I have come across the names of the 12 Nepali hostages. The post about their murder is here. Their deaths put the murdered hostage count at 31. May God send your killers to the torment that they deserve. Their names are below. more...

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I just thought I'd better get the post ready. The deadline has past.

UPDATE: The deadline has been extended one more day. Thank you Hamas. See, having terrorists openly support you can pay off.

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1 That's funny, in a sick, I really shouldn't laugh, but the post was so original that it made me laugh, and now I'm probably going to burn in hell, because some French guy is dead, and I wasn't really laughing about that, just at the head line, and how you just know you'll be writing about it in the next 24 hours, so you might as well fire up the keyboard... OMG, I'M GOING TO HELL!!! YOU EVIL BLOGGER!!! )

Posted by: Princess Kimberley at August 31, 2004 07:21 PM (2RTTX)

2 You and Mahatma Gandhi---straight to hell!!

Posted by: RS at August 31, 2004 07:48 PM (JQjhA)

3 I didn't realize Hamas was holding them. No wonder Arafat spoke about releasing them. Hmmm Not sure what the outcome will be if it's Hamas but based on the just present past, I'd say these two journalists future is already settled. ~C

Posted by: firstbrokenangel at August 31, 2004 10:52 PM (D39Vm)

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Headline: Hamas appeals for French hostages

Between the Lines: The Palestinian Islamic militant group, Hamas, called on Tuesday for the release of two French journalists held hostage in Iraq, saying it could add to the isolation of Israel and the United States.

Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for Hamas in the Gaza Strip, said that France has adopted “a positive stand,” over Iraq because it opposed the US-led war to topple Saddam Hussein.

Paris has also shown an “understanding position” toward the Palestinian cause, he said.

“Releasing the two French journalists would increase the isolation of hostile American and Israeli attitudes toward the Arab and Muslim nations, and would boost French support for our aspirations,” Abu Zuhri added.

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Screenshots taken from one site that is openly pro-Bush, and another that is openly pro-Kerry. Dr. Chaos pointed these out to me.

Election Projection

Electoral Vote

Update: Steve Green has been predicting this for some time, too.

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1 Rusty: I'm pretty sure the lower one's wrong. It's sixteen votes short of a full load.

Posted by: Demosophist at August 31, 2004 05:54 PM (turqZ)

2 That's because they have 'toss-up' category.

Posted by: RS at August 31, 2004 05:56 PM (JQjhA)

3 Rusty, Check out the following site: http://geekmedia.org/tradesports/ It keeps a running tally (updated every 3 hours) of the states based on how people are betting. Essentially it's like having the Iowa Political Markets broken down into 50 states. PS: I bought 30 shares of Bush to win Missouri when it was at 55. It's over 60 now.

Posted by: Senator PhilABuster at August 31, 2004 06:36 PM (yucew)

4 The Electoral College count I found earlier today had Bush at 300and Kerry at 238. Sorry, I didn't bookmark the url or I'd post it here. Any of the three, or even an average of the three indicate things aren't going Kerry's way - and the EC is the poll that counts.

Posted by: Iornbear at August 31, 2004 10:14 PM (lKUxU)

5 Man! I've *really* got to learn to preview when I find myself typoing my user-nick. ;]

Posted by: Ironbear at August 31, 2004 10:16 PM (lKUxU)

6 Looks like my prediction is almost there - Bush winning with 49-53% of the popular vote and 300+ EC votes.

Posted by: Lethalox at September 01, 2004 11:09 AM (gIeuu)

7 The numbers are still way to close. That scares me. No one has ever asked me to poll so no one has the opinion of those in my household or even my neighbors and I can tell you they are voting for Bush. So how can the numbers be correct in any way? ~C

Posted by: firstbrokenangel at September 01, 2004 12:57 PM (D39Vm)

8 firstbrokenangel, Consider yourself lucky that when the doctors ask for a blood sample they don't take two quarts.

Posted by: M. Simon at September 01, 2004 02:56 PM (jODBk)

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The thing about Jessica Cutler posing nude in Playboy is, well, she's just not that attractive. In fact she's butt ugly. Don't they have, like, airbrushes or something to fix that? Ok, no more Washingtonienne posts. I promise...er, at least not until the Hustler pictoral, cause, well, you know.....

