Archive for July 14th, 2011
Robert Fisk: Why I had to leave The Times – Press, Media – The Independent
He is a caliph, I suppose, almost of the Middle Eastern variety.
You hear all these awful things about Arab dictators and then, when you meet them, they are charm itself. Hafez al-Assad once held my hand in his for a long time with a paternal smile. Surely he can’t be that bad, I almost said to myself – this was long before the 1982 Hama massacres. King Hussein would call me “Sir”, along with most other journalists. These potentates, in public, would often joke with their ministers. Mistakes could be forgiven.
The “Hitler Diaries” were Murdoch’s own mistake, after refusing to countenance his own “expert’s” change of heart over the documents hours before The Times and The Sunday Times began printing them. Months later, I was passing by the paper’s London office on my way back to Beirut when the foreign editor, Ivan Barnes, held up the Reuters wire copy from Bonn. “Aha!” he thundered. “The diaries are forgeries!” The West German government had proved that they must have been written long after the Führer’s death.
So Barnes dispatched me to editor Charles Douglas-Home’s office with the Reuters story and I marched in only to find Charlie entertaining Murdoch. “They say they’re forgeries, Charlie,” I announced, trying not to glance at Murdoch. But I did when he reacted. “Well, there you go,” the mogul reflected with a giggle. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Much mirth. The man’s insouciance was almost catching. Great Story. It only had one problem. It wasn’t true.
via Robert Fisk: Why I had to leave The Times – Press, Media – The Independent.
Reagan mythology is leading US off a cliff – Opinion – Al Jazeera English
As things stand today, the US is hurtling toward a budget showdown in less than a month. Either President Obama will once again capitulate to extreme Republican budget-slashing demands, making Democrats seem as much of a threat to Medicare as Republicans, and virtually ensuring a GOP electoral sweep in 2012, or the US will default on its debt for the first time in its history, most likely plunging the world economy back into another five-continent recession, also costing Democrats the 2012 elections. These are the options left for a president and a political class completely divorced both from reality, and its own history of how one of the three greatest US presidents of all time steered the country from the brink of collapse eight decades ago
Entirely forgetting the real history of how Franklin D Roosevelt used activist government to save American capitalism from itself, the entire US political establishment is instead hypnotised by the false history woven around its most over-hyped president of all time: Ronald Reagan. Idolatry of Reagan’s supposed tax-cutting wonders propels the now widespread economic belief that up is down, that cutting government spending is the way out of – rather than into – a severe recession. At the same time, idolatry of Reagan’s supposed political wonders propels GOP extremists to ignore all other considerations.
Because of this hypnotism, America’s political establishment has barely even begun to notice two unconventional possible ways out that remain, neither of which require anything from Congress, but both of which need bold presidential leadership ala FDR.
via Reagan mythology is leading US off a cliff – Opinion – Al Jazeera English.
Another software expert questions birth certificate
Another computer software expert is questioning the validity of the Obama birth document released by the White House.
Victoria Nicks, who holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree in Information Technology, argues that the presence of “differently sized pixels” in the image released to the public April 27 by the White House indicates that it’s not “an exact duplicate of an original document scan.”
In a piece on the Decoded Science website, she also points out that there are “misaligned pixels” throughout the document.
Get the New York Times best-seller “Where’s the Birth Certificate? The Case that Barack Obama Is Not Eligible to be President,” by Jerome Corsi.
“The fact that there are different-sized pixels throughout the document indicates, without a doubt, that the document has been altered from its original state,” she writes.
Star Wars Lamborghini sadly not driven by Lambo Calrissian
Justin Hyde —Star Wars Lamborghini sadly not driven by Lambo Calrissian Star Wars Lamborghini sadly not driven by Lambo CalrissianFor this year’s Gold Rush Rally, the owners of one Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 gave their ride a vinyl tribute to Star Wars, combining icons from across the galaxy and a few blasters. The Force is strong with this one.
Given the extremes of Lamborghini customization, a temporary Star Wars theme comes off as an exercise in restraint. Team Golden Empire did mix-and-match from all sides, with Empire icons on one half of the vehicle and Jedi Order on the other. There’s also the R2 unit embedded in the roof.
Sure it can party from Vegas to L.A., but how many parsecs does it take to make the Kessel Run?
via Star Wars Lamborghini sadly not driven by Lambo Calrissian.
Police reports show different side of Michele Bachmann – Political Currents – MiamiHerald.com
With a penchant for tough talk and polarizing positions, Republican presidential contender Michele Bachmann is a magnet for controversy — and there’s a trail of police reports to prove it.
She and her staff over the years have requested police protection or investigations when her house was egged; when protesters threw glitter on her or held up critical signs; when her campaign yard signs were stolen; when a man wrote an email perceived as a threat; and when she screamed that two women were holding her hostage “against my will” in a city hall restroom.
The series of police reports from the Stillwater Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Minnesota show a side of a candidate rarely seen on the campaign trail, where Bachmann has described herself as having a “titanium spine.”
Bachmann’s campaign and congressional offices wouldn’t comment, but her fellow Minnesota Republicans say they’re not surprised by the reports.
“Michele Bachmann is someone who tells it like it is with the courage of her convictions,” said Tony Sutton, state chairman of Republican Party of Minnesota. “There will be people on the other side who will react in an inappropriate that way. There are a lot of liberals who can’t cope with the fact that she’s an outspoken conservative who sticks by her guns.”
via Police reports show different side of Michele Bachmann – Political Currents – MiamiHerald.com.
Pontiac man to Lake Orion police officer: You’re arresting ‘God’ – macombdaily.com
A Pontiac man has been arrested on allegations of drunken driving after Lake Orion police say he was driving down the wrong side of the road and claimed to be God.
Kandy Sylester Jones, 35, was arraigned Monday in 52-3 District Court on charges of drunken driving and driving on a suspended license.
This was Jones’ third time being arrested for drunken driving and a second time he has been arrested for driving on a suspended license.
He is being held on a $5,000 cash bond.
The incident happened about 5:30 p.m. July 6 when a resident living on Smith Court, off Lapeer Road, called 911 about two men arguing and yelling profanities in an area where small children were playing.
An officer was dispatched to the scene and spoke with the manager of the rental units in the area.
The manager also heard the quarreling, police said.
via Pontiac man to Lake Orion police officer: You’re arresting ‘God’ – macombdaily.com.
Alan Greenspan: It’s the Gen-Xers Fault They’re Out of Work – FoxBusiness.com
Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan said in a recent interview that the U.S. is suffering from an unproductive youth movement in the labor force, and that companies don’t want to hire these young folk. Greenspan also said that U.S. companies would be better off hiring immigrants.
I yield the floor to FOX Business Director of News Ray Hennessey:
Apparently the problem with the American jobs picture is the American worker.
At least that’s what Alan Greenspan thinks.
We are, he says, too young, dumb and unproductive as a workforce. The Baby Boomers were better, finding ways to do more with less, but they are retiring in droves. As they hit the links, their ranks of replacements don’t measure up.
via Alan Greenspan: It’s the Gen-Xers Fault They’re Out of Work – FoxBusiness.com.
