challenge of its kind, raises safety questions about the small amounts of mercury in fluorescent lights. It also lands her squarely in the middle of the debate over global warming. In recent remarks to a gathering of Sherburne County Republicans -- reported in the West Sherburne Tribune -- Bachmann called any human connection to global warming "voodoo, nonsense, hokum, a hoax."

"By 2012, incandescent light bulbs will be no more," Bachmann said. "Fluorescent bulbs are more polluting because of their mercury content. We are working on a light bulb bill. If the Democrats can hose up a light bulb, don't trust them with the country."

The electrical and manufacturing industries, in a rare alliance with environmentalists, portray Bachmann's mercury concerns as overblown. They argue that fluorescent lights actually reduce mercury emissions in the long run. That's because the new bulbs use so much less electricity, much of which is produced by burning coal, which emits greenhouse gases and mercury.

"That's not just the industry talking," said Mark Kohorst of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. "That's an accepted aspect of these products, and that's why they've been promoted so heavily."

St John - Straight Shootin' Again - NOT

Every now again it is necessary to post another blogs post here in full…this is one of those cases. This is important stuff!  From Firedoglake

Holding McCain Accountable For Campaign Finance Violations

Yesterday, on behalf of a large number of progressive bloggers and activists, Jane went to the FEC and filed an official complaint against John McCain's alleged campaign finance violations. We've been asking a lot of questions about this, and the answers have been less than forthcoming.   So, instead of just sitting here and stewing about yet another GOP ethical problem, we decided to put our action where our concerns were.   

As you'll see from the video, with some help from the great folks at PoliticsTV, Jane handed over the official complaint to the FEC yesterday to get the process going:

“John McCain is a campaign finance criminal who is flouting the very regulations he championed,” Jane Hamsher commented while delivering the complaint. “He believes the law is for someone else, not him. It's the height of hypocrisy.”

As Markos of DailyKos pointed out in joining the complaint, “John McCain has officially blown past campaign spending limits mandated by his original acceptance of public campaign funding. While he has signaled his intent to withdraw from such financing, that has been hindered by the fact that he used the promise of public funding to secure a campaign loan.”  Guess the campaign finance laws only apply when they aren't inconvenient for McCain's ambitions.

As you likely know, the FEC is stymied at the moment due to the Bush Administration trying to shove Hans Von Spakovsky and all of his "caging" and other alleged nefarious campaign activities onto the election commission as a GOP dirty tricks ringer.  Because the Democratic-led Congress said "no way" to Hans being voted through in a bloc vote, the Administration and their pal, Mitch McConnell, have  balked at any FEC commissioner vote in the Senate.  Which means that in this very important 2008 election cycle, the FEC is unable to act promptly to enforce the campaign finance laws.

Even so, FEC Chairman David Mason sent McCain's campaign a strongly worded letter (PDF), letting them know that even though McCain didn't consider his word on accepting public financing binding, that the FEC was not about to let him off the legal hook.  What did McCain do?  He ignored the letter, secured a loan based on representations of obtaining public financing and then blew past the public financing law spending limits...and he's still raising campaign cash, too. 

We decided that McCain shouldn't be allowed to get away with this without questions -- lots and lots of questions -- being asked.  The hypocrisy of the so-called "maverick" violating a law which he championed because it suits his purposes this time around is horrifying.  Even worse is the relative silence of the press on this, given the rank hypocrisy of violations of McCain's "signature" issue and all.  Does it get to be your signature issue if you are blatantly violating it in an in-your-face maneuver after being warned not to by the head of the FEC?  I think not. 

If the press isn't going to ask the necessary questions, then we have to do it ourselves.  You can join in, too --  sign your name to the complaint here.  At that link, you'll find a copy of the FEC filing and a list of signatories thus far.  And help us get the word out on the need for McCain to be held accountable for any violations of the law that has his own name on it....and any other laws of which he may be in violation.

For shame... 

 

U.S. death toll in Iraq reaches 4,000

Grim milestone reached when IED kills 4 U.S. soldiers in Baghdad

BAGHDAD - A roadside bomb killed four U.S. soldiers in Baghdad on Sunday, the military said, pushing the overall American death toll in the five-year war to at least 4,000.

The grim milestone came on the same day that rockets and mortars pounded the U.S.-protected Green Zone, underscoring the fragile security situation and the resilience of both Sunni and Shiite extremist groups despite an overall lull in violence.

A Multi-National Division — Baghdad soldier also was wounded in the roadside bombing, which struck the soldiers' patrol vehicle about 10 p.m. in southern Baghdad, according to a statement.

Identities of those killed were withheld pending notification of relatives.

The 4,000 figure includes eight civilians who worked for the Department of Defense.

Last year, the U.S. military deaths spiked along with the Pentagon's "surge" — the arrival of more than 30,000 extra troops trying to regain control of Baghdad and surrounding areas. The mission was generally considered a success, but the cost was evident as soldiers pushed into Sunni insurgent strongholds and challenged Shiite militias.

Military deaths rose above 100 for three consecutive months for the first time during the war: April 2007, 104; May, 126 and June at 101.

The death toll has seesawed since, with 2007 ending as the deadliest year for American troops at 901 deaths. That was 51 more deaths than 2004, the second deadliest year for U.S. soldiers.

More soldiers surviving wounds
The milestones for each 1,000 deaths — while an arbitrary marker — serve to rivet attention on the war and have come during a range of pivotal moments.

