WATCHING WBOC SLIDE DOWN THE TUBES

Rick Jordan, a VP over at WBOC, issued fair warning today that some shows that his station broadcasts will be blacked out on other stations in this market. ... The reason he says is so his station won't continue to lose market-share.
Now, I've never met Mr. Jordon, but already he's coming off like a blind buffoon. Hell, he not losing market-share because of competition. He's losing it because he can't put together a product that anyone wants. For the most part, WBOC is just a funnel into the market for the CBS network. Other than that, what do they do... broadcast their sloppily sanitized version of the local news and cobble together a lame PSA once in a while... That's it... oh, and they make commercials for their advertisers... and even the production values there are amateurish and almost painful to watch.
So here's the thing, Rick: you blacking out Oprah, Jerry Springer, or whoever isn't going to help you, appreciably. If you want to improve your bottom line, then you need to make significant changes in the staff. Start with your news editor and anchor, ol' Steve Whatshisname, his bias for business and government are obvious and offensive. And if what I hear from your videographers and talent is correct, most of them can't get away from his crafting of news stories fast enough.
Then, if you're going to continue to film commercials for your advertisers, find writers, directors and videographers with ideas, talent and ability and then let them do the work without the heavy-handed oversight of the person who's doing it now.
Until you do that, nothing will change and you'll continue to go down the tubes.

JUSTICE FOR THE JENA SIX

I was trying to let this whole "Jena Six" thing slide by without a comment but these dumb bastards just don't know when to shut the hell up. A couple days ago, there was Al Sharpton on Capitol Hill whining about how badly those boys had been treated by the Law, and demanding "justice."
By all means, let's give them the justice and fairness they deserve, but let that justice begin with a loud and public condemnation of the animalistic behavior that brought them to the attention of the Law in the first place.
Yeah. I haven't heard a single word of condemnation out of any of the self-appointed leaders of the black community, only claims that the boys suffered at the hands of the racist white prosecutor who charged them with attempted second degree murder - far in excess of their actual crime. But by their silence on the subject, they are telling every wild young back boy and girl that it's okay to inflict violence on others, because they are victims of racism, or whatever.
I really don't mind if Jackson, Sharpton and Winfrey ride down to Texas to protect the boys' rights. That's a good thing. But they need to tell those boys that their rights do not include the right to beat up someone you don't like. And they need to remind the boys that with rights come responsibilities and consequences. So, if they are found guilty of the beating, then need to "man-up" and accept the consequences for their actions. That would be justice.

IN THE INTEREST OF FULL DISCLOSURE...

EMPTY THREATS FROM THE CHRISTIAN JIHADISTS

It seems as if Fred Thompson may not the savior the fundamentalist "Christians" are looking for in nest year's election. ... Already, some are threatening to support a third party candidate if the GOP doesn't come up with a proper brown-shirted goose stepper.
But that threat is both empty and exposes the group's ignorance of the political landscape. First, there is no third party candidate. Oh I suppose they could scrape up a candidate - somebody like Ralph Reed, maybe. But their chances of selling him to voters is about zero. Secondly, and more importantly, the the Republican leadership doesn't give a rat's ass what those nattering nabobs of nutjobbery want in this election cycle, because they're smart enough to know that no matter who they pimp, he ain't gonna win.... not in this cycle and probably not the next one either.
Yo, guys. You had your turn at the podium and you claimed you knew who the best candidte was to lead America. But all choices in the past 27 years have proven to traitorous, no too bright bimbos. You've shot your wad and missed. Now it's time to retire back to the peanut gallery and STFU.

BUTT-FUCKED BY WBAL NEWS

If you look that the post directly below, you'll see pictures that may seem familiar. If so, it's because you saw them on WBAL's newscast. Yup, they stole them from this site.
See, I was lucky enough to to live in close proximity to the raided stores and home, so I got pictures as the feds swarmed the place like cockroaches at a greasey spoon and posted them. I just a matter of an hour or two, I got this:

"I'm a manager with WBAL-TV in Baltimore. I saw the photos you posted
concerning this morning's raids in Snow Hill of two businesses and a home.
I would like to know if we may use these photos on air today as part if our
story.
You may phone me at 410-338-6501 or respond to this e-mail.

Thank you,
Beverly Epstein"

So I called Ms Beverly and we had a nice talk. She wanted to use my photos and I told her they were for sale, and terms of the sale would include a single use for broadcast, photo credit and a prohibition against using, selling or transferring the photos to any other news organization. Okay, she said, she would call me back. Never did hear from her, but on the six 0'clock show, right there under the byline of the Intrepid Investigative Reporter Jane Miller, were my pictures. So I called her ass up to say WTF, over. Well, the Reader's Digest version of the story is that she got real defensive and said I never mentioned the pics were for sale. I assured her I mentioned it at least twice and that we had never agreed to a sale price and that's why she was going to call me back.... Silence on her end of the line indicated were at an impasse. I asked to speak to the managing editor and she told me she is the ME. Who's her boss... that would be Michelle Butt. Three phone messages later and still no response from Ms Butt. ... And this is causing me to feel like I just got Butt fucked by WBAL.
All this is made worse by the fact that five minutes after I fot off the phone with Little Miss Beverly, the first time, their helicopter was hovering over my house taking pictures of the stores where the raids had been.

FBI RAIDS TWO STORES AND HOME IN SNOW HILL

Well, we woke up to silent blue and red strobe lights this morning, hundreds of them, as the federales, along with state and local cops, silently descended like sharks upon two stores at the end of the block. In very short order, the Chicken Man and Your Stop stores were wrapped in yellow tape and agents sporting their trademarked blue raid jackets. Meanwhile, just up Federal Street in a nicely rebuilt William S. Wilson House, the front doors stood wide open, with unmarked cop cars clogging the streets. Neighbors say two men were taken away in handcuffs at the start of the 6:30 a.m. raid.
Local cops are claiming ignorance about the details, calling it "FBI warrant service."

DON'T YOU JUST GOT TO LOVE THOSE BLUES

LARRY'S WORLD BEGINS TO CRACK... NO PUN INTENDED

You remember that girl who marched before the TV news cameras to swear her daddy, Rep. Larry Craig, isn't gay (not that there's anything wrong with that)? Yeah, well take that with a grain or two of salt, as her reliablity was called into question when Boise cops noted she has an an outstanding arrest warrant there, according to the Boise Guardian.
In related news, an unconfirmed report indicates Idaho lawmakers, seeking to distance themselves from Craig, have proposed changing the state's name from Idaho to Hedaho.

STANDING UP FOR JOE

The greatest avelange begins with a tiny pebble rolling downhill.
And so it also is that the most far-reaching court decisions often begin with a neighborhood cat fight.... like the Scopes trial, or the Chicago Seven trial.
And into this mix we might soon add the name Joe Albero.... Let me pause here while I shudder at the very idea the Joe might be right about anything.... okay, let's continue.
The basic facts are that Joe is a firebrand, a loose cannon, a rabble rouser, and he says things that irritate and annoy people. And, make no mistake, it not just public officials that he annoys. He irritates me as well, and I wish he's just take his lithium, take a nap and STFU. That said, however, I have to say that most of what he says about officialdom constitutes what is known as "fair comment."
That doesn't mean his histrionic comments are fair, as in "regular and even," or "free of bias or favoritism." Rather, it means that his political hyperbole largely falls within the confines of allowable political comment in the context of The First Amendment, and if the police chief, the mayor, or any other public official can't stand the criticism then they need to hike up their skirts and tippitoe back into the relative saftey of the private sector.
And every-damned-one of us needs to stand up for Joe, because if the the government is allowed to silence Joe through legal or any other kind of intimidation, then what's to stop them from silencing anyone else whose words they don't like.

HASTA LA VISTA, BABY.... GONZALES IS OUT.... NOW LET'S GET RID OF THE REST OF THE FACIST ASSWIPES

The AP is moving a story that Attorney General Gonzales has resigned.

