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 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                         June 19, 2006 Contact: Robert Dixon (916) 441- 6197B L O G S H O C K E R ! Daily Kos Embraces Pro-Troop “Move America Forward” (SAN FRANCISCO) – Liberal blogger Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, founder of the popular left-of-center blog, DailyKos.com, has just returned from his first annual “YearlyKos” convention by embracing a surprising mantra: that of the nation’s largest grassroots pro-troop organization, Move America Forward (website: http://www.MoveAmericaForward.org). In a posting headlined “Move America Forward” the blogger “Kos”...

I'm thinking of the Carolina mountains as my next place to live. Would you consider Asheville, with its art deco feel as the place to live or would you go for Greenville with its more settled ambience? I've lived in California on the coast all my life and I'd like to try something different. Low cost of living, affordable housing, a safe place to live and having that view outside the window without the price tag. I know Colorado is expensive because every one goes there but no one seems to know the Blue Ridge Mountains are just as stunning....

While we were busy collecting more signatures on our "Censure Jimmy Carter" petitions from tens of thousands of Americans, some of the former president's supporters were responding in a rather hateful way. Just as those in the "Blame America First" crowd have profanely denounced our troops, our military, our Commander in Chief and carried signs saying "We Support Our Troops... When They Shoot Their Officers," they now have verbally attacked and made death threats against the staff and family members of the Censure Carter Committee. As I type this message our staff is assembling the emails and voice mails to...

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born Dutch politician known for her outspoken criticism of Islam, plans to leave parliament and move to the United States after admitting she lied to win asylum in the Netherlands. Hirsi Ali, 36, sought asylum in the Netherlands in 1992, claiming to be escaping from an arranged marriage. She gained Dutch citizenship in 1997 and was elected to parliament in 2003. A storm erupted about her asylum application last week after a Dutch television documentary interviewed members of her family about her background. They said she had not been forced into an arranged...

Minneapolis-St. Paul is a "cosmopolitan gem," according to a new ranking by Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. Granted, "the winter weather isn't for wusses," Kiplinger's June issue reports, but the seven-county Twin Cities area has so many good things to brag about: cost of living and housing, quality health care, low crime rate, education, quality of life, cultural amenities, the economy and transportation. St. Paul doesn't get short shrift either in the write-up: The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra are mentioned, among other pluses. Minneapolis is described as "progressive and hip, with a Midwestern sensibility."...

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- An historic FBI Town Hall Meeting with Arab and Muslim Americans will be televised nationwide on May 15th at 8pm ET / 9pm PT on Bridges TV. Bridges TV is available as a free channel on Wow Cable & Internet and GlobeCast Satellite. However, Comcast Cable, the nation's largest cable provider, charges customers an extra $180 a year to watch Bridges TV. "We are deeply saddened by such excessive overpricing by Comcast Cable. There is an urgent need for better coverage of Arab and Muslim American issues in the media. Offering Bridges TV...

AL ASAD, Iraq (Mar 5, 2006) -- Issues Marines face on a daily basis, which can lessen their quality of life and hinder their mission, include downed power generators, lights not turning on, mud bogs created by standing water and gear or personnel needing transportation. The Forerunners can turn to five talented, multi-tasking Marines with the logistics section of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, to solve these and other miscellaneous problems and tasks as they spring up. "We are responsible for the maintenance of five barracks, six hangars, the base ordnance building...

Tories move to heal White House rift By Alec Russell in Washington and George Jones, Political Editor (Filed: 16/02/2006) The Tories will today seek to end an extraordinary rift with their natural allies in the White House with a staunch statement of support for President George W Bush over the need to stop Iran having a nuclear weapon. At the start of a two-day visit to repair relations, Liam Fox, the Conservative defence spokesman, will tell a Washington think-tank that Britain remains America's "most reliable and effective ally". Dr Fox: coming to America In a speech to the Heritage Foundation,...

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger calls California the land of opportunity. So does Nevada -- but for a different reason. Silver State officials this week launched an advertising campaign in several California cities, their latest attempt to hijack California companies weary of the state's high insurance, utility, and tax costs. Nevada's latest ads -- running in newspapers with links to similarly themed Web sites -- play off the wink-and-a-nod notion that even the bear on California's state flag has skedaddled across the border to Nevada. Oversized outdoor ads will be draped on downtown buildings in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, and San...

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 23, 2006 – New Orleans faced an uphill battle against mountains of debris after storm surge and levee flooding from hurricanes Katrina and Rita brought city services to a halt in 2005. With the city and its municipal solid waste collection contractor unable to resume operations, the garbage, stench and health risk increased with each sultry day. "Our contractors were having problems regrouping their people and equipment," said New Orleans Director of Sanitation Veronica T. White, a specialist in public and environmental health. "The No. 1 urgency here was health." On Sept. 21, New Orleans asked the...

