meme orandum
| Fresh brewed news plus stewing views |
|
|
Anti-War Protests Target Wounded at Army Hospital By / CNSNews — Permalink Washington (CNSNews.com) - The Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., the current home of hundreds of wounded veterans from the war in Iraq, has been the target of weekly anti-war demonstrations since March. | |
|
Baldilocks: This time, Drudge was right. Betsy Newmark: The Cybercast News Service has a video report and this response from one soldier visiting the hospital. Damian Penny: Sure they support the troops — CNSNews.com is an unabashedly conservative, Republican news site owned by Brent Bozell's... |
Gateway Pundit: Video of the controversial protest of Code Pink members taunting severely injured soldiers and marines at Walter Reed... Michelle Pilecki: While they're now covering more of them now, the media have been steadfastly ignoring the weekly protests that have been going on for months at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. John Cole: This Will Create A Stir Seems to me this is inappropriate (via Drudge): The Walter Reed Army Medical Center in... |
| Also: TheAnchoress, James Joyner, Rob @Wizbang, MarkInMexico, Eric Seymour, Oliver Willis | |
A CIA Cover Blown, a White House Exposed LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — Toward the end of a steamy summer week in 2003, reporters were peppering the White House with phone calls and e-mails, looking for someone to defend the administration's claims about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. | |
|
RJ Eskow: kaus writes this silliness on the same day that this story appeared in the los angeles times via americablog and... Barbara O'Brien: Rove Review — There's a long background article on Traitorgate in today's Los Angeles Times by Tom Hamburger and Soni Efron. Michael @AmericaBlog: RoveGate: The Cliff Notes — Here's your chance to catch up on RoveGate, the outing of a CIA agent by the White House during a time of war and Bush's lies to the American people. |
Steve Soto: Los Angeles Times Summarizes Plame Case To Date — "He's a Democrat" —The reason given by Karl Rove as to why he was... Attaturk: Plame Game Update — The L.A. Times (Subscription, but it's free) has an extensive article along with a fine timeline. Jeralyn Merritt: New Plame Leak Analysis — The L.A. Times today has a nine page analysis of the leak of the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame. |
| Also: Laura Rozen, Pudentilla, Jim Romenesko, Garrett M. Graff, Gary Farber, Stirling Newberry, Susie Madrak | |
Bush's summer reading list Washington Examiner — Permalink When President Bush recently departed for his five week siesta (er, "working vacation") at his Crawford, Texas, ranch, he took with him three books to read: John Barry's "The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History," Mark Kurlansky's "Salt: A World History" and Edvard Radzinsky's "Alexander II: The Last Great Tsar." | |
|
Matthew Yglesias: The Washington Examiner asked various pundits to offer the president some summer reading suggestions (via Nick... Daniel Drezner: You can read the responses — including mine — here. I will say, though, that Bush's actual selections — [snipped quote] — aren't too shabby. Andrew Sullivan: My pick? Winston Churchill's "The River War." More suggestions here. |
Nick Gillespie: "- Andrew Sullivan, AndrewSullivan.com; senior editor, The New Republic; columnist, Time magazine" And then there's this... Kevin Drum: SUMMER READING....The Washington Examiner asked a bunch of people to supply recommendations for George Bush's summer reading. |
When Blame Knocks on the Wrong Door By / LAT — Permalink Since Fox News wrongly identified a La Habra home as that of a terrorist, its five- member family has faced an angry backlash. Randy and Ronnell Vorick thought La Habra was about as far away as one could get from terrorism. They were wrong. | |
|
Matt Welch: L.A. Times story (which seems to be having server trouble) here; abridged version available here. Jim Romenesko: Fox News pundit gives out wrong address for terrorist's home — Los Angeles Times The Vorick family lives in fear after... Gary Farber: HOW WONDERFUL! Of good 'ol responsible Fox News, that is. [snipped quote] You can kinda imagine the rest, or you can read it. |
Kevin Drum: Two weeks ago, Fox News wrongly identified the house of Randy and Ronnell Vorick as a terrorist lair: "In what Fox News... Susie Madrak: A Nod is As Good As a Wink to a Blind Horse The people at Fox are really, truly f**king crazy. This is absolutely criminal. |
Iraq Lawmakers Won't Meet on Constitution By / AP — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq - Parliament announced it had no plans to gather Thursday night and no date for a future session, signaling Iraqi factions were failing to agree on a new constitution before a self-imposed midnight target. | |
|
Cernig: A Letter To Iraq's Parents — After contradictory reports from Iraq today, with Reuters first saying earler today that... Steve Soto: And with the constitution process bogging down today when the Parliament missed its own deadline to work out its differences, this may get worse before it ever gets better. Montag: From the Associated Press: Iraq Lawmakers Won't Meet on Constitution [snipped quote] Or are they just giving up on the deadline? |
Billmon: And indeed, the interim parliament apparently did not even bother meeting today. James Joyner: Iraq Lawmakers Won't Meet on Constitution (AP) [snipped quote] A shame. |
Carl P. Leubsdorf: Bush's Social Security plan may hinge on the House Dallas Morning News — Permalink As Ronald Reagan might have put it, there they go again. Congressional Republicans, persisting in hopes of enacting some form of private Social Security option despite opposition from the public and the Democrats, are considering the same kind of maneuver that enabled them to pass a controversial Medicare drug bill two years ago. | |
|
Steve Soto: Well, according to this piece from the Dallas Morning News, Rove and the GOP are planning to have each house pass a... Kiltedliberal: From: Top Reader Blogs Columnist Carl Leubsdorf has a column in todays Dallas Morning News which should act as an air raid siren to alert defenders of Social Security. |
Susie Madrak: Sneaky Bastards So this is how they plan to pass their Social Security pillage privatization: Congressional... |
Unspinning the NY Times' military mendacity By / Jewish World Review — Permalink Colonel Thomas Spoehr is annoyed with New York Times reporter Michael Moss, for what I think is a good reason. Spoehr is the director of materiel for the Army staff. He had a good news story to tell Moss, which Moss converted into a bad news story. | |
|
TheAnchoress: Nor is, purposely misquoting the US Forces one has interviewed Please read the whole CNS piece - read about how... Cori Dauber: Turns out that the main source for the story saw it as a huge good news story — or it was before the Times reporter got a hold of it. (via Instapundit.) Scott @PowerLine: They distort, you deride — Jewish World Review editor Binyamin Jolkovsky writes: [snipped quote] This unsparing column... |
MarkInMexico: Here's a good example why. Michelle Malkin: THURSDAY MORNING MSM WHOPPERS — Hot off the press: the latest fabrications from the Associated Press and the New York Times. Glenn Reynolds: JACK KELLY FACT-CHECKS a New York Times story on the war by calling the source: [snipped quote] Read the whole thing. |
Montana's governor eyes coal to solve U.S. fuel costs By / Reuters — Permalink HELENA, Montana (Reuters) - Montana's governor wants to solve America's rising energy costs using a technology discovered in Germany 80 years ago that converts coal into gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel. | |
|