TODAY VE TAKE IRAQ, UND TOMORROW ZE VORLD

WTF OVER.... A BLAST FROM THE PAST IN '95

"THE ARGUMENT FROM INTIMIDATION IS A CONFESSION OF INTELLECTUAL IMPOTANCE"

Well. We see where the formerally esteemed mayor of Salisbury, Barrie Whatshername, has decided to wade into the pig pen with her police chief (pardon the pun) so they can try to give Joe Albero a sound thrashing. Good. I never liked Joe, anyways. Much of his writing betrays his ignorance and, I think, suggests an....umm... emotional disturbance. Personally, I find him easy to ignore - even though he has threatened me with physical assault.
Apparently the same can not be said of Miss Barrie and her minion, yet they have less protection from maniacal rantings than I do owing to their voluntary participation as self-professed leaders of the community. There is a marked difference between the level of privacy and public commentary a private citizen, and a public figure can expect. So, while I admit I haven't kept up on Joe's public strangeness and ramblings, I have to say that most of what I read back before he opened the website constituted Fair Comment, in the context of public figures. Oh, most of it was lame, ignorant, and half-baked, to be sure. But it rarely crossed the line.
So for city officials to file suit smacks of nothing so much as intimidation.

ANOTHER REPUBLICAN GOES DOWN AND OUT.

Glenn Murphy Jr., the recently elected director of The Young Republicans National Federation resigned this week, citing another job opportunity that would prevent his involvement on politics.
But according to the Jeffersonville (IN) Evening News and Tribune, that reasons cited by Murphy may not be entirely correct. According to police sources cited there, Mr. Murphy is under investigation for allegedly performing "an unwanted sex act" on a 22-year-old man. Reportedly the victim was asleep when he was assaulted July 31.
And, it turns out, the incident may not be the first time stories have surfaced alleging Murphy attempts to purloin unguarded hot dogs. ... If only he could find a nice young man and settle down.

THIS GUY JUST KEEPS GETTING MORE HEROIC

Jeremy Hernandez, the 20-year-old Minnesota guy who saved the lives of dozens of kids last week during the bridge collapse, got two impressive reward offers this week. One he accepted, one he rejected. And it is his rejected of that offer that further elevates his status as a hero. A New York Times story yesterday said Hernandez flatly rejected a call from the White House to meet and shake hands with the President, and went fishing instead.

MAYBE IT'S TIME FOR A NEW, EDGIER TOWN MOTTO

Ok, here's the good news: Ocean City, which touts itself as both a world-class beach resort and the economic engine of the county, made national headlines last week. The bad news is that it was for a bizarre homicide case that held the media's attention for days on end. The town even made copy for Newsweek... although it was only on a left-hand page.
It's nice to see our little town get world wide attention, isn't it. The problem is that that the thing that get us noticed is not on the list of things we're paying some high-dollar PR firm to promote. SO maybe we need to ditch them and go with a motto reflecting what we're becoming known for.... I mean, the last big media coverage we had was for the Sifrits, that lovely manical, homicidal couple who visited us a while back.
So let's ditch that candy-assed blue and white flag, and go with the tried and true Jolly Roger. I mean, it's universally recognizible. It's got history, and it's got a edge to it. Think about it... people like to be scared. Just look at the number of people riding the roller coaster, paying big money to ride a slingshot made out of a giant bungicord, or running across Coastal Highway at night. We really should capitalize on this.
Of course, we'll need a new motto: More Fun Here just seems too tame. Oh! How about something like: You May Die Here, But You'll Be Famous. Or, Come to Ocean City and Meet Your Maker, or You Never Know What You'll Find Buried in the Sand.
Let's work on it.

JUST WIPE YOUR CHIN, BOB, AND SHUT UP

Representative Bob Allen (R-Fla.) may be looking for a good PR firm this week after he was busted after agreeing to pay an undercover cop $20 if the cop would let Allen blow him. Reportedly the incident took place in a public restroom in a Florida park.
Allen has pleaded not guilty to the incident and said he only meant it as a "joke."... Okay. What the hell; I believe that, but that still leaves the rest of Allen's story to the court, which was that he was scared because the undercover cop was a large black man and that the only other people around were black men.
Well, that certainly begs questions about his machismo, bravery, ethics and personal resolve if he's willing to get down on his knees and suck off a total stranger, in front of God and everybody, simply because he's scared.

THERE'S BLOOD IN THE WATER AND THE SHARKS ARE RAVENOUS... AND STUPID

So, where are we; three, four days into an admittedly bizarre homicide investigation, and already the ignorant-assed vigilantes (probably good Christian folks just lookin' our for "family values")are ready to convict Christy Freeman of murder.... maybe even serial murder. Their one possible saving grace is that they are too damned stupid to actually be lawyers, and if the rest of us are really lucky, they may be too stupid to vote and thereby be excluded from the list of possible jurors.
Listen, as some people might like to believe that Freeman is some kind of role model for a monster on a Stephan King novel, I don't see the evidence... Oh, I see possiblilities, but I'm really one of those people, when he sees hoof prints in the dirt, looks first for a horse and not a zebra.
And so it is in this instance, too. I look at the published evidence and my first question is: who did that to her, not "how can she be such a monster." And make no mistake, there are some monstrocities taking place here, both in that residence and in the street, where some have already convicted Christy Freeman and are calling for a rope.

NO!... OUR OWN GOVERNMENT WOULDN'T LIE TO US, WOULD THEY?

You recall that thing in the news earlier this week about terrorist (gasp!) making "dry runs" at US airports to test security? Yeah. Thing is, it was probably a lie. That's what the San Diego Union-Trubune said Wednesday when it reported the San Diego director of the Transportation Security Administration said an incident at Lindburgh field, that was featured prominantly in the report, was a false alarm.
And not only was it a false alarm, many of the lurid and scary details quoted in the leaked report never happened... did screeners find two " suspicious" packs resembling chemical icepacks? Yup. Did they contain a clay-like substance and were they taped together like blocks of C-4? Nope. It was not even remotely true, local TSA Security Director Michael J. Aguilar said.
But, in DC, TSA spokesman Christopher White refused to reconcile the descrepancy between the DC report and what could be expected to be credible eyewitness accounts.
"The information that we have in the report is for official use only and I am not going to discuss our sources," White reportedly told reporters.

FORMER REAGAN ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL PREDICTS END OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA

Paul Craig Roberts, the architect of "Reaganomics" and former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury during the Reagan administration said this week the united States is on the cusp of ending the Constitutional Democracy. Roberts' comments came in an interview, which can be heard here, during a discussion of an executive order signed by George Bush on July 17, providing sanctions against anyone posing a threat to "(i) to have committed, or to pose a significant risk of committing, an act or acts of violence that have the purpose or effect of:

(A) threatening the peace or stability of Iraq or the Government of Iraq; or

(B) undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people;"

THE ENTIRE ORDER CAN BE FOUND HERE.

In wading through this order, please keep in mind that the president is circumventing legislative and judicial oversight, as well as the system of checks and balances. In effect, it nullifies the Fifth Amendment protections on Due Process.
Even more troubling is that fact that as this order is written, anyone who contributes to a political party whose leadership advocates ending U.S. involvement in Iraq, could suffer the loss of their home, property, bank accounts, IRAs, stocks, bonds and other real assets.
Next up: nice brown uniforms for the Young Republican clubs in high schools.

MORE BAD NEWS FOR THE GOP.... AS IF HAVING G.W.B. IN THE WHITE HOUSE ISN'T ENOUGH

The numbers coming out of a recent AP poll seem to be further confirmation (as if we need it) that the Republicans are sidelined in the political process for the foreseeable future. The results of the poll, published this week, indicate that none of the so-called "top tier" GOP candidates is getting much love from the electorate.
According to AP writer Liz Sidoti, "nearly a quarter of Republicans are unwilling to back top-tier hopefuls Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, John McCain or Mitt Romney, and no one candidate has emerged as the clear front-runner among Christian evangelicals."
.... Dang, you just know that's not good news for ol' Fred Thompson, who is counting on old-time religion (read the morally and politically defunct Moral Majority) connections to form his base of support in a run for the White House. ....But I doubt Thompson is yet seen by voters as a serious candidate for the presidency. He's more like a "concept candidate" in much the same way as futuristic concept cars are featured at the Detroit Auto Show every year. That is, they run and all the fancy gadgets on them work, and everything, but the bugs have not yet been worked out and the factory has not yet been retooled for actual production. It's just a bit of sparkle to keep consumer's eyes on the product and away from the competition..... So who's left.... uh, make that 'who's remaining'.... of the three, Giuliani's probably got the most popular support. But that's not saying much, as all three are tainted by the stench of a party that's marched in mindless lock-step with its feckless leader for the last seven years.... so the question here is not who will be president, but who will be a sacraficial lamb for the 2008 cycle.