Confusion over Iran 'assets move' Iran has broken the seals on three nuclear facilities There is confusion over whether Iran is moving foreign exchange reserves from Europe to avoid possible sanctions, after conflicting remarks by officials. The deputy head of Iran's central bank has said that Iran has no plans at the moment to shift its money. But Iranian news agencies reported on Friday that the bank head had said the state had started to withdraw assets, amid a row over its nuclear programme. Iran denies US and European claims that it is seeking to build nuclear weapons. The UN's...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2006 – The past year showed a significant increase in the number of trained and equipped Iraqi security forces and in the capability of these forces to conduct independent operations, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad said today. A year ago, there were 127,000 trained and equipped members of the Iraqi security forces. Today there are more than 227,000, which reflects a 78 percent increase, Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, said at a news conference. These Iraqi forces are becoming more capable and are taking the lead in operations, Lynch said. One Iraqi...

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (Jan. 5, 2006) -- Life changed forever one month ago for two fraternal twin brothers serving in different units in Iraq when one suffered injuries from an improvised explosive device. As one brother heals himself to a full recovery at a medical center back in the states, the other remains determined to carry out his service in Iraq. Lance Corporals Jeremiah and Jeremy Pimental, 20, farm boys from Springfield, Ore., carry on a family tradition of military service going back to World War II. Both men joined the Marine Corps months after their high school graduation in...

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is again spouting Jew-hatred, and displaying his complete ignorance of history (but what's rationality when expousing genocide?). In October, he urged that Israel be "wiped off the map." Today, he: ...expressed doubt that the Holocaust occurred and suggested Israel be moved to Europe. ... In his own words: "Some European countries insist on saying that Hitler killed millions of innocent Jews in furnaces and they insist on it to the extent that if anyone proves something contrary to that they condemn that person and throw them in jail," IRNA quoted Ahmadinejad as saying. "Although we don't...

U.S., Europe Won't Push for Move on Iran Tuesday November 22, 2005 12:46 AM By GEORGE JAHN Associated Press Writer VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Washington and its European allies will forgo pushing for Iran's referral to the U.N. Security Council later this week, giving Russia more time in persuading Tehran to give up technology that could make nuclear arms, diplomats and officials told The Associated Press on Monday. For the Americans and the European Union, the plan holds the promise of success even if Iran continues to reject the proposal that would move its uranium enrichment program to Russia. The...

WASHINGTON – Rep. Loretta Sanchez says she may run for governor – in 2010. The Democratic political diva of Orange County has created "People for Loretta 2010," a political committee that allows her to raise money for a governor's race. "I think I need to go home and fix my state," the Santa Ana Democrat said in an interview on Friday. "I'm just keeping my options open. People know I love California. I come home every weekend." Despite taking this step, Sanchez isn't saying she's definitely going to run. "It's a ways off. I'm putting a marker down," she said....

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq, Nov. 14, 2005 – Iraqi army soldiers and U.S. Marines, soldiers and sailors with Regimental Combat Team 2 began a new phase of Operation Steel Curtain today by entering the town of Ubaydi. Ubaydi, located on the banks of the Euphrates River, is only 20 km from the Syrian border, and was the site of Operation Matador in May. Insurgent fighters have been battling with Iraqi and coalition forces since the operation began at dawn. Coalition air strikes hit five targets while insurgents were engaging coalition forces with small-arms fire. Preliminary reports indicate an estimated 25...

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq, Nov. 10, 2005 – Iraqi and U.S. forces began clearing-and-holding operations in the city of Karabilah, about two kilometers east of Husaybah, as Operation Steel Curtain entered its sixth day, officials said here today. The new phase of is intended to set conditions for a permanent security presence within the city. Patrols and targeted raids are also being conducted in Husaybah, where the operation was first launched Nov. 5, to root out any remaining al Qaeda in Iraq-led terrorists. Intelligence indicates some terrorists might have abandoned Husaybah once Iraqi and U.S. forces began clearing that city...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Nissan Motor Co. said Thursday it is moving its North American headquarters from California to the Nashville area. "The board of Nissan decided to relocate our North American headquarters, and we're coming to Tennessee," Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said at a news conference at the state Capitol attended by Gov. Phil Bredesen and other top state officials. The headquarters, which has been based in Gardena, Calif., [since the late 1960's] will move to Williamson County, a fast-growing suburb south of Nashville. The nearly 1,300 people employed at Nissan's Los Angeles-area headquarters work in management, marketing, advertising,...

WASHINGTON - House Republicans on Thursday included a break-up of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a budget bill that would be immune from Senate filibuster, drawing complaints from Democrats. "It does not have the support to pass both houses of Congress, so House Republicans are seeking to stifle debate and the democratic process by inserting a controversial measure into the expedited budget process," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco. The House Budget Committee included the measure in a $54 billion deficit-reduction bill that is expected to get a House floor vote next week....