So what’s really holding up the Iraqi security agreement?

For the last few months, the security pact between Iraq and the United States has lagged on. If an agreement isn’t reached by the end of the year, then the US could, by theory, be thrown out of Iraq.

Not that that’s going to happen, but still.

So what’s the hold up? Well, for some crazy reason, the Iraqi government thinks the United States wants to attack other countries, so they don’t want to give the US permission to attack other countries by using Iraq as a base.

Gee, I wonder what gave them that idea?

The bad economy finally hits Electronic Arts

The biggest computer company in the world has finally been hit with the financial crisis. Electronic Arts has announced $310 million in losses, followed up with the layoffs of 600 employee.

With the people saving their money and not spending it, its hard to see who else in the gaming industry might go next.

Georgia: Fuck It. Nobody should get to vote.

I can’t believe this. The State Attorney General of Georgia has decided to allow regular citizens to challenge the citizenship of another citizen at the polls.

Name doesn’t look right? Challenge it! Someone looks a little shifty eyed? Hey, they might not be a real citizen – better challenge their vote! Are they black – challenge time!

It’s not they’re not even trying to be subtle anymore. It’s just douche bag city time.

I can’t defend Palin any more – she gets the first amendment wrong

Pop quiz, hot shots. The first amendment does what in regard to free speech?

If you answered “doesn’t allow the government to pass laws restricting it”, you’d be right. If you’re Sarah Palin, you think that it means that the press can’t call your attacks negative when they’re wrong:

“If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations,” Palin told host Chris Plante, “then I don’t know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media.”

No. No – I’m sorry, but the first amendment doesn’t mean the press has to not attack you for saying things. It means that anybody can say or write whatever the hell they want and you can’t say boo about it, Governor Palin. The 1st amendment says they can critisize you, they can disagree with you, they can call you a saint, a liar, an angel, and an idiot and you have to just suck it up and stop whining.

So sorry, Governor Palin. Pointing out that your attacks on someone is an attack isn’t violating your constitutional rights. You saying it is, though, just proves you’re not qualified for the office you seek.

Women pay more for health insurance

Oh, I know the argument – “Women cost more to health companies, so of course they should pay more in health insurance than men.

Still, it seems that the levels are just getting silly:

Insurers say they have a sound reason for charging different premiums: Women ages 19 to 55 tend to cost more than men because they typically use more health care, especially in the childbearing years.

But women still pay more than men for insurance that does not cover maternity care. In the individual market, maternity coverage may be offered as an optional benefit, or rider, for a hefty additional premium.

Hm – and I’m not surprised why?

More signs of a bad economy

You’ve got Qwest cutting 1,200 jobs.

The Bush administration is still trying to figure out how to help home owners – which means they don’t think the bailout is going to cut it.

We’re not sure that the housing market has reached the bottom in California – this after homes have already dropped some 30+ percent.

Parents are taking advantage of Nebraska law to abandon their teenage children, likely because they can’t afford them.

90% of US workers are losing sleep, and homelessness among children is up 25%.

And there’s likely more of this bad news on the way.

How we can negotiate with Iran, get what we want – and still come out ahead

Thomas Friedman’s column details how the US can have talks with Iran and have the leverage to get what we want.

The leverage? Money. With the price of oil dropping, suddenly the Axis of oil of Iran, Russia, and Venezuela aren’t quite so vocal about their issues with the United States and how their going to use their power.

I’d say the best thing that the US can do to keep their position of power in the world: alternative energy. We should be harnessing the wind, the sea in tidal power. We should be moving public transportation, light rail, bullet trains that use publicly generated electricity.

If the country that uses 25% of the world’s oil starts using only 10%, that dries up the power of these three countries. Then, it won’t be about “get these countries to do what we want”, and more about “We really don’t give a shit what they do, because they have nothing we want.”

No, Virginia – Software Doesn’t have Patents after all

For years, software manufacturers like Microsoft and SCO have threatened patent lawsuits against open source software – for that matter, against anyone that they thought threatened them.

Now, a Federal Court has ruled that software patents don’t even exist at all.

This could have huge repercussions for the software industry. Yes, software copyrights still work – but this court decision means that just because you create some new process of software, you can’t patent the process – just the actual code.

So now, Open Source software could be even more safe from threatening lawsuits. Of course, there’s still the chance the Supreme Court could decide otherwise – but I’d say this is a very good first step.

Harsh – McCain’s Ohio efforts show results. Bad ones

From Andrew Sullivan’s report on the Ohio race.

Long story short: the longer McCain campaigns in Ohio, the worse the race gets for him.

Top GOP members blame Bush and Rove – They are Wrong

Sure, there are more and more Republicans speaking out about the failures of the Bush/Cheney/Rove era. Oh, if only we had known about the incompetency, the inability to see there were problems with the economy, how they would fail at Katrina! We didn’t know!

Only – all during that time, they cheerleaded every Bush task. While Bush called for tax cuts during a war, they shook their pom-poms. While Bush decided to invade Iraq with bad evidence, they browbeat anyone who said “That’s stupid” as unpatriotic bastards. When Bush decided to screw with the Justice Department, to reveal undercover agents, to pad his administration with unqualified people, the Republicans formed a human pyramid to block any attempts to stop him.

So no, Bush wasn’t the problem. It was everyone – Democrats included – who enabled his stupid ass, and it’s the fault of every US voter who voted for him twice. Shame on Bush, double shame on the Republicans who helped him –

And shame on us all as a nation for letting him get away with it.