Friday, October 29, 2004
LIE Girls
Drop the "v" out of Live Girls, and what you get is "LIE girls."
Feeling lonely? terrified? Isolated from the world community? Call now and enter our fantasy world of spin! These scantily clad beauties and they will tell you whatever you want to hear -- "Major combat in Iraq has ended! The Economy IS getting bigger (oh, its so big!). We leave no child behind! We ARE safer now. I'm a uniter, not a divider"
These girls are dirty and nasty and completely shameless -- they will say anything you want!
A political parody on phone sex." -- very amusing . . . 
http://www.liegirls.com/quicktime.html
Posted at 08:46 AM in Humor, Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
O'Reilly settles sex harrassment claim
"Citing a desire to shield his loved ones (sure), Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly said he had settled a legal battle over a former producer's allegations that he sexually harrassed her.
"This brutal ordeal is now officially over, and I will never speak of it again," O'Reilly, 55, said on Thursday night's edition of his talk show, "The O'Reilly Factor."
Of course he won't -- unless he wants Makris's attorneys' to release the audio tapes!
Andrea Mackris, 33, a former producer on "Factor," had filed a lawsuit against O'Reilly on Oct. 13, alleging he made a series of explicit phone calls to her, advised her to use a vibrator and told her about sexual fantasies involving her.
Several days after filing her sexual harassment suit, Mackris filed amended court papers, claiming that Fox had violated her rights under New York state law by firing her after she complained about being sexually harassed. Fox denied Mackris had been fired, saying she had simply stopped coming to work. (sure she wasn't fired)
Hush money paid! So much for the no spin zone from big Bill
SOURCE:
Bill O'Reilly settles dispute with show producer
By SAMUEL MAULL
Associated Press, October 29, 2004, 3:43 AM EDT
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ny--oreillylawsuit1029oct29,0,5521425.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire
Posted at 06:48 AM in Media | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Thursday, October 28, 2004
US Soldiers took photos of Missing Al-QaQaa Explosives
PHOTOS TAKEN OF QAQAA INSTALLATION BY MINNESOTA EMBEDED MEDIA
So much for all those counter arguments!
EYEWITNESS NEWS video may be linked to missing explosives in Iraq
A 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS crew in Iraq shortly after the fall of Saddam Hussein was in the area where tons of explosives disappeared, and may have videotaped some of those weapons.
The missing explosives are now an issue in the presidential debate. Democratic candidate John Kerry is accusing President Bush of not securing the site they allegedly disappeared from. President Bush says no one knows if the ammunition was taken before or after the fall of Baghdad on April 9, 2003 when coalition troops moved in to the area.
Using GPS technology and talking with members of the 101st Airborne Division, 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has determined the crew embedded with the troops may have been on the southern edge of the Al Qaqaa installation, where the ammunition disappeared. The news crew was based just south of Al Qaqaa, and drove two or three miles north of there with soldiers on April 18, 2003.
During that trip, members of the 101st Airborne Division showed the 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS news crew bunker after bunker of material labelled "explosives." Usually it took just the snap of a bolt cutter to get into the bunkers and see the material identified by the 101st as detonation cords.
more photos:
"We can stick it in those and make some good bombs." a soldier told our crew.
There were what appeared to be fuses for bombs. They also found bags of material men from the 101st couldn't identify, but box after box was clearly marked "explosive."
In one bunker, there were boxes marked with the name "Al Qaqaa", the munitions plant where tons of explosives allegedly went missing.
Once the doors to the bunkers were opened, they weren't secured. They were left open when the 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS crew and the military went back to their base.
"We weren't quite sure what were looking at, but we saw so much of it and it didn't appear that this was being secured in any way," said photojournalist Joe Caffrey. "It was several miles away from where military people were staying in their tents".
Officers with the 101st Airborne told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that the bunkers were within the U.S. military perimeter and protected. But Caffrey and former 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS Reporter Dean Staley, who spent three months together in Iraq, said Iraqis were coming and going freely.
"At one point there was a group of Iraqis driving around in a pick-up truck,"Staley said. "Three or four guys we kept an eye on, worried they might come near us."
On Wednesday, 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS e-mailed still images of the footage taken at the site to experts in Washington to see if the items captured on tape are the same kind of high explosives that went missing in Al Qaqaa. Those experts could not make that determination.
The footage is now in the hands of security experts to see if it is indeed the explosives in question.
UPDATE: 10/28/04 9:45pm
Beat Reuters / Yahoo by a few hours!
