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The Best Line Of The Day
By now, hardcore bloggers and Minnesota newspaper readers know that columnist Nick Coleman took some shots at his archrivals at Power Line yesterday. Nick Coleman is a columnist at the same newspaper as James Lileks, and, obviously lots of people want to know Lileks' take on the whole thing. (Will he say mean things about fellow bloggers? Will he say mean things about a fellow columnist?) Lileks, true to form, gives us this:
He winds up walking a fine line, but his opening grafs sort of put it all into perspective. There are a lot more important things going on this week besides a whiney newspaper columnist taking some public shots at a lawyer and banker who blog. But as long as the subject was raised, here's a thought: Before blogs came along, journalists would go out of their way to talk to people like the Power Line guys for dirt, for perspective for balance or for yuks. But the minute those same sources cut out the middlemen and bring their perspective to the public directly, writers like Coleman start deriding them. It just doesn't look good. By Ed Moltzen · 30 December 2004
A Few Good Men and Women
From a recent CIA job posting:
There's more in the posting if you follow the link. By Ed Moltzen · 29 December 2004
On A Legend
Wayne Barrett's tribute to the late Jack Newfield, who died last week, is a must read for anyone who believes in advocacy journalism, writing or just plain citizenship:
Jack Newfield was angry without being shrill. He was hard, but he was fair. His work of lists - like "The Ten Worst Judges In New York" - took what would normally be considered opinion and built a common sense look at simply awful, awful people. If the job of a newspaperman is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable, Jack Newfield did his job and then some. He'll be missed. By Ed Moltzen · 28 December 2004
Reserve A Table Now
From Jan. 24 through Jan. 28 and Jan. 31 through Feb. 4, it's New York City's "Restaurant Week 2005," where you can get meals at reduced prices in some of Manhattan's best places to eat. But, since you read Amy Langfield's NewYorkology every day to see what's doing in town, you probably already knew that. And if you don't read it, this is your chance to bookmark it and get into the habit. By Ed Moltzen · 28 December 2004
Millions Served
Last week, a clerk at a Long Island Best Buy had this to say: "Sorry. We have no more Sirius radios, or accessories, in the store. In fact, the whole region is out. Basically, right now, you can't buy a Sirius radio on Long Island." Sold out. And then, yesterday, this news crossed the wires: SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO PASSES ONE MILLION SUBSCRIBERS The company says better hardware, good reviews and aggressive marketing are paying off. They refrained from taking a swipe at the lousy programming offered by broadcast radio. (Sirius, by the way, still trails XM by a 3-to-1 margin.) In total, that's 4 million, hardcore radio listeners - who, apparently, have spending money - who are gone from broadcast (and broadcast advertisers) forever. By Ed Moltzen · 28 December 2004
From Under His Rock...
Osama bin Laden has sent out another cave-gram, putting his and Musab al Zarqawi's reputation on the line in their effort to thwart next month's elections in Iraq:
Why would bin Laden put his personal prestige on the line in fighting against the inevitable: next month's elections? If there was no nexus between Saddam Hussein's government and bin Laden - truly no connection at all - why would the bloodthirsty madman even bother with it? Against this backdrop, the drumbeat of defeatism continues from the left. Here's Kos:
If this were truly a meat grinder for Americans, why would bin Laden sound so worried? If Iraq was only a "diversion from the war on terror," why would bin Laden even care? Maybe because it's not just America that's about to pin another embarrassing loss on him. But bin Laden is about to lose a critical battle to Muslims. Iraqis know this. Prime Minister Allawi said this during his famous White House press conference last fall:
Bin Laden doesn't want a political process, because he can't win it. And if the world sees he can't even win over other Muslims in one of the most important battles al Qaeda has yet waged, they'll view him as a laughingstock. If they can view him at all. For now, all we have are cave-grams. MORE: At Hell To Pay, we get this take: "Okay, we all knew bin Laden was a giggly little half-cooked meatball, but now he’s just plain dumb." Tiger Hawk also has some thoughts. By Ed Moltzen · 27 December 2004
Reconstruction Update
Quietly, the pest hole is being rebuilt into a city again:
Since Halliburton hasn't gotten the contracts, but Iraqis have with some help from U.S. military, there hasn't been an awful lot of press about it. By Ed Moltzen · 27 December 2004
Time Is Relative
Redsugar Muse, written by Tanya, is six years old. She notes, "In blog years, I think that means the Egyptian pyramids were just being built..." But blogs use less slave labor. Much less. By Ed Moltzen · 27 December 2004
The Bush Treatment..Well, Maybe Not
Bob Kohn writes that The New York Times recently gave Democratic New York gubernatorial candidate Eliot Spitzer coverage very similar to what it's given President Bush. But then The Times quickly corrected itself:
By Ed Moltzen · 27 December 2004
Fish, Barrel, Etc.
