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Bounce
Rasmussen Reports shows a measurable bounce for President Bush's approval rating since last week: Forty-five percent (45%) of American adults now approve of the way George W. Bush is performing his role as President. That's up five points since Harriet Miers withdrew from consideration as a Supreme Court nominee. It's also the President's highest level of Approval in two weeks. Meanwhile, Gallup has just published this: According to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll conducted this past weekend, less than half of the American public believes former senior White House aide I. Lewis Libby Jr. did anything illegal in the matter for which he was indicted; a majority says the controversy involving him is an isolated incident rather than symptomatic of low ethics at the White House; and there is little shift in the already low opinion ratings of the players closely associated with this controversy, including ratings of presidential adviser Karl Rove and Vice President Dick Cheney. From kerfuffle to yawn.
By Ed Moltzen · 31 October 2005
Britannica Vs. Wikipedia
Encyclopedia Britannica will, in fact, be kicking up its competition with Wikipedia. By Ed Moltzen · 31 October 2005
The Bottom Line
Remember when the job responsibilities of vice president were considered laughable? When the main function of a vice president was to sit in an office and wait for the funeral of a deceased, far-off head of state? Well, if that's the traditional importance placed on the job of vice president, how much importance is placed on the role of one of his assistants? Just asking... Most Americans don't have the foggiest idea who Lewis Libby is. But they do know he's not Karl Rove or Dick Cheney. By Ed Moltzen · 30 October 2005
Laugh of the Day
Susan Mernit's very funny observation, during a link-a-rama: Forbes to Bloggers--You Suck, Bloggers to Forbes--Hey, here's tons of traffic back at ya. Yawn By Ed Moltzen · 28 October 2005
Cough Cough Conflict of Interest Cough Cough
From Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald's press release today on the indictment of Lewis Libby: Subsequently, Libby allegedly lied about information he discussed about the CIA employment of Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame Wilson, in conversations Libby had in June and July 2003 with three news reporters – Tim Russert of NBC News, Matt Cooper of Time magazine, and Judith Miller of The New York Times. (Emphasis added.) "Meet the Press" just sent out it's coming attractions for this Sunday's show to its email list: Trouble in the White House: Where does the Bush administration go from here? This Sunday's Meet the Press assembles three former White House Chiefs of Staff -- each with experience in political damage control... (Emphasis added.) At least The New York Times isn't sending Judith Miller to the courthouse to cover the arraignment... Maybe Russert will step aside for a segment on the new Fed Chairman, and Andrea Mitchell can moderate that. By Ed Moltzen · 28 October 2005
Marc Rich and the Oil-For-Food Scandal
The Volcker Report on the Oil-for-Food Scandal has ample references to Marc Rich companies acting as intermediaries in questionable transactions - including at least one transaction which closed during the same week former President Clinton approved a pardon for the then-fugitive-from-justice Rich. (Check out the footnotes on page 63.) According to the report, the Rich companies demanded their role in the Oil-for-Food transactions be kept an absolute secret. The report, by the way, is in searchable PDF format.
By Ed Moltzen · 27 October 2005
Spinning Off
Michele Catalano, whose blog is daily reading for thousands and thousands of people, is spinning off her efforts into a number of different areas. Spinning off is better than spinning out, but her blog will be missed.
By Ed Moltzen · 27 October 2005
Al Roker's Got Your Grandstand
Al Roker isn't impressed with the print reviews of his Hurricane Wilma coverage for NBC, and blogs about it: Okay, I have held my tongue long enough, but enough is enough. He calls the print medium "irrelevent" in hurricane coverage, which is a little bit of a stretch. He should have counted to ten, taken a deep breath, and then written something else, lest he draw attention to the example of deep, unrivaled relevance of TV weather coverage provided recently by his "Today Show" colleague, Canoe Girl. By Ed Moltzen · 27 October 2005
Happy Birthday, Guys
Sheila O'Malley remembers Sylvia Plath's birthday. She shares a birthday with the Rough Rider himself, The Big Stick, Teddy Roosevelt. Some T.R. Trivia: Roosevelt's son, Kermit, led the clandestine effort of the U.S. intelligence community to overturn Iran's government in 1953 and install the Shah to the Peacock throne. By Ed Moltzen · 27 October 2005
For The Love Of All That Is Sacred
Over the next few days, keep in mind that when a grand jury indicts, it "hands up" an indictment. It doesn't "hand down" an indictment. This is literal. A grand jury indicts. Then the grand jury foreman walks the indictment paper to a courtroom, and hands it up to the judge, who is sitting on an elevated bench. Grand juries hand up indictments. Judges hand down sentences. /rant By Ed Moltzen · 26 October 2005
Watching Iran
This story doesn't seem to be getting as much play as it might during a slower news week: 'Israel must be wiped off the map' "Iran's hard-line president has called for Israel to be 'wiped off the map' and said a new wave of Palestinian attacks would destroy the Jewish state, state-run media reported on Wednesday."