"....WAIST DEEP IN THE BIG MUDDY, AND THE BIG FOOL SAYS TO PUSH ON"

Top American Jihadist officials admitted this week that arch-enemy al Qaida is just as strong as it was prior to the 9/11 attacks.
The admission reportedly came in a classified DHS report published this week.
If true, it would mean that government officials charged with prosecuting the so-called war on terrorism have failed miserably.... in effect, getting nearly 4,000 GIs and untold thousands of civilains killed, all in a tragi-comic, totally impotent effort to crush Islamic Jihadists.
You go, GW!

HOW 'BOUT SOME HOT KOKO

KILLING THE SYMBOL DOESN'T CHANGE THE REALITY

The NAACP held a funeral this week in Detroit, symbolically burying the word "nigger," So that no one would ever use the term again. Great. I didn't attend the funeral because I don't see the value of banning the use of language based upon an unreasonable concern that someone, somewhere might be offended by its use... If they are, well that's just too damned bad.... Welcome to adulthood in the United States of America, where the freedom to speak one's mind is a guaranteed right.
Moreover, no one can really believe that by banishing the word "nigger" that those who sport the term so proudly will cease to exist.... Hell, if it were that easy we could all just vote to banish words like George Bush, poverty, injustice, genocide, hunger, greed and (in a related term) Dick Cheney.
Yet, here we are, the funeral's over and nothing.... nothing has changed. So tell me again what relevance the NAACP has... I just can't see it.

SO DOES THIS MEAN NEWSPAPERS CAN'T PUBLISH THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO DIE IN COMBAT?

Last May, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano signed a law that forbids publishing a dead serviceman's name "for commercial purposes" without permission from the next of kin. And even as constitutionally problematic as that sounds, Arizona's governor (bless her heat-stroked little brain) is not the first dimwit to think this is a good idea. No, Louisiana and Oklahoma had already signed similar bills into law.... And that, in itself, poses the question of which legislator is more stupid; the one who thought of it first, or those who had time to mull it over and then do it anyway?
Moreover, it presents the broader questions about the term "for commercial purposes."
Strictly speaking, that would seem to bar newspapers from publishing the names to the war dead.
Now, granted, that's not the purpose of the legislation. The purpose is/was, in Napolitano's case, to prevent someone from printing and selling an anti-war t-shirt list the names of the dead under the headline "Bush Lied, They Died." What's unclear is the motivation for this law; I mean was it because some dumb-ass lawmaker thought that a t-shirt isn't a reverent enough venue for the name of someone who was killed in combat? Or, was it to stifle criticism of a ludicrous policy inflicted on the world by a president whose stupidity is only exceeded by those who voted for him.... twice?

"... And the poets down here don't write nothin' at all...."

But maybe they will when The Boss comes to town. ... Word is the last great New Jersey urban poet, Bruce Springsteen, recently dropped a chunk of multi-million dollar change to take ownership of a piece of real estate up in Talbot County. Actually, I don't know how good this information is... I can only observe that the same person told us about the "Michael Jackson Traveling Freak Show" coming to the shore to shop properties a few weeks ago... So, believe what you want to believe.

JUSTICE IS NOT ONLY BLIND, IT'S STUPID AS WELL

So what do we have... three days in the slam and (I shiver to even mention this name) Paris Hilton has gone home. That's right, she got a 45 day sentence slashed for "good behavior" -- before her well- and publically-reamed little ass even appeared at the jail, then after barely three days, she's sent home to finish her bit in the lap of luxery. Listen, I'm sure she's an obnoxious little twit, but since when is that reason enough to kick her out of jail and inflict her on innocent civilians..... And whatever became of that whole "justice for all" thing? Maybe that squeal I just heard was Lady Justice getting bent over one more time.

NAACP'S LATEST CAMPAIGN DOOMED TO FAILURE

The NAACP trotted out its latest public relations vehical this week and according to wire reports, it's aim is to end negative portrayals of blacks, especially women, in the media. Reportedly the moves comes partially in response to comments by fired DJ Don Imus, but also cited were comments made last year by comedian Michael Richards. And that's all well and good, but I couldn't help but notice there was no mention of the culture of young blacks who adopt the thug/gangster lifestyle as a role model to be emulated.... And let's be clear; the biggest part of dealing with the negative portrayal of blacks is that subculture. It is not Michael Richards, Don Imus, the KKK, or even the bone-deep racism of American society. The most immediate problem is the culture that portrays family, education and personable responsibility as sucker concepts, and gangsterism as a good thing. Those are issues not inflicted upon the black community by white folks. They are issues inflicted upon the black community by itself.
Given that the NAACP, along with people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are famous for leaping to the microphone to take white people to task for insults to the the black community, yet are apparently silent when it comes to addressing the issues of broken families, violent crime, and resolute ignorance within the communities they pretend to care about and represent, I doubt it can have any real relevance and effect in this campaign.

22 DEAD IN VIRGINIA TECH SHOOTING SPREE

Virginia Tech Shooting

Latest News
Statement by Virginia Tech's President
Bush Said Shocked at College Shootings

Gunman Kills 21 on Virginia Tech Campus




BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- A gunman opened fire in a dorm and classroom at Virginia Tech on Monday, killing 21 people in the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history. The gunman was killed, but it was unclear if he was shot by police or took his own life.

"Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions," said Virginia Tech president Charles Steger. "The university is shocked and indeed horrified."

The university reported shootings at opposite sides of the 2,600-acre campus, beginning at about 7:15 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston, a co-ed residence hall that houses 895 people, and continuing about two hours later at Norris Hall, an engineering building.

Some but not all the dead were students. One student was killed in a dorm and the others were killed in the classroom, Virginia Tech Police Chief W.R. Flinchum.

The name of the gunman was not released. It was not known if he was a student.

Up until Monday, the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history took place in 1966 at the University of Texas, where Charles Whitman climbed to the 28th-floor observation deck of a clock tower and opened fire. He killed 16 people before he was gunned down by police. In the Columbine High bloodbath near Littleton, Colo., in 1999, two teenagers killed 12 fellow students and a teacher before taking their own lives.

After Monday's shootings, all entrances to the campus were closed. The campus was to reopen Tuesday but classes were canceled.

The university set up a meeting place for families to reunite with their children at the Inn at Virginia Tech. It also made counselors available and planned a convocation for Tuesday at the Cassell Coliseum basketball arena.

After the shootings, students were told to stay inside away from the windows.

"There's just a lot of commotion. It's hard to tell exactly what's going on," said Jason Anthony Smith, 19, who lives in the dorm where shooting took place.

Aimee Kanode, a freshman from Martinsville, said the shooting happened on the 4th floor of West Ambler Johnston dormitory, one floor above her room. Kanode's resident assistant knocked on her door about 8 a.m. to notify students to stay put.

"They had us under lockdown," Kanode said. "They temporarily lifted the lockdown, the gunman shot again."

"We're all locked in our dorms surfing the Internet trying to figure out what's going on," Kanode said.

Madison Van Duyne, a student who was interviewed by telephone on CNN, said, "We are all in lockdown. Most of the students are sitting on the floors away from the windows just trying to be as safe as possible."

Police said there had been bomb threats on campus over the past two weeks by authorities but said they have not determined a link to the shootings.

It was second time in less than a year that the campus was closed because of a shooting.

In August 2006, the opening day of classes was canceled and the campus closed when an escaped jail inmate allegedly killed a hospital guard off campus and fled to the Tech area. A sheriff's deputy involved in the manhunt was killed on a trail just off campus.

The accused gunman, William Morva, faces capital murder charges.

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.

CALL FOR GEN. CUSTER ON LINE ONE

Seems our Feckless Leader is having a tough time finding someone to take the reins on his runaway Middle East warhorse. Five retired generals have rejected his offer, and one reportedly said was public about the rejection, saying the Administration does not have a workable plan to prosecute the effort.
And maybe that's why the First Shrub is seeking a czar in the first place.... someone to take the heat for a failed policy ... a whipping boy to take the weight off the Repiglican's shoulders as the election season dawns. Yo, Georgi, these men didn't become generals by being stupid.

