What caught my attention this morning

Or, what I woke up to this morning after that damn Iraq report put me to sleep a few times last night, yeesh what a fucking snoozefest that thing is.

So, here we go------

Group claims 'tobacco'-style lobby shields toxic interests
PERCHLORATE MAKERS BLOW SMOKE ON HEALTH ISSUE
The Los Angeles-based group Environment California says an industry-funded group is using "misleading research and tobacco industry-style lobbying to influence the debate on the effects of perchorate." Perchlorate is a rocket fuel ingredient and "a known thyroid inhibitor" often present in water supplies near military and manufacturing sites. The Perchlorate Study Group (PSG) "has lobbied for maximum contaminant levels of 200 parts per billion (ppb) in drinking water, much higher than the 24.5 ppb threshold favored by the Environmental Protection Agency and the 6 ppb limit being considered by the state of California," reports Fred Ortega.
"More than half of all studies on the health effects of perchlorate published between 1995 and 2005 were funded by" PSG, which was founded by Lockheed Martin, Aerojet and Kerr McGee, "in response to efforts to regulate the potentially dangerous chemical."
Environment California also notes that PSG retained the PR firm APCO Worldwide, which previously helped "Phillip Morris to fight anti-tobacco regulations," to "help undermine the case for thorough perchlorate cleanup."
SOURCE: DailyBulletin (Ontario, California), December 4, 2006
For more information or to comment on this story, visit: http://www.prwatch.org/node/5513

crap. Crap. CRAAAAAAAAAP!

The Decider can declare Martial Law?
How long have I had my head up my ass?

How did I miss this?
Fine Print in Defense Bill Opens Door to Martial Law
By Jeff Stein, CQ National Security Editor CQ.com
12/06/06

That Iraq Report? More of the Same

The great Baker-Hamilton crock: A classic bullshit-cloud in the proud tradition of congressional "studies"
MATT TAIBBI

Bonus: Caption contest (did you think I could resist THIS picture?)

IRAQ STUDY GROUP REPORT (click on link to download pdf file) I think it's interesting that a search of the report brings up 'Iran' or 'Iranian' 83 times.

Hmmm. Let's Google 'Iran Currency' just for shits and giggles.

Gates Hearings

I watched part of the morning Gates Senate hearings on CSpan.

Ben Nelson (D FL) asked how he would deal with the with Guard and Reserve policies?

Gates said he was unfamiliar with the policies.

Um, the ones that had Lousiana National Guard members in Iraq during Katrina?

Um, yeah those.

Gates' Assets Include Defense Stock
By SHARON THEIMER
The Associated Press
Tuesday, December 5, 2006; 7:54 PM

Yeah, Gates probably had other stuff on his mind. He said something about Turkey. I wonder if he's familiar with this hinkiness regarding Turkey

and what's this mean?

photovoltaic

The Revolution Will Be Solarized
By David Roberts, Grist Magazine. Posted December 2, 2006.
...It's not just that we're moving toward alternatives, it's that we're moving toward distributed [power generation] as well. If both of those are true, solar is the only viable option...



Will solar-cell shortage end in 2008?
September 11, 2006 1:12 PM PDT



Solar cell
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Boeing Wins Contract to Build Solar Cells for Renewable Energy
ST. LOUIS, Aug. 28, 2006

Have we had enough?

Runaway victory for Chavez
AP
4 December 2006 13:08
...Conflict and ambition have marked the rise of Chavez, from a boy selling homemade sweets in a dusty backwater to a failed coup commander in 1992 and now a leader who could set the tone of Latin American politics for years to come...

Bush Mulls Resumed Energy Drilling Off Alaska
Bristol Bay, Alaska, is home to endangered whales and sea lions and the world’s largest sockeye salmon run.
..."House Republicans scheduling a vote next week to expand offshore drilling off Florida’s coast, only underscores that G.O.P. stands for Gas and Oil Party.”...
By FELICITY BARRINGER
Published: December 4, 2006

Pelosi: Our Coasts Need Lasting Protection from Oil and Gas Drilling
By: Nancy PelosiPublished: Dec 4, 2006 at 07:41

Haven't the energy industries and the vehicle manufacturers run this country long enough?

2008

The 2008 Presidential Race

Big Bush backers turn to Giuliani
28th November 2006, 10:45 WST

Um, yeah, I'll let Wonkette deal with most of this one

I'll ad a little

And I heard about this book on Ring of Fire today: Grand Illusion: The Untold Story of Rudy Giuliani and 9/11

Saudi Arabia vs Iran

"A shooting war between Saudi Arabia and Iran would certainly make for interesting times in the oil markets... "

A cauldron nears boiling point
Nawaf Obaid
December 1, 2006

Nawaf Obaid, an adviser to the Saudi Government, is the managing director of the Saudi National Security Assessment Project in Riyadh and an adjunct fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. The opinions expressed here are his own.

X-mas joy

“It’s Always Christmas Time” For Credit Card Companies
But Consumers Can Get Trapped by Abusive Fees and Practices

Try not to get eaten alive by the damn credit card companies when you shop for all your loved ones this year, eh?