Stressing that the West is against the principle of Islamic system, he noted that even once the nuclear issue is settled, they would bring up the human rights matter. Criticizing the West for their threat to refer Iran's nuclear dossier to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) over the past two years, the president said, "I told the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan that the SC is expected to restore the nations rights, rather than being manipulated by the world powers." Ahmadinejad pointed to the diplomatic steps currently being taken and said that Iran would proceed patiently and make full use of its national potential to this end. It's possible this is just rhetoric, and the language of Iranian politics. But if one didn't know better, it would be easy to think he's angling for the Most-Dangerous-Tyrant-In-The-Middle-East title vacated by Saddam. By Ed Moltzen · 26 October 2005
Free FM: You Get What You Pay For
Joel Hollander, chairman and CEO of Infinity Broadcasting, announced this morning that his company is adopting the moniker "FREE FM" as it fights for its life against the rapid adoption of commercial-free, subscription-based satellite radio. Here is his description of what Infinity's string of radio stations will sound like after Howard Stern leaves in January for Sirius Satellite Radio: "Infinity's FREE FM stations will feature an eclectic mix of personalities, whose distinct creativity, perspective, sense of humor, intellect and unpredictability do not fall under the guiding principals of any particular narrowcast theme or ideology," said Joel Hollander, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Infinity. "An entertaining hybrid of provocative, political, pop culture, news, music and lifestyle formats, our next generation of FM stations will be personified by their conviction, passion, originality, fearlessness and innovation which is not heard anywhere else on the radio." In other words, he doesn't have the slightest idea what he's going to do. He's going to throw anything and everything against the wall and wait to see what sticks. Michele Catalano was first (and best) to the punch with her observations: Shorter press release: And local rock radio is even deader than that. If someone can find the link, maybe you can email it this way, but Jeff Jarvis explained his thoughts a few months ago when he suggested Hollander had a real chance to turn radio into a hyper-local institution again. He had a chance to turn radio into a uniquely local experience, where you could tune in and hear people you work with, go to school with or live near interviewed on the street, calling in or writing in. Radio could become local again. Remember Ron Lundy on WABC-AM radio, during the 1970s: "Right now it's 77 WABC Degrees In the Greatest. City. In. The. World!" (If you didn't grow up in New York, you can rent "Midnight Cowboy" because Lundy's energy and excitement are featured in the backdrop of that movie.) Radio was local then. All radio was. Howard Stern only grew into superstardom after he could return to the New York metro area, where he grew up, and develop a local broadcast that grew in popularity week after week until he was nationally known. Rush Limbaugh? He was a local personality in New York on WABC before he went national. Dropping David Lee Roth and Adam Corolla into the bright, national spotlight with no chance to grow an audience from the ground up, organically, will lead to the worst train wreck in the history of American media. Couple that with a move further away from rock radio, and it's now more clear than ever that satellite radio will be a runaway success. And "FREE FM?" Well, you get what you pay for no matter what sticks to the wall. By Ed Moltzen · 25 October 2005
If You Don't Have Howard, You Have Jack
A lot of folks may wind up saying goodbye to the broadcast version of Howard Stern as early as tomorrow, according to MarksFriggin.com: Howard heard that as of about 8 am tomorrow morning, they are going to switch to the Jack FM format and take his show off the air. They want to do it in the middle of the show so he's going to be saying goodbye now. Right now it seems that there will be 2 or 3 affiliates that are going to be doing this tomorrow morning. He said that this is the big F-You that the company is going to give him after 20 years of service that he put in at the company. Joe Gandelman notes that some of his listeners have already started to leave, according to some ratings books, and writes: Stern's