[My eyes!! They burn!!! Damn you Kevin for the link]

UPDATE: Yikes!! What some people will do for hits. (NSFW--I'd also recommend not looking, ever. Seriously)

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Nope, no WMD found in his apartment. Also, if you are a lefty just remember that this post is not happening. Disregard what follows because, as we all know, there is no link between Saddam and terrorism. None.

CNN:

An Iraqi-born man who federal prosecutors say was a "sleeper agent" for Saddam Hussein's spy agency was arrested Monday for allegedly lying on his application to become a U.S. citizen....

The indictment concerns Latchin's 1998 application for citizenship. Asked to list any organizations to which he belonged, he failed to put down Saddam's Baath Party, according to the indictment.

He also did not list that he had been a member of the Iraqi Intelligence Service, the foreign intelligence arm of the Iraqi government, and said three overseas trips he made were vacations when in fact he met with his intelligence handler, according to the indictment. [more]

Captain Ed and Instapundit late on the scene....but, at least word is getting out.

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I used to ride this metro system everyday. I have friends in Moscow. I'm pissed. I'll update this post later. Via Jeff Quinton.

According to Itar-Tass, the blast was just outside the Rizhskaya metro station. Below is a map of the Moscow metro system. Rizhskaya is on the light orange Kaluzhkaya-Rizhkaya line. It is near the center of the city, just one stop North of the ring line. To put this in perspective, I used to live near Belorusskaya on the brown ring line.

Update: Via McQ at QandO it appears that it was a Chechen Woman who was responsible. Also, via Ace, the evidence now seems to confirm earlier reports that pointed to Chechen women being behind the Russian airline explosions a few days ago. The women, it seems, hid the explosives in a very, er, "awkward place".

Others: Jeff Quinton (aka, the Detective), James Joyner , In the Bullpen more...

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This week's Bonfire of the Vanities asks the blogosphere: Where were you in 1987? Forget the worst of the worst for the past week, this week's Bonfire spotlights the worst of the worst from 1987! A bad year in a bad decade.

If you would like to participate in future Bonfires, check out this post for details.

Ahhhhhhh 1987, I remember it well. A young Teddy Kaczynski, inspired by Porky's III: Porky's Revenge pulls another one of his classic pranks. John "Ivan the Terrible" Demjanjuk got suspended for that whole holocaust hazing thing. And while the Tower Commission was busy fretting over Iran Contra, the nation's prayers were with President Reagan's prostate. We were pulling for you Ronnie!

War Heros of the 1980s.Rambo? Yeah, we'll give him credit where credit is due. He served in Vietnam, and for this he deserves our utmost respect and admiriation, but come on, you're telling me he spent Christmas 1968 in Cambodia? And those Purple Hearts? Half of those wounds were from Washington State Troopers, and therefore don't even qualify! And that Vice President we had back in the 80s. Sure, he was the youngest pilot in WWII, but that didn't stop Sid Blumenthal from questioning his record either. And Paulie should know, cause way back when he was there man. I mean, he actually shook the guys hand. Bush's, not Rambo's. And remember the 80s when Ratt refered to a band and not to a certain scumbag mullah in Iraq fighting against our real American Heros, GI Joe? Well, Incite tests your knowlege of appropriate scavenger that best describes al Sadr. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle. Bitchin!

The Cold War.Back in the 80s we had this little thing called The Cold War. You may remember it from such memorable experiences as the Invasion of Grenada or the Olympic Boycott. And who can forget when Ted Turner officially ended the hostility between the Soviet Union and America by sponsoring the Goodwill Games? Of course, not everyone was as enthusiastic as Mr. Jane Fonda when it came to ending the Cold War. In January of 1987, Ronald Reagen challenged Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall. Little did he know that Gorbi was really the anti-Christ! Of course, had Uncle Ronnie been watching more PTL Club and less Cosby he would have know this. And speaking of the PTL Club, I think Norman must have gotten his fair share of Jimmy Swaggert in 1987. How else would he be so familiar with the terms hypocrisy, fraud, and slander? Like, totally hypocritical dude!