It didn't take long for the folks at Democratic Underground to make their feelings known regarding President Bush's condolences and offer of help to those affected by the Asian earthquake, including and not limited to:
In all seriousness, the board's moderator did delete at least one message on the topic... MORE: Confederate Yankee calls it "a new D.U. record." By Ed Moltzen · 27 December 2004
Back In Town
Long Island roads are now, officially, the most dangerous they've ever been since the Meoszoic Age. On the plus side, New York State's Department of Transportation knows how bad it is. On the down side, a 24-hour advance warning didn't help them prepare any better to make the roads any less deadly. By Ed Moltzen · 26 December 2004
Dominick Dunne on Larry King
CNN aired an interview last night between Larry King and Dominick Dunne. They talked for an hour, but King didn't ask Dunne once - not a single time - about the Gary Condit case. It wasn't even mentioned. Somehow, the legacy of Swifty Lazar doesn't seem to have the same immediacy... By Ed Moltzen · 23 December 2004
Winners and Losers
Fred Dicker of the New York Post names his winners and losers for 2004. Top on his loser list: New York Gov. George Pataki:
Pataki oversaw a Republican organization that ran Howard Mills for U.S. Senate against Sen. Chuck Schumer - and Mills' campaign became one of the most pathetic in state history. At the same time, Schumer, Sen. Hillary Clinton and state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer have all become stars among national Democrats with little to no opposition in their home state. When he stunned the country by beating Mario Cuomo for the governorship, Pataki did so largely on a campaign that pledged to restore the death penalty to New York. He signed capital punishment back into law, but it was a law so flawed that not a single New York killer has been executed since and the state's highest court, essentially, threw the law out this year. Pataki also signed legislation designed to make commuting easier - by creating more night-time road construction in the state. Ever since, more and more construction has been moved to daytime hours again and navigating the Long Island Expressway is, again, a joke. And, as Dicker points out, New York is still the most heavily taxed state in the country. Possibly the one positive is that, if Pataki runs for another term, New York will likley be spared the same fate as Washington. By Ed Moltzen · 23 December 2004
NY Times Correction Du Jour
For those of you who had trouble finding it in Google, or the phone book:
By Ed Moltzen · 22 December 2004
Pop States Vs. Soda States
New York isn't a Blue State. It's a Green State, at least according to this map. (Not counting Buffalo.) (Via Jonah Goldberg.) By Ed Moltzen · 21 December 2004
Jack Newfield Dies
Jack Newfield, the great reporter and writer and friend and biographer of Bobby Kennedy, has died. He was 66. By Ed Moltzen · 21 December 2004
Merry Christmas, History Junkies
Last night, Time announced:
So, it's now possible to read everything ever written to the beginning of Time. This is genius, and could put the burden on other institutions (The New York Times, The Washington Post, etc.) to do the same. Eventually, we may see the networks make every minute of their newscasts available online via streaming media. Time allows you to do a complete search for free, and read a synopsis of articles for free. If you want to read an entire article from its archive, you receive a prompt to subscribe to the magazine. So...What was news the week you were born? By Ed Moltzen · 21 December 2004
Snowblogging
The New York metro area received its first smack in the face from winter this morning. Between one and three inches of icy snow, and a brisk wind in 14 degree temperatures hit the area. The Long Island Expressway moved slowly, but steadily with surprisingly few spinouts or accidents as of about 7 a.m. (There was still plenty of time left in the morning rush, though.) No snow photos, yet, because it was just typically gray and dank and cold and not worth photographing.
MORE: This shot at the right, via the New York City DOT, shows pretty clear sailing on the Cross Island Expressway at Union Turnpike. By Ed Moltzen · 20 December 2004
"Michael Jackson Is Bigger Than Santa Claus"
Michael Jackson's web site proclaims, "Michael Jackson Is Bigger Than Santa Claus!" The alleged child molester threw a party for children at his "Neverland" ranch:
It may be a little too late for his family and friends to throw an intervention, but a judge and jury will have that opportunity next year. By Ed Moltzen · 19 December 2004
NY Times Correction Du Jour
All we are saying is give percussion a chance:
By Ed Moltzen · 18 December 2004
Boot Licking, Etc.
