Queens: A Tale of Two Pages

Today's New York Times' Metro Section was an interesting read. For example:

Page 41 (the cover page): "There Ought To Be A Lawn?" features New Yorkers paving over (gasp!) their lawns. Queens City Councilman Tony Aveila is preparing legislation to make such paving unlawful.

Page 42: "In Queens, Family Struggles to Stay Afloat as Illness Drains Resources."

Perhaps Councilman Aveila should be directing the awesome powers of his office elsewhere. Just a thought.

Iraq-Al Qaeda intel: again, no proven link

National Journal reports that President Bush was informed 10 days after September 11, 2001 that there was no proven link between Iraq and Al-Qaeda. Hm. If I had to speculate I'd say the President may have said something like.....keeeeeep loooooking.

Meanwhile in Iraq...

According to CNN, Gen. George Casey - the top US commander in Iraq - submitted a troop pullout plan to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld:

It includes numerous options and recommends that brigades -- usually made up of about 2,000 soldiers each -- begin pulling out of Iraq early next year.

Looks like someone needs to tell him Marines don't cut and run. Coward. He's either with us or against us. In fact, he might as well just drop the pretense and join Al-Qaeda now.

The House "votes" on a pullout....

After trashing Rep. George Murtha (D-PA)'s reputation, House Republicans brought a measure to the floor last night calling for an immediate pullout from Iraq. Of course, Murtha didn't call for this (his plan was over six months), but that didn't stop bright minds from having a clear and logical debate. For example:

At one point in the emotional debate, Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Ohio, told of a phone call she received from a Marine colonel.

"He asked me to send Congress a message -- stay the course. He also asked me to send Congressman Murtha a message -- that cowards cut and run, Marines never do," Schmidt said. Murtha is a 37-year Marine veteran.

Oops. And given the next post, looks like Schmidt has to send some troops in Iraq some messages.

Nader and Jackson join the TO fray

Double Technical updates us on the Terrell Owens saga, now that Ralph Nader and Jesse Jackson have weighed in. Nader frames the issue as one of consumer protection, arguing that fans are being ripped off by not being permitted to see TO play. And since Jackson referred to Owens's four-game suspension (possibly paid, possibly unpaid) and subsequent paid six-game sitdown as a "one-year" ban, he's just showing off his math skills. That might also explain where all of PUSH's money went. When we have troops dying in Iraq, White House aides run amok and big oil company executives aren't sworn in before testifying before the Senate because poor little Ted Stevens of Alaska won't allow it, aren't there bigger fish to fry?

An ethics refresher? They need a shower, not a refresher.

President Bush has ordered White House staff to attend "mandatory" ethics briefings. Try not to chuckle too hard. And since Harriet Miers needs something to do in the wake of her yanked nomination, she and her staff will conduct the briefings. Who better than a Bush crony to conduct ethics briefings?