problems with the FCC made him decide to go to satellite but, aside from that, he started changing the CONTENT of his show....from that of a radio talker whose audience tuned in for his off-the-wall comments on sex and political personalities to that of an angry broadcaster ticked off at those who fined him and, he feels, persecuted him. Anyone who has listened to Howard Stern for 20-plus years - back to his WNBC days - can say that he's been changing the content of his shows almost constantly since then. Sure, the most dramatic change came after his movie, Private Parts, came out and then after his divorce. But a lot has remained the same. Consider: In 1985, he spent his time mocking Soupy Sales and Don Imus and fighting with Pig Virus, a station executive. In 2005, he spends his time mocking President Bush and a host of celebrities, and fighting with Infinity executive Tom Chiusano. He and the FCC have remained adversarial to each other the entire time. (Remember his 1990s CD, "Crucified by the FCC?") No, the content of the program hasn't changed, by and large. But cast members have changed. (Jackie Martling, Stuttering John and K.C. Armstrong have been replaced by Artie Lange, Sal the Stockbroker and a variety of other players.) Guests like Jessica Hahn are gone. Guests like Pamela Anderson are in. And here's another thing to consider: His listeners are different. If you were 20 years old and listening to The Howard Stern Show in 1985, you're 40 now. Not everything that was funny to you then is funny to you now. Not everything you liked listening to then, you like listening to now. Will he be better on Sirius? Well, for starters, just about everything is better on Sirius: the variety, the clarity, the commercial-free music, the quality of the talent. It's not about personalities having the ability to say dirty words. It's about listeners having choice when their taste in music, comedy, news or talk changes. Of course, it'll cost $13 a month for that choice. But for many, it'll be worth the cost if they're tired of radio stations giving them nothing but Jack.
By Ed Moltzen · 24 October 2005
A Good Week
Plame. Wilson. Delay. Wilma. Harriet. There's been a lot of news this week, and it's all overshadowed one of the most dramatic periods in Iraq since the fall of Saddam's statute in the square in Baghdad. It's hard to call this a "turning point," since all it takes is one Mohammed-Atta-Wanna-be with a dynamite vest and a bad attitude to change things. But it's also hard to describe the past week's events in Iraq as nothing other than absolutely astounding. It appears likely that Iraqi voters have approved a democratic constitution, with even Sunnis giving their thumbs-up to democracy by voting in large numbers. Saddam Hussein, one of the most bloodthirsty, genocidal maniacs of our lifetime, a man who used weapons of mass destruction on his own people, a man who invaded Kuwait without provocation, who attacked Israel and Saudi Arabia without provocation, and who plotted the assassination of former President George H.W. Bush, was brought to justice in an Iraqi court. But one need only look at the accomplishments of U.S. fighting men and women in Iraq to see what they've done - in just one week! - in fighting the war on terror. Here is just a sampling:
Coalition forces conducted the raids on suspected terrorists operating near the town of Ramadi. The terrorists were suspected of having senior Al Qaeda in Iraq connections." "BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi and Coalition Forces conducted 42 raids and searches in and around Baghdad that netted 19 terror suspects and two weapons caches Oct. 16 through Oct. 18. In the three days following Iraq’s historic constitutional referendum vote, Iraqi and U.S. forces combined to conduct more than 1,600 patrols and man more than 700 traffic control points. Iraqi security forces performed more than 1,000 of the nearly 2,400 missions by themselves, and teamed up with U.S. Soldiers on more than 100 others." "BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces destroyed a terrorist safe house Oct. 18 in Karabilah where two al Qaeda in Iraq terror cells were attempting to meet and reorganize following successful Coalition operations." "BAGHDAD, Iraq – Multi-National Force-Iraq has determined three suspects captured after an incident at a Coalition Checkpoint in Anay, northwest of Hadithah Oct. 9 are al Qaeda in Iraq vehicle bomb makers. Marine Regimental Combat Team 2 captured the three cell members, later identified as