Late Final did not provide coverage of last night's finale of "The Apprentice," but a reader offered this review of Thursday night's program in the comments on this post:
Without the benefit of even having watched the program, one would wonder why someone with Harvard and Princeton on her resume would enter a game show for a job. By Ed Moltzen · 17 December 2004
Inaugural Balls
Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie has sent out a note to folks on the Bush-Cheney '04 mailing list, and is looking ahead to inauguration day:
It'll be fun to watch on TV, for a few minutes anyway. But the greatest inaugural in American history was, without a doubt, Gerald Ford's. No parades. No dancing. No fireworks. Just Nixon on a helicopter flashing the double-V. Understated, elegant and a relief to a country sick of Watergate and Vietnam, Ford's swearing-in ceremony was brief and to the point. He calmed a lot of people down when he said, on Aug. 9, 1974: "My fellow Americans, our long, national nightmare is over." (Well, this year it might not be over for the Blue States.) Now, when the troops start coming home from Iraq after the job is finished...that will be worthy of fireworks. Until then, something understated might go over a little better on Jan. 20. By Ed Moltzen · 17 December 2004
Yankees Getting Randy
Randy Johnson is coming to the Yankees. If Yankee fans can accept Roger Clemens, they can forget about the 1995 playoffs, too, and welcome the 6'10''- future Hall of Famer. Word of advice, Randy: You might want to slouch down a bit when you're getting into the Number 4 train to the stadium. By Ed Moltzen · 17 December 2004
In Sickness and In Better Health Than Single Folks
The CDC has pronounced married people, generally, are healthier than singles:
Some precious gems from this report, include, "Married adults are less likely to be limited in various activities, including work and other activities of daily living." (Emphasis added.) In other words, "Less likely to have a chance to relax." And a warning, "Adults who live in cohabiting relationships are more likely to have health problems than married adults and more closely resemble divorced and separated adults." If you read the full report, here's the kicker: "The first hypothesis—that married adults are healthier than unmarried adults—was generally supported. Married persons were healthier for nearly every measure of health — the one important exception being body weight status." In other words, once you pass the test and she says "I do," it's Game Over! You don't have to worry about doing those crunches every morning to impress somebody. The report's authors obviously have never heard the phrase, "You look good, you feel good." Your tax dollars at work. By Ed Moltzen · 16 December 2004
Fewer Commercials
According to a writer on the New York Radio Message Board, Clear Channel radio stations start playing fewer commercials today. (Earlier this year, Clear Channel said the fewer-commercial policy would start on Jan. 1, 2005.) Fewer commercials are still more commercials than satellite. It will be worth keeping an eye (and ear) on, though, to see if it makes much of a difference. By Ed Moltzen · 15 December 2004
The Paris Review
The Paris Review, the literary journal originally founded in 1953 by George Plimpton, Harold L.Humes, and Peter Matthiessen, has re-launched its web site. Much of the content is just a teaser and you have to pay to read it in its entirety. But it offers this quote from author Tobias Wolf on the perils of distraction: "All I need is a window not to write." By Ed Moltzen · 15 December 2004
Who Cares About The Weblog Awards?
As of this moment, this blog is ranked fourth - fourth! - on Google for this search term. By Ed Moltzen · 14 December 2004
Poll Watch, 2008
Like a dope peddler on a dark, inner city block looking for junkies, Scott Rasmussen is back at it. He's giving poll addicts - jonesing since Nov. 2 - a new fix. His Rasmussen Reports finds that Sen. Hillary Clinton would be starting off in the hole if she decides to run for president in '08:
The reason? The dreaded gender gap:
That's OK: Another pro-Iraq War candidate started out slow during the last campaign, but still managed to pull out a win. And at this point in the '92 cycle, Sen. Clinton's husband was in single digits. By Ed Moltzen · 14 December 2004
Good Guys Versus The Bad Guys
U.S.-trained Iraqi cops and National Guard troops are starting to win some battles by themselves:
Nothing succeeds like success, so this would appear to be a good sign. By Ed Moltzen · 14 December 2004
That Was Then...
