British bloggers are risking a lot by getting this information out. In my own modest way, I have to help. I ran across this at Boing Boing: Ignoring UK Ban, bloggers publish leaked torture memos The following is from a speech former UK Ambassador to Uzbekistan Craig Murray gave in York last February, after he’d been sacked for speaking out and before the Foreign Office’s attempt to censor his forthcoming book about his experience. The telegrams are quoted in full and there are graphic descriptions of torture, carried out in the name of “democracy” and “freedom” and “the war on…

This story in the Chicago Tribune got me wondering what the real deal was: Chicago Tribune | Winnetka couple arrested after standoff A nearly four-hour police standoff in downtown Winnetka came to an end this morning after a couple who allegedly threatened an officer and barricaded themselves in an apartment surrendered. “They carried him out in his underwear,” said Tim Klein, 13, a neighborhood youth who watched as police brought the couple out of their apartment. “Then a woman came out in her nightgown, and she got into the police car.” The incident began about 5 a.m. when a police…

An “obit” from the Trib: Chicago Tribune | Wake planned for New Year’s Eve as reporters mourn the death of Chicago’s fabled City News Bureau THIS JUST IN… Services for Chicago’s City News Bureau, the 115-year-old wire service that was the starting point for hundreds of American journalists, will be held New Year’s Eve in the Billy Goat Tavern, lower Michigan Avenue and Hubbard Street. The wake begins at 8 p.m. Arrangements are being handled by Paul Zimbrakos, CNB editor; Sam Sianis, Billy Goat propietor,and Bernard Judge, former City News editor. All present and former CNB staffers are welcome, along…

Let’s review – are Eat the State and Blogula Rasa on the same page? Terri Schiavo: Yeppers Intelligent Design (sic): Hee! The War On Christmas: Hell, yes Everything’s Going Splendidly In Iraq: Check Michael Jackson’s Trial: I could care less about MJ Martha Stewart’s Comeback: Ditto MS Howard Dean: Hmm. When he shoots his mouth off, he’s not firing blanks. I’m not so sure about this one. Pat Robertson: Again, I think making the Religious Right look foolish has more value than mere newsworthiness The Minutemen: Okay, I agree we can ignore the yahoos Rossi v. Gregoire (WA state governor’s…

Hey, remember that guy… Alito? Who got nominated for the Supreme Court a while back? Guess the Friday before the Christmas holiday weekend is a good time for the release of some interesting memos. Let’s all try to remember these later, when he’s back in the news for real in the midst of his Senate confirmation hearings. ABC News: Alito Argued to Overturn Roe in 1985 Memo WASHINGTON Dec 23, 2005 — Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito wrote in a June 1985 memo that the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion should be overturned. The June 3, 1985 document…

What’s that sound? Why, it’s Senator Rick Santorum backing away slowly from a previously held position and also putting distance between himself and former allies the Thomas More Law Center, and the (hee! hee!) former Dover, PA school board. It’s only to be expected; that’s why they call him “Election Year Rick” in his state. Senator cuts ties to law center after ‘intelligent design’ defeat-Santorum says Ann Arbor Christian rights group ‘made a huge mistake’ in Pennsylvania case PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum plans to cut ties with the Ann Arbor-based Thomas More Law Center, which defended the Dover…

What with all the bad news for the administration, it’s easy to lose track. Let’s not forget Jack Abramoff, shall we? It appears he also wanted to help African heads of state get in touch with the Bush White House. Money may have changed hands, in a way that’s usually frowned on by government auditors. Lobbyist Sought $9 Million to Set Bush Meeting – New York Times Mr. Abramoff’s ties to Gabon were first revealed in a letter that was among hundreds of pages of documents from Mr. Abramoff’s files that were released last week by the Senate Indian Affairs…

Chicago Tribune | Pat Robertson Warns Pa. Town of Disaster You know what? Pat Robertson has a pattern of shooting off his mouth, getting wide reportage, and then issuing a “statement” about what he really meant to say. In the article, he’s threatening fire and brimstone on the town of Dover, PA, whose citizens were intelligent enough to vote the intelligent-design rascals off their school board. It’s painfully apparent that the whole ID issue is all about injecting religion into the nations schools and tearing a big whole in the wall separating Church (big C) and State (big S). The…

Pleas exuse Scooter from ethics skool. Because he is maybe going to jale or to talk to a judge so too bad for Scooter. P.S. pleas dont give a pass to Carl he should be grounded. Yours trooly, The White House Administrative Staff

More evidence that the wheels are starting to come off George’s little red wagon. Oh, if only someone would fix it, but that’ll have to wait until Inauguration Day 2008. Larry Wilkerson gave an amazing interview on yesterday’s Morning Edition show on National Public Radio. How did I miss this the first time? Steve Inskeep sounds both incredulous and excited. It’s about the “White House cabal” that not only manipulated the intelligence in favor of war, and ignore the intel against it. Not only that, he claims that the Vice President’s office was ultimately responsible for the relaxation of prisoner…