1987 High School Yearbook.----
Dear Flea, I'm so glad to have gotten to know you this year in Coach Allen's history class. That tape you mixed for me was rad. That Cure band was, like, great--if not a little wierd. It's totally different than the Wham album I usually listen to (can you believe that hunky George Michael left the band?). I'm sorry I haven't called you back since the midterm, but you know, I have my friends, and you have---well, you have that one guy you play D&D with. Thanks for helping me with my homework and that special night we spent studying together. I'll never forget it. Please don't tell any of my friends what we did that night. That will be between you, me, the fifty bucks you slipped me, and my diary. You understand, I have reputation to uphold.

Hugs and kisses,
Jess Cutler

Rad Collectibles. What would the 80s be without Cabbage Patch Kids? I had one. And not one of those gay ones. Mine had a masculine football theme going on. What could be more not-gay than a 14 year old kid carrying around a doll wearing a William "the Fridge" Perry Bear's uniform? There is absolutely no homoerotic imagery to one guy admiring another guy so much that he carries a doll around as an homage! I am not gay, dad! I like football. All those guys in those tight, tight, uniforms.....No, I don't need to see a shrink. How about getting me a Pepsi? All I want is a Pepsi....Whoa. Sorry. Flashback. Where was I? Oh, yeah. Cabbage patch dolls. Kinayda on this bizarre couple who raised a Cabbage Patch kid as one of their own. I wish this was a joke. It's not. And as long as we're on the subject, what was so wrong with Teddy Bears that the 80s had to go all doll crazy anyways? See, that's what I like about the new millenium--Teddy Bears are enough, damnit! How do I know? Well Andrew has sold all his Teddy Bears out, but you might want to rush and order one of his bands thongs before they're all gone. Gag me with a spoon!

Totally Rad Movies Sure, the whole world remember 1987 as the year Oscar Arias Sánchez received the Nobel Peace Prize. And every third grader is required to know the date Rudolph Hess finally realized his life-long dream of brokering peace between Stalin and Hitler from a safe location in Hell, but let's not forget the movies! Oh, remember the movies. Years from now, cino-archaeologists will recall 1987 as the Year of the Corys. For it was that year that Corey Haim and Corey Feldman made the classic Lost Boys--which introduced us to the phenomenon of homo-erotic-pedophelic-coked-up-vampire-chic. Boy, those were the days! They were also the days when a double-feature starring the Coreys went for 5 pongos, a price the starstruck Susie could readily afford. Awesome!

1980s Alcohol. Most people remember the 80s as the decade of excess, but not me. I remember it as the decade of Xs. INXS taught me there was more to the land down-under than toilets that flushed the wrong way and Olivia Newton John in leg-warmers. My first X rated movie. And my first swig of alcohol, Dos Equis beer down on Mission Bay, San Diego. Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, back in the 80s all music beamed from Southern Cal was outsourced to Tijuana. And no, back then we wouldn't let any of this leftist trash on the air. What happened to you, oh beloved San Diego, that you would let Air America ruin your grand vistas? The American Mind has the scoop. But what other alcohol was big in the 80s? You'd think the big hair decade would give us big booze, right? Nope. The 80s were actually the decade that made it ok to be a girl-drink drunk. There's nothing that says cool better than sipping a Bartles and Jaymes while watching Who's the Boss. Had the internet been around then, I think That 1 Guy's advice might be well taken. Just remember, back in 1987 Alyssa Milano was still jailbait---and a Bartles and Jaymes buzz is no excuse in court. Radical!

Eddie Murphy, Superstar. Not content with a platinum album produced by Rick James (bitch), Eddie Murphy took on the Hollywood establishment with Beverly Hills Cop II. Winner of the Sundance Film Festival, this heartwarming film continues the story of the love that dare not speak it's name between Axil Foley (Eddie Murphy) and Det. William 'Billy' Rosewood (Judge Reinhold). Winner of five Golden Globes and an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress (Brigitte Nelson), the film explores the existential meaning of class, power, and love in an age of oppression. The film has been called 'Kafkaesque' and is said to be the last film viewed by Andy Warhol before his tragic and untimely death later in the year. Much like this greeting card in Brian's post, it's the understated subtly of the humor presented therein that is the true mark of this film's genius. As long as we're on Eddie Murphy, can we all just admit right here and now that he may be the greatest actor of our generation? And it all started with Gumby on SNL. That reminds me, had SNL used their 'Fun with Real Audio' segments in the 1980's, they probably would have sounded something like Aaron's post.Brilliant!

