Weekend Odds and Ends

More news that's important, and not given justice in this small space. Let's zoom through...

Yet another confirmation of the Bush administration's torture policies, try not to faint: "[S]oon after Alberto R. Gonzales’s arrival as attorney general in February 2005, the Justice Department issued another [torture] opinion, this one in secret... [it] provided explicit authorization to barrage terror suspects with a combination of painful physical and psychological tactics, including head-slapping, simulated drowning and frigid temperatures."

The White House, of course, gave its official "This country does not torture" because we choose not to define what we do as torture vague denial. Video- here.

The House has passed a bill "that would make all private contractors working in Iraq and other combat zones subject to prosecution by U.S. courts." This resulted in another White House hissy fit, insisting these pesky 'rules' would harm privatized war national security.

Business conservatives don't like the GOP anymore. The religious right is pretty grumpy too.

Sen. Domenici (R-NV) has announced he's retiring after this term. Larry Craig? He's staying.

Finally, Jon Stewart takes poor Chris Matthews to task for his disturbing worldview.