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Hits of the Day
Two Hundred Million a Day
by Orlando 11/9/2010 - 2:48 am
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You'd think for the kind of money President Obama is spending on travel in Right-Wing Fantasy Land, there would be at least one public event during his time in Indonesia. I mean, it's not like there are occasional attacks of terrorism in a city that is beyond impossible to secure.
Except it is exactly like that. Oh, well. I know somebody who knows somebody who is invited to dinner with the President this evening. Him and a few hundred other more important expats. Not that I'm bitter. But for $200 million a day, you'd think anybody holding a U.S. passport would be invited.
On a more serious note, although I know this is nothing new, I continue to find it incredibly frustrating that media outlets, politicians, and various other public figures can just make shit up and then pretend to be outraged about it. So, if you're a right-winger and you're reading this, if you're angry about the "fact" that the President's Asia trip is costing so much, why don't you take a deep breath, examine reality (it's nice here), and find something to really get pissed about--like the fact that we have been spending at least half a billion dollars every day in Iraq for the past seven years. You're so interested in knowing where your grandchildren's future is? Get a fucking shovel and start digging in the sand.
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In the News
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Doctor Who Helped Find Bin Laden Given Jail Term (for...
By Ismail Kahn, New York Times, May 23/24, 2012
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A Pakistani doctor who helped the Central Intelligence Agency pin down Osama bin Laden's location under cover of a vaccination drive was convicted on Wednesday of treason and sentenced to 33 years in prison, a senior official in Pakistan said.
A tribal court here in northwestern Pakistan found the doctor, Shakil Afridi, guilty of acting against the state, said Mutahir Zeb Khan, the administrator for the Khyber tribal region [....]
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By Sergei L. Loiko, Los Angeles Times, May 23, 2012
MOSCOW — Stiff new penalties aimed at opposition protesters were given preliminary approval Tuesday by Russian lawmakers loyal to President Vladimir Putin, the target of mass rallies and demonstrations before his March election victory.
The bill, which opposition parliament members termed draconian and protested by threatening to file out of a legislative session, calls for fines of up to $50,000 and up to 200 hours of community service for organizers of rallies and demonstrations that grow violent or exceed the approved number of participants.
The sanctions were approved on first reading by parliament's lower house, which is controlled by Putin's United Russia party. They mark a return by the Kremlin to a tough stance against critics after concessions during the recent election campaign [...]
Also see:
Russians back Putin, strong leadership
Washington Post, May 22, 2012A Pew survey of 1,000 Russians found that President Vladimir Putin is well-liked by more than 70 percent of citizens, especially older adults.
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By Tamasin Ford in Monrovia, Guardian.co.uk, May 22, 2012
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US Army more selective on recruits, re-enlistments
By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press, May 22, 2012
WASHINGTON -- Uncle Sam may not want you after all.
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For a time during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Army lowered its recruiting standards [....]
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He is only doing what Presidents always have done. But you know the crazy right has to spend time in la la land because it is Obama that is President. Then what gets me is the sane pundents say" well, maybe he should not have gone because of jobs and post election." as a reaction to the nutty right's rants and ravings. I see no reason why he shouldn't make that trip and do what Presidents always have done. Let him build bridges.
I agree. Also, I was apparently in a bad mood this afternoon when I posted this. I just get so fed up with the fact that people can tell lies on television and no one calls them to task for doing so because of the political ramifications. Screw the political ramifications--tell the effing truth!
I loved this! Short and sweet and to the point. Well done.
Isn't it also ironic that the wingnuts basically went to outsourcing to "just make shit up" this time? Their pundits can't make their own shit up anymore? Got to find Indian media outlets to do it for them?
Haha! That's hilarious!
I don't know if that qualfiies as irony though. They pretty much favor outsourcing in every other sector.
Off-thread--
would love to read anything you have to say regarding the topic of this analysis:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/10/world/asia/10indo.html
AA, I started to reply to your comment, but it got really long, so I made it a blog.
Thanks for the NYT link, because I would have missed it.