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New Insight Into The Detainment Of AP Photographer   Tuesday, November 27th, 2007 A.P. Photographer Bilal Hussein took this photograph of an Iraqi insurgent carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher in Ramadi, March, 2005. Last month, we told you about Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein, who has been imprisoned by U.S. military for over a year in Iraq with no charges.  Today, we got an e-mail from the Free Bilal campaign, informing us that Bilal was blindfolded for nine days while in U.S. custody, and then offered to become a paid informant for the U.S. Army. Bilal and those closest to him feel this information should be known by Americans, and want it posted.  The article summarizes a 46-page report prepared for the AP by Bilal's attorney, Paul Gardephe, to address the allegations against Hussein, who is still being detained. "Interrogators focused [on] pictures that Bilal had taken shortly before he was arrested that showed Iraqi children playing with [the] torn-off leg of an injured U.S. or Iraqi soldier," the Free Bilal Committee wrote, "And was told [on] by the military.  One interrogator said to Hussein, 'Do you know what would happen if these photos were shown in the U.S.?  There would be huge demonstrations and we would have to leave Iraq.  This is why you won't be released.  Your photos pose a threat to us.'" Here is the article in it's entirety that the Free Bilal Campaign wants you to read; the entire report has also been made public by the Associated Press as of last Wednesday. Bilal Hussein has taken many controversial photos (such as this photo that caused a stir in late 2006 of a dead Italian man with two masked insurgents standing over him with guns), one of which one him a Pulitzer Prize. UPDATE:  We just received this additional info from the Free Bilal organization: Today over 1850 professional photographers and journalists from over 90 countries sent once again a petition to the U.S. Government demanding the imediate release of Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein.   Bilal Hussein was detained by US Forces in Iraq on April 12, 2006, and has been held in prison ever since without charges.   This week, the US Military informed The Associated Press that they plan to seek a criminal complaint against Bilal before an Iraqi court on Nov. 29.   Despite the fact that the US Army had said to media outlets that they have "irrefutable evidence" that Bilal is "a terrorist media operative" who had "infiltrated the AP" they won't say what the charges are or what evidence will be presented. Continued > >

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Chris Brown Misses A Great Giving Opportunity   Monday, November 26th, 2007 On November 6th, on MTV's TRL (Total Request Live), R&B singer Chris Brown said that he never wears a pair of underwear more than once.  He buys them in packages, and throws them away after one use. "I'm not a germaphobe," he said.  "I don't feel like washing them because I'm always moving.  So I buy different packs adn I'm good for, like, a week, and then I've got to get a whole lot of new drawers." Drawers meaning boxers shorts or underpants. Is this just another wasteful "celebrity" habit, or is this something a lot of men do to avoid doing laundry? I sent the following to Chris Brown's Agent, Music Agent, Manager, and Publicist (four different people - it takes a team, I tell you):   Hey, Chris, we saw your recent appearance on MTV's Total Request Live, and just wanted to let you know that there are Salvation Army locales all over the U.S. and internationally.  Chances are, there's one near you, regardless of where you're travelling. And the Salvation will not only take your clothes and offer them for cheap to the less fortunate, they will even pay you for them.  They value "under-shorts" at $1.00 - $3.00 each, and sell them to those who can't afford to pay full price for underwear that may last them years. So, not only are you missing out on helping those in need, you'll be getting some of your undie investment back.  Here's the quickest way to find one near you. We are also publishing this as a news article and would like you or your agents' response. Thanks, Connie T." Comments > >

News Roundup:  Other News You Don't Want To Miss   Tuesday, November 27th, 2007 Environment:  Greenpeace Skewers Nintendo  Source:  IGN Holiday:  Stores Have Black Friday...Online Retailers Have 'Green Monday'  Source:  Business Week Law & Order:  The Inside Details Of What Linda Hogan Is Demanding  Source:  St. Petersburg Times Music:  Singer For Quiet Riot Heavy Metal Band Found Dead At Home In Las Vegas  Source:  L.A. Times Politics:  Mississippi Senator Trent Lott Announces Retirement  Source:  New York Times  and  Allegations Of A Tryst With A Gay Escort  Source:  Big Head DC Politics:  Obama Got Winfrey, Clinton Got Streisand  Source:  Baltimore Sun U.S. News:  Cheney's Heartbeat Now Stable (I wasn't aware he had one)  Source:  ABC News World News:  Officials From 40 Nations Gather Today For Mideast Summit  Source:   CNN International World News:  Factbox: Quotes From The Annapolis Conference  Source:  Reuters

