Apparently not getting many lead parts nowadays...
In the late 80s and early 90s, Steven Seagal was above the law, marked for death, hard to kill, and out for justice. The perennial bad ass, Seagal not only plays a master of martial arts on film...he actually is one. So giving advice to stay clear of a music career could be tough ("Sure, Steve...this sounds great!"), but I dare you to keep a straight face while looking at this album cover.
...or clicking on the link for an audio sample of one of his 'songs'. I caught a 15 second sample of one of them (I refuse to click on that link to see whether it's the same one) but calling it bland is being generous.
Posted by: Raj ||
08/27/2004 11:34:49 AM ||
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...Australian scientists predict that a revolutionary new way to harness the power of the sun to extract clean and almost unlimited energy supplies from water will be a reality within seven years. [later in the article this 7 year prediction is hedged]
Using special titanium oxide ceramics that harvest sunlight and split water to produce hydrogen fuel, the researchers say it will then be a simple engineering exercise to make an energy-harvesting device with no moving parts and emitting no greenhouse gases or pollutants...
I don't know much about ceramic based chemistry but I do know that the US has a very capable high tech ceramic capability. If the Aussies can do it, I think there's a good chance the US could do it also, maybe better.
Maybe we could make it a friendly contest? Developing for beer, maybe?
Posted by: mhw ||
08/27/2004 8:21:56 AM ||
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#1
Sounds essentially like a solar battery - storing solar energy in the form of hydrogen fuel. Presumably, the titanium oxide ceramics are more efficient solar collectors than the existing, terribly expensive, inefficient materials in use, in addition to the stated reason in the article that the ceramic in question is corrosion-resistant. Problem: titanium isn't particularly cheap on an industrial scale, and is in high demand in high-ticket industries like aeronautics and golf club manufacturing. (I wish I was joking about that last one.) Additional problem: hydrogen is volatile, and hard to store and transport.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
08/27/2004 8:48 Comments ||
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#2
Mitch, you should right press releases because the first half of your comment is clearer and more concise than the actual press release.
#8
Yeah, and laptop cases, and so on. I mentioned golf club manufacturing because the commodity analysis I used to fact-check myself before commenting was complaining that the golfer's craze for titanium materials was pricing alloys out of the car market. Strange world.
mhw: looks like Konarka is also using titanium dioxide, in this case as a doping agent in plastic film-cells. Amusingly enough, they're promising about 2/3rds the efficiency of old-fashioned silicon photovoltaics, with the pay-off being that the doped plastic cells will be more "versatile" and cheaper. That probably means a lower failure-rate, and a more flexable, durable material. The products being offered are portable chargers for consumer electronics - designed to be carried around folded and stuffed away, and then unfolded in the right conditions.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
08/27/2004 15:01 Comments ||
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#9
a simple engineering exercise
sorta like fusion
EFL - this is from Captain's Quarters so it may not qualify, but the story has been sold to the NY Sun which requires a subscription. I posted the piece because most of the stories about Kerry's Communist sympathy are decades old. Here is a recent indication that his sympathies, at least for Vietnamese communists, have not changed...
Earlier this evening, I had the pleasure of speaking with Bradley Clanton of the law firm Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, in Jackson, MS and Washington, DC. Brad represents several Vietnamese-Americans who came to the US as refugees of the Communists in their native land. Some of his clients have names that students of the era would recognize, such as Bui Diem, former ambassador to the US from the Saigon government. This group of Vietnamese refugees filed a lawsuit against the University of Massachussetts (Boston) and the William Joiner Center, one of its research centers, due to irregularities in its awarding of fellowships for researching the Vietnamese disapora.
Their case -- and I stress it has not been concluded -- is that the Joiner Center failed to follow the protocols outlined in its research grant when selecting candidates for the Rockefeller Foundation fellowships offered for the grant. Among other actions, the Joiner Center allegedly failed to publish notices of the grant's availability until just before the deadline for applications expired, failed to advertise in any of the required scholarly journals which targeted the American Vietnamese community, and in general made it almost impossible for the scholars of that community to know about the paying jobs in time. The effect of this failure is to keep Vietnamese who emigrated to the US as adults in the Diaspora from taking part in the program, as younger members of academia already had some access to the grant information up front.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Super Hose ||
08/27/2004 7:03:55 PM ||
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Note : Discussed at length by Hugh Hewitt at his show opening.
In the midst of the controversy between the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and Kerry campaign representatives about Kerry's service in Vietnam, new questions have arisen. The Kerry campaign has repeatedly stated that the official naval records prove the truth of Kerry's assertions about his service. But the official records on Kerry's Web site only add to the confusion. The DD214 form, an official Defense Department document summarizing Kerry's military career posted on johnkerry.com, includes a "Silver Star with combat V." But according to a U.S. Navy spokesman, "Kerry's record is incorrect. The Navy has never issued a 'combat V' to anyone for a Silver Star." Naval regulations do not allow for the use of a "combat V" for the Silver Star, the third-highest decoration the Navy awards. None of the other services has ever granted a Silver Star "combat V," either. But Kerry has no shame as we all know. . .
#2
There ought to be other records of his service like the situtioan reports he submitted that are not part of his service record but would be retained by the DOD. I am surprised that no one has dropped a FOIA request for everything that remotely relates to Swift boats.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
08/27/2004 19:20 Comments ||
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#3
Bronze stars get a V for Valor if they involve heroism under fire. No V if its just exceptional performance under fire.
