Fat-Faced Punk Alert!

Power Line has more on Markos Zuniga:

The scandal doesn't end there. The biggest Democratic blogger is Markos Zuniga, whose Daily Kos is said to get more hits than any other liberal site. Zuniga is a player within the Democratic Party, too; he is a principal in the Armstrong Zuniga political consulting firm.

This is what Zuniga had to say about the atrocity in Falluja:

Let the people see what war is like. This isn't an Xbox game. There are real repercussions to Bush's folly.

That said, I feel nothing over the death of merceneries (sic). They aren't in Iraq because of orders, or because they are there trying to help the people make Iraq a better place. They are there to wage war for profit. Screw them.

Zuniga later took down this post and tried to spin his hateful reaction to the murders; Michael Friedman has the whole story.

A number of Democratic candidates advertise on The Daily Kos; Friedman sent emails to them asking them to remove their ads in light of Zuniga's hate speech. So far, three have done so; Congressman Martin Frost of Texas was the first. But as of this morning, Jane Mitakides, the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee are all advertising on the site.

There's more: In the last few days, there has been a lot of news about John Kerry's successful use of the internet for fund-raising. Who is Kerry's number one online fundraiser? Yup. The Daily Kos.

So far, John Kerry has done nothing to disassociate himself from Zuniga's hateful reaction to the Falluja massacre. For him to do so might be dangerous; the truth is that Zuniga's hateful extremism represents the mainstream of the Democratic Party. Certainly the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee are in no hurry to disassociate themselves from Zuniga's "screw them" sentiment.

I especially like the snaps of ole Kos swanning around with the Democrat bigs. The one where Markos is drooling in front of Al Sharpton is really great. Of course, there is a more realistic snap here.

This is what today's Democrat party is reduced to - a fat faced punk with a loud mouth. FDR must be spinning in his grave.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 10:28 AM -

 
Bureaucrats Gone Wild!

KOFI ANNAN'S CORRUPT ENTERPRISE

Is the clock ticking on Secretary General Kofi Annan's merry pranks at the United Nations?

Could be.

Be still my heart!

The rank corruption of the body's Iraqi Oil-for-Food program is bubbling slowly to the surface - promising to ensnare scores of European politicians and businessmen, as well as a gaggle of Annan's Turtle Bay colleagues.

There's a huge honking surprise!

An upcoming audit being prepared by a firm that successfully traced stolen Holocaust-era assets is expected to confirm the names of some 200 people and companies around the world who allegedly were bribed by Saddam's regime.

The list, found in Iraq's Oil Ministry, was first cited by an Iraqi newspaper, al Mada, at the end of January.

Meanwhile, the General Accounting Office estimates that Saddam Hussein skimmed as much as $10.1 billion from the $47 billion program - originally established in 1996 to buy humanitarian supplies for ordinary Iraqis.

Among those expected to be named are the head of the U.N. program, the Russian Communist Party, the PLO and "a French businessman close to President Jacques Chirac."

This, of course, may help explain Chirac's implacable opposition to the dispossession of Saddam a year ago.

And Kofi Annan's longtime pro-Saddam bent, as well.

As Andrew Apostolou notes on the preceeding page, Annan's immortal words - "I think I can do business" with Saddam - take on an entirely new meaning

Sounds like business was pretty good, eh Kofi!

The fog began to clear in February after the name of Benon Sevan - the U.N.-appointed executive director of the Oil-for-Food program - appeared on the al Mada list.

According to al Mada, individuals, corporations and political parties on the list received cash-convertible oil vouchers from Saddam.

Sevan apparently was given vouchers for at least 11 million barrels of oil, worth some $3.5 billion. No wonder the program he ran:

* Knowingly collaborated with Saddam's massive violations of the U.N.'s own sanctions.

* Said and did nothing about the Saddam regime's use of Oil-for-Food income to build presidential palaces.

* Ignored huge kickbacks, thereby making itself complicit in Saddam's bribery of foreign leaders, opinion-makers and companies.

* Permitted the regime to cheat Kurds in northern Iraq of billions - money, by the way, that is still unaccounted for.