Jayson @PoliPundit: Sure enough, that national policy already is beginning to have its desired trickle-down effects. David Sirota: U.S. Energy Independence, Montana-Style — Go read about it. COMMENTS: Go to Sirota's Working Assets site to comment on this entry |
Kos @DailyKos: Schweitzer's plan for US energy independence — This was the talk of the state when we visited Montana a few weeks ago. |
An Anchor by Evening, a Blogger Any Time By / NYT — Permalink He was the first anchor to take over a network evening newscast in the 21st century, so it was probably inevitable that Brian Williams would begin channeling his inner Gawker by getting his own daily blog. The NBC news anchor Brian Williams. | |
|
Liz Cox Barrett: Although Williams, anchor of "NBC Nightly News," has been blogging since May 31, seems it took today's Times article to get many bloggers (and CJR Daily) to notice. Gary Farber: (Here is a story by Jacques Steinberg about the blog which managed to give a completely unbalanced view by implicitly... Garrett M. Graff: No TV News for TVNewser — It's a little off the normal beaten path for us, but today's NYT has an article about Brian Williams and his blog, The Daily Nightly. |
Brian Stelter: Today the NYT's Jacques Steinberg writes the first profile of Williams' blog. Ed Cone: Also, NYT covers the blog written by NBC news anchor Brian Williams and other staffers. In the Arts section, for some reason. Jim Romenesko: NBC anchor's blog dispatches are striking in two respects — New York Times One is the light that Brian Williams... |
Stephanopoulos Urged Foreign Assassination NewsMax.com — Permalink Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson prompted a firestorm of media outrage on Tuesday after he suggested that the Bush administration should assassinate a foreign leader who posed a threat to the U.S. - in this case, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. | |
|
Eugene Volokh: [UPDATE: For whatever it's worth, George Stephanopoulos seems to take this view, too, in a Dec. 1, 1997 Newsweek article urging the assassination of Saddam Hussein. |
Glenn Reynolds: George Stephanopoulos is reportedly more supportive. |
Think Dark By / Opinion Journal — Permalink The federal government is doing something right now that is exactly the opposite of what it should be doing. It is forgetting to think dark. It is forgetting to imagine the unimaginable. Governments deal in data. | |
|
Amanda Marcotte: The author of this is, of course, war pornette Peggy Noonan, assuming that the man of all men she loves and adores will... Roy @Alicublog: Meanwhile the Crazy Jesus Lady, her mind now a melange of old MGM movies and Reagan feet, pretends to be a Shirley... |
James Wolcott: "Think Dark" is the title, and when Noonan thinks dark, it's a total eclipse. Vanderleun: TerrorWar — "Think Dark" AT THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, the incomparable Peggy Noonan takes a look at the rush to close... |
Iraqi Leaders Again Put Off Meeting on New Constitution By / NYT — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 25 - The National Assembly today called off a meeting that was scheduled to decide on the draft constitution, the Speaker's office said, and no new date for the meeting was immediately announced. | |
|
John Cole: I haven't been smoking crack or drinking, and I haven't fallen and hit my head, but for some reason or another I have... Armando @DailyKos: No Vote On Iraqi Constitution — Vote Cancelled, No New Date Set: [snipped quote] Believe it or not, I think this is good news. |
Michael @AmericaBlog: For another, the writing of the Constitution wasn't interrupted by violence like this in Iraq: [snipped quote] Oh and in... |
Bolton Pushes U.N. on Change as U.S. Objects to Draft Plan By / NYT — Permalink UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 24 - John R. Bolton, in his first public initiative as American ambassador, told envoys at the United Nations on Wednesday that time was running out on efforts to create institutional change, only days after the United States began privately pushing for major revisions to a draft of reforms that was already close to completion. | |
|
Arianna Huffington: The Washington Times, Fox News, and various other conservatives will be represented there, but some of the people who... |
Jeralyn Merritt: The conservative press has been invited, but look who's been excluded: "...some of the people who won't be there... |
Democrats Seeking Release of Withheld Roberts Documents By / WaPo — Permalink After the release of about 60,000 documents detailing the work of Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts Jr., Democratic senators are setting their sights on what was not in the huge cache of papers: more than 2,100 memos and letters that have been withheld by government archivists working in concert with the Bush White House. | |
|
Steve Soto: According to Bob Fertik, one of the memos that the Post reports was not passed along to the Senate may be a memo written... Susie Madrak: One of the files withheld in the John Roberts nomination is one detailing his part in establishing a front organization that was used to funnel Iran-contra money. |
Jack Balkin: Roberts and The Ghost of Iran-Contra — From: Supreme Court Watch Cross posted on Balkinization: The Washington Post... |
Sinking Sadr By / NRO — Permalink Eventually, we learned a lesson from Fallujah. It is the same lesson illustrated by American freelance writer Steven Vincent's death. After the four American contractors were burned and hung from that bridge in Fallujah in April of 2004, we took a step back. | |
|
Patterico: Clinton Watson Taylor on Leaving Evil Unchallenged In an article at National Review Online, Clinton Watson Taylor says: What have we learned from Fallujah? |
Ace: The politics of it are difficult, to be sure, but plainly this is a dangerous and murderous man who threatens Iraq — and our troops. |
U.S. Wants Changes In U.N. Agreement By / WaPo — Permalink UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 24 — Less than a month before world leaders arrive in New York for a world summit on poverty and U.N. reform, the Bush administration has thrown the proceedings in turmoil with a call for drastic renegotiation of a draft agreement to be signed by presidents and prime ministers attending the event. | |
|
Michael Kraig: Rose makes much of the new and improved operation at State, but here's what's missing in our actual security policies:... Tarek @LiquidList: Select highlights from today's Washington Post story, "U.S. Wants Changes In U.N. Agreement:" [snipped quote] Mmmmmm, I... John @AmericaBlog: This article is simply disgusting. The rest of the world could stand up to Bush and make a stink, finally, about his irrational and dangerous policies. |
Eugene Oregon: Since then, it has hardly received any press coverage, but today it was briefly mentioned, along with an apparent... Captain Ed: Reform Starts With A Giant Step — John Bolton just made his presence known at Turtle Bay. Susie Madrak: Priorities My brain gets weary: UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 24—Less than a month before world leaders arrive in New York for... |
| Also: Roger L. Simon, Pudentilla, Rich Lowry | |
Divided They Stand By / NYT — Permalink President Bush doesn't lack for critics when it comes to his Iraq policies, but the smartest and most devastating of these is Peter W. Galbraith, a former United States ambassador to Croatia. | |
|
Cernig: Please respond by return as at least one school counsellor is advocating splitting the brothers up, an event I am sure... TheAnchoress: I wonder if the people of Iraq, who are voting in elections and writing their constitution, feel "oppressed" by President Bush. Matthew Yglesias: I think David Brooks' column today makes it clear that conservatives are about done with this venture, too, though... |
