Fallujah birth defects blamed on US weapons; doctors told "not to embarrass Americans over the issue"

By GottaLaff

BushCo's fraudulent little war takes yet another turn for the worse:

Birth defects in the Iraqi city of Fallujah have soared in recent years, with doctors saying advanced US weaponry such as white phosphorous and depleted uranium shells may have caused a "massive, unprecedented number" of congenital health problems.

A BBC investigative report has found that the incidence of birth defects in Fallujah has reached a rate 13 times higher than that found in Europe. One doctor at a US-built hospital in the city says the number of birth defects has spiked from one or two per month prior to the Iraq war to two or three per day today. [...]

[BBC world affairs editor John] Simpson says the Fallujah doctors who raised the alarm about birth defects were "well aware that what they said went against the government version, and we were told privately that the Iraqi authorities are anxious not to embarrass the Americans over the issue." [...]

Simpson further reported that he had "heard many times" that women in Fallujah were being warned not to have children.

If this is true, and I believe it is, it's inexcusable. There was controversy over the weaponry at the time. Now we see the horrific consequences of actions taken in our name.

I (among many others) don't recall giving my approval, but Boy Georgie and his trainer Dickless McHeartStent were just a tad headstrong and didn't care. About anything. Except their own little power trip.

As for embarrassing Americans, BushCo managed to do that all on their own.

Keith Olbermann Off Tonight, Will Be With His Father

By GottaLaff

Oh no. Not what we want to hear.

Help. Help. Help:

Keith Olbermann will not co-host the special edition of "Countdown" on MSNBC tonight as previously announced. Instead, Chris Matthews will host a special "Hardball" with Chuck Todd and Savannah Guthrie.

Last night, Keith mentioned he would have to take time off if his dad took a turn for the worse (which he told us he had already):

"If he does not recover you will not see me here for a while," Olbermann said. [...] [H]e is with his father this afternoon.

I posted the Special Comment last night, but it's worth a second post:

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Tears.

My heart goes out to the family. Keith has been amazing, and we're all thinking of him.

Update

Gotta is still sick, but at least she can croak a bit at the moment. My computer is being good right now, but I've had to scan a couple times just to make sure that nothing evil was lingering, so that is where the gaps in posting have come. You guys are troopers for being so patient with us!! And send some chicken soup vibes Gotta's way.

Paddy has malware, I had no electricity, but hey, at least I have the flu!

By GottaLaff

Paddy posted a headzup earlier. Here's one more. I think I'll be able to post a few today, but I now have the flu, which was not helped by freezing through 9 hours of electricity outages yesterday, last night, and again at 2 a.m.

I live in Southern California where we are/will be deluged by heavy rains for the next 5 days. Hence, the outages.

Paddy's computer was attacked by malware, so we're in real good shape.

Please be patient. I'll try to post as long as I feel well enough to sit up. Don't try to talk me out of it (I know my Twitter pals!), because I don't see the difference between lying around feeling like hell or sitting up feeling like hell.

I promise I'm drinking tons of tea, taking vitamins, contacting my doctor, and will rest when I feel I should. (Thank you, Twitter pals, for all the advice... my dad's a doctor and I worked in doctor's offices for years, so I'm up on all the remedies)

Paddy's working hard to debug her computer.

SoCal Edison sucks, by the way. This is a perfect example of infrastructure needing fixing. Our power goes out with every storm. Their response? We're well aware of the problem, and it should be fixed within the quarter.

So by April, we'll be fine? After the rainy season is over? And if this has been a years-long ongoing problem, why hasn't it already been fixed?

Infrastructure.

To quote Rachel Maddow, "Grrrrowwlll, sexy!'

***ADDED***

I'm back but slow catching up. And let me just say that my very first experience with overseas tech help was a joy. He couldn't have been nicer or more helpful. It just took freaking forever. Now let's go see what's making news.- Paddy

Video- Limbaugh Resting Comfortably After Taken to Hospital

Must take high road...

Video- Leukemia patient meets President Obama

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Get Well Soon Gottalaff!!

Gotta's feeling under the weather, so ya'll be stuck with me light posting today to give her some time to recuperate.