But it wasn't just the professional bureaucratic class suckling on Saddam's teat:

This much, too, is clear: The vast profits for foreign companies made possible by abuses of the Oil-for-Food program helped buy foreign support for the Baghdad regime.

Saddam made a point of throwing Oil-for-Food business and oil-voucher bribes at contractors from key countries, especially those with vetoes on the Security Council, like France and Russia:

* Forty-six recipients of illegal allocations of oil were Russian companies or individuals - many with links to President Vladimir Putin.

* French interests were so deeply involved in corrupt Oil-for-Food dealings that France opposed the ending of sanctions even after Saddam had fallen.

Typical. Chirac isn't even a competent crook.

Is it any wonder that Russia and France now oppose independent inquiries into the scam, although Secretary General Kofi Annan - under extreme pressure - has nominally agreed to the idea?

The Iraqi Governing Council has been probing the scam since al Mada first revealed it. The audit, prepared for the council by KPMG and the law firm Freshfield Bruckhaus Deringer, is due in May.

Complicating the effort, however, is the refusal of the BNP Paribas Bank of France to make available critical Oil-for-Food program records.

And U.N. officials in New York have declined to send necessary statements for months.

Yes, the U.N. says an "internal inquiry" is under way.

But, given that Kofi Annan's son Kojo is linked to the scandal, it's not hard to imagine how hard that effort will be pressed.

I'm not holding my breath. But here's a plan - the USA withholds UN dues until the $10 billion is made up. That ought to be an attention getter.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 9:30 AM -

 
That's weird! I thought they already surrendered. (#2)

Bomb found on Spanish rail line

MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- A bomb found under high-speed rail tracks in Spain appears to be made of the same explosives used in last month's deadly Madrid train attacks, Interior Minister Angel Acebes said.

It looks like this series will go on for a while. #1 is here.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 11:24 PM -

 
Can you say pond scum?

Ryne McLaren provides Mr. Death Fetish: An Update:

Scumbag Markos "Kos" Zuniga is reaping the exact whirlwind he deserves for his outrageous and hideous comments about the dead American security guards in Fallujah the other day.

Blogger Hugh Farrish responds to Kos, and wonders aloud (ablog?) if maybe the Democratic political candidates who advertise on DailyKos wouldn't be interested in Zuniga's death fetish.

And here's blogger Michael Friedman, who is also contacting Zuniga's political advertisers: Joe Donnelly, Jane Mitakides, Martin Frost (who has already severed ties with Kos) and Joe Hoeffel.

Michael also has a screen capture of the original Kos post, just in case.

Always a wise precaution when dealing with the sleazoids. Drop on by Michael Friedman's place and help the politicians make the right choice.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 4:22 PM -

 
Microsoft and Sun Microsystems Enter Broad Cooperation Agreement; Settle Outstanding Litigation

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 3:48 PM -

 
It's the Hollyweirdos again!

TV Shows Take On Bush, and Pull Few Punches

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif., March 31 — Galvanized politically in ways they have not been since the early 1990's, Hollywood's more liberal producers and writers are increasingly expressing their displeasure with President Bush with not only their wallets, but also their scripts.

In recent weeks, characters in prime time have progressed beyond the typical Hollywood knocks against Washington politicians to calling out the president directly or questioning his policies, including the decision to go to war in Iraq, the support of the antiterrorism law and the backing of a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

On the NBC show "Whoopi," the hotelier played by Whoopi Goldberg delivered an anti-Bush screed when the president, played by a lookalike, appeared at her establishment to use the facilities. "I can't believe he's in there doing to my bathroom what he's done to the economy!" she said.

One of the wise-cracking detectives on the NBC show "Law & Order," played by Jesse L. Martin, referred to the president as the "dude that lied to us." The character went on to say, "I don't see any weapons of mass destruction, do you?" His cantankerous partner, played by Jerry Orbach, retorted that Saddam Hussein did have such weapons because the president's "daddy" sold them to a certain someone "who used to live in Baghdad."

But the season finale of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" on HBO arguably best conveyed the growing sentiment. On that episode, the main character, played by the comedian Larry David, backed out of a dalliance sanctioned by his wife after noticing that his prospective paramour had lovingly displayed a picture of Mr. Bush on her dresser.

