At least when the Democrats have sex scandals, there's real bona-fide sex involved.
A former aide to James E. McGreevey said today that he had three-way sexual trysts with the former governor and his wife before he took office, challenging Dina Matos McGreevey's assertion that she was naive about her husband's sexual exploits.
The aide, Theodore Pedersen, said he and the couple even had a nickname for the weekly romps, from 1999 to 2001, that typically began with dinner at T.G.I. Friday's and ended with a threesome at McGreevey's condo in Woodbridge. They called them "Friday Night Specials," according to Pedersen.
Pedersen described the encounters during an interview with The Star-Ledger. He said he wanted to refute the innocent image that Matos McGreevey has projected - both during the couple's ongoing divorce battle and in interviews she gave after New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned last week in a sex scandal. He said he was also incensed by her portrayal of herself as an unsuspecting wife in her book: "Silent Partner: A Memoir of My Marriage."
"I wanted to get this out now because it was so offensive to me that she goes on television playing the victim," Pedersen said. "She's trying to make this a payday for herself. She should have told the truth about the three of us."
Pedersen did not say if he was gay or bisexual and only described having contact with Matos McGreevey during the trysts. He also said he never knew for sure if McGreevey was gay. "I had heard the rumors in circles outside of work," he said. "In hindsight, there might have been light interest (in me), but it didn't seem like he was gay. It did enhance their sexual relationship having me be a part of it."
Oh I think we've got the picture, thanks.
Neither of the McGreeveys returned calls for comment. Their lawyers declined to comment on Pedersen's claims.
Pedersen, 29, served as a driver and traveling aide for McGreevey during his gubernatorial campaign and after he won office in 2001. McGreevey attended Pedersen's graduation from Rutgers University in 2003 and Pedersen accompanied the governor and others in a trip to China last year.
His assertions mark the latest broadside in a particularly public and searing divorce case that has brought back to life the seamy personal issues that erupted when McGreevey resigned almost four years ago.
Matos McGreevey claims the onetime Woodbridge mayor duped her into marriage in 2000 to further his political career, and that she had no clue about his sexual preference until just before he resigned in August 2004, when he announced he was gay and had an affair with an aide. She has demanded full custody of their only child, Jacqueline, plus alimony and more than $600,000 in damages.
McGreevey has denied any fraud and, in court filings, countered that he fulfilled his duties as husband because he gave his wife a child and companionship. He has demanded equal time with their daughter.
A trial before Union County Superior Court Judge Karen Cassidy is scheduled to start in May. Pedersen could be among the first witnesses to testify.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/17/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
During his captivity, Sergeant DeShazer was sent to Tokyo with the survivors of another Doolittle crew, and was held in a series of prison camps in Japan and China for 40 months, 34 of which were in solitary confinement. During this time he was subjected to unbelievable cruelty, including being forced to watch helplessly while one of his friends died of slow starvation.
"My hatred for the enemy nearly drove me crazy," he said. "My thoughts turned toward what I had heard about Christianity changing hatred between human beings into real brotherly love. I begged my captors to get me a Bible, and when the emperor of Japan told them to treat us better, I got one."
Sergeant DeShazer was able to read the Bible for only three weeks. Still, its message had a lifelong impact on him. After his release, he attended college and then seminary in preparation to become a missionary.
Sergeant DeShazer returned to Japan in 1948, where he spent 30 years preaching and teaching Christianity.
This would rank among the all-time most unusual campaign stops:
Rumors abound that a certain presidential hopeful may show up at the San Diego Comic Con. Allegedly, members of Barack Obama's camp contacted organizers of the show to inquire about the Senator making an appearance. That would be a most insane and decidedly cool move for Obama--no one has ever reached out to the comic book community in such a way before--embracing the "geek" vote would be a stellar move.
The convention is July 24-27, about one month before the Democratic convention.
Insert your own comic-related joke here...
My attempt: "Obama may not get such a warm reception, as video surfaced of Obama's mentor Jeremiah Wright declaring that in his mind, Jean-Paul Valley will always be the real Batman, and that his armor design was the best Bat-suit."
Or worse: Hillary at an anime convention, entering herself in the cosplay competition as Pikachiu . . .
Posted by: Mike ||
03/17/2008 13:01 ||
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Odd as California has already voted. He must think that he'd get money or lots of good press out of such a stop. Perhaps part of his revamped non American hating image.
Posted by: Politician to be ||
03/17/2008 15:29 Comments ||
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#2
What if you want a better reason to vote for someone than that they watch the same cartoons?
And now we'll go a-rovin'
We'll dance into the night
We'll shout and sing, and down old streets we'll roam
We'll make the rounds of late-night bars
We'll drink until daylight
Carouse until the cows are comin' home
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
03/17/2008 10:45 Comments ||
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#3
It's 2.30am 18/3 down here in Aussie land and I've just got home from the pub. The craic was great, as they say, However youse who are living in the past, like a day behind, could do well to study up on this site so that you can drop names with the best of the Irish today.
