The United States is set to pay off Afghan members who are part of the Taliban organization to switch sides, which adds to $1.3 billion under a new $680 billion defense appropriations bill.

On Wednesday, President Barack Obama signed a new $680 billion defense appropriations bill, which includes a $1.3 billion “Taliban reintegration provision” under the Commander’s Emergency Response Program. Generally, CERP funding is usually intended for humanitarian relief and reconstruction projects. However, the US army will begin to pay members of the Taliban to switch sides, according to Reuters.

This strategy is to separate local Taliban from their leaders and a similar tactic was used in Iraq to neutralize the insurgency in that country called Sons of Iraq. Democratic Senator Carl Levin, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, recently stated, “You got 90,000 Iraqis who switched sides, and are involved in protecting their hometowns against attack and violence.”

Nicholas Schmidle, an expert on the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, told CNN that the program has some chance for some success but the old Afghan saying, “You can rent an Afghan, but you can’t buy him,” will eventually win.

Thanks to my conservative buddy,  Brian S. for this story

I wish I was making this up:

Lifeline Benefits

Lifeline Assistance is part of a program that was created by the government to provide discounted or free telephone service to income-eligible consumers. To help bring you this important benefit, SafeLink Wireless is proud to offer Lifeline Service. Through our Lifeline Service you will receive FREE cellular service, a FREE cell phone, and FREE Minutes every month! SafeLink Wireless Service does not cost anything – there are no contracts, no recurring fees and no monthly charges.

Any Minutes you do not use will roll-over. Features such as caller ID, call waiting and voicemail are all also included with your service. If you need additional Minutes, you can buy TracFone Airtime Cards at any TracFone retailer Walmart, Walgreens, Family Dollar, etc). SafeLink Airtime Cards will be available soon.

Your exact benefits, including the number of free Minutes you will receive, depend on the state you live in.

How to Qualify

The process to qualify for Lifeline Service depends on the State you live in. In general, you may qualify if…

1.You already participate in other State or Federal assistance program such as Federal Public Housing Assistance, Food Stamps and Medicaid.

OR

2.Your total household income is at or below 135% of the poverty guidelines set by your State and/or the Federal Government.

AND

3.No one in your household currently receives Lifeline Service through another phone carrier.

4.You have a valid United States Postal Address. In order for us to ship you your free phone you must live at a residence that can receive mail from the US Post Office. Sorry, but P.O. Boxes cannot be accepted.

In addition to meeting the guidelines above you will also be required to provide proof of your participation in an assistance program, or proof of your income level.

Good news ITS IN SPANISH

Beneficios de Lifeline

El programa Lifeline es un programa de asistencia creado por el gobierno para ofrecer a clientes elegibles por sus ingresos, servicio celular gratis o con descuentos. ¡A través de nuestro Servicio Lifeline usted recibiráservicio celular GRATIS, un teléfono GRATIS y minutos cada mes GRATIS! El Servicio Lifeline no cuesta absolutamente nada, usted no firma contratos, no paga cargos ni facturas mensuales.

Todos los minutos que no use le quedarán disponibles. Las funciones como Identificador de Llamada, Llamada en Espera y Correo de Voz están incluidas en su servicio. Si necesita tiempo celular adicional usted puede comprar tarjetas de Tiempo Celular TracFone en tiendas como Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Family Dollar, entre otras.

La cantidad de minutos específica que usted recibirá dependerá del estado donde resida.

Here is the website:

https://www.safelinkwireless.com/EnrollmentPublic/home.aspx

Face Forward Comments:

Thanks to my buddy Brian S. for giving me the heads up on this latest development. Question: Who is paying for it? Answer: Us  This one paragraph from the about us section of the website says it all:

TracFone Wireless believes that cell phone ownership is a right and an important tool for individual success in today’s world. Everyone should have a cell phone without the need for a contract or a high credit rating.

It’s now your right to own a cell phone?

California’s latest requirement for the auto industry — advanced window glazing to keep vehicles cooler — could prevent drivers from making phone calls, listening to satellite radio or using garage door openers.

It also could lead Chrysler Group LLC to stop selling its soft-top convertible Jeep Wrangler in the Golden State. The standard for sunroofs is so tough that automakers warn the glass would have to be “effectively black.”

The California Air Resources Board has adopted a new “Cool Cars” regulation ordering advanced glazing of windows to block the sun’s heat and reduce the need for air conditioning. Windows must be coated with microscopic specks of metal oxide to reflect sunlight.

