Iraqi forces backed by American soldiers raided one of the country’s most important Sunni mosques as worshippers were leaving after Friday prayers.

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‘Something went awry with  electronic voting in Florida,’ says the lead researcher

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, said today that they have uncovered statistical irregularities associated with electronic voting machines in three Florida counties that may have given President George W. Bush 130,000 or more excess votes.

According to the study, counties with electronic voting machines were significantly more likely to show increases in support for Bush between 2000 and 2004 compared to counties with paper ballots or optical scan equipment. This change cannot be explained by differences between counties in income, number of voters, change in voter turnout, or size of the Hispanic/Latino population.

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First there were “Freedom Fries”, as the loony right could no longer bear using the word “French” after France opposed the Iraq invasion.

Now, in a quite possibly related development, Campbell’s Soup is “retiring” the brand name Franco-American…

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A major hospital in the San Fernando Valley area of L.A., where I live, has closed.

State Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer declined Thursday to intervene in the voluntary closure this week of a 209-bed Van Nuys hospital, despite pleas from a Los Angeles city councilman and a citizens group to take legal action.

Among their stated reasons for closing are state-mandated rules saying emergency rooms must treat all patients and that the nurse-patient ratio be 1 to 5 - rules they say they can’t meet and still pay the bills.

The ever “business-friendly” Gov. Schwarzenegger wants to roll back those better nursing ratios from 1-5 to 1-12.

Nurses I’ve spoken to say a 1-5 ratio is doable but the 1-12 Schwarzenegger wants will result in a decreased quality of health care. How does making healthcare worse help anyone?

Opponents say closing the nonprofit hospital adds to a growing healthcare crisis in Los Angeles County. Since the 1980s, 10 trauma centers and 18 emergency rooms have closed.

A major battle is L.A. has started over the planned closure of the King/Drew trauma center, an action which would leave this mostly African-American and Latino part of town without ANY trauma center.

Reaction to King/Drew plan loud and clear

In an outpouring that was by turns hostile and heartsick, the community that relies on Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center turned out in force Monday to strenuously oppose plans to close the hospital’s prized trauma unit.

Among those opposing the closing is the always formidable Rep. Maxine Waters, who has been conducting hearings on King/Drew. Never ever under-estimate her or her organizing ability. She is a valuable and powerful ally to have in this struggle, and is fired up on the issue.

Health care is a right. People need to have trauma centers nearby where they can go for emergency health care. The current health care problem is systemic and requires a systemic solution. The US is the only industrialized nation without some form of free medical care.

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The hotel workers union staged a rowdy all-day protest Thursday outside the Wilshire Grand in downtown Los Angeles, injecting some drama into a long-running dispute with nine luxury hotels and prompting clusters of conference guests to walk out in support.

And a noisy protest it was. There was much banging on pots and pans, a tactic started I believe by Venezuelan women. Lemme tell ya, 20-30 people doing so can make a mighty noise indeed. My ears rang for an hour afterwards.

Some hotel workers in S.F. have been locked out. This was a solidarity protest at the Wilshire Grand in L.A., targetting them for a boycott. 

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