Early Miscalculations
On the eve of the invasion, as it began to dawn on a few officials that the price for rebuilding Iraq would be vastly greater than they had been told, the degree of miscalculation was illustrated in an encounter between Donald H. Rumsfeld, then the defense secretary, and Jay Garner, a retired lieutenant general who had hastily been named the chief of what would be a short-lived civilian authority called the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance.
The history records how Mr. Garner presented Mr. Rumsfeld with several rebuilding plans, including one that would include projects across Iraq.
“What do you think that’ll cost?” Mr. Rumsfeld asked of the more expansive plan.
“I think it’s going to cost billions of dollars,” Mr. Garner said.
“My friend,” Mr. Rumsfeld replied, “if you think we’re going to spend a billion dollars of our money over there, you are sadly mistaken.”
Monday, December 22, 2008
since when has "numbness in the upper extremity" been a warning sign for Bears fans?
Cold may be unbearable
Football fans are warned over added perils of alcohol
(UnBEARable! Get it? Funny stuff... Ed...)
Booze and the Bears go together naturally for many fans at Soldier Field, but an expert warns that may be a dangerous combination on a frigid Monday night.
With the windchill expected to make lakefront temperatures feel like around zero during the Bears-Packers game, the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health warned fans to beware the dangers of alcohol.
Alcohol makes blood vessels dilate and stretch, allowing body heat to escape more quickly, said Dr. Terry Mason. . .
"It doesn't take very long to get cold," he said. "Don't wait until your extremities start to feel numb. . ."
"Unfortunately, it's going to be pretty darn cold," said meteorologist Eric Lenning.
Football fans are warned over added perils of alcohol
(UnBEARable! Get it? Funny stuff... Ed...)
Booze and the Bears go together naturally for many fans at Soldier Field, but an expert warns that may be a dangerous combination on a frigid Monday night.
With the windchill expected to make lakefront temperatures feel like around zero during the Bears-Packers game, the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health warned fans to beware the dangers of alcohol.
Alcohol makes blood vessels dilate and stretch, allowing body heat to escape more quickly, said Dr. Terry Mason. . .
"It doesn't take very long to get cold," he said. "Don't wait until your extremities start to feel numb. . ."
"Unfortunately, it's going to be pretty darn cold," said meteorologist Eric Lenning.
The Daily SHOCKER
Cheney acknowledged that he had disagreed with Bush's decision to remove embattled Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld in late 2006, saying that "the president doesn't always take my advice."
"I was a Rumsfeld man," Cheney said. "I'd helped recruit him, and I thought he did a good job for us."
"Go phokk yourself," he added, beating a slithery retreat to his underground lair before risking exposure to the purifying rays of the sun.
"I was a Rumsfeld man," Cheney said. "I'd helped recruit him, and I thought he did a good job for us."
"Go phokk yourself," he added, beating a slithery retreat to his underground lair before risking exposure to the purifying rays of the sun.
How the International Bush Disaster is helping one independent entrepreneur
By the way, the first entrepreneur was quite evidently a French Phokk... a little mayonnaise for thought to go with our Freedom Fries...
‘Bush Shoe’ Gives Firm a Footing in the Market
(Footing! Get it? Hah - good one... Ed...)
ISTANBUL — When a pair of black leather oxfords hurled at President Bush in Baghdad produced a gasp heard around the world, a Turkish cobbler had a different reaction: They were his shoes.
“We have been producing that specific style, which I personally designed, for 10 years, so I couldn’t have missed it, no way,” said Ramazan Baydan, a shoemaker in Istanbul. “As a shoemaker, you understand.”
Although his assertion has been impossible to verify — cobblers from Lebanon, China and Iraq have also staked claims to what is quickly becoming some of the most famous footwear in the world — orders for Mr. Baydan’s shoes, formerly known as Ducati Model 271 and since renamed “The Bush Shoe,” have poured in from around the world.
A new run of 15,000 pairs, destined for Iraq, went into production on Thursday, he said. A British distributor has asked to become the Baydan Shoe Company’s European sales representative, with a first order of 95,000 pairs, and an American company (Gitmo-bound? Ed.) has placed an order for 18,000 pairs. Four distributors are competing to represent the company in Iraq, where Baydan sold 19,000 pairs of this model for about $40 each last year. . .
‘Bush Shoe’ Gives Firm a Footing in the Market
(Footing! Get it? Hah - good one... Ed...)