Source:
EXCLUSIVE: 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS video may be linked to missing explosives in Iraq
Skymax 5, Minneapolis/St.Paul, 10/28/2004 11:50:09 AM
http://kstp.com/article/stories/S3723.html?cat=1
EXCLUSIVE: MORE BREAKING NEWS ABOUT EXPLOSIVES FOUND IN IRAQ
Skymax 5, Minneapolis/St.Paul, 10/28/2004 04:49:35 PM
http://kstp.com/article/stories/S3741.html?cat=64
Posted at 05:18 PM in War/Defense | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The new Batmobile
click for larger graphic
via superherohype
(an even larger graphic is here: batmobilerollingstone)
Posted at 01:35 PM in Art & Design | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
What will the liberal media do next?
There's an hysterical "correction" in the WSJ:
"Corrections & Amplifications"Here's the "un" - corrected para:
News Corp.'s Fox News was incorrectly described in this article as being sympathetic to the Bush cause.
"Mr. Bush believes the key to victory lies in his party's conservative core. He gave a rare interview over the weekend to Fox News, a network sympathetic to the Bush cause and popular with Republicans. Among other things, Mr. Bush voiced doubts about whether the country can be fully protected from future terror attacks. "Whether or not we can be ever fully safe is up -- you know, up in the air," he said."
(emphasis added)
hahahahaha -- whew! Now THATS amusing. Man, what will the liberal media do next ?
Posted at 10:29 AM in Media | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Monday, October 25, 2004
I am a pundit blogger
Who knew?
Blogthings via accidental verbosity
Posted at 01:29 PM in Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Sunday, October 24, 2004
21 reasons for war with Iraq
21 reasons for war with Iraq, by 10 key players, circa September 2001 through October 2002 via a study by University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign student Devon Largio (now graduated).
The table below illustrates who deployed each rationale.
Click for larger graphic
Graphic courtesy FOREIGN POLICY
Source:
FOREIGN POLICY
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/files/story2679.php
Posted at 10:30 PM in Politics, War/Defense | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Friday, October 22, 2004
Spin Alley
Too funny . . .
right click on link:
(select download)
Download Movie
Posted at 05:57 PM in Humor | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Congrats! You're An Asshole
Urban life is fraught with daily challenges. We're beset on all sides -- by thoughtless co-workers, oblivious roommates, and even regular strangers on the street -- with the flagrant flouting of the simple rules that govern mundane transactions in society. One such rule, however, is that we don't confront those who transgress against the social order -- and that's a rule Glarkware feels was made to be broken.
Now you can confront those who wrong you, in a way that won't result in your getting your ass beat up. Let the Urban Asshole cards do the talking for you, and put urban assholes in their place.
Each card is scored but not folded so you can present them as is or fold them up so that the recipient only sees "Congrats!" before they get "You're An Asshole" and the hard truth on the other side.
Back of the card reads:
Congrats, Youre An Asshole
Assholes rarely know why they are the way they are, so heres a clue for you on your journey of self-improvement:
Double parking
Parking in handicap space
Leaving dog in car
Not shovelling sidewalk
Creating your own parking space
Talking really loudly on cell phone while riding public transportation
Being a loud inconsiderate neighbour
Cutting in line
You get the idea . . .
via glarkware
http://www.glarkware.com/securestore/c181844p16370773.2.html
Posted at 10:13 AM in Humor | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Monday, October 18, 2004
The Digital Erotic Art of Tsubasa
The digital artist Tsubasa has some wild designs:
Posted at 01:27 PM in Art & Design | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Saturday, October 16, 2004
Melitta Mill & Brew - $40
Update to Your Coffee Sucks! :
The main complaint I've received over this rant was that the prices of the grinding brewers were very expensive. I hear ya. Today, I see in the weekly Target circular that thye have on clearance sale the Melitta Mill & Brew 10-Cup Coffeemaker for $40 . . .
That's the best price I have seen to date for a name brand mill & brew. A quick Froogel search shows this to run from $60 to $100.
Melitta Mill & Brew 10-Cup Coffeemaker
model # - MEMB1B
UPDATE: Ocotber 17, 2004 11:42 am
Missus essays & effluvia thought it would be a good idea to have back coffee maker -- a second pot for decaf when company's over, etc. Since we had breakfast this morning near our friendly neighborhood Target, we picked up the Melitta.
I'm sipping the first pot now -- its pretty good. Hotter than the Capresso, not quite as rich. But for $40, its a no brainer . . .