Billmon: But it mystifies me that anyone would expect the Sunni community to accept that offer without a bitter fight — a long,... Jack Balkin: More on the Iraqi Constitution JB On the same day that David Brooks lauds the Iraqi Constitution as what is just right... Hugh Hewitt: David Brooks and the editors of the Wall Street Journal both reflect on the Iraqi constitution today, with Brooks enlisting Peter Galbraith in the effort. |
| Also: Tom Maguire, Attaturk, Rich Lowry, Ann Althouse, Ed Cone | |
The freshman zeitgeist - from Al Qaeda to tying a Windsor knot Christian Science Monitor — Permalink BELOIT, WIS. - In coming weeks, millions of students will be entering college for the first time. On average, members of the class of 2009 are 18 years old, which means they were born in 1987. Starbucks, souped-up car stereos, telephone voice-mail systems, and Bill Gates have always been a part of their lives. | |
|
James Joyner: Beloit College Entering Freshmen List — Dan Drezner, who is nearly as old as I am, draws our attention to this year's... Steve Antler: Zeitgeist alert... For incoming freshmen (and coeds — such a nice word now fallen into disuse!): the Beloit College Mindset List! |
Ann Althouse: It's time, once again, for the Beloit College Mindset List of things about the world today's college freshmen have known — time for us older folk to feel older. Kathryn Jean Lopez: MAKING THE ROUNDS "courtesy of Beloit College, Most students entering college this fall were born in 1987. 1. |
Saving The Great Raid By / Weekly Standard — Permalink IT IS TIME to rescue The Great Raid. The Great Raid is in theaters now, though it may not be for long unless movie-going America quickly realizes that there is a wonderful and inspiring film in its midst, one that celebrates courage, sacrifice and... | |
|
Spencer Ackerman: Luckily, Hugh Hewitt has ridden to the rescue over at The Weekly Standard's website, arguing that the critical beatdown... Hugh Hewitt: The Iraqi Constitution and Team Building, Generally — My WeeklyStandard.com column, "Saving The Great Raid," praises... |
Jesse Taylor: Your new bomb-of-a-movie-that-need s-to-be-saved-because-it- m akes-conservatives-feel-g o od: The Great Raid. |
Bush: 'We Will Stay, We Will Fight' WaPo — Permalink NAMPA, Idaho, Aug. 24 — President Bush, rebutting a rising antiwar movement in the country and on Capitol Hill, told National Guard soldiers and their families Wednesday that terrorists "want us to retreat" but vowed that he never will. | |
|
Steve Soto: Bush, yesterday, preening in front of the Idaho National Guard, where he has a +23% approval rating "Any suggestion... |
Garance Franke-Ruta: Is it possible that the president's adamant refusal to publicly consider withdrawal from Iraq is pure politics, rather than policy? |
Does Pat Robertson Matter? NRO — Permalink Many conservatives would say no. But it's not that simple. A number of conservatives and Republicans have criticized televangelist Pat Robertson for suggesting that the U.S. government assassinate Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. | |
|
James Joyner: Does Pat Robertson Matter? Kathryn Jean Lopez: Byron faces an unfortunate fact. |
Matthew Yglesias: Byron York — and good for him — writes in The National Review that this isn't as true as some would like to think |
Despite high-profile cases, sex-offense crimes decline USA Today — Permalink Megan Kanka, Jessica Lunsford, Shasta Groene. These girls, all believed to be sexually molested by men and two of them killed, have generated headlines, prompted states to stiffen penalties against offenders and caused many parents to fear their child could be next. | |
|
Jayson @PoliPundit: I Blame Tougher Laws and Stricter Enforcement for this: "Government figures show the rate of sexual assaults against... |
Jeralyn Merritt: Sex Offender Hysteria — Via Sentencing Law and Policy, I see that USA Today has a new article on sex offender... |
Rival Shiites Clash in Baqubah as Leaders Call for Calm WaPo — Permalink NAJAF, Iraq, Aug. 25 — Fighters loyal to Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr battled government-allied Shiite forces in the central city of Baqubah on Thursday, as clashes among rival Shiite militias spread despite calls from both sides for calm. | |
|
John Cole: Then there is this: Fighters believed to be members of Saddam Hussein's former regime killed 13 Iraqi police, 27... Pudentilla: that noble cause — [snipped quote] perhaps the 1800 plus americans (not to mention thousands of iraqis) who have died... |
Cori Dauber: Both the Post and the Times focus this morning on clashes between Shia groups. |
Red Cross helped Iraqi rebels in 'hostage deal' CNN — Permalink ROME, Italy (CNN) — The Italian Red Cross has said it treated four "presumed Iraqi terrorists" at its Baghdad hospital to secure the release of two kidnapped Italian aid workers, according to a media report. | |
|
Forkum: Foreign Aid — From the CNN: Red Cross helped Iraqi rebels in 'hostage deal'. |
Kathryn Jean Lopez: ITALIAN SECRETS [quote] ROME, Italy (CNN) — The Italian Red Cross has said it treated four "presumed Iraqi terrorists" at...[end quote] |
Pat Boone shreds Cindy 'peaceniks' By / WorldNetDaily — Permalink Music and acting legend Pat Boone is blasting the peace message of Cindy Sheehan and other anti-war activists, claiming their rhetoric is making the U.S. more vulnerable to future terrorist attacks. | |
|
Joe Gandelman: Blasts Sheehan And Protesters If you're one of those who feels grieving mother and anti-war protester catalyst Cindy... Susie Madrak: (John 14:27) Noted Christian Pat Boone, spreading his Master's word: Music legend Pat Boone is blasting the peace... Attaturk: But praise Jeebus, we've still got Pat Boone around. Now, get off his lawn! Here's a picture of Pat all excited to see Jeebus (DO NOT CLICK AT WORK!!! |
John Cole: Pat Boone Supports Intelligent Design And I am not even remotely surprised: During the program, Boone, a well-known... S.Z.: Make War, Not Death Taxes WorldNetDaily's lead story for today: Rock legend shreds Cindy Sheehan 'peaceniks': —WND... Sadly, No!: And to make matters worse, I just read this WorldNetDaily headline: [snipped quote] Hoe. Lee. S**t. Dude. Duuu-huuuu-huuuu-huuude. |
President Addresses Military Families, Discusses War on Terror White House — Permalink THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. (Applause.) Thank you all very much. (Applause.) Thanks for the warm welcome. Glad I finally got here. (Applause.) You got a beautiful state. (Applause.) Full of really decent people. And Laura and I are thrilled to be here. | |
|
Patrick Ruffini: UPDATE: This is what it's all about: "We will stay on the offense. We'll complete our work in Afghanistan and Iraq. Steve M.: BUSH: WAR IN IRAQ WILL LAST AT LEAST ANOTHER THREE AND A HALF YEARS — Well how would you interpret this, from yesterday's speech in Idaho? |
John @PowerLine: Here are a few key paragraphs; you can read the whole thing here: [snipped quote] http://news.yahoo.com/new s?tmpl=story&u=/050824/48 0 /idet10308241859 Kathryn Jean Lopez: BUSH IN IDAHO — Does it count as a military audience if it is the National Guard? Dan Rather, care to take that question? |
Group Defends Roberts's Rights Record By / WaPo — Permalink In a throwback to the politics of the 1980s, the feminist movement and its favored policies and legal arguments of a generation ago have emerged as flash points in the nomination of John G. Roberts Jr. to the Supreme Court. | |
|
Ann Althouse: Said Linda Chavez about Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. Stuart Buck: Feinstein on Roberts — From the Washington Post: [quote] "As the only woman on the committee, I have an additional role to...[end quote] |