Muhammad ‘Abd-al-Razaq Muhammad‘ Abd-al-Tariq (aka Abu Jassim), Ali Tariq Muhammad Salih (aka Abu Husayn), and Walid ’Ali Dhiyab Muhanna, and detained them for further questioning as reported Oct. 10." "TIKRIT, Iraq – Task Force Liberty Soldiers followed a civilian tip to a cache of 85 anti-tank mines near Hamrin in Diyala Province at about 4:15 p.m. Oct. 18. A local citizen was digging in the area when he uncovered the munitions and immediately reported it to Coalition Forces. The anti-tank mines discovered are of the same type recently used in IED attacks." "CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq – Marines destroyed a terrorist cave complex used as a weapons cache and bomb-making factory early Oct. 17 near Haqlaniyah. "BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Task Force Baghdad Soldiers, acting on a tip from an Iraqi citizen, seized a large weapons cache in west Baghdad Oct. 16. After receiving the tip, Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, 48th Brigade Combat Team went to the location the citizen described and detained three suspects at the cache site." "CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq -- Coalition forces continued counter-terrorism operations in areas of Al Anbar Province Oct. 16, killing an estimated 70 terrorists in separate actions. At approximately 1:25 p.m., Coalition forces conducted an air strike against a group of terrorists attempting to emplace an improvised explosive device east of Ramadi." Added up, what a week!: Almost 100 terrorists killed or captured; a key aide to Zarqawi put out of commission; tons and tons of terrorist weapons found and seized; Iraqis give a big thumbs up to democracy; and Saddam Hussein is supremely humiliated and brought to justice for crimes against humanity. By Ed Moltzen · 20 October 2005
Saddam's Trial
ABC News is streaming, over the web, Saddam Hussein's trial on mass murder charges. (The feed seems to be going in and out, though.) Some of his co-defendents, obviously not used to any form of justice or subjugation after thirty years of helping to run one of the most tyrannical regimes of our time, are yelling at the judge about how unfair it all is. More: Saddam is unhappy that the judge just referred to him as the "former president of Iraq." Saddam: "I said I am the President of Iraq...You say what you want to say." By Ed Moltzen · 19 October 2005
Rest Easy, Yankee Fans
But will he keep Roy White? By Ed Moltzen · 18 October 2005
Was This Focus-Group Tested?
Evidently Dean has gotten tired of the phrase "Limousine Liberals." MORE: This isn't exactly a shout-out to the memory of at least one Democratic party icon. By Ed Moltzen · 17 October 2005
Juan Cole Math
Al-Hayat reports that 643,000 votes were cast in Ninevah Province (capital: Mosul). At the time it filed, 419,000 had been preliminarily counted, and the vote was running 75 percent in favor. Ninevah Province was the most likely place that Sunni Arabs opposing the constitution might be able to get a 2/3s "no" vote. No doubt, Cole raised similar doubts when Saddam Hussein won 100 percent of the vote in 2002. By Ed Moltzen · 17 October 2005
Valerie Flame
The much-awaited New York Times' piece on the Judith Miller-Jailing-Plame Kerfuffle case is out. Key takeaways: - If the special prosecutor in this case was looking for a smoking gun from Miller on Karl Rove or Lewis Libby - with regard to leaking the name of a covert U.S. agent - he didn't get it; - Miller says she has no idea who gave her Valerie Plame's name and identity (It was written as "Valerie Flame" in her notes) because she forgot who told her; - If Miller spent 85 days in prison because of a misunderstanding on the terms of Libby's anonymity, that's a pretty strong lesson to reporters and sources to get the terms of attribution in an iron-clad fashion before any interview is conducted; The only sympathetic figure in the entire story is Libby, which is sure to make a lot of people go nuts. John Hinderaker: "In general, Miller's story seems to exonerate "Scooter" Libby, Dick Cheney's chief of staff, with whom Miller had a series of conversations about Joe Wilson." Jeff Jarvis is somewhat unimpressed with Miller, casting her off as someone who blames everyone to protect her image and career. Response: She spent 85 days in jail to protect a source. She works at paper with - regardless of what your opinion is of it - a rich heritage of fighting First Amendment issues which includes the Myron Farber case. Maybe give her the benefit of a slight doubt?