Norm Coleman diagnosed with Bell's palsy

By GottaLaff

Toker Norm's making all the jokes before anyone else can, the ones we'd be too tasteful to make anyway:

Former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman, widely considered a potential candidate for governor next year, confirmed to CNN Friday that he has been diagnosed with Bell's palsy, a generally temporary condition that affects the nerves of the muscles on one side of a person's face.

"[I was] heading back to the Twin Cities, I'm getting on a plane taking a little sip of water, and realize I'm dribbling out of the left side of my mouth," Coleman told CNN in a phone interview from his home in St. Paul. "I'm smiling, but only half of my face is smiling, so I realize I think we have a problem here." [...]

"Bell's palsy, paralysis on the left side of my face," Coleman said. "The good news is that…I had a little movement, and by having a little movement it says the prognosis recovery is really pretty good."

Coleman said he expects a full recovery — the condition generally disappears within several weeks or months — but that in the meantime he'll have to endure "the two-faced politician jokes, and talking out of one side of my mouth comments."

Actually, a close friend of mine had this, and all her symptoms did disappear within a few weeks. But until that happened, she had the appearance of a stroke victim. It's not fun.

Senator Byrd remains hospitalized with staph infection

Not a good sign. Irreplaceable.

Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), the oldest and longest serving member of the Senate, remains hospitalized with a staph infection nearly three weeks after being admitted to the hospital.

Byrd's office has been releasing periodic updates on his health and is trying to make it clear that he is still actively engaged with Senate duties.

According to Byrd's office, "He is not expected to return to Capitol Hill this week but is in daily contact with his staff."

(snip)

Byrd was initially admitted to the hospital — his staff would not release where he is staying — on May 18 for a minor infection, but he suffered a staph infection during his treatment.

Obama: Trip to Hawaii to visit gravely ill grandmother "not negotiable"

By GottaLaff

This is so, so heartbreaking:

On a whirlwind trip back to Hawaii, Senator Barack Obama spent more than an hour visiting his ailing grandmother late Thursday and is set to return to her bedside on Friday morning after arriving here on a nine-hour flight from the Midwestern battleground of the presidential campaign.

As soon as he arrived on the island of Oahu, Mr. Obama went to the Punahou Circle Apartments, where his grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, lies gravely ill. She is to turn 86 on Sunday, but aides to Mr. Obama said doctors advised him not to delay his visit.

It was an unusual departure from the tug-of-war of the presidential campaign, with 11 days remaining in the race. But it was a trip that advisers said he told them was not negotiable. He missed his mother’s death here in 1995, a mistake he said he did not intend to repeat with his grandmother, who has been a stalwart in his life.

The moment Mr. Obama stepped off the plane here at 7:25 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time, his motorcade drove directly to the 12-story apartment building on South Beretania Street. It was a subdued arrival, with no waving to the cameras or welcoming party on the breezy airport tarmac.

Her 10th-floor apartment is located in a residential neighborhood about a mile from Waikiki Beach where Mr. Obama lived as a teenager. When the Democratic presidential nominee arrived, a group gathered outside, including several women who held a small, hand-made sign, “Best Wishes Obamas!”

And to those who so insensitively accuse Obama of exploiting her illness:

On the trip to Hawaii, Mr. Obama stayed in the secluded front cabin of his campaign plane, reading and rarely talking with a handful of aides who came along. The knot in his red tie was loosened as he walked down the aisle of his plane to stretch his legs, but he stayed a safe distance from a small group of reporters who accompanied him. [...]

Mr. Obama has not scheduled any public appearances in Hawaii, but aides said he would still be in touch with his advisers in Chicago. During a refueling stop in Sacramento late Thursday afternoon, he walked around on the airport tarmac, making telephone calls and sending BlackBerry messages.

Our hearts go out to them. Group hug from TPC and our wonderful Commenters.

H/t: Ellen

Photos via.

BREAKING: Obama Cancels Thursday and Friday Events

By GottaLaff

And per our comments, but this was on Democratic Underground:

Going to Hawaii to be by his grandmother's side.

No link, just on Keith.

Larry King just said he'd resume campaigning on Saturday.

UPDATE:

On Thursday, Sen. Barack Obama will "travel to Hawaii to see his 86-year-old grandmother, who has fallen ill," according to Politico.

"The change of plans means Obama will scrap scheduled rallies Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa, and Madison, Wisc. He will instead head to Indianapolis, Ind., for a morning event, leave for Hawaii and return to the campaign trail Saturday."