An Indian holy man trying to promote peace by rolling on the ground all the way from India to Pakistan has been barred from crossing the border because he has no passport, officials said on Monday. Mohan Das, best known as Lotan Baba or Rolling Saint, began his 2 500km journey on January 28 shortly after the leaders of South Asia's nuclear-armed rivals initiated talks aimed at ending five decades of hostility.
That's working well. I feel more peaceful already. I'll bet Madonna does, too...
Posted by: Fred ||
09/20/2004 8:54:34 PM ||
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Does he recommend a specific tread pattern and material for the vestments of his followers? Some may want to follow his example. It might depend on local terrain, but I'd hate for beginning rollers to have to learn by trial and error.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
09/20/2004 23:05 Comments ||
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If he had been rolling from Pakland to India he could've chosen from seventeen passports...
Comedian Rodney Dangerfield slipped into a coma while recovering from heart surgery in recent weeks but "is starting to show signs of awareness," his wife Joan said Monday. The 82-year-old performer, who was reported by his spokesman to have been hooked to a respirator in intensive care since undergoing a heart-valve replacement on Aug. 25, was able to breathe on his own for the past 24 hours, she said. Dangerfield fell into a "light coma" a couple of weeks ago, but "after recent visits from his family and close friends, Rodney is starting to show signs of awareness, and we are all hopeful that he will regain full consciousness soon," she said in a statement issued through his publicist, Kevin Sasaki. She said Dangerfield remains in stable condition overall, and that "Our family remains optimistic that Rodney will make a complete recovery ..."
The statement appeared to conflict in some respects with previous information provided by Sasaki, who said last week that Dangerfield was conscious when friends and fellow entertainers such as Jay Leno, Roseanne, Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler visited him at the UCLA Medical Center. Dangerfield, famed for his self-deprecating one-liners and the catch phrase, "I can't get no respect," underwent the heart operation on Aug. 25 at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles after enduring a string of health problems in recent years. The bulging-eyed comedian had double-bypass heart surgery in March of 2000 and an operation three months later to correct an aneurysm. He also suffered a mild heart attack in November, 2001. Let's all pray and show some respect for the man who never gets any. Hang in there, old boy.
Posted by: Chris W. ||
09/20/2004 7:54:46 PM ||
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Odd, he must have gotten married recently. For years he has complained about his wife while remaining single.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
09/20/2004 21:53 Comments ||
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and every time thy had sex, she was the one in a coma....
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/20/2004 22:18 Comments ||
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Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
09/20/2004 19:00 Comments ||
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#3
Did you know all your almost spent hurricanes tend to end up hitting the UK about a week or so after they've had their fun over Florida? The weathermen still manage to miss them every so often though, and we get what for us feels like a battering, without warning.
India's railways minister believes the credit for a respite in accidents on the country's disaster-prone network lies with the Hindu god of machines.
I prefer the American way; sharp lateral displacement of the offending piece of equipment with either a foot or a hammer.
Laloo Prasad Yadav said at the weekend that the number of train accidents had declined since he installed a "bright new photo" of the god Vishwakarma in his New Delhi office. "Now I pray to him daily. 'You direct me (in running the railways)', I tell Vishwakarma, and so now there are no rail accidents," Yadav said. The last major accident was in June, when 20 people were killed. India has the world's busiest rail system, shuttling 13-million people daily on 108 700km of track. The system has a 1,6-million-strong workforce, making it the world's largest single non-military employer.
Perhaps I should start praying to the MCI god. Maybe I should sacrifice a goat...
Posted by: Steve White ||
09/20/2004 12:32:07 AM ||
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...to Adams the dynamo became a symbol of infinity. As he grew accustomed to the great gallery of machines, he began to feel the forty-foot dynamos as a moral force, much as the early Christians felt the Cross. The planet itself seemed less impressive...Before the end, one began to pray to it; inherited instinct taught the natural expression of man before silent and infinite force.
#4
Somebody somewhere has gotta have an image of the classic maintenance shop cartoon. It shows Mickey Mouse dressed up as the sorcerer's apprentice, holding a humongous four foot long monkey wrench which he is tapping into his other palm, as he says:
#5
Instead of praying I use a 26 inch long X 1 and 1 fifth inch round hardwood tool. It works on many malfunctioning humans too. Many times just by equiping it to my strong hand.
#8
I remember reading in a mid '60s Nat. Geo. (so it's gotta be true) that not a single mile of rail had been replaced or added on too since Louis the M left.
A prominent Saudi scholar yesterday blasted the United States for its accusation that Saudi Arabia violated religious freedom, saying Washington has "no right to talk about religious freedom and human rights" while supporting Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian people.
Which has nothing to do with religious rights within Soddy Arabia...
"Look! Over there! It's William Shatner!"
"Everyday innocent Palestinian men, women and children are killed (at the hands of Israeli forces). Their only sin is they defended their land, life and legitimate rights," the Saudi Press Agency quoted Sheikh Hassan Al-Saffar as saying. He said the Israeli human rights violations were taking place "with the full knowledge and encouragement of the American administration that supports Zionist injustice and crimes."
"And that causes the gummint of Soddy Arabia extend no religious freedoms to anybody but salafists..."
The Saudi scholar also condemned the continuing American occupation of Iraq and the US military campaigns targeting Iraqi cities and regions. "This has led to a lack of security and the spread of terror and fear," he said. "All these negate the slogans and reports issued by American agencies on human rights and religious freedom," he added. "In the US itself, Arabs and Muslims suffer from racial and religious discrimination as reported by Amnesty International, which accused American authorities of committing excesses in racial discrimination since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. One out of every nine Americans have suffered from such discriminations in one way or another during the past three years," he said quoting the Amnesty report. "Even after all these US policies and practices, does the US State Department expect that people would look at its report on religious freedom with respect?" the scholar asked.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/20/2004 5:14:49 PM ||
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...um, yeah. That's exactly like forbidding even a whiff of non-Islamic religion into the holy wastelands of Arabia. WTF were we thinking?
#2
A classic case of "Look at the Wookie over there."
There is no freedom of religion in Saudi.
All other statements this assclown satinst death cult leader makes are usless and a waste of breath.
Clean up you baby killing, purposeful terrorist bombing of civilians, beheading of kidnaped hostages, lies and oppression is ok religion.
Oh and FOAD Saudi scholars, every last one of you satanic bastages.
#3
..saying Washington has âno right to talk about religious freedom and human rightsâ while supporting Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian people.
Ahhh, the old standby excuse - Israel.
"Mr. Al-Saffar? Excuse me sir, but we're not paying attention to you."
we should follow the soddy example and not allow any mosques in this country...at least funded by those asshats...
Posted by: Dan ||
09/20/2004 18:09 Comments ||
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This exercise has one useful purpose and that is to show that dialogue with the Saudis concerning religious freedom is a total waste of time. The Saudi clerics are just not wired for dialogue. With this in mind, we must develop our options for dealing with the issues that are created when the Saudi princes go down. The Saudi muckity mucks (no disrespect to Mucky!) have everything to gain with the status quo and everything to lose by a reformation of Saudi society.
There is one thing for certain: Saudi society, due to Saudi royals financing terrorism, will HAVE TO CHANGE, one way or another.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
09/20/2004 18:11 Comments ||
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Posted by: Michael ||
09/20/2004 18:33 Comments ||
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Questions:
Are there mosques in Israel/Palestine? Are there synagogues in Saudi Arabia?
Does this statement prove religious bias:
"Everyday innocent Palestinian men, women and children are killed (at the hands of Israeli forces). Their only sin is they defended their land, life and legitimate rights..."
#9
How do you type that noise you make when you take your finger and twiddle your lips up and down really fast? "BWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWB"? Close enough.
Posted by: Chris W. ||
09/20/2004 19:59 Comments ||
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#10
The entire Saudi "academic" community is a waste of oxygen and an insult to the human race. They'd get twice the respect from me if they just kept their mouths shut - although twice nothing is still nothing . . .
Maybe we can get Kofi a scholarship to a Saudi school? He'd fit right in.
Posted by: The Doctor ||
09/20/2004 20:36 Comments ||
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Thats the tried and trusted BLAME IT ON THE JEWS again. Religious freedom means only one thing to Saudis, freedom to support terrorism and to bash Jews at every opportunity. They exported the Wahabi cult all over the world. And on their Soddy land even muslims that dont belong to cult dont have freedom. Forget Churches, How many mosques are in Soddy that are not run by Wahabis you guessed it "Zero". I think it is a desecration of the word to call a Saudi a SCHOLAR. He is what they all are, camel brained Hashish smoking, child raping Salfists.
Posted by: Howard UK ||
09/20/2004 11:24 ||
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Sorry to be indulgent with Fred's bandwidth, but today sees the passing of a great Briton and the best English football manager of all time, Brian Clough. Clough won back to back European Cups and won the league with his Derby County and Nottingham Forest sides of the seventies and eighties. More than that he was an eccentric, a gentleman and a drunkard. A politically incorrect voice in a very PC world. God Bless you Old Big 'Ead!