For being very efficient and going above and beyond under fire, we got bronze stars for actions taken that kept a bad situation from going worse, etc. The V was for taking the butt of a rifle and whacking a grenade from between the hatch and the top deck while under fire - it blew up over the side. Dont ask me "why whack a grenade with a rifle butt" ... it seemed like a good idea at the time - the grenade could have killed if it had rolled in.
Now that the years have gone by and I look back on the crazy sh*t we did, I wonder what the hell we were thinking doing all that stuff. Under 40, you still have illusions of being immortal I guess, until you see combat.
"FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARHORSE, Iraq, July 20, 2004 — The 1st Infantry Division Commander, Maj. Gen. John R.S. Batiste, awarded the Silver Star medal with Valor, one of the highest military decorations, to Staff Sgt. Raymond Bittinger, an infantryman from the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment and attached to the 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery, according to 1st Infantry Division officials."
Sorry but what am I missing here? This is a .mil site after all?
“Basically, I just wanted to stop them. I wasn’t thinking about anything else,” said Bittinger, who was surprised to be awarded the medal. “We’re here trying to keep peace, and you have all these people who suddenly want to kill you. It’s amazing how quickly they can turn on you.”
The other guy, Plata, the driver who was knocked unconscious by the blast that killed his buddy and then immediately returned on the 2nd mission as the gunner, ought not bother having to wear a "V" on his medal. They should tattoo a giant "V" on his chest and make him add a Superman cape to his uniform.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
08/28/2004 0:00 Comments ||
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#6
Super Hose, I have no doubt that this serviceman earned his decoration to the fullest.
But the article above says that Silver Star with Valor doesn't exist? I don't get it.
In addition, it was not all that easy a thing either for a young man like George Bush to fly an obsolete jet with a record of mechanical problems. His qualification as a jet pilot gave him no immunity from being called at any time to combat duty in Vietnam. Indeed, sitting at the controls of an underpowered F-102 with a host of mechanical peculiarities was not the same as fleeing to Canada, burning a draft card, or harming the interests of soldiers in the field by giving emotional aid to the enemy. And unlike a few prominent public figures, George Bush never said he served in Vietnam when he did not.
Second, Senator Kerry long ago wisely understood that he himself had mixed perceptions about his past Vietnam experience and astutely had not really privileged it in most of his past campaigns. If John Kerry had once endured fire, his post facto exaggerations about war crimes — with lurid allusions to Genghis Khan — and slurs at veterans were aimed at advancing his own nascent political career at the expense of the reputations of thousands of anonymous, and mostly blameless, others.
Third, Vietnam service in the 1970s and 1980s quite unfairly was an albatross around veterans' collective necks, in part because of the previous statements of John Kerry and others in the anti-war movement who offered a sort of moral equivalence between the United States and the North Vietnamese.
Continued on Page 49
#1
Based on what I have seen from GW and how I project his reputation as a brash youth on a military pilot of that age group, I am surprised that he didn't use his political influence to transition from the F-102 to the replacement fighter. There were many more expereinced pilots that would have been better qualified to make ther transition, yet , suprisingly to me, GHW Bush didn't pull strings to get him a seat in the next generation bird. Here are some reasons that I think GW probably thought about staying in:
1. I saw the footage of Bush when he got out of the cockpit of the plane onto the carrier deck. You can not fake that type of enthusiasm for flying. He still has pilot in his blood.
2. At that time in his life GW had no other discernable plans. And seems to have gravitated to excitement.
3. GW seems to have gavitated to activities (baseball, flying, business and politics) that his dad did better. Note - he seems to have surpassed his father as a goverenor and president.
It would be interesting to have someone like Brit Hume ask him if he ever thought of becoming a fighter pilot as a career.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
08/27/2004 16:30 Comments ||
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#2
I love VDH - and envy his knowledge of history and civilizations.
[very personal rant]
On the personal level it seems that all important events pivot in the blink of an eye - and on the most otherwise insignificant realities, such as which way you're facing at some instant in time - or something equally unpredictable. And that bubble of time contains your entire universe: your precious ass, your perceptions, time dialtion or contraction, and 3 feet away is another bubble - containing a seemingly separate universe. Most people can reattach the bubble they occupied to the continuum afterwards - and maintain the perspective to make sense of it. Some intellectual honesty is required, of course. Some just can't do it. Something in the process breaks down - due to the individual's personal flaws and foibles... some just don't have more than a fleeting grasp of reality to start with, much less the death grip required for never losing yourself in a fantasy.
I've known guys who drank themselves into the ground. A self-stamped one-way ticket and no amount of comraderie would stop them - as if they had preordained it - a course of least resistence which had the added benefits of garnering sympathy and memory loss. The majority of guys with this weakness, invariably never reattached their bubble of experience to the main continuum. Were they still around today and in possession of enough brain cells to make any sense they would point to the post-Vietnam social climate and attitudes as their true foes. These clashed with their expectations - and brooked no reconciliation if they failed to toe the line of self-hate. It was purest bullshit, of course, but many here will know what I mean. Sadly, for some, their personal identity was bound up in external approval. Even something as "safe" as family and friend approval was not always forthcoming, so you had to be a sort of hardass and nasty prick to fight back - else you could be overwhelmed by the hate and derision directed your way. Skeery had a pivotal role in creating this climate. I've chosen to bite my lip and STFU for a long time about this - but Skeery has opened the floodgates - and he did it intentionally. Today I'll emulate the Senator - just once.