Posted at 07:17 AM in Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Friday, October 15, 2004
2368 Attacks in 30 Days
Incredible: This is what our troops are enduring:
Click for a much larger graphic
Graphic courtesy NYTimes
Posted at 11:09 PM in War/Defense | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Spidey’s Kryptonite
Via Sensory Impact
http://sensoryimpact.com/2004/10/spideys-kryptonite
Posted at 08:58 AM in Humor | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Monday, October 11, 2004
Kids say the darndest things
lower case tee via Cool Hunting
Posted at 11:18 PM in Humor, Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Sunday, October 10, 2004
100 Worst Guitar Riffs, Licks & Solos of All Time
In its December issue, Guitar World lists The 100 Worst Riffs, Licks & Solos of All Time, skewering a lineup of guitar heroes that include Def Leppard, The Who, the Grateful Dead, Korn, Metallica and B.B. King.
Blaaaang! Splurrtttt! Zweeeeeeenogghh! Splat! After two decades of kissing ass, Guitar World tips over a few sacred cows in a definitive guide to guitar parts that blow. PLUS Kirk Hammett, Dave Mustaine, K.K. Downing, Warren Haynes, Jeff Hanneman and a bevy of guitar gods tell you which song they'd rerecord if given the chance.
USA Today observes that "even guitar gods can perform like mere mortals."
Amongst the metalheads and hair bands are legends such as Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton (listed three times, including No. 67 for After Midnight), Keith Richards and Jimi Hendrix. The magazine saves most of its venom for Poison guitarist C.C. DeVille, who nabs the No. 1 spot for his solo on 1991's "Swallow This ... Live."
USA Today: "The rest of the top 10: Blue Cheer (Summertime Blues); Santana (The Game of Love); Cream (a beer jingle); The Beatles (All You Need Is Love); Black Flag (Thirsty and Miserable); Ted Nugent (Wango Tango); Rolling Stones (Ain't Too Proud to Beg); Manowar (Sting of the Bumblebee) and Lenny Kravitz (American Woman)."
Sources:
Guitar World
http://www.guitarworld.com/
Riffs take a licking
By Jim Cheng, USA TODAY
By Chris Pizzello, AP
http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2004-10-10-guitar-world-list_x.htm
Posted at 07:19 AM in Music | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Saturday, October 09, 2004
The “Soft” Prejudice of Low Expectations vs The Hanging Curve Ball
Presidential Debate #2: I thought both candidates did pretty well. Two things really stick out in my viewing of the give and take:
1) The “Soft” Prejudice of Low Expectations
Bush did much better this time -- he went from a grade of "D" to a "B minus." Hardly a resounding victory, but at least he didn't stink the room up like last time. That is what has been so aptly called the “Soft” Prejudice of Low Expectations: Merely not totally sucking is perceived, at least in some quarters, as total victory.
I do not agree with that assessment -- at least not within the context of the debate -- but I do see the logic of that within the larger campaign. Imagine what would have happened if Bush had a similar performance to the first debate -- scowling, rambling, unable to coherently fill 120 seconds. It would have been game over.
While not losing big is not the same as a clean victory, at least, from the W's point of view, he has lived to fight another day. That's important for any incumbent with only 24 days to go.
2) The Hanging Curve Ball
I thought Kerry was good tonite. Not great, but very good: He may have slipped from an "A minus" to a "B plus." He was "Presidential," he obviously has a command of the issues, the policies, the facts. He seemed to connect with the members of the audience much more than I expected. The sense I got from the debate was that he is a very different Man than the one portrayed in the attack ads.
My main criticism of Kerry's performance : The Hanging Curve Ball. In baseball, the hanging curve ball is a pitch that fails to break. Its the big fat melon, just waiting for a batter to crush it, hit it way way out of the park.
In this debate, there were plenty of hanging curve balls. I thought Kerry put "wood to the ball, hit singles and doubles" to carry the baseball metaphor further. But he didn't really crush any towering home runs. He failed to really knock one out of the park.
And he should have: On Stem cell research, on the Environment, on the Deficit, on Iraq, on Tax policy, even on Abortion, where his views are much more in sync with those of the American public's than the President's. I'm not suggesting his answers were bad -- they were all pretty decent to good. But there were no grand slam home runs -- despite plenty of opportunities. I kept pausing TiVo and giving the "that one's outta here" answers -- until the wife finally said: "Okay, we get it, your better than both of them." (I got the hint and knocked it off.) Which leads me to wonder:
Is a Bigger Strategy at Work?
