Howard Stern is at it again

Howard Stern is taking his attack on President Bush to a new level, through the power of song.

ABC/Disney being shut-out by Sinclair Broadcast Group due to "politics" of Nightline roll call of dead.

ABC News will devote Friday’s “Nightline” to a solemn roll call of U.S. service people killed in Iraq under the title “The Fallen”.

Nightline Executive Producer Leroy Sievers said, “We see these guys in helmets and vests, and they all look the same. Whether you agree with the war or not, these men and women are over there in our names and died in our names. We're not trying to make a statement other than that all these people are individuals,"

However, Sinclair Broadcast Group has ordered its ABC affiliates to preempt tomorrow’s broadcast saying that ABC, through its Nightline program, was disguising political statements as news content. Sinclair released a statement to the press , ``Despite the denials by a spokeswoman for the show, the action appears to be motivated by a political agenda designed to undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq”.

However, it appears that the real political agenda lies in the numbers. According to the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, Sinclair executives have donated more than $16,000 in hard money and more than $120,000 in soft money to President Bush and his allies since 2000.

The stations (and their phone numbers) are provided at the bottom of this entry.

Sinclair Broadcast Group at 410-568-1500, fax them at 410-568-1522
WXLV, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point NC 336-274-484
WEAR, Pensacola 850-456-3333
KDNL, St. Louis
WSYX, Columbus OH 614-481-6666
WLOS, Asheville NC 828-684-1340
WCHS, Charleston, Huntington W VA 304-346-5358
WGGB, Springfield MA (413) 733-4040
WTXL, Tallahassee (850)893-4140

EXCLUSIVE TO ABP - Humvee Armor

The ABP has spent the last couple of days trying to find out what's really going on with the army and it's preparedness for the current situation in Iraq.

In an exclusive report by the ABP a source has informed us that Labbock Technologies, a firm specializing in armor, has put together an immediate deployment package called a "RhinoPAK" for the current fleet of HMMWV's (Humvee's). The RhinoPAK is a retrofit to the Humvee to protect the occupants from bullets and explosives.

The RhinoPAK is on "urgent order from the Pentagon" and Labbock Technologies is in full production.

Although it was requested by the Army to have the Humvee's retrofitted prior to going in to cities for "guerilla-type" operations, the request was denied by the Pentagon because it would "delay deployment" to Iraq.

Humvee's not currently retrofitted with the RhinoPAK's, or other similiar secondary armor, have seen massive casualties resulting in "hundreds of lost limbs, and many, many deaths" due to attacks from "street fighters" in Iraq.

So, the question is why are our young men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan not outfitted with the a basic armor for their humvee's?

In a report in the Seattle Times the latest attack on Humvee's in Najaf resulted in zero loss of life due to the retrofit of armor for the Humvee after it had been hit with a roadside bomb.

Similiar attacks have resulted in death and dismemberment.

At the beginning of the (latest) Iraq war 2% of the Humvee's were outfitted with "up-armor" or a retro-fit.

Now 10% have the new up-armor.

The other 90% Humvee's are now called "soft-skins" or "prayer mobiles" (because the only thing you have going for you if you're in one of the soft-skins is a prayer).

EXCLUSIVE TO ABP - Humvee Armor

The ABP has spent the last couple of days trying to find out what's really going on with the army and it's preparedness for the current situation in Iraq.

In an exclusive report by the ABP a source has informed us that Labbock Technologies, a firm specializing in armor, has put together an immediate deployment package called a "RhinoPAK" for the current fleet of HMMWV's (Humvee's). The RhinoPAK is a retrofit to the Humvee to protect the occupants from bullets and explosives.

The RhinoPAK is on "urgent order from the Pentagon" and Labbock Technologies is in full production.

Although it was requested by the Army to have the Humvee's retrofitted prior to going in to cities for "guerilla-type" operations, the request was denied by the Pentagon because it would "delay deployment" to Iraq.

Humvee's not currently retrofitted with the RhinoPAK's, or other similiar secondary armor, have seen massive casualties resulting in "hundreds of lost limbs, and many, many deaths" due to attacks from "street fighters" in Iraq.

So, the question is why are our young men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan not outfitted with the a basic armor for their humvee's?

Women... Educate Yourself!

Kavita Ramdas of the Global Fund for Women relayed an interesting fact on Now with Bill Moyers (from the transcript):

In India there was a study some years ago that measured the increase in a child's upper arm circumference. Which is how you measure malnutrition. You can literally measure decreases in malnutrition or more robust upper arms in skinny children by tracing… correlating it to an additional year of the mother's education.

So one additional year of a women having stayed in school, having gotten an education for one additional year literally correlates to decreases in her child being sick and her child being unwell to increases in the likelihood of those children going to school. Staying in school. Those girls, the children of mothers who've been educated get married at later ages, have children at later ages.

Fascinating and amazing statistic. And, isn't it nice to know that funds have been diverted from educating women (thus, affecting children) to the war in Iraq?

Even More Truth in Pictures

A full file of pictures are available for viewing along with info on the Freedom of Information Act at The Memory Hole.

Honduran Troop Pull-Out

370 soldiers is no big deal. But, another government backing away from the U.S. is a much larger issue.

The "Coalition of the Willing" seem no longer willing.

To better understand how the arab world is viewing this event, AlJazeera has this article on the Honduran pull out.

More Truth in Pictures

Aside from the previous picture we've posted, the Seattle Times has a wonderful article on "honoring the dead" along with this picture.

Jamie Gorelick - another Right Wing personal attack begins.

9/11 commission member Jamie Gorelick received death threats over the last few days.

As sick as this is… she’s somehow been able to squeeze out on editorial in the Washington Post that really lays a good foundation for what “the Wall” really is.

The article is important, informative and is a must read.

Bill Frist (R-TN) contradicted on Clarke... by fellow Republican

Here's a link to The Hill.

Pat Roberts (R-KS) stated to The Hill that, Bill Frist did not consult with him prior to Frist's floor speech stating that Richard Clarke's testimony was suspicious in it's timing and contradicted his previous testimony.

Why would Pat Roberts say that Frist should have consulted with him? Pat Roberts is the Chairman of the Senat Intelligence Committee.

The article is worth reading.

The Republican's are starting to remind me of the Democrats from 2 years ago...completely self-destructing.