Jeff Goldstein: The "John Roberts hates women and blacks, you know poem" poem for Barbara Boxer and Teddy Kennedy John Roberts hates... Kathryn Jean Lopez: I'd imagine she'd been keen on adding the "Women for Roberts" chics (see here and here) I hung out with yesterday morning. |
Is this a clever thing to say about women's IQ? By / Times of London — Permalink HALF the population will dismiss this story, but a study claims that the cleverest people are much more likely to be men than women. Men are more intelligent than women by about five IQ points on average, making them better suited for "tasks of high... | |
|
Philip Greenspun: The Larry Summers of the U.K. Maybe these guys who say that women have lower IQs are only able to do so because they... |
Jan Haugland: Study: Men more intelligent than women (oh dear) A study by - surprise - two male scholars claims men are smarter than women. |
Apology over kill Chavez TV call BBC — Permalink A US TV evangelist has apologised for calling for US special forces to kill Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Pat Robertson conceded that comments made on his widely-watched TV show amounted to a call for assassination. | |
|
Rebecca MacKinnon: The World Reacts to Robertson (Cross-posted from Global Voices) In the global chatter about U.S. televangelist Pat... |
Fred Clark: There may be, as the BBC puts it, "tense relations between the two countries," but Venezuela is not our enemy. |
A Blog by Any Other Name... By / WaPo — Permalink "I really like reading your blog," a reader recently wrote to me. There must be some mistake, I thought. Random Access is a column. Well, a column or blog is in the eye of the reader. | |
|
Jim Romenesko: MacMillan: Defining blogs seems to accomplish two goals — Washington Post Robert MacMillan says one of the more tiresome debates in the blogging community is what defines a blog. |
Rex Hammock: What Washington Post columnist Robert MacMillan said: [snipped quote] (via: romenesko) |
Expulsions illegal, UN tells Clarke Guardian — Permalink A senior UN representative last night threatened to cite the British government for violation of human rights over its planned deportations of alleged terrorist sympathisers. | |
|
Andrew Stuttaford: THANKS A BUNCH — From the Guardian : [snipped quote] It would, I suppose, be malicious to suggest that, as a compromise... |
Perry de Havilland: Thus when the UN says Britain must not expel Muslim clerics who incite terrorism, clearly this is indeed the best policy. |
GOP Fears Gas Price Anger May Spill Over LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — As consumers feel pain at the pump, record high gas prices are registering as a political problem with congressional Republicans. At a town hall meeting this week, Rep. Jack Kingston (news, bio, voting record) (R-Ga.) wanted to talk about Social Security and Medicare, but the session quickly turned to gas prices. | |
|
Vox Day: In light of contrarian theory, I found this article to be interesting. |
Steve Antler: Heard it at the pump (not)... Okay, so we now learn the LA Times is reporting Republicans are "getting worried" about... |
N.Y. Times draws blacks' scorn over new Florida paper By / Washington Times — Permalink There has been a public outcry, and the managing editor was fired only 24 hours before the presses began an inaugural run. Nevertheless, the New York Times has a new presence in Florida today, the Gainesville Guardian, a weekly paper targeted to about 15,000 local black residents. | |
|
MarkInMexico: Main Page New York Times - failure to communicate The New York Times has run into a little trouble in Gainesville, Florida. |
La Shawn Barber: Howard University journalism professor Clint C. Wilson takes issue with the New York Times's effort to market a "black" newspaper to black people. |
Katherine Kersten: The big picture in Iraq tells quite a different story Minneapolis Star Tribune — Permalink Since early August, Cindy Sheehan and her band of antiwar activists have seized the spotlight in America's major news outlets. Last week, celebrity protesters in Crawford, Texas, included Minnesota's state Sen. Becky Lourey, DFL-Kerrick, and DFL Second District congressional candidate Coleen Rowley. | |
|
TheAnchoress: This is excellent, by Katherine Kersten via Irish Pennants. The Crawford campout is a quintessential media event. |
Scott @PowerLine: Bay invites, Kersten responds — Katherine Kersten's Star Tribune column today addresses the Crawford media circus and... |
Walter Reed Medical Center to Be Closed By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal commission voted to close the crown jewel of Army hospitals as it began its second day of decision-making on sweeping plans to restructure military bases across the country. | |
|
Eric Seymour: Protesting at the Hospital — I debated whether to post this, but since it's a slow blogging day... CNSnews.com—a... |
Tarek @LiquidList: The final decision was made this morning to close Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Northwest D.C. The argument was... |
Bush Invokes Military Mother to Defend War By / LAT — Permalink NAMPA, Idaho — Borrowing the words of a military mother whose husband and five sons have served in Iraq, President Bush told thousands of soldiers and airmen Wednesday that winning the war was worth the sacrifice of losing lives. | |
|
Echidne: The War of the Mothers — That's how low we have come, that Bush sends another mother to fight Cindy Sheehan |
Patterico: Instead, the paper is running stories like today's, titled Bush Invokes Military Mother to Defend War. |
Robertson Assassinations Remarks Not New By / LAT — Permalink The Rev. Pat Robertson's suggestion that the United States assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was the latest in a long line of incendiary remarks by the religious broadcaster, including at least one other call to "take out" oppressive world leaders. | |
|
Fred Clark: The AP's Richard Ostling notes that Republican leader Pat Robertson is a long-time fan of wetworks, viewing... |
James Joyner: Robertson Assassinations Remarks Not New (AP - LAT) "The Rev. Pat Robertson's suggestion that the United States... |
A Doll That Can Recognize Voices, Identify Objects and Show Emotion By / NYT — Permalink Judy Shackelford, who has been in the toy industry for more than 40 years, has seen a lot of dolls. But none, she says, like her latest creation, a marvel of digital technologies, including speech-recognition and memory chips, radio frequency tags and scanners, and facial robotics. | |
|
Gary Farber: COLOR ME SURPRISED if Amazing Amanda doesn't turn out to be one of the hottest items of all this Christmas. |
Michele Catalano: My name is talking Tina and I'm going to kill you — And you thought that mannequin was creepy. |
Editorial pages nationwide condemn Robertson comments Media Matters for America — Permalink Following the call by Christian Coalition of America founder and 700 Club host Pat Robertson for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, newspaper editorial pages across the country denounced his remarks, describing them as "shocking," "utterly irresponsible," and not "representative of people of faith." | |
|
Avedon Carol: Catch-up blogging — Editorial pages nationwide condemn Robertson comments, but seem to have missed the fact that this didn't come out of nowhere. |
Conor @ThinkProgress: Pat Robertson Isn't Very Sorry — After a less than enthusiastic response to his suggestion that America should... |
US general sees significant withdrawal in Iraq By / Financial Times — Permalink The US is expected to pull significant numbers of troops out of Iraq in the next 12 months in spite of the continuing violence, according to the general responsible for near-term planning in the country. | |
|