Slainte.
H/T Blackfive.
It's happening! It's in production... Can't find any info on who's playing whom.... here's what I have found. There is a pic of President Bush pinning him!
I just heard that Universal won the negotiations and acquired (not just optioned) The New York Times No. 1 non-fiction bestseller Lone Survivor and Navy Seal author Marcus Luttrell's underlying life rights for seven figures. (I hear $2 million upfront, plus 5% against adjusted gross, as well as other payments.)
This follows a frenzied Hollywood bidding war that included Sony, Warner and DreamWorks (which really wanted the book for Steven Spielberg and Michael Bay). I'm told that Barry Spikings brought the project to Akiva Goldsman, who in turn took it to Pete Berg. P
utting Spikings and Goldsman on as producers, Uni bought the book for Berg who'll be writing and directing this as his next project for his Film 44 production company. luttrell.JPGHe, of course, is the director of the upcoming The Kingdom about a team of U.S. government agents sent to investigate the bombing of an American facility in the Middle East. Uni made that pic as well as United 93; that helmer Paul Greengrass is adapting Rajiv Chandrasekarans book about the Green Zone in Baghdad, Imperial Life in the Emerald City, for the studio as well.
How interesting that liberal Hollywood was so hot for this latest patriotic tell-all by a proud conservative. Book agent Ed Victor and Hollywood lawyer Alan U. Schwartz of Greenberg Traurig brokered the Lone Survivor deal. This seems to be another in what is a growing trend in the movie business to bring events about post-9/11, Iraq/Afghanistan and the troops into the plots of its pics.
#3
I'd note two things: first, getting the rights is only one step, and an early one, in making a movie. Lots of books and scripts have been bought and put on a shelf. Second, the screenwriter can take just about any book and twist it to whatever they want it to be. As one example, see Tom Clancy's Clear and Present Danger.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/17/2008 17:53 Comments ||
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Beware:
Don't forget "Apocaplyse Now" was written as a pro-war movie but was completely changed around by the director.
However, they might play this as a straight action shoot-em-up, but I doubt it.
They will probably have to add some BDS anti-christian propaganda in there just to get the funding.
Al
Al
Posted by: Frozen Al ||
03/17/2008 17:56 Comments ||
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The Sum of All Fears was completely ruined by poor scripting and worse acting. You all seem excited about this book (I am unfamiliar) so I hope it gets better treatment b/c lord knows I'm ready for a decent movie.
#6
I don't think it will fly, because there is just too much lefty hate in Hollywood, as evidenced by Mel Gibson's The Passion movie.
What could break the blockade, however, would be a film with these elements:
1) Totally indy film, with a non-industry director known for his technical skill. Funded with five or six million dollars from some conservative moneybags.
2) No-name cast using real veterans and Iraqi army personnel, filmed in Iraq and scripted with real war stories. Full cooperation of the US military and no advance publicity.
3) The villains are al-Qaeda, not Iraqi, and the victims are Iraqis. Show the al-Qaeda as the grotesque and murderous monsters they are, who target women and children. Lots of righteous rage by the IA soldiers. Show IA as patriotic and angry as hell at al-Qaeda. They are also the ones who do the John Wayne stuff with some dying heroically in the grand manner, followed with oaths swearing revenge.
4) Show MSM journalists as the utter, cowardly shits they are, trying to help the enemy any way they can and hiding in the Green Zone and lying. Have an actor portray Michael Yon, with permission, to protect his anonymity, to show how a real war correspondent works.
5) There really is no limit to the schmaltz and old school war movie elements, emphasizing professionalism more than drama. But add on to that the soldiers rebuilding Iraq and training their police and military.
6) When the movie is done, a huge release in subsidized direct to DVD sales. Edit both an R and PG-13 version, and a special version with bad language and graphic violence edits, so it will appeal to the young adult through Utah family demographics. Even do several foreign language versions, as one in the eye to the Europeans. Flood the Internet with pirate versions as well.
7) US military cooperation guarantees that nothing is shown that reflects badly on the military, which is the intent of the production, and will have a positive impact on recruiting. No problem at all in making it look a lot like a recruiting video. Even private security people, like Blackwater, look good and get along fine with the military.
8) Depictions of al-Qaeda war crimes would be very graphic and horrible. Everything from mass graves, torture chambers, suicide attacks against school children. Cue incredible anger from the IA and civilians. The nastier the villain the better the movie. Inhuman and cowardly dogs, who worship a totally evil and repugnant perversion of Islam.
9) al-Qaeda also die in terrible ways, with scenes like their bodies being eaten by stray dogs, like Kenny is eaten by rats. They also do lots of things that Muslims see as culturally filthy and disgusting.
10) Even a short scene or two of Iraqi politics, showing politicians behaving themselves and acting in an orderly manner, doing things like planning the building of a new hospital or university, and voting.
