The cost of war: As the US invasion of Iraq entered its second week, President Shrub asked Congress for $75 billion in additional funds to cover the first six months of the war.  The money is only meant to last until September 30 and does not include the costs of reconstruction in Iraq.  The money requested allocates $4 billion to counterterrorism (domestic repression) and $5 billion to be given as part of the US "grants and loans" to countries supporting the war on Iraq. (reported in the NY Times)

Meanwhile...this week an estimated 250,000 people around the world rallied for peace, many engaged in civil disobedience. Boston saw its largest rally in 30 years with people converging from throughout the New England states. (Reuters) With regard to public opinion: Shrub's popularity remains high, although the proportion of people who said the "war is going well" dropped 12 points to 32.percent. The Times/CBS News poll of over 2300 adults further showed an extreme gap between Black and White respondents. While 71 percent of Whites said they were "proud" of what the US was doing in Iraq, only 33 percent of Blacks shared that sentiment. (NY Times)

Korea: Although the North Korean government told the UN early this week that it did not intend to build nuclear weapons, it was still continuing to restart its nuclear processing plant and a small reactor. The plant had been shut down in 1994 on the basis of a negotiated agreement between the US and Korean governments. Since being labeled by the Shrub regime as an "axis of evil," the North Korean government has sought direct talks with the US. The White House publicly refuses to engage in direct negotiation, using the war in Iraq as its voice.

Homeland Repression Expands, Part One: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), funded by Congress in their post 9/11 hysteria, announced plans to implement a nationwide system for screening all airline passengers that would be in place by the end of this year.  Lockheed Martin was awarded $2.5 million to administer the start of the program.  The program, known as CAPPS II (Computer Assisted Passenger Screening System), will check such things as credit reports, purchasing behavior, social security, travel history, and government "watch lists." Passengers will be divided according their "risk" in a three-color system -- green, yellow, and red.  Yellow will get extra screening. Red won't fly.

Homeland Repression Expands, Part Two:  At the busy Baltimore Washington International airport (BWI), security guards have begun the random search of cars.  Apparently neither probable cause nor reasonable suspicion will be required to stop and search incoming cars.

Homeland Repression Expands, Part Three: On Monday, March 26, the Shrub regime halted the release or declassification of government documents which were scheduled to be made public.  Arguing that the millions of documents most of which were 25 or more years old might affect "national security," President Shrub delayed the release until 2006. (reported in the Washington Post)

Sexual Assault at the Air Force Academy: Over the past 10 years, there had been 56 cases of sexual assault or rape which Academy officers covered up. Senior commanders and ranking officers were replaced at the Colorado Springs-based Academy after Congressional pressure forced Shrub's Secretary of the Air Force, James G. Roche, to act.  In most cases, the women cadets who reported sexual assault by a classmate were ignored, disciplined, or ostracized. (reported in the Washington Post)

Gender Discrimination: The US Bureau of the Census issued a new report based on 2002 data displaying the extent of salary discrimination.  Women now earn 76 cents for every dollar a man earns.  Women make up 47 percent of the workforce.

Remember the rolling blackouts in California in 2000 and 2001? And that the Governor blamed the energy companies, including Enron of price fixing?  Well, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission agree that prices were being manipulated and the energy companies owe California about $3.3 billion. Not as much as the $9 billion California claims it is owed, but at least some vindication for those who pointed their fingers at the energy corporations.

Of Viceroys and Reconstruction: According to The Observer, retired general Jay Garner "will ovsersee humanitarian relief and reconstruction in postwar Iraq."  Garner is the president of company that is a subsidiary of L-3 Communications which provides technical services and advice on the Patriot Missiles being used against Iraq.  The UN has expressed concerns over this appointment as well as the carving up of Iraq under U.S. administration.

As if we didn't have enough things to worry about... The mysterious SARS contagion has claimed dozens of lives already, including the World Health Organization doctor who named the illness. Quickly becoming a major public health concern, the illness has devastated the tourist economy, and Hong Kong has quarantined a apartment building whose 100+ inhabitants are suspected of having been infected.