Now there's a plot line for you - "backed out of a dalliance sanctioned by his wife." By the way, ole Larry David is the "nincompoop" boy from the Lurch Hollywood fundraiser the other day.

"I have never, ever seen this community more united than right now, never," said Laurie David, Mr. David's wife, who has been active in organizing the creative community against Mr. Bush. "Not a day goes by when I'm not getting a dozen calls from people saying to me, `What can I do?'

Laurie could try shoving it up her ventral orifice, but things might be kind of tight with her head already there.

Mr. Graham said the anti-Bush sentiment coming across in prime time was more troublesome than usual because it was woven into scripts across so many of the major networks, and not restricted to sketch comedy.

"It's different when you're really involved in `NYPD Blue' or `Law & Order,' and to you it's, `That's my man Sipowicz and he doesn't like Bush,' " Mr. Graham said. "This can be seen, and certainly is seen, by conservatives as Hollywood's in-kind contribution to the Kerry campaign."

Which is exactly what it is.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 9:18 AM -

 
Hippie Hotties Alert!

I was over visiting the Commissar when I was stunned to see Comrades in Love. Here's a facsimile of the ad in question:

Act For Love Personals!



Fight for same-sex marriage...
and find a great date too.

ActForLove.org: Personals for Activists...

Take Action, Get Action!

The Act for Love people seem to have endorsement deals worked out with a variety of leftoid causes. I guess they failed to notice that the Commissar is a tad deviationist. But it sounds like a great idea - the Center for Disease Control can always use more case studies.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 7:50 AM -

 
Country humor alert!

Here's a hoot - City dwellers get a genuine whiff of life near a farm:

That stinky odor wafting out of western Michigan these days may resemble manure, but for Mark Knudsen it's the sweet smell of success.

Knudsen knows that newcomers to rural Ottawa County might not agree. That's why he helped develop a pamphlet designed to open the eyes -- and nostrils -- of folks looking to move to the country.

A brochure titled "If You Are Thinking About Moving To The Country ... " gives prospective country dwellers a shovelful of reality, right down to the scratch-and-sniff manure patch.

The pamphlet is here, without the scratch-and-sniff of course.

Knudsen, director of Ottawa County's planning and grants department, said the problem comes from city dwellers who arrive from places like Grand Rapids and Grand Haven with unrealistic expectations of life near the farm.

"They complain about tractors, the noise and more than anything they gripe about the smell of manure," Knudsen said. "I wanted to do something to help cut into the 100 complaints filed every year."
...
"There has been a substantial growth in new complaints in recent years and they have been related to a growing new residential population in some areas of the state," said Vicki Pontz, who supervises the Right to Farm complaints received by the Michigan Agriculture Department.

Michigan enacted a Right to Farm act in 1981 that gave nuisance protection to farmers who follow appropriate procedures for matters such as manure management and livestock, according to Scott Piggott of the Michigan Farm Bureau.

Why didn't I guess that lawyers would be involved? They probably object to folks taking target practice of a Saturday too.

But it wasn't easy putting the pamplet together:

Idea in place, Knudsen set out to find a company that would produce a foul-smelling scratch-and-sniff. Most turned up their noses.

"It took a while to find a company willing to take on the project -- most of them are involved in these foo-foo scents like perfumes," Knudsen said. "I mean, would you want to be working on it? And then we had to go through a series of about four dozen different scents until we came to one that was just right. That was no picnic, either."

The company, in Chattanooga, Tenn., at one point had to evacuate its plant during printing because the manure smell became overwhelming. The scratch-and-sniff does not contain actual manure but an oil-based substance whose smell resembles it.

Hmm, they could use the same scratch-and-sniff patch for the Democrat platform at the convention.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 8:33 PM -

 
That's weird! I thought they already surrendered.

Spain intercepts letter bombs

Three letter bombs addressed to media outlets in Madrid have been intercepted at a postal sorting office in northern Spain, police said.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 3:36 PM -

 
April Foolery starring the April Fool

Allah has another photo montage starring Lurch and all the usual suspects. My favorite is the one where Lurch is making googoo eyes at the Mozambique Hottie:

Lurch: *Psst.* Remember when Mr. Roboto went tonsils-deep on Tipper at the 2000 Convention? What do you say, babe?