"Don't send me flowers when I'm dead. If you like me, send them while I'm alive."
Posted by: Howard UK ||
09/20/2004 11:29 Comments ||
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As I understand it, Clough was never the manager for England's soccer team. Is that right?
French President Jacques Chirac will put forward ideas for an international tax scheme scam that would help build a 50-billion-dollar war chest to fight poverty during a 55-nation conference on economic development opening Monday in New York.
#2
I presume that the program would be administered by UN bureaucrats. And the money would be funnelled through French banks. Just like the Iraqi Oil for Food Program. Hmmmmm ...
#3
Since Chirac, among other socialists, has found that their "poor" is breaking the bank...this is pure and simple a money grab aimed at the USA. And, if the UN decides what constitutes "poor" it will be every nation, but the USA.
#6
Money for Bureaucrats Poverty---the Ultimate Scam. That plan is fine with me as long as the US does not have to pay into the slush fund kitty. Our foreign aid bill for the past three years has been about $9 billion, so I would say that we have paid our fair share. Of course some of it goes to Israel and other countries for defense, but, hey, that's the times we live in.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
09/20/2004 21:05 Comments ||
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I wonder how much damage the dissolution of Oil-for-Food did to France's moribund economy. This sounds too much like a replacement. I suggest that we enact this tax - as long as it is applied only to the sale of French wine.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
09/21/2004 3:38 Comments ||
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Date: September 21st 2004 (Many in Germany have no learned anything from their brutal past and this news proves it.)
By Philip Blenkinsop in Dresden
The far right has made startling gains in regional elections in Germany as former communists made advances around Berlin, but parties of the centre clung to power with reduced support. ('Former' Communists, 'Former' Nazis look to be only a uniform alteration in today's 'Fatherland'. After the war the best Communists in East Germany were formerly fanatical Nazis during the war.)
The anti-immigrant Nationalist Democratic Party (NPD) won 9 per cent of the vote in Saxony, almost equal to the vote for the Social Democrats of the Chancellor, Gerhard Schroder. The Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) took 28 per cent of the vote in Brandenburg, its best ever showing in a state election. Eastern German resentment at high unemployment and welfare cuts undermined support for Mr Schroder's Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the main opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Whereas the CDU has profited from past discontent with Mr Schroder, it too was punished this time for its support for pro-business reforms. The CDU lost its absolute majority in industrialised Saxony.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
09/20/2004 2:36:47 PM ||
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Twelve French soldiers have been arrested for stealing $120 000 (about R950 000) from a bank they were supposed to be guarding in a rebel-held town in Ivory Coast, the French army said on Monday.
I think I've seen this movie...
The troops were posted at a branch of the West African central bank (BCEAO) in Man, 450km north-west of the main city Abidjan, and were meant to secure it after a series of bank robberies by rebel fighters last year. "The accused personnel took advantage of their posting at a branch of the BCEAO bank in Man to steal a sum of money," the French military operation in Ivory Coast, known as Licorne or Unicorn, said in a statement. A French army spokesperson said the theft of 65 million CFA francs was thought to have taken place on Thursday or Friday. The soldiers were arrested and questioned in Abidjan by French gendarmes before being flown to Paris on Monday. "For the moment, the soldiers will be subject to military sanctions while an inquiry is carried out by the French judiciary," Licorne spokesperson Colonel Henry Aussavy said. "We are dealing with these accusations very severely so that they do not tarnish the rest of our forces in the country."
It is the second time French soldiers, who are in their former colony to police a truce and no-weapons zone running across the country, have been accused of stealing money from central bank branches. A French soldier was sent back to Paris to face criminal charges in January after being found with a large amount of cash thought to have come from the central bank's branch in the rebel stronghold of Bouake.
#2
Beebs has the bad habit of putting links to similar content articles up on pages without noting that they're not from the same day. On the other hand, the content of this one is approximately the same as the content of this one, so the date's almost irrelevant.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/20/2004 12:29 Comments ||
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I really though it was topical, he has had his butt handed to him again. At this rate he will be out of power next year. I noticed no "Greens" got elected from "the former east Germany."
#3
That news article didn't make a lot of sense, or the German version of "Right" is very different from here in the US. People were angry at welfare and social benefit cuts, so they vote for the right?
The German government called them a "neo-Nazi" party, which, if true, would put them over on the left with the other socialist types. Of course, since the far left calls anyone it doesn't like a "fascist" or "Nazi," so that may be meaningless.
#4
That's why I tend to use the more generic, but technical term, "loons."
Posted by: Fred ||
09/20/2004 13:50 Comments ||
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People were angry at welfare and social benefit cuts, so they vote for the right?
Far-right is all in favour of welfare and social benefits as long as it's only the white natives that get said welfare, not brownish foreigners. Far-right is all about being the "protector of the poor and disenfranchised masses of our nation" against the hordes of evil foreigners who get the jobs of *our* poor.
The Nationalist Socialist party was all about being socialists towards your own nation, and murderers towards other nations. :-) That's far-right in Europe.
America's far right is a bit different in points -- I think that's because the US has the whole multiracial aspect of its society, to a greater extent that Europe does.
There even your *native* poor with full citizenship rights are likely to be a member of a minority group to be despised by the far-right. In Europe however the native poor are on the whole more ethnically and racially homogeneous with the rest of the country -- which means that such are *recruiting grounds* for the European far-right, not a targets.
I guess you really can't use "Right" when talking about a different country. Here, Right means someone like Goldwater or Reagan for politicians, or Thomas Sowell for philosophy, or Me for that matter, someone emphasizing individualism, self-reliance, and freedom rather than class or group identity and government security. Here, the Libertarians (often called "Liberals" in Europe) are the far right.
I can remember in the late 80s, the mainstream media would refer to the Soviet communists as the "Right," while those who wanted to decrease centralization as "the Left." If that's not a through-the-loocking-glass world, I don't know what is.
We don't really have anybody (except a few loonies with no influence) corresponding to the national socialist types (thank God).
Interesting, though that the far Left is pretty much the same everywhere, differing only in degree, not kind. Someone from the SDP or Labour or Socialist would fit right in with the "Democrat wing of the Democratic party."
#7
Hitler's National Socialists were obviously on the left when it comes to individualism-vs-collectivism and economic freedom -vs-state management left/right divisions. I would consider these categories the true defining criteria on which to distinguish the left and right of political thought. Using anything else to categorise groups is specious to say the least. Alleging that the Nazis were rightist simply because they were nationalistic or racist is naive at best, cynically slanderous at worst. The left have long used racism as a stick to beat the right, mistaking or misrepresenting many rightists' reluctance to address race-issues as race-hatred. In fact, most real rightists don't give a damn about other people's race, the reason being that racism is an antithesis of individualism.
#8
In truth the whole babble about "right" vs "left" is meaningless unless you define what you mean by right and left.
In matters of societal mores, "Right-wing" is often defined as the puritan conservative wing, and "left-wing" is defined as the pro-gay, pro-orgies, pro-polygamy wing. In which case (the social scale) the Nazis were again right-wing.
In matters of nationality, the more "internationalist" a party is, the more left-wing it is considered by some, while the more importance it gives nationhood and blood-ancestry the more right-wing it is considered. In this case Nazis were again "right-wing". Nationhood and race and blood-ancestry was *everything* to them. On the other hand the communist's main motto was "Communists of the world unite", and their hymn said "the internationale unites the human race". In ideology therefore, (if not really in practice), the communists were typically left-wing.
In matters of individualism-vs-collectivism though I don't see a distinction between what are typically called "right-wing" and "left-wing" regimes. Or indeed I don't see a distinction between right-wing and left-wing people. I've seen in this rantburg as much collective and racial and ethnic blame as I've seen any communist use, possibly more. If all those right-wing people were so very much about individualism then I'd have heard fewer jabs against Greece because of my nationality.
Left-wing ideologies merely uses collectivism concerning the "classes". The downtrodden versus the masters and stuff like that. Right-wing ideologies use collectivism concerning race and nationality and again ancestry.
In this case, it seems to me that Nazis were again on the "right-wing" side.
I think I'm agreed with you about the economic front -- this seems to be the *only* topic where the Nazis weren't clearly cut what is usually called "right-wing".
You yourself use "the left" and "the right" and then say that "the left" has done this and that against "the right". You can't simply label "the left" all the people you think are against individuality without seeing that historically this has nothing to do with how the term is used -- do you for example deny the existence of right-wing dictatorships? Dictatorships whether right-wing or left-wing are all about destroying freedom and individualism.
------
The funny thing is the way I'm seeing you use such an argument to essentially call the Nazis "leftists", I have likewise seen communists use similar arguments to call the Soviet Union right-wing. Since they defined "right-wing" to be the dominion of an elite over the downtrodden masses and "left-wing" to be people in favour of equality for all, they felt that the Soviet Union was among one of the most right-wing regimes of the century.