Skeery's problem today is based on the fact that he is utterly convinced by his own BS. It's not yet clear if he's trapped in his bubble - or if he's just so craven and calculating that it appears so. His actions prove he believes in his own infallibility - that he can fabricate whatever serves him at will - he's been doing it for 35 yrs and because he's a "hero" he's gotten away with it. He had a plan. He followed it his entire life - and stepped on or over everything and everyone that stood between him and his goal. After all those elections to office by the mostly moronic dufusses of Mass (excepting our brave outposts in the wilderness, put on your kevlar, boyz) it appears that he thinks himself bulletproof -- 35 yrs of the external approval of voters, sycophants, and "yes" men certainly doesn't promote humility or integrity or honesty. Probably a bubble of seriously skewed self-perceptions. How else could zipperheads like Skeery and his pal Teddy think they occupy the mainstream position in the US political process? Certainly no rational and neutral person would agree with them.
Well, it's often funny how shit works out. Big Wheel Turnin'. Here we have Skeery who was never forced to face a changing reality. And, indeed, the climate has finally changed and the experience has matured - for about a two thirds of the public. The remaining third are still held in the thrall of having been "right" in their loonie youth - and loath to give that up, ever, regardless of what's going on around them - the Skeery Syndrome, I guess. They infect many of society's institutions - at the moment, but maybe not for much longer. Two thirds of the public figured out what happened, more or less healed themselves, shed the BS, and reattached. Skeery's in that still-deluded third - and now he's finding out that a lot of people, outside Mass, want to pop his bubble and hold him to account. Poor lame shithead - he's got 3.5 decades of catching up to do - and that only starts when he finally figures out that his entire world, particulary his perception of self, is a bubble of delusions. Scrap the plan, son, it's time to reattach - or shoot yourself. I have a recommendation for you, if you need any help.
[/very personal rant]
Eat it, Skeery. I hope you get a good taste of the incredible bewilderment and heartbreak you helped cause for others, all better men than you. You deserve ridicule and derision and oblivion, not the Presidency.
#3
.com -- What you said about Skeery goes double for the Democrat party.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
08/27/2004 16:55 Comments ||
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#4
RC - Right on target, bro. They form the core of the still-looney third of America. I picture a social accretion disc for the malinformed and maladjusted...
As the Firesign Theater guys said so eloquently in a skit where a HS student who is about to graduate is asked what he wants to do with his life: "I thought I'd find a bunch of guys who dress alike and follow them around."
#5
SuperHose, Bush had little chance of being able to switch planes. I had several relatives in USAF during those years, one a flight instructor, one a pilot in Nam and one a senior NCO. Even fighter pilots in planes used there were being dumped in the last few years of the war ... there were huge drawdowns after the Paris talks too. A few found jobs in the airlines, most never had a chance to fly again. Lots of pilots with extensive combat flying experience in Nam were never promoted, could no longer get flying hours to keep their ratings and got out quickly when it became clear they couldn't stay.
Posted by: too true ||
08/27/2004 17:40 Comments ||
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#9
Of course, VDH is voting for Bush!
Hell, he's been advising the White House on the war for a long time.
I love the way Victor reduce Kerry's problem to one of classical mythology and the tragic flaw of the "hero:" "...with hubris, then comes Nemesis."
One of the things the Left can't forgive Bush for isn't the "Mission Accomplished" sign, but the fact that he actually flew the plane onto the carrier...but they can't admit that.
#10
"I've chosen to bite my lip and STFU for a long time about this - but Skeery has opened the floodgates - and he did it intentionally."
He's about to make it 1968 all over again- the Summer of Hate, the Summer of Fires. I remember that horrible time. It all nearly came apart, 36 years ago, and held together only by the slimmest of threads.
Their motto then, via the Doors, was "We want the world and we want it NOW!!!!!" The bastards haven't stopped wanting it, not for a moment. And if they don't succeed in taking "their" world back in this election, there may be hell to pay once again.
But this time I'm armed.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
08/27/2004 19:06 Comments ||
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#11
.com You hit it. Lots of guys took it hard coming back. In the Legal profession and the academic world the only acceptable vet was the Kerry type. Holding out requires a certain ruthlessness but it too takes its toll. Those times were awful and Kerry and Fonda and all the related fucks played their part. I remember being in NY when Mayor Lindsay said the "real heroes of the Vietnam war were all in Canada." My generation will have to pass before this ever goes away. As for Kerry? Payback is a motherfucker!
#12
The amazing part of this campaign is why on earth Kerry and the Democratic party thought that making Kerry and Bush's military service was a winning issue.The argument of Kerry's service in Viet Nam vs.Bush in National Guard might have been a winner in 2000,but this is 2004 and Bush has been President for 4 years.This is what the Kerry as war hero strategy boils down to-"I should replace the man who has been President for almost 4 years because a quarter-century ago I commanded 4 men on a small boat for almost 120 days."That's all that Kerry is offering,other than he would do what Bush did,only different,and most important to Democrats,he's not Bush.
It must be hugely frustrating to the Democratic party that if they had a 1/2way decent candidate,they would be assured of winning in 2004.(Think of all Kerry has wasted-40% who will never vote for Bush,a hugely partisan,sympathetic press,an energized base,massive soft money given to virulantly anti-Bush organizations,a soft economy,high oil prices and an increasingly unpopular war.)Instead...