Mozambique Hottie: Do it to me, Johnny 'Nam! Eat that face like you're Hannibal Lecter!

Followed by the obligatory snogging attack:

Lurch: Hello, Clarice!

Since the Democrat presidential campaign playbook seems to require frequent and prolonged public liplocks on your significant other, I can hardly wait until they run their first gay candidate.

And speaking of class acts, did you catch Lurch's visit to Hollyweird?

Some of Tinseltown's biggest armchair radicals helped John Kerry rake in more than $3 million yesterday in a Bush-bashing extravaganza of venom.

Old folkie James Taylor and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star Larry David entertained such limousine leftists as Barbra Streisand, Jennifer Aniston, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kevin Costner, Danny DeVito, Meg Ryan, Jason Alexander, Lucy Liu, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Christina Applegate, Oliver Stone, Dustin Hoffman, Anjelica Huston, Sharon Stone and Paramount studio boss Sherry Lansing.

David said Kerry should consider him for vice president because he deemed himself "a nincompoop, a chicken and a liar" who could offset President Bush and balance the ticket. The cable star said the only problem was that if something were to happen to Kerry, those qualities "would obviously be disastrous for anyone who was actually the president."

The crowd in Beverly Hills tittered as Kerry responded, "You are qualified to be a Republican."

Not only does he speak French, but he's a master of repartee!

Funniest comment of the night: Kerry told his fellow millionaires that "we are coming together from all walks of life."

Bwahaha! From another article:

At the $1,000-a-plate dinner hosted by grocery mogul Ron Burkle at his Green Acres estate in Beverly Hills, more than 1,500 people swarmed the event, which, according to officials, took in $3.2 million for the Kerry campaign and an additional $1 million for the Democratic National Committee.

However, from the moment cars were parked at the Beverly Hills shuttle pickup, guests were met with gridlock: hourlong lines, inaccessible buffets and bars, crushing crowds and general understaffing.

During the exodus out of Green Acres, the event reached a nadir when, in a frenzied rush to find an available shuttle, one Kerry supporter shouted, "That's why we are not running the country because we can't even organize a party."

Indeed.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 9:18 AM -

 
Being a billionaire wingnut is a tough job, I guess

A KERRY BAD BOY

President Bush's campaign yesterday accused John Kerry of illegally coordinating political ads with anti-Bush groups and donors - including billionaire George Soros.

Team Bush and the Republican National Committee said they would soon file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission accusing Kerry and pro-Kerry groups of violating a campaign law that bans the use of "soft money" - corporate, union and unlimited individual donations - to influence federal elections.

The complaint names two groups, MoveOn.org and the Media Fund, that have been running ads criticizing Bush in several battleground states.

All you have to do is read their mailings to know they're Democrat front groups.

In Ukraine yesterday, Soros - who has said ousting Bush is the "central focus" of his life - ran into political problems of a different kind when a group of activists threw mayonnaise on him at a human rights conference to protest his visit.

"Central focus" of his life? Blofeld needs a check up from the neck up. But then we knew that. As for the mayo, with that and Soros you're most of the way to a turkey club sandwich!

But actually, he looks more like he was attacked by pigeons.

The Hungarian-born financier arrived in the former Soviet state earlier this week amid negative publicity which he and some opposition leaders said had been engineered by President Leonid Kuchma's administration to discredit him.

The Bratstvo (Brotherhood) party, well-known for frequent protests against Kiev's mayor and for graffiti across the capital, said it was responsible for soiling Soros.

The party accused the billionaire of trying to prompt a Ukrainian revolution similar to that which toppled Georgia's former president Eduard Shevardnadze last year.

That does sound familiar. Gee, I can't imagine anyone being upset with a wingnut billionaire who's trying to topple national governments.

"This is not just a one-off incident. Someone is behind it," local media quoted Soros as saying.

Yawn - Blofeld is always upset with James Bond.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 7:45 AM -

 
Today's Hoot!