ISTANBUL — When a pair of black leather oxfords hurled at President Bush in Baghdad produced a gasp heard around the world, a Turkish cobbler had a different reaction: They were his shoes.
“We have been producing that specific style, which I personally designed, for 10 years, so I couldn’t have missed it, no way,” said Ramazan Baydan, a shoemaker in Istanbul. “As a shoemaker, you understand.”
Although his assertion has been impossible to verify — cobblers from Lebanon, China and Iraq have also staked claims to what is quickly becoming some of the most famous footwear in the world — orders for Mr. Baydan’s shoes, formerly known as Ducati Model 271 and since renamed “The Bush Shoe,” have poured in from around the world.
A new run of 15,000 pairs, destined for Iraq, went into production on Thursday, he said. A British distributor has asked to become the Baydan Shoe Company’s European sales representative, with a first order of 95,000 pairs, and an American company (Gitmo-bound? Ed.) has placed an order for 18,000 pairs. Four distributors are competing to represent the company in Iraq, where Baydan sold 19,000 pairs of this model for about $40 each last year. . .
Sunday, December 21, 2008
not to pick on an easy target...
but Andy Rooney is colossally, titanically, flamboyantly brain-dead. And he stole the Sears-Roebuck joke from George Carlin. Here's an observation: most of the crap in holiday catalogs is s#i+ that would never interest you in a meeelllion years. The difference between my observation and Andy Rooney's is that I didn't make five figures over two minutes making it.
Signs of the Apocalypse?
Sports bulletin: Blackhawks (who?) win 7 in a row, 15 players weren't born yet the last time that happened.
sKILLy bulletin: -3 degrees. Fahrenheit. That would be -20 degrees Centigrade.
Oh, no, wait, that's hell freezing over. My bad.
sKILLy bulletin: -3 degrees. Fahrenheit. That would be -20 degrees Centigrade.
Oh, no, wait, that's hell freezing over. My bad.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Go Phokk Yourself
'I didn't compromise my soul' [Vampires don't have souls. Everybody knows dat.--ed.]
Pres. Bush opens up in exit interviews and reflects on his popularity and future. [Popularity? Is that what they're calling extreme hatred now?--ed.]
» 'Retirement' to $2.1 mil home [Well, he's earned it. Ok, Pappy earned it. Ok, The Bush Crime Family earned it. Would ya stop nitpicking.--ed.]
* Official Bush portraits unveiled [Are they depicted behind bars?--ed.]
* Bush says won't second guess Obama [Ya sure? You have a proven record of success. Ok, so we won't be hearing from you AT ALL, right?--ed.]
Pres. Bush opens up in exit interviews and reflects on his popularity and future. [Popularity? Is that what they're calling extreme hatred now?--ed.]
» 'Retirement' to $2.1 mil home [Well, he's earned it. Ok, Pappy earned it. Ok, The Bush Crime Family earned it. Would ya stop nitpicking.--ed.]
* Official Bush portraits unveiled [Are they depicted behind bars?--ed.]
* Bush says won't second guess Obama [Ya sure? You have a proven record of success. Ok, so we won't be hearing from you AT ALL, right?--ed.]
~
Friday, December 19, 2008
Brian Giles: A Shitstain of Humanity
Click on the link for the video of him punching his girlfriend to the ground. You stay classy, Brian.
Giles underwent anger management to resolve 2006 misdemeanor charge
Padres outfielder Brian Giles entered into a plea agreement for a misdemeanor domestic violence charge that stemmed from a video-recorded incident at a Phoenix bar on Aug. 27, 2006.
Giles, 37, was required to complete anger-management counseling as part of the deal in exchange for the case being dropped, said John Tutelman of the Phoenix city attorney's office. After his counseling was completed, the case was dropped this past February.
Giles' alleged domestic violence history has come to light after the former girlfriend, Cheri Olvera, recently sued him for more than $10 million, alleging a string of abuse, including batterings while she was pregnant.
Giles has had that look of a "totally on roids" candidate, given his power outage since 2002. Looks like it fried his brain, if it wasn't fried already. Wherever he's playing next year, he needs to be booed off the field and/or (car) batteries thrown at him.
~
Giles underwent anger management to resolve 2006 misdemeanor charge
Padres outfielder Brian Giles entered into a plea agreement for a misdemeanor domestic violence charge that stemmed from a video-recorded incident at a Phoenix bar on Aug. 27, 2006.
Giles, 37, was required to complete anger-management counseling as part of the deal in exchange for the case being dropped, said John Tutelman of the Phoenix city attorney's office. After his counseling was completed, the case was dropped this past February.