Posted by: Stephen ||
08/27/2004 20:11 Comments ||
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#13
Jen, I doubt that he was at the controls when the S3B landed on the deck (if that is what you meant). That is not an easy thing to do and the Pre's skills were more than a bit rusty. I would not be surprised if he put in some stick work en route however.
Posted by: remote man ||
08/27/2004 20:13 Comments ||
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#14
The one who could beat Bush they ran off way early: Joe Lieberman.
#15
IMO the most important part of the carrier visit ocurred after the speech, when the president walked around the carrier and visited with the crew. The trip was about morale for the troops and that mission truly was accomplished - as it was on the Turkey Day visit to Iraq that made the MSM so mad.
I wonder what it was like for the pilot during the S3B ride. He has a story he can tell his family forever.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
08/27/2004 23:48 Comments ||
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EFL
The White House is thumbing its nose at officials with the 2004 Olympic Games, and will continue to run a President Bush re-election commercial which uses the Olympiad as a backdrop. "We are on firm legal ground to mention the Olympics to make a factual point in a political advertisement," campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel told reporters. "The ad reflects the president's optimism that freedom is overcoming terror, and democracy is spreading throughout the world."
If laying the smack down were an Olympic event, W's people would get the gold. Bravo.
Posted by: Chris W. ||
08/27/2004 1:03:41 PM ||
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#8
TGA: Do New Yorkers actually want the Olympics?
Like a hole in the head. This is just an excuse for the mayor to build a new stadium for the NY Yankees at taxpayer expense. Much as I love the Bronx Bombers, I'm paying a few thousand dollars of additional taxes to subsidize a bunch of overpaid prima donnas. Let them pay for their own stadium.
A plan to make the presidential battleground of Missouri the first state to allow military voters serving in combat zones such as Iraq to cast their absentee ballots via e-mail is renewing concerns about the security of online voting. Missouri Secretary of State Matt Blunt, a Republican running for governor, announced the plan Wednesday, saying that "simplifying the voting process for these heroes is the least we can do." The move surprised some computer security experts and voting watchdog groups, who said yesterday that the new rules could lead to Election Day fraud.
Under a deal with the Defense Department, Blunt's office said, Missouri voters serving in designated combat areas will have the option of filling out absentee ballots, scanning them into a computer file and e-mailing the scanned document back to the Defense Department. The department will fax the ballot to local Missouri election officials.
Missouri is the first state to adopt such a system, according to the Defense Department, which sees it as a way to ensure that mail delays do not disenfranchise military voters. "This provides an alternative . . . for citizens who believe the regular absentee ballot cannot be received, voted and returned by mail in time to be counted," said Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a department spokeswoman.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/27/2004 12:26:37 PM ||
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#1
Missouri Secretary of State Matt Blunt, a Republican running for governor,
If this politician was a DemocRAT do you think WaPO wouild have disclosed his party affiliation as early as the second sentence, if at all?
#2
If they want to, with existing technology, they could make this system airtight. First of all, they could use a cheap, common, PC video camera to show their face. A card reader could show a picture of the service member from their military ID card at the same time. Their military records would also instantly show their "official residence" and "home of record", which may not be the same place, but matters in voting location. Then, on the Missouri side, they could confirm that he/she is indeed on the voter rolls for a given district. And THEN, they could ask him/her to push a single keyboard key to indicate their vote for an item they see on their secure unit computer screen. And confirm their correct vote with a Y/N keypress. If done properly, it would take only as long as a traditional vote, and be unchallengeable. Everything, except their actual vote keypress, would be observable to representatives of either party, or even the UN.
#4
Don't know about your circumstances but here in New Mexico, the poll watchers are not permited to ask for verifying identification of the voter. Can't ask for more of the troops than you can of individual standing in line at the voting station, alive or 'dead'.
Posted by: Don ||
08/27/2004 16:24 Comments ||
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#5
What if we had military personnel voting in Chad? Could happen, ya know.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
08/27/2004 16:33 Comments ||
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#6
. . .individual standing in line at the voting station, alive or 'dead'.
Don : That is current reality. Remember there was some "stiffness" to some of the votes coming out of the So Dakota Indian reservations polling places in 2002 that cost John Thune a senate seat.
#7
If this politician was a DemocRAT do you think WaPO wouild have disclosed his party affiliation as early as the second sentence, if at all?
Yes, they would. WaPo generally does that for both sides, and it's pertinent -- it helps the story (in a cynical way, but I'm a cynical bastard sometimes) to know that factoid.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/27/2004 17:33 Comments ||
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#8
Hmmm.... only sure thing is a paper ballot written with a DNA sample in the ink, backed up by a sworn confession of existence.
#9
The move surprised some computer security experts and voting watchdog groups, who said yesterday that the new rules could lead to Election Day fraud.
But court-ordered delays for poll closings in St. Louis are okay...
Four years ago, this page endorsed George W. Bush for president. We cannot do so again — because of an ill-conceived war and its aftermath, undisciplined spending, a shrinkage of constitutional rights and an intrusive social agenda. It is terrible, isn't it? Bringing freedom and stability to a nation which has never had it ever. Stopping a tyrant from developing WMD for terrorists, some of whome called Baghdad home; forclosing the possibility of another bloody war in the region...
The Bush presidency is not what we had in mind. Our endorsement of John Kerry is not without reservations, but he is head and shoulders above the incumbent. And heading south at light speed.