My point is -- better to stop using left-wing and right-wing entirely. There are much better words to define meanings precisely. I'm a mostly "laissez-faire liberal" internationalist and societally progressive. That puts me on the right wing in the economic front and on the left wing on both the internationalism and the societal front.
Sidenote Bulldog -- the people who'd be in favour (for religious reasons) of outlawing sodomy : would you consider them right-wing or left-wing? And which of the two major parties would you think they are more likely to vote in modern-day USA?
#9
"In matters of nationality, the more "internationalist" a party is, the more left-wing it is considered by some, while the more importance it gives nationhood and blood-ancestry the more right-wing it is considered. In this case Nazis were again "right-wing". "
So were the Soviets, Aris. Ever heard of "Russification?"
See also "Soviet Union" in this link:
"You can't simply label "the left" all the people you think are against individuality without seeing that historically this has nothing to do with how the term is used -- "
But it's strange, but it seems just fine to go indiscriminately calling people "right-wing." What's up with that?
Rabid nationalism and ethnic bigotry can be conditions of the "far right," but they are not sufficient for a definition when "far right" is the same as "far left" on all other significant identifying points.
I really like Hannah Arendt's discussion of Nazism in her "Origins of Totalitarianism." But it's too long to post here, so I'll settle for this:
http://jonjayray.netfirms.com/hitler.html
Personally, I think the BEEB was saying to themselves: "Hmmm, how do you think we can spin this so people identify our subject with those bastards over in the Colonies?"
"Oh, I know, let's call them 'right-wing.' That way peoiple will think of Bush as a Nazi!"
#11
Asedwich> True, the Soviets did impose "Russification". But that's because they were hypocrites that couldn't follow even their own proscribed ideology. *shrug*.
But the communists *claimed* themselves internationalists ("Internationale" see :-), even as the Nazis claimed themselves nationalists. Except that the latter indeed were what they claimed.
But it's strange, but it seems just fine to go indiscriminately calling people "right-wing."
Um, it seems just fine by who? In this thread I referred to *self-described* right-wingers of Rantburg, didn't just label people who hadn't already called that themselves. If that's what you mean.
Rabid nationalism and ethnic bigotry can be conditions of the "far right," but they are not sufficient for a definition when "far right" is the same as "far left" on all other significant identifying points
Far right and far left have the same defining characteristic: authoritarianism -- to crush human freedom and dignity underfoot. The same way that Liberal economic right (laissez faire liberalism) and liberal economic left (progressive social-democracy) offers paths towards the encouragement of liberty.
Yeah, far left and far right are nearly identical. That doesn't mean that far right is any less right-wing or that far left is any left-wing. It simply means that right-wing and left-wing at that point become trivial when the significant thing is not the right-left axis but the authoritarian-liberal axis instead.
#12
I'll agree with you that definitions of left and right vary and are hard to define, but I'll also point out that continental ideas of left versus right are quite different from those in the UK and the US. Your idea of which issues are most important in defining which side of the main left/right axis a group or individual belongs to might be quite different from mine. I do not hear much debate in our Parliament about blood or ethnicity or race hatred originating from the Tories. Does this mean they can't be right-wing? Nor the Republicans? Nationalism is an irrelevance when it comes to left/right political divisions unless your idea of normal political debate crawls in the gutter of human depravity.
Your assertion that the Communists at the time of the Nazis were internationalists averse to nationalism rings a little hollow, Aris. Are you aware that the Soviets under Stalin committed an act of genocide greater even than that committed by Hitler against the Jews? It's reckoned that ten million Ulkranians died under Stalin who was quite prepared to use naitonality and race as justification for mass murder. Ask a Chechen how race-blind Stalin was. Ask Russian Jews, for that matter, Belorussians, ethnic Germans... If you hold the idea that Communists were not nationalistic, you've swallowed an awful lot of pro-Communist propaganda.
In matters of individualism-vs-collectivism though I don't see a distinction between what are typically called "right-wing" and "left-wing" regimes.
Come again? You're joking, right? Every major policy difference between left and right centres around this issue. The left traditionally believes in nationalisation of industry, tight regulation, protectionism, state pensions, state provision of welfare, social proggrammes of all sorts... All these things are driven by a collectivist mindset. Individualists (the extreme being Libertarians) are attracted to the right because the right traditionally advocates minimum state involvement in individual affairs, at least far less so than the Left.
You can't simply label "the left" all the people you think are against individuality without seeing that historically this has nothing to do withhow the term is used -- do you for example deny the existence of right-wing dictatorships?
This is indeed where left and right become confused, and whether you can call a dictatorship right-wing or right wing is debatable. It can be contended that no dictatorship is 'political' in the sense that political philosopy drives Government over and above the consideration of power. In this sense, for example, the Soviets betrayed left-wing rhetoric to impose nothing remotely egalitarian. However, the inescapable truth is that Communism epitomised the natural end-result of left-wing philosopy in that 'equality', if it is to be imposed and maintained, requires an all-powerful Government with absolute power over its people. Without a totalitarian force enforcing equality, you get inequality; the state must be able to control your property and your behaviour. Then, whether the members of that Government live according to the standards of the masses becomes their choice.
Bulldog -- the people who'd be in favour (for religious reasons) of outlawing sodomy : would you consider them right-wing or left-wing? And which of the two major parties would you think they are more likely to vote in modern-day USA?
I would hope that the Republicans would not outlaw sodomy as to do so breaches individual freedoms, but I admit that they'd be more likely to do so owing to pressure from the conservative religious right. A reminder of why it's important to maintain the primacy of secularism in politics.
#15
"The left traditionally believes in nationalisation of industry, tight regulation, protectionism, state pensions, state provision of welfare, social proggrammes of all sorts... '
And the right traditional believes in state religions, government defining morals, so forth so forth. You choose to focus only on the economic issues.
"Your assertion that the Communists at the time of the Nazis were internationalists averse to nationalism rings a little hollow, Aris."
You didn't read my last post. I said that the communists violated their own supposed principles. Their proclaimed *principles* called for internationalism, but in practice they were hypocrites and violated that principle in mass.
Which can be used as a way to call the Soviet Union "right-wing", same way that Hitler's "socialism" was used by people here to call him "left-wing".
I do not hear much debate in our Parliament about blood or ethnicity or race hatred originating from the Tories. Does this mean they can't be right-wing?
That means they can't be *far*-right. That means that on matters of blood or ethnicity or race they probably centrists or so.
Which party is considered to be more friendly to foreigners and immigrants though, Labour or Torie?
"I would hope that the Republicans would not outlaw sodomy as to do so breaches individual freedoms, owing to pressure from the conservative religious right"
While on the other hand what is traditionally called "the left" on religious issue, wants people to be *free* to do whatever "perverse" thing they have in mind as long as it's between consenting adults. If we're only only to judge the right-left division between what is in favour of collectivism and what is in favour of individualism, why aren't the terms switched around, with the "religious left" being the one tha wants to abolish sodomy and the "rightists" being the one that want to permit it?
Because traditionaly "right-wing" are also called the ones in favour of tradition, while "left-wing" are also called the ones in favour of breaking free from tradition. There's a reason why "conservatives" is afterall sometimes used as synonym for right-wing.
#16
You choose to focus only on the economic issues.
Which can be used as a way to call the Soviet Union "right-wing", same way that Hitler's "socialism" was used by people here to call him "left-wing".
I'm not just focusing on economic issues. The left's obssession with controlling the lives of other people is obviously manifested in economic issues, but also through a plethora of social engineering projects, large and small, dressed up a 'progressive' nonsense which usually benefits no one but the occasional few at the expense of the rest! And your own obssession with race hatred and the politics of negative nationalism and ethnic rivalry as legitimate political divisors say more about your own attitudes and experiences than they do about the real world. There is no more a place for xenophobia and latent racism in true right-wing politics than there is on the left. And to insist there is, is to ignorantly slander a huge number of people, including myself.
Which party is considered to be more friendly to foreigners and immigrants though, Labour or Torie?
That depends entirely on who you ask. The left, as usual, in this country tries to grasp at power through a policy of societal divide and rule. 'Multicultutalism' is used as a slogan to promote racial sectarianism and keep racism institutionalised. The Democrats do the same thing in the US, and I expect many leftists in Greece do the same thing too. A I right? Leftists are obssessed with race and think that by missing no opportunity to tell people that their skin colour or ethnic origin sets them aside from their neighbours they can channel blame for perceived injustices from minority groups against the established order or their political opponents. Trying to keep minorities apart from the manjority, they believe, guarantees them support from such minorities, and at the same time the effect is to actively encourage racial division. Meanwhile, the right is criticised for being more keen to limit immigration for 'racist' reasons. For some who sit on the right that may be true (just as for many on the left there's no shame in introducing race into politics for their own ends), but there are also, of course, sound economic and social reasons to resist mass immigration to any country.
