Late Final: September 2003 Archives

Saudi Watch: Prince Has Complaints, Advice for U.S.

The Saudi Royal family is upset that the United States is being extra careful when granting entry visas to Saudis entering the country. In a speech to the U.S.-Arab Economic Forum, the Saudi foriegn minister, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, complained that U.S. security procedures were becoming an inconvenience to his people.

According to the prince:

One of the most painful consequences of the 9-11 tragedy was the effect of the rush to take measures to secure the United States. This reaction is understandable.

But, unfortunately, some of these measures are doing great damage to the people-to-people contact.

I am speaking here about the procedures which have made it almost impossible for Saudis to visit the United States.

Virtually every Saudi family has a member who is a student, a medical patient, a businessman or a tourist in America. The difficulties they encounter obtaining a visa, and the process they go through when they arrive in America brought this interaction almost to a standstill.

This, to say the least, is not conducive to maintaining the healthy relations that existed between our two countries...

We sincerely hope, that the United States government will re-examine the subject and take steps to remedy this situation to assure expanding co-operation between our two countries.

As Dennis Miller has said, understanding that most of the Sept. 11 hijackers were Saudi isn't profiling, it's "being minimally observant."

The prince also mentioned the Iraq reconstruction and provided advice:

Iraq is a proud and ancient nation, and it has the people and resources to manage its future. The priorities should be set by the Iraqi people not outsiders.
The international community must assure the unity and territorial integrity of Iraq while it transforms itself according to the wishes of its people. Those who can help should do so with good will. Recrimination and accusation only stymie efforts.

In addition, the prince referred to Israeli actions against Palestinian terrorists as "assassinations," and suggested it was Israel, and not the terrorists, who needed to change course.

In his speech, the prince said, "We are concerned by what we believe is an organized campaign waged against the Kingdom by some in the United States." Americans are concerned by the organized campaign waged against the United States by some in the Kingdom.

The prince didn't note the fact that the U.S.' original involvement with Iraq happened in 1991, when American troops rushed into the Persian Gulf to liberate Kuwait and protect Saudi Arabia from Saddam Hussein. For that, Bin Laden declared jihad on the U.S., and recruited the prince's own people to kill Americans.

Prince Al-Faisal also neglected to mention that Saudi Arabia is a member of OPEC, which recently decided to cut worldwide oil production, thus hiking energy prices.

By Ed Moltzen · 30 September 2003

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In New York, A Tragedy Almost Forgotten

In the October, 24, 2001 aftermath of the terrorist attacks in New York City, there was an almost surreal, but heart-wrenching tragedy on the city's sidewalks.

Five construction workers were killed, and others were horribly injured, when the 13-story scaffold they used to work on a building collapsed under its weight and poor construction. The workers were all sent crashing to the ground in a heap of twisted metal and construction debris.

Today, almost two years later, prosecutors have gotten the scaffold supplier of the site to plead guilty to five counts of manslaughter - after he admitted he knew the scaffold was unsafe and put the workers in danger.

According to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, Philip Minucci, owner of Tri State Scaffold & Equipment Supplies, was responsible for this:

At the time of the collapse, approximately 16 workers of the masonry subcontractor were working on the scaffold. Some were using jackhammers to remove the brick façade, while on other levels, workers were applying a parge coating (a layer of cement) to the walls that had already been stripped of the brickwork in anticipation of the laying of new brickwork.
The vast majority of the 20 masonry workers on the job were undocumented aliens who were either paid in cash or were going to get paid in cash, at the rate of $7.00 per hour. Some had been hired at a "shape-up" on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, while others had worked for the masonry subcontractor before.

The defendant admitted today in court that he was aware that the scaffold was potentially dangerous and that he did not hire an engineer to design it.. He also admitted that he did not know the load capacity of the scaffold and that he did no calculations to determine what load the scaffold would hold.

MINUCCI, who is not a trained engineer, designed and constructed the 13-story scaffold without regard to the safety of the masonry workers and in violation of statutory requirements, industry standards and common sense. The scaffold, as erected, was not strong enough to support itself and collapsed with catastrophic results.

When he's sentenced in January, Minucci will likely get 4-to-12 years in state prison.

At the time this happened, New York was still grieving over 3,000 lost lives from the 9/11 attacks - making the loss of five lives barely a one-day headline. For the record, the men killed were Manuel Barariso, Ivan Pillacela, Efrain Gonzalez, Donato Conde and Fabian Cesar Tenesaca.

By Ed Moltzen · 30 September 2003

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Terrorist Of The Day: Anas Al-Liby

Name: Anas Al-Liby AKA Anas Al-Sabai, Anas Al-Libi, Nazih Al-Raghie, Nazih Abdul Hamed Al-Raghie.

Vital Info (via FBI):

Dates of Birth Used - March 30, 1964, May 14, 1964 - Tripoli, Libya
Height: 5'10'' to 6'2''; Weight: Unknown; Build: Medium
Hair: Dark; Eyes: Dark; Skin: Olive; Citizenship: Libyan
Wanted For: His role in the August 7, 1998, bombings of the United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya.

Al-Liby recently lived in the United Kingdom, where he has political asylum. He is believed to currently be in Afghanistan. Al-Liby usually wears a full beard.

Narrative: (Via TerrorismCentral.com)

A Libyan national who allegedly sat on al-Qaidaï¿½s consultation council. He was indicted in the United States on December 20, 2000, on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, kill U.S. citizens, commit terrorist acts, and destroy U.S. defense installations. He allegedly took photographs of the embassy in Kenya that were later used by bin Laden to pinpoint where the explosives should go.**RF3** Al Liby was a political refugee in the United Kingdom until 2000 but vanished before he could be arrested.

Reward: Up to $25 million for information leading to his capture and/or conviction.

By Ed Moltzen · 30 September 2003

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Site Note

If you scroll down and look to the left, you'll notice a list of "Blogger Books" - books written by authors who keep active web logs. As more come to our attention, and get published, they'll be added to the list.

