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PATRICK Rhall only lived in Warrnambool for a year but those who knew the man will never forget him.
The Highton 23-year-old died tragically on Thursday when his car smashed head-on into an oncoming truck and burst into flames on the Princes Highway, at Warncoort.
It is believed his blue VE Commodore station wagon crossed to the wrong side of a straight stretch of the highway when it collided with a truck just before 7am.
After about a year working at Safeway and Woolworths stores in Warrnambool, Mr Rhall moved back to Geelong to be closer to his family in the middle of this year.
From there he made the drive to Colac for work each day, as he was doing on the day of his accident.
Former workmate Phil Baker from Warrnambool said Mr Rhall was a great bloke and always easy to get along with during their 12 months working together.
"He was always up for a joke and didn't take anything too seriously," he told The Standard.
"He was the one who recommended me for his position at the new store in Dennington and he was the bloke that hired me at Woolies, so I wouldn't actually be where I am today without him.
"He was just an all-round nice guy.
"He loved hanging out with his mates for a few beers.
"Every weekend when he was down here he'd go back to Geelong to see his family so he moved back because he was homesick."
Mr Baker said former colleagues at Woolworths were in shock at the devastating news.
"I didn't know what to say when I first heard it.
"I got the call about 10am yesterday morning and when the store manager told us it was disbelief at first.
"I was a wreck and I still don't think it's sunk in."
The state's provisional road toll sits at 277 compared with 284 at the same time last year.


text:
- Description
- Data Sheet
- Reviews
French helmet manufacturer Chok is rolling out new helmet lines every year. This is part of their 2014 collection: Chok Full Face Helmet Raptor Star One yellow 2014.
Chok opted for a high-quality double layer foam lining for maximum comfort and a micrometric buckle to ensure optimum fit. The lining can be taken out to be cleaned / washed.
This helmet is available in different sizes. Top quality at an affordable price - excellent value for money!
- helmet type: full face
- detachable nose guard
- front and rear vents
- ratchet flip-up anti-scratch visor
- weight: 1,450g
Data Sheet
Name Chok Full Face Helmet 2014 Raptor Star One yellow Brand CHOK Product Family Helmet Colour black / gold Helmet Type Full-face

subset: commoncrawl


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Bill By Missouri GOP Representative Would Make Proposing Gun Control Legislation A Felony – The Examiner
Responding to a Democratic proposal giving gun owners in Missouri 90 days to turn in rifles, pistols and shotguns deemed to be "assault weapons," state Rep. Mike Leara (R-St. Louis) introduced a measure on Monday that would make it a felony to propose legislation that further erodes the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.
The bill, known as HB 633, was read for the second time on Tuesday.
"Any member of the general assembly who proposes a piece of legislation that further restricts the right of an individual to bear arms, as set forth under the second amendment of the Constitution of the United States, shall be guilty of a class D felony," the bill says.
A Class D felony in Missouri carries a prison sentence of not more than four years.
"Leara told TheBlaze on Tuesday that he is under no illusion that the bill will pass. He says he introduced the legislation to make a point after Democrats proposed an alarming gun confiscation bill last week," Jason Howerton wrote.
"It's outrageous," Leara said of the Democratic proposal. "I have received an overwhelming response of about 100 to 1 to stop this legislation."
"I filed HB 633 as a matter of principle and as a statement in defense of the Second Amendment rights of all Missourians. I have no illusions about the bill making it through the legislative process, but I want it to be clear that the Missouri House will stand in defense of the people's constitutional right to keep and bear arms," he added.
The Democratic proposal, if passed into law, would give owners of "assault weapons" 90 days to either ship the weapons out of the state, render them inoperable or surrender them to authorities. Those who fail to do so could be sent to prison for a period of seven years.
Legislation mirroring the Missouri bill was proposed in Minnesota.
According to Leara, Democratic Rep. Rory Ellinger, the primary sponsor of the gun confiscation bill, calls himself a constitutional lawyer.


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For a young team like Spencer County, any confidence builder can be a valuable tool. But last week's 65-49 loss to Shelby County was enough to give at least a glimmer of hope for Coach Jacob Barmore's squad as they hit the final stretch of the season before squaring off against those same Shelby County Rockets next Wednesday night in the opener of the District Tournament.
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Severe storms expected this afternoon in parts of state
This article was originally published July 14, 2014 at 6:36 a.m. Updated July 14, 2014 at 1:40 p.m.
Severe storms are possible in parts of Arkansas as a system moves in Monday afternoon, the National Weather Service said.
John Robinson, warning coordination meteorologist with the weather service in North Little Rock, said in an email that "at least a few" severe storms are likely with the best chances coming in the eastern half of Arkansas.
The weather service's Storm Prediction Center has roughly that region under a slight risk for severe storms. Damaging winds are more likely than large hail, Robinson wrote, adding that some storms could drop more than an inch of rain. There is not thought to be a risk for any tornadoes.
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch at 1:23 p.m. Monday for Cleburne, Conway, Faulkner, Garland, Independence, Jackson, Johnson, Logan, Lonoke, Monroe, Montgomery, Newtown, Perry, Polk, Pope, Prairie, Pulaski, Saline, Scott, Searcy, Stone, Van Buren, White, Woodruff and Yell counties in effect until 8 p.m.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued by the National Weather Service at 1:10 p.m. for Newton and Searcy counties, in effect until 2 p.m.
Cooler air will arrive after the storms. The weather service is predicting high temperatures in the low to mid-80s through Friday and overnight lows in the 60s. A low of 61 is forecast Tuesday night in Little Rock.
More showers and thunderstorms, meanwhile, are likely Wednesday night through Thursday night.
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By: Gina Pitisci
Tallahassee, Fla. -- A local teacher is remembered by her school after being killed in a car accident last week.
Students, parents, faculty and family members of Abby Fishburn gathered to remember the 22-year-old teacher who was killed in a car accident on May 1.
"It was something that our students really wanted to do and it kind of gave them some closure to something that was not expected for them to have to handle," Shane Syfrett, Principal, Deerlake Middle School, said.
A tree dedication ceremony took place in front of Deerlake Middle School to honor the science teacher who was known for her sense of humor and genuine kindness.
"We chose the cherry tree because pink was her favorite color. It will bloom a bright pink bloom every spring which will remind us of her vibrant personality and just her joyous spirit," Syfrett said.
A memorial service followed in the auditorium, where those who knew Fishburn best talked about how they will remember her.
"One of the hardest things I've had to do is show up everyday and walk past her room and not be able to walk in and talk to her in "spanglish" and joke about whatever was going to happen that day or complain about whatever happened the previous day," Gia Maxwell, Teacher, Deerlake Middle School, said.
Sherri Ramsey's 11-year-old daughter was a student in one of Fishburn's classes and says she will always have good memories of her teacher.
"Love, support- it was amazing the impact she had on so many children being so young," Sherri Ramsey, Parent of Deerlake Middle School Student, said.
The school is also offering grief counseling for students and staff.
Tallahassee, FL - Today, students and members of the community remember the life of the local teacher, who was killed in an early morning accident last week.
The memorial service for Abby Fishburn will be at the Deerlake Middle School auditorium at 4:00 pm this afternoon.
Fishburn died last Wednesday when she drove her car the wrong way on an exit ramp and crashed into a charter bus.


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Jeff Denham is not one of the Republican members of Congress most seriously threatened in 2014. The Modesto-area representative isn't even the most threatened Republican in California.
But a liberal group working on behalf of President Obama and other Democrats is going after him anyway, airing ads that blame him for the "tea party shutdown" of the federal government that could "devastate middle-class families" like those in his district.
The ad airing in the Sacramento media market says Denham shut down the government—as if he were solely responsible--"putting hundreds of thousands of Americans out of work, putting critical benefits for veterans, seniors and the disabled at risk, denying cancer treatment for kids," among other things. Identical ads—but for the targets' names—are airing against nine other GOP members, all of whom, like Denham, may have better odds of retaining their seats than some Republican colleagues in next year's elections.
The reason: While the ads may not work against Denham and his cohorts, they are a warning shot aimed at more vulnerable Republicans, in some cases at a lower cost. Then, too, were the political winds to shift sharply against Denham and the other nine, the nonprofit liberal activist group Americans United for Change would be in position to claim credit for surprise Republican losses.
The ads are an example of how the Democratic establishment and its allies are trying to keep pressure on opposing members of Congress as the lengthy government shutdown continues. It is simultaneously an effort to force changes in the GOP strategy and to keep the public angrier at Republicans than themselves. (So far, the second part has worked; the first not so much.) Republicans are using almost the same script to make Democrats the goats.
Denham's campaign noted that the ad buy is minimal at this point, and limited to cable TV, which is both cheaper and less viewed than broadcast stations.
"We are not surprised that a liberal special interest group has started negative campaigning so early and is trying to exploit the situation in Washington," said Denham's campaign strategist, Dave Gilliard. "The ad is factually wrong. Rep. Denham did not vote to shut down the government. In fact, he voted numerous times to keep the government open; he requested his own pay be withheld during the shutdown; and he is working hard to find a compromise that will resolve the situation, protect taxpayers and get the government working again."
Not surprisingly, since both sides are making the same case against the opponent, blame lies in the eye of the beholder. Republicans say they have pushed bills out of the House to protect women, children, veterans and the ill, but those have been turned aside by Democrats in the Senate. Democrats in the Senate say that since Republicans have refused to approve a budget unless President Obama's healthcare plan is gutted, they should take the blame for any carnage—even if they later sought separate measures to restore favored parts of the federal government.
Jeremy Funk, a spokesman for Americans United for Change, declined to say how the ad spending was divided among the 10 targets, nor would he say how much would be spent overall except that it was in six figures. At least in Denham's case, the buy is expected to be brief. The nonprofit group is one of many to expand its reach in the wake of court decisions loosening campaign finance rules.
Asked why the group was going after Denham and not, say, Gary Miller of Rancho Cucamonga, or the Central Valley's David Valadao, both seen as more vulnerable, Funk acknowledged that in Miller's case the stiff rates charged in the Los Angeles media market were part of the equation.
"Cheap points, getting most bang for the buck, was not an insignificant factor," he said.
Republicans like Miller may be targeted later, he said. "In this effort we wanted to make examples of members in as many states as possible," he said. "We think the message will get through to Miller and Valadao, too, of what's coming their way if they keep enabling the tea party shutdown."
The phrase "tea party" is apparently polling poorly—the ad uses it three times in the span of 30 seconds.
Twitter: @cathleendecker


