Politics As Usual

[Atticus Grinch]

"Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill," Hall says. "It's like it pounds at my brain. I'll figure out how to deal with it when I get home."

Maybe being offered a first class seat will settle his nerves.

[SlaveNoMore]

Shut up and sing already....

___

LAS VEGAS - Singer Linda Ronstadt (news) not only got booed, she got the boot after lauding filmmaker Michael Moore and his new movie "Fahrenheit 9/11" during a performance at the Aladdin hotel-casino.

Before singing "Desperado" for an encore Saturday night, the 58-year-old rocker called Moore a "great American patriot" and "someone who is spreading the truth." She also encouraged everybody to see the documentary about President Bush (news - web sites).

Ronstadt's comments drew loud boos and some of the 4,500 people in attendance stormed out of the theater. People also tore down concert posters and tossed cocktails into the air.

"It was a very ugly scene," Aladdin President Bill Timmins told The Associated Press. "She praised him and all of a sudden all bedlam broke loose."

Timmins, who is British and was watching the show, decided Ronstadt had to go — for good. Timmins said he didn't allow Ronstadt back in her luxury suite and she was escorted off the property.

Ronstadt's antics "spoiled a wonderful evening for our guests and we had to do something about it," Timmins said.

Timmins said it was the first time he sent a performer packing.

"As long as I'm here, she's not going to play," Timmins said.

Ronstadt had been booked to play the Aladdin for only one show.

Calls to Ronstadt's manager were not immediately returned.

In an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal before the show, Ronstadt said "I keep hoping that if I'm annoying enough to them, they won't hire me back."

Looks like she got her wish.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by sgtclub
I (an many commentators, including liberal commentators) believe that the WH overreacted to all the critisism and just wanted to put the matter behind them.

So we are down to the following sources for the notion that Iraq tried to obtain uranium from Niger: (1) A phony set of documents peddled to a bunch of European intelligence agencies, among others, and (2) some other source the British say they have about which they will tell us nothing. We also know that Iraq had no nuclear program, and that the mines in Niger were under French control and/or flooded.* And yet you cling to the notion that it was appropriate for Bush to go in front of the nation in the State of the Union address to try to scare people into going to war with a nation that we now know posed no threat to us. OK. Not even the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, previously noted for his willingness to carry the Administration's water on a variety of issues, agrees with you, but OK.

* Conservatives would ordinarily be trying to make something of this combination of factors -- more's the pity they can't here.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
"Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill," Hall says. "It's like it pounds at my brain. I'll figure out how to deal with it when I get home."

Maybe being offered a first class seat will settle his nerves.

that you would even think this worthy of posting shows why Dems cannot be trusted with the keys any longer. We have soldiers. they have people to kill. Some of the soldiers will get fucked up by it. this is different from every prior war how?

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
that you would even think this worthy of posting shows why Dems cannot be trusted with the keys any longer. We have soldiers. they have people to kill. Some of the soldiers will get fucked up by it. this is different from every prior war how?

Read the article. Back before they figured out how to get 95% of soldiers to shoot in battle, by changing targets to human-shaped ones and making killing automatic (rather than allowing people to think about it), many fewer soldiers suffered from PTSD.

[Not Bob]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Shut up and sing already....

But it's ok when the singer talks about "supporting the President." See just about any mainstream Nashville C&W artist.

Sorry, this is a pet peeve of mine. According to the right, entertainers aren't allowed to have and express opinions about national or world events, politics, etc. Unless the opinions are the right ones.

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
that you would even think this worthy of posting shows why Dems cannot be trusted with the keys any longer. We have soldiers. they have people to kill. Some of the soldiers will get fucked up by it. this is different from every prior war how?

I didn't say it was different. My post was educational. You would rather these men and women suffer in silence, facing institutionalization or a life on the streets upon their heroic returns to a populace unprepared for how our war would change them? Traitor.

There was an equally interesting article in the SF Chronicle about the surprising prevalence of traumatic brain injury and its incurable impact on vets and their families. The advancements in body armor have made more battlefield injuries survivable, but the effect these injuries have on their survivors is heartbreaking.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
So we are down to the following sources for the notion that Iraq tried to obtain uranium from Niger: (1) A phony set of documents peddled to a bunch of European intelligence agencies, among others, and (2) some other source the British say they have about which they will tell us nothing. We also know that Iraq had no nuclear program, and that the mines in Niger were under French control and/or flooded.* And yet you cling to the notion that it was appropriate for Bush to go in front of the nation in the State of the Union address to try to scare people into going to war with a nation that we now know posed no threat to us. OK. Not even the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, previously noted for his willingness to carry the Administration's water on a variety of issues, agrees with you, but OK.

* Conservatives would ordinarily be trying to make something of this combination of factors -- more's the pity they can't here.

(1) As set forth in the Lord Butler report, the phony set of documents were not relevant. I also note that Wilson cited these as evidence backing his claim, even though they didn't come to light until 8 months after his "report."

(2) Take it up with Lord Butler

(3) They had a nuclear program. It may not have been as advanced as we thought, but it was there.

(4) It is true what you say about the mines . . . in Niger. Niger is not Africa, however.

(5) Wilson, himself, cites evidence that Iraq sought uranium in 1999.

(6) Scare is a pejorative term. He laid out what he believed to be true. At the same time, Saddam was in violation of 1441 and was playing games with the inspectors. And, of course, the nation had just been bombed 1 year before, and the intelligence agenices were roundly being criticized for "not connecting the dots." What do you think dots look like? Hint: it is not a perfect picture where, if you work hard enough and are smart enough, you get an infallable answer. Frankly, I would be calling for Bush's removal had he not done what he did.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Not Bob
But it's ok when the singer talks about "supporting the President." See just about any mainstream Nashville C&W artist.

Sorry, this is a pet peeve of mine. According to the right, entertainers aren't allowed to have and express opinions about national or world events, politics, etc. Unless the opinions are the right ones.

Save it. These people paid good money to hear her SING, not spew.

[SlaveNoMore]

Tyrone Slothrop
So we are down to the following sources for the notion that Iraq tried to obtain uranium from Niger: (1) A phony set of documents peddled to a bunch of European intelligence agencies, among others

As remarked here and elsewhere, some phony, some not.

and (2) some other source the British say they have about which they will tell us nothing. We also know that Iraq had no nuclear program

Its program (or programme as the Economist likes to call it) was shuttered and Saddam, by most accounts, intended to ramp it back up once the UN sanctions were lifted. So to say "no program" is misleading

and that the mines in Niger were under French control

Isn't "French control" an oxymoron

and/or flooded.*

Uranium constitutes near 80% of Niger's exports - was this the rainy season?

And yet you cling to the notion that it was appropriate for Bush to go in front of the nation in the State of the Union address to try to scare people into going to war with a nation that we now know posed no threat to us.

I like how you include the words "now know"