Giles' alleged domestic violence history has come to light after the former girlfriend, Cheri Olvera, recently sued him for more than $10 million, alleging a string of abuse, including batterings while she was pregnant.
Giles has had that look of a "totally on roids" candidate, given his power outage since 2002. Looks like it fried his brain, if it wasn't fried already. Wherever he's playing next year, he needs to be booed off the field and/or (car) batteries thrown at him.
~
Onion or real?
News item: Mice suspected in deadly cat fire.
I hope Marble Kitty doesn't frequent this site...
two things to know about Blago's lawyer
1. Former clients like "Jimmy 'The Bomber' Catura (federal fraud, 1972) and Billy Dauber, feared mob enforcer, both ... later whacked by the Outfit... Pat Marcy, 1st Ward powerbroker and mob court fixer; 'Blind Louie' Cavallaro, juice loan collector and enforcer, and Jerry Scalise, Marlborough diamond jewel thief" aren't necessarily among his favorites, according to Carol Marin. "I know Eddie Genson may be prouder of the politicians he's represented than the mobsters, but honestly, isn't it sometimes almost a toss-up?"
2. He can't even figure out how to pronounce his own phokking name, according to the last minute and a half or so of this report.
~
2. He can't even figure out how to pronounce his own phokking name, according to the last minute and a half or so of this report.
~
Small Town Values
Levi Johnston's mother hit with drug charges
Sherry L. Johnston was arrested by Alaska State Troopers at her Wasilla home Thursday December 18, 2008 and charged with six felony counts of misconduct involving a controlled substance. Johnston is the mother of Levi Johnston, the Wasilla 18-year-old who received international attention in September when Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd, announced their teenage daughter was pregnant and he was the father.
~
Sherry L. Johnston was arrested by Alaska State Troopers at her Wasilla home Thursday December 18, 2008 and charged with six felony counts of misconduct involving a controlled substance. Johnston is the mother of Levi Johnston, the Wasilla 18-year-old who received international attention in September when Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd, announced their teenage daughter was pregnant and he was the father.
~
Yes, Obama's going to be preoccupied with the many other disasters you're leaving behind
Bush: Bankruptcy would leave the next prez to deal with the demise of the auto industry in his first days in office
~
~
Thursday, December 18, 2008
a little ketchup, some french fries...lovely meal
Pet lovers protest cats on the menu in China (AP)
GUANGZHOU, China – While animal lovers in Beijing protested the killing of cats for food on Thursday, a butcher in Guangdong province — where felines are the main ingredient in a famous soup — just shrugged her shoulders and wielded her cleaver. "Cats have a strong flavor. Dogs taste much better, but if you really want cat meat, I can have it delivered by tomorrow," said the butcher, who gave only her surname, Huang....
~
GUANGZHOU, China – While animal lovers in Beijing protested the killing of cats for food on Thursday, a butcher in Guangdong province — where felines are the main ingredient in a famous soup — just shrugged her shoulders and wielded her cleaver. "Cats have a strong flavor. Dogs taste much better, but if you really want cat meat, I can have it delivered by tomorrow," said the butcher, who gave only her surname, Huang....
~
Christmas Cupcakes
Southern Ill. 73, Northern Illinois 58
Box Score - Recap
Way to be representin' da nort'side, Huskies...
Syracuse 82, Canisius 60
Box Score - Recap
Nice try, Golden Griffins. Hope to see you again in the Loss column next year...
~
Box Score - Recap
Way to be representin' da nort'side, Huskies...
Syracuse 82, Canisius 60
Box Score - Recap
Nice try, Golden Griffins. Hope to see you again in the Loss column next year...
~
How to Suck at Democracy -- the PhD seminar
Today, just moments ago, the infamous Lizard People ballot came up for the Canvassing Board's review!
This ballot was initially counted as a Franken vote. The Coleman campaign challenged the ballot, claiming "Lizard People" was an identifying mark. The Board voted to uphold the challenge, arguing that they couldn't be certain that "Lizard People" wasn't a real person's name.
And in a separate post...
If Coleman wins 127 challenges and Franken wins 122, that would mean a net of 5 votes for Coleman. If the Franken campaign's estimate was correct that it was winning the re-count by 4 votes assuming that all challenges would be rejected, that would produce a Coleman win by a grand total of ... one vote!