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Juventus striker Fabio Quagliarella has praised Italian football for recovering from an exodus of stars in 2012, ahead of his team's match against fierce rivals Inter next Saturday.
Despite the difficulties suffered by Andrea Stramaccioni's men this season, the former Napoli man has warned his team-mates that their next opponents will still pose a considerable threat, as has the rest of Serie A this term.
"It's a strange league," the Italy international told Juventus' official website.
"Important figures like [Alessandro] Del Piero, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva may have departed, but it's great to see teams like Napoli, Fiorentina and Roma all proving capable of playing spectacular football on the pitch.
"Inter are in form and I'm expecting a really great match. We'll be facing a team who managed to overturn a negative result against Tottenham.
"I'm sorry they didn't qualify, it's always a shame when an Italian team gets knocked out of a continental competition."
Turning his attention back to the Bianconeri's own European commitments as they prepare to face Bayern Munich on the back of the derby, Quagliarella continued: "It will be a fantastic contest.
"They've got great players in attack, so once again, our defence will have to be on top form. As we've done everywhere though, we'll still go there to play our game and score goals.
"Obviously, I would like to be the one to score, but what counts is that the team can get a result."


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The saga of one fictional family influenced popular culture and broadened our view of the world. It was a story audiences couldn't refuse...
Coppola, Pacino, Caan, historians, cops, and mobsters weigh in on the
iconic film trilogy that changed America
Narrated by Actor Michael Imperoli
New York, NY - The Corleone crime family has touched millions of lives for more than four decades. From their origins in a pulp fiction novel by author Mario Puzo, the Corleones inspired one of the most important and enduring films in history. Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather not only broke box office records and earned wild popular acclaim - it actually infiltrated the American conscience.
THE GODFATHER LEGACY, a new two-hour special premiering Tuesday, July 24 at 9pm ET on HISTORY, looks at how this groundbreaking 1972 film and its two sequels transcended Hollywood, transformed the American psyche, and even influenced real-life organized crime. Michael Imperoli, known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti on The Sopranos, narrates the special.
The Godfather burst onto the scene during a pivotal time in American history. The war in Vietnam raged and the Watergate scandal eroded our image of the government. Meanwhile, baby boomers were redefining the institution of marriage, women's rights and the American Dream. Vito and Michael Corleone, countercultural outsiders who thrived in a world of dirty cops and corrupt politicians, were metaphors for the era.
In THE GODFATHER LEGACY, historians, scholars, law enforcement agents, and real-world Mafiosi explain how these powerful mobsters, with their moral ambiguity and human flaws, resonated with audiences and impacted popular culture. The film features interviews with screenwriter/director Coppola, Al Pacino, James Caan, Joe Mantegna, Talia Shire, and others, along with an abundance of memorable scenes from the Oscar-winning trilogy.
THE GODFATHER LEGACY is produced by Prometheus Entertainment for HISTORY. Susan Leventhal is Executive Producer for HISTORY. Executive Producer for Prometheus is Kevin Burns.
HISTORY(R) is the leading destination for factual entertainment, including award-winning original series and specials that connect viewers with history in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. The network's all-original programming slate, including scripted event programming, features a litany of hits including American Pickers(R), American Restoration(TM), Ax Men(TM), Ice Road Truckers(R), Pawn Stars(R), Swamp People(R) and Top Shot(R) as well as epic mini-series and specials such as the Emmy(R) Award-winning Gettysburg, America The Story of Us, Hatfields & McCoys, Vietnam in HD and 102 Minutes That Changed America. The HISTORY website is the leading online resource for all things history, and in 2011, the United States Library of Congress selected HISTORY's Civil War 150 site for inclusion in the historic collection of Internet materials related to the American Civil War sesquicentennial. www.history.com


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Joe Caldwell, 30
Joe Trent Caldwell, 30, of Pingree, died Monday, April 25, 2011, as a result of complications due to asthma.
He was born Dec. 17, 1980, in Idaho Falls, the son of Brent and RaNae Caldwell. He attended Snake River schools and graduated from Snake River High School in 1999, where he was a member of the FFA. He attended college at Idaho State University and studied mechanical engineering. Joe was employed by S.M. Stoller where he was a teamster for the Idaho CERCLA Disposal Facility.
Joe was an avid outdoorsmen, loved hunting; especially in the company of his dogs, fishing, and being a good friend to many people of Southeast Idaho. His humor and loyal friendship will be missed by many. His family and friends will remember him for his frequent barbecues and gatherings where Joe always provided great food and an inviting atmosphere.
Joe is survived by his father, Brent Caldwell; his brother Troy (Lisa) of Pingree and his sister, Tina Gail (Doug) of Grand Junction, Colo.; and his nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his girlfriend, LuKrena and her children Devon and Kylie of Pingree. He was preceded in death by his mother, RaNae Caldwell.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 30, 2011, at Hawker Funeral Home, 132 S. Shilling Ave., Blackfoot.
The family will meet with friends and family from 7-9 p.m. Friday, April 29, 2011, at the funeral home and again for one hour prior to services.
Interment will be in the Moreland Cemetery.
The family suggests that in lieu of flowers memorial contributions be made to: The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of American, 8201 Corporate Dr., Ste. 1000, Landover, MD 20785.
Condolences may be sent to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Smack Sportswear Lures Entrepreneur and True Religion Apparel Ex-CFO, Charles A. Lesser, Out of Retirement
2012-12-10 09:15 ET - News Release
Company Website:
http://www.smacksportswear.comTORRANCE, Calif. -- (Business Wire)
Smack Sportswear (OTC-BB: SMAK) announces today it has hired the former
CFO of True Religion Apparel (TRLG) as the Company's new CFO.
Bill Sigler, President and CEO of Smack Sportswear, stated, "We have
found the person we were looking for … Charles A. Lesser, former CFO of
True Religion Apparel. After reviewing a number of candidates, and
carefully examining their records, it was True Religion Apparel's
success while Charles Lesser was CFO that caught my attention. He was
CFO when the company first traded on the OTC-BB with roughly the same
revenues we have presently. During his tenure as CFO at True Religion,
their sales skyrocketed to $160 million in 2007 (when he left the
company). I believe that the Smack Sportswear brand has more world-wide
appeal today than True Religion had in 2003, and that we can achieve
similar success with Charles as our CFO."
Prior to True Religion, Lesser was an Officer at various private and
public companies including Weider Sporting Goods. During his three year
tenure as Weider's CFO, the company's revenues grew 300% and experienced
5x profit growth.
About Smack Sportswear
Smack Sportswear is the leading brand of custom designed team and beach
active apparel, with its primary focus on volleyball. Smack manufactures
its Southern California inspired apparel in its headquarters, only five
miles from the home of beach volleyball. This allows Smack to offer its
customers world-class responsiveness, supply chain excellence, and
un-compromised quality. Some of the top pros not only design, but also
test the product before it's distributed. With many competitive
advantages, Smack is poised to be a leader in the athletic apparel
market. For more information, visit www.SmackSportswear.com.
Included in this release are "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Although
the company believes that the expectations reflected in such
forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that
such expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements will
prove to have been correct.The company's actual results could
differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking
Ibis GroupStephen Gjolme, 949-852-8474
Source: Smack Sportswear
© 2018 Canjex Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.