By Ed Moltzen · 30 September 2003

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Paging Mr. Harvey. Paging Mr. Paul Harvey

The headlines this morning have focused on the rising number of people without health insurance in 2002, compared with 2001.

Now, the rest of the story:

According to the Census Bureau, the number of insured Americans actually increased, as well, while the percentage of children covered under health insurance remained the same. And the percentage of poor people without coverage stayed the same, as well.

The numbers aren't great, but they're not as bad as they could be considering the dot-com collapse stretched into the 2002 year covered in the Census Bureau report.

By Ed Moltzen · 30 September 2003

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A Phone Call, Some Ground Gained, But...

Democratic presidential contender Howard Dean has about $1.5 million to raise in about 18 hours to meet his public goal of raising $5 million during the last 10 days of September.

Oliver Willis points to a conference call Dean conducted last night for all of his supporters as a success: "Dean made a giant phone call and is racking up big time money."

Dean is still far short of his goal, and the candidates are going to have to beg for attention over the next couple of weeks with baseball playoffs and a California recall election (and ensuing lawsuits) grabbing the headlines. Once November begins, it's a three-month scramble to shore up support in Iowa and New Hampshire.

It's probably too much to say the next 18 hours are critical for Dean, but they certainly are important for the former Vermont governor.

By Ed Moltzen · 30 September 2003

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Greetings From Cape Cod

Martha Stewart keeps getting letters of support, and she keeps putting them on her "Martha Talks" spin site. This supporter thinks she's the victim of "disgusting" treatment by the media:

From: Louise Chambers
Sent: Monday, September 22, 2003 7:57 PM
To: Martha
Subject: Hi Martha

Hi Martha,

I can't imagine all the e-mails you must receive, but here goes...I would like to let you know how much I enjoy watching you on TV and reading your magazine, etc. (you do way too much to list) I have worked at Jordan's Furniture in MA for 9+ years, and your Bernhart line is the most stylish I have seen in a while. I love the TV ads and just the whole idea that you are part of something at a company that I work for! A couple of months ago, some of my co-workers had the opportunity to meet you, I was green with envy at what a wonderful time they all had. I think it is disgusting what the media is doing to you, and how some ignorant people judge you by what they see and hear.

Keep up the good work!!

Your supportive fan,
Louise
Cape Cod, MA

Louise doesn't say how she believes people should judge Martha, which will be the key to whether the home economics diva gets to stay a free woman after her trial next year.

By Ed Moltzen · 30 September 2003

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Forget the Steel Cage - How About An Ice Block Grudge Match?

Schwarzenegger versus Davis? Pfft. Red Sox versus Yankees? Please, give me a break. Here's the real battle the world wants to see:

Illusionist Criss Angel Challenges David Blaine
NEW YORK, Sept. 29 --
"David, get out of your silly little box. As I've always said -- any
time, any place, any challenge. You had to run to London to escape your
biggest fear... me. You've talked about a challenge between us in the
press, but it was just a bunch of BS, like most of what you do."

-Criss Angel

This maybe wouldn't be as fun as watching mimes beat each other, but it might be close.

By Ed Moltzen · 29 September 2003

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Free Meeting With Kennedy Patriarch Not Included

Fontainebleau Hilton Resort in Miami Beach won't have much luck re-uniting the famous "Rat Pack" of the 1950s and 1960s (Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin and Peter Lawford are dead), but for $650 you can treat yourself to the hotel's new "Rat Pack-age" weekend. According to the hotel:

"The package also includes dinner for two at the hotel's renowned Bleau View restaurant, DVDs of the original Ocean's 11 and The Rat Pack documentary, a copy of "The Rat Pack: Neon Nights with the Kinds of Cool" book as well as complimentary valet parking and late 3pm checkout (based on availability).

"You can also partake in the feel-good nostalgic ambiance while enjoying two complimentary martinis at the Fontainebleau's newly-themed LobbyBar, where you can enjoy hip, nostalgic music of The Pack."

For those who fall between the Baby Boom and Gen X eras, this may actually be more appealing than if we wait thirty years for the "Brat Pack-age."

By Ed Moltzen · 29 September 2003

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Terrorist of the Day: Indiana Native Abdul Rahman Yasin

Name: Abdul Rahman Yasin AKA Abdul Rahman Said Yasin, Aboud Yasin, Abdul Rahman S. Taha, Abdul Rahman S. Taher

Vital Info: Date of Birth (used): April 10, 1960, Bloomington, Indiana. Height: 5'10''. Weight: 180. Hair: Black. Eyes: Brown. Skin: Olive. Citizenship: American.

Wanted for: 1993 Bombing of the World Trade Center in New York City, which killed six people and injured several hundred more.

Narrative: (via FBI):

Abdul Rahman Yasin is wanted for his alleged participation in the terrorist bombing of the World Trade Center, New York City, on February 26, 1993, which resulted in six deaths, the wounding of numerous individuals, and the significant destruction of property and commerce.

More information, from RewardsForJustice.com

Following the New York World Trade Center bombing, law enforcement officials obtained evidence which led to the indictments and arrests of several suspected terrorists involved in the bombing. ABDUL RAHMAN YASIN, one of those indicted, fled the United States immediately after the bombing to avoid arrest. YASIN is now a fugitive from justice. YASIN was born in the United States, moved to Iraq during the 1960's, and returned to the U.S. in the fall of 1992. He possesses a U.S. passport. Because of the nature of the crimes for which he is charged, YASIN should be considered armed and extremely dangerous.

Reward: Between $5 million and $25 million for information leading to his capture and/or conviction.

By Ed Moltzen · 29 September 2003

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Execution Watch: Earnest Ulyesses Morrison

The state of Georgia is scheduled this week to execute convicted murderer Earnest Ulyesses Morrison, 43.

According to court records, Morrison committed one rape and murder in 1986, was arrested, escaped prison, and committed another rape and murder in 1987. The second time he was caught, he was convicted of the second slaying and sentenced to death.

His supporters and lawyers say Morrison shouldn't be executed because he's retarded. The court and a jury determined, essentially, the crimes were sophisticated enough to show he wasn't retarded.