Steve Soto: Maj Gen Douglas Lute, of CENTCOM, yesterday, telling the Financial Times that significant troop reductions will take place over the next year. Garance Franke-Ruta: Case in point: This morning's Financial Times story (via Kevin Drum): [snipped quote] I wonder if what we're in fact... John Hawkins: "Maj Gen Douglas Lute Sees Significant Withdrawal In Iraq Over The Next 12 Months" "A Video Probably Made By... |
Matthew Yglesias: Meanwhile Major General Douglas Lute, operations commander for U.S. Central Command, is looking to withdraw the troops... McQ: Standing up Iraq, standing down our troops — The operations officer for CENTCOM has confirmed what General Casey said... Kevin Drum: Today, the top operations commander for Iraq backed me up: [snipped quote] That's some pretty high level support for... |
| Also: Rob @Wizbang, Gregory Djerejian, Montag, Judith Weiss, Gary Farber | |
Hackers Attack Via Chinese Web Sites By / WaPo — Permalink Web sites in China are being used heavily to target computer networks in the Defense Department and other U.S. agencies, successfully breaching hundreds of unclassified networks, according to several U.S. officials. Classified systems have not been compromised, the officials added. | |
|
Tom Maguire: Titan Rain — If we do nothing else, let's thank the Pentagon for coming up with some cool code-names to ease us through the slow news days of summer. |
Pudentilla: somebody's attacking fed computer systems, but awol doesn't know who — [snipped quote] in the war on cyber-terror, it is... |
Chávez taunts US with oil offer By / Guardian — Permalink President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela hit back vigorously at calls by an ally of President George Bush for his assassination by offering cheap petrol to the poor of the US at a time of soaring fuel prices. | |
|
Joe Gandelman: Chavez seems to be enjoying the spotlight: "President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela hit back vigorously at calls by... Gary Farber: CHAVEZ IS GOOD AT PR, isn't he? [snipped quote] Okay, the "mad dogs" makes "with rabies" redundant, but the toss-back was mildly clever. |
Giblets: Will No One Stop The Northward March Of Red Petrol? Oh sure, so Chavez wants to sell you gas now. |
Justice Weighs Desire v. Duty (Duty Prevails) By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 - It is not every day that a Supreme Court justice calls his own decisions unwise. But with unusual candor, Justice John Paul Stevens did that last week in a speech in which he explored the gap that sometimes lies between a judge's desire and duty. | |
|
Betsy Newmark: Justice Stevens gave a speech recently saying that if he were a legislator he would have voted in favor of the medical... Mike Rappaport: Justice Stevens, Judicial Restraint, and Spin — An interesting piece in the New York Times covering a recent speech by Justice Stevens. Steve Bainbridge: Stevens on Judging — At the annual ABA meeting, the NYT reports, SCOTUS Justice John Paul Stevens gave an interesting... |
Orin Kerr: John Paul Stevens, the author of the majority decisions in Kelo and Raich, who explained that while he opposed the... TChris: Speaking to the ABA, Justice Stevens admitted that he wasn't happy with his vote to uphold federal regulation of pot... Dr. Steven Taylor: Justice Stevens Speaks — Via the NYT: Justice Weighs Desire v. Duty (Duty Prevails) [snipped quote] While I wholly... |
| Also: Jacob Sullum, Ann Althouse | |
Condé Nast Joins the Business Press Business Week — Permalink Condé Nast — typically viewed as the most glamorous if not the most profitable magazine company — has largely been built on iconic female-skewing titles like Vogue, Glamour, and Architectural Digest. | |
|
Jim Romenesko: > Magazine likely will focus on business trends and personalities (WSJ) > Conde Nast parent appears ready to open up the... |
Rex Hammock: Update III: Quote from BusinessWeek: "The as-yet-untitled magazine won't launch until 2007, says David Carey, the... |
Condé Nast Plans Business Magazine and Web Site By / NYT — Permalink CONDÉ NAST PUBLICATIONS has decided to go where others have already gone - and are struggling. The magazine company, owned by Advance Magazine Group, announced plans yesterday to start a business magazine and Web site. | |
|
Jim Romenesko: Conde Nast isn't discouraged by ad decline at business mags — New York Times Conde Nast's plan to start a business magazine and website puzzles some observers. |
Rex Hammock: Update IV: Quote from the NY Times: "(Carey) said he was not worried about starting a business magazine when other business publications were having a hard time. |
Editorial: Robertson's rant/Hatred in religion's name Minneapolis Star Tribune — Permalink Given the absurdity of his more famous quotations, one can only hope that Pat Robertson's television viewers don't think he gets his ideas straight from the top, as it were. His declarations seem clearly to be born of his own mind. | |
|
Joe Gandelman: The Star Tribune writes:"Given the absurdity of his more famous quotations, one can only hope that Pat Robertson's... Mitch Berg: The flies circling this morning's effort can be seen for miles, in comparison. |
Scott @PowerLine: ("Because Bush is to Blame for Everything") that I especially appreciated and would have missed otherwise: "Robertson... |
U.N. to investigate Haiti slum lynchings By / Reuters — Permalink PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Aug 24 (Reuters) - The U.N. mission in Haiti has launched an inquiry into the lynching of at least 20 people by vigilantes armed with machetes and by Haitian police last weekend, U.N. officials said on Wednesday. | |
|
Montag: Reuters: U.N. to investigate Haiti slum lynchings Tip of Hat: memeorandum Gary Farber: Randy Paul has a bit of a Haiti round-up here, and while I'm no expert on the Carribean, this Reuters report strikes me as, you know, bad. |
Randy Paul: Haiti - The Latest — It just gets worse: "The U.N. mission in Haiti has launched an inquiry into the lynching of at... |
Who Will Say 'No More'? By / WaPo — Permalink "Waist deep in the Big Muddy and the big fool said to push on," warned an anti-Vietnam war song those many years ago. The McGovern presidential campaign, in those days, which I know something about, is widely viewed as a cause for the decline of the Democratic Party, a gateway through which a new conservative era entered. | |
|
Digby: Rotten Elites — I was reading Gary Hart's op-ed yesterday morning, when I was reminded of this post on A Tiny Revolution to which I've been meaning to link. Arianna Huffington: Arianna Huffington: A Chorus of Voices... The chorus of voices is growing in the MSM against "staying the course" in... Matthew Yglesias: Gary Hart says many smart things in this op-ed, but there's one point in particular that I think needs more spelling... |
New Donkey: Over at TAPPED yesterday, my man Matt Yglesias took the occasion of Gary Hart's op-ed on Iraq in the Washington Post to... David Sirota: As former Sen. Gary Hart (D) notes in his Washington Post op-ed today, there is a deafening silence from the Washington Democratic establishment on the Iraq War. Barbara O'Brien: Gary Hart writes in today's Washington Post: "Like the cat that jumped on a hot stove and thereafter wouldn't jump on... |
| Also: McQ, Gary Farber, The Poor Man, Susie Madrak, Cori Dauber, Jeralyn Merritt, Gary Hart, Michael @AmericaBlog, Pudentilla | |
Poll Shows Bush Approval Ratings Sink to Lowest Point in Presidency WSJ — Permalink President Bush's job approval ratings are at their lowest point of his presidency as only 40% of U.S. adults have a favorable opinion of his job performance and 58% have a negative opinion, according to a Harris Interactive poll. | |
|
Joe Gandelman: Bush Poll Numbers Now Lowest Of His Presidency — Question: before these new poll numbers came out, as he ran the ship... Barbara O'Brien: What Goes Up... The "President's" approval ratings have hit a new low, says the Wall Street Journal: "President Bush's... Glenn Reynolds: Judging by the polls, a lot of people are wondering. |
