Even in London

Reports are coming in that London police may well have screwed up big time when they killed a Brazillian man last month. The police "mistook" the man for a terrorist.

Britain's ITV television news reported the man was already seated on a train when he was tackled by a police surveillance officer. The report also quotes a passenger on the train as saying the first shot was fired while the victim was sitting down.

The documents and photographs confirm that Jean Charles was not carrying any bags, and was wearing a denim jacket, not a bulky winter coat, as had previously been claimed.

He was behaving normally, and did not vault the barriers, even stopping to pick up a free newspaper.

He started running when we saw a tube at the platform. Police had agreed they would shoot a suspect if he ran.

A document describes CCTV footage, which shows Mr de Menezes entered Stockwell station at a "normal walking pace" and descended slowly on an escalator.

The document said: "At some point near the bottom he is seen to run across the concourse and enter the carriage before sitting in an available seat.

British police originally said the 27-year-old Brazilian, Jean Charles de Menezes, was shot after refusing an order to stop. That no longer appears to be true.

While blame for this horrendous act cannot be placed fully on George W. Bush, he certainly deserves a portion of it, as do the actual terrorists. It's events like this that cause the world to hate the U.S. And Bush has done more to elevate that hate than any other American. Ever.

America can do better than George W. Bush.

Bush Screws Up Iraqi Constitution

He's done everything else wrong, why should this be any different? Seems the pressure Bush and Condi are putting so much pressure on the Iraqis to finish a constitution, it is causing a backlash.

Reuters has details:

The United States is pushing Iraqi leaders hard to reach agreement on a draft constitution but U.S. experts on Iraq warned on Monday that too much pressure could backfire and undermine the leadership's credibility.

Condi and Bush are pretending that the Iraqis are in charge, but that's not quite accurate:

But some U.S.-based Iraq analysts disagreed and criticized the United States for piling too much pressure on all sides to reach agreement and said it had made Iraqi politicians' jobs more difficult.

"Clearly the deadline is not working as there are still such big issues outstanding and putting pressure on them to meet the timetable is probably causing more division among the Iraqis than consensus," said Iraq expert David Phillips of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Middle East specialist Shibley Telhami said he thought the United States was playing too big a role in helping draft the constitution and this posed a credibility problem for the current Iraqi leaders.

"The U.S. ambassador there is very visible in his meetings over the constitution. There is the impression that the United States is driving this, and that is not a good thing," said Telhami of the Brookings Institution.

And there are those who don't think the constitution will make a difference.

"By now I don't think that progress on the constitution will have one iota of impact, and even if they come up with a compromise agreement, implementing it is another story," [Phillips] said.

Why are we there?

Being Honored

I'm not quite sure how to react to this. My sudden disappearance from big church city (and blogging) was to attend a convention of journalism and mass communication educators in San Antonio, Texas.

I had no plans to go to this annual event because of its location and the time of year. San Antonio. August. Why? Well, you get good convention rates when you go to the deep south in August. This same group has had its convention in Miami Beach, Phoenix and New Orleans in recent years, along with Kansas City, Toronto and D.C. I'm not much up for high humidity. High heat I can deal with, but humidity wipes me out. Probably why I so enjoyed New Mexico earlier this summer.

Anyway, was going to pass on the convention until I got a phone call telling me I absolutely had to attend. Nope, not gonna do it. Please? Nope. OK, I really HAD to attend. Why? I was getting an award. Oh. Okay. I'll try.

So the missus and I dropped the beagle off at the pampered pet motel and drove to Texas. It rained part of the time, but generally we had hot and humid weather. Highs near 100 every day, humidity above 90 percent. Ate at a wonderful German deli and a pretty good Mexican restaurant (the wife loves a good Margarita). Visited the Alamo, walked on the Riverwalk, rode the trolley to see the Alamodome and other parts of town. A worthwhile visit. Even attended a session on blogging at the convention.

Dutifully went to the business meeting where the award was to be presented and had a wonderful conversation with a couple of ladies from the Radio-Television News Directors Foundation.

Came to the time for the award. Listened to a description of someone who sounded vaguely familiar, but certainly didn't deserve the kudos being bandied about. "Recognition long overdue," the host said. "Served the organization in good times and bad." "Not only should he receive this award, but we've decided to name it after him." Then he called me up to the podium to present a plaque honoring me for my service to the organization. I am the first recipient of a service award named for me. And then I got a standing ovation.

And I really don't know how to react to this. I am humbled by the experience. And very grateful to be so honored. But what does one say at such an event? Fortunately, no one expected me to give a speech. Wouldn't have been able to as I was choked up and speechless.

So, how'd you spend your weekend?