The Viking Pundit alerts us that Kevin Burlingame goes off message!

I laughed out loud at this Boston Globe account of a Kerry photo-op in California. The cops shut down Interstate 5 for several minutes so that Kerry could address the press corps and a single customer at a gas station

The sole customer was the aforementioned Kevin Burlingame:

More than a dozen cars and buses, led by a fleet of police motorcycles, shut down Interstate 5 north and four lanes of traffic near the Shell station for several minutes so the senator could hold a photo opportunity for news cameras there. There appeared to be only one customer, Kevin Burlingame, for Kerry to talk to about the gas prices, which ranged from $2.15 to $2.37.

"What do you think of these gas prices?" Kerry asked.

"Boy, they are pretty high," said Burlingame, 38, who handles sales and marketing for his family business, which makes concrete roof tile. "We ship a lot of stuff so it affects every aspect of our business." He also told Kerry he was "very positive about the economy."

Asked by a reporter whether he thought a president could influence gas rates, Burlingame said, "He can introduce policy, but overall I don't think he can affect gas prices."

Now that’s a well-oiled campaign team. I’m sure the commuters on I-5 didn’t mind.

They should be thankful he didn't stop for a haircut.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 4:27 PM -

 
Yikes, call a malpractice attorney!

Registered has a snap of Kerry's news conference right after his surgery. Maybe it's not too late for John Edwards to help!

Which reminds me, today was the day that the gloved one was going to visit the Congressional Black Caucus to prattle about world affairs. I wonder if they will release a transcript?

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 10:15 AM -

 
More about Kerry's health

Setting aside the Andy Borowitz flip flop joke, Lurch's impending operation again brings up the question of why he won't release his medical records.

Now comes the unrelated matter of an operation to repair a torn shoulder tendon, an injury that the Kerry campaign says he incurred while on a campaign bus in January. The post-operative period will again take him out of action for "three or four days." Of such episodes, impressions begin to form.

Those pesky campaign buses!

In the murky background, national tabloid papers speculate that he may be a victim of more embarrassing diseases. Such nasty rumors are commonplace in American politics (and inevitably have their effects), but are fueled by candidates who refuse to release all their medical records — as Mr. Kerry refuses.

I could always understand Bubba Clinton's reluctance, since the little people might frown on multiple cases of the clap, not to mention his vacuum cleaner nose for cocaine. And Kerry's military medical records might be a bad idea since the general consensus is that he got his Purple Hearts for bandaid injuries that other soldiers would not have even reported. But what's the deal with his current medical situation?

The limited, general, uncorroborated statements by his personal physician, Dr. Gerald J. Doyle of Boston, only keep the controversy on a slow simmer. The doctor said that "there was no evidence of metastatic disease" and that Mr. Kerry's heart function "was above average for a man his age." Is that really the best his helpful doctor could offer up?

The American public has a growing experience with incomplete, protective or misleading statements by the doctors of politicians and other celebrities. So long as Mr. Kerry refuses to permit the release of his military records relating to his war injuries and health, as well as his current and comprehensive medical records, a curious American public will have to judge the senator's physical fitness for the presidency by publicly available evidence, speculation and rumor. It's Mr. Kerry's own fault if false rumors affect his candidacy.

He is already on record as lying about his cancer condition last year — first denying the condition, then admitting it when the fact could not be avoided. Even The Washington Post yesterday reported: "Kerry, 60, who appeared athletic and robust during his recent skiing holiday, has nonetheless faced medical issues in the past year that have raised questions about his overall health." When The Washington Post puts its corporate teeth into a candidate on a personal matter — that's not good news for the politician.

As The Post alluded, even Mr. Kerry's intentionally conspicuous athleticism (playing ice hockey, snow boarding and racing his 10-speed bike in front of news cameras) is suspicion raising. We all remember Mr. Kerry's idol — John F. Kennedy — conspicuously playing vigorous football and sailing for the news cameras as a cover for his Addison's Disease and severe back ailments.

C'mon Lurch, how about some full disclosure?

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 9:16 AM -

 
Kerry Health Alert!