Morrison's death sentence is to be carried out on Wednesday.

By Ed Moltzen · 29 September 2003

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Who Will Be The Blog Candidate?

President Bush's campaign has set up a news feed for bloggers who want to post official campaign news on their sites immediately.

It may not be quite what Jeff Jarvis had in mind:

: I say the best thing a Presidential blogger can do is to link to posts in voters' weblogs. That proves they listen. But will the spinmeisters fear linking to someone with whom they may agree on one issue and disagree on another? Will the lack of control freak the control freaks?

Bloggers shouldn't count on being candidate-lanched (having candidates link to their web sites) unless your blog is The Daily Kos or Instapundit.

But a strong Web/blog strategy run parallel with a strong grass-roots campaign could work wonders. And, quietly, the Bush campaign has been doing that.

Meanwhile, we've been waiting for a blogger to jump into the presidential campaign. No, really. The requirements are simple to get your name on the New Hampshire presidential primary ballot: You need $1,000, to be a U.S.-born citizen and be at least 35 years old. That's it.

Run for president. Get your name on the ballot. What a great excuse to miss work, "Sorry, boss. I can't make it in today. I have to debate Lieberman and Kucinich in Concord."

Instead of waiting for candidates to start blogging, we've been waiting for bloggers to get on the ballot and start campaigning.

Seriously.

By Ed Moltzen · 29 September 2003

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Dean Watch

Tomorrow will be a Howard Dean-free zone at Late Final. But, until then:

Remember that $5 million-in-10-days pledge drive by Howard Dean's Democratic presidential campaign?

The one where his wife, actor/director Rob Reiner and actor Martin Sheen have all sent emails to supporters pleading for contributions?

Well, it's still not doing so well. With about two-and-a-half days left until the 10-days are up, supporters have contributed just over $2 million of the $5 million Dean sought.

To perhaps take the sting off the failure to meet this public goal, Dean's camp is now simply totalling up the entire quarter's contributions (an impressive $12.6 million) and dropping all references to its $5 million-in-10-days request.

Why are the last 10 days of September noteworthy? Because of Wesley Clark's entry into the race, a decision by several other Democratic candidates to start beating up Dean over his flip-flops and less popular positions, and Dean's own lackluster performance on the campaign trail.

As with his less-than-convincing performance on "Meet the Press" earlier this year, Dean spent a 15-minute appearance this morning on CBS' Face the Nation on the defensive.

He was flat-out wrong when he said President Bush admitted there was no connection between al Qaeda and Iraq - a pretty noteworthy misstatement from a man who has been suggesting every nuance of the coalition's decision to go to war was an effort to mislead the American people.

There are still roughly five months until the Democratic primaries begin - certainly enough time for Dean to put a few good weeks together and build momentum. But for now there are two and a half days until Dean's 10 days are up, and two and a half days to figure out what's been going wrong.

By Ed Moltzen · 28 September 2003

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Out of Africa... and Into the Vatican?

In Greg Tobin's book, "Selecting the Pope," the author dives headlong into the question of who will likely be selected to replace Pope John Paul II when the pontiff dies.

In the book, Tobin notes that the College of Cardinals - which meets in secret to elect the pope - includes a greater number of men from Third World countries than ever before (part of Pope John Paul II's efforts to reflect the significant growth of the church in places like Africa, South America and Southeast Asia.)

Today, the Vatican announced that John Paul II has selected 31 new Cardinals. Three of them are from Africa, bringing the number of African Cardinal electors to 14 out of about 140. After today, the United States will have 13 Cardinal electors - meaning Africa has more votes for the next pope than the U.S.

What does this mean? It means that there is a greater chance than ever that the next pope will be a person of color, and quite possibly be from Africa. (After the past year of sex scandals, don't count on an American pope during our lifetime.)

But since the pope has selected virtually everyone eligible to vote for his successor, there's also a greater chance that the church's next leader will be similarly conservative on family, gender and sexual issues as Pope John Paul II.

And given how the AIDS virus has hit Africa so hard, the College of Cardinals may well look to someone well-versed in that crisis (as John Paul II was versed in Communist oppression when he was selected during the Cold War).

Let the speculation begin.

By Ed Moltzen · 28 September 2003

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D.A. Hits Tax-Free Jewelry Sales

Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morganthau is continuing to strike out at art and jewelry dealers - and buyers - in New York City who try to beat the government out of tens of thousands of dollars in sales tax.

According to the D.A.'s office, the latest offender is Chatelaine Ltd., a Fifth Avenue jeweler that was snagged selling $1 million in jewelry without charging its wealthy clients required sales tax:

The investigation leading to the Chatelaine Ltd. plea revealed that the company failed to collect sales tax on sales of jewelry including 20th century pieces by Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Belperron on six occasions between 1999 and 2002. The company made sales in Manhattan but failed to charge sales tax. A customer took delivery in New York but the company created invoices with out-of-state addresses, falsely stating that the purchases had been shipped out of state. The company also submitted false sales tax returns to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.
Mr. Morgenthau said that there is a continuing investigation into other galleries, dealers and customers who may have avoided paying sales taxes. Mr. Morgenthau noted that this case is the latest in a series of sales tax prosecutions that have yielded more than $16 million in unpaid sales taxes and fines to the City and State.

Former Tyco CEO Dennis Kozlowski and former ImClone CEO Sam Waksal have been among the high-profile, and wealthy, defendants Morganthau's office has charged with tax evasion in the purchase of art work and valuables.

In the case against Chatelaine, the company itself pleaded guilty to a felony count of falisfying business records, and will cough up a $120,000 fine, according to the D.A.'s office.

By Ed Moltzen · 28 September 2003

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Enough To Make Ted Williams Roll Over In His...Freezer

When Ted Williams was chasing baseball immortality in 1941, and battling to hit over .400 for the year, his Boston Red Sox were scheduled to play a double-header against the Philadelphia A's on the last day of the season.

After a few hits in the first game, Williams was hitting .404. His manager, Joe Cronin, offered to let him sit out second game of the meaningless double-header, and secure Williams' place in baseball history. Williams grabbed his glove and his bat, instead, and played the entire second game.