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LOWER GWYNEDD — A couple weeks after finishing in first and third place, respectively, in the Suburban One American Conference tournament, Wissahickon senior Bee Callahan and freshman Ben Wolfe are continuing to prove why the Trojans have one of the best all-around squads in the league.
The two singles players — first and second on the Wissahickon roster — remained undefeated in league play this season while helping to lead the Trojans to a 5-2 win over visiting Plymouth Whitemarsh in an in-conference match at Wissahickon High School on Wednesday afternoon.
Callahan defeated PW's Scott Leopold, 6-1, 1-6 and 6-1, to help give Wissahickon (13-2, 6-1) the win over the Colonials (8-6, 5-2), who entered the match tied with the Trojans in the SOL American Conference before the two teams faced each other for the first and only time this season.
"Being undefeated in the league means a lot to me," Callahan said.
"It's my senior year and it just means a lot to know that a lot of the players on the team look up to me.I didn't play my best match today, but I'm glad I pulled through after losing the second set.I was more upset at myself than anything, but I pulled through in the end."
"Bee has always been a talented player," Wissahickon coach Mark Daniels said."It's a matter of him being not too hard on himself.
His brother was a fantastic player, so he has the tennis background.
This year, he got serious about tennis, being his senior year, and he wanted to do the best he could.He got his head together, he's doing better in school and he's an all-around better person.He's a great leader for the team."
Wolfe, a lefty who finished third at Suburbans, won his match despite playing sick, defeating PW junior Matt Sendecki 6-3 and 7-5.
For PW, despite the loss, the match was an improvement compared to previous years, as the Colonials haven't been in a single match against Wissahickon in the past three seasons since Alfred Collins took over as head coach.In fact, the last two seasons have featured7-0 wins for Wissahickon before PW was finally able to come up with some set wins on Wednesday.
"It's a step in the right direction," Collins said. "The player who won for us is a freshman and we have a really strong freshmen class, so hopefully that'll benefit us for next season."
PW, which is now in third place in the league behind Upper Dublin and Wissahickon, knows it has some added pressure, as it is one of the upper echelon teams in the American Conference.
"Being in the top-three feels really good," Collins said."Some of the other teams don't have some of the skilled players that the three major teams have, so we're expected to win our other matches and that in itself puts pressure on us.We know we're going to be more competitive next year than this year and we look forward to that."
PW received a win from its third singles player, freshman Jake Schwartz, who defeated Wissahickon sophomore Srini Sunil by a score of6-1 and 6-1, as well as a victory from its second doubles team of seniors Dave Doll and Rob O'Brien, who defeated Wissahickon's Greg Welsh (freshman) and Matt Hornbaker (senior), 6-4, 3-6 and 6-3.
The Trojans saw their first singles team of senior Andy Lee and junior Evan Cuff defeat PW juniors Brett Feldman and Andrew Luber by scores of 6-2 and 6-4. The third doubles team of juniors Kevin Kallukaran and Nikhil Kandpal also won for Wissahickon, defeating freshmen Nathan Levy and Jeke Neerenberg, 6-1 and 6-2.
Wissahickon's fourth doubles team of Ryan Jarvis (junior) and Nimay Godbole also won their match, defeating PW's Spencer Halsman and Blake Milstein, 6-0 and 7-6 (4).
"We're missing two guys at doubles, so we had to make some switches and we had a good showing," Daniels said."We did a nice job and the guys did well filling in the lineup."
Despite a 4-3 loss to archrival Upper Dublin earlier in the season, Callahan is confident that the Trojans, with some of the top players in the area, can compete with the Cardinals.And he looks forward to the possibility of playing them in districts.
"Because districts only has five spots, I think we'll be fine,"Callahan said."I'm looking forward to playing them again and hopefully, we get them in the first round.That would be nice."


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Square Enix Releases Chocobo Panic for iPad
It's a good thing they have Chaos Rings on their resume, because fans of Square Enix's hardcore RPGs like the Final Fantasy series might balk at the company's first iPad release, Chocobo Panic.
As you can see from the screenshots, the art style is simplistic, and so is the gameplay. What you do is tap and hold the specified chocobos as they run around the screen. Then you release the ones they tell you to. Failure to catch or release the correct chocobos will be held against you. If not in the court of law, then in the game's scoring system.
Chocobo Panic includes a "one player and co-op mode" that allows for six independent touch inputs on the screen, and a two player mode that lets you compete against a friend on a single iPad. You can buy it here for $3.99.
Obviously the game is targeted at kids, so hardcore gamers shouldn't feel too let down by it. Look on the bright side– there's always Chaos Rings on the iPad to look forward to.


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With Mars mission and rover Curiosity, NASA hunts building blocks of life
The last time the United States landed a mission on Mars to look for extraterrestrial life or its building blocks, Gerald Ford was president and the nation had just finished celebrating its 1976 bicentennial.
Next week, the long-delayed second attempt will try to deposit a rover on the planets surface.
The descent and landing in the early hours of Aug. 6 will be the most complex and hair-raising in planetary history. The destination is a deep crater with a three-mile-tall mountain that NASA could only dream about using as a landing site until very recently.
Its the most ambitious, the most costly ($2.5 billion) and the most high-stakes mission ever to another planet. It was also described last week by the agencys top scientist, former astronaut John M. Grunsfeld, as the most important NASA mission of the decade.
There is no doubt that this is a risky mission, and that is coming from a human-spacecraft guy, Grunsfeld said. Its hard to get something this big and complex to the surface of Mars, and then to get it to start roving. Thousands of people around the world working on it will be feeling their lives are riding on the mission landing successfully. Well all know soon if the risk was worth it.
What the Mars Science Laboratory mission and its rover named Curiosity bring to Mars is a capacity to analyze the planet with much more sophistication than before, and to do it over a sizable and scientifically rich expanse.
The goal is not to find Martian life per se but rather to ferret out carbon-based organic compounds that are building blocks of life, and then to determine whether the Gale Crater landing site was ever suitable for creatures. Both are integral parts of the science of astrobiology the search for life beyond Earth.
A fully loaded SUV
At 10 feet long and seven feet high at the top of its camera mast, Curiosity is the size of an SUV and weighs almost a ton, about three times more than the Spirit and Opportunity rovers sent to Mars in 2003 on a primarily geological mission. Its robotic arm for digging soil and drilling rock is seven feet long, almost three times longer than previous rover arms. This tool will provide more and better samples for the labs instruments, which will do their analysis on Mars and send back the results to scientists here.
Curiosity will have numerous ovens to bake soil and rocks up to 1,800 degrees and analyze what comes out; it will have a laser zapper to free up potentially important targets in rocks; it will have cameras with unprecedented capabilities, including one that will take video of the last several minutes of the high-drama landing, now dubbed seven minutes of terror by NASA.
Getting to Mars, and especially landing on it, is difficult. Forty-four missions flybys, orbits and landings have been sent to the planet by NASA, the former Soviet Union, Russia, the European Space Agency, Japan and China, and about one-third have made it. All six successful landings were flown by NASA. (A Soviet capsule made a soft landing in 1971 but then sent back only 14 seconds of data, so it is not considered to have succeeded.)
Curiositys descent after a voyage that began last Nov. 25 and covered 354 million miles will be particularly stressful because the weight of the spacecraft required a new landing technique. The capsule containing Curiosity will enter the atmosphere at 13,200 mph and have less than seven minutes to slow down enough to drop the rover gently onto the surface of the planet.
Much of the technology is new or being used in a novel way and, while the component parts have been tested and retested, the landing as a complete sequence has never been tried. Actually, the landing will be our first test that the systems can work, said the projects chief engineer, Robert Manning.
But the risk goes beyond the difficulty of the landing and the complexity of Curiositys 10 major instruments. Thats because Curiosity will land just as Congress and the administration debate a plan to slash NASAs Mars and planetary programs significantly. NASA officials and Mars aficionados hope the rover will make discoveries that will limit the cuts, while knowing that a crash landing or failed instruments could further curtail the programs.
I think a major discovery by Curiosity, such as finding the building blocks of life or any other indication of life, would certainly lead us to reconsider our science approach at Mars, said James Green, director of NASAs Planetary Sciences Division. Why? Because if there is, or was, life on Mars, then wed have to assume life is everywhere in the galaxies. We would have to rethink our place in the universe.
Our place in the universe
One reason that NASA has not sent a life-detecting mission to Mars in so long is that the first one came back with very disappointing results. The twin Viking landers touched down in 1976 with great anticipation that not only the building blocks of life but also life itself would probably be found.
Instead, the Viking mission found a cold, desert planet that came to be seen as virtually incapable of supporting life. While one life-detection experiment using nutrients brought to Mars and tagged with radioactive carbon did show positive results several times, NASA officials and other scientists concluded that those findings were most likely in error. More disheartening, the instrument designed to identify organic molecules came back with a finding of no organics. Without organics, virtually all scientists say, there can be no life.
But in the past decade, NASA scientists and others have produced evidence that the planet was once much warmer and wetter. They know, for instance, that the Gale Crater site was once covered in water, and they know that it has minerals and clays that can be formed only in the presence of water.
In addition, NASA astrobiologist Michael Mumma reported in 2009 finding plumes of methane gas erupting at specific spots and at predictable times on Mars. More than 90 percent of methane on Earth is formed as a byproduct of biology, from cows digestive systems and rotting trees to the life cycle of tiny microbes. It remains unknown whether some of the methane on Mars also comes from biological sources.
And finally, a paper in May from Andrew Steele of the Carnegie Institution of Washington identified organic material in meteorites known to have fallen to Earth from Mars. An expert in the contamination of rocks that fall to Earth from space, Steele concluded that some of the organic material he found was clearly not from Earth, and so it either came from Mars or was picked up by the meteorite as it flew through space.
Climbing the mountain
Combining the promising new science about Mars with the capabilities of Curiosity, NASA science chief Grunsfeld said he considers it likely that organic materials will be found this time. Gale Crater is a much more promising site than the plains where the Viking landers did their work, and Curiosity has more than 35 years of improved technology and know-how.
The rover will also be the first to approach, analyze and then partially climb a Martian mountain. The layered outcrops of what has been named Mount Sharp will provide a geological history of the crater and perhaps the planet, and so are an integral part of the Curiosity mission.
Geologists will be looking at those layers to determine when water was present in the crater, whether it moved like a river or was like a lake, what elements and compounds were in the soil and air, and even what temperatures and other atmospheric conditions existed. The lead scientist for the rover is John Grotzinger of the California Institute of Technology, and he is a geologist.
We have never had an opportunity even close to this on Mars before, he said, referring to the exposed and readable cliffs of Mount Sharp. Were just waiting with bated breath.
An additional Curiosity goal is to learn more about how to protect astronauts who may someday fly to Mars. The landing of a large vehicle is part of that learning curve, but so too is Curiositys radiation assessment detector, a toaster-size instrument that will measure and identify high-energy and potentially harmful radiation on the Martian surface, such as protons, energetic variations of common elements, neutrons and gamma rays.
The Curiosity mission is scheduled to last for another two years, but it could continue much longer if funding becomes available. The rovers power source is a nuclear battery that, if all goes according to plan, could move the rover and keep it warm for years longer.
There is precedent for prolonged rover missions: The Spirit and Opportunity rovers were designed to operate on Mars for 13 weeks, but Spirit sent back information until 2009, and Opportunity is still traveling. So if the landing succeeds and the rover and instruments work as planned, Curiosity might be telling us about Mars for years to come.
Gawd, I'd love to watch this landing. However:
It's at 1:30 Monday morning, and I have to be at work at 7. Maybe I'll nap Sunday and stay up all night. ****ed up sleep patterns FTW!
In a recession and spending 2.5B on this. Makes sense.
Don't turn one of my favorite subjects into some political garbage you assholes.
I hope they do find life. Hopefully it will inject a need to explore more and unite the human race.
NASA to broadcast Mars rover landing live in Times Square
It'll be shown on Sunday night in NYC and several other locations around the US
NEW YORK NASA's biggest Mars rover landing yet is about to hit Broadway.
New Yorkers hoping to see the Aug. 5/6 landing of NASA's huge Mars rover Curiosity alongside like-minded space fans can head to Times Square here on Sunday night to catch the rover's touchdown on the Red Planet live on a giant LED television screen.
NASA Television's coverage of the agency's $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory mission landing will be broadcast live on the Toshiba Vision screen that hangs below the iconic New Year's Eve ball in Times Square, space agency officials say.
The broadcast begins at 11:30 p.m. EDT Sunday night and runs until 4 a.m. EDT Monday morning. The exact time of landing is scheduled for 1:31 a.m. EDT Monday, though it will be late Monday night at the rover's California-based mission control room.
"In the city that never sleeps, the historic Times Square will be the place for New Yorkers to participate in this historic landing," John Grunsfeld, NASA's associate administrator for science missions, said in a statement Tuesday. "When you think of all the big news events in history, you think of Times Square, and I can think of no better venue to celebrate this news-making event on Mars." [ Mars Rover's Nail-Biting Landing in Pictures ]
NASA Curiosity probe is a Mini Cooper-size rover designed to spend two years exploring the vast Gale Crater in pursuit of some of Mars' biggest mysteries, including the question of whether water, and maybe even life, ever existed there. The rover launched in November 2011 and is now poised to land in a nail-biting maneuver this weekend involving a hovering rocket-powered " Sky Crane " that will lower the vehicle to Mars' surface via tethers.
The landing broadcast will originate from Mission Control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's in Pasadena, Calif., which designed the rover and is managing the mission. If the landing is successful, viewers will be able to see scientists receive the first signal from the rover on Mars.
The audio track for the broadcast will be carried on the online radio station Third Rock Radio, which can be accessed from the NASA homepage at and through the Tuneln mobile app.
"We're pleased the Toshiba Vision screens will offer a unique view of this great scientific achievement, the landing of the rover Curiosity on Mars," said Eddie Temistokle, senior manager of corporate communications and corporate social responsibility for Toshiba America Inc.
Other sites around the country, including many of the NASA centers, also will host live viewing events for the landing, which is NASA's most ambitious and expensive planetary mission on the horizon.
To find a Mars rover landing event near you, check NASA's complete listing of events here.
NASA's webcast of the entire Mars rover Curiosity landing will begin at Aug. 5 at 11:30 p.m. EDT (0330 Aug. 6 GMT) on NASA TV here.
I'd love to hear we found any kind of life anywhere but at this point I'm skeptical they'd tell us even if they did...
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ENGS 80: Ethics and Engineering
Cannot be used to satisfy A.B. major or B.E. degree requirements
An examination of the normative dimensions of professional practice, with a practical focus on engineering. Discussion topics will include common morality; ethical theories (virtue, deontological, utilitarian, contractarian); the definition and role of professions in contemporary societies, including theories of professionalism that seek to justify action or inaction in the workplace; the relations among professionals, clients, employers, professional societies, and the service population; and professional codes of conduct. Case studies will include contemporary accidents and issues in advanced technology (genetic engineering, nanotechnology, the machine-human interface). Goals of achievement for the profession will be examined, as expressed by professional societies, educators, and legislation, in the context of emergent globalization of technology and trade. Enrollment is limited to 20 students.