Josh Marshall has written 18 posts on his site, since Friday night, on the Bernard Kerik scandal. Eighteen. One-eight. If all the allegations about Kerik are true, he's a bad man and shouldn't have been allowed in government at most levels. He shouldn't have passed the vetting and he shouldn't have been nominated for DHS secretary. But eighteen posts? One possible reason for the All-Kerik-All-The-Time treatment from the left: It's the only, real personal ethical issue they've had in four years coming out of the Bush Administration. By contrast, here's what they had to defend (or forget) the last time they had a favored candidate win the White House:
Janet Reno became Attorney General when nominee Zoe Baird (and then, later, Kimba Wood) was caught in a nanny scandal. The Clinton Justice Department also had the embarrassment of Webb Hubbell, who admitted stealing from his former law firm before becoming the second-highest ranking official under Reno.
Henry Cisneros, Clinton’s first HUD secretary, quit in disgrace after it came out that he had lied to federal agents about cash payments to a former mistress. In 1999, Cisneros pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of lying to the FBI about the arrangement. (One of the allegations against Kerik is that he cheated on his wife.) There are more comparisons that could be made. The late Commerce Secretary Ron Brown died a hero – in a plane crash in the Balkans on a trade mission for his country. But he was also under investigation at the time for some of his business dealings. Then there were then-First Lady Hillary Clinton's commodities dealings. Oh, and that thing with the intern and, well, never mind... Kerik lost out on a good job and is likely finished in government. But when compared to what was supposed to have been "the most ethical" administration in American history during the '90s, you can see how Marshall and others have been waiting, just waiting, for their turn. By Ed Moltzen · 13 December 2004
Happy Holidays, Long Island!
For the first time in months on Long Island, it's possible to find a gas station selling regular for under two bucks a gallon. This is from the Gulf station on Jericho Turnpike in Jehrico, N.Y. Sure, OPEC is going to cut production again and prices will rise again. But the next couple of weeks will provide a little less pain. By Ed Moltzen · 13 December 2004
Norman Mailer on Writing
Norman Mailer gave this interview, saying he thinks the Great American Novel has gone the way of the 5-act play. Journalism has also been less good for writing than you might believe, he suggests:
If journalism is bad for writing, what about blogging? With blogging, you write faster and you don't have to meet a single person. In about thirty or forty years we'll probably know the answer. By Ed Moltzen · 13 December 2004
The Youth Vote, Off-Season Report
MSNBC's Dana Falvo, a "twenty-something," says she's quite concerned about her retirement but other folks her age - not so much:
So that's where The Youth Vote goes once Election Day is over. By Ed Moltzen · 12 December 2004
The Godfather, And An Offer Not Refused
The New York Yankees have signed Carl Pavano (18-8 last year with the Marlins). What made the difference? According to reports, Joe Torre made a call to Pavano that made up the pitcher's mind which team to pick in his free agent year. Said his agent, Scott Shapiro, "Carl told me point blank that he would go to war for the guy." This is the best story for Yankee fans since September. By Ed Moltzen · 12 December 2004
The Natural
Nobody took more heat over the downing of TWA Flight 800 than Jim Kallstrom.