According to the Official Ted Williams website:

Safely above .400 now, Ted still refused to sit out the second game. As he came to the plate against Fred Caligiuri, another rookie, the Philadelphia fans paid him a roaring tribute. He answered with another base hit, a ground single to right. Up again in the fourth inning, he blasted what Ted – and almost every Boston writer – called the hardest ball he had ever hit in his career, a line drive that streaked into right-center field, rising as it went, and was still on the rise when it rocketed off one of the loudspeaker horns on top of the wall. The ball came back onto the field, and Ted had to settle for a double. Connie Mack had to have the horn replaced over the winter, so badly was it dented.
Ted finally popped up, just before the game was called because of darkness. For his final day, Ted had come through with six hits in eight times at bat, to post a final average of .406.

Today, in Tampa Bay, the Red Sox have two players in a very close race for AL Batting Champion, Manny Ramirez and Bill Mueller. In New York, Yankees' shortstop Derek Jeter is also in the race, and the three are only seperated by fractions of a point in batting average.

However, unlike Joe Cronin, Red Sox manager Grady Little is playing it safe - benching both Ramirez and Mueller - and ensuring their averages don't decline on the last day of the 2003 regular season.

Meanwhile, at Yankee Stadium, Yankee manager Joe Torre has put Jeter into his starting lineup.

All season long, baseball "pundits" have commented, ad nauseum, about the Red Sox "mental toughness." If they're so "mentally tough," why is Grady Little keeping two contenders for the batting title on the bench - allowing Mueller the opportunity to back into the crown on the last day of the season?

Sure, it's the better part of valor to keep two important parts of the lineup safe from injury before the playoffs begin. It's the safe thing to do. But "safe" sure isn't "mentally tough."

Ask anyone who ever watched Ted Williams play.

By Ed Moltzen · 28 September 2003

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Fact-checking Howard Dean

Howard Dean on "Face the Nation" with Bob Schieffer:

President Bush "let us believe Iraq had something to do with al Qaeda, he admitted that wasn’t true last week…"

Actually, here's what President Bush said in his interview with Brit Hume:

"And we had a feeling that groups like Ansar al-Islam would want to stay active I thought they were very active during Saddam's period -- that's the terrorist organization...Ansar al-Islam is an al Qaeda-affiliated group. You'll remember they were involved with this guy al-Zarqawi, who ordered the killing of our own Mr. Foley who was working in Jordan."

By Ed Moltzen · 28 September 2003

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D'oh!

DENVER, Colorado (AP) -- The office phone number of a federal judge who ruled last week that a national do-not-call registry is unconstitutional was among the thousands already on the list.

The FTC should ask for the ruling to be immediately thrown out, and the case assigned to a new judge.

By Ed Moltzen · 28 September 2003

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Calendar

Music Sacred Love By Sting. Available Sept. 30.

Music Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Radio Sunnydale By Various Artists. Available Sept. 30.

Books Blacklist: A V.I. Warshawski Novel By Sara Paretsky. Available Sept. 29.

Books A Mighty Heart: The Brave Life and Death of My Husband Danny Pearl By Mariane Pearl with Sara Crichton. Available Sept. 30.

Books Avenger By Frederick Forsythe. Available Sept. 30.

Sports Major League Baseball Division Series New York Yankees versus Minnesota Twins; Oakland A's versus Boston Red Sox; National League games TBD. Begins Sept. 30.

Politics U.S. Sen. John Edwards, Democratic presidential candidate, holds fundraisers in New York City. Sept. 30.

By Ed Moltzen · 27 September 2003

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Terrorist Of The Day: Ahmed Mohammed Hamed Ali

hamed ali.bmp

Name: Ahmed Mohammed Hamed Ali AKA Shuaib, Abu Islam Al-Surir, Ahmed Ahmed, Ahmed The Egyptian, Ahmed Hemed, Hamed Ali, Ahmed Shieb, Abu Islam, Ahmed Mohammed Ali, Ahmed Hamed, Ahmed Mohammed Abdurehman, Abu Khadiijah, Abu Fatima, Ahmad Al-Masri

Vital Info: Born approximately 1965 in Egypt. Dark hair, dark eyes, olive complexion. About 5'6'' to 5'8'' tall. Medium build. Speaks Arabic.

According to the FBI:

Ali may have formal training in agriculture and may have worked in this field. He lived in Kenya until fleeing that country on August 2, 1998, to Karachi, Pakistan. He is believed to currently be in Afghanistan

Wanted For: Ahmed Mohammed Hamed Ali is wanted in connection with the August 7, 1998, bombings of the United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya.

Narrative (via TerrorismCentral.com):

Ali, an Egyptian national, is one of five indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury on December 20, 2000, for the 1998 East African embassy bombings. Faces up to life in prison for his involvement. He is currently at large. **RF2** He reportedly did not play a direct role in the 1998 embassy bombings, but he did help train the Somalian gunmen who murdered 18 U.S. servicemen in 1993. American authorities are currently holding a man named Ihab Ali who may or may not have a relation to this man.

Reward: "$25 million for information leading directly to the apprehension and/or conviction of Ahmed Mohammed Hamed Ali." -- FBI

By Ed Moltzen · 27 September 2003

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"Michael Moore and Me..."

Megan McArdle points us to these folks, who are working on a documentary about Michael Moore.

The producers are looking for some seed money to get started. So far, they've sought a face-to-face interview with their subject, but he has, to date, not responded. Perhaps Moore has learned a thing or two from Roger Smith...

By Ed Moltzen · 27 September 2003

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Dean Watch

Earlier this week, Joe Trippi, campaign manager for Howard Dean, the presidential candidate and former Vermont governor, explained a public plea Dean was issuing for $5 million in campaign contributions over the last 10 days of September:

By setting the goal to raise $5 million in ten days and by doing so publicly, we have once again put the future of this campaign and our cause where it is supposed to be....in your hands.