 Advocates say the requirements will reduce the temperature inside vehicles, saving gasoline and cutting greenhouse gases.

The regulations take effect in 2012, with a three-year phase-in and requires that by 2014 all vehicles prevent 45 percent of the energy from the sun from entering a vehicle and 60 percent by 2016.The regulation applies to all new vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less.The board will review the second phase of the regulation next summer. By the end of this month, the board plans to publish its completed regulation. The public gets 15 days to comment with the final package to be completed by May 2010.

Some companies worry that the new requirements haven’t been fully tested. In a Sept. 22 letter, Garmin International Inc., the California Manufacturers and Technology Association and the International Bridge, Tunnel & Turnpike Association warned that

“more time was needed to assess the impact” of the rules.

They noted that “ankle bracelets for parolees,” along with cell phone calls and laptops, “may be adversely affected by the metallic reflective standard” because the signals “must be able to penetrate the glazing in vehicles.”

Garmin’s initial testing said the signals from GPS devices were degraded.

Major automakers, led by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, argued for a different standard that would “absorb” rather than “reflect” energy and wouldn’t risk wireless signals.

“It achieves about 85 percent of the benefit at about 10 percent of the cost, and it doesn’t have any of the complications of reflective glazings,” said the alliance’s Steve Douglas. He said the standard would lead to “more dropped calls.” Sunroofs would have to be “effectively black. So there’s no light coming through that.”

Honda said the new requirement “is simply not feasible” on the current timetable. Toyota Motor Corp. used similar reflective glass in Japan from 1989-94, before dropping it because of problems with radio wave devices.

Chrysler Group LLC has sought an exemption for vehicles’ plastic windows, warning it could affect its GEM Electric vehicle and Jeep Wrangler.

The irony is the GEM electric vehicles don’t even offer air conditioning, Chrysler said.

For the rest of the article please go here:

http://www.detnews.com/article/20091010/AUTO01/910100321/1148/+Cool++car+rules+c%20ould+affect+radios++phones

Face Fwd Comments:

This is from the same state that is about to pass a law that all roads must be painted white……What?  I get the idea that it will reflect heat but have they considered how many wrecks it will cause by glare?  Of course they dont’t care if you die in a wreck that just one less carbon foot print on the road.

NEW YORK (CNN) — Immigrant rights activists are calling on U.S. retailers to stop selling two controversial “Illegal Alien” costumes that have surfaced for Halloween, saying the outfits are a broadside attack on illegal immigrants.

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles said it began receiving e-mails from concerned legal immigrants on Friday. In response, CHIRLA wrote a letter asking several retailers, including Target, Walgreens, and Amazon.com, to stop offering the costume.

As of Saturday afternoon, Target had pulled the products, and some links to the costumes on other sites were no longer functional. Target said the “Illegal Alien” costume was inadvertently uploaded to its Web site due to a data entry error.

“It is never our intent to offend the consumers with the products we offer,” a company statement said.

The makers of the costumes could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

Jorge-Mario Cabrera, the director of communications for CHIRLA, said he initially thought the costume was a stab at harmless satire. But when he saw the Green Card, he realized it was an swipe at illegal immigrants.

“This was an ignorant attempt to poke fun at a small community,” said Cabrera.

Political satire and Halloween often merge. Costumes depicting former well-known political figures are often seen along side those depicting Batman or Wonder Woman.

For the rest of the article:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/17/illegal.immigrant.costume/index.html?eref=rss_us

Face Fwd comments:

Political correctness at it’s best or worst allowing for your viewpoint. Too bad the dead don’t have a political action committee, they could protest ghost and zombies Although, technically, zombies are the undead and Democrats from what I remember. And what about witches? I understand that wicken is one of the fastest growing religions in the us. Wouldn’t that be religious persecution?

If Obama mentions Halloween and acknowledges it’s existence or answers a question on it during one of his political campaign stops, does that mean he endorses it? And should he give his permission for Halloween, does that mean that every “sexy nurse costume” will have to show their endorsement for government owned health care? Don’t forget dressing up as a pirate. While that would be ripping of the governments current role in our lives, it is also insulting to all of those Somalis who are just trying to eke out an existence on the high seas.

*sigh* Halloween has gotten so stinking political that it makes you long for the good old days when all you had to worry about was someone tampering with your candy.