La Shawn Barber: You already know why I'm not voting for her. Defining Conservativism Down What difference does it make now??? Chris Bowers: Harris Shows Bush at 40% Oh, so close: [snipped quote] The poll has a lot of interesting information, including a... Laura Rozen: WSJ: [snipped quote] Seems like the Dems should be inviting Cheney to appear on the stump for their GOP competitors in '06, huh? |
| Also: Judith Weiss, Jeralyn Merritt, Taegan Goddard, Vanderleun, Steve Soto | |
Robertson lies about his Chavez comments; claims he "didn't say 'assassination' " Media Matters for America — Permalink Responding on the August 24 broadcast of The 700 Club to the outcry over his August 22 comments calling for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Pat Robertson falsely denied that he used the word "assassination" and claimed that he was... | |
|
Conor @ThinkProgress: Now that this has been shown to be blatantly untrue, Robertson has apologized. Sort of. Randy Paul: He didn't mean that he wanted to have Hugh Chávez assassinated; he merely wanted to "take him out." Steve Soto: Pat Robertson said this morning that he was misinterpreted Monday when he said that "If he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think we really ought to go ahead and do it. |
Joe Gandelman: UPDATE: — Sorry to use the word, Pat, but when Media Matters runs your denial yesterday alongside your original words it's pretty damning. Tresy @Corrente: Everybody Loves Hugo — Ignored in Media Matters' coverage of Bats**t Pat's denial that he'd ever advocated... Ed Brayton: And out of THIS side of his mouth... 10 hours ago, Pat Robertson claimed that his call for assassinating Hugo Chavez was... |
| Also: Jeffrey Dubner, Atrios, Nico @ThinkProgress | |
Robertson: Chavez remarks misinterpreted CNN — Permalink (CNN) — Conservative religious broadcaster Pat Robertson said Wednesday that his remarks about the removal of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez were taken out of context and that he never called for the killing of the Latin American leader. | |
|
Joe Gandelman: But, clearly, that didn't end the firestorm, so he later issued this apology which — as we often see now with... James Wolcott: The State Department called his murdermongering "inappropriate" (pretty rough language there, sailor), but described Robertson modestly as a "private citizen." RJ Eskow: (via atrios) * update: pat robertson is also a liar. |
DC Media Girl: Robertson says remarks "misinterpreted": Conservative religious broadcaster Pat Robertson said Wednesday that his... Echidne: Now Robertson says that his comments were misinterpreted, taken out of context: [quote] "I didn't say 'assassination.' I said...[end quote] Jeralyn Merritt: Robertson Apologizes — He was just misunderstood. Any takers on this one? |
| Also: Natasha @PacificViews, Michael Crowley, Kerry Howley | |
McCain sounds like presidential hopeful By / Arizona Daily Star — Permalink U.S. Sen. John McCain knows why he wants to be president. He isn't running for the job - officially. That won't happen, if it happens at all, until after next year's midterm elections. | |
|
Montag: Arizona Daily Star: McCain sounds like presidential hopeful Tip of Hat: memeorandum Joe @AmericaBlog: McCain wants to teach fables as science, too — Shouldn't be a huge surprise, but McCain wants to the teaching of Bible... Jeralyn Merritt: Suburban Guerilla points out this Arizona Star interview with McCain in which he supported teaching intelligent design:... |
DC Media Girl: The first breeze of autumn is in the air, bringing a little stir of madness along with it. 2008 seems so far away, yet... Susie Madrak: Pandering So much for McCain being the "sane" Republican: In an interview with Arizona Daily Star editors, Sen. John... Taegan Goddard: McCain Backs "Intelligent Design" — In an interview with Arizona Daily Star editors, Sen. John McCain endorsed teaching... |
Robertson Apologizes for Chavez Remark Fox News — Permalink VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson (search) has issued an apology for calling for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (search). "Is it right to call for assassination? No, and I apologize for that statement. | |
|
Scott Burgess: Fox news reports: [quote] "'I didn't say "assassination,"' Robertson clarified during a broadcast of his 'The 700 Club' Wednesday morning.[end quote] David T: Pat Robertson, Wednesday 24 August 2005 "'I didn't say "assassination,"' Robertson clarified during a broadcast of his 'The 700 Club' Wednesday morning. Steve Bainbridge: Pat Robertson — I find Pat Robertson annoying even on his best days (he must have some), but this Chavez business is just ridiculous. |
Joe Gandelman: And — lo and behold (words we learned from Pat) — earlier today, the AP reports, he did precisely that Damian Penny: When you're in a hole, stop digging — Pat Robertson now says he didn't mean the Americans should kill Hugo Chavez, just... |
Bob Costas Says No to Hour on Aruba By / NYT — Permalink For Bob Costas, the issue was not complicated. The longtime NBC sports and talk show host, who signed on this year to be an occasional substitute for Larry King on CNN, resisted a request last Thursday to be the host of a King program devoted to interviewing guests about the already widely covered Natalee Holloway missing-person case in Aruba. | |
|
Jesse Taylor: DC Media Girl inspires me to deliver a message to CNN. You suck. A lot. It's not that you're trying to out-Fox Fox. Michael Stickings: According to the Times, however, he "resisted a request last Thursday to be the host of a King program devoted to... DC Media Girl: I hate it when this happens. I hate it when Fox's flunkies at their Ministry of Proganda say something I agree with. |
Cori Dauber: I didn't get to this article in yesterday's Times, when Bob Costas for a second time refused to do a show on the Aruba story. Garrett M. Graff: [See Room, The Situation, page 196-197] In the latest incident of this disconnect, Klein, the president of CNN/US, took... CJR: A "media mini-revolt" is what the Carpetbagger calls the news that sportscaster Bob Costas bailed on filling in for... |
| Also: Brian Stelter, Brendan Nyhan, Ed Cone, Jim Romenesko | |
MOVE OVER, CINDY: BUSH SINGLES OUT OTHER MILITARY MOM Drudge Report — Permalink NAMPA, Idaho — President Bush today took direct aim at Cindy Sheehan, the anti-war protester who has set up camp near the Bushes Texas ranch and purports to speak for military moms who, like her, have lost a son in the Iraq war. | |
|
Nico @ThinkProgress: Under the headline, "Move Over, Cindy: Bush Singles Out Other Military Mom," Matt Drudge said that Bush had taken... Oliver Willis: Desperate — The American Legion is prepping a crackdown on protests, while Bush has searched around and found someone to "counter" Cindy Sheehan's powerful story. |
Paul Rieckhoff: He created Tammy Pruett. McMahon would be proud. |
It's all about-face for the Democrats By / LAT — Permalink THE SUMMER'S POLLS show that one-third of Americans favor an immediate withdrawal from Iraq and nearly two-thirds support withdrawal within the next year. In the face of such numbers, the conventional wisdom predicts disaster at the polls for Republicans in the 2006 midterm elections. | |
|
Kevin Drum: ARMY GENERAL SUPPORTS WITHDRAWAL...My argument in favor of a public withdrawal plan for Iraq has been based on three... Arianna Huffington: In the LA Times, Kevin Drum writes in "It's all about-face for the Democrats": What's a mainstream Democrat to do? Gary Farber: ADDENDUM: I see Kevin Drum is thinking along similar lines, although his point is more political than mine. |
