News In Brief (And The Usual Opinionated Commentary)

Yes, it's that time again. I goofed off a lot this weekend, after a hard week of doing various kinds of tasks that had to be done. I moved my daughter from a dump to a fairly nice place, worked, set my mother-in-law's medications up for the week, paid bills, followed all legal and lawful orders from my wife, and all of the other things necessary to maintain life-support systems.

So, without further rambling from me, it's time for that time-tested feature that usually generates some kind of an argument, when we least expect it.


China Increasing Military Budget

China will raise its annual defense spending by almost 18 percent, the government announced Sunday, as it continues a rapid military buildup that has drawn criticism from the United States.

On the eve of the opening of the annual session of the Chinese Parliament, formally the National People's Congress, a parliamentary spokesman, Jiang Enzhu, said Chinese defense outlays would increase to 350 billion yuan, or $45 billion, this year.

With new found profits creating more tax revenues for the Chinese government, we can look for more increases in the future, as well. But it should come as no surprise, it's an issue I have been covering here for quite awhile now. It's not cause for saber-rattling, but it bears watching. Closely.


A New Global Warming Documentary

That is, if you live in Britain, I guess. But it's not the usual. It pretty much goes against the grain of what the norm, so those of you that have criticized my stance are still likely to, no matter how I present it. But in essence, this is my core argument in the matter:

.....film-maker Martin Durkin argues that the theory of man-made global warming has become such a powerful political force that other explanations for climate change are not being properly aired.

Russian Expert Shot Fours Days After Interview

FBI agents say they are assisting police in suburban Washington who are investigating the shooting of a Russian expert — a man who spoke out on "Dateline NBC" last weekend and strongly suggested that remnants of the KGB were responsible for the bizarre poisoning death of Alexander Litvinenko.

Even though I get hammered on it in the comment section (from time to time) on it, I have been hard on the Russian government. And this is just one more (added to many others) reason, why I have.



GOP Candidates Condemn Coulter Slur

This is a follow-up to Saturday's post on the Coulter remark about John Edwards. In my goings-about this weekend, I have yet to find anyone (that is aware of it) that thinks this is okay. Both parties need to get a handle on this kind of behavior and send a message to angry extremists, on both sides of the spectrum.



GOP Set To Fight Jefferson Appointment To Homeland Security Panel

Republicans plan to force a floor vote on Rep. William Jefferson's move to the Homeland Security Committee in an unprecedented maneuver to force Democrats to go on the record supporting their embattled colleague who is the target of a federal bribery investigation.

House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) pledged to call for a recorded vote on the House floor when Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) introduces a resolution to make the Jefferson move official.

Well, need I say anything more?

I think, there's a pretty sad state of affairs going on in our government when we have a Speaker of the House introducing a resolution to make a member accused of a bribery offense, a member of the most important committee in the House of Representives.

First, Murtha a shady politician that was implicated in the ABSCAM case was considered for Majority leader. Then, she wanted Alcee Hastings, an impeached federal judge, to be the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Now, she wants William Jefferson, a man that was caught on tape taking the money that was later found in his freezer, to be a member of the HSC.

I mean, come on now. Is there anyone else that has enough brains to do these jobs that do not have these measures of improprieties showing up on their resumes? If so, there is a serious question of leadership here. If not, there's a real problem with the Democratic Party, as whole.



Well that's all the time we have for this installment of News In Brief (And The Usual Opinionated Commentary). Join us next time.

Now hammer away.