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A challenging case: Progressive, generalized pain in a young English bulldog
These clinicians identify the cause of a dog's extreme, difficult-to-localize pain and successfully alleviate it.
Apr 01, 2007
Ten days before admission to the University of Pennsylvania, the dog had been evaluated by a local veterinarian for continuous crying out, shaking, and panting. The complete blood count, serum chemistry profile, and urinalysis results had been normal. Empiric treatment had been initiated with prednisolone acetate (1 mg/kg subcutaneously once), diazepam (0.25 mg/kg orally every 8 hours), and carprofen (2.2 mg/kg orally every 12 hours). Over the next 10 days, the dog had progressively exhibited more pain, had been unable to lower its head and neck to eat, and had developed progressive pelvic limb lameness. Consequently, the dog was reevaluated by the local veterinarian, given another injection of prednisolone (1 mg/kg subcutaneously), and referred to the University of Pennsylvania.
PHYSICAL AND NEUROLOGIC EXAMINATIONSOn admission to the University of Pennsylvania, physical examination revealed mild upper airway stridor. The dog had normal heart and respiratory rates and a normal rectal temperature. The dog's sensorium was quiet and responsive. The patient had a normal gait in its thoracic limbs but a stiff and short-strided gait in both pelvic limbs. The dog had difficulty rising from a recumbent position and was reluctant to walk and unwilling or unable to run.
Postural reactions were normal in all limbs. During the postural reaction tests, the dog would cry out. Muscle tone was normal in all limbs. No muscle atrophy was detected. The dog's spinal reflexes and the results of a cranial nerve examination were normal. The dog appeared to be in extreme pain when the spinous processes were palpated and when the vertebral column was manipulated, especially the caudal lumbar vertebrae and sacrum.
Given the patient's abnormal pelvic gait and sensitivity to palpation in the lumbar region, we presumed that the lesion's neuroanatomic location was between L4 and S2. Conditions that may cause this presentation of generalized pain or pain that is difficult to localize to a specific area include degenerative, neoplastic, infectious, inflammatory, immune-mediated, or traumatic diseases that affect the intervertebral disks, facet joint capsules, dorsal root ganglia and sensory nerves, vertebral ligaments, musculature, periosteum, or meninges.1
The results of a serum chemistry profile, complete blood count, and urinalysis were within reference ranges. Serologic testing for neutralizing antibodies to canine distemper virus revealed a titer of 1:192, which was likely a result of the previous vaccinations for canine distemper virus. In addition, the serum concentrations of IgG directed against Neospora caninum and IgM and IgG directed against Toxoplasma gondii were normal. A serum latex agglutination test for Cryptococcus neoformans was negative. Serum creatine kinase activity was normal. Radiographic examination of the thorax revealed no abnormalities.


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Traditional owners back new prisoner work campBy Allyson Horn
The Department of Correctional Services says a new prisoner work camp, to be built in central Australia, has the support of traditional owners.
The 16-bed work camp will be built in the remote community of Ali Curung, about 350 kilometres north of Alice Springs.
It will be the second such camp to be built in the Northern Territory - the first was in Tennant Creek.
The department's Bill Carroll says prisoners will carry out maintenance and repairs in the surrounding communities.
"We were searching for prisoner placements, with the increase in prisoner numbers, and the opportunity come up with Ali Curung Horticulture Pty, who are the traditional owners," he said.
"The facility is already there, so we identified the opportunity, riding on the back of the success of the Barkly Work Camp."
The department says it will not cost much to establish the new prisoner work camp because the facilities are already there.
"There's enough of a facility there to house 16 prisoners and two staff immediately," Mr Carroll said.
"There's a large kitchen facility and dining area which will double up as a classroom.
"We need to put in probably some more ablutions and upgrade the water system ... water supply but other than that, to open the facility it's quite a low cost."


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Sean & Naomi together again
Have you seen 21 Grams? Terrific movie, beautifully filmed. Trailer is below. Sean Penn and Naomi Watts, their chemistry, it was hot, it was heartbreaking, and now they've been brought back together for Fair Game playing real life husband and wife Joseph Wilson and Valerie Plame, chronicling that CIA/White House disastrous mess from a few years ago based on Plame's book by the same name which accounts for the sh-tty title.
You'll recall, Fair Game was also a movie starring Billy Baldwin and Cindy Crawford… holy f-ck, remember how much that sucked?
Safe to say the new Fair Game will likely not suck. It's scheduled for a 2010 release, currently shooting in Brooklyn. Here they are on set today. Can't figure out if that's a fake gut. Tell me.
21 Grams trailer
Photos from Doug Meszler / Splashnewsonline.com