Witnesses stepped forward, saying they saw what looked to be a rocket hit the New York-to-Paris flight in mid-air. Rumors, photographs and videos all circulated - backing the idea that anti-American terrorists were responsible. Bit by bit, piece by piece, the plane was plucked out of the waters off Long Island and reassembled. Witnesses were interviewed, worldwide. Tests were run. And still, the rumors and theories ran rampant. And then Kallstrom made an announcement:
He took the heat but held his ground: There was just no evidence terrorists were involved. Kallstrom headed up an organization that put Ramzi Yousef and Sheik Abdel Rahman, the blind cleric, behind bars for terrorism. Yet, he wasn't afraid to tell a public full of skeptics when evidence pointed to a spark in a gas tank rather than an evil plot. He called it like he saw it. Kallstrom left the FBI after decades of rousting mobsters and terrorists, of emerging as one of New York City's top cops with a federal badge. A month after Sept. 11, 2001, he took the job running New York State's Office of Public Safety. Two major airports, one of the world's largest, pristine open water supplies, major bridges, tunnels and stadiums became his focus. Now that Bernie Kerik has withdrawn his name as the president's nominee to run the Department of Homeland Security, the time might be right for another former top cop from New York City. In an era when we don't know whether to fear an orange alert or make fun of it, it might help to have a guy in charge who's not afraid to to let everybody know what he thinks. By Ed Moltzen · 11 December 2004
Homeland Security
Bernard Kerik won't be Secretary of Homeland Security. How about retired Gen. Mike DeLong? If not him, how about Jim Kallstrom? By Ed Moltzen · 11 December 2004
Fed Up
It's hard to say when we'll reach the tipping point, but this Gallup poll notes the obvious: we're fed up with pro sports and things better change, starting with baseball:
The only professional sports that don't seem to have bad raps these days are bowling and NASCAR (well, NASCAR if you live in a red state, anyway.) Baseball's got a steroids problem. The NBA has a violence problem. Football always seems to be on thin ice with one controversy or another. Hockey? Hey - has anybody seen hockey lately? Collectors, you may want to trade in your Barry Bonds baseball card for that Earl Anthony autograph. By Ed Moltzen · 10 December 2004
The Lottery, 2004
Well, it's a great joke if you don't drive 33 miles to the Connecticut border for Powerball tickets, and then lose. To somebody who drove in the other direction to Pennsylvania. By Ed Moltzen · 9 December 2004
Spitzer's Blog
New York AG Eliot Spitzer is running for governor and he has a blog. His entry confirming his candidacy was met by some pretty funny comments on everything from his position on the Iraq war to his grammar. Spitzer says:
Granted, he still has 23 months until Election Day 2006. But if he's talking about eliminating gridlock, good luck. The New York Legislature has the same type of Incumbent Protection Plan as Congress, with Republicans controlling the Senate and Democrats controlling the Assembly. Budgets are late every year, the word "reform" is a punchline and sexual predators have been given open entry into the highest levels of government in Albany. If Spitzer can be anywhere near as frank in his discussion of state government as he has been about Wall Street, it would be a good start. He has 23 months to make his case. By Ed Moltzen · 9 December 2004
Web
Alan Sniffen broke the story that one of New York's all-news AM radio stations, WCBS-AM 88, will be streaming their broadcasts over the web. In addition, WCBS is forming a "Listener Advisory Council." WCBS is one of Infinity Broadcasting's two news stations in New York (WINS being the other.) It's an important property and these two steps are probably not something that would have happened a year or more ago. It appears clear that Infinity is very fearful of losing listeners, losing revenue and become less relevant with every new subscriber XM Radio and Sirius pick up. Infinity, by and large, has avoided leveraging the web to keep a hold of people's ears. Inviting listeners into the decisions of one of its most important radio stations isn't a light step, either. It's pretty interesting to see what a little competition can do, isn't it? By Ed Moltzen · 9 December 2004
Imagine
John Lennon (Dec. 3, 1938-Dec. 8, 1980) Where were you when you found out he had died? Update: Vivid recollections have been written at A Small Victory and American Digest. By Ed Moltzen · 8 December 2004
Location, Location, Location. (And Cheap Rent)
How serious is the controversy over rent-controlled apartments in New York City?
Evidently he didn't do what many New York City landlords do in this situation: bring in a new immigrant/tenant, put him in an apartment below the rent controlled one, and give a rent discount if they boil cabbage and animal entrails all day near a building vent. By Ed Moltzen · 8 December 2004
Barbra Asks
Late Final answers: Here's why. By Ed Moltzen · 7 December 2004
Mainstream or Not?