Well, six days into this latest fundraising campaign - and with four days remaining - the Dean camp has collected $1.5 million. To reach the goal, Dean would need $500,000 a day in contributions. So far, they're averaging about $257,000 per day - about half of what's needed.

So now what? If the "future of this campaign" is in the hands of supporters, and supporters are shrugging, how will Dean respond? Stay tuned.

By Ed Moltzen · 27 September 2003

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No Winn-ah

There was no winner in last night's Mega Millions Lottery game, moving the jackpot for Tuesday's drawing up to $150 million.

So if you're in Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachussetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Virginia or Washington, and don't mind losing a buck, you have a couple of days to get in on the action.

By Ed Moltzen · 27 September 2003

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The "When His Ship Comes In, He'll Be At the Airport" Department

North Carolina Senator John Edwards is holding, essentially, his New York Coming Out Party next week, with two significant Manhattan fundraisers for his Democratic presidential campaign on Tuesday night.

One is a $500, $1,000, or $2,000-a-head fundraiser at 6:30 p.m., and the other is a $100- or $500-a-head deal from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Open bar until 9, according to the email he sent out to supporters.)

But if Edwards was counting on getting some press and attention in the Big Apple that night, he should have checked the sports pages. The Yankees start their League Division Series that night, most likely against the Twins at Yankee Stadium.

Edwards will probably make his money, and find a way to work a few good baseball cliches into his speeches, but he should expect to find any coverage of his stopover on the inside pages on Wednesday morning.

By Ed Moltzen · 26 September 2003

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"They Don't Write Like That Any More"

Carol Miller, one of the hippest "rock jocks" in New York radio during the '70s and '80s, writes on the New York Radio Message Board about a WNEW-FM reunion last night at the Hard Rock in Manhattan:

Just thought you guys should know that we had a wonderful WNEW reunion party at the Hard Rock last night, organized by former staffer Rosie Galvez. PD's, jocks, sales, engineers - a couple hundred or so. Everyone from Muni to Chernoff to Earl Douglas------the list goes on and on. Folks flew in from all coasts. Special surpise guest- Mel Karmazin himself.....They sure don't write 'em like that anymore.....

For those who grew up in New York in the '70s and '80s, there was, essentially, one place to go on the radio for long-play, album-oriented classic rock: 102.7 WNEW-FM. A few years ago, the station abruptly changed formats, went all-talk, and hired Opie & Anthony to headline a new lineup. O&A were fired last year after the infamous St. Patrick's Cathedral Sex Stunt, and radio station management flipped back to a "women's music" format, changing the station's nickname to "Blink 102.7."

In a later post, Miller can't resist another look back at the good old days, as well as the present day:

And to answer a couple of other posts - didn't hear any big business talk- just a million boisterous cordial and emotional conversations going on at once - photos, posters, videos being shown...no airchecks.....lots of photos taken - I'll put the word out to have them posted.......One regret - the evening went by so fast, it was over in a...blink!

By Ed Moltzen · 26 September 2003

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Death Watch

Convicted murderer Joseph E. Bates was executed today by the state of North Carolina, according to news reports.

By Ed Moltzen · 26 September 2003

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Terrorist Of The Day: "Ahmed the Tall"

Name: Sheikh Ahmed Salim Swedan, AKA Sheikh Ahmad Salem Suweidan, Sheikh Ahmed Salem Swedan, Sheikh Swedan, Sheikh Bahamadi, Ahmed Ally, Bahamad, Sheik Bahamad, Ahmed the Tall.

Dob. April 9, 1969. Height: 5'8'' to 6'0''. Weight: 175. Nationality: Kenya.

Official Info (Via the FBI):

Sheikh Ahmed Salim Swedan was indicted on December 16, 1998, in the Southern District of New York, for his alleged involvement in the August 7, 1998, bombings of the United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya, and for conspiring to kill U.S. nationals.

According to Interpol, he speaks Arabic, Enlish and Swahili.

Swedan is also listed as an al Qaeda defendant in this class action civil suit in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., by families of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Reward: $25 million for information leading to his capture and conviction.

By Ed Moltzen · 26 September 2003

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The Dilbert Slot Machine

Gaming company IGT, which makes slot machines and other gambling devices, is now selling its new "Dilbert Video Slot Machine" to casinos. Dilbert, the lovable loser created by Scott Adams (pictured), is a great comic.

But would you gamble in a slot machine themed after a lovable loser? Would you pump quarters into a "'62 Mets Slot Machine?" A "Michael Dukakis Video Poker" kiosk?

How about:

An Al Gore Slot Machine (You lose, but keep counting the two lemons and the banana over and over and over again, hoping at some point you'll win;)

A Gray Davis Slot Machine (You win, but the casino makes you play again hoping you'll lose;)

A Michael Moore Slot Machine (You win, but you piss off everyone in the casino and then spend the rest of your weekend in the buffet.)

By Ed Moltzen · 26 September 2003

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Even The Big Guns Don't Seem To Be Helping

Democratic presidential hopeful and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean continues to bring out the big guns in his effort to raise $5 million in the last 10 days of September.

Today, he's passing out an email donation pitch from actor/director Rob Reiner:

I’m doing everything in my power to support this campaign. Because I have reached the legal limit for personal financial contributions, I’m appealing to you and all of my friends to contribute whatever you can today. If everyone receiving this message gives something right now, we will shake the very foundation of the Bush money-for-influence machine and begin the restoration of honesty and dignity to our political process.

This follows a money pitch earlier this week from Mrs. Dean, Dr. Judith Steinberg.

For Dean to reach the $5 million mark, that amounts to $500,000 a day. To date, he's raised $1.3 million , or about $261,000 per day. That's a lot of money, but well short of his publicly stated goal. To be continued.

By Ed Moltzen · 26 September 2003

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Isn't It Safer To Just Get A Cable Show And Ask For Money?

This just in from federal prosecutors in Massachussetts:

A pentecostal minister from Hartford, Maine pleaded guilty today in federal court to a spree of five bank robberies stretching from Maine to Massachusetts in which he menaced tellers with the threat of a gun and with taking a hostage.
United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Kenneth W. Kaiser, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New England, announced today that JERRY HAYES, age 52, of 217H Tucker Road, Hartford, Maine, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Reginald C. Lindsay to a five-count information charging him with robbing a bank in Maine, one in New Hampshire and three in Massachusetts.

