A 1942 Martin D-45. I imagine its a wonderful guitar (99.9% of Martins are) but at a current bid of over $217,000, I’m gonna wait and see if I can find one a bit cheaper…!

Henry’s terror flight
Kathy McCabe

US rocker and writer Henry Rollins was reported to the National Security hotline during his recent Australian tour because of a book he was reading on flight to Brisbane.

“Please tell your Government and everyone in your office to go f… themselves. Baghdad’s safer than my hometown and your PM is a sissy,” he wrote.

Nothing good, it seems:

I think that most Americans have no idea what a hellhole Iraq really is at this moment. Baghdad is being starved for fuel and electricity. A fourth of the country lives there. It’s the capital. That’s not a good situation. In about half of the country there’s substantial insecurity, bombs going off, assassinations. It’s not everywhere all the time. It’s every once in a while in some places. But, over time, it disrupts things. It disrupts the economy; it disrupts people’s lives. It makes people more nervous about even going out. I think most Americans just can’t imagine that situation.

Continue reading Juan Cole here.

Scooter Libby, aka Treason Boy, has a website to assist in his defense fundraising.

Seriously warped stuff there, such as the banner quote from the Vice President of the United States, Deadeye Dick Cheney:

“Scooter Libby is one of the most capable and talented individuals I’ve ever known.”

Head right fast to the “What you aren’t hearing” button, where you’ll be treated to such tasty bits as:

President Bush: “Scooter has worked tirelessly on behalf of the American people and sacrificed much in the service to this country. He served the Vice President and me through extraordinary times in our nation’s history.” (President Bush, “President’s Remarks on the Resignation of Scooter Libby, Washington, D.C., 10/28/05)

Yes, the outing of a covert CIA agent does make for “extraordinary times”, you treasonous asshat.

These people define hubris. The idea that a person indicted for lying in the course of an investigation into a high-level national security breach can post a website where the highest members of our country are quoted in his defense is remarkable.

The Chinese (or whoever Robert Kennedy stole it from) had it right.

Bush Says Ports Deal Will Stand
TED BRIDIS

WASHINGTON – Lawmakers determined to capsize the pending sale of shipping operations at six major U.S. seaports to a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates said President Bush’s surprise veto threat won’t deter them.

Bush on Tuesday brushed aside objections by leaders in the Senate and House that the $6.8 billion sale could raise risks of terrorism at American ports. In a forceful defense of his administration’s earlier approval of the deal, he pledged to veto any bill Congress might approve to block the agreement.

So why is Bush being such a hardass about this? Other than his lifelong bending over to rich Arabs, that is?

Hey come on, its Bush. Hence, its for sale:

The Dirty Little Secret Behind the UAE Port Security Flap

Politicians and the media are loudly decrying the Bush administration’s proposal to turn over port security to a firm owned by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – a country with ties to terrorists. They are talking tough about national security – but almost no one is talking about what may have fueled the administration’s decision to push forward with this deal: the desire to move forward Big Money’s “free” trade agenda.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a BushCo production without cronyism, would it?

Dubai company set to run U.S. ports has ties to administration
MICHAEL MCAULIFF

The Dubai firm that won Bush administration backing to run six U.S. ports has at least two ties to the White House.

The other connection is David Sanborn, who runs DP World’s European and Latin American operations and who was tapped by Bush last month to head the U.S. Maritime Administration.

Sadly, there is nothing at all surprising about this. Bush has put our national security- hell, our entire nation and its founding concepts- up for sale. He’s also given an opposition party- if we had one, that is- a perfect item to run on and win.

Or as the president Bush most resembles, Nixon said to David Frost on the Watergate affair: “I gave them a sword. And they used it.”

Let’s hope the sword is used on Bush. Slowly and painfully, much like his “presidency”.

It is shaping up to be a very bad year for the GOP

So, the President starts dropping just a few weeks after an ineffective State of the Union. In some polls he dips below 40 percent, truly dangerous territory. It seems like their years of bad governance has finally caught up with them. That the American people are focusing more on deeds, not words. But can the ruthless pols running the GOP these days turn this thing around and snatch a victory from what could be a near-certain defeat?

Looking at how the year is likely to unfold, it is very hard to see how they turn this thing around.

Cut and paste to all your “W” buddies.

Silence the War Drums

Before the US House of Representatives, February 16, 2006

By Ron Paul

02/20/06 “ICH” — – Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this very dangerous legislation. My colleagues would do well to understand that this legislation is leading us toward war against Iran.

Those reading this bill may find themselves feeling a sense of deja vu. In many cases one can just substitute “Iraq” for “Iran” in this bill and we could be back in the pre-2003 run up to war with Iraq. And the logic of this current push for war is much the same as was the logic used in the argument for war on Iraq. As earlier with Iraq, this resolution demands that Iran perform the impossible task of proving a negative – in this case that Iran does not have plans to build a nuclear weapon.

The notion that a country with ties to 9-11 is allowed to buy ports in our nation- ports that our military uses to transport material- is insanity. Thankfully, some Republicans understand this:

GOP Governors Threaten to Block Port Deal
WILL LESTER

WASHINGTON – Two Republican governors are threatening legal action to block an Arab company from taking over operations in major U.S. ports and some GOP lawmakers say the deal should be closely examined.

In the uneasy climate after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Bush administration decision to allow the transaction is threatening to develop a major political headache for the White House.

Seriously, what the f is the White House thinking?

Hello.

I just wanted to update you on the status of my potential lawsuit against Ann Coulter. Following is my latest entry to my blog. You will note that I am not asking you for additional pledges, but rather hoping that additional people, especially those with deep pockets, step forward to make this a real possibility of prevailing in court rather than a wimpy shot across the bow of the Right. So if you know anyone like that, or have access to the big liberal blogs like Daily Kos and Atrios that have millions of readers, please ask them to consider taking part.

In the meantime, thanks for your pledge. I’ll let you know, probably next week, whether or not we have raised the funds (in the mid-five figures) necessary to do this right. If so I’ll give you payment instructions. Regardless what happens, I’m in awe of your willingness to step up.

Very truly yours,
Ted

I’ve pledged, and I expect all TTP readers to do the same. Read more here.