By Ed Moltzen · 15 October 2005
Polling
Taegan Goddard points to a poll showing President Bush's poll numbers at a new low. Others can look to Rasmussen Reports, which has developed a pretty good reputation of being a leading indicator of other polls. Rasmussen had Bush's approval numbers matching his all-time low several days ago (43 percent), but it's been bouncing up a little bit each day since then. (47 percent today.) With successful voting in Iraq this weekend on a new constitution, and the start of Saddam Hussein's trial next week on mass murder charges, Bush's message - We were right to go to war, and we're winning - should get a boost. By Ed Moltzen · 14 October 2005
Before Valerie, There Was Kathleen
The President of the United States and his closest advisor conspire to release secret information, against the law, to reporters in an effort to discredit a major critic and quell a brewing scandal. A special counsel and raft of lawyers investigate. Courts find, in fact, that a crime was committed. Surely, the president would be removed from office and his top aide would be forced to resign and face criminal proceedings, right? Well, no. Not in the Kathleen Willey case. Here's a federal court ruling that the "Executive Office of the President" broke the law by releasing confidential personnel records of Ms. Willey. (It was upheld by an appeals court.) In the Willey case, presidential advisor Bruce Lindsey advised President Clinton to release letters Willey had written, fawning over the president. The intent was to discredit Willey after she accused the president of sexual misconduct. White House employees were told to run database searches on Willey, they did, the letters were found and released. And here is what a federal judge wrote: ...(W)hen the President and the EOP (Executive Office Of the President) released the letters, they were fully aware of this court's ruling that the Privacy Act was applicable, and the disclosure of the letters was therefore prohibited by the Privacy Act. "...(T)he release of the letters was a criminal violation of the Privacy Act," the judge wrote. What consequence did President Clinton face for a criminal violation of the law? None. What consequence did Bruce Lindsey face? None. Now, granted, the Plame case involves alleged violations of national security. But both involve privacy issues nonetheless. Further, it's not even clear that the leaking of Plame's name was against the law, as was the leaking of the Willey letters. By Ed Moltzen · 13 October 2005
GWOT Update
Al Qaeda's Number 2 is worried about losing the war in Iraq and getting bad press in Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, al Qaeda's top man in Iraq has to be worried about losing recruits. Iraqi and U.S. troops captured or killed almost 60 terrorists in Baghdad over the weekend. By Ed Moltzen · 12 October 2005
Juxtaposition Of The Day
New York Times Editor Bill Keller: The Times' assets: "A worldwide network of trained, skilled [observers] to witness events" and write about them, and "a rigorous set of standards. Rigorous set of standards? As demonstrated by who? Kitty Kelley? By Ed Moltzen · 10 October 2005
Please Send Money
The leaders of al Qaeda are strapped, and worried about losing the War on Terror. And you can read about it on page A-20 of The Washington Post. By Ed Moltzen · 7 October 2005
Avoiding Reality
Today's New York Time editorial blasts President Bush's speech yesterday on the War on Terror as "same old, same old:" Yesterday, the same day New Yorkers were warned there was a "specific threat" of a bombing on their subways, President Bush delivered what the White House promoted as a major address on terrorism. It seemed, on the surface, like a perfect topic for the moment. But his talk was not about the nation's current challenges. He delivered a reprise of his Sept. 11 rhetoric that suggested an avoidance of today's reality that seemed downright frightening. This is incorrect. First, President Bush's speech wasn't a "reprise of his Sept. 11 rhetoric." He spoke of specific issues that have developed since Sept. 11 that continue to this day, including: *"In the past few months, we've seen a new terror offensive with attacks on London, and Sharm el-Sheikh, and a deadly bombing in Bali once again." *"We're reforming our intelligence agencies for the incredibly difficult task of tracking enemy activity, based on information that often comes in small fragments from widely scattered sources, here and abroad." *"(W)e're determined to deny radical groups the support and sanctuary of outlaw regimes. State sponsors like Syria and Iran have a long history of collaboration with terrorists, and they deserve no patience from the victims of terror." Taken together, these statements show the President and the government are engaged in answering the new and mutating threat of the terror axis. And