Good evening. There's a delay in starting because Blogger was down for an hour. Hope everyone's ready for the weekend. As always, we'll kick things off with Democracy Now! the best program on radio, TV or the internet.
"First Lady: Remarks Critical of President Are 'Disgusting'"
First Lady Laura Bush has lashed out at hip hop artist Kanye West, Howard Dean and others for criticizing her husband's handling of Hurricane Katrina. Last week West said during a nationally televised telethon "George Bush Doesn't Care About Black People." On Wednesday, Dean said "We must ... come to terms with the ugly truth that skin color, age and economics played a deadly role in who survived and who did not." Laura Bush said "I think all of those remarks are disgusting, to be perfectly frank, because of course President Bush cares about everyone in our country."
That is just creepy. "President Bush?" He's her husband. I was talking to Elaine about this today and we agreed to do the same items. (I checked to make sure she planned to blog tonight. If she hadn't planned to, I wouldn't have suggested it. I know she doesn't have time to do it every day.) So look at Elaine's reaction. But like I was all, "President Bush? Does she call him Mr. President too? Does she think she's Marilyn Monroe?" It's just creepy.
"Cheney Told "Go F**K Yourself" in Gulfport, MS"
Meanwhile Vice President Dick Cheney visited the Gulf Coast region for the first time since the hurricane struck. He was on vacation most of last week in Wyoming. On Thursday he held a brief televised press conference in Gulfport Mississippi. He hailed the relief effort as "very impressive." During the press conference, one man screamed Go F Yourself Mr. Cheney. Last year Cheney made headlines himself when he approached Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy on the Senate floor and said "F Yourself."
This was my favorite story. When Blogger wouldn't let me in because it was down, I went and watched it twice. It cracks me up. I love how C.I. flipped him off in 2002 but I love this even more. There's Cheney trying to act all important and you keep hearing a guy shouting out for him to go F himself. It's funny. He tries to act like it's no big deal but he stiffens up when he hears it. I love it. If I ran The Daily Show, this would be "the minute of nirvana" for the show for like a whole week lol.
Today's e-mail question comes from Melinda who wonders, since we're at the hottest part of summer, "are your balls itching?" Why? Are you talking about them? :D
Couldn't resist that. Yeah, they are itching like crazy all week. Last night, I was out of the shower in a towel like I usually am when I'm blogging on a hot day and they were itching even after the shower so I give 'em a scratch. Felt good. Then they itch a little while later, so I scratch 'em agin. Pretty soon, one scratch ain't taking away the itch. So I'm up to two scratches.
Then more.
I don't know if it's because they're rubbery (or mine feel that way to me anyway, don't know about other guys' nuts) but I don't think I realized how sensitive the skin can be. Near the end, I was scratching like crazy. And ended up scratching too hard. Ouch. Double ouch.
Started thinking I had to get me something like those cones they put around dog's necks or something just to make me keep my hands off my nuts.
Maybe it wasn't as hot today or maybe I had some will power but I haven't been scratching them tonight.
Melinda also worries if it's weird having them "hanging around down there all the time?" I was born with them so I don't think it would feel weird, you know? But they only swing when I'm not wearing some pants or underwear. When I'm dressed, they're pressed against my body. Melinda wondered what they felt like "swaying or swing around?"
I never thought about that either so I swiveled the hips a couple of times after getting out of the shower. I didn't really feel them moving. I could feel my cock moving. Got a half-stiffy from it in fact. So obviously, that felt good. :D
Melinda said she'd seen all the jokes in movies where a guy gets hit in the nuts and is just laid out from it and wondered if that was true. Yeah. When you get racked in the nuts, it really does hurt. Your balls hurt but like there's this thing going on in your stomach too. Like you might throw up kind of feeling. It really hurts bad. You really do collapse like in the movies if someone racks you real hard. You know that saying "the pit of my stomach"? Like that's where you feel it.
Hope that helps answer your questions.
Let's note something at The Common Ills. C.I.'s posted a thing Dahr Jamail's sent out and I think it's pretty important and hope you do too. It's easy to forget about Iraq with the tragedies around Hurricane Katrina. Dahr Jamail, Iraq Dispatches, was an unembedded reporter in Iraq and he saw reality and not the nonsense that Dexter Filkins pretended to see over at the NYT.
The following is the latest press release from the 'Doctors for Iraq Society' regarding the most recent US offensive near the Syrian border.
For those of you in the US reading this, please keep this in mind when viewing the catastrophe in New Orleans. -DJ
HUNDREDS OF CIVILIANS ARE FORCED TO FLEE AS US/IRAQI FORCES ATTACK TALLAFA, NORTH-WESTERN IRAQ. DOCTORS FOR IRAQ WARNS OF MEDICAL HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
Doctors for Iraq is deeply concerned at the fate of hundreds of civilians trying to flee the sieged town of Tallafa, 80 km from Mousel City. Thousands of residents from the town have been told to leave the area by US/Iraqi forces who have been attacking the area for the past three- four days.
Eyewitnesses report that heavy bombs were dropped on targets in the town a few days ago and on Monday 5th September the US army has been firing missiles onto the town from aircraft. The entire town in under siege and is in preparation for a new military attack. .
Doctors for Iraq has received reports that at least twenty civilian have been killed in the attack. It is impossible to check these reportsfor accuracy.
US /IRAQI forces have forced frightened civilians to leave the sieged town and and women and children are making their way to a refugee camp set up outside the Tallafa.
Civilians have told Doctors for Iraq that many young men aged between 20- 35 are being stopped and detained at checkpoints and are being taken to a US military building near an airport.
It is not known how many men have been detained and why they are being held. It is impossible for Doctors For Iraq to check this reports as media and health workers are being prevented form entering the area.
What is know is that during the military siege of Falluja in 2004 young men were also prevented from leaving the city and were detained by US/Iraqi military.Doctors inside the town are concerned about the lack of medicine and health care facilities for people who are being forced to flee their homes.
Tallafa's medical infrastructure has been badly damaged by the ongoing military attacks on the area over the past few weeks. Doctors and medical convoys are unable to enter the sieged town and assist the desperate civilians.
Doctors for Iraq is particularly concerned about the fate of the refugees. There is concern about the lack of clean drinking water for displaced civilians and the threat of disease is very real as hygiene conditions in the area are very poor.
*Ends
Doctors for Iraq is calling for :
*A complete and immediate
*END *
to the military attack on the town so all civilians can be evacuated safely
For the US/IRAQI military to uphold the Geneva Convention and allow doctors and medical supplies into the town.
For international human rights organisations to carry out an immediate investigation into allegations that young men are being detained by the military and reports of civilian deaths during the attack.
For more information contact:
Dr. Salam Ismael salam.obaidi@doctorsforiraq.org:
Aisha Ismael press.officer@doctorsforiraq.org
< mailto:press.officer@doctorsforiraq.org >
Make sure you read Kat's review of Joan Baez's Bowery Songs CD and let me tell you it's a great CD and one you should try to get. Buy it cause it's a great album and buy it to support the people who stand up and are counted. I'll try to post it here this weekend.
And be sure to check out Betty's "It's always about Thomas Friedman" which will make you laugh and laugh.