Oliver Willis is arguing that fundamentalists Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell are mainstream Republicans, while certain divisive Democrats are just fringe:
Let's go one by one, shall we? Jesse Jackson Here is what Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said about him this year: "His legacy as one of our most powerful civil rights leaders and his lifetime commitment to improving the lives of all Americans has inspired Senator Edwards and me for many years." Al Sharpton Kerry on Sharpton: "Over the course of the past year, I have come to appreciate the warmth and candor Reverend Al Sharpton exhibited in so many primary debates and forums across America. No one can argue with his ability to cut through the double-talk we see coming from this Administration." Maxine Waters If she is not considered "mainstream" for a Democrat, she sure does get a lot of support from mainstream Democratic special interest groups. Cynthia McKinney Her financial disclosures are not available. And while it may be true that she doesn't enjoy the warm embrace of other Democrats, the Communist Party thinks her re-election was "good news!" Dennis Kucinich He's a long-time congressman from, and former mayor of a Major League U.S. City. (A city, by the way, where Democrats gave huge credibility to the same voters that keep sending Kucinich to Washington.) And Kerry did give him props, along with other Democratic presidential contenders this year, with praise for "fighting" against the Republican agenda. The bottom line: It's not your dad's Democratic Party. (Remember Hubert Humphrey? Ed Muskie? LBJ? Scoop Jackson? Bobby Kennedy? Tip O'Neill? Shirley Chisolm? Barbara Jordan? Joe Califano?) If Robertson and Falwell are mainstream Republicans, boy did they get gipped! At the Republican Convention, they didn't even prime time speaking slots like Giuliani, McCain and Zell Miller, a Democrat. They didn't even get to sit in special box seats, like Michael Moore did at the Democratic National Convention. By Ed Moltzen · 7 December 2004
The Only List You'll Need
Folks, with every music radio station producing a Top Bazillion Songs Of All Time List between now and Jan. 1, you may want to know this: The only Best Song of All Time List you'll need is here. There will be a full explanation of that list here. "But there's no Nat King Cole on that list," you say. Well, it's a work in progress. Give it time. Seriously, it's a a fascinating list. By Ed Moltzen · 7 December 2004
Reviewing Iraq, The Coverage and The Election
Michael Massing writes in the latest issue of The New York Review of Books a long essay, suggesting the American press never presented a true, factual account of the "disaster" that emerged in Iraq prior to Election day. There were, Massing writes, too few examples of the raw truth of the situation on the ground. An exception he cites is this passage from the work of Nir Rosen in the July 5 issue of The New Yorker:
That same passage could describe, to the letter, New York City when David Dinkins was mayor. You remember that? It was the four-year period when there were 2,000 murders every year within New York City's borders. (Put another way: when Dinkins was mayor there was the equivalent of two Iraq wars worth of American casualties every year.) Massing also comes forward with non-starters like this:
Um, no he didn't. O'Reilly has actually defended Dan Rather and ripped "the Internet." Massing's piece is a hand-wringer, trying to make some sense of how President Bush could be re-elected when things were such a mess in Iraq. His answer: the press never really described how awful it was, and, well, Americans are conservative, etc. etc. Another possible reason: The country, in seeing John Kerry day after day this year, finally got over its case of "Vietnamitis" - the fear of entering any war where the could be casualties and bloodshed. Americans simply budgeted, mentally, for the cost of this war. And measured against the memory of 9/11, and memory of Saddam Hussein's behavior in years past, led to giving President Bush the benefit of the doubt. By Ed Moltzen · 6 December 2004
Appearances
Tigerhawk finds New York Attorney General Elliot Spitzer has an "appearance" question in his dealings with a Marsh and McLennan executive. (Via Professor Bainbridge.) At the very least, Spitzer should have to explain his actions and how he winds up spending some of his personal time with someone close to an investigation - namely tennis with an executive at a company he was about to put through the ringer. At the very most, rich Democrats with national ambition have to learn to quit it with the country club sports. By Ed Moltzen · 6 December 2004
What To Do About Steroids, Jason and Barry
Roy Asfar has a different take on the baseball steroid scandal:
Roy also suggests Jason Giambi should be in line for forgiveness, since his steroid use stopped after 2003. All the points are good, and valid. It is a disgusting mess, though. And if Giambi can be forgiven for steroid use, it might be a little more difficult to forgive him for out-and-out lying about his steroid use. One suggestion for Giambi is to give up his contract, which was signed while he was on the juice, walk into Spring Training like a rookie and work for his job. He has to decide what's more important to him: The money or the game and his legacy. Let him compete against the un-juiced Jon Olerud for the job. And, most importantly, before anybody gives Giambi forgiveness, he has to ask for it. So far, he hasn't said a word. (Barry Bonds and Gary Sheffield are still different stories, because they both claim they never knowingly took steroids. And nobody has provided credible evidence that they did know.) As far as the player's union, here's some unsolicited advice: give Donald Fehr and Gene Orza their golden watches, clear out their offices, and bring in someone who is just a titch more concerned with the integrity of the game. How about Mario Cuomo? He's an ex-pro ballplayer, the unions have always loved him, and he's a man of unfailing integrity. He'd bring instant gravitas to the player's union and negotiate a credible way out of the scandal for the players. Fehr and Orza, who have buried their heads in the sand on steroids for years, have run out of credibility and they've run out of time. By Ed Moltzen · 5 December 2004