that was demonstrated yesterday by news that troops in Iraq helped uncover a plot to bomb New York City subways. Had Bush's speech been today instead of yesterday - when he couldn't reveal details of the new, New York al Qaeda threat - it would have been viewed in a different light. Who's avoiding reality? Bush or The Times? Al Qaeda hasn't relented - not an iota - from its plan to kill as many innocent Americans as it possibly can. The terrorists' focus doesn't change - even though the domestic political landscape changes. Their focus doesn't change - even though President Bush's approval rating goes up and down. Their focus doesn't change - whether it's the hurricane season, tax season or rabbit season. The Bush Administration has reformed the military, reformed the intelligence community, reformed homeland security. Ask yourself this question: If, during the Clinton Administration, the military in the Middle East had gotten a tip of terrorist activity in New York City, would that tip have been immediately shared with the FBI, the CIA and the NYPD? Or would there have been a wall in place to prevent the sharing of information? The fact that President Bush views his responsibilities today through the prism of Sept. 11 might make some people stamp their feet in a huff. But in many ways it's allowing others to take the Q Train or the Lexington line in safety today. By Ed Moltzen · 7 October 2005
NYC Subway Bomb Plot
There's extra security on New York City subways today, after a captured Iraqi terrorist spilled the beans that al Qaeda had sent killers to the Big Apple to set off bombs. While the Department of Homeland Security is now telling the press the tip was of "doubtful credibility," (see this NY Daily News piece for more), New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said it was of "sufficient concern" for heightened security measures. (You can see the video of the New York City press conference here.) The Counterterrorism Blog has been tracking the terrorists' conversations and Walid Phares offers this: In short: Is the New York subway system a strategic target in the mind of al Qaida or its satellites? After London, it's attractive; and after Bali, it's exciting. So much for the mind wishes and political projections of the Terrorists. But the main answer remains in the hand of US and Western intelligence agencies. So far, we're all awaiting for the evidence, or shreds of it. Phares adds: But the politico-psychological environment is there: the bad guys have the big apple on their minds. By Ed Moltzen · 7 October 2005
A Much Bluer Empire State
The New York Republicans appear to be in a state of utter collapse, according to the latest polling numbers. Given that two potential, strong, Democratic presidential candidates could come out of next year's elections in the state, this could wind up being a big deal. Bonus: Hillary TV is up and running at HillaryClinton.com. MORE: AlbanyMediaBias has thoughts on the AP report of the polling numbers. By Ed Moltzen · 6 October 2005
Traffic Cams, Continued
Earlier this week, word got out about this site, which combines Google Maps with NYC traffic cams. Well, if you bookmarked it, and clicked it on, it brought you valuable information if you're headed to the Bronx this afternoon, as you can see below at the right. (Bruckner and Bronx River Parkway cam).
It certainly looks somewhat ominous. By Ed Moltzen · 4 October 2005
A SCOTUS Nominee for One-Issue Voters
Patrick Ruffini dismantles conservative criticism of the Harriet Miers nomination for U.S. Supreme Court and, near the end, writes this: Having been "present at the creation" in the war on terror, not cooped up in isolated Circuit Court chambers or rarefied law school classrooms, a Justice Miers would be unlikely to let Jose Padilla roam the streets, or open up the gates of Gitmo. Folks - that's at least as important as the social issues. It's important to Bush's "other" base: War on Terror hawks from both parties. Here is Miers' takedown on the connection between al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein prior to the war in Iraq (as she wrote in an "Ask the White House" web-based Q&A): Caleb, from California writes: Dear Harriet,With the 911 Commission report stating there was no linkable evidence between Sept. 11th and Iraq, why are the two often grouped together? Shouldn't they be considered two separate fights? So with legal challenges in the years ahead to the Patriot Act, presidential authority to name terrorists as "enemy combatants," indeed, presidential authority to fight Congressionally-sanctioned wars, Miers would seem to be a solid, anti-terror nominee to the high court. By Ed Moltzen · 4 October 2005
Harriet Miers And "The Destruction of Life Issue"
