Too Much To Focus On This Week. So, some highlights:

February 5, 2007 by mugsy.

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A Titan Passes Away.

I started writing my usual Op/Ed earlier this week when news broke that a Superstar of the Progressive Media had passed away. If there was a Liberal Mount Rushmore, Molly Ivins’ face would be right up there (along with the likes of Bill Moyer and Phil Donahue). The 62 year old author of numerous “left wing” books including “Shrub” (a term she coined meaning “Little Bush” to refer to the Texas Governor and son of the former President) and its sequel “Bushwacked“, passed away Wednesday night after a valiant seven year battle with breast cancer.

For those not familiar with Molly, I’ve posted a couple of audio links of her to listen to. The first requires some setup. In 2003, Molly was promoting Bushwacked at The LA Book Expo along with fellow authors Al Franken and Right-Wing loudmouth Bill O’Reilly. Al was just about to release “Lies & Lying Liars“, in which he dedicated an entire chapter to Bill O’Reilly. Al had just finished relaying one of his prime examples of Bill-O being caught lying to make himself sound more important than he really is. One can only picture the steam shooting out of Billy’s ears when he finally explodes into a shouting match with Al. Molly then interjects with her classic Texas charm to defuse the situation. (The first voice you hear is that of host, former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder (D-CO).)

The second clip is the first three minutes of Molly reading the prologue from her 2000 book, “Shrub“.

Fourth Helicopter in Two Weeks Shot Down in Iraq
(Special thanks to contributor “LongFisher” for the heads up)

It went by pretty much unnoticed in the MSM (Mainstream Media) that Friday’s downing of an Army Apache helicopter by shoulder-fired SAM (Surface to Air Missile) is the FOURTH such downing in two weeks.

As LongFisher points out:

At least three of them have been reported to have been hit by a SAM. The other was reportedly downed by an medium-heavy machine gun.

One of the ships shot down as a U.S. Apache helicopter. Now, the Apache is one of the most advanced ground attack helicopters in the world. And, it’s missile warning and evasion systems are second to none. That’s a particularly bad sign.

If SAMs are now present on the battlefield in significant numbers and if, as apparent from the mounting SAM-caused shootdowns, the U.S. helos don’t have adequate defenses against them, then this war is going to change, change fast and change forever. That is, unless countermeasures can be found.

I should note that LongFisher correctly predicted the coming escalation of the violence in Iraq back in 2004 when “shaped charges” started to make their appearance amongst the violence. A “shaped charge” is a projectile produced using a method that basically involves firing a cannister-like iron/steel/uranium projectile with such force that it turns itself inside out, capable of slicing though armor plating like a hot knife through butter. This is a very advanced military technique not likely to be stumbled upon by your average street protester. It IS however the kind of weapon a trained (and now angry & unemployed) former Iraqi military officer would likely know something about.

Media STILL Trying to Figure Out “Who Told Libby About Plame?”

While I blogged on this very subject for the third time last week, the MSM still seems to be running around like squirrels in a cage trying to find evidence VP Cheney wasn’t lying when he confessed to committing treason on “Meet the Press” last September. I don’t know about you, but this is probably the one and only time I’m willing to take Cheney at his word.

Bush Asks for ANOTHER $245 BILLION DOLLARS for Iraq and Afghanistan

Remember when “the war in Iraq will cost the American taxpayer $1.7 Billion tops […] paid for by Iraqi oil revenues“? Well now, President Bush is seeking an additional $100 Billion this year, with another $145 Billion for 2008″ to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, bringing the total to just under $700 BILLION DOLLARS (7/10ths of a TRILLION) before Bush leaves office in January 2009. On March 19th, the Iraq war will begin its FIFTH year, and next October, Afghanistan will begin its SEVENTH.

“24″ is NOT a Conservative show

I’ve been a fan of the TV Show “24” since the first episode in early 2002. But only recently (like, in the past year) did I discover that Ubër-Conservatives like Rush Limbaugh are not only mega-fans of the hit television show, but also proudly point to the story lines as defense of Conservative Ideology on The War on Terror. They point to scenes where “Liberal” characters, had they of gotten their way in key situations, would of meant disaster for the United States. They point to the shows’ hero Jack Bauer learning crucial life-saving nick-of-time information only by breeching protocol and engaging in the torture of suspects.

I guess everybody sees what they want to see, but The Carpetbagger Report makes a strong case for what I’ve always felt: “24 is NOT a champion of Conservative politics“, citing numerous examples of the show introducing dangerous, often power-mad Republican characters and even the main character Bauer himself has embracing the idea that the key to counter-terrorism is relying on, instead of alienating, Muslim allies.

Congressman Tim Ryan hits another one out of the park

If you aren’t familiar with Congressman Tim Ryan (D-OH) from some of his past speeches on the floor of Congress (most notably, his 2004 speech on “why the Internet rumor that Bush might reinstate the draft if reelected persists despite Bush’s reassurances he won’t”), you will be. Ryan is a rising star among the Democratic Party you are sure to hear more from in the near future.

Congressman Ryan hit another one out of the park Friday when he spoke about “the hypocrisy of Republicans now lecturing Democrats on over spending“. Check it out. It’s a keeper.

I will return to my usual ranting and hypocrisy-exposing next week. See ya then!

BTW: The Super Bowl victory by the Colts heralds two firsts: first African-American head coach to win a Super Bowl (both coaches for each team were black) and the first “Domed stadium” team to win a Super Bowl… breaking a 40 year old curse.

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