MSNBC/AP - About 985,000 Easy-Bake Ovens sold since last May have been recalled because children can get their hands or fingers caught in the oven’s opening, which poses an entrapment or burn hazard. The ovens are manufactured by Easy-Bake, a division of Hasbro Inc. The company has received 29 reports of children getting their fingers or hands caught in the product, including five reports of burns.

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Hasbro recalls 1 million Easy-Bake Ovens

Almost 1 million new brides are asking themselves, “How oh how will I make dinner now??” I remember when my sister was a kid, she had one of these things too, the crap was pathetic but you know, even though my sister was a smart kid, she didn’t get to use the damn thing without some ADULT supervision…

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert Gates asserted Tuesday the increase in U.S. forces in Iraq is “not the last chance” to succeed and conceded he’s considering what steps to take if the buildup doesn’t work. “I would be irresponsible if I weren’t thinking about what the alternatives might be,” Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

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Gates: Surge not last chance for Iraq

So how do we determine when it’s over?? If this ’surge’ doesn’t work, how about the NEXT one?? How about the Iraqis stand up for themselves?? We have over 140K troops on the ground in Iraq, the Iraqis have an army and polices force as well, such as it is, if that force can’t stop the violence, what next?? Are they really going to listen to those that say FIGHT the damn thing like a war and stop ‘pussyfooting’ around?? I doubt it…

WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates held out hope Tuesday that U.S. forces might be able to start leaving Iraq before the end of the year, if daunting conditions including subdued violence and political reconciliation are met. Gates told lawmakers the current buildup of forces by 21,500 troops is “not the last chance” to succeed in Iraq and conceded that he’s considering what steps to take if it doesn’t work.

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Gates Hopeful for 2007 Troop Withdrawal

Good news?? Right?? You think so?? Let me explain ‘DoD-Speak’ to you… We send in 21K troops on this ’surge’ thing, now stay with me, right here is where it gets complicated, we get the ’surge’ thing done and THEN, we withdraw those 21K ’surge’ troops… THAT is your withdrawal as promised, and look at what a marvelous job ‘WE’ are doing… Ya get all that?? Yeah… I smell it too… Smells like bullshit to me…

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The camouflaged American soldiers, weary from hours of struggling to talk with Iraqis during a patrol in eastern Baghdad, laughed with relief after an Iraqi army major’s wife met them at her door. The soldiers had no interpreter. She had a master’s degree in English translation. “Do you want to work for the Americans?” asked U.S. Army Lt. Anthony Slamar, 26. “Do you want a job as a translator?” The woman stepped back into her darkened doorway. “With you? No. Not with you. Do I want to die?” she said. “I am afraid of you, I’m sorry.”

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U.S. unit walks fine line in Baghdad

And so it goes, until the Iraqis are willing to stand and fight for THIER cause, Iraq is a LOST cause, we can’t do it all for them… Our guys and gals are more than willing to stand and fight WITH these people, it’s what WE do, we HELP others, but damn, we can’t stand and keep on fighting it FOR them…

ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) - More than a dozen armed assailants staged simultaneous attacks against two police stations in the Pacific resort city of Acapulco on Tuesday, killing at least seven officers. The attacks took place before noon in two neighborhoods about nine miles north of the tourist zone, said Enrique Gil Mercado, special prosecutor for the attorney general’s office in the state of Guerrero, which includes Acapulco.

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Assailants Gun Down 7 Police in Acapulco

Yep… That’ll go a long ways in promoting the tourist trade… Let me tell you ALL something, the violence that goes on every day in Baghdad is only a short time and distance from taking place on the streets of THIS nation, the source is already in place and the catalyst is just across the border…