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City, school surplus may reach $6M
Greater revenues than projected served as the principal driver of a $3.4 million surplus for the fiscal year ending June 30, as reported Monday by Mayor Scott Avedisian.
Citing the preliminary audit, Avedisian said expenditures for the year were under budget by $22,767 and revenues came in at $3.3 million more than budgeted.
This is the 12th time in 13 years that the city has posted a surplus.
Yesterday, the mayor credited department directors for their financial vigilance.
"Virtually every department came in under budget," he said.
As for the greater than projected revenues, Avedisian said tax collections were better than originally estimated. Playing into that increase was what started off as one of the city's largest tax sales. With the approach of the sale that came after the end of the fiscal year, property owners paid up or made payment arrangements to be removed from the sale. Nonetheless, the sale produced an additional $1.5 million in revenues. Those taxes were counted as part of the fiscal year's revenues.
The surplus will boost the city's unassigned fund balance from $8.3 million to $10.6 million. The reason the full amount of the surplus won't flow into the unassigned fund balance is that $806,000 was transferred to last year's supplemental budget plan.
There's more good news.
School Department Chief Budget Officer Anthony Ferrucci reported yesterday that while the school audit hasn't been completed, he doesn't see the $2.5 million surplus forecast earlier this year going down.
"Nothing has come to light to deviate from it," he said. "It can only grow from where we are."
Assuming the school surplus is on target, the collective city surplus for the last year would be close to $6 million.
The city news had some members of the City Council pleased but curious.
"I have questions. I would like to see more detail where it came from," said Ward 5 Councilman Edgar Ladouceur.
"Why wasn't the surplus known at the beginning of the year? How is it that it wasn't detected?" he asked.
Ward 4 Councilman Joseph Solomon said from the information released by the administration it would appear the city "was accurate on the expenditure side."
"I've asked to see the numbers," he said.
Both Solomon and Ladouceur had questions looking forward.
Fire Department overtime costs have traditionally exceeded budget and that, again, was an issue last year. However, with federal funds paying much of the costs over three years, the department has added 17 personnel.
Looking at monthly financial reports provided to the council, Ladouceur said he is concerned by what appears to be a trend to over-budget expenditures for fire overtime.
Solomon said that is of concern to him, too.
"It's on the radar screen," he said. "I'm giving the chief the opportunity for the new employees to kick in."
Avedisian didn't see anything of alarm at this time. He said department budgets are tracking as projected. In addition, he's optimistic about revenues, especially after implementation of a lock box system for tax payments. Under the system, payments are immediately deposited, thereby increasing cash flow and enabling the city to earn interest on reserves. He said chief of staff Mark Carruolo is also working with the city's software provider on revisions for issuing and processing tax payments that should streamline the system.
Avedisian said it is too early to know where the increased unassigned fund balance will have a positive impact on the city's bond rating. Improved rates would have the effect of lowering bonding costs.
While the bond rating agencies typically want to see municipal reserves equal to 10 percent of their operating budget, Avedisian said, "We're never going to be 10 percent. That would be hard to justify." The city budget is $283 million, meaning reserves would need to be $28 million.
Looking at it another way, however, Avedisian concluded the city isn't that far off from the 10 percent threshold.
He pointed out that when the $156 million school allocation is stripped from the budget, the city's budget is $127 million.
Based on that amount, he said, "it [reserves] should be $12 million, so it's [$10.6 million] pretty good."
Ferrucci said he would have a report on the school surplus for the School Committee at their November meeting.
The schools should immediately re-institute the ALAP program for the remainder of the year until a new program can be put into place. There is currently no program to replace the cancelled ALAP program. The schools should also put a full time librarian back at Gorton for the remainder of the year.
Dave, all that means is its been intentionally under budgeted for 30 years. Year after year they budget 1 million and year after year it comes in at 2 million and year after year everyone is just so shocked that those damned firefighters went over budget again... You need people on the trucks. It's as simple as that. People take vacations, they get sick and in this job they get hurt. The mayor and the council should just budget the appropriate amount (like say what the chief asks for year after year) and everyone can lose the faux outrage. No one ever speaks of the 2 million the fire dept generates with rescue runs that goes into the general fund and never gets accounted for in the FD budget.
Furthermore, if the firefighters wanted to juice the city for OT they could come in at 8am or 6pm and whack the city for overtime every time they get a late run instead of relieving the guys working an hour early. The result being is the firefighters save the city on overtime by them not having to pay it for those late in the shift runs. It's not about squeezing every dime out of the city, they haven't taken a raise in years, it's simply about ensuring there are enough guys on the trucks to be safe and effective in an emergency.
So how about you hire a few more Teaching Assistants so my daughter can go in the mainstream classroom more often!
And yet they're considering closing a high school. Marvelous