At the plea hearing, the prosecutor told the Court that, had the case proceeded to trial, the evidence would have proven that on March 31, 2003, HAYES entered the Maine Bank and Trust located at 780 Roosevelt Trail in Windham, Maine, approached a teller and handed her a letter which said on the outside, "Read this carefully." The teller opened the letter to find the following note written, "This is a bank robbery. I have a gun. Give me all your money. Don't pull any alarms." HAYES made off with $1,937 in cash.

Prosecutors detail several more, similar robberies in their press release. Where was the money going?

A subsequent investigation revealed that HAYES was laundering the proceeds of the bank robberies through a church account in the name of the Shema First Apostolic Assembly in Canton, Maine. HAYES had used funds from this account to purchase the firearm found in his possession when he was arrested on May 14, 2003.
HAYES is currently in federal custody and has been detained since his arrest on May 14, 2003. Judge Lindsay scheduled sentencing for January 5, 2004, at 2:00 p.m. HAYES faces a maximum penalty of 20 years' incarceration and a $250,000 fine on each of the five bank robberies.

Say, "Amen."

By Ed Moltzen · 26 September 2003

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For Sale: Saddam's Flag

What is being described as "an authentic Iraq Iraqi Flag From Hussein Palace" is being auctioned off on eBay. As of this writing, it's going for ninety-nine bucks:

Looted from one of Saddam's palaces by our troops, this is a very large Iraqi flag. It measures 11' x 7 1/2'. It is very thick and in great shape. Guaranteed authentic war souvenir. God bless our troops!

As if the "God bless" part makes the auction seem less creepy.

By Ed Moltzen · 26 September 2003

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To Sum It Up

The enemy isn't Osama bin Laden, it's not Saddam Hussein. It's not the African AIDS crisis or North Korean missiles.

According to Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean, at tonight's Democratic debate:
"...We need to remember that the enemy here is George Bush, not each other."

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS: Whoever is elected in 2004 will have to be president of the entire country, not just the Democratic party or the Republican party. Does calling the American president, during war time, "the enemy here" seem like a good start toward uniting the nation?

By Ed Moltzen · 25 September 2003

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Answers To Look For

In watching tonight's Democratic presidential candidates' debate, it would be interesting to get answers - in simple, declarative sentences - to these questions:

1) How will you exterminate al Qaeda?
2) How will you create jobs?
3) Will you make me pay more taxes?
4) Will I have to wait until I'm 70 to retire?

By Ed Moltzen · 25 September 2003

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Terrorist of the Day: Saif Al-Adel

Name: Saif Al-Adel, AKA Muhamad Ibrahim Makkawi, Seif Al Adel, Ibrahim Al-Madani.

Official Info (Via the FBI): Dates of birth used - April 11, 1963 and April 11, 1960. Place of Birth - Egypt. Hair - Dark. Eyes - Dark. Sex - Male. Complexion - Olive. Height, Weight & Build - Unknown.

Narrative:

Al-Adel is thought to be affiliated with the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ), and is believed to be a high-ranking member of the Al-Qaeda organization, currently in Afghanistan...
Saif Al-Adel is wanted in connection with the August 7, 1998, bombings of the United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya.

Reward: Up to $25 million for "information leading to the arrest or conviction, in any country, of those people listed above."

By Ed Moltzen · 25 September 2003

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How about these cannolis, White?

And a happy birthday goes out to Phil Rizzuto, out there in New Jersey, who I'm sure will be celebrating with his lovely wife, Cora and their family. Which reminds me of the time I was playing golf out near Lancaster, Pennsylvania...

By Ed Moltzen · 25 September 2003

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Dean Slump

Howard Dean's presidential campaign has set a fundraising goal of $5 million for the last ten days of the quarter. As of 4 a.m. this morning, the campaign still hasn't broken the $1 million mark.

The former Vermont governor has, up until now, met or exceeded every public goal he's set so this may only add fuel to the theory that his presidential campaign is losing steam. Of course, after tonight's Democratic candidates debate in New York, depending on how many gaffes by retired Gen. Wesley Clark, Dean may find himself back on track.

Right now, Dean has six days to raise $4 million - to meet a very public goal - or he'll have some explaining to do.

By Ed Moltzen · 25 September 2003

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Terrorist Of The Day

Editor's Note: Late Final begins a new feature, "Terrorist Of The Day." The idea is to start posting information on wanted terrorists and perhaps start getting the information circulated.

Name: Dr. Ramadan Abdullah, AKA Dr. Ramadan Abdullah Shallah, Ramadan Abdalla Mohamed Shallah.

Official Info (via U.S. Treasury Department):

ABDALLAH, Ramadan (a.k.a. ABDULLAH, Dr. Ramadan; a.k.a. SHALLAH, Dr. Ramadan Abdullah; a.k.a. SHALLAH, Ramadan Abdalla Mohamed), Damascus, Syria; Secretary General of the PALESTINIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD; DOB 01 Jan 1958; POB Gaza City, Gaza Strip; SSN 589-17-6824 (U.S.A.); Passport No. 265 216 (Egypt) (individual) [SDT]

Narrative: Abdallah was a University of South Florida professor and, according to this report, "a Palestinian exile with a Ph.D. in economics who had lived in the United States since 1990." He is a suspected leader of Islamic Jihad, which has been designated a terrorist organization and is also suspected in a variety of terrorist acts since 1988.

He reportedly moved from Florida to Syria in 1996.

By Ed Moltzen · 24 September 2003

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4 Million Reasons For Dean To Worry

Earlier this week, Joe Trippi, the campaign manager for former Vermont governor and current presidential hopeful Howard Dean, publicly set a goal for the campaign to raise $5 million in ten days. That comes out to $500,000 a day.

As of 1 o'clock this morning, the campaign had raised $819,070. That comes to $273,000 a day. And that was after his wife sent out an email to thousands of supporters, asking for contributions.