DON IMUS SHOULD BE SHAMED AND HECKLED.... BUT NOT SILENCED

So shock-jock Don Imus is in the hot seat for referring to a women's collegiate b-ball team as a bunch of "nappy headed hos." And some in the black community have lined up to take their cues from the likes of Jesse Jackson and (insert heavy sigh and eye-roll here) Al Sharpton to demand Imus be fired and never be allowed to broadcast again. But that would be a mistake.
As dimwitted and racist as Imus' comments may have been, he has a right to speak his opinion. He has a right to spark debate. And for a few equally dim self-appointed activists to demand he be silenced is unAmerican and only serves to build an argument that their illconceived diatribes be silenced also. That's the way it is in America, guys... we all have a constitutional right to say what's on our minds. .... It's right there in the First Amendment. And let's understand that the purpose of that right to not to protect those who utter words that everyone wants to hear, rather, it is to protect those who utter words that are disturbing and unpopular - even if they are considered racist or sacrilegious or foment political and social dissent. In effect, the same law that protected Martin Luther King, Jr. and allowed him to speak out against racism and poverty and unequal protection of the law in cities like Montgomery, Selma and Atlanta is the same one that should protect the words spoken by Don Imus..... Granted, comparing Imus' words to King's is akin to comparing Bugs Bunny to Winston Churchill, but it's not the message that has value here, it's the right to convey the message, no matter how unpopular it may be. For it is from unpopular ideas that social and political revolutions are born.... King's words were wildly unpopular with the ruling class in Selma, Montgomery and everywhere else, yet the truth he spoke and the debate he sparked could not be ignored.... If Imus is silenced and anyone else whose words offend us or make us uncomfortable is silenced, then where can such a policy end except in universal censorship and an end to the freedom of fresh ideas.

....AND HE COULD HAVE BEEN THE SAVIOR OF THE FREE WORLD

We almost had an Easter miracle this week but the CEO of Ford leaped into the breach and prevented a change of the American government Administration. You can read the Detroit News story here. Whatever else you think about the Bush Whitehouse, you have to admit there would have been a bit of humor to see Bush and Cheney done in by their own ignorance. Dang, the forces of darkness defeat the forces of goodness and light again.

EXTENDING THE RIGHT TO VOTE

So, another dimwit felt the need to post an anonymous comment in the Daily Crime today.
"The Democrats in Maryland both the House and Senate have passed a bill to restore convicted felons' voting rights. Now this bill sits on Gov. Martin O'Malley's desk, waiting for him to sign it into law. This is simply outrageous. If O'Malley signs this bill, he might as well open all the cell doors in every prison in this state of Maryland and let all these inmates go free."

But as we address this issue, let's leave out the fact that the comment makes no sense and concentrate instead on the larger question of allowing ex-convicts to vote.
First, I can't see a reason for them not to be able to vote... is thee some sort irrational fear that they could emerge as a voting block and perhaps elect someone who is stupid, malicious, or dishonest? Well, don't worry about it, because the bonafied voters have already done that time and again, and all too frequently those voters and elected officials came from the "law-and-order" party.... just look at recent history: Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew were chased out of office with the hounds of felony charges snapping at their heels; Ronald Reagan and King George I were haunted by their traitorous acts relative to the Iran Contra affair.
So what's the reason? Is it a belief those who are convicted of crimes should lose all their rights and liberties forever? If we subscribe to that policy, then where is the incentive for those who have served their sentences to rejoin society as a productive and law-abiding member?
Still unaddressed here, is the real reason this bill needs to become law, and it has a lot to do with that fact that minorities are convicted of felonies at a significantly higher rate than us white folks, and by some estimates that means that about 25 percent of the black population is barred from casting a ballot.... and that's one way of getting around the Voting Rights Act, huh? So, is that the reason for the opposition.... because it might eventually mean a minority would occupy the Statehouse or even the Whitehouse?

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT

Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagle is the latest politico to mention the words Geroge Bush and impeachment in the came context, and God knows they fit together like Oreos and milk. And despite the temptation to gobble it up like a stack of cookies, any outcome of an impeachment would be a disaster for America. ... If Bush is impeached and found guilty, then what are we to do with him? If he's sent to prison (the ideal outcome)or merely ousted from office, then the nation is left to the mercies of Dick Cheney. And if he's found guilty and not ousted, then what have we accomplished except to prove that the president is immune from sanctions as well as the traditional constitutional system of checks and balances.
No, we have to ride out this storm and take some hard-learned lessons from the experience - not the least of which is to never again let so-called "religious" leaders have a say in choosing political leadership. Moreover, we must all assume a certain degree of responsibility for Bush being in office in the first place. But let the vast majority of the weight for that clusterfuck fall on the shoulders of whose who voted for him, and let a similar amount of weight be shouldered by those who din't bother to vote at all. And let's not forget those Democratic elected officials who did absolutely nothing to curb the First Cur in the first six years of his reign of political terror.

JOHN ATKINS HEADS TO THE WOODSHED AND WE'RE HALF-WAY HOME

The Delaware House Ethics Committee recommended yesterday to censure Republican Rep. John Atkins, The Wilmington News Journal reports. The recommendation is expected to go to the full House for action today. In addition, the committee also drafted a resolution outlining other, more serious sanctions the house could impose against Atkins, including expulsion. Reportedly, some representatives on both side of the isle are considering voting to expel Atkins from the House.
The committee's action came in the wake of Atkins' actions during a traffic stop by police last October during which he flashed his legislative ID card after being pulled over for suspected drunken driving.
His actions apparently were successful, as he avoided a DUI arrest despite a preliminary breath test indicating his blood alcohol content was nearly twice the legal limit. He was arrested that that same night, however, after police went to his home to resolve a domestic violence complaint.
Still unresolved are the actions of the Ocean City police officers who turned their backs to the DUI case.

STRAP YOURSELF IN. WE'RE GOIN' FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL SLEIGH RIDE

Like gunslingers in a western movie, a house panel today approved a measure to issue subpoenas for Whitehouse staff, moving the Democratic controlled congress a step closer to a constitutional showdown with the Bush administration. According to an AP wire report, "The panel approved, but has not issued, subpoenas for Rove, former White House Counsel Harriet Miers, their deputies and Kyle Sampson, Gonzales' chief of staff, who resigned over the uproar last week. The full Judiciary Committee would authorize the subpoenas if Chairman John Conyers of Michigan chose to do so."
The panel's action is seen as a flat rejection of the president's offer of allowing staff members to be interviewed, but not be compelled to testify under oath in public. Click here for the AP story.

HARD CHOICES IN A SOFT MARKET

It's time to make some hard decisions about the local commercial fishing industry. Again this year, there are dire predictions about the availability of blue crabs, and genuine Chincoteague oysters are in such short supply that they are almost a dim memory. What with the declining harvests and declining ability to make a living in the water, maybe it's time for a limited moratorium on taking crabs and oysters.... and already I can hear some people limbering up their shotguns, pitchforks and torches to come teach me a lesson about interfering in their livelihoods.... but here's the thing; There's not much of a livelihood left. So maybe if you want or need to see increased profits and harvests, we need to let to crab and oyster populations rest and regrow. Three, four, maybe five years without shellfish is not too much to ask if we expect to have them abound for another 50 years. If we just lay off for a few years, cut way back back on the number of commercial fish licenses the state issue, and then alternate closed seasons, we and the health of the bays may be able to recover what we're so close to losing now.

IN THE 'SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE' CATAGORY

Click here for a Fox News video report about a Chicago cops who beat the crap out of a female bartender who refused to serve him because he was drunk. The video shows the 6'1" 250-pound "hero-who-puts-his-life-on-the-line-every-day" punch the 5"4' woman to the floor with a haymaker to the head then continue to kick and punch her. The only thing more appalling that the attack is the time it took other patrons to come to her aid.
According to the report, the asswipe was initially charged with misdemeanor assault, but that was later upgraded to a felony.... apparently after the news media got hold of the tape.