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Vietnam and Watergate were arguably triumphs for honest reporting. But they were also defeats for America--and for millions of freedom-loving people in the world. They ushered in an era when the political opposition and much of the press have sought not just to defeat administrations but to delegitimize them. The pursuit of Karl Rove by the left and the press has been just the latest episode in the attempted criminalization of political differences. Is there any hope that it might turn out to be the last?
June 16, 2006
"It has been a tough 10 days for those who see current events through the prisms of Vietnam and Watergate."
62 comments:
- MadisonMan said...
The one thing missing from your quoted paragraph, at least as far as Watergate is concerned, is a reminder of the seemingly criminal activity that was flourishing in the Executive Branch. Is the author suggesting the world and America would have been better off had the reporters not pursued the story? I don't blame the press for the way history has played out, post-Watergate -- it's just another consequence of the deeds of the President back then.
Mr. Barone is a write at a Newsweekly. In the future if a juicy faux scandal runs his way, can I expect he will run away from it?
- Jacques Cuze said...
The pursuit of Karl Rove by the left and the press has been just the latest episode in the attempted criminalization of political differences.
Oh, it's completely true. The Whitehouse had great news this week, one of their senior advisors was NOT indicted. Woohoo!
You have pretty low expectations of our President's behavior (mirrored perhaps in your own behavior these days) if you ask me, but if this is the gruel at which you wish to dine, all the more power to you. It's a thin gruel, how does it actually taste to you?
In the meantime I will note that while Rove is innocent until proven guilty, he admitted to the FBI that he was Cooper and Novak's source in the outing of Valerie Plame an undercover agent working to discover Iran's WMD capabilities and working in the general area of WMD proliferation (AQ Khan supposedly.) Rove wasn't cleared of wrong doing by any means by any official statement from the prosecutor who in fact has made no public statements about this. He just wasn't indicted. In the meantime Plame was still outed by Rove, and since then our situation with Iran has become much more dangerous.
Bush did get a big bump from this. After a week of "good news", Apparently a bump of 1% from 36% to 37% in the WSJ's own poll meaning that more than 60% of America still understand the American disaster known as GWB.
The guy is a disaster for America and apparently only the last throes of the deadenders still cannot understand that.
- Jeff said...
"he admitted to the FBI that he was Cooper and Novak's source in the outing of Valerie Plame an undercover agent working to discover Iran's WMD capabilities and working in the general area of WMD proliferation (AQ Khan supposedly.)"
Well, then you should get in touch with the special procecutor then since you know more about it that he does. Apparently he didnt believe that she was in fact a undercover agent and had not been one for a number of years. Your entire post pretty much sums up the point she was making. Your personal hatred and disagreement of policy does not a criminal make.
- knoxgirl said...
It is hard in retrospect to understand why the left put so much psychic energy into the notion that Mr. Rove would be indicted. He certainly was an important target.
It wasn't long ago all the psychic energy was being poured into reviving the "Bush Lied" theme. Then Bush gave a couple of "Get a Grip" speeches and it fizzled out. It'll be something else in the next couple weeks.
- Goesh said...
Our Karl slips out of the noose, zaqawri bites the dust, an Iraqi government is formed and there are massive raids and arrests and more slain terrorists, the DOW bumps up +198, the Senate 93-6 says NO to pulling troops out of Iraq early, SCOTUS gives a nod and wink to our hard-charging cops, the Democrats vote the crook Jefferson off the Ways & Means Committee, Bush swoops in unannounced to Iraq and wows Iraqis and our boys over there, who all fell just short of calling him King George the Conqueror, though there was some behind-the-scenes prostration by some Iraqi leaders.....yes, recent times have been bad for the Left and I think a couple of stiff belts of top-shelf bourbon are in order here.
- Pogo said...
Michael Barone is right. Let the wailing and gnashing of teeth begin.
But I'm sure they'll feel better after a few good car bombings in Baghdad. Not that they're for defeat or anything.
- Jacques Cuze said...
he admitted to the FBI that he was Cooper and Novak's source in the outing of Valerie Plame ...
Well, then you should get in touch with the special procecutor then since you know more about it that he does.
No, Jeff, you should check what you think you know about this. I got this information from court filings and discussions in the press.
Analysis: Telling FBI the Truth Saved Rove
By PETE YOST , 06.13.2006, 02:07 PM
The decision not to charge Karl Rove shows there often are no consequences for misleading the public.
In 2003, while Rove allowed the White House to tell the news media that he had no role in leaking Valerie Plame's CIA identity, the presidential aide was secretly telling the FBI the truth.
It's now known that Rove had discussed Plame's CIA employment with conservative columnist Robert Novak, who exposed her identity less than a week later, citing two unidentified senior administration officials.
Rove's truth-telling to the FBI saved him from indictment.
You're allowed your own opinion Jeff but you are not allowed your own facts.
- David said...
The reportings of Watergate and the Viet Nam war were not paragons of honest reporting. What they lacked was as appreciation of the far-reaching effects of that reporting.
Watergate was used as an excuse to abandon our allies in South Viet Nam. It directly contributed to the downfall of an ally and the deaths of millions in that region.
Very rarely does reporting progress beyond the story du jour. Reporting fails to make the leap into the long-term effects of the implications of the story reported.
The true scandal is the failure of most reporters to study history and know when their reporting plays into the hands of the excellent psy-ops of our enemies.
The TET offensive was a failure and the NVA ceased to be an effective military fighting force after that. The press handed General Giap the victory the military denied him.
The story of the 5th column MSM in the U.S. in particular, and the West in general, will go down in history with the death of millions on their typewriters/keyboards.
- John said...
I think a key paragraph from the column includes this:
"Journalists in the 1940s, '50s and early '60s tended to believe they had a duty to buttress Americans' faith in their leaders and their government. Journalists since Vietnam and Watergate have tended to believe that they have a duty to undermine such faith, especially when the wrong party is in office."
We have enough "fact" finders on both sides of the aisle. Where are the truly impartial journalists willing to play their critical role in society to find the real facts and dismiss the false? I realize I am naive - this never existed - but it was more civilised in the past.
- Mack said...
Do you know Rove's history? He has a long and well-documented history of doing extremely unethical things to win elections. Starting with when he was 19 and stole an opponents stationary and sent out flyers for a made-up party with alcohol and strippers.
This is the most ridiculous idea, that Democrats target Rove for some "purpose." I recently read similar analysis saying Democrats attack Scalia for the same reason. No! Democrats attack these people because they're terrible terrible people. If you need a "purpose" to attack Karl Rove, you may be a lot of things, but you're clearly not a Democrat.
Do you guys really dispute that this has been a politicized White House? Do you really not think Rove has anything to do with that? Can you really not see why this angers Democrats?
- ignacio said...
Barone's point extends further, in that however much it was a triumph for Michael Isikoff and the Washington Post to expose Monica Lewinsky, pursuing the ramifications of this to the point of attempted impeachment of Bill Clinton was neither good for those Republicans who fell in with the "Clinton-haters" nor good for the country as a whole (insofar as the president was virtually paralyzed during his last two years in office).
- pr9000 (paul) said...
I can see it's politicized, mackan. Everyone can.
I think what bothers many of us in the "middle," though, is that every White House is politicized ... you can't tell me Sid Blumenthal and Lanny Davis were any worse than Karl Rove on that count.
When I hear arguments like yours ... I instantly dismiss it, because you're mad your side isn't in power, not that the whole system is overly political.
Both sides say "Oh, we're paragons of honestly and open politics! The other guy is evil and deserves to be punished?" But in reality, it's sour grapes.
- Internet Ronin said...
Oh, I don't know, Mackan. If someone edited your comment by inserting Carville and Clinton in the appropriate places, I think we'd have the typical partisan GOP view during the Clinton Administration. In fact, some are still so bitter about it that they are holding on to that feeling 6 long years after it ended, as we can see here on just about any given day.
It seems to me that one side's genius is almost always the other side's evil monster. But then, I'm not a true believer in either side.
- Pogo said...
The role of the White house in the Plame story was and is an insignificant kerfuffle. Joe Wilson and his evasions and half-truths, dedicated as they were to discredit Bush, were rightly discredited themselves.
The left wants to make this into an important story of Corruption in High Places. What it exposed was the left's desperate at-all-costs attempts to unseat Bush. And to see it fizzsle out this way is simply intolerable, as one can see by the thrashing about here.
- SteveR said...
Please clear this up for me. Was Valerie Plame "outed"? Meaning her status as an undercover CIA agent revealed? I think that would be a crime and I don't remember there being any such charges in this case.
Did Rove have converstaions with Cooper, Novak, etc, where her name came up and her connection to the Wilson/Niger trip discussed? Seems like everyone knows that.
- Jacques Cuze said...
Joe Wilson and his evasions and half-truths,
Please enumerate.
- MadisonMan said...
As I understand the Republican Party talking point, Valerie Plame's status was no longer classified because VP Cheney declassified it. He had the power to do so because of a classified Presidential Order from President Bush allowing Cheney to declassify anything he saw fit. Or something like that.
The reports I've seen have noted that Plame's neighbors did not know her true job, which to me means she was undercover -- that's what it would mean in my neighborhood, at least :) More recent reports say she was working on Iran and Nuclear secrets, but I don't recall reading about that before the latest push to link Iran and nuclear ambitions, so I'm not sure what to make of it.
For someone just trying to live a life, keeping track of this whole kerfuffle can be exhausting.
- Jacques Cuze said...
The CIA Leak: Plame Was Still Covert Feb. 13, 2006 issue - Newly released court papers could put holes in the defense of Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby, in the Valerie Plame leak case. Lawyers for Libby, and White House allies, have repeatedly questioned whether Plame, the wife of White House critic Joe Wilson, really had covert status when she was outed to the media in July 2003. But special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald found that Plame had indeed done "covert work overseas" on counterproliferation matters in the past five years, and the CIA "was making specific efforts to conceal" her identity, according to newly released portions of a judge's opinion. (A CIA spokesman at the time is quoted as saying Plame was "unlikely" to take further trips overseas, though.) Fitzgerald concluded he could not charge Libby for violating a 1982 law banning the outing of a covert CIA agent; apparently he lacked proof Libby was aware of her covert status when he talked about her three times with New York Times reporter Judith Miller. Fitzgerald did consider charging Libby with violating the so-called Espionage Act, which prohibits the disclosure of "national defense information," the papers show; he ended up indicting Libby for lying about when and from whom he learned about Plame.
- MadisonMan said...
Watergate was used as an excuse to abandon our allies in South Viet Nam. It directly contributed to the downfall of an ally and the deaths of millions in that region.
So is the press responsible, or is Nixon?
You can argue that the Press might have asked itself to foresee what would happen if Nixon were toppled as he was -- that those "against" Nixon who were also against involvement in Viet Nam might gain an advantage in Congress by having Nixon and his supporters -- many of whom were war supporters -- cut off at the knees, and vote to cut off money to South Vietnam. Why can't you make the same request of Nixon? Shouldn't he, or his advisors, considered the same thing, namely what would happen globally if the truth came out? As it almost always does.
If you're going to take the Press to task for the ramifications of things that happen when the press reports, I think you have to portion part of the blame also to those causing the stuff the press is reporting on. Barone seems to blame the press (an interesting viewpoint, given his job). I think he overstates things.
- Jacques Cuze said...
As if to confirm Newsweek's analysis, Cheney came out the next week to claim he had the power to declassify anything he wishes to.
So at the least what we appear to have is: Plame was covert. Outing her did damage to the country because of her work on Iran and nuclear proliferation. Outing her may not have been a crime since the Vice President determined that her covert status was no longer classified.
That's the Republican theory.
Now as a citizen, or as an intelligence agent, how should you feel about a Vice President that makes it legal to declassify such information?
- Jacques Cuze said...
Madisonman is right about the time this takes to debunk the right wing distortions.
I need to get to work.
Enjoy your day keeping America safe for distortions.
- Sloanasaurus said...
Yes. We should prosecute anyone for leaking Plames name if she was indeed covert. At the same time, lets also prosecute reporters at the NY Times for leaking stories they and we know were covert.
Btw, Andrea Mitchell commented that it was widely known that Plame worked for the CIA. Libby's lawyer says he has witnesses who are will to testify to the same thing. Mitchel later backtracked on her story when she found out it hurt the left.
Further, we should put Wilson under oath again and let him state whether the op ed he wrote in the NY Times claiming that Saddam's attempt to purchase Uranium from Niger not true. After all, when Wilson was under oath during the Senate Intel Committee hearings he reported a different story than his op ed piece (why is that?)
The Plame story is another great example of the Left believing that committing fraud or lying is okay as long as the goal is the greater good (the greater good as defined by the left). To the left, the truth is relative - therefore there is no such thing as truth. Didn't George Orwell discuss this strange behavior?
Memogate is another great example, only that time the Left got caught red handed and the spin "Just because the memos are fake, does not mean they are not real," wasn't able to convince the average 2nd grader.
- Simon said...
"In fact, some are still so bitter about [the Clinton administration] that they are holding on to that feeling 6 long years after it ended."
Funny, it seems to me that those who are bitterest about the end of the Clinton administration -- which, I suspect, will ironically enough be recorded in history as "old liberalism"'s last gasp -- aren't Republicans, but our friends like Quxxo, whose routine knashing of teeth seems predicated on the extreme frustration that a majority of Americans are so dumb that we don't agree with him. I guess now he knows how Republicans felt during the Carter administration: "let's just keep our heads down and hope America survives this idiot." Of course, the difference was that the GOP recognized that it had to change and had the man waiting in the wings to do it, while I have serious doubts that the Democrats have the capacity for change, let alone the perspicacity to recognize its necessity, and still less that they have their own Ronald Reagan on standby.
- Mack said...
>When I hear arguments like yours ... I instantly dismiss it, because you're mad your side isn't in power, not that the whole system is overly political.<
That's a view, though, that says that the ethics in its entirety is nothing more than partisanship. I'm sure that's true to an extent, and often, and with many, but it's not /always./ Sometimes, one guy really is worse than another. Isn't he?
In any case, I'm not in any way confused why conservatives would have hated Carville during the Clinton administration. I'd be confused if they didn't.
But I also think Rove and Bush have taken partisanship to a new level. For all his controversy, Clinton wasn't all that partisan. I don't think he saw himself as a warrior in the battle between liberals and conservatives. Not in the way that Bush does. And I don't think Clinton would have made his head political attack dog his head policy guy.
Really though, my point was simply this: It shouldn't be confusing why liberals don't like Karl Rove. As to the basis, you're probably right that it's a combination of hating his politics as well as his ethics, but I guess I'm not sure what's wrong or irrational about that.
- Jacques Cuze said...
that a majority of Americans are so dumb that we don't agree with him.
Simon, don't be simple. The WSJ's own polls and other recent polls show the overwhelming majority of Americans do agree with me: Bush is the worst president ever, Republicans are not to be trusted in financial or security matters, and the war in Iraq was a mistake.
- Henry said...
Okay then.
If we can get beyond the pursuit of Karl Rove for a minute, I don't think Barone makes much of a case against an oppositional press. The idea that the press a has a duty to buttress Americans' faith in their leaders and their government has an Animal Farm stench to it. Why exactly, would a dutiful press be of any benefit to the public? Barone's promotion of a conformist slice of history doesn't really answer the question.
