Day 364

FBI Arrest Suspected Terrorists

The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrest three men on suspicion of attempting to bomb an unknown target. Colorado residents Najibullah Zazi, 24, his father, Mohammed Wali Zazi, 53, and New York resident, Wais Afazli, 37 were taken into custody late last night.  Authorities state that a laptop found in the young Mr. Zazi's rental car contained 9 pages of scanned, handwritten notes on formulas for making explosive devices.

Day 357

A World Food Program convoy was attacked by Taliban militants in the Bala Baluk district of Farah Province in western Afghanistan.  The 14 truck convoy was carrying 500 metric tons of food rations.  None of the World Food Program personnel were injured but 50 Taliban members, and two civilians are among the casualties of the attack.  

8th Anniversary

Obama in the Hot Seat

Obama's health care reform speech has received positive and negative response.  It is nice to see people so passionate, but this reform is going to be an uphill battle like no other. 

Day 353

Day 352

Iran's Nuclear Dreams

From the Voice of America....

Iran's foreign minister has turned in his country's new nuclear program proposal to the U.N. Security Council's leading nations. Details of the proposal have yet to be released, but the U.S. envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran is getting closer to making a nuclear bomb. 

It was a picture-perfect moment. In an attempt to spur nuclear talks, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki presented a package to the ambassadors of leading world powers in Tehran. But, one heavyweight world power was missing.

The United States, which does not have official diplomatic relations with Iran. But U.S. President Barack Obama has called for Iran to discuss its disputed nuclear program with world powers by the end of September.

Iran's ambassador to the U.N. nuclear agency, Aliasghar Soltanieh, says the proposal contains compromises on security, economic and nuclear issues. He says Iran would like to hold a new round of talks within the framework of the presented proposal.

San Francisco's Bay Bridge Reopens

After 70 straight hours of repair work for a crack in the steel link on the easter span of San Francisco's Bay Bridge, the bridge reopens just in time for early morning commuters.  The bridge carries over 260,000 cars a day.  

Day 351

Happy Labor Day! I celebrated by not stitching a handkerchief today.

Day 350

Van Jones Affair

Obama's "green jobs" czar, Van Jones, resigns amid controversy over his past affiliations and statements.  Republicans have slammed him for a petition he signed in 2004 that called for an investigation the Bush administration's involvement in the 9/11 attacks.  

Here also is link to an right-wing editorial that speaks of a "watermelon hypothesis" in regard to Jones' idealogical leanings- red on the inside and green on the outside.  I always find it funny when people make fruit metaphors.  

Los Angeles Fires

Fires continue to blaze in Los Angeles.  The devastation is currently on its eighth day and has claimed 64 homes and two firefighters.  

Day 341

Jaycee Lee Dugard.  

Kidnapped: June 10, 1991

Found : August 27, 2009

Day 336

Day 335

The Evangelical Lutheran Church are allowing the appointment of non-celibate gays in committed, long-term relationships into the clergy.  They are the second group, after the Episcopal Church, to do so this month.  The ELC have over 4.6 million members.  

Day 334

Day 333

Is the release of Abdel Basset al-Megrahi connected with British interests in Libyan oil? Verrrrrry interesting.

Tom Ridge

An excerpt from The Washington Post:

"Former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge, the first director of the Department of Homeland Security, says that he was pressured by other Bush administration department heads to raise the national security-threat level on the eve of the 2004 presidential election -- a move he rejected as having such uncomfortable political undertones that it could destroy the administration's credibility.

The disclosure comes in Ridge's new book, "The Test of Our Times: America Under Siege . . . and How We Can Be Safe Again," written with Larry Bloom and published by Thomas Dunne Books, an imprint of St. Martin's Press. It will not hit bookstores until Sept. 1, but a copy of the book was obtained Friday by The Washington Post."

Abdel Basset al-Megrahi

Abdel Bassett al-Megrahi, the only person convicted in the Lockerbie plan bombing in 1988 was released by Scottish authorities.  Al-Megrahi has terminal cancer and has been allowed to spend his remaining days in his home country, Libya.  American government officials including, President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Attorney General Eric Holder have condemned the actions of the Scottish government and have implored Libyan authorities not to extend a "hero's welcome" to al-Megrahi.  The bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 killed 270 people, 189 of them American.