Bush's Weekly Lie-fest

Our commander on vacation used his weekly radio address to promote his old lie that Iraq was tied to "September the 11th:"

The recent violence in Iraq is a grim reminder of the brutal nature of the enemy we face in the war on terror. Our mission in Iraq is tough because the enemy understands the stakes. The terrorists know that a free Iraq in the heart of the Middle East will be a crippling blow to their hateful ideology. And that is why our work in Iraq is a vital part of the war on terror we're waging around the world.

This war on terror arrived on our shores on September the 11th, 2001.

When will the mainstream media start calling Bush on this lie? Dubya then slaps the face of our "allies" in the War on Terror (or whatever we're calling it now):

...the terrorists have continued to kill -- in Madrid, Istanbul, Jakarta, Casablanca, Riyadh, Bali, Baghdad, London, and elsewhere. ...we're staying on the offensive in Iraq, Afghanistan and other fronts in the war on terror, fighting terrorists abroad so we do not have to face them here at home.

Yes, we must keep the terrorists from attacking America. Keep them in Spain and England and Saudi Arabia where they belong.

That same day, the New York Times posted this story: "U.S. Struggling to Get Soldiers Improved Armor." Still struggling to get armor for the troops. We've been told it's been taken care of....but it hasn't been. Soldiers in Iraq do not have the proper equipment:

For the second time since the Iraq war began, the Pentagon is struggling to replace body armor that is failing to protect American troops from the most lethal attacks by insurgents.

The ceramic plates in vests worn by most personnel cannot withstand certain munitions the insurgents use. But more than a year after military officials initiated an effort to replace the armor with thicker, more resistant plates, tens of thousands of soldiers are still without the stronger protection because of a string of delays in the Pentagon's procurement system.
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The effort to replace the armor began in May 2004, just months after the Pentagon finished supplying troops with the original plates - a process also plagued by delays. The officials disclosed the new armor effort Wednesday after questioning by The New York Times, and acknowledged that it would take several more months or longer to complete.

Next up: . Bush and company keep pushing for a third war there:

President Bush said on Israeli television he could consider using force as a last resort to press Iran to give up its nuclear programme.

"All options are on the table," Bush, speaking at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, said in the interview broadcast on Saturday.

Asked if that included the use of force, Bush replied: "As I say, all options are on the table. The use of force is the last option for any president and you know, we've used force in the recent past to secure our country."

How long do you think it will be before we start hearing about Iran's nuclear program being tied to "September the 11th?"

7 Years for Killing Five

Seven years ago Mitchell Johnson and Andrew Golden killed four students and one teacher in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Last Thursday, Johnson walked out of jail a free man.

Arkansas' juvenile justice system prevented the state from holding either killer beyond their 18th birthdays. Federal prosecutors used weapons laws to keep the boys locked up until age 21.

Now, in the eyes of the law, Mitchell Johnson has no criminal record. He could even legally, if he chose to, buy a gun.

“If you’re a juvenile who commits a serious violent crime, you should lose your right to be able to purchase a weapon,” insists gun control advocate Peter Hamm.

Arkansas has since changed its law, allowing young offenders to be punished first as juveniles and then transferred to adult prison once they turn 18.

But Jason Ziedenberg, an advocate for the juvenile system, says Mitchell Johnson has served long enough in a system designed to rehabilitate. “That’s a far better impact on public safety than having him come out of prison 10 years, 15 years from now, without any chance of re-integrating in the way that we’d want,” says Ziedenberg.

Johnson’s parents aren’t saying where he’ll go now that he’s out. But his mother says it won’t be Jonesboro.

The shooting was cold-blooded and premeditated. Frightening to think kids so young could be so ruthless. More frightening to think Johnson could buy a gun.

Write Your Own Caption

Here's Dubya with some Little Leaguers. What do you think the caption should be? Post it in the comments. Mine's below the fold.

"And the Army will pay for your college if, I mean 'when' you get back from eye-rack..."

Dubya Has No Shame

Been away, now I'm back. Visited the Lone Star state but Dubya wouldn't allow an audience with me, either.

Cindy Sheehan is the California woman holding vigil outside Dubya's Crawford, Texas ranch until he meets with her to provide a reason for her son's death in Iraq. I'm sure you've read about it, but if not, details are here.

I'm pleased with the media attention Sheehan has been getting, especially the bad press for Dubya. When asked about Sheehan, Dubya said "I think it's also important for me to go on with my life, to keep a balanced life."

That includes attending a Republican fund-raiser and a little league game and a bike ride with Lance Armstrong.