Civil Liberties Nonsense
Josh Marshall and Andrew Sullivan are wringing their hands over what they believe is the loss of civil liberties under the Bush Administration. Says Marshall:
Get a grip. Abraham Lincoln suspended Habeas Corpus. FDR interned Japanese Americans. Harry Truman dropped the big one. JFK and LBJ regularly and routinely permitted J. Edgar Hoover to wiretap innocent Americans and Bobby Kennedy personally oversaw the bugging of Martin Luther King Jr. The Clinton Administration had cronies personally get their hands on secret FBI files of Republican opponents. And let's not forget the Woodrow Wilson, the Ivy League Democrat, who didn't need wiretaps to simply throw his opponents, like a broken-down Eugene V. Debs, into prison. People are tut-tutting what they say was Attorney General nominee Alberto Gonzalez personal thumbs up to the torture of terrorists. The don't fill in the rest: that under the Geneva Conventions, simple denial of custom uniforms to captured enemy combatants could be considered torture. That's what Gonzalez was referring to when he said some of those conventions could be considered "quaint." News flash: Osama bin Laden has promised to have a nuke smuggled into the U.S., and have his bloodthirsty followers set it off to kill as many Americans as is humanly possible. If denying an enemy combatant sleep for a day or two can help keep that from happening, they should make an argument against it. And if evidence from that torture is ever used at a trial, have a little faith in jurors to evaluate its credibility. In the meantime a little look back at American history and how other presidents viewed civil liberties would be helpful in putting what's happened in the Bush Administration into perspective. By Ed Moltzen · 4 December 2004
A Sirius Review
Here's a quick review: The cost for the battery pod and the receiver, together, was $280 with New York and Suffolk County sales tax factored in. That's cheaper than the Delphi MyFi for XM Radio. The monthly subscription for Sirius is $12.95, which is more expensive than the $9.95 for XM. The unit was bought primarily for the commute into and home from work. (Your correspondent's car has no functional cigarette lighter, which is how most portable satellite units get their power. The XACT device has a battery and doesn't need to connect to the car cigarette lighter.) The problem: On the morning commute, the device kept dropping the Sirius signal. A lot. It was maddening. Out of every ten minute stretch, the signal held for about two minutes. However, on the commute home it received and kept the Sirius signal for almost the entire ride. So it's batting .500 - which is much higher than even Jason Giambi on steroids. At home, the device only picks up the Sirius signal in one corner of the house. Luckily, it's a comfortable, convenient corner. Here's the big plus: The content is first-rate. It absolutely blows away anything broadcast radio offers on its best day. If you like conservative talk radio, there are four stations with that. If you like liberal talk radio, the same. There's a kids channel, Discovery Network radio, and even Maxim Radio has a station. (The talk and entertainment channels do run some - very few - commercials, though. A lot of them are hair-replacement commercials - which would be funny if it wasn't a little annoying.) The music channels are commercial-free, and diverse. There are DJs announcing the songs, so it's not like you're listening to robots. Whether you opt for satellite radio or not will probably depend on your budget. We all grew up with free radio. It's not something most of us have factored into the monthly "nut." If you want to cover the cost, without adding to your monthly out-go, you could cancel any Internet streaming music subscription, cut out a few trips to Starbucks or 7-11 for coffee, or just make withdrawals from your kids college fund. (Face it, they'll probably be "liberal arts" majors anyway.) The bottom line: If you spend more than an hour a day commuting to and from work, or simply spend a lot of time driving, satellite radio programming will make that time a lot nicer. If you do the math, and figure you can swing it, you may find yourself very happy with the investment. But make sure you get a radio unit that fits your individual needs and threshold for annoyance. By Ed Moltzen · 4 December 2004
Deserting Osama
Strategy Page has bad news about Michael Moore's Minute Men:
The only civil war in Iraq, so far, has been the everybody-against-Sunni-Arab-killers civil war. That's not all, according to Strategy Page: "While the Iraqi police and soldiers will often desert, so do many of the Sunni Arab and al Qaeda gunmen. No one issues press releases about that, but it's common knowledge on the street." Al Qaeda deserters? Weren't we told they would fight to the death, and weren't we told that tens of thousands were "pouring over the borders" to kill Americans and spread disorder in Iraq? So it turns out a lot of them are now running away from the fight once they get there. By Ed Moltzen · 2 December 2004
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