While on the other hand what is traditionally called "the left" on religious issue, wants people to be *free* to do whatever "perverse" thing they have in mind as long as it's between consenting adults.
That's by no means a left-only attitude. Ask a Libertarian how they stand on 'consenting adults' issues and it seems you might be surprised. Ask a Labourite in the UK how they think 'consenting adults' should behave as regards foxes, and you might also be surprised. The recent vote to ban fox-hunting is just the most recent example of left-wing politicians in the UK acting to curtail civil liberties and act in a decidedly intolerant and authoritarian manner.
#17
Well this right leaning proto libertarian will tell you both. What consenting adults do in the privacy of their own homes is none of governments concern or anyone elses.
#18
I somehow don't think that foxes fall under the category of "consenting adults".
'Multicultutalism' is used as a slogan to promote racial sectarianism and keep racism institutionalised. The Democrats do the same thing in the US, and I expect many leftists in Greece do the same thing too. A I right?
Over here we have school parades at national holidays with the best student lifting the flag. Some years ago a serious dispute arose over the fact that ethnic Albanian students often were the ones to so lift it, having come out with the best grades. It was the authoritarian right (atleast they tended to call themselves "right") that wanted ethnic Albanians to be banned from ever lifting the Greek flag -- it was the left (+ the liberal right) that wanted the best students to lift it regardless of ethnicity.
So, you tell me -- who was striving for integration now, the authoritarian right or the left? Who wants Albanian immigrants to remain a slave-caste with no political rights?
Mind you, the communist parties, having allied with the chauvinists long ago (far left and far right stick together, in their mutual hatred of freedoms) are hardly the forefront in defending minority rights either.
It's the liberal sections of *both* the right and the left that defend minorities.
A quick glance at Viacom CEO Sumner Redstone's political contributions reveal him to be right up there with Dan Rather in his left wing leanings. Another fellow traveller.
Is it any wonder no action has been taken on Rathergate?
Posted by: DanNY ||
09/20/2004 12:00:00 AM ||
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#1
Is it any wonder no action has been taken on Rathergate?
Well, you can't exactly say that NO action was taken, after all Redstone did dump $12M of Viacom stock. But don't hold your breath until Rather gets rebuked or fired.
#4
I think the new Viacom strategy is to treat TV like segmented radio. Accept a slice of the audience, focus on one demographic faction, quit fighting for the broad spectrum of viewers/listeners. The writing was on the wall with the ratings for Fox at the convention. Its either a total purge or acceptance of a smaller piece of the pie. Seems they are electing to "Rather rule in hell, than serve in heaven".
Posted by: Don ||
09/20/2004 12:15 Comments ||
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Breaking Brouhahah- EFL
At the behest of CBS, an adviser to John Kerry said Monday he talked to a central figure in the controversy over President Bush's National Guard service shortly before disputed documents were released. The White House accused Kerry's campaign of fanning the controversy over Bush's military service. Joe Lockhart denied any connection between the presidential campaign and the papers. Lockhart, the second Kerry ally to confirm contact with retired Texas National Guard officer Bill Burkett, said he made the call at the suggestion of CBS producer Mary Mapes. "He had some advice on how to deal with the Vietnam issue and the Swift boat" allegations, Lockhart said, referring to GOP-fueled accusations that Kerry exaggerated his Vietnam War record. "He said these guys play tough and we have to put the Vietnam experience into context and have Kerry talk about it more."
The White House called the exchange evidence of coordination between the Kerry campaign and Burkett. "The fact that CBS News and a high-level adviser to the Kerry campaign coordinated a personal attack on President Bush is a stunning and deeply troubling development," said White House communications director Dan Bartlett. He urged Kerry to hold accountable anybody involved in helping CBS obtain the documents.
Lockhart denied any involvement. "Bartlett is wrong," he said later Monday. Earlier, Lockhart said he thanked Burkett for his advice after a three- to four-minute call, and that he does not recall talking to Burkett about Bush's Guard records. "It's baseless to say the Kerry campaign had anything to do with this," he said. Later, Lockhart said he was sure he had not talked to Burkett about the Guard documents. riiiigggghhhttt
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/20/2004 10:24:52 PM ||
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#1
Gee it must be just a happenstance that the latest Dem Ad 'Fortunate son' came out a few days later after the 60 Minutes II Crockumentary.
It has collusion written all over it.
Posted by: Bill Nelson ||
09/20/2004 22:51 Comments ||
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#2
No strong denial by Lockhart = evidence of deception. "I can not recall" is an extremely weak denial. "It is baseless to say the Kerry campaign has anything to do with this" - the campaign is an inanimate object - the "campaign" didn't have anything to do with it - he did. Once again no strong denial = deception.
"Bartlett is wrong" weak again - a strong denial would be Bartlett is lying.
The evidence strongly suggests in just three sentences that Mr. Lockhart is being deceptive.
#3
The White House called the exchange evidence of coordination between the Kerry campaign and Burkett. "The fact that CBS News and a high-level adviser to the Kerry campaign coordinated a personal attack on President Bush is a stunning and deeply troubling development,"
Even more troubling is the amount of coordination between the Kerry kamp and CBS
#4
On the topic of collusion between CBS and Kerry's Klowns, RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie had this to say:
"CBS...should identify immediately those engaged in possible criminal activity who attempted to use a news organization to affect the outcome of a Presidential election in its closing days." "Possible criminal activity"? That sure sounds like a shot across the bow to me.
Anymore, Richard Nixon is looking a helluva lot more honorable than Dan Rather.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
09/20/2004 23:15 Comments ||
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#5
From Kerry Spot -- find an AP story from September 9, 2004 "Seizing on 30-year-old memos and memories, Sen. John Kerry's operatives are painting an unflattering portrait of President Bush as the "fortunate son" who used family connections to dodge the Vietnam War and then lied about it... "
The CBS story based on the memos the evening of Sept. 8. Are we to believe that the Democratic National Committee put together "Operation Fortunate Son," in which these memos are front and center, entirely in the hours after the CBS report, and yet had their campaign ready so that these memos are referred to in the first words of the AP story Sept. 9."
#7
Un whats the Federal peanalty for penalty across state lines? Me thinks Rather, Mapes and Lockart along with Burket could go to PMITA Federal prison.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/20/2004 8:47:50 PM ||
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Lockhart said Mapes asked him the weekend before the story broke to call Burkett. "She basically said there's a guy who is being helpful on the story who wants to talk to you," Lockhart said, adding that it was common knowledge that CBS was working on a story raising questions about Bush's Guard service. Mapes told him there were some records "that might move the story forward. She didn't tell me what they said."
Fred, this is the oddest part of the whole campaign - repeately we see examples of media members that morph into roles as political hacks and then demand that we ignore their activities. Can anyone explain how she was acting as a producer of a news segment in this instance?
Posted by: Super Hose ||
09/20/2004 21:50 Comments ||
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#2
damn! too many minutes late and dollars short, Fred - delete mine, thx!
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/20/2004 22:26 Comments ||
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#4
Message to Sumner Redstone: just be done with it and sell the CBS News asset to Soros. He can then register it as a 527 and spin to his and Danny's and MaryMapes' hearts' delight.
Survey of 1,000 Likely Voters
September 19, 2004
Forty percent (40%) of voters see the campaign coverage of their local newspapers as unbiased. However, only 20% to 29% view national papers as unbiased. Among five different papers, the New York Times is seen as the most biased--35% believe its coverage is biased to help Kerry while only 22% believe it is unbiased. This may be a lingering response to the Jayson Blair scandals from last year. At that time, only 46% of Americans viewed the New York Times as a reliable source of information. Every national paper except the WSJ is thought to be biased for Kerry; I wonder what Brits think of the Al-Guardian?
#1
Every Brit knows the politics of each of the broadsheets and even the tabloids. But it is interesting that if you fly Virgin you get the Independent (which is left-wing)but not the Telly (which is right-wing). This makes it easier for them to fly around in circles!
Posted by: Jack is Back ||
09/20/2004 17:14 Comments ||
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#2
The NYT long ago changed from a newspaper to a viewspaper. More of a marketing strategy than anything else: target gays and secular, childless yuppies across the country. We're rapidly moving toward a British-style partisan press because, given the collapse in media cred with a majority of readers, niche marketing and opinion-pushing make good business sense.
#3
It is good in some respects to have a press which is unashamedly partisan. JiB is right about all Brits knowing where the press stands - not just the broadsheets, but the middle-markets and tabloids too. There's practically a medium for everyone, and as I've pointed out here before, the considered right-wing press sell considerably better than the left-wing rags. That may be because right-wingers tend to be more curious about what's going on in the world, but mainly, I suspect, because rightwing papers tend to keep their bias to the editorial pages whereas left-wing bias seeps into not only virtually every story, but also into what gets covered. You simply can't trust the likes of the Guardian and the Independent to keep you well informed, as most people realise sooner or later.