The first issue is the war. When the Bush administration began beating the drums for war on Iraq, this page said repeatedly that he had not justified it. When war came, this page closed ranks, wanting to support our troops and give the president the benefit of the doubt. The troops deserved it. In hindsight, their commander in chief did not. The commander of chief is the troops, except when Kerry is in office, right? Continued on Page 49
Posted by: badanov ||
08/27/2004 8:32:03 AM ||
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#1
a shrinkage of constitutional rights
I'm no fan of McCain-Feingold, but that's over-stating the case, IMHO.
Of course, I doubt that's what the P-I had in mind. They're probably upset that the FBI can now keep newspaper clippings.
I'm curious, though, how they can give Kerry a pass when his campaign has been using legal threats to try to shut down criticism of his past.
When the Bush administration began beating the drums for war on Iraq, this page said repeatedly that he had not justified it.
No doubt they were against the Iraqi Liberation Act.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
08/27/2004 10:03 Comments ||
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#2
As James Taranto puts in, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer is "as intelligent as a fencepost."
Posted by: Mike ||
08/27/2004 10:23 Comments ||
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#3
They endorsed Bush last time? Hmm. I'd be willing to bet they changed editors, or were bought out by a parent company like Gannett - or whomever - rather than having some sort of change of heart.
Posted by: B ||
08/27/2004 10:31 Comments ||
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#4
I, too, was about to make a snide comment about the Intelligencer's misnomer when I noticed that this article is actually from the Seattle Times.
Your bad Badanov.;)
#6
I'm curious, though, how they can give Kerry a pass when his campaign has been using legal threats to try to shut down criticism of his past
Internal consistency has never been a guideline of the left
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/27/2004 10:53 Comments ||
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#7
There isn't that much difference between the Seattle PI and Seattle Times. They are in kind of a 'joint operating' relationship.
They are both also very Liberal... and (thank God) both dying with the rest of the 'print media'. People are getting tired of being told what to think.
Some of the Times headlines are much worse then the PI.
#1
This is more of the usual double-standard from the press - ignoring the lumber in Kerry's eye and complaining loud and long about the speck in Bush's eye.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson boasted last fall that "organizations like these have become the replacement for the national Democratic Party." And their ads have been just as harsh — if not harsher — against Bush than those being run by the Swift boat veterans.
As Ben Ginsberg himself put it, his activities were "precisely the same as [what] the Kerry lawyers did and the DNC lawyers did" — but are being subjected to "a different degree of scrutiny."
Interesting thing is this article puts the names out there. SO fellow rant burgers, open up your magazines and load up - plenty of rhetorical ammo coming your way:
Hypocrisy, anyone?
Which Democratic lawyers?
Start with Robert Bauer. His Web site identifies him as national counsel to the Kerry-Edwards campaign (he's paid by the Democratic National Committee).
But he also represents America Coming Together, which is spending millions on mobilizing pro-Kerry voters and has been described as "the major ground-war vehicle for the Democratic groups."
In fact, ACT's president, Ellen Malcolm, boasts that her group is "looking for effective ways to do the work of delivering the message and getting out the vote that used to be done by the party."
Or Joe Sandler, who advises Move-On.org and also works for the DNC, which works directly with Kerry's folks.
Or Harold Ickes, the former Clinton politico, who also advises both America Coming Together and the Democratic National Committee and is president of the Media Fund.
In fact, there's been a veritable revolving door between the Kerry campaign and these super-rich 527 groups.
Zach Exley, who used to be MoveOn's organizing director, now works for the Kerry campaign, running its Web site.
Bill Knapp, who used to make TV commercials for the Media Fund, now makes campaign spots for the Kerry campaign.
And Jim Jordan, who used to manage the Kerry campaign, now helps run both ACT and the Media Fund.
All of which suggests that these groups are "independent" in name only — and that illegal coordination between the Kerry camp and their allies is under way on a massive scale.
ANd there you go - names, positions and organizations.
Where is the NBC/ABC/CBS/NYT/WaPo great ruckus over these obvious violations of campaign law?
If Bush does win by a super landslide, do you think the press will take notice that even their partisan posturing wasn't enough to defeat a wartime president?
I am fairly certain that history will surely catch up to MSM in time, just as the Kerry's perfidy has caught up with him, and is wrecking his presidential campaign. History will eventually condemn contemporary American liberal journalism in general, and the complete loss of their non-partisan mantle in particular, which they keep telling us they are wearing. The question is: will the press take notice and make adjustments, or will they try to hang on to this now ficticious monoply they think they have in non-partisan journalism?
Also, I think that a major loss in November will place into harsh focus a lot of the absolutely insane views democrats now hold and try to use agains Bush. It may, hopefully, bring them back from this self-laid Marxian path they have set for themselves, hopefully making politics more competitive.
It would be downright un-Christian of the right not to start leading journalists into seeing that their views, not necessarily Bush has wrecked their credibility, perhaps for all time.
#3
Badnov, OS, agree! JK has been exposed. Those defending him now look silly and partisan; like moms at a soccer match screaming and shrieking that their son didn’t commit a foul, even though the majority of the other parents say he did. The more they shriek and defend, the more silly they look.
Those who wish to defend him will one day look back and be embarrassed that they so staunchly stood to support him. He’s a sinking ship – claiming the ship isn’t sinking is now left to fools.
