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12 Responses to “Thursday open thread”

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1. Severian says:

   August 9, 2007 at 2:00 pm

   Murder Charges Against Haditha Marine Dropped

   Murder charges against a US Marine accused of killing three Iraqi civilians during an alleged massacre in Haditha two years ago have been dropped, the military said on Thursday.

   A statement released by the Marines at their Camp Pendleton base in southern California revealed that three charges of unpremeditated murder against Lance Corporal Justin Sharratt had been withdrawn.

   The decision was announced in a written ruling from the commander Lieutenant General James Mattis and followed a recommendation from an investigator last month that the charges should be dropped.

   “An independent Article 32 investigating officer has considered all the facts and determined that the evidence does not support a referral to court-martial for Lance Corporal Sharratt,” Mattis wrote.

   “Based on my review of all the evidence in this case and considering the recommendation of the Article 32 officer, I have dismissed the charges.”

   Sharratt was accused of shooting three Iraqi men execution-style in what prosecutors alleged was part of a rampage that left 24 civilians dead following the death of a Marine in a roadside bomb in November 2005.

   Sharratt said the men were shot at close quarters as Marines cleared a house where insurgents were believed to be operating.

   In a statement recommending the charges be dropped released last month, investigator Lieutenant Colonel Paul Ware said the prosecution charges were “unsupported by the independent evidence.”

   “To believe the government version of facts is to disregard clear and convincing evidence to the contrary,” Ware added.

   The Haditha killings are the most serious allegations of war crimes against US soldiers in Iraq.

   Eight Marines were initially charged in connection with the case — four with murder and four officers with failing to properly investigate the incident.

   Sharratt is the second Marine to have murder charges dropped after allegations against Sergeant Sanick DeLa Cruz were withdrawn in April.

   What say you now Murtha?
2. sanity says:

   August 9, 2007 at 2:17 pm

   AP story:

   Stocks Fall on Rising Credit Anxiety

   NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street fell sharply again Thursday after a French bank said it was freezing three funds that invested in U.S. subprime mortgages because it was unable to properly value their assets. The Dow Jones industrials fell more than 200 points.

   Link

   The sky is falling, teh sky is falling, the stock markets dropped 200pts….of course they never report when it goes up by that an more. It’s called fluctuation.

   People Magazine:

   Leonardo DiCaprio’s Presidential Vote Up for Grabs

   Leonardo DiCaprio traveled to 14 states in 2004 to stump for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry – but the actor and environmentalist isn’t planning to campaign for any of the 2008 candidates just yet.

   “I’m still on the fence about it, to tell you the truth,” DiCaprio, 32, told reporters at Wednesday’s press conference for The 11th Hour in Beverly Hills. “I have yet to hear a candidate that has clearly laid out their environmental policy in a way that is inspiring to me.”

   ….”I’m waiting for the right questions to be asked, and for these candidates to give really clear responses to what they’re going to do in a tangible way – not a lot of rhetoric,” he said. “I want to hear hardcore facts.”

   But with the election still more than a year away, DiCaprio adds, “There is a lot of time left. …I’m not sure what I’m going to do.”

   Some Hollywood stars have already declared support for presidential candidates – at least financially. Campaign-donation records show Jennifer Aniston, George Clooney Halle Berry and Kelsey Grammer have all donated money to 2008 hopefuls.

   Link

   You can file this under – who cares?!?!?

   When do I, or ST, or NC Cop, or my Neighbors, or the poodle next door get an article because they are ‘on the fence’ and ‘not sure’ who they may vote for?

   When does one persons vote because something spectacular to write about.

   Who cares. Stick to acting please – your advice on politics and other matters I really don’t care to hear from an actor on this.

   Now we hear the glowing reports of DiCaprio on Politics but not emphasizing that he is an actor, where as the Demoine Register makes sure you know Fred Thompson is an actor first and foremost:

   Actor-politician Fred Thompson to visit Iowa next week

   Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson plans to make his first Iowa campaign trip as a presidential prospect next week, a development that is expected to reset the Republican field in the leadoff caucus state in the wake of the GOP straw poll in Ames on this Saturday.

   “Then the campaign for the caucuses begins” said John Maxwell, chief adviser to U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Ia. “There are going to be players leaving the stage after Saturday, and so it is going to be a new lineup.”

   Thompson is scheduled to visit the Des Moines area on Aug. 17 and meet with state legislators and social conservative activists before attending the Iowa State Fair, always a “must” on the summertime campaign trail in Iowa.

   The schedule is a sign that Thompson, one of the Republican Party’s favorites in Iowa and nationally, would compete in Iowa’s 2008 caucuses, state political observers and Republican strategists said.

   Thompson is expected to officially announce his candidacy for the GOP nomination in September. He is not planning to be in Ames Saturday, when eight of the Republican field’s other candidates and thousands of Iowa GOP stalwarts will be on Iowa State University campus for the non-binding straw poll vote.

   Link

   I am glad that Demoine pointed out that Fred Thomspon is an Actor – Politican, even though he is no longer an actor, he left the show to work on his campaign.

   Looks like the time is coming soon wehre he will announce though – looking forward to it.

   Breitbart:

   Murder charges dropped against Marine in Haditha case

   Murder charges against a US Marine accused of killing three Iraqi civilians during an alleged massacre in Haditha two years ago have been dropped, the military said on Thursday.
   A statement released by the Marines at their Camp Pendleton base in southern California revealed that three charges of unpremeditated murder against Lance Corporal Justin Sharratt had been withdrawn.

