Halliburton CEO cashes out. Apparently not everyone believes that the glorious no-bid days of Halliburton, courtesy of its former CEO Dick Cheney, are going to last forever.

The current CEO, David J. Lesar, has been routinely selling Halliburton stock almost every week for the last year, in transactions that gain him anywhere from $44,000 to $4.4 million per week — over $60 million in cash in the last year — not including the additional exercise his generous stock options are getting.

Better hold your nose. When insiders sell, the markets get that nasty Enron smell.

Extra Credit Question: Before he became CEO of Halliburton, who was Lesar's former employer? None other than Arthur Andersen, the auditor of both Enron on Lay/Skilling's watch and Halliburton on Cheney's watch. Happy Veterans' Day!

{ 9:38 AM }

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Science-based faith in the White House? "He often says -- and affirmed again in front of yesterday's audience -- that when science proves that [the] scriptures are incorrect, then the scriptures should be rejected."

Via Cookie Jill at skippy.

{ 12:38 PM }

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A conspiracy of warmongers. That's what the people think of the Bush administration, according to the November 2005 NBC News/Wall Street Journal Survey (pdf file):

25b. Which of the following comes closer to what you think about this investigation and indictment?

Lewis Libby is the only person in the Bush
administration who may have acted illegally........ 8

Others in the Bush administration may have
acted illegally as well............................ 78

Not sure........................................... 14

[...]

30a. Do you think that President Bush gave the country the most accurate information he had before going to war with Iraq, or do you think that President Bush deliberately misled people to make the case for war with Iraq?

                              [11/05* | 6/04+ | 3/04+]

Gave the most accurate information he had.... 35 44 53

Deliberately misled people
to make the case for war..................... 57 47 41

Not sure...................................... 8  9  6

* Asked of one-half the respondents (FORM A).
+ Results shown reflect responses among registered voters.

Meanwhile, the US military death toll under Bush-Cheney-Rove climbs to 2,175.

{ 9:23 AM }

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Americans for an unobstructed voting booth. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL): "I am introducing the Deceptive Election Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2005 to provide voters with real protection from deceptive practices that aim to keep them away from the polls on Election Day."

Via Adam B at DailyKos.

{ 9:12 AM }

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Ralston, Rove and Abramoff. What do Karl Rove and Jack Abramoff have in common? Susan Ralston, who was personal assistant or secretary to both at different times.

And if this report is true, Susan Ralston is scheduled to appear again before Patrick Fitzgerald.

It would be nice if Abramoff himself figured somehow into the current investigation. Thanks to the hyperpoliticization of policy, which is the real takeaway of Plamegate, Abramoff belongs in this investigation far more than Monica did in the so-called Whitewater investigation.

{ 11:43 AM }

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While Chalabi's in town... perhaps Cheney and the cabal should invite him to one of their private barbecues and golf outings like they did throughout the 1990s. Clinton, meanwhile, was bombing Osama bin Laden while being impeached by the same cabal of louts, layabouts, and liars.

For additional background, check out this Ahmed Chalabi timeline by jesselee at DCCC.

{ 10:32 AM }

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Dumb as apes. Thanks to slim margins on voting boards, the crazies are feeling more confident to release their inner apes (WSJ):

Turning back stiff opposition from scientist and teacher groups, the Kansas state board of education adopted science standards that question evolution and open the classroom to what some proponents describe as nontraditional explanations for scientific phenomena.

Antievolution initiatives in Kansas and some other states have been pushed by advocates of "intelligent design," many of whom are conservative Christians. The moves come at a time when U.S. high-school students lag behind their counterparts in other developed countries in math and science. Critics of the board's decision, adopted by a 6-4 vote, believe the new standards will put Kansas' students at greater disadvantage.

The six stupid members of the Kansas state board of education are themselves proof that life evolves — because they haven't.

{ 8:16 AM }

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GOP leadership calls for impeachment of Cheney! "The leaking of classified information by employees of the United States government appears to have increased in recent years, establishing a dangerous trend that, if not addressed swiftly and firmly, likely will worsen. The unauthorized release of classified information is serious and threatens our nation's security. It also puts the lives of many Americans and the security of our nation at risk." — Frist and Hastert

{ 11:51 AM }

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Is Crucifixion Legal Under Bush And Cheney?

{ 11:44 AM }

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That's $44 billion in the dumpster. "Maybe there's a fear that if the American people knew what was being spent on intelligence, they'd be even more upset at intelligence failures," Mr. [Loch K.] Johnson said.

{ 9:00 AM }

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Why is Junior morbidly obese?

Obesity among ages 12-19:
• 1970: 4.2 percent
• 2000: 15.5 percent

Obesity in U.S. adults:
• 1970: 15 percent
• 2000: 30.5 percent

Average yearly consumption of high fructose corn syrup:
• 1970: 0.5 pounds per person
• 2000: 62.6 pounds per person

{ 4:01 PM }

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