Posted by: B ||
08/27/2004 11:53 Comments ||
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#4
It is only a matter of time for the MSM. No large institutional investor or small investor is going to throw away their investment monies on 'businesses' which ignor, if not alienate, its market. The Soros of the world only have so much to blow on hobbies before economics finely catch up even with them. We've already seen the tip of the iceberg with some initial circulation numbers found to be bogus. That's fraud on the advertisers. If Bush wins by a unquestionable margin, the MSM will have demonstrated that it can not deliver the goods in the market to the advertisers. Time for the money to go to alternate venues for commercial advertising. Time for investment monies to go to real businesses whose objective is the best return for their investors, and that's by serving the larger portion of the market, not the lesser.
Posted by: Don ||
08/27/2004 13:51 Comments ||
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#5
Rich! We'll be rich! 12 dozen fertilized eggs! I figure at least 141 live ones.
#3
That's where they belong. Front page is for WoT.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/27/2004 8:49 Comments ||
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#4
Democrats Won't Stay Quiet During GOP Convention
Isn't it tradition for the 'other' party to be quite and allow the convention party to have their 'time in the sun' during a convention? Bush did it - except for the 'truth squad' which nobody heard from.
Any bets Kerry will just keep campaning durign the GOP Convention?
#2
Mike Russell, a spokesman for the Swift Boat group, said Thursday that "we're going to continue doing what we're doing because this group is made up of more than 250 veterans who feel it is their obligation to tell the truth about John Kerry's military service."
"We're obviously going to abide by the spirit and letter of the law but as it sits right now 527s are free to operate and we're going to continue to do so," he said.
#3
This is just humorous (my favorite kind of politics!). GWB wants the SBVT guys to stop, knowing that he can't order them and knowing that they'll keep going regardless, 'cause it's personal for them. GWB relieves whatever "pressure" the MSM is trying to put on him, appears to take the high road, and business continues as usual.
Memo to the Kerry supporters: heh.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/27/2004 17:30 Comments ||
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#4
"I'm shocked, shocked to find 527's assulting a presidential candidate's war record!"
"Here's Soros's money, Senator Kerry."
"Thank you."
Posted by: Ernest Brown ||
08/27/2004 17:35 Comments ||
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#5
That's not very nuanced Mojo. "Sirrahs, please to be buss my butt"
would have been better.
Even before the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth aired their first commercial, independent journalist Carlton Sherwood's company Red, White and Blue Productions was busy planning a documentary featuring the views of former Vietnam POWs on what John Kerry's actions did to them. As a Vietnam veteran with relationships with many former POWs, Carlton remembers that when John Kerry returned from Vietnam his words and deeds caused severe pain that's never been forgotten. Now and through the coming weeks, Americans will hear a still yet untold story. The story of men held captive while a former colleague betrays them. THe link goes to some preliminary samples - this documentary will hit Kerry very hard in October even if he has not tamped down the current brouhaha form the Swiftboat Vets
Posted by: OldSpook ||
08/27/2004 1:12:09 AM ||
Comments ||
Link ||
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Posted by: Super Hose ||
08/27/2004 2:59 Comments ||
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#2
CNSNEWS also has somre telling statements from Kerry's testimony in 1971 that would include two facts: Kerry routinely wrote situation reports in Vietnam and many situation reports in Vietnam were embellished. Together they do not equate to an admission that Kerry embellished situation reports of his exploits, but the testimony does not help his case much.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
08/27/2004 3:03 Comments ||
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#3
J Fn Kerry needs to do the right thing and accept the conclusion that he is unfit for command. Kerry should resign his candidacy for his perfidy and lying before Congress in 1971.
When the leftist shills finish with this latest damage control (Kerry apologize, makes excuses for traitorous remarks, etc) Kerry will just come away as a groveling leftist politician willing to do or say anything to become president. I think any publically broadcast apology to vets will damage Kerry far more than what the Swift Vets have done so far.
#4
It is remarkable how Kerry's media allies have stood by him. The WashPost, LAT, NYT and the New Republic as well as CBS/NBC/ABC for example have flacked for him hard nearly every day for two weeks.
This heavy MsM support has kept Kerry's campaign from melting.
The question is when will the MsM get Kerry fatigue.
#6
Too true, .com. I occasionally pop by Washington Monthly, Atrios, Daily Kos, etc, just to see what the other side is thinking. Doesn't hurt, right?
The writing of the site owners (Drum, Black, Zuniega, etc) is vitriolic enough. But then you read what their commenters write, and it's a parallel dimension -- I swear most of those folks have Spock-like beards (especially the wimmin). It's as if the general theory of relativity no longer works, because these folks are twisted.
I think I know why this is the case, too: these folks honestly think that they are smarter than we are. One of their more common statements is along the lines of "the people are sheep, and the right wing is stupid". Problem with that is that the right wing tends to win more than it loses, and the LLL needs to explain how such a smart group of people -- them -- end up losing. That could only be as the result of a conspiracy of deep-laid plots. It's just a short step from that to end up as a frothing moonbat.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/27/2004 11:43 Comments ||
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#7
I grew a Spock-like beard a few months ago. I think it looked pretty good (my wife didn't).
Also remember when the evil Universe Cartman had a Spock-like beard. Of course the evil universe Cartman was actually a much nicer person than our universe's Cartman.
#8
Steve - My favorite example was a (primarily) graphics board where I'm a member. It's a decent source of the occasional snarky images - mostly chock full of childish "OWNED" and haxx0r foolishness, but also nazimedia - bushitler stuff. I decided to give the commentary threads a peek. The first one I read was a FAQ on trolling - with reasonable rules. The first thread I checked had one guy who wasn't on the bushitler page and simply asked why everyone thought this meme made sense. Not even a hint of opposition - sounded completely neutral to me. He was banned for asking that one question - he never even got to work up any spittle... but after he was gone, wow! Damned near drowned.