   The decision was announced in a written ruling from the commander Lieutenant General James Mattis and followed a recommendation from an investigator last month that the charges should be dropped.

   “An independent Article 32 investigating officer has considered all the facts and determined that the evidence does not support a referral to court-martial for Lance Corporal Sharratt,” Mattis wrote.

   “Based on my review of all the evidence in this case and considering the recommendation of the Article 32 officer, I have dismissed the charges.”

   Link

   Good, now will Murtha be apologizing to him for smearing his name and defamation of character?

   KVOA Tuscon:

   It pays exactly $25 for Tucson kids to stay in school

   Local high school students will soon be cashing in for hitting the books.

   A new pilot program promises to pay them to stay in school.

   More than 20,000 Arizona teens dropped out of the class of 2006.

   To fight the problem, 75 students from low income families at Amphi High and 100 from Rincon high were picked for the new program.

   The students will get $25 a week as an incentive to stay in school.

   A local nonprofit will pay for the project.

   Link

   I can’t fault them for trying to think of something, anything to keep the kids in school when they had 20,000 drop outs in Arizona in just one year (2006).

   I am, not sure if this will be enough though. This will equate to $100/month, $1200/Yr.

   I understand donation are being used from a non-profit organization, but times that by however many students at 1200/yr and that is alot of money going out to keep kids in school – and I am not quite certain even this will work.

   Kids have to WANT to be in school, to learn. What happens when they need ot go to college? Will someone pay for that also?

   Anywho, thought I would give some tidbits of what is going on….
3. sanity says:

   August 9, 2007 at 2:27 pm

   Oh yes, forgot this until I re-read it at Malkin’s site…..

   NYT wants you to play terrorist to figure out how YOU would attack the US….

   Now, it is not enough that they divulge secret and confidential information on counter-terrorism techniques, but now they want to post additional ideas for terrorism incase the terrorist missed something or hadn’t thought of doing something like that….

   NYTimes blogger: Let’s play terrorist!

   This blog post soliciting terrorism attack ideas by best-selling author/economist Steven Levitt at the NYTimes yesterday has caused quite a stir.

   Inspired by an article about TSA restrictions, Levitt muses about terror plot possibilities: “Hearing about these rules got me thinking about what I would do to maximize terror if I were a terrorist with limited resources. I’d start by thinking about what really inspires fear. One thing that scares people is the thought that they could be a victim of an attack. With that in mind, I’d want to do something that everybody thinks might be directed at them, even if the individual probability of harm is very low. Humans tend to overestimate small probabilities, so the fear generated by an act of terrorism is greatly disproportionate to the actual risk…”

   Michelle Malkin

   Un-Freaking-Believable!!
4. sanity says:

   August 9, 2007 at 2:29 pm

   eeek – ST in my last two posts here could you add the end of the blockquote, I forgot it…

   Doh!
5. Sister Toldjah says:

   August 9, 2007 at 2:34 pm

   All: I’ve just blogged about the Haditha story here.
6. Sister Toldjah says:

   August 9, 2007 at 2:36 pm

   Fixed, sanity
7. NC Cop says:

   August 9, 2007 at 5:15 pm

   When do I, or ST, or NC Cop, or my Neighbors, or the poodle next door get an article because they are ‘on the fence’ and ‘not sure’ who they may vote for?

   Well said, Sanity. This is what I can’t stand about Hollywood. Leonardo thinks he is so important that he can’t decide who he’s going to pander for. As if I care one wit what Leonardo thinks.

   With every passing moment Hollywood proves that it is completely out of touch with reality.
8. G Monster says:

   August 9, 2007 at 6:19 pm

   I’m voting for Mitt Romney assuming he wins the nomination. Anyone wanna write a story about that?
9. G Monster says:

   August 9, 2007 at 6:23 pm

   If McCain wins nomination I’ll vote for him.

   If Guilliana wins republican nomination, I’ll only vote for him if he’s running against Hillary, Obama, or Edwards.
10. Great White Rat says:

    August 9, 2007 at 10:40 pm

    Good catch, Sanity. I for one could not care less who a Hollywood pantload with a political IQ in the single digits plans to endorse.
11. Great White Rat says:

    August 10, 2007 at 2:12 pm

    I’m not usually big on symbolism, but I do like this one. Voters in the Republican straw poll in Iowa this weekend will get to show purple thumbs.

    Money quote:

    “We recognize the great privilege of voting by tipping our hat to the Iraqi people who cast their first votes in a free and democratic election” Laudner explained. “Iowans will be just as proud to display their inked thumb as the newly liberated Iraqi people were.”

    In a roundabout way, that does get to the point of the good things we’re doing in Iraq…the sort of thing we should be saying louder and more often.

    Seriously…can anyone here honestly conceive of the Democrats honoring the new freedom of the Iraqis with such a ‘hat tip’?

    Of course, there’s a practical reason for the inking too…preventing vote fraud. ACORN and the like being what they are, there’s good reason to suspect someone would bus in battalions of ineligible voters. so the Iowa GOP is also trying to protect the integrity of their poll.
12. PCD says:

    August 10, 2007 at 3:34 pm

    GWR.

    Our Governor in Iowa doesn’t see why we have to offer the as much Identification to vote as we do to cash a check. He likes the union, ACORN, and moonbat stuffing to our ballot boxes just fine.

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