Clinton Tells China Human Rights Aren't a Breaking Point, Shocks Amnesty

February 21, 2009

In China, four years of “carry on the way you were, by the way, we’re not here to help any more” are being treated as manna. Amnesty International and pro-Tibet “shocked and extremely disappointed,” recognizing the U.S. is alone in standing up to China on human rights issues and having it matter.

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India Confronts Obama Era With Concern, Worry

February 21, 2009

Under a new Administration, India is concerned that the new POTUS is abandoning the largest democracy in the world to mollify China and avoid conflict with Pakistan. Arguably the best foreign policy achievement of the Bush years, and one of the best from the late Clinton years, is hanging in the balance.

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Jindal Rejects 98M in StimPack Funding for Louisiana

February 21, 2009

LA Gov. Bobby Jindal announces he will reject $98M in the stimpack, saying it could lead to tax increases since the funding involved is not permanent. Louisiana will accept federal dollars for transportation projects and a $25-per-week increase in unemployment benefits, accepting funds that don’t require changes in state law.

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Pentagon: Gitmo Qualifies as Humane Under Geneva

February 21, 2009

Pentagon internal report says Gitmo meets all the Geneva Conventions’ required standards for humane treatment. The report calls for a few changes, including increases in group recreation and allowing prisoners to gather in greater numbers, but that’s about it. President Obama has ordered Gitmo to close within the year.

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Massive Gun Battle on Mexico-US Border

February 20, 2009

Front line footage of a violent border gunfight highlights “a wave of demonstrations protesting the presence of army troops.” Heavy fighting with drug traffickers from the powerful Gulf Cartel led Mexico’s government to deploy 40k soldiers in the border towns. For reference: there are currently 36k American troops in all of Afghanistan.

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GOPers Call for Federal Logging of ISPs, WiFi to Catch Kiddie Porn Users

February 20, 2009

Republicans in Congress, led by Sen. Cornyn of Texas, would require all Internet providers and anyone operating a Wi-Fi access points (including homes) to keep records about users for two years to aid police investigations into porn peddlers and other criminals. Before you get mad, Democrats basically proposed the same bill three years ago.

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Incoming Assault: Robots From the Future

February 20, 2009

Robots will fight future wars against each other in entertaining reenactments of the dreams of Steven Spielberg and James Cameron according to a report funded by the US Navy. A “strict warrior code” inspired by Asimov will ensure the robots hit the right people. Nerds who work for the government have the most fun.

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Lutherans Consider Making Homosexual Ordination a Local Decision

February 20, 2009

The 4.7M member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s panel on such things recommends allowing individual congregations to ordain non-heterosexuals as clergy in attempt to avoid the divide of the Anglican church. “At this point, there is no consensus in the church” on what scripture says. Sometimes, it’s all about the potluck.

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Obama Warns Mayors: Don't Waste StimPack

February 20, 2009

WASHINGTON – Invoking his own name-and-shame policy, President Barack Obama warned the nation’s mayors on Friday that he will “call them out” if they waste the money from his massive economic stimulus plan.

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Energy Sec. Chu Says OPEC Not in His Domain

February 20, 2009

Energy Secretary Steven Chu may be a Nobel laureate Ph.D. in physics, but his first forays into energy policy suggest he’s a neophyte when it comes to the ways of Washington.

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