The Nightowl Newswrap

"Noncombat" deaths in the theater of war continue to receive short shrift but soldiers electrocuted by faulty building construction when they step into the shower are just as dead as if they were hit by an IED or took a bullet. That is exactly how Ryan Maseth died, and his families loss was compounded by the fact that the Army lied and tried to blame him, saying he had carried an electrical appliance into the shower. His mother, Cheryl Harris, has been a force of nature not to be denied in forcing Congress and the Pentagon to investigate the issue. On July 11 she finally testified before a panel of mostly Democratic lawmakers, and she is suing to hold KBR liable for her son's death. "It is about time we got some answers ... at long last," said Sen. Robert Casey Jr., D-Pa. He released a letter to Gen. David Petraeus asking why his command had only recently ordered "theaterwide" technical inspections of military facilities despite being alerted to widespread wiring problems in Iraq installations more than three and a half years ago in a report filed by a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers safety specialist. Debbie Crawford of Oregon, who worked for KBR in Baghdad, told the Senate Democratic Policy Committee that "Time and time again we heard, 'This is not the United States... OSHA doesn't apply here. If you don't like it, you can go home.'"


If the Red Pill reveals the truth and the Blue Pill preserves the illusion, what the hell color pill did Carly Fiorina take??? In a stunning display of blatant dishonesty, she went on Meet the Press this morning to try her hand at revisionist history, in defiance of John $idney's own record. In Carly-World, her guy has stood up to bu$h repeatedly and opposed him on the war. By the time she was done, the bullshit was so deep she needed a snorkel.

No daylight between 'em on economic matters, either In an interview with Wolf Blitzer, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford drew a blank when pressed for differences between Mc$ame and bu$h on their economic policies.



$200K will buy a lot of Ri¢hie Ri¢h comic books Stephen Payne, a Bush pioneer whose fundraising for il Douche' bought him a political appointment to the Homeland Security Advisory Council, has been caught on tape offering access to administration officials in exchange for six-figure donations to the aWol bu$h presidential library - presuming they find a location that doesn't recoil in horror at the thought of him lionized on their campus.


Lieberman forgot that you should dance with them what brung ya And as soon as a stronger Democratic majority takes over in the Senate, the leadership is likely to treat him with the utter contempt and revulsion that he has earned these last two years, and make the last four years of his term an exercise in misery and group humiliation the likes of which one usually only sees in high school.


Would Jesus really give guns to kids? Windsor Hills Baptist, a church in Oklahoma, had planned to give away a semiautomatic assault rifle to entice attendance to a youth conference. Friday evening th youth pastor said the gun giveaway had been canceled afterthe Pastor emeritus who ran the event injured his foot and wouldn’t be able to attend. The gun giveaway was also removed from the church Web site, but the youth minister said the $800 assault rifle would be given away at next years event instead.


We won't be renewing our subscription to The New Yorker This months cover is just over-the-top - It depicts Senator Obama in a turban, fist-bumping Michelle who is sporting a full afro and commando gear, including an assault rifle and a bandoleer. An American flag burns in the fire place. Asked for comment a magazine spokesman said it was satire. We think that the folks at the New Yorker should take an intensive tutorial with our friend Jon Swift before they ever attempt satire again.