It's interesting to compare the newspaper situation to the broadcast media. The BBC, which still enjoys something of a state-ensured monopoly on authoritative news, politics and current events coverage on TV and radio, is much more prone to criticism than, say the Guardian and the Independent. Its (false) claim and responsibility to be impartial affects everyone.
#5
Gee, who woulda thunk the NYT is biased to the left? My sister in law reads it all the time, probably because it reinforces her view of the world. She told me once that the NYT "opens her mind", neglecting of course to mention what the NYT does not cover.
Posted by: Bill Nelson ||
09/20/2004 19:33 Comments ||
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#6
Having had a glimpse inside the NYT sausage factory, no one can seriously claim the NYT's the "paper of record" anymore.
It's basically a lengthier version of The Nation or The New Republic, with the addition of lots of frou-frou about fashion and gay lifestyles.
CBS admitted Monday that it cannot vouch for the authenticity of documents used to support a "60 Minutes" story that questioned President Bush's Vietnam War-era National Guard service, after several experts denounced them as fakes. The network said it was wrong to go on the air with a story that it could not substantiate. "We should not have used them, CBS News President Andrew Heyward said. "That was a mistake, which we deeply regret."
"We are, like, rilly sorry we got caught..."
CBS also said it was commissioning an independent review of the incident, and will announce the names of the people conducting the review will be announced shortly.
If there's any justice, a couple of bloggers should be on the review panel.
Sure thing...Kos and Atrios, presiding...
The announcement was a major blow to the credibility of CBS News and its chief anchor, Dan Rather, who reported the story. Almost immediately after the Sept. 8 story aired, document experts questioned memos purportedly written by Bush's late squadron leader, saying they appeared to have been created on a computer and not a typewriter that was in use during the 1970s. CBS strongly defended its story, and it wasn't until a week later - after the military leader's former secretary said she believed the memos were fake - did the news division admit they were questionable. Even then, Rather said no one had disputed the story's premise: that the future president had pulled strings to get a relatively cushy National Guard assignment and failed to satisfy the requirements of his service. Rather this weekend interviewed Bill Burkett, a retired Texas National Guard officials who has been mentioned as a possible source for the documents. His interview will be on "CBS Evening News" on Monday. CBS said Burkett acknowledged he provided the documents and said he deliberately misled a CBS producer, giving her a false account of their origin to protect a promise of confidentiality to a source.
Not a surprise since Burkett has misled plenty of other people before.
The Associated Press could not immediately reach Burkett for comment.
Posted by: Steve White ||
09/20/2004 12:50:19 PM ||
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#1
Ah, come on guys. Its like a police sting for johns. If you weren't looking for it, you wouldn't have been caught. You were caught and you certainly prostituted your trade. I think now we know it is not a 'profession'.
Posted by: Don ||
09/20/2004 13:42 Comments ||
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#2
Furhter on from today's AP story:
The documents were said to be written by Lt. Col. Jerry B. Killian, indicating he was being pressured to "sugarcoat" the performance ratings of a young Bush, then the son of a Texas congressman, and that Bush failed to follow orders to take a physical. Killian died in 1984.
Again piss poor partisan reporting. Bush 41 was not a Texas Congressman when the Killian forgeries were dated. The press keeps digging themselves a mass murder grave. Is there a word for MSM-acide?
Posted by: Jack is Back ||
09/20/2004 13:51 Comments ||
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#3
Any investigation of this should be done by the FBI or CID because we're talking about Federal level felonies here. Whoever did this passed them off as official US Military documents.
#4
Don that is about the best analogy I have ever heard concerning this subject. Ms. Mapes wanted to believe the memos because she needed to believe them. Otherwise her preconceived notion (and DNC talking point) was not true. For those that still think Bush got a pass into the guard, you canât possibly understand what happens. He still had to fly jet fighters, no small feat in an F-102. Why would a commander allow someone who was not qualified to operate a complicated piece of machinery? Especially when they had to fly right next to him. Maybe if Bush had been given a position that was overstaffed, or made him morale officer (as a primary duty), I would believe this fairy tale. But by all (not forged) accounts Lt Bush did a great job while in the guard, this must drive the LLL press and the DNC crazy.
#6
After much thought I sent the following complaint to CBS:
"You call that an apology? Where is the apology for President Bush (both of them)? How about the Killian Family? The Texas ANG? Gee you think that maybe (just maybe) the reason you had trouble supporting this story is because the whole thing is a fabrication? Some wet dream of first Ann Richards and then carried forward by the DNC. Everything that has EVER been presented showed that President Bush joined, served, and was honorably discharged from the Texas ANG. How about saving a little bit of journalistic dignity and put out a retraction to the entire story. Five years and you have hearsay and forged documents. You also have several people that just happen to think that Lt Bush was a good pilot and officer. Why is it that you donât look at the facts and conclude what the story is not a story but an urban legend? How about facing the fact that the story just is not true, was never true, and move on?"
I encourage you all to send your comments to them as well.
Burkett, a retired National Guard lieutenant colonel, provided the documents. In a press release accompanying Heyward's statement, CBS said that Burkett "also admits that he deliberately misled the CBS News producer working on the report, giving her a false account of the documents' origins to protect a promise of confidentiality to the actual source."
Let's start a poll...
Who gave the documents to Burkett...
1) James Carville
2) Max Cleland
3) Paul Begala
4) Nurse Fuzzy-Wuzzy
5) George Soros
#2
This is actually good news in that Burkett can't hide behind press shield laws. The RNC could conceivably sue and force Burkett to reveal the source of the documents.
#5
In fact, I don't see any comment on Moore's site at all about it. I find this surprising, since he normally doesn't miss a chance to bash Bush, and this is bigger than anything he could have made up. And evidently Burkett is a source for F9/11 . . . scroll down a bit to see the pertinent item. Don't know if Moore would have the balls to do something like this - don't know if he has any at all, come to mention it - but it's interesting, nevertheless.
Posted by: The Doctor ||
09/20/2004 13:05 Comments ||
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#6
CBS said that Burkett "also admits that he deliberately misled the CBS News producer working on the report, giving her a false account of the documents' origins to protect a promise of confidentiality to the actual source."
Uh-huh. So who's the actual source, Burkett?
Or is that what they're paying you not to tell?
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/20/2004 13:13 Comments ||
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#7
Lumpy Riefenstahl is a clever fabricator of images. Could he really be responsible for something as lame as the ficticious 30 year old memo produced with the default settings of MS Word?
#8
All I'm going to say is, if the forger of the memos is my age or older, they're really stupid.
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
09/20/2004 13:45 Comments ||
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#9
Oh, and in case I didn't say it yet: I think Burkett is being set up as a fall guy.
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
09/20/2004 13:46 Comments ||
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#10
CL - in a word -- YES! Forging documents, like everything else Mike Al-moor does (like editing NRA appearances for Bowling for Columbine) is right up his alley.
In an Aug. 21 e-mail to a list of Texas Democrats, Bill Burkett said he talked with former Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia about information that would counter criticism of Kerry's Vietnam War service. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the e-mail yesterday.
"I asked if they wanted to counterattack or ride this to ground and outlast it, not spending any money. (Cleland) said counterattack. So I gave them the information to do it with," Burkett wrote.
So now he is protecting his source? In August there does not seem to be much protecting going on...
#17
CF: My point was that Lumpy is a *skilled* fabricator. And could he be responsible for something so slipshod?
I've had a bit of a re-think on this one. Now that clever, informed individuals, connected through the blogosphere have debunked the documents, they are revealed as an obvious sham. But they passed muster with CBS News--one of our purported arbiters of truth. And this is where Lumpy's tradecraft comes into play. One of the first concepts you learn in Film 101 is "willing suspension of disbelief" on the part of the audience. The intended audience for these documents was CBS News, not an online network of hard case pajama wearing skeptics. (And Lumpy knows his audience.) From that standpoint, the documents worked magnificently. If CBS News had not posted copies to their web site, we would not have arrived at the current state of affairs.
#18
This Burkett guy was apparently hospitalized a couple of times for mental illnesses. Maybe he could blame his alter ego for supplying him with the documents and then take the Fifth.
Posted by: Tibor ||
09/20/2004 15:58 Comments ||
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#19
This is more fun than a new puppy. I'm betting... Begala.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
09/20/2004 16:58 Comments ||
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#20
Has to be non-military and either very young or very dumb or both.
#23
Yeah, that's bizarre. So was Rather saying that Burkett was in the Texas Air National Guard. Last I heard, he was Army National Guard, which accounted or a lot of his errors in recreating the memos.
Rather can't even get basic facts straight. It's amazing.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
09/20/2004 19:14 Comments ||
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Hat Tip : The DRUDGE-man Note : Drudge's link to THE NEW YORKER isn't working.
Here is the same story on NewsMax
Teresa: My Critics Are 'Scumbags'
Hot-tempered would-be first lady Teresa Heinz Kerry has once again lashed out at her critics, this time during a Pittsburgh television interview where she called them "scumbags."
