Today's edition of quick hits:
* Even those accustomed to routine bellicose rhetoric out of North Korea are concerned about recent developments on the peninsula.
* A deadly shooting in Herkimer, N.Y.: "SWAT teams with an armored vehicle and a track-driven robot with a camera on top moved in on a row of shops where authorities believe a gunman who killed four people and wounded two others may have been hiding Wednesday afternoon."
* It's going to get lost in the news shuffle today, but Senate Democrats unveiled a budget plan today. The blueprint enjoys the unanimous backing of caucus members on the Senate Budget Committee, which wasn't necessarily easy.
* Moving forward on a continuing resolution that would prevent a government shutdown: "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday moved forward on a $984 billion spending bill after GOP senators lifted their hold on the measure."
* The quintessential WonkBlog item on a day like today: "Everything you need to know about Pope Francis's macroeconomic views."
* Libya: "President Obama will nominate Deborah K. Jones as the State Department's new ambassador to Libya, the White House announced on Wednesday. If confirmed, Jones would replace Chris Stevens, the ambassador killed in the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya."
* On a related note: "Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zidan, making his first official trip to Washington six months after the deadly Sept. 11 attack in Benghazi, publicly promised Wednesday that his government would identify, capture and put on trial those behind it."
* The National Association for the Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), which claims to focus on "curing" gay people, has lost its tax-exempt status (thanks to reader R.B. for the tip).
* And the Republican spokesperson for the House Armed Services Committee actually believes George W. Bush "took responsibility" for the pre-invasion Iraq war lies and the debacle surrounding the governmental response to Hurricane Katrina. He remembers the previous decade far differently than I do.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Leave a Comment:
Dear Republican spokesperson: G. W. Bush never took responsibility for anything bad he ever did, especially about the Iraq war. He couldn't remember any mistakes that he made. Your memory must be as good as his.
/snark/ for those whose sarcasm meter is broken
Of course he took responsibility! Didn't you see him searching for WMD under pillows, during the presentation at the WH Press Corpse dinner? What a hilarious apology!
I love it, so pathetically funny, your false messiah is failing so you revert back to talking about a president from the past...Too cute!
Actually, no - she was responding to the last section of the blog entry to which you, too, were responding.
Oh, you didn't notice that. Oops. Reading is fundamental!
So sorry. Thanks for playing - and do try again!
Tocha! Just another Repuke airing is dirty laundry. His pea brain.
Tehran's Hoax of Hollywood conference sets a precedent that other countries could follow.
If Hollywood studios were sued every time their movies got their facts wrong, they would have been bankrupted years ago!
Wow Something has unanimous backing in the Senate. At least among Democrats. Who would have thunk it.
Pity the poor Chinese government. After lending support to the North Koreans in their invasion of the South sixty years ago, now they have a failed state on their border. They have to continue supporting the regime, fearing both a huge influx of refugees if it falls or, even worse, a unified Democratic state on its border.
And now Mighty Jong Young claims the armistice is over. How's that Korean War working out for you guys?
Am I a bad person for thinking this? I think we should send a drone over to North Korea. But it should only be armed with marbles. Yes, marbles. Then when we find Kim Jong-un out in public, we drop the marbles so he trips on them, and we use the drone to take video of this and we put it on youtube.
Seriously. Does this guy NEVER think to himself... "I wonder if Rainbow Six knows where I am?"
The marble strafe would be a nice little reality check.
May I recommend Yakkety Sax for the soundtrack.
Or Stewie from Family Guy.
Super sad note out of Foxborough, Rachel - Wes Welker is going to tbe Broncos... Perhaps a farewell on-air cocktail in his honor is in order? Call it the "Hatin' Peyton".
Actually, it is much more understandable now why the US got kicked out of Iraq. And even why certain Afghanistan people end up hating us. With these situations of rape in the military, you know right out that it was these same soldiers that were raping and doing much worse to the Iraqi people. And we wonder why America gets hated so much, when we are supposedly suppose to bring Democracy to another country by war and what do we do but rape and abuse the people in that very country. Look how the military and even politicians have allowed these soldiers to keep getting away with this crap. What a very poor example of helping people or trying to stop some supposed oppressor of another country, when our military cannot even do the right things with justice. This is an outright shame and disgrace to America.
Well said! Just remember, not all men in the military act like animals.... I learned many years ago that in any group, or society (military, police, college students,etc.) it only takes about 3% of the members to cast a shadow on ALL members. I, for one do not understand where America has the obligation or right to bring our war machine to any and all parts of the world to demand they accept a "democratic" government. After all, can we look at our own congress and be proud enough of their actions, particularly in the last few years, to demand another country live by our example?
Well said! Just remember, not all men in the military act like animals.... I learned many years ago that in any group, or society (military, police, college students,etc.) it only takes about 3% of the members to cast a shadow on ALL members. I, for one do not understand where America has the obligation or right to bring our war machine to any and all parts of the world to demand they accept a "democratic" government. After all, can we look at our own congress and be proud enough of their actions, particularly in the last few years, to demand another country live by our example?
I agree 19Ken48, but things become much worse and are wrong, when you have politicians and the military brush this poor behavior under the carpet and totally ignoring this bad behavior. What has been happening here is a total encouragement of bad behavior that is very much wrong and makes us look bad. When we want to be doing better things and showing it.
THE NEW POPE; AND ALL THE "POPE-A-RAZZI "
COVERING THS STORY..
POPE-A RAZZI .. LOREM IPSUM DOLOR SIT AMET. CONSECTETUR ADIPISCING ELIT IN NOMBE PADRE, ET FILIE ET SPIRITU SANCTUM AD NAUSEUM AMEN.
HABEMUS PAPUM RUMPY PUMPY E PLURIBUS UNUM SEMPER FIDELIS TATUM ERGO HABEUS CORPUS DIO..
LOL!!
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/625658_495721317151510_2139802036_n.jpg
Shooting in Herkimer, NY started with guy setting his own home on fire in Mohawk, NY and then shooting people in a barber shop, traveling to Herkimer and then shooting people at a car wash/oil/lube place. Going on 7 PM and schools, colleges are still on lock-down and people can't get to their homes if they are within a three block area of the place they THINK he is. Had a press conference and Cuomo showed up, too.
Is there something about the Noonan genes that messes with your mind? Maybe a linked gene that is responsible for neuronal connection development that got mutated somehow?
The Republican spokesperson stating that George W. Bush took responsibility for his actions is just continuing the GOP's policy of lies. denials, and obfuscation. They,the GOP, just doesn't understand that when you base your entire political campaign on lies and deceitful practices... you will lose! Please tell the GOP, "The TRUTH will set you free!"
This from an Obama supporter? Hahahaha! Please! Good GodIi really hope there aren't people out there that stupid as to think Obama is not lying to you
So, you beleive FOX "NEWS"?
NARTH losing tax exempt status being a sign that the "ex-gay" .. whatever.. is losing steam.
Hooray!
#5 above... can we let some marbles loose and video the Kansas Phelps family Westboro "church" trying to walk across a street with their hate signs to save their tax exempt status, too?