Neocons floated idea of bombing AlJazeera before

Eric Schmeltzer's googling resulted in an interesting discovery that the neocons floated the idea of bombing AlJazeera before. Although this probably doesn't surprise anybody, it's good to get these facts in black and white. Frank Gaffney Jr, wrote for Fox News:

Under present wartime circumstances, though, the United States has the ability -- and, indeed, an urgent responsibility -- to take more comprehensive action against Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya. Unless the two networks adjust their behavior so as no longer to act as the propaganda arm of our enemies, they should be taken off the air, one way or another.

Indeed, for the US Pentagon it's fine to spout US propaganda towards Iraqis, but if other engage in this game, Neocons want them to be taken out, "one way or another".

Neocons hate AlJazeera (and therefore free speech; nothing new, really) and the use of force (read power) to shut it down comes easily to their minds.

President Bush "jokes" about bombing AlJazeera

According to the Washington Post, one senior diplomat is blaming the messenger: "It was foolish for someone to write [president Bush's "joke"] down, and now it will be a story for days".

A joke or not, here we go:
- Washington Post
- New York Times
- The Guardian

Who's looking foolish now?

Shame on Bush and Cheney?

Good analyses about how the neo-conservatives did mislead the American people (and the rest of us).

Sony sold 120,000 faulty CDs in Canada

Sony BMG said Friday that about 120,000 of the 4.7 million faulty CDs were sold in Canada.

Source: National Post

Sony sued over DRM

It didn't take long: Sony has been sued for it's malicious DRM software (rootkit) that automatically installs (without telling you!) on your computer raising privacy concerns and inviting virus attacks.

Fortunately there is a list of Sony Cds to boycott: CD List with Sony DRM. Another list can be found here: US List of Sony DRM CDs.

You still want to listen to these CDs? Well, most people I know will forget about buying these new Sony CDs all together and download them for free online since most songs can still be found that way.

It's probably the best lesson we can teach Big Music: more restrictions on CDs will slow down sales even further; exactly the opposite effect they were hoping for.

Obviously Sony has not been thinking this through at all which defines the current attitudes of the struggling industry that does not know how to innovate on terms of the 21st century.

See also wiki for more information on Sony DRM and how to see if it is (already) installed on your computer.

US caught using chemical weapons

Rai, Italian state TV, broadcasted a documentary with evidence that US forces used chemical weapons against Iraqi civilians.

The new evidence shows the dropping of massive quantities of white phosphor on Fallujah during the attack on the city in November 2004.

See also Democracy Now!
US uses chemical weapons in Iraq