Jam Packed Roller Deby Weekend

The weekend of May 20-22 will see flat track roller derby action in New York City, Seattle, Kansas City, Tucson, Raleigh, Madison, Minniapolis and Dallas.

Friday, May 20th.

The Gotham Girls Roller Derby will skate a benefit for Meals on Wheels when the Long Island Lunch Ladies take on the Mott Haven Meatheads .

Skate Key in the Bronx.
Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door.
Doors open at 7:30 pm, bout at 8:30 pm.
Check out the Gotham Girls Roller Derby website for more info.

Saturday, May 21st

Arizona Roller Derby's Surly Gurlies travel to Tucson to take on the VICE Squad.
Go to the Tucson Roller Derby website for more info.

The Rat City Rollergirls will skate their fouth bout of the season.
The Derby Liberation Front takes on the undefeated Throttle Rockets in the first match. The Sockit Wenches face off against Grave Danger in the second match.
See the Rat City Rollergirls website for more info.

The Kansas City Roller Warriors skate their third bout of the season. It's a grudge match between the Bionics and the Dogfightin' Dames.
Please see the Kansas City Roller Warriors website for more info.

Sunday, May 22nd

The second bout of the Carolina Rollergirls season features the Trauma Queens and the Debutaunte Brawlers.
Check out the Carolina rollergirls website for more info.

The Minnesota Rollergirls hold their Championship Game Sunday, May 22.
The Atomic Bombshells battle the Silver Bullets then its the Dagger Dolls vs. the Garda Belts.
For more info, visit the Minnesota Rollergirls website.

The Mad Rollin' Dolls will also hold a Championship Bout on Sunday.
It's the Reservoir Dolls against the Quad Squad then the Unholy Rollers take on the Psycho Kitties.
Please go to the Mad Rollin' Dolls website for more info.

The Dallas Derby Devils will hold their first public exhibition bout at Holiday Skatium in Haltom City, Texas.
For more information, visit the Dallas Derby Devils website.

tags: roller derby, rollergirls

"I'm shocked, ...

shocked to find that gambling corruption is going on in here!"

US 'backed illegal Iraqi oil deals'

The United States administration turned a blind eye to extensive sanctions-busting in the prewar sale of Iraqi oil, according to a new Senate investigation.

A report released last night by Democratic staff on a Senate investigations committee presents documentary evidence that the Bush administration was made aware of illegal oil sales and kickbacks paid to the Saddam Hussein regime but did nothing to stop them.

[snip]

"The United States was not only aware of Iraqi oil sales which violated UN sanctions and provided the bulk of the illicit money Saddam Hussein obtained from circumventing UN sanctions," the report said. "On occasion, the United States actually facilitated the illicit oil sales.

[snip]

Investigators found correspondence showing that Odin Marine Inc, the US company chartering the seven huge tankers which picked up the oil at Khor al-Amaya, repeatedly sought and received approval from US military and civilian officials that the ships would not be confiscated by US Navy vessels in the Maritime Interdiction Force (MIF) enforcing the embargo.

Odin was reassured by a state department official that the US "was aware of the shipments and has determined not to take action".

[snip]

An executive at Odin Maritime confirmed the senate account of the oil shipments as "correct" but declined to comment further.

It was not clear last night whether the Democratic report would be accepted by Republicans on the Senate investigations committee.

The Pentagon declined to comment. The US representative's office at the UN referred inquiries to the state department, which fail to return calls.

Hmmm...

Is there a correlation between the Downing Street Memo finally gaining a bit of press in the United States and the overblown Newsweek "story"?

Just asking.

UPDATE: Congressman John Conyers wants some answers:

Dear Mr. McClellan:

I write to express my profound disappointment and outrage about comments you made about a matter involving Newsweek magazine, which smacks of political exploitation of the deaths of innocent and a shameless attempt to intimidate reporters from critically investigating your Administration's actions. Your comments are contradicted by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and stand in stark contrast with your actions involving the "Downing Street Memo." I urge you and your counterpart at the Pentagon to immediately retract the comments made yesterday, and - at long last - provide a full accounting of the Administration's actions in the lead up to the Iraq war.