#7
Trust, but verify. I have hope it may buck the trend of anti-war liberal crap that contently flops (which is why hollyweird might be willing to buck the trend). But I will wait until the reviews come out from people, like here on the 'burg, to plunk down my hard eared dollars.
#1
This link has been changed since I posted it this morning. It was about local celebrations of St. Patrick's Day as well as a Muslim holiday in Derby. Now it is only about the St. Patrick's Day celebration, which makes my headline change senseless - and the entire post rather pointless. But Happy St. Patrick's Day anyway, everyone!
A wave of antigovernment protests by Tibetans is spreading and, fueled by rapid communications among the monasteries that serve as centers of Tibetan cultural and spiritual life, appears unlikely to subside soon.
ALL EYES ON LHASA
Tibet and China: A History of Conflict
Protests Shut Down Tibet Tourism
Hu Jintao's Statements on Tibet
Interactive map: Central Lhasa
Photos: Tibet ProtestsThe tensions, which pose a challenge to China ahead of the Beijing Olympics, were on display in Xiahe, a small city wedged in a valley in the rugged Qilian mountains of northwestern China's Gansu province. Saturday, hundreds of Tibetan protesters pelted government offices and shops in Xiahe with stones.
In a heavily Tibetan area of Sichuan province, in southwest China yesterday, Tibetans took to the streets in violent demonstrations and set fire to a police station. Residents there reported hearing gunfire.
Hundreds of Buddhist monks also marched in another Gansu city Saturday, shouting pro-independence slogans and carrying Tibetan flags, witnesses said.
#3
I'm getting the feeling the Tibetans have reached their "Enough is Enough" point, Pacifism doesn't work against guns and thugs, and they've finally gotten the message.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
03/17/2008 18:11 Comments ||
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To Quote a famous post WW 2 radio message, "Shoot them down politely".
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
03/17/2008 18:15 Comments ||
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If I understand the Chinese plan it was to build a railroad (now finished) up to the Tibetan plataue and convince Chinese to move there thus dilluting the Tibetan ethnic dominance of the place.
I also think the Olympics has something to do with the timing.
#6
It is a demographic struggle. The Chinese way is to import so many Han Chinese that they strongly outnumber the locals. If the Tibetans can convince these civilians to bug out, it will defeat the program, and Tibet will return to a hostile occupation.
In turn, that will raise the price of occupation, and it will have no end in sight for the Chinese.
#7
"that will raise the price of occupation, and it will have no end in sight for the Chinese"
What's the downside, 'moose?
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
03/17/2008 20:45 Comments ||
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FOX NEWS > ENVIRO DESERTIFICATION = ARID DESERTS are spreading in China and getting ever closer to BEIJING, including as per the time for the upcoming Beijing Olympics. OTHER - IN GENERAL, DESERTIF IS STEADILY SPREADING IN CENTRAL ASIA [Russia, Muslim States], adding to already existent local troubles. NOT GOING TO GET EASIER FOR CHINA + CHIN COMMUNISM-SOCIALISM.
Two Sunni Tehreek (ST) and three Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) workers were killed here in separate incidents. New Karachi Industrial Area SHO Shahbaz Shah said four armed men fired at Adnan (25), STs joint unit in-charge, in 5-F, adding that he died on his way to hospital.
Twelve minutes later, Ejaz was fired at in the same area. He died at hospital. The STs Shahid Ghauri said Ejaz worked for his outfit.
Faisal, 20, was shot by motorcyclists in the Korangi Industrial Area. He also died at hospital. SHO Mukhtiar Ahmed said he couldnt tell the cause of Faisals death. However, the MQM-H Joint Rabita Committee in-charge Akhtar Hussain said Faisal had links with his party. Motorcyclists fired and killed Dilawar and Ahmed Ali in Malir late on Saturday. Hussain also claimed the two to be MQM-H workers.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/17/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
The MQM owns Karachi police; the attackers are on the wrong turf. I predict: blood.
Irans Culture Ministry on Sunday announced the closure of nine cinema and lifestyle magazines for publishing pictures and stories about the life of corrupt foreign film stars and promoting superstitions.
The Press Supervisory Board, a body controlled by hard-liners, also sent warning notes to 13 other publications and magazines on observing the provisions of the press law, the ministry said on its website.
It was not clear why the nine magazines were targeted for closure. They do not deal with politics, focusing instead on light lifestyle features, family advice, and news of celebrities.
They regularly publish photos of Iranian actresses in loose headscarves and stylish clothes, as well as foreign female film stars without head coverings but nothing more revealing than what is tolerated on some state media.
The ministry said it shut them down for using photos of artists, especially foreign corrupt film stars, as instruments (to arouse desire), publishing details about their decadent private lives, propagating medicines without authorisation, promoting superstitions.
It did not elaborate. Such magazines often have small adds for vitamins and remedies, including pills to treat impotence.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/17/2008 00:00 ||
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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.
Irans Culture Ministry on Sunday announced the closure of nine cinema and lifestyle magazines for publishing pictures and stories about the life of corrupt foreign film stars and promoting superstitions. 