THE TRUTH DOESN'T MATTER

A recent poll conducted by WRC-TV in DC, indicates that nearly 75 percent of those responding don't believe the reported confession by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed that he planned virtually every major act of terrorism in the last ten years. ... Count me among the disbelievers.
But don't make the mistake of thinking I don't believe the confession because I think he's innocent- he's not. In fact, I don't believe the confession because the only people who witnessed the "confession" are those who have plenty of reason to lie, and because his interrogators admit they subjected him to torture.
So here's the problem: The federal government desperately wants to catch those responsible to the 9/11 attacks, the attack on the U.S.S. Cole, bombings in Beirut and and a host of other untoward behavior, and the fact it has yet to do so, reflects poorly on the administration. But If someone were to confess to all those crimes, why, it might go a long way toward shining the light of goodness on the Whitehouse. ... So the truth of the so-called confession doesn't really matter to the administration. What matters is the public perception of the truth... So what if Khalid Sheikh Mohammed isn't guilty of all the crimes he supposedly said he is - he's guilty of something and that's good enough for government work.

MAYBE IT'S JUST GEORGE'S WAY OF TRYING TO MAKE NICE

The John Edwards campaign had an unscheduled meeting with law enforcement authorities this week when a white powdery substance was delivered to their offices. Meanwhile George Bush just got back after a visit to South America. Reportedly, he did not have to go through a Customs inspection upon his return. Asked about the substance, Edwards denied any knowledge or actual possession of the powder, adding, "I did not have sex with the President. Oh, he tried to [expletive] me," he said, "but he's doing that to the whole country."

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT A THING, SPEEDY, YOU'RE DOING A HECK OF A JOB"

The New York Times and CNN are both moving stories indicating that the Bush Cabinet token Hispanic could soon be getting a surprise going-away party, as some Republican leaders are beginning to question Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' continued value in light of recent revelations about the political slaughter of eight U.S. Attorneys.
... And with the President trying to score (one thing or another) in South America this week and unable to to shore up his sinking political ship of state, some of his crew is pondering the jetison of useless cargo. Stand by for the lifeboat drill.

COUNTING THE WALKING WOUNDED

Depending upon whom you choose to believe, at least one-third, or 130,000 of the military personnel who have served in Iraq are out of their freaking minds... That is, after all, the estimation of those suffering from some sort of mental illness brought on by combat. Some estimates put that number as high as 250,000. Yikes.
While I won't dismiss, or even downplay the effects of combat-related stress, I don't have some questions about the numbers, not the least of which is whether a quarter-million men have even cycled through that theater yet. I mean, given the fact that the number of military personnel in-country has ebbed and flowed between 130,000 and 165,000 - with some units doing three or four tours - have 250,000 individual men and women yet been in theater? And if they have, wouldn't that mean the percentage of those affected be closer to 75 or even 100 percent? And if so, what has changed so drasticaly from earlier wars to inflict such a catastrophic casualty rate? Is it the technology of modern warfare? Is it the benchmark definitions of disease? Or is it a gross exageration on the part of those publishing the information?
Certainly I don't know, but if the numbers are correct, what does it mean for the innocent civilians and non-combatants in a country that didn't need to be invaded in the first place? How many of them are suffering from Post-trumatic stress?... So somebody remind me again why this war was a good idea.

WILL THE SIFRITS GET ANOTHER BITE AT THE APPLE?

With the head ballistics dude for the State Police now belly up and the discovery that his credentials - the ones he'd used for some 20 years - discovered to be totally bogus, we pondered sending Worcester County's State's Attorney, Joel Todd, a huge bottle of aspirin to help tamp down the recurrent headache he must get when he ponders the threat that the Sifrits just might get a new freaking trial.
The information that the forensics lab's "expert" came to lite recently when lawyers with The Innocence Project found that the state's ballistics expert claimed to have credentials and education that could not be verified. Confronted with that information, the guy quickly retired, went home, and whacked himself. Reportedly, cops and prosecutors alike are bracing for what now could turn out to be a blizzard of appeals from those whose convictions were based upon ballistic evidence.

OH, YOU KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN

Reports from The Center Of The Universe indicate that our beloved and trusted FBI has probably abused it's power to use National Security Letters to spy on Americans. For those who don't know, National Security Letters are a legal form that allows our jack-booted big brothers to access all kinds of private information ( bank records, medical information, mail, and such) without benefit of a warrant, or even Probable Cause. All they need to do is swear that they need the information in the interest of national security.
But an audit, this week turned up evidence the Bureau might have under-reported the number of NSL by about 20 percent. Hmmm, we ask here, why would they do that? Well, if you believe them, it's all a simple accounting oversight. On the other hand, if you don't believe them (and why wouldn't we) it could be that they weren't reported because they could meet even the minimalist guidelines for getting an NSL.... And that would mean....well, maybe you need to draw your own conclusions here.

WHY IS JOHN ATKINS SMILING?

Delaware Republican Rep. John Atkins proved his stupidity this week when the the Ethics Committee opined that he had indeed violated ehtics rules last October, when he was stopped for suspected DUI and speeding in Ocean City. You can read the report HERE.
Now don't get me wrong, I don't think Atkins' stupidity is necessarily evident in the traffic stop.... although, the incident may be a foreshadowing of it. Nor do I think it burst forth in his subsequent arrest for a drunken fight with his wife.... (we really should have the theme music from the movie "Jaws" playing in the background, here.) No, I think the full-blast stupidity came when he asked for the Ethics Committee to investigate and make a ruling (crescendo).

HE'S GONNA NEED A BETTER STREET-NAME FOR THE BIG HOUSE

Scooter Libby fell hard today and a trip to the Big House may be in his future. But, at this point, equally likely is a pardon, or a trade-up with the prosecutors for a bigger fish.... perhaps one with a black heart, greedy soul and a really bad attitude.
If he's destined for prison, he's gonna need a better nickname. A name like "Scooter" is almost a guarantee that a welcoming basket of lipstick and a nightie will be waiting for him when he checks in.

Umm.. PERHAPS WE SPOKE TOO SOON

It seems maybe that model of Republican femininity, Annie Coulter, jumped the shark last week when she called Democratic presidential (yeah, right. Snort. Guffaw.) candidate John Edwards a faggot. CNN is moving a piece this morning saying three major companies, Verizon, NetBank amd Sallie Mae, have pulled their ads from her website. The line forms to the right to say your good-byes.

YOU GO GIRL.... THE DEMS NEED SOMEBODY LIKE YOU WORKING FOR THEM

I'm beginning to take a shine to Ann Coulter. Every time she opens her mouth she seems to shove something in it and it's helping those she claims to despise.

That said, it's nonetheless troubling that she seems to have developed a habit of casting aspersions upon mens' sexuality, and it's got me wondering if perhaps our bottle-blonde little friend is not what she'd like us to believe she is.
In the lexicon of those in the mental health profession, I'm wondering if we're seeing a case of Projection, here. That is, it may seem to some (myself included) that Annie's calling names to deflect attention from the fact that she's a closeted carpet-muncher..... not that there's anything wrong with that, of course. That is, unless you're trying to curry the favor of those whose sex lives are so like Wonder Bread, they need to take exception to anyone else have a better, more interesting one.
But the more I look at this, the more I think I've seen this act before..... Yes, Junior High School, I think it was.... maybe earlier. ... When when puberty was dawning and the questions of sexual identity were first being posed and explored, and certail people would try to mask their insecurities by calling attention to others. Whew, didn't you just hate that? Thank God, it was over and done by high school. ... At least I thought it was.
But now here's Anne Coulter, at the age of what... 39, 40.... doing the same thing. Nobody blooms that late. I mean, she's got a mouth on her like a longshoreman, we never see her in the company of a man, and with a demeanor like hers, she can't afford to be seen with a woman..... People would talk.
But I want her to continue talking. It's alienating the very middle class she claims to be speaking for and drives them to the polls to yank the blue lever. You go girl.

Keith Olbermann: Death of Habeas Corpus

BEWARE THE CHRISTIAN JIHAD

If you think the certain sects of the Christian faith are a bit too fascistic when it comes to same-sex marriage or abortion issues, how do you think they're going to react to a documentary set to air on the Discovery Channel this weekend? According to advance reports, the documentary poses the possibility that archeologists may have found the tomb of Jesus Christ and his family - to include a wife and son.
Oh, oh.
While Christian and church groups are already doing their best to get in front of the publicity wave and dismiss the documentary, there is the possibility they could get steamrolled by a story that, if true, could shake western civilization to its very foundation.
Think about it for a moment: What would it mean if all those who were murdered in the name of Christ died on the altar of fantasy and myth? What it would mean is that a lot more would sacafied on that altar because Christians have shown themselves to be able to work themselves into a midieval wrath equal to anything the Muslims can crank up. And you can bet that if Jesus is going down, it won't be without a fight.... I have to hide now, the chorus is tuning up...

"Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!"

IN THE "IT'S ABOUT FREAKING TIME" CATAGORY

So-called 'Christian' conservatives are beginning to express concern that they may find themselves out in the cold during the 2008 general election. That's the story according the The New York Times, anyway.
According to the NYT, movement leaders met two months ago in a Florida resort where they whined about what they perceived as a lack of Republican candidates who are conservative (and crazy) enough to carry their banner and agenda forward in the next election cycle. Grab your hanky and violin, then click on the words 'New York Times' to read all about it.

TODAY'S HERO INACTION

A Jacksonville, Fla, sheriff's deputy is on suspension after taking his sweet-ass time responding to a priority call to help a five year old child who was beaten, hit and repeatedly slammed around the room by her guardians.
According to reports, the nearest deputy was less than three miles away when the neighbors called 911 and asked for immediate help. And instead of responding to the priority call, the deputy elected to stop a driver to cite him for an expired license tag. The beating continued until the hero-who-puts-his-life-on-the-line-every-day arrived 24 minutes later.

HE MAY BE A PUPPET, BUT HE'S NO DUMMY

Proving he's smarter than our own Fearless Leader, and knows a train wreck when he sees one, British Prime Minister Tony Blair told his boy in Iraq to pack their trash and get ready to scamper back to safer environs. Although the news was made public yesterday, the word came as neither a surprise nor a hasty decision. Great Britain has been pulling its combat troops out of the country for some months.
Despite the fact that the British drawdown marks a further disintegration of the more than 40-nation coalition that began the occupation, George "What Me Worry" Bush called the move "a success." There is no word on how the president is defining that term.

CATHOLIC CHURCH, POLICE BATTLE FOR TOP SPOT AS CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE

The police team suffered another minor setback yesterday in their bid to overtake the American Catholic Church and the mafia as top criminal enterprise in the nation.
The blow came when a referee red-carded a rookie cop in Anne Arundel County, Md, for forcing an 18-year-old girl to expose her breasts to him so he could "cop" [Oh, so thaaats where the term comes from!] a feel and photograph them with his camera phone.
Odds makers say, however, the penalty is unlikely to affect the game's outcome, as the Police have a staggeringly huge budget and are generally able to hire new players at will.
Meanwhile, the Catholic Church revealed this week that its San Diego Diocese will likely file for bankruptcy protection after field judges there affirmed it must pay a several parties after being found guilty in lawsuits alleging members of that franchise sexually assaulted and abused several children. While the finding is expected to take the franchise out of the at least temporarily, it may not matter as the Portland, Oregon franchise appears to be ready to come back online after a break on the bankruptcy sidelines. Owners there have reportedly offered a $45 million payment plan to more than 150 victims of sexual assault and abuse, and that is well below the previous $75 million settlement offer made before the franchise was able to cloak itself in the protection of bankruptcy.
But both organizations still lag far behind more traditional and deeply entrenched crime organizations in their race for the gold. A spokesman for the Villains, Thieves and Scoundrels Union this week called the two organizations "pikers who keep tripping over their own deeks..... Joo have to remember, esse," he said, "in a criminal society, the only real crime is getting caught."

PAGING YOSSARIAN; PLEASE PICK UP THE WHITE COURTESY PHONE

The Washington Post is moving a story today about the dean of West Point, Brig. Gen. Patrick Finnegan, putting in an appearance, last November, on the set of Fox's '24' series to ask that the show dial back its depiction of inflicting torture on terrorists. The issue the good general had, it seems was not based upon any broad moralistic prohibitions but on the fact that his students point to the show as an example of the wonderful intelligence that can be gleaned from an exuberant application of physical and psychological torture. .... Okay, let's stop here for a moment to think about this. And never mind the fact that there are serious questions about the ability of these so-called "best and brightest" students' ability to differentiate between fantasy and reality, although it does raise the question of whether these dumb bastards should be allowed to even carry weapons. Instead, let's ponder the fact that Uncle Sam may be picking up the tab to educate sociopaths in the ways of warfare and weapons... Do the nation's military academies not conduct a metal health evaluation on their student prior to admitting them to school? And, if they do, is the bar set so low as to attract those who are likely to commit wholesale slaughter with little or no remorse?

THESE WARSHIPS.... WHAT WARSHIPS? WHAT BUILDUP? WE'RE THE GOVERNMENT, WOULD WE LIE

The Greman Press Agency is moving a story today saying the U.S. Navy is denying they are increasing their presence in the Persian Gulf. This, despite the fact it is very difficult if not impossible to hide an entire-freaking-carrier group. According to the report, a senior official with the 5th Fleet did confirm they are keeping an eye on what he called "unprecedented time of instability and insecurity in the
region."
The Navy's movement of the a second carrier group into the region is seen by many as preparation for some kind of incursion into Iran, although high government officials deny any move to open a second front in the region is imminant or even planned.

"NO, REALLY. WE HAVE NO PLANS TO ATTACK IRAN. WE DIDN'T PLAN TO ATTACK IRAQ, EITHER"

Trying to get out in front of published reports that what is laughingly called the "Bush Brain Trust" has formulated a plan to invade Iran, the administration has its pimps out on the talking head circuit doing the Repiglican Waltz. It's a easy dance to learn; simply side-step and deny, side-step and deny. Of course, it has to be easy if a doddering old fool like Ronald Reagan had to learn it.... Yesterday, it was Tony Snow's turn at the mic on VOA.Thing is, they're doing a lot of denying for something that's supposedly not even on the radar, and there's a lot diplomatic insiders telling the public and news media that the administration is likely to gin up scenario similar to the Gulf of Tonkin attack. Aren't you guys happy you voted for a Repiglican Administration?

FORMER BUSH NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SAYS THE WHITEHOUSE IS COOKING UP IRAN CONFRONTATION..... YA, YA , SIEG HEIL TO YOU TOO

"We have no intention of attacking Iran. The president said that. The secretary of State said it. I have said it before." - Defense Secretary Bob Gates on CNN Feb. 12, 2007

Is that a fact? Well, it depends upon whom you believe. In a televised interview of
former National Security Council Director for Iran and the Persian Gulf Affairs, Hillary Mann, she told CNN reporter Miles O'Brien a quite different story about White House plans:
M. O'BRIEN: So shall we take that at face value, or is the Bush administration drumming up support for another war? Hillary Mann left the Bush administration in 2004. She's a former National Security Council director for Iran and the Persian Gulf Affairs. She joins us from Washington.

Ms. Mann, good to have you with us.

HILLARY MANN, FMR. DIR., NATIONAL SECURITY COUN.: Thank you.

M. O'BRIEN: What do you think? Is the administration trying to gin up a war against Iran?

MANN: What I call it is a -- they're trying to push a provocative accidental conflict. They're pushing a series of increasing provocations against the Iranians in, I think, anticipation that Iran will eventually retaliate, and that will give the United States the ability to launch limited strikes against Iran, to take out targets in Iran that we consider to be important.

M. O'BRIEN: So you believe the U.S. is looking for a pretext for some sort of attack?

MANN: Pretext, not for an all-out invasion like what happened with Iraq, but a pretext to take out -- to degrade some of the nuclear facilities and to take out some of the buildings or the headquarters in Iran of the Revolutionary Guards, for example. And other power centers for this government that this -- that our administration finds to be so difficult and anathema.

M. O'BRIEN: Why? Why would the -- at this point, with all that the U.S. is dealing with in Iraq, why would the U.S. focus on Iran at this point?

MANN: I think it's -- we're now almost into year four of the Iraq war. It is, of course, by all accounts, is not going well, even by the Bush administration's accounts. The Bush administration has long seen Iran -- the Iranian government as fundamentally illegitimate.

The theocratic government there, the president has repeatedly said, in both public and in private, that he sees that government as illegitimate. It represses its people, and as long as it stays in its form, there can never be the democratization and peace and stability that he thinks needs to come to the Middle East.

