...more recent posts
WTFBBQ?
The BBC really didn't have a reporter on the scene, so they had this woman superimposed over a slightly old feed from the scene, and now they are embarrassed to admit it? I mean, that's it, right?
Or I guess the video could be doctored.
The BBC's response is that of course there is no conspiracy, but unfortunately we've lost all our footage from that day so we can't say why we reported that WTC7 had fallen 20 minutes before it fell.
gravel for president?
You've probably seen it already, but: new Sy Hersh
libby blogging per nyt
this is making the rounds today. brutal oped assessment from a former reagan national security intelligence officer.
"The Republic Party" [YouTube] (via that Trios guy)
E. EDWARDS: There are not that many politicians who are actually very good at jokes. John spoke one time and I said I wouldn‘t even go because it was—he was supposed to be funny and I didn‘t think he could carry it off.
CROWD: (LAUGHTER)
MATTHEWS: I love it. You‘re great. Behind every great man, there‘s a woman trying to kill him.
CROWD: (LAUGHTER)
E. EDWARDS: He has great characteristics.
MATTHEWS: What is it? Does she do this? Does she bust your balls like this when you come home? When you get (INAUDIBLE), does she do that?
CROWD: (APPLAUSE)
E. EDWARDS: My children are watching this.
CROWD: (LAUGHTER)
MATTHEWS: What‘s this with the equal marriages? Why do people marry their equals? It used to be different? What happened to the Stepford wives, the good old days? What happened?
CROWD: (BOOING)
MATTHEWS: Oh, how P.C. How—why don‘t you hiss?
Oh, thank you. Finally, the freaking hiss. I needed it. It was the hiss. I needed that.
Just came across this ...
Profiles in Wankery
Juan Cole Pests [Jonah Goldberg]Artful dodge of the word "wrong", as in "I was not only wrong, but absofuckinglutely wrong."
As I've mentioned before, in my spat with Juan Cole way back when, I challenged him to bet me on Iraq's future (the winner would donate $1,000 to a relevant charity like the USO). He sanctimoniously declined, claiming even the suggestion made him sick (even though he made a similar bet before). Well, the deadline for the proposed bet is looming and various leftwing pests are clogging my email box saying if I have any honor I will pay up for a wager Cole refused to accept and denounced me for offering. Well, guess what? The baiting doesn't work. I will give money to war-related charities, as I have done in the past, on my schedule not that of these goads or Cole or anyone else. I will not announce it when I do it, which I have never done in the past because it's not anyone's business (even this post is somewhat sickening in that I'm even responding to these gadflies).
As a matter of intellectual honesty, I'm perfectly willing to admit that, had Cole had the courage to accept the wager, he would have won and I would have made good on it. But, since he didn't, I won't be jumping through hoops for this crowd beyond this post.
Giuliani Files 'Statement of Candidacy'
Awesome! New York is contributing to the presidential sweepstake a "raging lefty" who's really a pro-war centrist and an "effective leader in times of crisis" who's really a momumental clusterfuckster with good marketing.
If we could only change the constitution, California could contribute a "steadtfast" windsock.
The John Warner anti-war escalation group ran an add during the Superbowl.
Four US helicopters shot down in two weeks. I'm waiting for the administration to make the charge that this must be because Iran is supplying new, more sophisticated, shoulder fired missiles to the Iraqi insurgents. Clearly we need to attack!
On a serious note, this is a bad turn of events tactically. Our air superiority is a very valuable asset. If we can't call in close air support to protect our troops for fear of losing helicopters (or AC-130s) we will be much more vulnerable on the ground. This will mean many more casualties.
sane voices in the news
molly ivins, rip.
So my own hope is that -- if the American people do not find a way to choose democracy over empire -- at least our imperial venture will end not with a nuclear bang but a financial whimper. From the present vantage point, it certainly seems a daunting challenge for any President (or Congress) from either party even to begin the task of dismantling the military-industrial complex, ending the pall of "national security" secrecy and the "black budgets" that make public oversight of what our government does impossible, and bringing the president's secret army, the CIA, under democratic control. It's evident that Nemesis -- in Greek mythology the goddess of vengeance, the punisher of hubris and arrogance -- is already a visitor in our country, simply biding her time before she makes her presence known.