For two weeks, we've heard that Kerry is the best debater since Cicero. I have yet to see that. In Debate 1, Bush imploded -- with some prodding from Kerry, for sure -- but mostly on his own. In Debate 2, Bush improved; I gave a slight edge to Kerry, but hardly the blowout of the first bout.
Which leads me to wonder: Is there a larger design at work? To switch from a baseball to a boxing metaphor, was the thinking behind this debate a "middle rounds" strategy -- a matter of pacing, playing it a little safe until the final rounds? Kerry clearly bloodied Bush in the first debate (rounds 1 - 5). The second debate (rounds 6 - 10), they both held their own. But was the challenger holding back the devastating knock out punch until the last debate (rounds 11 - 15), when there is no "more rounds, no chance for a "Hail Mary" pass? (Whew! thats 3 sports metaphors). Will we see a more aggressive approach when there is little time for the incumbent to recover?
We do not yet know. Is the tactical approach the correct strategy? I've always thought that if you can deliver the knock out blow, you do so. You never know when (or even if) the next opportunity will arise.
When you are running against an incumbent with his record, you should pound away on it every chance you get, make this all about the incumbent. Do you want another four more years like the past four years? Then vote for him. If you think we are on the wrong track, than vote for me. Easy . . . simple . . . devastating.
Unless the strategists have determined this is a marathon. (4 sports metaphors -- a personal record). How important is pacing in this race, especially considering how news events outside of both parties control (Iraq, Jobs data, etc.) will continue to frame the race.
I thought this was close, with an element of missed opportunity. I will reserve final judgment until Wednesday . . .
Posted at 06:23 AM in Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
The RIAA's Top-Selling Albums of All Time
The Recording Industry Association of America's Top-Selling Albums of All Time*
28 Million
· Eagles Their Greatest Hits 19711975, Eagles (Elektra)
26 Million
· Thriller, Michael Jackson (Epic)
23 Million
· The Wall, Pink Floyd (Columbia)
22 Million
· Led Zeppelin IV, Led Zeppelin (Swan Song)
21 Million
· Greatest Hits Volumes I & II, Billy Joel (Columbia)
19 Million
· Rumours, Fleetwood Mac (Warner Bros.)
· Back in Black, AC/DC (Elektra)
· The Beatles, The Beatles (Capitol)
· Come On Over, Shania Twain (Mercury Nashville)
17 Million
· Boston, Boston (Epic)
· The Bodyguard (Soundtrack), Whitney Houston (Arista)
16 Million
· Cracked Rear View, Hootie & the Blowfish (Atlantic)
· Greatest Hits, Elton John (Rocket)
· Hotel California, Eagles (Elektra)
· The Beatles 1967-1970, The Beatles (Capitol)
· No Fences, Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
· Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette (Maverick)
15 Million
· Born in the U.S.A., Bruce Springsteen (Columbia)
· Physical Graffiti, Led Zeppelin (Swan Song)
· Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd (Capitol)
· Saturday Night Fever (Soundtrack), Bee Gees (Polydor/Atlas)
· The Beatles 1962-1966, The Beatles (Capitol)
· Appetite for Destruction, Guns 'N Roses (Geffen)
· Double Live, Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
14 Million
· Supernatural, Santana (Arista)
· Backstreet Boys, Backstreet Boys (Jive)
· Ropin' the Wind, Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
· Bat Out of Hell, Meat Loaf (Epic)
13 Million
· Purple Rain (Soundtrack), Prince and the Revolution (Warner Bros.)
· Whitney Houston, Whitney Houston (Arista)
· Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Live 19751985 (box set), Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band (Columbia)
· Greatest Hits 1974-1978, Steve Miller Band (Capitol)
· Millennium, Backstreet Boys (Jive)
· Baby One More Time, Britney Spears (Jive)
· Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits, Simon & Garfunkel (Columbia)
· Metallica, Metallica (Elektra)
12 Million
· Wide Open Spaces, Dixie Chicks (Monument)
· Yourself or Someone Like You, Matchbox Twenty (Atlantic)
· No Jacket Required, Phil Collins (Atlantic)
· Hysteria, Def Leppard (Mercury)
· Slippery When Wet, Bon Jovi (Mercury)
· II, Boyz II Men (Motown)
· Abbey Road, The Beatles (Capitol)
· Ten, Pearl Jam (Epic)
· Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
· Breathless, Kenny G (Arista)
· Forrest Gump (Soundtrack) (Epic)
· Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits, Kenny Rogers (Capitol Nashville)
· Hot Rocks, The Rolling Stones (abkco)
· The Woman in Me, Shania Twain (Mercury Nashville)
11 Million
· James Taylor's Greatest Hits, James Taylor (Warner Bros.)