Ann Coulter Has Her Address Removed From Public Records   Tuesday, November 27th, 2007 Ann Coulter has successfully petitioned Palm Beach, Florida officials to remove her home address from county property records, after being reportedly harrassed at her new residence.  Coulter, 45, first contacted Palm Beach Police in March to report a vulgar greeting card left in her mailbox.  The pink and white chard said "Go fuck yourself" and had handwritten statements like "The only things left after a nuclear war are you and cockroaches, stay out of bright lights with no makeup, you are so ugly you could turn a train up a dirt road.  You are quite pitiful." I don't think I even understand any of those comments. The letter was retreived from her mailbox after she saw a small tan vehicle parked in front of her residence with two people inside. The Smoking Gun has the police report.  Coulter is now one of 2,674 properties in the county whose owners are not named in property appraiser records, according to The Palm Beach Post.  Florida law allows judges, prosecuters, police officers, and those with jobs that may put them in harm's way to remain anonymous in property records for safety purposes. Comments > >

Hayden Panettiere's Arrest Warrant, Absent From Your News   Tuesday, November 27th, 2007 You may see this... Or this... But they never show you this... Or this. Of all the "celebrity" reporting the media likes to do, they dedicate tiny blurbs and obscure little articles for many things celebrities do that are actually meaningful - which the mass media purposely does to distract us from the bigger issues at hand, I think.  And when a celebrity arrest occurs, the mug shot makes it to the front page of blogs everywhere...except when the warrant is issued for activism. Why is that?  Hmmm. Hayden Panettiere, for example.  You'll see photographs of the 18-year-old actress from NBC's Heroes series, in the middle of magazines walking her dog or going to the store.  But when Japan issued an arrest warrant just weeks ago for the Grammy nominee over a protest she attended with the Save the Whales Again! organization, it hardly made a ripple in the news front. Panettiere was there for a confrontation with Japanese fisherman to protest the needless slaughter of dolphins and whales (which you can find out more about here).  The activists blocked a fishing boat and attempted to get to a pod of dolphins before the fishermen could.  They then went straight to the shore - and an airport - so as not to get arrested for trespassing. Hayden Panettiere, Australian actress Isabel Lucas, author Peter Heller, pro surfer Karina Petroni, and Dave Rastovich and his wife Hannah from Surfers for Cetaceans, swam in the Taiji waters in late October, that were actually stained red with blood from all the killings of dolphins and whales for their meat.  The peaceful protestors were prodded by poles and harassed by local fishermen.  The fishermen in the small village of Taiji resumed the hunt less than 24 hours after Hayden and gang left. Hayden said recently in a statement to Access Hollywood, "Obviously this issue has generated defensive behavior on the part of both the Japanese authorities and fishermen.  I have grown up hearing - and adhering to - this phrase:  'condemnation without investigation dooms one to everlasting ignorance.' "We must unite as a world to solve our increasing international environmental crises.  We can no longer hide out-dated, senseless cultural traditions and lazy, bad habits that are resulting in the annihilation of our planet's resources and the extinction of our species." Go Hayden!  Comments > >

Amy Winehouse Cancels U.K. Tour   Tuesday, November 27th, 2007 Singer Amy Winehouse has cancelled her U.K. tour, and all scheduled promotional appearances for this year.  Her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, is in jail awaiting trial on charges of assault and perverting the course of justice.  He will remain in jail over the Christmas and New Year's holiday, until his hearing on January 18th involving his alleged witness tampering and assault. Blake, 25, is accused of inflicting grievous bodily harm on a pub landlord in an incident in June of last year. "I can't give it my all on stage without my Blake," Winehouse said in a statement through her record label today.  "I'm so sorry but I don't want to do the shows half-heartedly; I love singing.  My husband is everything to me and without him it's just not the same." A spokesman for her record label said, "Amy Winehouse has cancelled all remaining live and promotional appearances for the remainder of the year on the instruction of her doctor.  The rigours involved in touring and the intense emotional strain that Amy has been under in recent weeks have taken their toll.  In the interests of her health and well-being, Amy has been ordered to take complete rest and deal with her health issues." Comments > >

CNN/YouTube Republican Debate   Tuesday, November 27th, 2007 The CNN/Youtube Republican Debate is live tomorrow, Wednesday November 28th, at 8 pm ET, so be sure to tune in!

Mel B.'s Cha-Cha-Cha Finale, If You Missed It   Tuesday, November 27th, 2007

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