Hugh Hewitt: Kevin Drum wants someone to be the new Eugene McCarthy. But there's a reason why Hagel has less than 150 votes of more than 12,600 cast at Ruffini's place. Edm Staff: Calling Dem Bridge Builders: Time to Lead — Kevin Drum's "It's all about-face for the Democrats" in today's LA Times is... Jeralyn Merritt: Update: Kevin Drum offers similar thoughts about who will be first among the Democrats in this op-ed in today's LA Times. |
| Also: Betsy Newmark | |
Michael Graham, spiked by ABC By / Townhall.com — Permalink Remember this the next time ABC toots its own horn as a defender of free speech. Michael Graham, a popular talk-radio host on ABC-owned WMAL in Washington, D.C., publicly declared that "Islam is a terror organization." Under pressure from a radical Islamic group, ABC fired him. | |
|
Michelle Malkin: Meanwhile, Brent Bozell helpfully reminds us that ABC News apparently had no objection to George Stephanopoulos'... |
Jesse Taylor: Brent Bozell picked the exact wrong day to defend Pat Robertson: "ABC Radio hasn't always been this exquisitely sensitive to critics. |
The Plain Truth By / Fox News — Permalink Want Greta's blog delivered directly to your e-mail box? Click here to sign up! I have read with some puzzlement the criticism of our show for focusing on so many missing people — including Natalee Holloway (search). | |
|
Ed Cone: Van Susteren defends emo-porn — Greta Van Susteren is blogging, and she tries to address the criticism of her show for spending so much time on Natalee Holloway. Scared Monkeys: They discuss Greta Van Susteren defending her coverage of missing teen Natalee Holloway. |
CJR: Muses Van Susteren: "Maybe Costas thought he would leave missing person segments to those of us who have been in the... Brian Stelter: Greta Is Covering A "Growing Epidemic" — America has an GROWING EPIDEMIC of missing persons, Greta Van Susteren... |
Radical Muslims told to leave Australia AFP — Permalink SYDNEY (AFP) - Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law have been told to get out of Australia. A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to Australia at a special meeting with Prime Minister John Howard, he and his ministers made it clear that extremists would face a crackdown. | |
|
Andy McCarthy: This report from Agence France Presse: [snipped quote] Asked if he was prepared to "get inside" mosques and schools to... |
Spoons: Let me suggest a destination. |
Pat Robertson Says He Was Misinterpreted AP — Permalink VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson insisted Wednesday that he did not call for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, despite comments broadcast on his program two days earlier. | |
|
New Donkey: Having committed a gaffe that rose to the level of a diplomatic problem for the United States (calling for the... |
Ramesh Ponnuru: APPARENTLY — Robertson meant to say that he wanted special forces to take Chavez out to the ballgame. He's a big Nats fan. |
Secular Iraqis Say New Charter May Curb Rights By / NYT — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 23 - Some secular Iraqi leaders complained Tuesday that the country's nearly finished constitution lays the groundwork for the possible domination of the country by Shiite Islamic clerics, and that it contains specific provisions that could sharply curtail the rights of women. | |
|
Medium Lobster: And yes, that constitution establishes a theocratic state in which muslim clerics can strike down secular legislation... Dr. Steven Taylor: Constitutional Concerns in Iraq — Via the NYT: Secular Iraqis Say New Charter May Curb Rights "Some secular Iraqi... Ann Althouse: Before you get twisted out of shape by clauses in the Iraqi Constitution — remember that it's all in the interpretation. |
Matthew Yglesias: When contemplating the extent to which Iraq's new constitution will implement Shiite theocracy in the country, it's... Tom Tomorrow: Secular Iraqis,, who presumably have some passing familiarity with the situation, are concerned about the new... Rich Lowry: A lot will depend on the character of Iraqi politics going forward, a point made at the conclusion of the New York Times... |
| Also: Susie Madrak, Laura Rozen | |
Iraq Versus Vietnam: A Comparison of Public Opinion Gallup — Permalink PRINCETON, NJ — Will the war with Iraq turn into "another Vietnam" for the United States? Sunday, on ABC's "This Week," Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel stated that the situation in Iraq is not "dissimilar to where we were in Vietnam," and that "the longer we stay there, the more similarities [to Vietnam] are going to come together." | |
|
John Cole: Also see this GALLUP poll regarding comparisons between Iraq and, you guessed it, Vietnam. Cori Dauber also has some thoughts on this. James Joyner: Iraq Versus Vietnam: A Comparison of Public Opinion — Frank Newport and Joseph Carroll of the Gallup Poll provide a... Cori Dauber: Gallup does a comparison in public opinion terms, but the comparison, it seems to me, is flawed in one way: "was the war... |
Chris Bowers: A Plea To Older Activists: Stop The Vietnam Comparisons — Today, Gallup has produced a report comparing public support... Taegan Goddard: Iraq vs. Vietnam — Gallup compares public opinion surrounding the Vietnam and Iraq wars. Judd @ThinkProgress: Iraq War Less Popular Than Vietnam — Fresh analysis from Gallup: [snipped quote] A President less popular than Nixon and a war less popular than Vietnam. |
Nonprofits Cloak Donors to Governor LAT — Permalink SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is benefiting from millions of dollars raised by a network of tax-exempt groups without revealing that the money comes from major corporations with business before his office. | |
|
Kos @DailyKos: All adults: Approve 34 (34) Disapprove 54 (51) Likely voters: Approve 41 (41) Disapprove 50 (49) Prop 77 (Non-partisan... Stirling Newberry: This is the beginning of the scandal that could bring down Schwarzenhagger. More... Stirling Newberry - Comments (0) Taegan Goddard: Nonprofits Cloak Schwarzenegger Donors — California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) "is benefiting from millions of... |
Joe Gandelman: More Scandal Surrounds Arnold Schwarzenegger — Never has politician who ran one way behaved so opposite as what we're... Mark Leon Goldberg: From the LA Times today: [snipped quote] I guess it's a story as old as the Greeks: Upstart reformers bust onto the... Pudentilla: wait, more sleeze from ah-nuld — [snipped quote] like tom delay, but with an accent. |
Chinese Detainees Are Men Without a Country By / WaPo — Permalink In late 2003, the Pentagon quietly decided that 15 Chinese Muslims detained at the military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, could be released. Five were people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, some of them picked up by Pakistani bounty hunters for U.S. payoffs. | |
|
Richard TPD: Read this Washington Post article about the plight of some Chinese detainees in detention at Guantanamo: "In late... Michael Froomkin: Shackled For No Crime; Acquitted But Not Told or Released — A commentator on the previous item points out this story,... Gary Farber: Here's today's. "In late 2003, the Pentagon quietly decided that 15 Chinese Muslims detained at the military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, could be released. |
Belle Waring: This Is Why We Have The Word Kafkaesque From the Washington Post today, a supremely depressing tale of 15 Uighur men... Mark Krikorian: CATCH 22 — Here's a situation no one has a good answer to: We're holding at Guantanamo a bunch of Muslim Uighurs from... Pudentilla: q: what do you call a guy who imprisons without trial people whom he knows are innocent? |
| Also: Matt Welch | |