Babes of 1987.The 80s were the big hair decade. As a matter of fact, it was the 80s that saw the first wave of metrosexuals. Come on, you're telling me Poison, Ratt, and those Nelson dudes weren't just a little bit too pretty for comfort? There is a direct correlation between gay chic in the new millenia and teenage boy sexual confusion because of the glam-rock bands of the 80s. Those teenagers are all grown up and working for Act Up! The 80s also gave us scandal babes Jessica Hahn, Donna Rice, and the star of the popular Proctor & Gamble produced daytime soap opera, Iran/Contra, Fawn Hall (pictured). But let's take a moment and compare the three biggest sex symbols of 1987. Yeah, Fawn Hall was the hottest, but you have to give credit where credit is due: Jessica Hahn's D cups were mahvelous...absolutely mahvelous. Spirit Fingers might recommend a set of silicone bra implants for Fawn to level the playing field with Jessica. I think the word to describe Donna is 'titpaved', or at least it is if Mad Anthony gets his way. Like, "Fawn Hall is hot, but that Donna Rice is totally titpaved, dude!" Speaking of hot makes me think of my first case of crabs--and no, contrary to the advice given in The Last American Virgin, you cannot drown crabs. Why, because according to Classical Values some crabs such as Coenobita clypeatus can use their gills as lungs. Instead, try Oprah Winfrey's personal butt itch cream. Interested Participant has been using it for years! Dorkwad!

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For original post on the 12 Nepalese Hostages, Links to Video, and Images, please scroll down past this brief update section.

UPDATE: 10/02: For the latest information, links to video, and images on hostages in Iraq please check the main page by CLICKING HERE.

Here is a list of all the victims of Islamic Beheadings since late July this year.

10/02 Iraqi Victim Barie Nafie Dawoud Ibrahim Beheading Video and Images Here
9/22 American Hostage Jack Hensley Beheading Video and Images Here
9/20 American Hostage Eugene Armstrong Beheaded on Video Here
9/13 Turkish Hostage Beheaded on Video Here
9/08 Three Muslim 'Informants' Beheaded by the Religion of Irony
8/31 12 Nepalese Hostages Killed, 1 Beheaded Here
8/26 Italian Hostage Enzo Baldoni Murdered Here
8/25 Alleged CIA Agent Beheaded in Video Here
8/13 Another Alleged CIA Agent Beheaded on Video Here
8/11 CIA Agent Executed: Another Beheading Video
8/09 Another Bulgarian Beheading Video
8/02 Turkish Hostage Murdered
7/28 Bulgarian Beheading Video
7/27 Kashmir Rebels Bomb Hospital, Behead Three
7/27 Paul Johnson Beheading Video and Images Here
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Begin original post:

12 Nepalese hostages have been executed. In the video released by the Army of Ansar al-Sunna, one hostage is seen beheaded with a knife as he struggles with his captors. The other 11 are seen lying down, and then one by one shot in the back of the head. Nepal is not a member of the Coalition Forces nor is it involved in any way in Iraq. The twelve came to Iraq to work, nothing more. The same group has threatened to kill two French hostages if the Chirac government, which opposed the invasion of Iraq, does not lift a ban on the Islamic head-scarf in schools. This is Islamic law:

We have carried out the sentence of God against 12 Nepalis who came from their country to fight the Muslims and to serve the Jews and the Christians...believing in Buddha as their God," said the statement by the military committee of the Army of Ansar al-Sunna.

Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is forgiving, merciful" (Sura 9:5)

Jeff Quinton first notified me of the gruesome news.

Chris Short has the video, which is truly horrific.

Others blogging: On the Third Hand, M.H. King, In the Bull Pen, Say Anything, Cranky Neocon (funny), Diggers Realm, James Joyner, Drink This more...

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News.co.au:

TWO French journalists held hostage by militants in Iraq today said a French ban on Islamic headscarves in schools would cost them their lives.

The pair were shown in a video broadcast by Al-Jazeera television urging the French Government to revoke the ban.

"I call on President (Jacques) Chirac and the French Government to show good will toward the Arab and Islamic worlds by revoking the ban on wearing the hijab immediately," said Mr Chesnot, speaking in English.

"I also urge all French citizens to demonstrate against this law and demand its annulment because it is unfair and wrong.

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Click for larger photo.