With seven days left, there is obviously time for Dean to reach the $5 million-in-ten-days mark. But right now, it looks like the Dean Army is stuck in a quagmire. If he starts publicly missing high-profile goals, while rivals like Wesley Clark start winning mind share, this could be the start of a downward spiral.

Dean is four million dollars short of this goal, and that could mean four million reasons to worry.

By Ed Moltzen · 24 September 2003

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To Kill, Or Not To Kill

North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley is considering clemency for convicted killer Joseph E. Bates, who faces execution this week for murdering a man in 1990.

Bates' supporters say he had suffered from brain damage at the time of the slaying, but jurors at his murder trial never got to consider that before sentencing Bates to the death penalty.

By Ed Moltzen · 24 September 2003

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Attention, Boston

The 2003 American League East Division Champions, the New York Yankees.

By Ed Moltzen · 24 September 2003

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Iraq, Bias and The Press

Is media bias against a successful Iraq reconstruction emboldening enemy troops/terrorists and leading to the deaths of American servicemen and women?

U.S. Congressman Jim Marshall, a Democrat, says he thinks it might.

War and Bush critic Josh Marshall, at TalkingPointsMemo.com, says that criticism "doesn't get much lower than that."

To which Glenn Reynolds makes a well-reasoned point:

It's the lazy Vietnam-templating, the "of course America must be losing" spin, the implicit and sometimes explicit sneer, and the relentless bringing to the fore of every convenient negative fact while suppressing the positive ones that's the issue. It's what the terrorists are counting on, and it's what too many in the media are happy to deliver, because they think it'll hurt Bush.
And it doesn't get any lower than that.

It was six months ago that retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey was suggesting the battle of Baghdad could last for a long time and cost the U.S. upward of 3,000 casualties. It would be the "q" word all over again.

The prediction went around the world for several news cycles.

Within days - days - major combat operations were over and Saddam Hussein was forced from power.

Probably no one can say whether the Bush-is-losing-the-peace crowd is emboldening the 20-something, Arab-speaking fanatical suicide bombers that are crawling out of their holes in Iraq to kill people. But in another six months to a year, we'll all be able to say whether they are as misguided and outrageously wrong as McCaffrey.

Meanwhile, in addition to the deaths of American servicemen and women in Iraq, there really have been successes - including here, here, here, here, here and here - that haven't been too difficult to find.

Many small-town American newspapers would cover these events - road construction, sewage system upgrades, troops entertaining orphans, creation of a big-city police department from scratch - if they happened locally. That they are all part of a historic reconstruction of an oppressed country to help fight the U.S. war on terror make them all the more newsworthy. Yet nobody is writing about them. At the very least, people should be asking, "Why not?"

By Ed Moltzen · 23 September 2003

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Dean's Wife Asks For Money

Judy Steinberg, whose husband, Howard Dean, is the former Vermont governor and current Democratic presidential hopeful, has sent out an email to his supporters, asking for money:

With your help the Dean for America campaign has made tremendous strides. The “experts” are surprised by the exponential growth of the campaign.
Howard is grateful for everyone’s generosity, appreciative of the opportunity to discuss his issues and determined to run a winning campaign. The polls show Howard is now leading in key states and moving up in several others. And, more important to him personally, he is shaping the debate on so many critical issues like reproductive rights, access to health care for all Americans and fiscal restraint.

For Howard a campaign is about ideas, passion, and the desire for change . . . not a “money chase.” But to defeat George W. Bush and the millions that will be raised by his "Pioneers" and "Rangers", we need the financial help of every American who cares about our cause and about changing America for the better.

And so I will ask you on his behalf to once again consider making a contribution to help his campaign for President.

In her email, Steinberg also explains that she's not a politician, that her focus has been on her own medical practice as a physician, and that she believes her husband would be a great president. Until now she's stayed out of the campaign.

But Dean has asked supporters to pony up $5 million in campaign contributions in a 10-day span (to close out the quarter before FEC reports are filed), at the same time he's been fighting for attention against a California gubernatorial recall election and the insurgent campaign of retired Gen. Wesley Clark. Steinberg becomes the first candidate's spouse to ask for money this publicly, in what could be seen as a sign of urgency out of Burlington.

By Ed Moltzen · 23 September 2003

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Corruption Watch: Bookkeeper Allegedly Steals $46K From Ossie Davis' Company

Westchester prosecutors have charged a Bronx woman with embezzling $46,000 from a New Rochelle production company:

It is alleged that between July 24, and December 18, 2000, while employed as a bookkeeper, the defendant fraudulently transferred assets from the bank account of Emmalyn II Productions Company, Inc., to her personal credit card account to pay for personal expenditures.
The case was investigated by the Westchester County Economic Crimes Bureau, the defendant was arrested and arraigned in New Rochelle City Court on Friday, September 19, 2003. Grand Larceny in the Third Degree is a class D felony punishable by a maximum of 7 years in prison.

What is the Emmalyn II Productions Company? A production outfit co-founded by actor Ossie Davis.

By Ed Moltzen · 22 September 2003

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Clark Points Weapon At Own Foot; Pulls Trigger

Robert Novak outlines an incident in which then-Gen. Wesley Clark met with, and traded uniform hats with, Serbian war criminal Ratko Mladic in 1994. Matt Drudge ran a photo of the hat-swapping incident on his web site.

In the photo, the jocularity between Clark, who would rise to the rank of NATO Supreme Commander, and Mladic is unmistakeable.

For a more in-depth look at Mladic, his indictment on war crimes , as well as his wanted poster from Interpol, are available on the Web.

