"What?!?", you say? Well, we're moving house next weekend, so I'm bringing this one in early.
The story is fast approaching its end but, as you saw last installment, more intrigue seems to be afoot.
But first...
Counting Coup

I also plan to make some changes to the last installment and re-submit it to fix the barely legible text in the first and last panel. Poor poor judgement on my part which Mekka rightly pointed out to me. :)

Also, please vote! =D Thanks!

JohnnyK, you are t3h r0xx0r! OMGZ!!11 lik... OMGZ!1!
Words cannot describe. I mean, I'm sure the CD you sent will be awesome and I'm looking forward to it... but 6 giant Smarties!!! In any size they're nearly impossible to find here and Teq has been looking all over for them. And now... I have 6... giant-sized!

ThankYouThankYouThankYouThankYou!

Hey, I'm early this time. :)
New installment is up.
Stuck in the Middle

Thanks for all the feedback (and your patience) on the style. Everyone seems to like the general look as it is now and I'm pretty happy with it too. Thanks again for all your comments! I'm gonna say 'done' and continue on in this style form here on out. One of these days I may even go back and re-do the first part of the story to bring it in line with the current half. :)

Maggie

Did you know:

That Dick Cheney is probably facing bribery, money laundering and corporate funds misuse charges in an investigation, started in France, over dealings he did while with Halliburton? "But that's France, not America!", you say. Well, if you do business in a country, you're bound by their laws. And besides, Halliburton isn't quite an 'American' company since only 25% of it is incorporated in the United States. How else could a corporation making as much as Hallburton does get away with paying only $15 million of an estimated $80 million in taxes for 2002? But let me assure you, the U.S. government has necessarily had to get involved in the investigation as well. There's no avoiding it.

But it sure is hard to get charges brought against Halliburton inside the U.S.A. It's almost as if they have a guardian angel in the White House. The company was caught twice in 2000 over-charging the government. Nothing happened. In 2002 they were finally given a $2 million fine for over-charges. In 2003 Halliburton admitted that it bribed Nigeria $2.4 million for favorable tax treatment. Nothing's come from this yet, Halliburton fingered some low-level employees, but this is completely illegal. Then there are the Kuwaiti kickbacks (to the tune of $6.3 million) in 2004. No charges. In fact, it got another $1.2 billion in contracts.

As for the French case, being investigated alongside US, Nigerian and British officials, the issue revolves around $180 million in bribes to secure a $6 billion gas plant contract. This time no low-level employees can be fingered. The bribes come directly from a consortium between 4 companies. Low-level employees don't sit in on multi-national billion dollar consortiums. Halliburton, while Cheney was CEO, represented 25% of that consortium. Two insiders appear to be lined up to testify that Cheney was completely aware of it all. One has already done so under oath.

This is apparently what Cheney got so angry about and told Patrick Leahy to "fuck off" about.

His buddy George W. reportedly kept his comments inside the oval office when he replied "Fuck 'em all."

I just wanna say that if any of these guys are coming to your state or town, make a noise. Or help someone else make a bigger noise.

It seems that a handful of Jamaican dancehall artists are proudly and defiantly promoting violence against gays in their lyrics.

Buju Banton
Bounty Killer (yes, the guy from No Doubt's "hey, baby")
Beenie Man (collaborated with Janet Jackson and others)
Elephant Man

In fact, they seem to be, from my POV, competing against one another over it (Bounty Killer and Beenie Man). But the backlash has started and concerts have been canceled and UK police (where laws regarding inciting violence are very strict) have even stepped in to question Beenie Man. Bounty Killer was warned of potential arrest by UK police last year if he performed his hate-inciting works on British soil.

Beenie Man just recently went so far as to denounce an 'apology' that his record company sent out in his stead. At least he's honest about it. He's currently in the US (from what I can tell), and hopefully will meet with more objection and protest. Some of his concerts have already been cancelled there and abroad. He's been called the next Shabba Ranks. Well, I hope they're right! Shabba Ranks' homophobic comments on UK TV caused him plenty of lost revenue and earned him some well-deserved negative publicity. I hope Beenie Man gets it times ten.

These people staged an excellent protest... hitting these jerks right where it hurts the most... their machismo. http://www.renegadesound.8k.com/custom3.html

New Katie is up.
"Swap and Run"

And don't forget to vote! =D