How to Flush MEEEEEEEllions Down da Terlet
Wouldn't trust him to take the garbage to the curb:
SI.com's Jon Heyman believes the Mets and free agent Oliver Perez are too far apart in negotiations for a deal to be reached. Heyman lists the Brewers, Dodgers, Reds and perhaps the Mariners as potential suitors for Perez. He's believed to want $14 million per season for five years.
Half of the 5 years will be spent on the D.L.:
Yankees signed RHP A.J. Burnett, who had been with the Blue Jays, to a five-year, $82.5 million contract. The Yanks announcing a big contract six days after it was agreed to is actually pretty good for them. Most players have to wait weeks. The details of Burnett's deal still aren't known, such as the annual salary breakdown and what kind of no-trade protection he received. He will average $16.5 million per season, which is a nice raise from the $12 million per year that he would have earned in the final two seasons of his contract with the Jays.
Didn't he like totally suck last year:
According to SI.com's Jon Heyman's, Andy "Pettitte's people apparently are telling folks he has a $36 million, three-year offer" from an unnamed team. A rather odd line. Pettitte's "people" are the Hendricks brothers, unless Heyman is using the word to refer a group other than his agents, and they haven't gone public with much of anything regarding the Pettitte negotiations. This could be nothing more than an attempt to get the Yankees to boost their offer. Pettitte wants to stay in New York, and he hasn't gone looking for a multiyear deal since leaving Houston.
And the coup de grâce, the drunk, gutless, neverwuz... Royals GM Dayton Moore must have reached this decison thusly: "Hmmm, I've heard of him...he's still in major league baseball, right?...a proven veteran...sold!"
Royals agreed to terms with RHP Kyle Farnsworth, who had been with the Tigers, on a two-year, $9.25 million contract with a club option for 2011. We'll be generous and say Farnsworth is just as good of a bet as Ramon Ramirez for next year, even though Ramirez was the far better pitcher last season. That would essentially mean that the Royals are paying $9.25 million for Coco Crisp. After all, Ramirez was going to make about $500,000, while Crisp comes in at $5.5 million. Farnsworth will get $4.25 million next year and $4.5 million in 2010. There's a $5.25 million option for 2011 with a $500,000 buyout. It's a ridiculous sum for a small-market team to be spending on a reliever who has graded out as below average each of the last three seasons.
~
SI.com's Jon Heyman believes the Mets and free agent Oliver Perez are too far apart in negotiations for a deal to be reached. Heyman lists the Brewers, Dodgers, Reds and perhaps the Mariners as potential suitors for Perez. He's believed to want $14 million per season for five years.
Half of the 5 years will be spent on the D.L.:
Yankees signed RHP A.J. Burnett, who had been with the Blue Jays, to a five-year, $82.5 million contract. The Yanks announcing a big contract six days after it was agreed to is actually pretty good for them. Most players have to wait weeks. The details of Burnett's deal still aren't known, such as the annual salary breakdown and what kind of no-trade protection he received. He will average $16.5 million per season, which is a nice raise from the $12 million per year that he would have earned in the final two seasons of his contract with the Jays.
Didn't he like totally suck last year:
According to SI.com's Jon Heyman's, Andy "Pettitte's people apparently are telling folks he has a $36 million, three-year offer" from an unnamed team. A rather odd line. Pettitte's "people" are the Hendricks brothers, unless Heyman is using the word to refer a group other than his agents, and they haven't gone public with much of anything regarding the Pettitte negotiations. This could be nothing more than an attempt to get the Yankees to boost their offer. Pettitte wants to stay in New York, and he hasn't gone looking for a multiyear deal since leaving Houston.
And the coup de grâce, the drunk, gutless, neverwuz... Royals GM Dayton Moore must have reached this decison thusly: "Hmmm, I've heard of him...he's still in major league baseball, right?...a proven veteran...sold!"
Royals agreed to terms with RHP Kyle Farnsworth, who had been with the Tigers, on a two-year, $9.25 million contract with a club option for 2011. We'll be generous and say Farnsworth is just as good of a bet as Ramon Ramirez for next year, even though Ramirez was the far better pitcher last season. That would essentially mean that the Royals are paying $9.25 million for Coco Crisp. After all, Ramirez was going to make about $500,000, while Crisp comes in at $5.5 million. Farnsworth will get $4.25 million next year and $4.5 million in 2010. There's a $5.25 million option for 2011 with a $500,000 buyout. It's a ridiculous sum for a small-market team to be spending on a reliever who has graded out as below average each of the last three seasons.
~
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