· CrazySexyCool, TLC (LaFace)
· Falling into You, Celine Dion (550 Music)
· Dirty Dancing (Soundtrack) (RCA)
· Houses of the Holy, Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
· Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles (Capitol)
· Eagles Greatest Hits, Vol. II, Eagles (Elektra)
· Pieces of You, Jewel (Atlantic)
· Titanic (Soundtrack) (Sony Classical)
· Candle in the Wind 1997/Something About the Way You Look Tonight (Single), Elton John (Rocket)
· Devil Without a Cause, Kid Rock (Lava)
· No Strings Attached, 'N Sync (Jive)
10 Million
· Fly, Dixie Chicks (Monument)
· Human Clay, Creed (Wind-Up Records)
· 'N Sync, 'N Sync (RCA)
· Let's Talk About Love, Celine Dion (550 Music/Epic)
· Tragic Kingdom, No Doubt (Trauma/Interscope)
· Life After Death, Notorious B.I.G. (Bad Boy/Arista)
· Best of the Doobies, Doobie Brothers (Warner Bros.)
· Dookie, Green Day (Reprise)
· The Stranger, Billy Joel (Columbia)
· Aerosmith's Greatest Hits, Aerosmith (Columbia)
· The Hits, Garth Brooks (Capitol Nashville)
· Music Box, Mariah Carey (Columbia)
· Unplugged, Eric Clapton (Reprise)
· Tapestry, Carole King (Ode)
· Greatest Hits, Journey (Capitol)
· Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)
· The Immaculate Collection, Madonna (Warner Bros.)
· Like a Virgin, Madonna (Sire)
· Legend, Bob Marley & the Wailers (Island)
· Faith, George Michael (Columbia)
· Greatest Hits, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (MCA)
· Nevermind, Nirvana (DGC)
· The Lion King (Soundtrack) (Walt Disney)
· Can't Slow Down, Lionel Richie (Motown)
· Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em, Hammer (Capitol)
· Daydream, Mariah Carey (Columbia)
· Van Halen, Van Halen (Warner Bros.)
· Eliminator, ZZ Top (Warner Bros.)
· The Joshua Tree, U2 (Island)
· 1984 (MCMLXXXIV), Van Halen (Warner Bros.)
*Through 6/25/2004.
Sources:
Infoplease.com (a hell of pop up ads like no other)
http://www.infoplease.com/ipea/A0151020.html
See also:
Must-Have Recordings
http://www.infoplease.com/ipea/A0150519.html
Posted at 05:59 PM in Music | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Post-Debate Pre-Spin thoughts
A few quick thoughts before the spin meisters impact my thinking:
Both men did pretty well. Cheney's ability to speak extemporaneously on a variety of subjects is apparent. He is intelligent, thoughtful, has gravitas. On the negative side, he looks uncomfortable, a bit grumpy, and you get the sense that he not being fully forthcoming on the issues.
Edwards is clearly the more optimistic of the two. He played earnest to Cheney's sternest. And while Edwards clearly lacks Cheney's gravitas, he also seems unburdened by the weight of running the free world that Cheney carries so uncomfortably on his shoulders.
My first inclination is to call it a tie; Maybe even give Cheney a slight advantage, if only cause he didn't blow it as badly as his boss did.
That thought makes me wonder about something: How poorly does the President compare to anyone else on either ticket? Cheney, Kerry and Edwards are all more articulate, all communicate complex ideas more clearly, have a worldly and sophisticated international view. Each has been more successful professionally than the President.
Ironically, the incumbent is the least qualified of all four players to be President.
Posted at 11:43 PM in Politics | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Monday, October 04, 2004
2368 Attacks on US Troops within 30 days
Incredible: This is what our troops are enduring:
click for larger chart
chart courtesy of NYT
Posted at 02:15 PM in War/Defense | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Easy Money
The Pulp Art of Bruce Yurgil:
Posted at 06:22 AM in Art & Design, Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Sunday, October 03, 2004
Post-Debate "Meet the Press"
National Review’s Washington Editor Kate O'Beirne had a fascinating comment this morning on Meet The Press this morning:
“I wonder if its much easier -- or less intimidating -- to prepare a Senator for a debate -- where you can say “Gee, that answer is lame, Senator” -- than it is a sitting President, where there aren’t a lot of people in the room who are willing to say -- “that answer doesn’t work, Mr. President.”O'Beirne’s comments were rather telling; They go along way on explaining some of the more puzzling behavior of this administration.