But Dubya says "I grieve for every death" and that's supposed to make it all better. This is the same man who has never been to a soldier's funeral, whose Pentagon won't allow pictures of their caskets and who only mentions losses when they are in double digits. Oh, and he thinks about Iraq every single day.

America deserves better than George W. Bush

Housekeeping

Corrected the Chatter link over there on the right, and added some blogs I read regularly. There's no particular order to any of the listings, and no meaning behind being listed or not being listed. I need to spend some time organizing and adding blogs and other links. [sigh] A blogger's work is never done.

Friday Beagle Blogging, Impression Edition

Baxter does his impression of a pointer. "It's over that way."

By the Numbers, Part Two

Some additional numbers and thoughts to ponder.

From TheDenverChannel we learn:

A Colorado soldier who just returned from duty in Iraq fatally shot his wife and then himself, according to a Fort Carson spokesman.

Pfc. Stephen S. Sherwood, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, was with his wife at their home near Fort Collins when the shooting occurred Wednesday afternoon.

[snip]

The couple's 8-month-old child was in the care of a neighbor, who reported hearing the gunshots, said Eloise Campanella, a spokeswoman for the Larimer County sheriff.

[snip]

Sherwood was a member of the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery based out of Fort Carson, but had a home near Fort Collins.

Sherwood had returned from Iraq on July 25 after spending nearly a year there and was on leave at the time of the shootings, said Dee McNutt, an Army spokeswoman.

Sherwood enlisted in the Army in January 2004, according to McNutt.

The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, which had previously been based in South Korea, lost 68 soldiers during its tour in Iraq.

He was at least the second Fort Carson-based soldier to commit suicide shortly after serving in Iraq.

• 23,317 – Civilians reported killed by military intervention in Iraq (at least, as of August 4, 2005)

• 13,769 – U.S. military wounded in action since April 2003 (as of August 2, 2005)

• 215 – U.S. military casualties in Afghanistan (where bin Laden was/is)(as of August 4, 2005)

• $3,870,000,000 – Annual cost of all sixteen U.N. peacekeeping missions currently underway

• $4,100,000,000 – Monthly cost of the U.S. occupation of Iraq

• 0 – Number of weapons of mass destruction found in Iraq

Finally, Joe in D.C., writing about Dubya's vacation on AmericaBlog, reminds us:

And you will recall, it was during a similarly long vacation in 2001, that he was handed a memo that read "Bin Laden Determined to Strike In U.S." and did nothing.

America can do better than George W. Bush.

By the Numbers

Harper's Magazine publishes a monthly feature, Harper's Index, "a statistical snapshot of the world's economic, political, and cultural climate." Time magazine does something similar called Numbers. Here's some data worth pondering:

(source)

• 49 - the number of vacations that Bush has taken since he was inaugurated in 2001
• 5 - the number of weeks that Bush will spend on vacation. It is the longest presidential vacation in at least 36 years.
• 319 - August 3, 2005 was the 319th day Bush has spent on vacation since his 2001 inauguration.
• 20% - the fraction of Bush's presidency that he has spent on vacation

Now consider these:

• 27 - the number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq in August alone. That's right. In three days, 27 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq.
• 1,826 - the total number of U.S. troops who have died in Bush's illegal Iraq war, as of August 4, 2005.

The lyrics to U2's song Sunday, Bloody Sunday keep going through my head:

I can’t believe the news today
Oh, I can’t close my eyes and make it go away
How long...
How long must we sing this song?
How long? how long...

And it’s true we are immune
When fact is fiction and tv reality
And today the millions cry
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die

America can do better than George W. Bush.

Art, Graffiti, or What?

The people of Des Moines, Iowa have a new outdoor painting to admire. But is the nude figure — part of which is shown below the fold — art, graffiti, or what?

Like many communities, Des Moines is trying to revive its downtown by turning part of it into a center for cultural activities. Artists are turning vacant store fronts into galleries and studios. The result has met with mixed reaction:

A painting of a nude woman on the side of a downtown Des Moines building has raised eyebrows, elicited smirks and forced city inspectors to determine whether it's art or graffiti.

[snip]

City leaders, so far, have not made a determination if the painting must come down.

Art that promotes a business is often considered an advertisement that requires a permit while graffiti is strictly prohibited.

The painting was commissioned partly by the makers of Red Bull energy drink. A graffiti artist and others started the project during a Saturday night party at their galleries at 1408 Locust St. The group had permission from the building's owner, Brommel said.

City leaders complain that the work looks too much like graffiti.

"I'd rather it's not there, to be perfectly honest," said City Councilwoman Christine Hensley, who has passed on complaints to the inspectors.

Judge for yourself, is this art, or graffiti?