The ugly outburst, revealed nationally for the first time in a lengthy profile in the Sept. 27 issue of the New Yorker magazine, is the most outrageous so far by the billionaire ketchup heiress, and pushes the bounds of behavior voters might accept in a first lady.
#12
She has SOOO much class, I can just picture her as 1st lady. Of course they will call her the 1st Bit** (sounds like witch). Well thinking back I believe she is the 2nd and Hillary was the first.
#13
2b exactly right, but maybe for the wrong reason. For once MammaT was right, send money, send food, send rum.... hold off on the used clothes. In the same vein poor Louis' wife MA got a bad rap for the cake thingy... because of French (typical) price controls, cake was more abundant than bread.
EXCLUSIVE // Mon Sep 20 2004 11:58:02 ET
STATEMENT FROM DAN RATHER:
Last week, amid increasing questions about the authenticity of documents used in support of a 60 MINUTES WEDNESDAY story about President Bush's time in the Texas Air National Guard, CBS News vowed to re-examine the documents in question—and their source—vigorously. And we promised that we would let the American public know what this examination turned up, whatever the outcome. Now, after extensive additional interviews, I no longer have the confidence in these documents that would allow us to continue vouching for them journalistically. I find we have been misled on the key question of how our source for the documents came into possession of these papers. That, combined with some of the questions that have been raised in public and in the press, leads me to a point where—if I knew then what I know now—I would not have gone ahead with the story as it was aired, and I certainly would not have used the documents in question. It depends on what the meaning of vouching is.
But we did use the documents. We made a mistake in judgment, and for that I am sorry. It was an error that was made, however, in good faith and in the spirit of trying to carry on a CBS News tradition of investigative reporting without fear or favoritism. It depends on what the meaning of favoritism is.
Please know that nothing is more important to us than people's trust in our ability and our commitment to report fairly and truthfully.
#3
I wonder whether this will be enough to save his neck. It's rather a lukewarm apology, as they go, and it will be interesting to see if anyone calls him on everything he fails to mention . . .
Posted by: The Doctor ||
09/20/2004 12:27 Comments ||
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#4
Notice no anger toward the source of the forgeries. He's sorry only in that he got caught.
Posted by: Rex Mundi ||
09/20/2004 12:37 Comments ||
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#5
"...It was an error that was made, however, in good faith and in the spirit of trying to carry on a CBS News tradition of investigative reporting without fear or favoritism."
BS - it was an error made in the spirit of being part of the Kerry campaign
#9
Well, I'm glad to know that the memos which said that Dan Rather likes to sleep with English sheepdogs have been shown to be frauds. Still, I think he ought to at least address the fundamental questions raised by these memos.
". . . Ahh, but the memos, that's . . . that's where I had him. They laughed at me and made jokes but I proved beyond the shadow of a doubt and with . . . geometric logic . . . that a duplicate key to the wardroom icebox DID exist, and I'd have produced that key if they hadn't of pulled George W. Bush out of action. I, I, I know now they were only trying to protect some fellow officers . . ."
"Quick, go to a commercial! Dan's finally gone bonkers! Where the hell is Cronkite?"
Posted by: Mike ||
09/20/2004 13:57 Comments ||
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#14
"...carry on a CBS News tradition..."
You got that part right. Audi 5000, San Diego air crash, ...
"...of investigative reporting without fear..."
That's about as intelligent as those "no fear" window decals.
"...or favoritism."
We'll take anyone's story that smear's Republicans.
We still want to know who the ultimate, "unimpeachable" (now impeached, I guess) source was, Dan. I bet it's a good one, or you wouldn't have been such an ass about the docs being obvious forgeries.
#21
#6 Well Dan, now since we all know now that you aren't playing favorites when will you do a piece on the Swift Boat Vets? tic tic tic tic.
Ooops I forgot they are the "Bad" Vietnam Vets. Nevermind.
Actually, CBS may end up doing some stuff negatively on Kerry in order to demonstrate that they are not pushing him and axing W. It would of course be even more determining of their original partisanship sinking to that level of real deceit. If I was them, I would just pony up to the bar and admit the partisanship that exists at CBS and in all of big media. Thinking about it, CBS could get back at ABC and WAPO by exposing the partisanship of those two outlets. I mean this could be one of those skin devouring bacteria type events except its the media that is eaten alive.
Posted by: Jack is Back ||
09/20/2004 17:25 Comments ||
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#22
Courage.
Posted by: Rafael ||
09/20/2004 18:14 Comments ||
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#23
"The Most Trusted Man In America". Looks like that one's safe for awhile.
Young punk!
Posted by: Walter Cronkite ||
09/20/2004 19:42 Comments ||
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#25
The scene I want to save in me mind is the one OldSpook described with Kerry campaigning and people on the street corners waving Microsoft Word software boxes. Cracks me up! Always someone in the good olde USA can take a story like Rathergate and make it into a source of innocent merriment.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
09/20/2004 21:41 Comments ||
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NEW YORK — In yet another bold display of investigative journalism, CBS News has used anchorman Dan Rather and its 60 Minutes program to break a story about a document discovery they say disproves the Biblical account of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Text as seen in photo:
Sunday April 12th, 0033
Not much exciting happened today. Still a little down about the whole crucifixion thing on Friday. Kind of a bummer.
Went fishing with Peter and Andrew, but we caught pretty much nothing. They kept trying both sides of the boat for old time's sake, but nothing doing. Andrew kept bugging Peter about trying that whole water-walking thing again. I think Peter was getting really annoyed with him. Talk about awkward.
Peter's still talking about running for the Sanhedrin. I really doubt he would have any kind of a chance. All for now — getting late. I think I got too much sun on that boat.
Monday April 13th, 0033
Another really boring day. I'm starting to realize how much more exciting life was with Jesus around. I doubt I'll ever meet anyone like him again.
Posted by: OldSpook ||
09/20/2004 2:46:31 AM ||
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#1
ROME AD63.. THIRTY YEARS LATER...
THE PARTIAL TEXT OF A NEWSCAST OF THE TIME
BUT IN REALITY THE CAVE OPEN AND FOUND EMPTY, THERFORE THIS REPORTER MUST CONCLUDE THAT THERE WAS NO BODY IN THE FIRST PLACE.
I HAVE COME INTO POSESSION OF SOME DOCUMENTS, AND THEY WERE NOT FAXED FROM THE KINKO'S IN JERICHO, OF A FORMER CENTURION WHO WAS A WITNESS ...
Posted by: Chris W. ||
09/20/2004 19:49 Comments ||
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#6
.com---I read and translated the ancient text and it is nothing but an advertizing circular waxing poetic on the unveiling of a new and improved baby milk factory.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
09/20/2004 21:45 Comments ||
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#7
Hmmm. Fatima Mapuspatra, our document expert assured us this was the smoking spear that proves Gaul Bushiya was given preferential access to chariot training. And she was very convincing, believe me. She has this thing she does with her, oh, uh, um, nevermind...
CBS News Concludes It Was Misled on National Guard Memos, Network Officials Say
By JIM RUTENBERG
After days of expressing confidence about the documents used in a "60 Minutes'' report that raised new questions about President Bush's National Guard service, CBS News officials have grave doubts about the authenticity of the material, network officials said last night. Those officials, who asked not to be identified, said CBS News would most likely make an announcement as early as today that it had been deceived about the documents' origins, and that it was mounting an intensive news investigation of where they came from.
But these people cautioned that CBS News could still pull back from an announcement. Officials were meeting last night with Dan Rather, the anchor who presented the report, to go over the information it has collected about the documents one last time before making a final decision. People at the network said it was now possible that officials would open a formal internal inquiry into how it moved forward with the report, which officials now say they are beginning to believe was too flawed to have gone on the air.
The report relied in large part on four memorandums purported to be from the personal file of Mr. Bush's squadron commander, Lt. Col. Jerry B. Killian, who died 20 years ago. The memos, dated from the early 1970's, said that Colonel Killian was under pressure to "sugar coat'' the record of the young Lieutenant Bush and that the officer had disobeyed a direct order to take a physical. Mr. Rather and others at the network are said to still believe that the sentiment in the memos accurately reflected Mr. Killian's feelings, but that the documents' authenticity is now in grave doubt.
I feel that my estimate of the contents of my checking account reflects the true balance, regardless of what the bank records say...
#2
OldSpook last week I thought that the MSM would devour it own over this. Now I have my doubts. Rather Still has a job. This freeking flake Butler continues to garner media attention. No apperent questioning of why a Army national guard member would be having any interaction with the Air national guard on an administrative level in respeccts to personel records. How he would have access to Air national guard records from the 1970's even if they "were in a trash can". Even questioning if those records would be avaiable to anyone but the DOD and Air Force and Air National guard personal currently. They ain't looking for answers. They have circled the wagons instead.