Nevertheless, the press does seem to behave (as an institution) in appalling fashion. The problem in my mind is not its oppositional mindset, but its herd mentality. The big story of the day gets all the attention, whether its a baby in a well or a terrorist plot; lacking facts, reporters in the swarm happily conjecture an angle that might get their byline some attention. Lacking imagination, every angle is the same.
- John said...
Mackan: "Democrats attack these people because they're terrible terrible people. If you need a "purpose" to attack Karl Rove, you may be a lot of things, but you're clearly not a Democrat."
Jaques Cuze (from another thread): "Please be direct and to the point and try to avoid innuendo in place of an actual argument (a connected series of statements intended to establish a proposition.)"
- SteveR said...
Well I'm glad to know that the final word on Plame's covert status came from Isikoff in Feb 2006.
Fake but accurate
Not indicted but guilty
I detect a pattern
- Internet Ronin said...
While most of Barone's article strikes me as fair comment, and factual, I believe that these two statements are neither:
Journalists in the 1940s, '50s and early '60s tended to believe they had a duty to buttress Americans' faith in their leaders and their government. Journalists since Vietnam and Watergate have tended to believe that they have a duty to undermine such faith, especially when the wrong party is in office.
I doubt Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, Joseph McCarthy, Richard Nixon, the Warren Court, and any number of other government leaders during those times thought the press was buttressing anyone's faith in their leadership. In fact, most of them are on record as lamenting unfair press coverage.
I don't think most journalists think they have a "duty" to do anything but advance their own careers. Post-Watergate, many do seem to believe that finding fault and creating the aura of scandal are the dual paths to fame and riches. That has probably always been true. It is just more obvious at the moment because our access to information independent of journalist-interpreters is easier, making the current heavily-titled partisanship of the traditional content providers more apparent.
- Simon said...
"Simon, don't be simple."
Are you in grade school?
"The WSJ's own polls and other recent polls show the overwhelming majority of Americans do agree with me: Bush is the worst president ever, Republicans are not to be trusted in financial or security matters, and the war in Iraq was a mistake."
What people tell a ballot box, vs. what they are willing to admit (or claim) to an opinion pollster, are sometimes two very different things. Democrats were making these same claims about Bush before the 2002 and 2004 elections, and while Bush's opinion poll numbers were already plenty beneath 50% before the '04 election, the fact remains that every time they have been asked to decide in a meaningful context, the electorate has handed the Democrats their asses. There are two conclusions available: either the people hate Bush but hate the Democrats more, or opinion polls are unreliable. Neither possibility helps you much here.
- Bruce Hayden said...
There were a couple of different statutes potentially involved with Plame, et al. First, there was a very narrow statute for outing a covert agent. The problems there were that intent was problematic, as was whether Ms. Plame fell within the statute, given that she had been back in the states for quite awhile raising twins.
The second potential statute violated would have been disclosure of classified information. But, as noted above, the VP has delegated authority from the President to declassify anything he wants to.
Which is why the special prosecutor determined quite awhile ago that no primary crime had most likely been committed. Since then, he spent his time on crimes potentially committed during his investigation, and hence the Libby indictment.
I am not sure where you draw the line here. Regardless of all the hype, there is almost no indication that anyone in the Administration committed any "crimes" in "outing" Plame. Maybe in the "coverup". But where does political hard ball turn into unethical? Not sure.
- michael a litscher said...
MadisonMan: As I understand the Republican Party talking point, Valerie Plame's status was no longer classified because VP Cheney declassified it. He had the power to do so because of a classified Presidential Order from President Bush allowing Cheney to declassify anything he saw fit. Or something like that.
No. Cheney declassified portions of the prewar intelligence assessment to rebut the lies Wilson was feeding reporters at the Washington Post, as well as the lies Wilson told in an op-ed to the New York Times.
Ann even had a thread about this, wondering how many people would be fooled (the articles on the 'declassification' were almost purposefully vague) into believing that Cheney's declassification of said documents outed Plame.
MadisonMan: The reports I've seen have noted that Plame's neighbors did not know her true job, which to me means she was undercover -- that's what it would mean in my neighborhood, at least :)
If that's your standard, then I suspect that a whole bunch of your neighbors qualify as undercover, as I doubt that you know what every one of them does for a living.
For someone just trying to live a life, keeping track of this whole kerfuffle can be exhausting.
Well, some of that is on purpose, hoping you'll mistake one tree for another in a forest of trees, as I pointed out above.
- The Drill SGT said...
Here's a fantasy that only would happen in fiction, in this case one of Clancy's later novels.
American news networks asked to assist in a bit of misinformation about the whereabouts of a US aircraft carrier. They kick and scream in private, but agree. Doing some on camera work that makes it appear the carrier is still in port. When the truth comes out, the reporter stands in front of what is clearly an empty pier and says something like:
"... well ultimately after all, we are an AMERICAN News Network"
It worked that way through WWI and I think through Korea, but not ever again, I'm afraid.
- Moanique said...
Let's add this up:
1. Democrats didn't win in a heavily Republican Congressional district.
2. A terrorist was killed (1).
3. No one at the top of the administration was indicted.
Barone thinks this makes a good week for Republicans. If he says so, it must be true for him. My expectations are a little higher.
Best to all
- Moanique said...
Referring to the quote:
No, it won't be the last. The atmosphere is poisoned to the point that the whole city of D.C. needs to be evacuated and then fumigated. Politicians of all stripes, media, lobbyists and everyone else you can think of in that fetid place have the interests of the country (as opposed to the interests of their clients or themselves) well down the list of priorities. It's a giant game now of 'gotcha' and I have no clue if the reward for winning is worth it any longer.
- Sloanasaurus said...
Drill Sgt, It could work that way again. I have a suspicion that the Vietnam generation (who now runs the American mainstream media) is unqiue in their extreme leftism. Thus, I have confidence that in the future, the news outlets will be filled by people who became adults during a more conservative era.
And just wait... after Iraq emerges as a prosperous and free country, the left will be clamering to say they supported it (they just disapproved of the means)..
You will hear these arguments in a few years:
1) Bush's ass was saved by the bravery and competence of the Iraqi people, implying that they would have accomplished freedom without the war.
2) Bush's goal was never to free the Iraqi people, he only went in because of the WMD.
They are, of course, completely false. But the Left has never shied away from making up facts.
- Simon said...
"The atmosphere is poisoned to the point that the whole city of D.C. needs to be evacuated and then fumigated."
Not to sound horribly macabre and pessimistic, but if terrorists levelled downtown Washington, I'd almost be inclined to make arrangements to move the national capital to Nebraska. The location of the capital was chosen when America was a small nation clinging to the Atlantic coast; Washington is cited roughly in the geographic center of the old states, and it stands to some level of reason that had America already attained its continental proportions when revolution broke out, they would have still chosen the geographic center, viz., Nebraska.
In the normal course of events, I wouldn't propose moving it, but in the case that something extraordinary happened that meant we would start again, I would consider this possibility.
- Sloanasaurus said...
"...A terrorist was killed (1)...."
Oh please Monique. How ridiculous. Maybe yo should say, today a single Microsoft employee, Bill Gates, announced his retirement. No big deal.
Or maybe some previous headlines from Monique:
"Michael Jorden, one of 300 active NBA players today annouced his retirement. The other 299, however, are still playing - no big deal."
"Today Crick Watson and Wilson submitted a paper on DNA. This is one of thousands of sientific papers submitted this year - Hmm not a big deal.."
- The Drill SGT said...
The problem is that the journalism establishment, like the education establishment self selects, screens and indoctrinates through J school, and Ed school, then hires.
It's a pretty closed loop cycle today.
Too many J schools and Ed schools have as mission statements:
Progressive education and social justice.
- Sloanasaurus said...
Drill, your probably right. I am just trying to be hopeful.
- michael a litscher said...
Actually sloan, a "freedom fighter" was killed.
Because, you know, you just can't have some of that old-fashioned kite-flying freedom without chopping off a few hundred heads and blowing up tens of thousands of innocent women and children while they do their shopping.
- Internet Ronin said...
I'm not so sure, Michael. Rumor has it that the modern definition of "terrorist" is " a person who frightens, intimidates, makes uncomfortable or otherwise takes aim, figuratively or literally, at a professional journalist."
- michael a litscher said...
Here is the previous Althouse thread where details of the declassification of portions of the NIE was reported vaguely enough that people easilly jumped to the incorrect conlusion that the act of declassifying portions of the NIE outed Plame, which it didn't.
- michael a litscher said...
Ronin, NOTED! I stand corrected.
- MadisonMan said...
If that's your standard, then I suspect that a whole bunch of your neighbors qualify as undercover, as I doubt that you know what every one of them does for a living.
I don't know what all of my neighbors do, true. But I'll wager that there is no one in the neighborhood whose job is unknown by someone else in the neighborhood. That was my meaning. Apologies for the lack of clarity.
- MadisonMan said...
P.S. Thanks for the link to the old commentary. I didn't see my name in it, so even back then I was suffering from fatigue in trying to keep things straight!
- michael a litscher said...
MadisonMan: P.S. Thanks for the link to the old commentary. I didn't see my name in it, so even back then I was suffering from fatigue in trying to keep things straight!
Hell, we all had to read it twice, some thrice, to get it straight. I think it was reported as it was for the purpose of giving that false impression, so don't blame yourself.
- Moanique said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- Moanique said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- Moanique said...
OK Sloan, fair enough (despite your sniping and what in civil discourse would be considered an absurdly rude tone):
Given that the terrorist in question is who he is, we should expect to see changes in the situation there on the order of changes to the biological sciences when Watson and Crick published their papers on DNA.
My perception (and that of the President incidentally) is that despite how important this guy was, things aren't going to change a whole lot.
That seems absurd on the surface. Either he's that important or he isn't.
Time will tell and I'm fair enough to not jump to any conclusions.
As to your other "quotes" from me, I never said them and you're dishonest in implying that I did.
- John said...
Moan: "As to your other "quotes" from me, I never said them and you're dishonest in implying that I did."
Why is it that some - in another direction than right or center - don't understand sarcasm and wit? Lighten up. I'm sure Sloan worked hard to hold back completely ripping your self-denial, rationalization that nothing can be positive as long as he's in the White House!
- michael a litscher said...
Moanique: My perception (and that of the President incidentally) is that despite how important this guy was, things aren't going to change a whole lot.
From Al Qaeda in Iraq Died For Our Sins:
Al Qaeda in Iraq has been virtually wiped out by the loss of an address book. The death of al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al Zarqawi was not as important as the capture of his address book and other planning documents in the wake of the June 7th bombing.
Nearly a thousand terrorist suspects have been killed or captured. The amount of information captured has overwhelmed intelligence organizations in Iraq, and more translators and analysts are assisting, via satellite link, from the United States and other locations.
Perhaps the most valuable finds have been al Qaeda planning documents confirming what has been suspected of terrorist strategy. Also valuable have been the al Qaeda assessment of their situation in Iraq. The terrorist strategy is one of desperation.
Other documents stressed the need to manipulate Moslem and Western media. This was to be done by starting rumors of American atrocities, and feeding the media plausible supporting material. Al Qaeda's attitude was that if they could not win in reality, they could at least win imaginary battles via the media.
[T]here are far fewer foreign Arabs in Iraq fighting for al Qaeda. The terrorist organization has basically been taken over anti-government Sunni Arabs. That made the capture of Zarqawi even more valuable, as his address book contained a who's who of the anti-government Sunni Arab forces. This group has been hurt badly by last week's raids.
- michael a litscher said...
Here's more, from Post-al-Zarqawi raids kill 104 insurgents
American and Iraqi forces have carried out 452 raids since the June 7 airstrike on al-Zarqawi, and 104 insurgents were killed in those actions, said U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell.
The nationwide raids led to the discovery of 28 significant arms caches, Caldwell said.
He said 255 of the raids were joint operations, while 143 were carried out by Iraqi forces alone. The raids also resulted in the captures of 759 "anti-Iraqi elements."
National Security Adviser Mouwafak al-Rubaie called it "the beginning of the end of al-Qaida in Iraq."
"Now we have the upper hand," he said at a news conference in Baghdad. "We feel that we know their locations, the names of their leaders, their whereabouts, their movements, through the documents we found during the last few days."
Baghdad was in the second day of a huge security crackdown involving 75,000 Iraqi army and police forces backed by U.S. forces. It includes a curfew extended by 4 1/2 hours — from 8:30 p.m. until dawn — a weapons ban, and the frisking of motorists at checkpoints around the capital. The government did not say how long the crackdown would last.
- Moanique said...
Thank you Michael.
I do hope that administration remarks from earlier this week cautioning that this will help but not end the war or the violence are true. Only time will tell.
- Moanique said...
John said,
Why is it that some - in another direction than right or center - don't understand sarcasm and wit?
You know nothing of my politics which tend to be more libertarian than anything else. In keeping with the general tendency for some to label any disagreement at all with the current administration as "liberal", I suppose I can understand your mistake.
Sarcasm is all well and good but my understanding of wit is that there's supposed to be some identifiable humor involved. So, I'll amend my remarks to acknowledge the sarcasm while not ignoring the fact that the examples presented as quotes were witless.
Oddly enough, it's just this sort of attitude which was the main point of the original post (to struggle back on topic).
Political disagreement of all sorts has now devolved to either trying to find ways to criminalize political differences or, if that doesn't work, call anyone who disagrees stupid and liberal as if that explains everything.
As an attitude, it's destructive and solves nothing, either here or in D.C.
So, best wishes for a future in which the government plays a smaller, less intrusive part in all of our lives. If that makes me a liberal, I can live with that.
- Sloanasaurus said...
".....So, best wishes for a future in which the government plays a smaller, less intrusive part in all of our lives. If that makes me a liberal, I can live with that.
Here! Here!
The liberals could even get my vote if they were for smaller government....
However, that would ertainly be a bizarro world. Leftism is completely impotent without the power of government.
- M. Simon said...
Mackan said...
Do you guys really dispute that this has been a politicized White House? Do you really not think Rove has anything to do with that? Can you really not see why this angers Democrats?
The White House politcized? No!!!!!! Say it isn't so.
- M. Simon said...
Congressman Jack "in cold blood" Murtha may be in trouble in his own district.
My prediction? In the coming elections Bush will retain the Presidentcy and the Dems will lose seats.
- Jacques Cuze said...
My prediction? In the coming elections Bush will retain the Presidentcy and the Dems will lose seats.
My prediction? In 06, Bush will retain the presidency. In 08, he will lose the presidency.
- Moanique said...
That's pretty safe unless he tries to cancel the 2008 elections for some national emergency...heh.
[That's a joke...sort of.]
- Kirk Parker said...
"That's a view, though, that says that the ethics in its entirety is nothing more than partisanship."
Not at all. What's wrong with your point of view (either side-splittingly laughable, or quite dangerous, depending on how much headway one thinks you may make with it) isn't that you think there's something wrong with Rove's ethics, it's that you appear to think Sydney Blumenthal doesn't have ethics that are just as bad.
As far as your highly offensive comments about Scalia, all I can say is: everything you say against him also impugns about 50% of your fellow citizens, so what do you want? Another ##$@#*@&& civil war? For myself, I'd prefer if you'd just turn down the partisanship a notch or two.
- Bill Woods said...
Jacques Cuze said...
My prediction? In 06, Bush will retain the presidency. In 08, he will lose the presidency.
I predict Bush will retain the presidency until '09.