What is clear is that at the time Clark and Mladic were exchanging guffaws and smiles over the exchange of military hats, Mladic had already begun his campaign of ethnic cleansing, according to his war crimes indictment:

# From May 1992, Bosnian Serb Forces under the command and control of General Ratko MLADIC took control of municipalities in the Serbian Republic of BiH, primarily in the northwestern region of BiH known as the Bosnian Krajina and in eastern Bosnia. In these municipalities, the Bosnian Serb Forces participated in a campaign of persecutions to drive the non-Serb populations from these territories.
Thousands of non-Serbs were deported or forcibly transferred from these municipalities. Many non-Serbs were killed, and many others were held in detention facilities, where they were physically and psychologically abused and subjected to cruel and inhumane conditions. In addition, non-Serb homes, businesses, and religious sites and property were looted, destroyed and/or appropriated.

It's unlikely, at the time of the hat-swapping, Clark knew the full extent of Mladic's campaign of genocide. But now Clark is running a presidential campaign in which he says, essentially, "trust me with dealing with foriegn leaders, because I can do better than President Bush."

If he could be hoodwinked so cleanly by such a genocidal maniac once, Clark may want to consider explaining why he won't let other genocidal maniacs hoodwink him again.

By Ed Moltzen · 22 September 2003

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A Step Closer to Oral Roberts?

Howard Dean's campaign is taking one more step toward adopting an Oral Roberts "give-me-money-or-The-Lord-will-call-me-home" fundraising strategy.

In an email to supporters of the former Vermont governor and current Democratic presidential candidate, campaign manager Joe Trippi spells out the campaign's key goal for the coming weeks:

In his email to you yesterday, Governor Dean said ï¿½time will tell whether the special interests and the Bush administration have underestimated me. But I know in my heart that they have underestimated you.ï¿½
And yesterday, we did something unprecedented in American politics. By setting the goal to raise $5 million in ten days and by doing so publicly, we have once again put the future of this campaign and our cause where it is supposed to be....in your hands.

The truth is that there are now more than 412,000 Dean supporters, and if each and every one of us contributes $100 to our campaign, we not only will have surpassed our goalï¿½we will have changed America's politics forever...

What Trippi doesn't explain is, if the economy is as awful as Democrats make it sound, how that many Americans would find an extra $100 sitting around - especially after so many other fundraising pleas.

By Ed Moltzen · 22 September 2003

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California's Law and Order Deficit (Continued)

They're making murderous gang members in L.A. younger and younger, according to the LAPD:

Los Angeles : On September 18, 2003, at about 8:00 a.m., victims 21 year-old Kevin Jones and a 16 year- old male companion, were seated in a vehicle stopped for the Metro Line train at 103rd Street and Grandee Avenue. Two male Black juvenile suspects, 14 and 16 years of age, approached the vehicle and without warning both took out handguns and began firing at the vehicle. Both victims inside the vehicle were shot. The suspects then ran away from the area.
The Los Angeles City Fire Department paramedics transported the victims to a local hospital where Jones succumbed to his wounds and was pronounced dead. The juvenile victim is listed in serious condition.

However, there is a decent chance that at least one candidate running in the California gubernatorial recall election will take notice of the state's rising crime rates:

"Man Arrested On Property Owned By Arnold Schwarzenegger"

Los Angeles: On September 15, 2003, 32 year old Richard Sathianathan was arrested by West Los Angeles Police officers at property owned by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Officers were called to the Pacific Palisades property by private security guards. Sathianathan was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Los Angeles County Twin Towers Detention Facility.

By Ed Moltzen · 22 September 2003

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Attention, Boston

The Yankees' Magic Number is now 2.

By Ed Moltzen · 21 September 2003

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Execution Watch: North Carolina

North Carolina is set to execute Joseph E. Bates this week in connection with the 1990 murder of Charles Jenkins.

Bates' supporters argue that the death penalty should be set aside, saying a jury was not permitted to hear evidence of his mental problems. (They say Bates suffered head trauma that resulted in paranoia and delusions.)

According to TheDeathHouse.com, Bates made sure his victim, Jenkins, also suffered head trauma:

Bates attacked Jenkins when the victim had asked him to give him a ride home in his vehicle. During the drive, Bates stopped and struck Jenkins three times with a shovel - and struck him again when the victim began to moan. Bates then drove Jenkins to a "camp site" he had set up following the break-in at his home. While at the camp site, Bates asked Jenkins who had shot into his home. When Jenkins mentioned two people who were involved, Bates was not satisfied with the answer, court documents stated. Bates then held a gun to Jenkins' throat and asked for more information. When Jenkins said he didn't know anything more, Bates took him to the back of a truck and shot him, federal appeals court documents stated. In his confession to lawmen, Bates said he "shot him . . . because he acted like he knew who had shot into my house, he spit on me and told me to go to hell, and this made me mad and I shot him," the appeals documents reported.

Bates is scheduled to die on Sept. 26.

By Ed Moltzen · 21 September 2003

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Opie and Anthony Revisited

Gregg "Opie" Hughes - one half of the Opie & Anthony radio duo - is counting down the time left until contractual obligations expire and the pair can re-emerge with a new show on the airwaves. The two were fired last year after their syndicated show on WNEW-FM sponsored a sex stunt at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City:

The clock continues to tick! Here's the worse case scenario: 8 1/2 months left in our forced exile before radio rocks again!

Opie also says an email he sent to a fan, that explained his view of Infinity Broadcasting's cancellation of the Opie & Anthony Show and is circulating on the Internet, was authentic. In that email, he explains is immediate reaction to getting fired and the media attention it all attracted:

Ant, Jimmy, Bob and I went back to my apartment just in time to see the breaking news on every single news station. Opie and Anthony have been fired. Honestly, the next few hours are a complete blur. I know we sent someone out to get beer and pizza as we sat and watched all the coverage. The remote got a work-out as we flipped around to watch people that had no business being on tv discuss us. Most of these idiots never once sat down and listened to one of our radio shows but they were experts on us anyway. They immediately labeled us shock jocks which has always been an insult to Ant and I. Granted, there was a shock element to our show but it was also so much more. The reason the show has worked for the past 8+ years is simple…..we made people laugh consistently day in and day out. Period!

For those unfamiliar with the Opie & Anthony Show, or the controversy that got the duo fired, here is a zip file of PDF'd transcript of their fateful St. Patrick's-sex-stunt show.

By Ed Moltzen · 21 September 2003

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