I've had it. I've tried reasoning with moonbats now and then, as all here have, but not one has ever shown any inclination to meet halfway. I even tried with NMM multiple times. My reservoir of benefit of the doubt, compassion, patience, and argumentation for the sake of some clown's practice and polishing talking points is gone. Dried up. My personal Dustbowl. Fug'em.
#10
The writing of the site owners (Drum, Black, Zuniega, etc) is vitriolic enough.
I've never had much use for Black or Zuniga, but had considered Drum based on the assessment of OTHERS that he was a reasonable fellow, not a moonbat, etc.
Then came this discovery, Drum basically playing holocaust denier for the Iraqis, in order to make a political point. As .com noticed, his commenters were a thousand times worse, basically denying that the Kurds were ever gassed (the farthest they were willing to go was saying the Iranians did it).
Drum's a nutjob. He has a reputation as "balanced" only because the rest of 'em are even bigger nutjobs.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
08/27/2004 15:14 Comments ||
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#11
I ask a simple question to determine if a lib is worth debating: "Is islamofascism a bigger threat than John Ashcroft?". If the answer is "yes", civil discourse is at least possible. There isn't even a common frame of reference if the answer's "no". I suspect "no" would be the overwhelming response by denizens of Kos et al. But WE are the mouth breathing knuckle draggers!
#13
bad - Lol! I have to say that once upon a time I really wanted to debate - in hopes of winning over people. Much like when I went to SA the first time in '92 - for my Arabian Adventure, lol! What dufuss I was. They clarified things for me in about 3 months. Sigh. And it was worse in 2000 - a super-concentrated "more of the same".
What's this? Look anything like those long-johns with the lattice of cooling tubes the Astronauts wear?
I figure, for Global Warming, we're talking birthday suits. Not a pretty sight for most! Ugh! In recompense for that visual, here's some wallpaper sure to inspire the myns.
BTW, I don't wanna know what (or where, heh) your ITCZ is. Don't tell me, K? Lol!
#16
I catch myself disparaging trolls, NMM-wanna-be's, et al and wonder if what I'm looking for is a blog free of all moonbat influence? Do I want a blog that has no gentle's, antiwars, murat's, etc? The answer is, no, but sometimes wrong is wrong, there's no shading, spinning, and gray areas. I want to hear the enemy, because that's what they are, when they'll sacrifice the safety of my family and country for their twisted agendas. Welcome trolls, prepare to do combat
Posted by: Frank G ||
08/27/2004 20:27 Comments ||
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#17
Im Sorry Fred, I'll pay ya back September 14
.com
TROPICAL WEATHER DISCUSSION
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
805 PM EDT FRI 27 AUG 2004
TROPICAL WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR NORTH AMERICA...CENTRAL
AMERICA...GULF OF MEXICO...CARIBBEAN SEA...NORTHERN SECTIONS
OF SOUTH AMERICA...AND ATLANTIC OCEAN TO THE AFRICAN COAST
FROM THE EQUATOR TO 32N. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS BASED
ON SATELLITE IMAGERY...WEATHER OBSERVATIONS...RADAR...AND
METEOROLOGICAL ANALYSIS.
BASED ON 1800 UTC SURFACE ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE IMAGERY THROUGH
2315 UTC.
...SPECIAL FEATURES...
LOW 150 MILES SE OF CHARLESTON S CAROLINA IS NOW TROPICAL
DEPRESSION SEVEN. IT IS LOCATED NEAR 31.3N 77.3W AT 28/0000 UTC
WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25 KT GUSTING TO 35 KT.
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1012 MB WITH THE
DEPRESSION DRIFTING SSE. SEE THE LATEST NHC PUBLIC ADVISORY OR
FORECAST/ADVISORY ISSUED UNDER AWIPS/WMO HEADERS MIATCPAT2/
WTNT32 KNHC OR MIATCMAT2/ WTNT22 KNHC FOR MORE DETAILS. AN AREA
OF TSTMS HAS COALESCED NEAR THE CENTER OF A BROAD CIRCULATION
WITH AN IMPRESSIVE PATTERN ON LATE VISIBLE SATELLITE PICTURES.
THE SYSTEM HAS A SMALL WIND FIELD AS INDICATED BY NEARBY BUOYS
BUT SHOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO INCREASE STRENGTH WITH ANTICYCLONIC
UPPER FLOW AND LIGHT SHEAR PLUS WARM WATERS NEARBY. WIDELY
SCATTERED MODERATE FROM 30N-32N BETWEEN 76W-79W.
HURRICANE FRANCES IS CENTERED NEAR 15.7N 49.8W AT 27/2100 UTC
MOVING NW 10 KT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS CONTINUE TO INCREASE,
NOW UP TO 100 KT WITH GUSTS TO 115 KT MAKING FRANCES THE 3RD
MAJOR HURRICANE OF 2004. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS
962 MB. SEE THE LATEST NHC FORECAST/ADVISORY ISSUED UNDER
AWIPS/ WMO HEADERS MIATCMAT1/WTNT21 KNHC FOR MORE DETAILS.