text:
UPLAND Ś A Penn-Delco school bus driver was arrested Sunday for the attempted abduction of a 10-year-old girl, police said.
Gregory Cornell, 37, of the 200 block of East 23rd Street, Chester, allegedly had 154 bags of heroin, crack cocaine and a sex toy in his vehicle when he was taken into custody, police said.
The victim reportedly was able to identify Cornell as the man who chased her down the 200 block of Ninth Street shortly after 3 p.m. Sunday, police said.
Cornell, who police identified as a school bus driver, was housed overnight in the Chester Police DepartmentÆs lockup before being arraigned Monday morning.
He was transported to Delaware County prison in lieu of 10 percent of $150,000 bail, police said.
Information from the Delaware County Daily Times, www.delcotimes.com


text:
Skip to comments.More Code Pink ID Theft: Obama Bundler Jodie Evans Stole C-SPAN Pass, Medea as Christian Reporter
Posted on 09/11/2008 8:06:50 AM PDT by kristinn
Top Obama fundraiser Jodie Evans stated she used C-SPAN credentials without the cable news outlet's knowledge at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul last week.
Also, her Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin bragged to the press at the Democratic National Convention that she had convention press credentials under the name of a Christian radio netweork.
Evans, who has been a part of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's campaign finance operations since the beginning of his run for the White House in February 2007, charged the stage when Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin was making her acceptance speech. She claimed to have been given a convention pass by a disgruntled Republican delegate.
Evans was photographed earlier that day wearing the stolen name tag of Indiana alternate delegate Annie Eckrich. Eckrich denies giving Evans her credentials.
Another Code Pink member, Rae Abileah, was videotaped by CNS News at the Republican convention wearing the stolen ID of Jo Mannies, a reporter with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which she tried to hide when confronted on camera by someone who knows Mannies.
In an article about the theft of Mannies' ID published today, the Jefferson County Journal reports Evans reaction to the controversy:
Code Pink co-founder Jodie Evans said the woman didn't intentionally misidentify herself to the media.
"She could have had (Mannies') credentials, but it didn't have a name on it," she said. "The media have a lot of different credentials."
Evans said the people who hand out the identification tags often just re-use ones given back to them from other media.
"I got in with a C-SPAN pass the night before and C-SPAN didn't know it," she said.
Engelbach said the woman was definitely wearing a pass that belonged to Mannies.
"They are full of baloney," she said. "All you have to do is look at the video. It said 'Jo Mannie -- without the S - Missouri."
The Contra Costa Times published an article and a videotaped interview during the Democrats' convention showing Medea Benjamin claiming to have press credentials for the convention to report for the Christian Broadcasting System. Benjamin mocked the network, saying of her 'reports', "First they go first to God, then to CBS."
Jon Yinger, owner and president of the Michigan-based Christian radio network filed a report with the Denver police alerting them to Benjamin's fraudlent use of his company's name. Yinger says that there was no response from the police after his initial contact with them. The reporter whom Benjamin spoke to about the press pass contacted Yinger once, but has not followed up with him either.
As far as can be known by press reports, the Obama campaign has not been asked to comment on the behavior of one the campaign's top fundraisers committing identity theft and attempting to storm the stage during Palin's speech, nor has the campaign issued any statement of its own volition.
Can't these people shut up for five minutes? We know what their opinions are. They're traitors who would like to see the U.S. lose.
Such an appropriate name.
That fat Code Pink broad broad lies. The name WAS on it. That how the woman knew that Rah Abullah had stolen the credential.
Time to get rough with these pink a@@. All they get is a slap on the wrist no matter what they do.
Liars, thieves, and frauds, all of them!
CHARGE THESE PEOPLE WITH THEFT, and ID FRAUD...
I'm sure some of the attorneys on here can come up with a LONG list of charges for them.
I did not know that. Makes it all the more fitting.
From the Journal article:
Engelbach said the Code Pink protestor hurriedly ripped the name tag off herself and tried to hide it.
"I told her it didn't help to hide the name tag because she was already on camera," Engelbach said. "I said, 'She's a fraud! This whole interview is a fraud.'"
Her birth name is Susan. She changed it to Medea.
I thank her because my name is Susan. Medea suits her much better, the traitorous snake.
The Dems try to tell us how he supports our military, that's bunk!
Thanks very much for posting, kristinn. Lying, deceitful anti-truth, anti-freedom tactics of 'RATS on display.
Is she the same moron who ran down the steps at the RNC convention waving her hands in the air? I ask the question because some lunatic lefty on a blog made some nasty comment, believing that she was a Christian fundamentalist Republican praising Jesus and John McCain - I wish I had cut & pasted the post - but I was ROTFLMAO!!!
Frankly, observing CSPIN's BDS these past few years I would suspect that they gladly gave Code Pink the pass.
She's a top fundraiser? Don't the people in charge of security have photos of these people? At this point it's inexcusable that these Code Pinkies are still able to break into these events.
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