Think about this: If hardly anyone is willing to challenge the President of the United States of America when he gives a ‘lamo answer in debate practice,’ fer cryin out loud, riddle me this, Batman: Who the hell is challenging him when he gets basic facts about the world wrong? Does she mean to tell me that the Presdient is surrounded by “Yes Men,” people who do not provoke, challenge or even play “devil’s advocate” with him on major policy discussions?
I suspect its even worse than that: The President has been in a bubble, with minimal contact with challenging questioners. Recall the Irish journalist who had the temerity to ask follow up questions to the President’s aphorisms and soundbites. The White House cancelled a pre-scheduled interview with the First Lady as payback for asking tough questions.
At BC04 rallies, attendees sign loyalty oaths. James Wolcott wrote that Bush has only “been wheeled out into forums where no one can dare question or contradict his majesty, where he can lean forward and repeat ad nauseam his patented soundbites”
Now, the repercussions of these kid gloves are being felt. Over the course of 12 months of swinging at only lobs from hand chosen questioners, the President forgot what real questions are like. The debate reminded me of a heavyweight fighter, training for a major bout: If you skip on doing real sparring for a long time, when the actual fight starts, the first blow from your opponent can really ring your bell.
I think that’s what happened in the first debate.
Now, a rematch is scheduled for a mere 8 days later. Can the President get fully prepped in that short time period? Especially this Prez, with famously lazy work habits? How quickly can he get control of his obvious disdain for the entire process?
We shall see soon enough . . .
Update: October 3, 2004 6:18 PM
Just got back from a delightful day outside, and plowed through the
McLaughlin Group (courtesy of TiVo).
MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell raises several similar points to what we discuss above. Namely:
1. The debate process got "under the President's skin -- he didn't want to be there, he was in over his head;"The questions from Jim Lehrer, someone on the panel observed, were a cold dose of reality . . .2. This is the problem with the President's party having constrcuted a vacuum in which the campaign has taken place;
3. The almost self-delusionary quality of the MSG rally convention where no contrary thoughts were allowed to even take place [didn't help the presdient prepare];
4. Lastly, these crazy Bush public events where a ticket is required sealed the President off from reality. (Crosstalk: McLachlin: Are Presidents too hermetically sealed for their own good?)
Posted at 12:10 PM in Media, Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Saturday, October 02, 2004
How the White House Embraced Disputed Iraqi Arms Intelligence
MONSTER 10,000 word article in Sundays NYT tracing the course of nearly all the exaggerated, dubious, questonable and outright false intel used to lead the nation to war.
"In 2002, at a crucial juncture on the path to war, senior members of the Bush administration gave a series of speeches and interviews in which they asserted that Saddam Hussein was rebuilding his nuclear weapons program.It goes on for another 9,800 words in gritty detail . . .In a speech to veterans that August, Vice President Dick Cheney said Mr. Hussein could have an atomic bomb "fairly soon." The next month, Mr. Cheney told a group of Wyoming Republicans the United States had "irrefutable evidence" - thousands of tubes made of high-strength aluminum, tubes that the Bush administration said were destined for clandestine Iraqi uranium centrifuges, before some were seized at the behest of the United States.
The tubes quickly became a critical exhibit in the administration's brief against Iraq. As the only physical evidence the United States could brandish of Mr. Hussein's revived nuclear ambitions, they gave credibility to the apocalyptic imagery invoked by President Bush and his advisers. The tubes were "only really suited for nuclear weapons programs," Condoleezza Rice, the president's national security adviser, asserted on CNN on Sept. 8, 2002. "We don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud."
Forget Dan Rather -- this is the kind of investigative journalism the media used to do -- and it could have a very significant impact on the campaign . . .
Source:
How the White House Embraced Disputed Iraqi Arms Intelligence
By DAVID BARSTOW, WILLIAM J. BROAD and JEFF GERTH
NYTimes, October 3, 2004
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/03/international/middleeast/03tube.html
Posted at 06:43 PM in Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Mechanical Mirage
Check out the bio-mechanical artwork by Almacan:
Click for larger graphic
Be sure to see the drawing, and the sculpture also.
Posted at 08:04 AM in Art & Design | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