That has long been the policy. That I think now what you see is the opportunity, both in terms of what is happening on the nuclear issue, what's happening in Iraq and on the terrorism front. Now is the opportunity to increase the provocations on Iran to force them to do something to us that would allow for a retaliation.

M. O'BRIEN: What is Iran's goal, do you think?

MANN: Iran's goal in Iraq or in the region?

M. O'BRIEN: Yes, in Iraq -- and, I guess, extend that out to the region, as well.

MANN: I think Iran's goal is -- as they see themselves, you know, from my experience with them -- they see themselves as a very important power, as an anchor power in the Persian Gulf. They see themselves almost tantamount to Saudi Arabia. A very large country sitting on enormously important energy resources, geo-strategically critical both to the United States, to China to the former Soviet Union, to other powers in the Gulf.

I think what they are looking for is a recognition of their importance in the Gulf, their legitimacy, and for somehow for that -- for their role to be -- to be normalized in the Gulf and then, of course, worldwide, some acceptance of the Islamic Republic.

M. O'BRIEN: So, what would you suggest? What should the U.S. do to try to neutralize that potential threat?

MANN: I think we should do what Nixon and Kissinger did with China in the early 1970s. We should respond positively, constructively to Iranian overtures, to enter into comprehensive talks with Iran and to strike a grand bargain.

A grand bargain would mean we would have to make some concessions, and it would mean the Iranians would have to make some important concessions. But at the end of the day I think there is a path. The Iranians have put this on the table before.

There is a path to go forward to resolve the outstanding differences between the two countries, and eventually normalize the relationship, like the U.S. and China, like with what we did at the end of the Vietnam War in opening China to the United States.

M. O'BRIEN: Hillary Mann, thanks for your time.

MANN: You're welcome.

CLICK ON HEADLINE FOR COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT

McCAIN DONS LIPSTICK, SHORT SKIRT, THEN BENDS OVER FOR 'CHRISTIAN' RIGHT-WING VOTE

Having narrowly lost the contest for his party's support for presidential candidate in the 2000 election cycle to a man intellectually inferior to Homer Simpson, John McCain has apparently decided to dumb-down his message and public persona in hopes of garnering party support for the 2008 cycle. In effect, whoring himself out to the so-called "Christian" lobby, believing they are still the king-makers in the Repiglican Party.
In doing so, McCain marked himself not only as a whore, but an ignorant whore, blind to the fact of a clear political sea-change where the unwashed trailer trash who both lead and populate the vestiges of the 'Moral Majority' are quickly being marginalized and sent packing back to the fires of Hell from which they crawled during the Reagan Regime.
His pandering to that group makes a mockery of his 2000 'Straight-Talk Express,' and brings into serious doubt his integrity both now and during his last campaign.

NJ COP VACATIONS IN OC, GETS A BJ ON THE BOARDWALK AND A HANDJOB IN COURT

For yet another example of how special cops are, we turn to a report from The Dispatch. Seems this guy, Cesar Manuel Moyano, a New Jersey cop... well, not a real cop, more of a prison turnkey, really, came to Ocean City last summer and, through whatever means, was able to persuade a 15-year-old girl to give him head right next to the boardwalk. Well, by and by, the local cops take notice and arrest him. He claims he thought the girl was 20 years old, and the girl claims she was not forced but felt pressure to perform said ministrations upon Moyano because told her it would be alright because he was a cop.
So by and by, this comes to the attention of the local heat and they arrest his arrogant, dumb ass, and he wound up in court today. The price cops pay in this county for child sexual abuse and assault; 10 days in jail, because well, you know, cops deserve special treatment being as they're special and heroes and such. No word on if he'll be required to register as a child sex offender.... Probably not.

YA, UND NEXT YEAR YOU VILL TELL ZE WHOLE VORLD ZAT YOU LUF UZ UND VE ARE JUST LIKE ZEM

CNN is moving a story, now, saying Second Tier Rep. Tom Tancredo (seen here in his Rocket J. Squirrel outfit), a Repiglican presidential wannabe from Colorado, is really annoyed with the NFL after it rejected a commercial pimping the Border Patrol that was supposed to air during the Super Bowl. And to make up for his having a hissy-fit, he wants the NFL to guarantee the boys in brown a commercial slot in next year's event and a statement of support for its efforts.... He's got to be kidding.... Excuse me, I had to stop writing for a moment because I was laughing so hard that I almost hurled chunks all over my latest copy of USNWR.
Yup. I think this does it; proves Tancredo has jumped the shark in a wild-eyed attempt to be more patriotic than thou.

WHY NOW AND NOT BEFORE, AND WHAT GOOD IS IT GOING TO DO?

Bless her heart, the Ocean City police chief has apparently ordered an internal affairs investigation into a 2005 traffic stop, where Rick Meehan's daughter was stopped, admitted to consuming alcohol and called daddy to come and get her. Although details of the alleged incident have not been made public, I couldn't help but notice there was no mention made of a field sobriety test being administered. So that makes it a whole lot less suspicious than the Atkins fiasco.
So why would DiPino order an internal investigation in this case, and what good is it going to do? Answers to these questions are important because there are avenues for a miscarriage of justice built into the investigation that need close scrutiny.
First, it's troubling that DiPino's version of IAD is to have the head of the department to which the officer is assigned do the investigation. That means the person doing the investigation has a personal relationship with the officer in question, so his findings could be colored by that relationship, as well as how popular or unpopular the officer in question is both within the division and in the community at large. And even if the results of the investigation are on the straight and narrow, what reason is there for the public to believe it, given the Atkins case in contrast, not to mention DiPino's history of lying in sworn testimony. In effect, anything she says- good, bad, or indifferent- cannot be taken at face value. So, I don't understand why this investigation didn't get handed off the WCBI or the State Police.
Secondly, in the event the officer is found to be in the wrong, there's the question of his penalty and whether he would suffer a harsher penalty than he might have if the Atkins issues had not reached the public eye. In other words, getting sacrificed on the alter of political expediency.
And, unless I miss totally, this investigation effectively removes it from public oversight, because the original report on this traffic stop, which under ordinary circumstances would be a public document, is now an investigation document and so shielded from public view.

HOMEOWNERS GET THE FINGER FROM THE GOOD HANDS PEOPLE

Why in the name of Gawd would the state of Maryland sit on its thumbs while State Farm Insurance declares it will no longer write homeowner policies on the Eastern Shore and counties bordering the Chesapeake Bay? According to the last I read, that's nearly half the state - 11 counties. Yes, it's a risk, but insurance is all about risk. It's a gamble, any way you look at it. And just like in casinos, the odds are in the house's favor.
Nevertheless, I'm pretty sure insurance companies operate under a public convenience business license, and that means they have to serve the public without regard to race, religion, sexual orientation or residence. We've seen this scam before, but then it was called redlining - when real estate companies and insurance companies engaged in policies to deny services to people of a certain skin tone. And when it was discovered, state and federal governments took exception to the policies and took corrective actions.
So what's different now? Same operation but the reasons are only slightly different. But it doesn't stand up to scrutiny this time either. If State Farm is allowed to get away with this, what's next? Refusing to write policies in the midwest because of the risk of tornado damage? refusing coverage in other states that border the oceans and Gulf of Mexico. What good is an insurance company that won't write policies.... How would it be providing a public convenience? And if it won't cover some areas of the state, then why should it be permitted to do business in the state at all?

OK, SO MAYBE THE OC COPS DON'T GIVE PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT ONLY TO ELECTED OFFICIALS

The Daily Crime is moving a story this morning alleging that Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan's daughter was stopped for suspect drunken driving in 2005 and saved the embarrassment of arrest when her daddy was called to come pick her up and take her home. Meehan was not the mayor at the time.
Okay, mea culpa. In earlier posts I posited that OC cops give elected officials "special consideration" when they're caught for drunken driving and such. I was wrong and this is a graphic example of how wrong I was.... sometimes they're just nice guys and give "special consideration" to people who aren't elected officials.

YES, WELL JUST THE SAME, COULD WE HAVE THE MONEY BACK?

