Sat, Nov 03 2007
PAPER AIRPLANES IN SPACE
How brave and fragile it all is...
In this image provided by NASA television astronaut Scott Parazynski, rides in the foot restraints at the end of the 90-foot robotic arm and boom extension, at the start of a 45-minute ride to the damage site of the damaged solar array Saturday Nov. 3, 2007. Astronaut Douglas Wheelock gets into position of observe on the Space Station's truss, top.
(AP Photo/NASA)
US astronaut Scott Parazynski performs the second of five scheduled spacewalks as construction continues on the International Space Station in October 2007. Astronauts from the shuttle Discovery made some progress on a spacewalk Saturday to repair a torn solar wing deemed vital for the future of the International Space Station.
(AFP/NASA/File)Sat, Nov 03 2007
MARTIAL LAW, BY ANY OTHER NAME, WOULD STINK JUST AS MUCH
Basically, this assclown Pervez Musharraf has seized control of the country so he can't be voted out in favor of the far more popular Benazir Bhutto, who has been elected Pakistan's Prime Minister twice before. She (Bhutto) is currently the Pakistan People's Party chief, and according to news reports, is at this moment sitting on a plane tarmac awaiting either arrest or deportation by Pakistan's very own Stalin.
Mind you, this is the same bozo who has been hiding Osama Bin Laden, enabling Al-Qaeda and their ilk, making buttloads of money arming all sides of all conflicts in all his neighboring countries, and has a shitload of nuclear weapons in his fist.
Musharraf suspends Pakistan's constitution
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- President Pervez Musharraf suspended Pakistan's constitution Saturday and the military leader imposed emergency rule throughout the country.
The BBC said that in addition to declaring a state of emergency in response to recent Islamic violence, Musharraf suspended the country's constitution and deployed troops at media locations nationwide.
The security effort comes as Musharraf is awaiting a ruling by Pakistan's Supreme Court on whether he was eligible to run for re-election as president last month while remaining head of the country's army.
Musharraf has been an open supporter of the United States ongoing "war on terror," leading to a recent series of attacks in Pakistan by pro-Taliban militants.
Paired with fears that the Supreme Court may not support the president, Pakistan has been mired in a political quagmire for the last few months.
Musharraf is expected to make a public address soon, while Cabinet members have begun deliberations to approve the imposed emergency rule, the BBC reported.
Sat, Nov 03 2007
...BUT HALF A TRILLION FOR A PERSONAL VANITY WAR IS JUST FINE
Bush Vetoes Water Bill, Citing Cost of $23 Billion
WASHINGTON, New York Times — President Bush on Friday vetoed a bill authorizing $23 billion in water resource projects, calling it overly expensive, and Congressional Democrats responded angrily, accusing him of insensitivity to the hurricane-damaged Gulf Coast, a big beneficiary of the legislation. They pledged to override him.
The bill, the Water Resources Development Act, would authorize $3.5 billion in work for hurricane-ravaged Louisiana, nearly $2 billion for efforts to save the Everglades and additional sums for a host of other projects favored by lawmakers. Critics said the bill not only was costly but also failed to provide vital changes to the often criticized Army Corps of Engineers, which would do most of the work.
Mr. Bush has now cast five vetoes as president, four since Democrats took control of Congress in January. None have been overridden, although this legislation passed both houses with more than the two-thirds majorities needed to override.
In his veto message, the president noted that when the bill emerged from a House-Senate conference committee, its cost had risen more than 50 percent above the cost of legislation originally passed by the two houses. He also said a backlog of projects for the Corps of Engineers meant that many projects in the bill would never be financed or completed.
“This bill lacks fiscal discipline,” he said. “This authorization bill makes promises to local communities that the Congress does not have a track record of keeping.”
[That's a real fucking snicker, ain't it? This coming from the jackal that has put this country NINE TRILLION dollars and counting in the hole. Let's veto clean water and health care for kids to save money, but god forbid we should take a single $800 toilet seat away from the Pentagon...]
“The bill’s excessive authorization for over 900 projects and programs,” he added, “exacerbates the massive backlog of ongoing corps construction projects, which will require an additional $38 billion in future appropriations to complete.”
The House majority leader, Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, promised a swift override vote, scheduled for Tuesday. Mr. Hoyer denounced the veto, calling it “another example of this president obstinately standing in the way of bipartisan legislation.” The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, predicted an override and accused Mr. Bush of being “out of touch with the American people.”
While lawmakers in both chambers and of both parties quickly issued statements criticizing the veto, some taxpayer rights’ groups praised it, agreeing with Mr. Bush that it was too expensive. And Senator Russ Feingold, Democrat of Wisconsin, who has led the calls for overhauling the corps by adding independent review of its project designs, among other things, said Congress ought to use the veto as an opportunity to improve the bill.All news articles and images provided under the Fair Use Notice.