Dr. Leopold Stotch forwared this to me this. The e-mail that went along with it reads:

The proud warriors of Baker Company wanted to do something to pay tribute To our fallen comrades. So since we are part of the only Marine Infantry Battalion left in Iraq the one way that we could think of doing that is By taking a picture of Baker Company saying the way we feel. It would be awesome if you could find a way to share this with our fellow countrymen. I was wondering if there was any way to get this into your papers to let the world know that "WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN" and are proud to serve our country." Semper Fi
1stSgt Dave Jobe

The attached photo was forwarded from one of the last U.S. Marine companies in Iraq. They would like to have it passed to as many people as possible, to let the folks back home know that they remember why they're there and that they remember those who've been lost.

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Somehow I missed the fact that two Turkish hostages were found shot two days ago. Other er bloggers have been on the case for days. There names were Abdullah Ozdemir and Ali Daskin. That brings the total number of hostages killed by the Religion of Peas to 19 since 9/11. Their names are below. more...

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Didn't Dave Chappelle already do this one? VOA:

French police have announced the arrest of a Jewish man in connection with what was first suspected to be an anti-Semitic arson attack on a Jewish center in Paris last week.

Police have not publicly identified the suspect, but investigators say he is associated with the center. Earlier reports had termed him a recently laid-off center employee. Investigators now describe the suspect as "mentally unstable" and "more or less homeless."

The arson attack on August 22 destroyed the Jewish center, and anti-Jewish slogans and swastikas were scrawled inside. Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, who visited Paris shortly after the fire, urged harsher punishments in France for perpetrators of anti-Semitic attacks.

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I question the timing of this 'accident'. [/DU mode]

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...Iowahawk style.

Indymedia style (via Charles Johnson)

Headless French style. Strike that, make that French Secularism mourning style.

PS-I'm black, I can feel it.

(In class)

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I'm in a pickle of a dilly here (said in Ned Flanders' voice). On the one hand, I don't want to write anything about the convention because its a serious non-event and makes me snooze just thinking about it. On the other hand, I have several blog mentors, friends, associates, and colleagues who are going to be there and I feel this pull to check in on what they're writing. What's a blogger to do?

Kevin, who is a fellow-traveller of sorts, will be there and has set up a website to aggregate the convention blogging experience.

Captain Ed, who I actually forked over some dough to this month (scroll down his right side-bar),will be there and is already anticipating the non-news coverage of the non-event.

Dean sometimes makes it over here to drop a comment or two, and I frequent his blog, but it seems the QOAE won't let him out of her sites. Instead he is sending the always prompt Karol who is doing her best reenactment of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.

Roger L. Simon and Hugh Hewitt are more like mentors than peers. When I grow up, I want to be just like you. Only in the case of Roger, with more hair, and in Hugh's case sans the MN accent.

Scott, who I play TrackBack ping-pong with on occasion, is already photoblogging the pre-convention moonbat scene. It's a pity that Bill isn't going to be there to join in the fun. I wish Bill the best and hope whatever is going wrong in your private life will be righted.

Ok, so that will be the first and last post on the RNC. Good luck to all the bloggers who are going. Just remember, when you get caught between the barking-moonbat and NY City, the best that you can do is fall in love....or something like that.

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This one's for you Dr. Chaos. Michelle 'de-link Rusty's brilliant Drudge-like post' Malkin:

You've heard about the two men who were busted for allegedly plotting to bomb the Herald Square subway station. You may not have heard that one of the men, Shahawar Matin Siraj, a 22-year-old Pakistani national living in Jackson Heights, New York, had run into problems with immigration authorities.

On a related note, my sister told me on the phone yesterday that the INS swept through Temecula the other day. Apparently they raided a residential neighborhood, which is something you never hear of these days. You never will again, because she says (this is all second hand) that Homeland Security stepped in and stopped the raids. Temecula is Republican California and the locals got pissed off when the raids stopped, or so my sister says. Can anyone confirm this or know of any newspaper stories about the incident?

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I've been saying this for months. I notice Steve doesn't put Wisconsin in the Bush camp, either. And if Norm Coleman can get his wife to stump for Bush, you can chalk up MN too.

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I'm not sure which bugs me worse, the fact that one of Kerry's tolerance police throws the first punch or that one of our jackbooted comrades turns the other cheek. Scroll down and play the video.

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