#4
Aside from killing Operation Fortunate Son & helping to run out the clock on the election, this has applied a thick layer of teflon to W's past record (albeit a record that very few sane swing voters cared about in the first place). It has also allowed the President an opportunity to stay above the fray by making only a single mild comment about it while the Dems continue to howl and bark at the moon. The contrast couldn't be more clear and is just as clearly reflected in recent polls.
#7
Sock Puppet,
There's one other thing that strikes me as odd about the 'trash can' thing. Literally every military office that I know of has had a shredder since the mid-90s. So if I understand this right:
*People are disocvering 30 y/o records involving a sitting POTUS;
*Nobody takes them to higher authority (especially whether or not to ask why these memos are still there in the first place), and
*They were 'thrown away' and not shredded with the individual's SSN still on them - a blatant violation of Privacy Act procedures and a guaranteed way to have one's career tossed in behind the documents.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
09/20/2004 12:07 Comments ||
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#8
Mike even my (now 86 year old) mom has a shredder, we had one in the 1990 for our home. The obvious questions are not answered or even pursued in this whole fandango.
Lotsa close parallels in this election year. Edited for highlights
Read the whole thing. Well written...
Mr. Devine has admitted that the Dukakis campaign failed to "run a general election in broad thematic terms that are cultural and historical. But you get so wrapped up in what you're doing, sometimes you lose a lot of focus."
That is also what appears to have happened to Mr. Kerry. In August, 1988, Michael Dukakis repaired to the Tanglewood Festival in the Berkshires and failed to respond to attacks on his prison furlough program, centered on the murderer Willie Horton, who raped and brutalized a Maryland couple while out on weekend release. This year, Mr. Kerry hung out in Nantucket and allowed himself to be filmed windsurfing while the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth pounded him for nearly a month with little effective rebuttal. "The Bush people have a very effective message: the president is tough on terror and John Kerry is either too liberal or too indecisive to do the job. That's become the campaign backdrop," says GOP consultant Charlie Black.
Posted by: badanov ||
09/20/2004 12:52:30 AM ||
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For those of us which recall all too well the Dukakis era of taxitis in the Commonwealth, Mr. Kerry is a clone of Dukakis is more ways than one.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
09/20/2004 15:13 Comments ||
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#2
A Prez candidate at Nantucket......
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
09/20/2004 21:56 Comments ||
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#3
Mark,
His Lt. Gov., no less!
Posted by: Ernest Brown ||
09/21/2004 1:14 Comments ||
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Posted by: Steve White ||
09/20/2004 12:52:59 AM ||
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#1
Any Democrat gun onwner who thinks JFK will not do everthing Dianne Feinstein and Sarah Brady has on their wish list by executive order better think again. You still can't buy a Norinco 1911A1 thanks to a Clinton executive order. Democrat gun owners don't be fools.
A vote for Kerry is a vote for Brady II and gun confiscation.
#2
Instapundit sez he returned the shotgun he hoisted at the one rally that was banned under the AWB. Guess he was against the shotgun before he was for it.
Posted by: Dar ||
09/20/2004 11:45 Comments ||
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CBS News anchor Dan Rather has interviewed the retired lieutenant colonel widely believed to have helped provide "60 Minutes" with the disputed National Guard documents about President Bush that have created a credibility crisis for the network, and CBS plans to air the interview in the coming days. The on-camera sit-down with Bill Burkett, who has urged Democratic activists to wage "war" against Republican "dirty tricks," could help resolve whether CBS continues to stand by its story or concedes the purported 30-year-old memos are forgeries, as numerous document experts have contended.
Bill Burkett just has to be peeing his pants with excitement.
Rather was in Texas over the weekend for the interview with Burkett, a former National Guard official, who would not comment in an e-mail to The Washington Post on whether he had been CBS's confidential source. CBS News President Andrew Heyward, while declining to comment on what interviews the network may be conducting, said yesterday: "We've said we are trying very hard to get to the bottom of these questions." Under mounting pressure from critics for standing by questionable memos that indicate Bush received favored treatment in the Texas Air National Guard, CBS executives are aiming to broadcast a story by midweek that would put the controversy behind them.
Wonder if they'll interview anyone else?
Burkett, who retired from the Austin headquarters of the Guard in 1998, has said he once saw some of Bush's military records in a trash can. He also says he overheard a conversation among Guard officials about sanitizing the president's military records, which Guard officials strongly deny. Burkett's motivation could be suspect because he said in a Web posting last month that he tried to contact John F. Kerry's presidential campaign. He said he had urged former Democratic senator Max Cleland to counter Republican tactics -- in a brief conversation confirmed by Cleland -- and tried to provide the Kerry operation with information to "counterattack," but that campaign officials did not call him back. The Burkett interview follows Bush's comments to the Manchester, N.H., Union Leader that "there are a lot of questions" about the CBS documents "and they need to be answered." The president, while reiterating that he had fulfilled his requirements in the Guard, said of the disputed memos from his late squadron commander in the Guard: "I think what needs to happen is people need to take a look at the documents, how they were created, and let the truth come out." Asked about Bush's remarks, Heyward said: "I don't feel any more pressure than before. I agree with President Bush that the sooner we can resolve these questions the better."
Yep, another bad week for Kerry coming up. CBS will suck all the oxygen out of the political air.
Posted by: Steve White ||
09/20/2004 12:27:53 AM ||
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Burkett, a former National Guard official, who would not comment in an e-mail to The Washington Post on whether he had been CBS's confidential source.
Did it go like this?
Washing Post: Bill - were you the moron who used MS Word to assemble a memo from 1972?
#3
I think CBS will use this to allow Burkett to voice whatever moonbat and unproven claims they (him and CBS) want without fear of incrimination and without a shread of evidence.
Or they will trot out another set of 'memos' -- this time typed on an actual Seletric typewriter (anyone know who won that EBAY auction?).
I expect them to spend 20 seconds on the forgeries and 20 minutes on the new claims and/or 'new' memos....
#4
Correct me if I am wrong but isn't/wasn't Burkett an unpaid member of the Kerry staff? Also I have read stories that paint Mr Burkett as a complete moonbat. Well if he isn't a Kerry Staffer he probably will be before next week. He will tour with Max Cleland and claim that he was outed and defamed by the VRWC and President Bush.
Posted by: Steve from Relto ||
09/20/2004 13:08 Comments ||
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Why, yes, Burkett does have a lawyer. It is none other than David "What difference would it make?" Van Os. He's running for the Texas Supreme Court, too.
The campaigns of President Bush and Sen. John F. Kerry have tentatively settled on a package of three face-to-face debates that both sides view as a potentially decisive chance to sway huge audiences ahead of the Nov. 2 election, Democrats and Republicans said yesterday. Bush's campaign, which opened the negotiations by urging just two sessions involving Bush and Kerry, yielded to the full slate of debates that had been proposed by the Commission on Presidential Debates, according to people in both parties who were briefed on the negotiations. No agreement will be final until the two sides agree on details for the format of a town-meeting-style debate that Bush at first resisted but now is willing to endorse, the party representatives said.
The officials, who declined to be identified because they were bursting to spill the beans early not supposed to be discussing the matter with reporters, would not say when an agreement will be announced. Both campaigns declined to comment on the state of negotiations. Both campaigns agreed to the dates, locations and moderators proposed by the commission. Commission officials plan to begin moving equipment and other materials into place at the debate sites today, on the assumption that their plan will be embraced by the campaigns. The Sept. 30 debate will be held at the University of Miami in Coral Gables and will be moderated by Jim Lehrer, anchor and executive editor of "The NewsHour" on PBS. The Oct. 8 town-hall debate will be moderated by Charles Gibson, co-anchor of ABC's "Good Morning America." The last debate, on Oct. 13, will be at Arizona State University in Tempe. The questioner will be Bob Schieffer, CBS News chief Washington correspondent and moderator of "Face the Nation." The Oct. 5 vice presidential debate will be held at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and moderated by Gwen Ifill, moderator of PBS's "Washington Week." Each of the four debates will begin at 9 p.m. Eastern time and will run 90 minutes.
Anyone think Edwards can best Cheney? Anyone think Kerry can score a knockdown on Dubya?
Posted by: Steve White ||
09/20/2004 12:03:37 AM ||
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Why debate? Keerys a loser. Thats not even debateable. He has made a deal with the devil for a silver tongue so why debate him.
Let him choke and pay for his publicity. I would rather step on a dog turd than listen to Kerry.
#2
Rumor has it that the debates were agreed to because Rove knows that Kerry had such an unlikable personality that the more one sees of him the more one is turned off.
#3
Before these three, Kerry should hold a self debate where he debates his own positions on the various issues. Whichever positions win will be the positions he sticks with . . . until the first debate.
Posted by: Tibor ||
09/20/2004 16:02 Comments ||
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Drudge has a report that the Bush campaign wants the CBS guy off because of rathergate. I also read yesterday that Kerry is going to take "acting" lessions so that he'll be more likable.
