McDonald’s beefs up presence in China

SHANGHAI - Beef is luxurious. Beef is healthy. And, yes, beef is sexy.

These are the messages McDonald’s Corp. is sending Chinese consumers as it tries to seduce them into eating more hamburgers. One racy billboard ad features a close-up of a women’s lips; on another ad on the door of restaurants, a woman runs her hand over a man’s flexed biceps. “Flirt with your senses,” signs say.

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As if you needed any more proof that the Democrats and the Republicans are on the same side, here we have Congressman Charlie Rangel (D-NY) telling Hugo Chavez that he cannot come into the United States to criticize “his president”.

Silly Hugo, you don’t have freedom to speech in America!

From HotAir:

This would have meant a lot more coming from a guy who hadn’t referred to Bush in the past as “our Bull Connor”.

His point is actually quite weak. Barack Obama, to his credit, used his trip to Kenya a few weeks ago to criticize that country’s government for its rampant corruption. The nutroots went hog wild over George “Hero for our time” Galloway’s grandstanding anti-American testimony before Congress last year. No one has a big problem with foreign dignitaries insulting the home team — except when we’re two months out from a midterm election and the backlash from those insults is apt to swing a few voters the “wrong” way. Rangel’s noisy display of patriotism this morning was his attempt to blunt that effect.

Still, it’s always nice to see a lefty put country over party. Even if he really isn’t.

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Intense air power and small groups of troops didn’t win in Iraq or Afghanistan.

NEW YORK – This month’s devastating wave of suicide attacks in Afghanistan (including three attacks on Monday, which brought the total number to 69 since 2005) is a grim reminder that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, under fire for his role in Iraq, has been the architect of not one but two failing wars - and of a dangerous vision for how to apply American power. (more…)

U.S. forces hunting Osama bin Laden and other terrorists in Afghanistan will cross into Pakistan if necessary, U.S. President George W. Bush said, as the leaders of the two neighboring countries traded blame over the insurgency.

Translation: If it becomes politically necessary (i.e. shit really hits the fan), then sure we’ll go into Pakistan and detain some Osama look-a-like and put together a whole press campaign. We certainly can’t capture the real Osama bin Laden…because he’s dead, but you didn’t hear it from us. (more…)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Geoff Davis’ school safety legislation passed the full House of Representatives.

WRH: This is the law that allows any teacher to strip search any student, for any reason. This is intended to solve the teacher shortage by attracting the perverts and pedophiles into the profession. (more…)

UNITED NATIONS - The number of Iraqi civilians killed in July and August hit 6,599, a record-high number that is far greater than initial estimates suggested, the United Nations said Wednesday. (more…)

The United States government was quick to respond the Somali transitional government’s appeal to find international help over probing the double car bombings that engulfed the lives of at least 11 and injured dozens. The blasts took place in Baidoa town that, temporarily houses government buildings. (more…)

UNITED NATIONS — The Bush administration and five allies have given Iran its fourth deadline to stop uranium enrichment in four months in hopes of getting talks under way.

Just in time for the midterm elections! (more…)

WASHINGTON — In the past week, Karl Rove has been promising Republican insiders an “October surprise” to help win the November congressional elections. (more…)

Mercury pollution from power plants and other industrial sources has accumulated in birds, mammals and reptiles across the country, and only cuts in emissions can curtail the contamination, says a report released Tuesday by a national environmental group. (more…)

A Jewish rabbi living in the West Bank has called on the Israeli government to use their troops to kill all Palestinian males more than 13 years old in a bid to end Palestinian presence on this earth.

And people say it is overkill to call what is happening in Gaza a genocide… (more…)

Bill O’Reilly will not rest until he proves that harsh interrogation, never call it torture, really gets results. Tonight he had Brian Ross, ABC News, on The Factor to reinforce his claims that the CIA use of “alternative” interrogation methods like waterboarding are not only safe but very effective breaking down 14 terror suspects.Then Carol Bogart, Human Rights Watch, appeared so BOR could feel personally vindicated but his plan fell short.

If only Mr. O’Reilly would demonstrate for all of us just how ’safe and reliable’ waterboarding really is by having it performed on himself. (more…)

Global jihad group takes credit for assassination, warns more attacks on the way

RAMALLAH – A group claiming to be al-Qaeda yesterday announced it was behind the assassination last week of a senior Palestinian security official, accusing the officer of “collaborating” with the “Zionists” and the United States.

Surree they did…what impeccable timing this “Al Qaeda” has in coming through as a convenient diversion for their supposed enemies. I guess we’re supposed to believe that Al Qaeda just found Israel on a map this morning? Watch as they tie Hamas and Hezbollah in with Al CIAda… (more…)

As the neocons, the corporate news media, and the international banking class push the world towards more military showdowns in Iran, Venezuela, Cuba and wherever else they can provoke a crisis, along with their ultimate goal — a “Clash of Civilizations” — there are some important crosswinds blowing around the world that may stop them dead in their tracks.

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Iran could trigger a global terrorist campaign and choke the West’s oil supplies in the event of war with America, the top US commander in the region has warned.

They’ll cut us off if we invade, so we must invade? Gotta love circular logic… (more…)