For the last nine consecutive quarters, The town of Snow Hill has routinely failed to tax its federal taxes in a timely manner and instead opted to pay penalties of $10,000. And for their own, unclear reasons, town officials failed to catch the "mistake" for more than two years. This oversight raises some questions, not the least of which is "where the hell were the accountants and auditors when this was happening?".... No answer yet to that one.... And as much as I would like to see the town get its money back from the IRS, I'm having trouble justifying why they should get it. I mean, the town hired its bookkeeppers and had a responsibility to provide oversight. The fact that it apparently didn't do so is the fault of the mayor and council and the town manager, right? To me, that looks like a breach of fiduciary responsibility. So if the IRS declines.... well, that's $2,500 each they should cough up.

CALL FOR THE ETHICS COMMITTEE ON LINE 1

Has the Daily Crime dropped the ball again? When last we heard, Delaware Del. John Adkins asked the ethics committee to determine if he acted inappropriately when he flashed his legislative ID to get special treatment after being stopped for suspected drunken driving last October. The Crime ran a story about the opening meeting, but there has been no word since then.

THE GRONCKI v. SNOW HILL STORY BEGINS OOZING OUT

Tuesday night's meeting of the Snow Hill Town Council saw a meeting space that was nearly SRO, chiefly because of unanswered question about police chief John Groncki's sudden departure. And while mayor Steve Mathews took pains to be clear that Groncki was not fired, or in any forced out, he stopped short of saying the split was amicable. Other, however had no qualms about classifying Groncki's tenure as anything but amicable. Among the issue raised were Groncki's reputed refusal to meet with the town council and a reported refusal to stand a watch by himself and free up other officers for the night shift. According to Pat Pruitt, a sheriff's deputy, Groncki's refusal sometimes meant there was no police protection in Snow Hill during the night time hours.
For his part, Mathews said the town has recieved about 15 applications for the Chief's position. That's the good news. The bad news is that number is about one-third the number of applicants the town recieved when the position was last advertised.... And even with that larger pool of applicants, Mathews found only about five or six candidates worth interviewing. Even more bad news is that the gig pays $40,000 - equal to the pay of the rank and file officers and far below what is paid to police chiefs in other nearby jurisdictions. Just the same, the town expect to fill the position by sometime next month.

WOULDN'T IT BE MORE COST-EFFECTIVE TO JUST TEACH THEM HOW TO DRIVE?

So with most of the widening of Rt. 113 completed, folks in the southern end of the county discovered the new crossover at routes 12 and 113 was suddenly much less safe than it was before dualization....hmmm .... So let's see here, the very plan that Bobby Hulburd and his group fought so hard, in the name of traffic safety, to be built has actually made the road less safe. And now, some are proposing a traffic light as a short-term fix, and a freaking overpass in the longer term. Sadly, those proposals may turn out to be the only solutions.
Nevertheless, I can't help but recall a conversation with Bob, several years ago, wherein I asked about the necessity of spending $100 million to dualize 113, especially since I had driven the road many times at 70-some miles per hour, and had nothing untoward happen. For his part, Bob recounted the 70 lives that had been lost in the previous 20 years as evidence the road needed to be expanded. And among those lives lost was a family member- a nephew, perhaps. And so I asked him for the details of that accident and others on the road, and in the telling of those incidents it became clear that every one was a direct result of driver error. SOme crossed the double-yellow line through inattention, others just absolutely had to be where they we going right now, and at least one was so foolish he backed his car out of his driveway onto the road and got hammered. But when I asked if the $100 million might be better spent on actually teaching people how to drive defensively, Bob got rather huffy, took umbrage, and abruptly ended the conversation.
So now, we are where we are; with a very expensive road that is less safe than it was before it was fixed, and my insurance rates here are still higher that they were when I lived in the DC metro area.

MORE AIRPORT HOT AIR

So bear with me on this.... I'm taking my information from the local daily rag.... But, am I understanding events correctly; that the FAA says it will withhold any further funding if the OC airport doesn't expand?.... and that would mean what, exactly? That the airport wouldn't get any bigger? Okay. Sounds good to me.

MAYBE WORCESTER DEMS NEED TO SET THEIR STANDARDS A LITTLE HIGHER

Despite a clear win in last year's mid-term elections, Worcester County Democrats are having a tough time finding prospective leaders for the local Central Committee. ... Seems a small wonder, what with well known racist and loose cannon, Eddie Lee retaining is chair. And speaking of loose cannons, The committee still has to deal with Tom McLaughlin, an at-large member, who many say is extremely volitile. So volitile, in fact, that other committee members implored him to increase his medication during public appearances in last year's primary election. I'm not a doctor, of course, but to my mind he exhibits all the worst signs of being bi-polar, and nobody wants to be around that.
Three of the seven district chairs are up, apparently, for the mere asking. Go get 'em, and don't forget your cup, body armor and broadsword.

DOMESTIC TERROR: HELD HOSTAGE BY RUMOR.... THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING!

In news from the yankee stalwarts in in the frozen state of Maine, come this story about a school being closed because of a gun rumor. Granted, that in itself, is not unusal or even imprudent. The difference here is that the rumor had already come to the attention of school officials and police and been resolved as a non-threat. But apparently that didn't stop the parent of one student, who called the local TV news folks to perhaps report that a massacre was being planned. So instead of quelling a wild-eyed rumor and continuing with the educational process, the superintendant of schools elected to close the school the following day. This, despite the fact they knew about the rumor, investigated and determined there was no threat.

...AS IF BEING A REPIGLICAN WASN'T BAD ENOUGH

Little Billy McDermott, the boy wonder candidate who sought a delegate's seat in last September's primary election, made the newspapers this week when he got fired from his RA gig at some local university. The reason cited was because he conspired with others to take a rubber duck hostage and hold it for ransom.... okay, that wasn't really the reason. The real reason, we're told, is because he dressed up as an arab terrorist while doing it. Wait, there's more. ... Seems his garb was an issue, not because of any potential fear it might have instilled in the community, but because it might have offended somebody of middle eastern descent.
Okay, let's pause for a moment and ponder who's more stupid: Is it Billy McDermott for failing to take into account the socio-political climate? Or is it the University for trying to ram a social engineering agenda down the throats of the student body? I'm voting for the university, it's supposedly run by adults who are supposed to know about and support the First Amendment. McDermott, at least, has youthful folly on his side, not to mention that his act was meant to be, and was in fact, funny. Whereas, the university's response was not funny and, as a state school, clearly violated McDermott's right to free speech when it punished him.
Listen, I'll remind you again: there is no constitutional right to not be offended. Grow-the-fuck-up. Learn to deal with life's little disappointments like an adult. If someone was offended, too bad. They'll get over it, or they won't. Either way, they'll deal with it.
That brings us to McDermott's role in this crying jag, in so much as it proves his immaturity and lack of fitness for a role in the state political arena... But he's still a kid. Maybe one day he'll grow up and give more and deeper consideration to his political perspective.

MC CAIN, SCHUMER PIMP ISP SPYING LAW

If there was any doubt remaining about John McCain's loyalty to the Forces of Darkness, they were probably erased this week when he and Chuck Schumer marshalled the support of great legal minds like Miss America and badass-wannabe/police whore John Walsh to support a bill that would require internet service providers monitor virtually every keystroke made by subscribers.
The proposed bill, The Securing Adolescents from Exploitation-Online Act, would require service providers to scan all email, downloads, uploads, instant messages and other transmissions for language or images that may involve minors in provocative or sexual situtations or poses.
While the purported intent of this bill may be righteous, there are concerns about its actual use, as our government has repeatedly demonstrated a propensity to misapply and abuse laws that are meant to protect the people.... First they scan for child pornography, then "terrorists," then run-of-the-mill petty criminals, and soon enough, anyone who opposes intrusive government policies... After all, what good would the technology be if it can't be abused.

FOX SET TO GIVE BUSINESSES A PROPAGANDA CHANNEL ALL THEIR OWN

Having apparently abandoned any pretext of "fair and balanced" reporting, Fox News and News Corps' Rupert "I Use My RIGHT Hand For Giving Handjobs" Murdock this morning announced it will launch a channel devoted to business news to challenge MSNBC.
While no date for the launch was announced, Fox Nes made clear it's intent in a brodcast this morning, telling viewers that channel would be "business-friendly," and unlike MSNBC, does not intend to report on every scandal that might put the business community in a bad light.