Conservatives seem up in arms today about President Bush's selection of Harriet Miers to the U.S. Supreme Court. And many folks are complaining about a lack of a judicial "paper trail." Well, there may be quite a lot to go on once folks start looking hard enough. Here's what Miers said regarding embryonic stem cell research during an "Ask the White House" web Q&A last year: Scientists tell us it is too early to tell what can be accomplished through embryonic stem cell research. And, taking one life to save another presents moral and ethical issues, and these important issues must be balanced with the potential scientific benefits that may be derived from stem cell research. A good bet is that this stealth nominee won't be all that stealthy once folks start looking hard enough. By Ed Moltzen · 3 October 2005
Talkin' Baseball
The Angels played well against the Yankees this year, but it was also when they were able to face people like Kevin Brown, Alex Graham, Al Leiter and Buddy Groom. Wasn't Kevin Brown's tenure on the Yankees just part of a Patrick Duffy nightmare? It never really happened, right? Yes, the baseball playoffs start this week. Yes, New York, that means sleep deprivation and staying up past 1 a.m. to catch the last out and first few minutes of the post-game. By contrast any school kid was able to watch the Bucky Dent home run and Yankees win over the Red Sox in the 1978 one-game playoff. Some thoughts as the world stops so we can enter the baseball playoff season: The Chicago White Sox don't have Jaret Wright or Scott Proctor. That means the Red Sox will have a lot more difficult time scoring runs during their series with the White Sox. Against good pitching the last week of the season, the Red Sox looked very, very tired. Even David Ortiz was trying to lay down bunts. This series isn't a gimme for the Kevin Millars. The Cardinals are expected to win. They haven't had to face an awful lot of adversity this year. If they go down 1-0 to the San Diego Padres, panic could set in. Can the Cardinals come back? Their best bet is to not even try to find out. Andy Pettitte Has Beaten The Braves...But Wearing Pinstripes Which Andy Pettitte will show up for the Astros in their series against the Braves? The guy who won 1-0 against Atlanta during the 1996 World Series, or the guy who blew Game Six against the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001? You either get the best or the worst during the post-season with Andy Pettitte. For the Astros, their opening series could get ugly if they don't get the best. Jay Caruso is right. The Yankees have a much better pitching staff than the Angels saw earlier this year. For the Angels, the good news is that they get to play the first two games of their series in Anaheim. The bad news is they'll have to bat against Randy Johnson with shadows in front of the pitchers' mound. Over-Under. For the prime-time, Yankees-Angels game tomorrow night, the over-under on the number of Fox T.V. actors who are shown on camera sitting in the stands, pretending to be baseball fans, is 8. By Ed Moltzen · 3 October 2005
Googlizing New York Traffic
If you haven't heard of this yet, Alkemis has produced a neat little site that combines Google Maps with New York traffic cams. (Hat tip: Late Night With Mr. X and Just Julie.) It will be interesting to click on a few of these city traffic cameras during the daytime business hours, to see how construction crews and city traffic cops are playing havoc with driving patterns. By Ed Moltzen · 2 October 2005
Shuffling Our Lives Away
Sirius Satellite Radio this week launched Sirius "SuperShuffle," a stream that continuously shuffles through all of its music stations and, at random, plays music from any one of its other 100-plus music streams. Today, for example, you could have heard anything from Ratt to Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin) on SuperShuffle. So if you're playing this Sirius stream in a room full of people, there will always be a tune on that will annoy someone. The reviews have been mixed. PotentialLaunchWinner writes:
If you want to damn a radio station these days, just compare it to a Jack FM station. (In all fairness, SuperShuffle is like a Jack FM station without commercials.) Can someone, anyone, explain the obsession these days with shuffling music, and with who is the better shuffler? There's the iPod Shuffle, Jack FM, satellite shuffle. Remember the days when you would actually put an album on a turntable and listen to, um, both sides? Tag: Sirius By Ed Moltzen · 2 October 2005
Whateva: No Accents On Long Island
According to the local Hyundai dealer in central Long Island, there are "no more new Hyundai Accents available in this region." The last one sold this weekend. At 35 miles per gallon, it's not surprising. But what was surprising was the number of used SUVs sitting on the lot. Not just that lot, either, but every lot in the area. By Ed Moltzen · 2 October 2005
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