Instahoglets 26th March 07

We've had hellacious thunderstorms here all day. In Scotland I wouldn't be troubled but here in SW Texas the power grid is held together with boogers and string and I don't want the computer blown by a power surge. Posting today ahs been, and may continue to be, spotty.

I wonder what the folks on the Newshog blogroll are up to?

Anything The Say is looking at the big implications of the "raft of oil deals" China and Venezuala are said to be working on. "Russia, China, Iran and Venezuela have all seen the opening created by the ruinous Bush administration and they are ready to pounce. In fact, they are pouncing already."

Michael Roston has a scoop - The top Republican in the US Senate told RAW STORY today that he is counting on two Democratic senators to vote against a supplemental war funding bill that establishes a timeline to end the Iraq war. Oh, and Lieberman, of course.

Blah 3 has Monkeyfister on the corps of economic hitmen that are about to happen to Iraq's oil industry.

Talking Points Memo is, as always, on the ball with the spreading and deepening PurgeGate scandal, this time with the news that Waxman has put the RNC on notice not to delete email accounts that may become evidence. Josh notes "this use of outside private email accounts may turn out to be too clever by half. Can executive privilege even conceiveably cover emails from the Republican National Committee?

Meanwhile, Ron at Middle Earth Journal and Steven Taylor at PoliBlog both handle the startling news that one of Gonzales aides will "take the Fifth" if called to testify under oath. Both conclude that it signals clearly that there's definitely a "there" there. I always thought it would be Iraq that lead to impeachments and constitutional crisis. I guess I was wrong.

If I were putting togather a blogging "dream team", I would want Libby from The Impolitic on it. Here, as proof, is a look at the news that NYC police spied on "suspects" all across the country in advance of the 2004 Republican National Convention. "If this isn't the definition of a police state, then please tell me how to define it."

If you haven't been reading Shaun Mullen's "Quotes From Around Yon Blogosphere" posts over at Kiko's House then you've been missing out. Perfect, and often snarky, commentary on the days news by the application of judicious sound-bites. I love it. Here's the latest.

Good news - Changes in US tactics and operating patterns have eliminated the spike in helicopter shoot-downs. Bad news - these changes are mean the insurgencie(s) are reducing US options while at the same time increasing their own. Read Fester for a complete and expert examination of the facts. In short, US tactical changes to stop copters being shot down mean less air support and supply. That means US forces are less likely to be reinforced by heliborne forces, less likely to seek fights as their support is further away and less likely to arrive in time, and more effort will be needed to guard the road system.

Jill from Brilliant At Breakfast on the obstacles health insurers put in the way of righteous claims: While presidential candidates are talking about health insurance availability for all, they might consider also addressing the nature of the entire insurance industry, the business model of which is akin to a Mob protection racket -- only with fewer ethics, because they don't even provide the promised protection. Jill, I worked in the insurance industry for almost 20 years, and while some insurers are honorable (mainly small ones) you've nailed it for the rest. The stories I could tell...would get me sued.