Woman Offended by Doc's Obesity Advice AP — Permalink ROCHESTER, N.H. - As doctors warn more patients that they should lose weight, the advice has backfired on one doctor with a woman filing a complaint with the state saying he was hurtful, not helpful. "I told a fat woman she was obese," Bennett says. | |
|
John Cole: More Absurdity Via Goldstein, this idiocy: As doctors warn more patients that they should lose weight, the advice... Jeff Goldstein: Fat woman sues Doctor for diagnosing her as fat — Unbelievable, this. And yet somehow inevitable. |
Eugene Volokh: An Odd Complaint: The AP reports (thanks to The New Editor for the pointer): [snipped quote] It's hard from the article... |
Profiling Report Leads to a Demotion By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 - The Bush administration is replacing the director of a small but critical branch of the Justice Department, months after he complained that senior political officials at the department were seeking to play down newly compiled data on the aggressive police treatment of black and Hispanic drivers. | |
|
Atrios: What People Care About — When something like this happens: WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 - The Bush administration is replacing... TChris: In keeping with the Bush administration's treatment of unpleasant facts — deny or bury — the administration, according... Gary Farber: IT'S PROBABLY A BAD IDEA for political appointees to mess with Justice Department statistics from an office intended to be largely independent in producing their statistics. |
Michael Froomkin: Must Not Annoy the Base. Not Even the Racists. This is weird and dirty: Profiling Report Leads to a Demotion. Michael @AmericaBlog: Of course, Bush hates facts so the head of the dept. Lawrence Greenfeld was pushed to make changes and downplay this news on racial profiling in a press release. Pudentilla: enjoy that tuna fish sandwich — [snipped quote] it could be one the last you'll ever eat. over-fishing and real-estate... |
Death Threat May Bolster Chavez's Popularity Before Election Bloomberg — Permalink Aug. 24 (Bloomberg) — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez may see an increase in popularity because of the death threat leveled by a U.S. television evangelist, according to Datanalisis, the country's No. 1 polling company. | |
|
Joe Gandelman: Indeed, Chavez gets high polling results in his country and there are predictions that Robertson's call for his rub-out is going to nudge them higher. |
Nick Gillespie: . More on Chavez & Robertson here. Original H&R post on topic here. |
Pat Robertson's evolving excuses on Chavez assassination call Media Matters for America — Permalink On the morning of August 24, Pat Robertson falsely claimed that he never called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, saying that his August 22 remarks were "misinterpreted." So, which is it? | |
|
Avedon Carol: Meanwhile, Robertson said many contradictory things about how he didn't say it but ad-libbed it "out of frustration". |
Atrios: Flippity Floppity — Liar liar. |
Remastered By / TNR — Permalink Since the dawn of rock, there have been individuals, usually young men, of argumentative tendencies who have lorded their encyclopedic musical knowledge over others. "So states the introduction of the recent Rock Snob's Dictionary, compiled by David Kamp and Steven Daly. | |
|
RJ Eskow: oh, and by the way - we agree with eric alterman's implication that crowley, who claims the mantle of "rock snob,"... Andrew Sullivan: ROCK SNOBS: And how iPods have helped undermine them. Yay! |
Michael Crowley: On a lighter note, I've got a short 'Diarist' in the forthcoming issue of TNR on rock snobs, music collecting, and what you might call the dark side of the iPod. |
Slight Shift for S.U.V. in New Rule on Mileage NYT — Permalink The Bush administration's long-awaited plan to overhaul fuel economy regulations was released yesterday, promising to save gasoline by requiring modest improvements in the performance of sport utility vehicles and other trucks. | |
|
Tom Maguire: CAFE, Fuel Economy, And Safety — The Times tells us about the new Bush Administration Corporate Average Fuel Economy... Pudentilla: let's be fair — [snipped quote] [snipped quote] if we can't lose weight, why should we expect our cars to? hey, maybe... |
John Cole: New Fuel Efficiency Standards The administration unveiled its 'sweeping' changes to fuel efficiency standards: The... |
Fighting Breaks Out Between Shiite Militias in Iraq Reuters — Permalink BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Fighting broke out in Baghdad and the holy city of Najaf on Wednesday between rival Shi'ite militias, raising fears of a renewed uprising by radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi army against the U.S.-backed government. | |
|
Laura Rozen: Rival Shi'ite militias attack each other in Baghdad and Najaf: "...At least eight people were killed and dozens... |
Armando @DailyKos: If things weren't bad enough in Iraq, now this: "Fighting broke out in Baghdad and the holy city of Najaf on Wednesday... |
Post-Debate Debate Set for Kaine, Potts By / WaPo — Permalink RICHMOND, Aug. 23 — Virginia gubernatorial candidates Timothy M. Kaine, a Democrat, and H. Russell Potts Jr., an independent, said Tuesday that they will debate each other immediately after a scheduled debate next month between Kaine and GOP nominee Jerry W. Kilgore. | |
|
Paul @PowerLine: In an unusual move, Democrat Tim Kaine has decided to debate Potts (Kilgore declined to participate). |
John Behan: VA Gov: Democrat becoming a fringe candidate — Virginia media is abuzz with the news that the Democratic candidate for... |
Conde Nast to Launch a Business Monthly; WSJ's Lipman, TNY's Carey to Spearhead Mag By / Mediaweek — Permalink Condé Nast president/CEO Chuck Townsend today announced the launch of a new business monthly and Web site that the publisher will begin developing in mid-September. The title and launch date have yet to be determined. | |
|
Rex Hammock: Quote from MediaWeek.com: "While Condé Nast recently has been on a launching spree—rolling out Lucky, Cargo, and... |
Jim Romenesko: WSJ's Lipman named editor of new Conde Nast business mag — Mediaweek.com | WSJ release Joanne Lipman, deputy managing... |
Swazi girls burn sex-ban tassels BBC — Permalink A pile of thousands of woollen tassels symbolising chastity has been set on fire in Swaziland to mark the end of a sex ban imposed by King Mswati III. The secret ceremony took place at the crack of dawn. Men were banned. | |
|
Norm Geras: Under the headline 'Swazi girls burn sex-ban tassels': [snipped quote] There's more. |
John Derbyshire: SWAZILAND'S SEX BAN ENDED ...to general rejoicing. |
LAPD Arrests Suspects in Gator Dumping LAT — Permalink His name is Reggie. Los Angeles Police announced today they have solved part of the riddle of the wayward 7-foot alligator, which continues to elude searchers at Lake Machado. | |
|
Kevin Roderick: What, no caimans? Kind of funny, the Times story picks up on The Guardian's moniker of Harbor Park Harry. |
Steve Bainbridge: The LA Times has a small photo gallery of the hubbub surrounding the Southland's favorite new critter. AOL News offers video. |
Summer Fading, Hollywood Sees Fizzle By / NYT — Permalink LOS ANGELES, Aug. 23 - With the last of the summer blockbusters fading from the multiplex, Hollywood's box office slump has hardened into a reality that is setting the movie industry on edge. | |
|
Steve M.: It's old news by now, but I'm sure a lot of right-wingers are feeling a renewed Schadenfreude as they read this in... Ann Althouse: Releasing movies simultaneously to theaters and to DVD. Th summer movie season was a flop. Why? |
Garance Franke-Ruta: And now for something completely different... There's an interesting story in The New York Times on this summer's box... |