Derf Makes it Big

The New York Times has taken notice of www.cicadaville.com the creation of Cincinnati satirist Brandon Breedon, a writer at Derf Magazine.

And another, the Cicadas are really fucking loud.

No Big Deal?

Rob Daumeyer at the Cincinnati Business Courier writes on why Abu Ghraib became a bigger deal that he thinks it deserves:

Abu Ghraib, the Department of Defense, Wall Street and just about every other institution you can think of, are being derided as symptoms of a debased, faded civilization.

To which I reply, stop with the crazy talk. That argument is emptier than the soul food line at the Republican National Convention.

Look, I'm not saying things are super terrifically splendidly great, but let's get serious. The Abu Ghraib torture -- or fraternity hazing, as Rush Limbaugh calls it -- isn't anything we didn't do in other wars. I shudder to think what we did with the few Japanese we managed to get our hands on. We just didn't have tiny little digital cameras and the Internet to duplicate them a bazillion times.

I think Rob's point on how what was done by Hitler or Stalin was worse than Abu Ghraib is "true", but the difference that apologists for Don Rumsfeld miss on this point is that it was our military. Rob is wrong, this is a big deal. He agrees that the situation was horrid and Rumsfeld and Co deserve criticism, but even though attention has been focused on this one prison, it still does not take away that our soldiers did this and did it knowingly. Another person's crime is horrible, but a crime your commit yourself is then end of one's moral stature.

Boycott B Website is 'Suspended'

The website "www.boycottcincinnati.org" only has this comment as a banner, "This Account Has Been Suspended." Nate Livingston must be on vacation.

Bush Speech, Little New

There were a few dates that he committed to meeting for elections in Iraq, but other than wanting to demolish the Abu Ghraib, there was nothing new. He was a little bit more specific about what he wants, but how he plans on doing it, well that is still a mystery.

His big lie was saying that on June 30th Iraq will have "full sovereignty." That is just crap and he and everyone else knows that. He knows that having 138,000 troops in Iraq under his control means it is in no way a sovereign county.

Will the media keep the pressure on Bush if what he said does not come to pass? We'll just have to wait and see.

Change any opinions? Nope. It was not carried by the 4 networks, so few likely were to have seen it.

Washingtonienne Picture

"Washingtonienne" is on the right. More from WaPo.

UPDATED by the directionally challenged writer.

Kill the Messenger

We get the typical anti-free press idiot in the Letters tot he Enquirer (2nd letter):

Showing photos aids the enemy

The photographs of abuse of 'Iraqi detainees' by American soldiers are a sad tale. Having served in the United States Air Force for 11 years and now serving in the Kentucky Army National Guard, I know this is not the norm for U.S. troops. I'm not excusing their actions by any means and disciplinary actions have already begun.
But should a man, a non-combatant there to help rebuild a nation in turmoil be decapitated for crimes of others? What is the media's hand in this matter? Anyone with the slightest bit of common sense knows the answer. By non-stop coverage and viewing of those prison photos the media has put every American in Iraq and probably in most Middle Eastern countries at risk. ?
Irresponsible journalism is aiding and abetting the enemy. Please stop handing them ammunition.
Steven Banfield
Taylor Mill

I guess Mr. Banfield prefers only the news that helps out the Army by hiding the truth. We all know that the truth kills people after all. An honest man dies first is what I always say.

He is right about one thing: the US government is just handing this crap to the media. That is however not the media's fault. If he wants to blame the bad actions of the military on someone, why not try blaming it on the military? I myself blame the civilian leadership of the military, which is one of many reasons I do not support this Administration.

Prophetic Woodward

Well, Bob Woodward did not conjure up the claim in his book,“Plan of Attack,” that the Saudis planned on lowering the price of oil in time for the election. He got it from their US Ambassador. So, here starts their "contribution" to the Bush reelection campaign. There may not have been a provable "deal," but Bush is the Saudi choice for President. Their financial contribution to his campaign goes far more than money for attack ads, it goes right into his manipulation of the perceptions of the American people. When the price of gas comes down, what will Bush say? His tax cuts did the trick, but of course. Now, he would be right, if by tax cuts he really meant his personal ties with the oppressive anti-human rights government of Saudi Arabia. A government that turned a blind eye to Anti-American terrorists brewing within its own borders. That is a foreign policy only Henry Kissinger could love.