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Thursday, February 28, 2013

News Morning News

Posted by Anna Minard on Thu, Feb 28, 2013 at 8:55 AM

Grand Jury Refusers Katherine Olejnik and Matthew Duran Are Free: Or they will be at 4 p.m. today, says our own Brendan Kiley. (Maddie Pfeiffer remains in prison.)

Happy Sequester Eve! I'm asking my parents for a pony. Says the NYT: "The sword of Damocles turns out to be made of Styrofoam." Meanwhile, Bob Woodward says the Obama administration threatened him over a sequester story.

Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes: Will not be "ethically screening" himself from police reform negotiations, Cienna reported yesterday, despite Mayor McGinn's request.

Bradley Manning Pleads Both Ways: Reports the LA Times...

Army Pfc. Bradley Edward Manning pleaded guilty Thursday to 10 charges that he illegally acquired and transferred U.S. government secrets, agreeing to serve 20 years in prison for leaking classified material to WikiLeaks that described U.S. military and diplomatic efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the globe.

The 25-year-old soldier, however, pleaded not guilty to 12 more serious charges, including espionage for aiding the enemy, meaning that his criminal case will go forward at a general court-martial in June. If convicted at trial, he risks a sentence of life in prison at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.

The First American to Meet North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un: Is Dennis Rodman. "Kim, 30, is known to have been a Rodman fan since his teenage years."

An Awful Story Out of South Africa: No, not that one. This: "The police did not seem at all concerned by all the witnesses and the presence of cameras as they tied Mido Macia, a 27-year-old from neighboring Mozambique, to the back of a police vehicle, his hands behind his head." Macia later died in police custody.

Gay Mississippi Mayoral Candidate Marco McMillian: Found dead yesterday in an apparent homicide. His campaign spokesman says he doesn't think McMillian's murder was "politically motivated or a hate crime." The AP has a longer story here.

Homeless Man Lights Candles, Blows Up House: In South Park, early this morning.

Evicting a Sonic: Former Seattle Sonic Robert Swift is slowly moving out of his foreclosed Eastside mansion—a little too slowly for lawyers.

Splicing Screaming Goats into Pop Songs: Is definitely my new favorite internet trend. Here, have some Miley:

Bon Jovi, Goat Edition, after the jump!

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Comments (16) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

I could probably love that vintage microphone in a less awful context. Goats FTW.

Posted by ScrawnyKayaker on February 28, 2013 at 9:02 AM

Oh great, now my entire day is shot. I will be watching goat splicing and nothing else.

Posted by Pick1 on February 28, 2013 at 9:10 AM

Woodward must have a book coming out or he's reverted back to being a frightened little girl baby.

Posted by Pope Peabrain on February 28, 2013 at 9:24 AM

@3 Those are not mutually exclusive!

Posted by ScrawnyKayaker on February 28, 2013 at 9:50 AM

"So why is it that all of the big gay non-profits, from the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) – “Gay Inc.” – have failed to utter a word of support for Private Bradley Manning, let alone really campaign for him? He’s gay, has moderately high name recognition, and unlike any number of airhead celebrities, he’s actually done something to support social justice, rather than mined charitable causes for personal fame and fortune."

Discuss.

http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/02/22/b…

Posted by Che Guava on February 28, 2013 at 9:59 AM

@5: My guess would be that those groups run into enought hostility without hitching themselves to a man who may very well be found guilty of high treason.

Cowardly perhaps, but one can hardly blame them.

Posted by Theodore Gorath on February 28, 2013 at 10:09 AM

@6: Sure, due process and a speedy trial are only for society's in-groups. After more than a decade of war, the only ones who have gone to prison are the whistleblowers.

Setting aside that Manning is standing on the strong side of the UCMJ regarding illegal orders, the question stands: gay rights are for the popular?

Posted by Che Guava on February 28, 2013 at 10:22 AM

I will listen to goat songs..with my sharp new red noontec zoros!

Posted by Supreme Ruler Of The Universe

on February 28, 2013 at 10:43 AM

@7: I never said it was right or just. But the world we live in hardly ever is.

Perhaps those groups do not see it politically the same way you do. Some people actually think he is a traitor, and his sexuality as completely irrelevant. I would hope those groups would step up, but it is possible they do not view it as a gay rights issue.

Or maybe being as their jobs and lives are contigent on those non-profits, they do not want to put the non-profit at risk by aiding a possible traitor.

As people with nothing to lose in the matter, it is easy for us to decree what others should do, but it is a more complicated matter when you have a dog in the fight.

Posted by Theodore Gorath on February 28, 2013 at 10:51 AM

@5 The Bradley Manning proceedings seem to have dick-all to do with his orientation. In short, there is no hook on which “Gay Inc.” should hang their hat.

@6 "Cowardly perhaps, but one can hardly blame them."

Single issue advocacy is best when it sticks to it's lane.

Posted by Bradley Manning, No Matter How Gay, Is Also Other Things on February 28, 2013 at 10:55 AM

Don't you mean "Barn Jovi" or "Baaa-a-a-a-an Jovi?"

Posted by YakHerder on February 28, 2013 at 10:58 AM

@10: It must be comfortable to nuzzle up to Obama, who also lavished the prejudicial judgement in Manning's case: "He broke the law," said the highest-profile former constitutional law professor, pre-trial. In fact, it sounds like what nearly every gay kid goes through, except for the It Gets Better part. Again, are rights only for the popular?

Word to the wise: single issue advocacy is divide and conquer by the soon-to-be divided and conquered. Exhibit A: the gains of the early 1970's have been almost entirely vacated. How could gay rights be any different?

Posted by Che Guava on February 28, 2013 at 11:13 AM

@3 and @4 tied for the Woodward Wuss Win.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on February 28, 2013 at 11:40 AM

Goat power!

Posted by very bad homo on February 28, 2013 at 12:08 PM

Katherine Olejnik and Matthew Duran Are Free

Bravo !!!!!!!!!!!!! And it's about fucking time !!!!!!!!!!!!!

And as far as that austerity/sequestration bullcrap:

http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/26/bi…

Posted by sgt_doom on February 28, 2013 at 1:38 PM

@12 Is a critique of Pol Pot somehow an attack on all Catholic school alumni? Was the treatment of Jesus an affront on carpenters everywhere? Must pharmacists everywhere rail against the treatment of Benedict Arnold?

I get that you're totally gay for Bradley Manning, but his being gay, hardly turns this complicated, messy situation into a clear cut for the gays or again' 'em issue, no matter how you analogize it.

I'll even cop to being something of an Obama apologist, but you seem deeply confused, as Commander-in-Chief Obama is arguably proceeding against Manning in this Court Martial.

Lastly, single issue advocacy isn't everything but it is a powerful tool for propositions that have widespread support across disparate groups, like the idea that gay people are people.

So, in addition to Bradley Manning, what else do you want in your pro-gay purity test?

Posted by Bradley Manning, No Matter How Gay, Is Also Other Things on February 28, 2013 at 2:33 PM