FRANCES BECOMES THE 3RD MAJOR HURRICANE TO FORM IN AUGUST... THE
FIRST TIME THAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE 1950. IN ADDITION... THIS IS
THE EARLIEST THAT THE THIRD MAJOR HURRICANE OF THE YEAR HAS
FORMED SINCE 1916. THE EYE OF FRANCES HAS BECOME MORE WELL-
DEFINED OVER THE PAST 6 HOURS AND IS EMBEDDED SLIGHTLY W OF THE
CENTER OF THE CENTRAL DENSE OVERCAST (CDO). CIRRUS OUTFLOW IS
FANNING OUT EVERYWHERE ESPECIALLY TO THE N. SWELL FROM THE
HURRICANE IS EXPECTED TO REACH THE LESSER ANTILLES SAT INTO
PUERTO RICO BY SUN. SCATTERED STRONG WITHIN 90 NM OF THE CENTER.
#18
Naturally I blame this the Reagan tax cuts.
I still advise part time residents of Florida to clear datum and get out of their Modular Housing! Before it's too late! Run! You can vote in New York!
"THIS IS THE EARLIEST THAT THE THIRD MAJOR HURRICANE OF THE YEAR HAS FORMED SINCE 1916."
So we've almost warmed up to 1916 pre-industrial levels? Skeeeeery! Heh. BTW, Have you seen my Ice Age? It's having a short lie-down, but will return soon. Cheers! ;-)
#20
ITCZ = Inter Tropical Convergence Zone
Near the equator . Get it?
Meteorologist in joke I guess.
Posted by: Auaaie Mike ||
08/27/2004 21:27 Comments ||
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#21
Yeah, where the doldrums occur. LOL!
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
08/27/2004 21:31 Comments ||
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#22
You ask "Is islamofascism a bigger threat than John Ashcroft?"
Well we all have kids and sometimes kids just can't resist and P2P some song. Now Ashcroft has stated that anybody that does so is right up there with terrorists and should be locked up (maybe forever).
The only way I can read this is that he wants to lock up all our children. If they are younger that 21 he wants to lock us up too.
Now I won't vote for Skerry but that sick bastard Ashcroft is one of the nuts making it very hard for me to vote for Bush.
DUMP THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE ADMIN TO HAVE LOST TO A DEAD MAN!!
While your at it don't let any admin idiot process judical requests for the MPAA and RIAA. They just fund leftist causes with the money that should go to preformers and they want every body in jail.
#1
JK: I can't say. To me Vietnam is an old place, an old memory. It is old history, it's gone, it's past. The less I have to talk about it, frankly, the happier I am.
ATHENS, 27 August — Russia and Egypt will meet in the final of the Super Heavy Weight (+91kg) category at the Athens Olympic Boxing tournament. In the semifinals, world Champion Alexander POVETKIN (RUS) was against his nemesis of Roberto CAMMARELLE (ITA). POVETKIN beat the Italian in the finals of the 2002 and 2004 European Championships, and repeated the result at the Peristeri Boxing Hall. The judges scored the result 31-19 in favour of the Russian, who will meet Mohamed ALY (EGY) in the final. ALY accounted for Michel LOPEZ NUNEZ (CUB) in the second semifinal.
LOPEZ NUNEZ started nervously against Mohamed ALY (EGY) and was down by one point after the third round. The Cuban could not bridge that narrow gap, and lost the bout 18-16. It was a disappointing end to what had otherwise been a successful day for the Cuban boxers.
#1
Wow. Handy little thing, wish I had one for Philadelphia traffic.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
08/27/2004 10:05 Comments ||
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#2
Nothing beats a good blaster at your side....
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
08/27/2004 10:34 Comments ||
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#3
There are so many applications for a system like this. If we can make these units by the hundreds, or even larger ones that can take down short and medium range missiles:
Norks huge artillery emplacements all pointed at Seoul. All those missiles set up opposite Taiwan.
This thing could seriously change the balance of power. And considering that the majority of conventional battlefield casualties are caused by artillery...
#5
Sounds like the "Hammer's Slammers" anti-arty devices are no longer just sci-fi.
Posted by: Dar ||
08/27/2004 12:16 Comments ||
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#6
The regional governors now have direct control over their territories. Fear will keep the local systems in line. Fear of this battle station.
Posted by: Chris W. ||
08/27/2004 14:02 Comments ||
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#7
Anonymouse,
This system is already used to down some missles and rockets. Generally the problem with anti-ballistic systems isn't power(size) its accuracy. Don't forget the ABL (Airborne Laser) too. Figure that a single arty tube launches ~6(?) rnds a minute. My guess is this laser could destroy a round in under 5 seconds and how long before the counter battery fire destroys the enemy tubes. Oh man I get giddy thinking about it...
"But today you just read that the man was shot dead
By a gun that didn't make any noise
But it wasn't the bullet that laid him to rest
Was the low spark of high-heeled boys"
Some slight adjustments needed to the lyrics, now...
...The folks at JPL - who have toys that are far past those of ordinary mortals - recently guided the Galileo spacecraft past Saturn and through its outer rings. The Galileo was struck by thousands of small particles as it made its flyby, and the ship?s instrumentation picked up the sounds of the particles bouncing off. The JPL techies were able to play that sound back:
Now - listen to that and then tell me that your inner kid isn't grinning from ear to ear...
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
08/27/2004 12:30:39 AM ||
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#1
That's incredible.
Posted by: Matt ||
08/27/2004 8:09 Comments ||
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#3
Thanks for the interlude Mike. For a second I was able to put all the Al-quaeda, John Kerry, Scott Peterson crap that buries us all into it's proper perspective in the grand scheme of things.
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.