When the 1,000th American died in September 2004, the insurgency was gaining steam. The 2,000-death mark came in October 2005 as Iraq voted on a new constitution. The Pentagon announced its 3,000th loss on the last day of 2006 — a day after Saddam Hussein was hanged and closing a year marked by rampant sectarian violence.

The deaths taken by U.S. soldiers in Iraq, however, are far less than in other modern American wars. In Vietnam, the U.S. lost on average about 4,850 soldiers a year from 1963-75. In the Korean war, from 1950-53, the U.S. lost about 12,300 soldiers a year.

But a hallmark of the Iraq war is the high wounded-to-killed ratio, partly because of advances in battlefield medicine, enhanced protective gear worn by soldiers and reinforced armored vehicles.

There have been about 15 soldiers wounded for every fatality in Iraq, compared with 2.6 per death in Vietnam and 2.8 in Korea.

 

4000 needless deaths, all based on lies from Bush and company. Over 60,000 wounded!

Our Police State - More Taser Tag

I thought Tasers were meant to be an alternative to lethal force, not as cattle prods to force a desired behavior. Let’s see mother call police concerned for son’s mental state and that he might hurt himself, police find son, arrest him(I am ok with that) confine him(yep still ok with that) then tase him(while in a cell on a top bunk) and he breaks his back, yep it’s all about “Protect and Serve”.

 

L.A. Sheriff's supervisors investigated in Taser incident

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An unruly 21-year-old man in custody fell and broke his back after a deputy used a stun gun to subdue him.

Los Angeles County sheriff's officials have launched a misconduct investigation of two supervisors who authorized the use of a stun gun on a 21-year-old arrestee because he was unruly and refused to submit to electronic fingerprinting, The Times has learned.

As a result of being shocked with a Taser, Blake Dupree fell off the top of a jail bunk bed and broke his back. The injury has left him temporarily paralyzed and he could be crippled for life, his attorney said.

According to sheriff's officials, Dupree, who showed signs of being mentally ill or under the influence of drugs, had been generally "uncooperative" for hours before a lieutenant at the Lakewood sheriff's station approved the use of the Taser, which delivers a 50,000-volt shock.

The investigation into the Feb. 27 incident -- much of it captured on videotape -- will determine whether use of the Taser violated department policy.

Department rules prohibit using the device on "persons in danger of falling or becoming entangled in machinery or heavy equipment which could result in death or serious bodily injury." Despite the prohibition, the policy does allow for supervisors to decide whether use of a Taser is warranted on a case-by-case basis.

Lt. James Tatreau Jr., who authorized the use of the device on Dupree, has been reassigned to administrative duties pending the outcome of the investigation, sources said. A unnamed sergeant who was involved in the decision has also been reassigned.

Tatreau, a former driver and bodyguard for L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca, received some unwanted attention last year after The Times disclosed that he had organized a game called "Operation Any Booking" in which deputies competed to see how many people they could arrest.

The competition was decried by civil libertarians, disavowed by Baca and made fun of by "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno.

Tatreau did not return telephone calls seeking comment.

Baca said his preliminary assessment of the recent incident was that "common sense" should have dictated that using the Taser on Dupree was inappropriate while he was on the bunk and likely to fall as a result of being shocked.

Baca added that he was concerned, because of Dupree's demeanor, that deputies and supervisors may not have sufficiently explored alternatives to the stun gun.

"If someone is off balance mentally . . . call the mental health evaluation team in," Baca said in an interview Wednesday, shortly before departing on a trip to Saudi Arabia. "Those with the most experience should deal with them."

Dupree, a Bellflower resident, was arrested Feb. 26 on suspicion of carjacking his mother's vehicle.

According to his attorney, Stan Sanders, Dupree and his mother were at a Jack in the Box restaurant when Dupree took his mother's car without her consent. Concerned that her son was acting erratically and might hurt himself, she called police, Sanders said. Sheriff's deputies found Dupree at Bellflower High School, where he was looking for his sister, the attorney said.

Dupree was not charged with carjacking, according to a district attorney's representative. Rather, he was charged with violating his probation on an earlier conviction for gun possession.

After his arrest, Dupree was taken to the Lakewood station; there, deputies said, he failed to cooperate with routine instructions and behaved strangely. As a result, he was placed in a cell by himself where he began throwing mattresses around the room, authorities said. This behavior continued until the morning after his arrest.

When Dupree refused to submit to electronic fingerprinting -- a process in which a suspect's digits are scanned into a computer database -- Tatreau authorized the use of the Taser if Dupree continued to resist, according to two Sheriff's Department sources familiar with the incident.

At the time, Dupree was on the top bed of a double bunk about 4 feet off the ground and refused to come down. He was given a verbal warning by Tatreau, who had conferred with the sergeant on the scene, and a deputy was ordered to fire the equivalent of a warning shot by activating the Taser so Dupree could hear its buzz, according to Sheriff's Department reports obtained by The Times.

After the warnings, Dupree stood on the bunk and began to move toward the edge, in the direction of the deputies, said sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore. It was then that the unidentified deputy shot Dupree with the Taser, causing him to fall to the floor.

Baca said he was convinced that no one intended to "punish" Dupree by shocking him but that the potential consequences of doing so should have been clear.

"We have to do better," he said.

Sanders, who has filed a legal claim against the Sheriff's Department in connection with the incident, said Dupree suffered extensive damage to his spinal cord and cannot move his legs. He said doctors have told him that the condition is likely to be permanent.

"This is a young man . . . with many years to live," Sanders said. "He's now paralyzed."