Posted by: AF Lady ||
09/20/2004 20:41 Comments ||
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#5
Hopefully, Kerry's performance might be so off-putting as to be vote-surpressing. For fun I am coming up with a list of no-win questions that could make Kerry squirm. For example:
Is our policy with repsect to Israel/Palestine even-handed or should it be made more consistent with the policy prevalent in the EU and UN?
Posted by: Super Hose ||
09/20/2004 22:34 Comments ||
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How about:
"Given the proven corruption and dictator-loving-culture at the UN, specifically the Oil-For-Palaces program, why do you think the UN would do better given a veto over American security?"
Posted by: Frank G ||
09/20/2004 22:47 Comments ||
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Trading on Daddy's Name to Bash "W"
IT MAY have been the guy in the hood teetering on the stool, electrodes clamped to his genitals. Or smirking Lynndie England and her leash. Maybe it was the smarmy memos tapped out by soft-fingered lawyers itching to justify such barbarism. The grudging, lunatic retreat of the neocons from their long-standing assertion that Saddam was in cahoots with Osama didn't hurt. Even the Enron audiotapes and their celebration of craven sociopathy played a part. As a result of all these displays and countless smaller ones, you could feel, a couple of months back, as summer spread across the US, the ground shifting beneath your feet. Something was in the air, and people were inhaling deeply. I began to get calls from friends whose parents had always voted Republican, "but not this time".
There was the staid Zbigniew Brzezinski, who was President Jimmy Carter's National Security Adviser, sneering at the "Orwellian language" flowing out of the Pentagon. Word spread that old hands from the days of Bush the Elder were quietly (but not too quietly) appalled by his son's misadventure in Iraq. Suddenly, everywhere you went, a surprising number of folks seemed to have had just about enough of what the Bush administration was dishing out. A fresh age appeared on the horizon, accompanied by the sound of scales falling from people's eyes. (snip)
Posted by: Capt America ||
09/20/2004 12:00:00 AM ||
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Ron Reagan. Talk about a "shrub"
"Suddenly the producers of the Eukanuba Show realized host Ron Reagan was a distraction..."
#3
Even the Enron audiotapes and their celebration of craven sociopathy played a part
Psst -- Enron happened during the Clinton administration. They were caught and punished during the Bush administration. In fact, Clintons Treasury secretary (I believe) tried to convince the Bush administration to leave Enron alone.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
09/20/2004 12:31 Comments ||
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Not everyone down under yet knows that Ron Reagan is a moonbat. They do now.
Even in my younger, apolitical days, I knew that Ron was trying to play the middle of the road, however it's become clear that he is at home being part of the usual brand of Leftie snake-oil salesmen.
If people don't vote the way you want them to, skip the part about debating your ideology and go straight to the personal attacks.
Oh, and Ron: I agree with trailing wife. Cut down on the adjectives. I'd recommend Stephen King's "On Writing".
Posted by: Chris W. ||
09/20/2004 15:30 Comments ||
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Not everyone down under yet knows that Ron Reagan is a moonbat. They do now.
Even in my younger, apolitical days, I knew that Ron was trying to play the middle of the road, however it's become clear that he is at home being part of the usual brand of Leftie snake-oil salesmen.
If people don't vote the way you want them to, skip the part about debating your ideology and go straight to the personal attacks.
Oh, and Ron: I agree with trailing wife. Cut down on the adjectives. I'd recommend Stephen King's "On Writing".
Posted by: Chris W. ||
09/20/2004 15:30 Comments ||
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Oh, STFU already, Ron. You were boring even when you actually HAD a claim to fame...
Storm damage to key US oil installations and supply disruptions in Russia sent oil prices spiralling beyond the 46 dollar-mark today. The cost of light crude bounced to 46.35 US dollars a barrel in New York on news that Russia's largest producer, Yukos, had scaled back exports to China. This followed a 4% rise in oil prices on Friday as traders assessed the disruptions to supply after Hurricane Ivan tore through the Gulf of Mexico.
Barclays Capital oil analyst Orrin Middleton said any signs of the stand-off between Russian authorities and Yukos starting to worsen would lead the market to over-react. Yukos, which produces 2% of the world's oil, is in dispute with the Putin administration over a tax bill of 3.4 billion US dollars (£1.87 billion). Russian courts last week rejected an appeal by Yukos against freezing assets at 24 of its units. This forced the company to review its cash situation and it announced today that it was suspending a chunk of its exports to China, representing around 100,000 barrels a day.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
09/20/2004 3:10:43 PM ||
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A Roman Catholic priest accused of ordering the slaughter of 2,000 people who sought refuge in his church during Rwanda's genocide refused to appear for the start of his trial at a U.N. tribunal Monday. Rev. Athanase Seromba did not attend in protest against U.N. plans to transfer the trials of some genocide suspects from the Tanzania-based tribunal to Rwanda. The trial began without Seromba after prosecutors argued his rights would not be violated as long as his lawyers were present, tribunal spokesman Roland Amoussouga said.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/20/2004 4:39:52 PM ||
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DAN RATHER HAS ALWAYS BEEN STRANGE. But as the veteran CBS Evening News anchor approaches his 73rd birthday this Halloween and the sunset of his career, the lengthening shadows cast by his latest controversy have begun to expose how eccentric, megalomaniacal and devoid of ethics and judgment he for decades has been. That pretty much sums up Rather and the article, but this next bit is rather interesting . . .
But being in college gave Rather a semester-by-semester student deferment from being drafted into the Korean War. After Rather graduated, "the way he got around being eligible for the draft was he joined a reserve unit — Army reserve," wrote B.G. Burkett, co-author of the book Stolen Valor. Rather dropped out of the reserves as soon as the Korean War ended in armistice. Whether Rather used journalist or related politician connections to get into the Army reserves, as he would later accuse President George W. Bush of doing in the Texas Air National Guard, is unknown.
Former CBS reporter Bernard Goldberg . . . : "Rather's voice started quivering, and he told me how in his young days, he had signed up with the Marines — not once, but twice!" This was inaccurate. Rather signed up once with the Army reserves and once with the U.S. Marines. Rather . . . "was discharged less than four months later on May 11, 1954 for being medically unfit⊠He couldn't do the physical activity." As a boy, Rather "had suffered from rheumatic fever," reported veteran UPI journalist Wes Vernon. Ever since Dan Rather has described himself as a former U.S. Marine, after spending roughly the same amount of time in Marine Corps training before being rejected that now-Senator John F. Kerry spent in Vietnam. "This," wrote Burkett, "is like a guy who flunks out of Harvard running around saying he went to Harvard."
The nonexistent loose journalistic ethics that have characterized Rather's entire career were soon evident. "Rather would go with an item even if he didn't have it completely nailed down with verifiable facts," wrote Timothy Crouse in his best-seller about presidential campaign coverage in the Nixon era The Boys on the Bus. "If a rumor sounded solid to him, if he believed in his gut or had gotten it from a man who struck him as honest, he would let it rip. The other White House reporters hated Rather for this. They knew exactly why he got away with it: being handsome as a cowboy, Rather was a star at CBS News, and that gave him the clout he needed. They could quote all his lapses from factâŠ." And it goes into quite a bit more detail. Read the whole thing, as they always say. Even if he had nothing to do beyond reporting and defending the memos, he clearly had the leanings of someone who would be willingly duped into believing the story was true, if not active in pushing to make it as true as possible.
Posted by: The Doctor ||
09/20/2004 1:28:38 PM ||
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I think he's the first big martyr in the war between the Pajamahaddeen and the MSM.
Pajamastan WINS!
As of September 18th, the CJR's last word on the subject is a snide little piece attempting to belittle the contributions of PajamaLand. It cites, with no critical analysis of its own, several left-wing bloggers who deny that the Pajamahaddeen contributed anything of substance to the story. At no point is there any mention of the obvious evidence (some of it linked-to above) that bloggers broke the story with expert testimony and insightful analysis.
from http://www.thegantelope.com/archives/000213.html
The disappearance of a Russian oil tanker in Nigerian custody is a "national embarrassment" says a senior MP investigating the case. Nigeria's navy seized MT African Pride tanker along with 13 Russian sailors, on suspicion of smuggling last October. But the tanker, laden with crude oil, disappeared last month. Navy and police officials have blamed each other.
Some 30,000 barrels of oil are lost to fuel thieves each day in Nigeria, officials say. The mysterious disappearance is "an episode that belonged to the old Nigeria," Anthony Aziegbemi , chairman of the parliamentary committee conducting the investigation, said in a statement. He said the navy committee is resolved to get to the bottom of the disappearing act. "The rule of law should catch up with anybody no mater how highly placed," he said. The defence minister and other naval officers have been asked to appear before the committee this week. Another ship detained in connection with the alleged theft of oil, the MT Jimoh, might also have gone missing with its cargo of crude oil last week, although this was not confirmed, Mr Aziegbemi said.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