Andy Borowitz reveals FLIP-FLOPPING MAY HAVE INJURED KERRY’S SHOULDER:

With Senator John F. Kerry (D-Mass) set for shoulder surgery in Boston today, an orthopedic surgeon familiar with the Senator’s condition said that Mr. Kerry’s penchant for flip-flopping may have caused the injury to his shoulder.

“Constant or repetitive flip-flopping can cause major orthopedic damage,” said Dr. Robert Claman of Massachusetts General Hospital. “If it goes unchecked, flip-flopping can injure a shoulder far more seriously than tennis or golf.”
...
Dr. Claman said that Mr. Kerry first felt a nagging pain in the tendon of his shoulder at the outset of his quest for the Democratic nomination, when he started flip-flopping on his vote to authorize military action in Iraq.

“At first he started favoring his right shoulder, but as [Former Vermont Governor] Howard Dean started gaining in the polls, he started favoring the left,” Dr. Claman said.

The orthopedic specialist added that once the surgery is completed, he would strongly urge Mr. Kerry not to change his positions for the next two weeks to give the damaged tendon time to heal.

“I told him that if he goes out there and starts flip-flopping on gay marriage or taxes, he’s going to wind up right back on the operating table,” Dr. Claman said. “He agreed with me at first, then disagreed, but then agreed with me again.”

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 8:05 AM -

 
Here's important news!

In an under reported story from February, we find out that Kerry vows to name salmon czar.

Sen. John Kerry would appoint a salmon czar who would answer directly to him and his vice president if he´s elected president.

Hmm, that might look cool on your resume. Maybe I could be chicken and biscuits czar?

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 7:58 AM -

 
Old news in more ways than one

Bush campaign asked to pull 'offensive' ad

A newly formed group wants the Bush campaign to pull or change an ad it deems racially offensive.

The group, 2004 Racism Watch, says the ad makes reference "to terrorism and terrorists while highlighting a photograph of an anonymous man of Middle Eastern descent" and wants it changed or taken off the Bush-Cheney 2004 Web site.

Not this crap again! I thought we all had a good laugh at the politically correct whining about this a couple of weeks ago. Hold on a sec - this is a blue ribbon crop of wingnuts!

Actor Ed Asner, a spokesman for the group and member of its advisory committee, called the use of the picture "disturbing," and, in a statement, compared it to a controversial ad used by the 1988 Bush-Quayle campaign to highlight problems in the Massachusetts prison furlough system.

Other members of the group's advisory committee include actors Ed Begley Jr., and Susan Sarandon; former U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney, D-Ga. and authors Noam Chomsky and Barbara Ehrenreich.

If a collection of idiotarians like that have their panties in a bunch, you must be doing something right.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 7:48 AM -

 
Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man!

In an otherwise typical business article on Victoria's Secret:

And Victoria's Secret plans another ad blitz beginning this month. The latest commercials will feature not only a song but a guest appearance by music legend Bob Dylan.

"We asked him to be in the commercials and he said yes, he would gladly go off to Venice with the supermodels," she said.

What's blowin' in the wind seems to be a supermodel's scanty knickers.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 10:55 PM -

 
"Don't forget to bring a case of lube!"

Fundraiser in Westport For Senator Hillary Clinton To Bring Cast Of Characters

Wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall... It has been reported that a few well known "Hill's Angels" (FriendsofHillary.com) will be attending a $1,000 per-person fundraiser in Westport on April 3.

For openers - Mort Zuckerman and Patricia Duff will be there. Both received recognition from New Yorker Magazine as the "50 Sexiest New Yorkers.
...
Follow this... Patricia Duff, once married to Ron Perelman, dated Mort Zuckerman and former Senator Bob Torricelli. Later, she dated Sam Waksal. Now, we recently learned Sam Waksal dated Alexis Stewart, daughter of Martha Stewart. In fact, Alexis introduced her mother to Sam. No, we don't think Martha will be attending.

Hmm, I wonder if Bubba has been invited. Especially after viewing this arresting snap of Patricia's ample charms.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 9:56 AM -

 
Here's a surprise!

Terror bombs seized

An al Qaeda plot to blast London was dramatically foiled by police today.

Seven hundred police swooped in a series of 6am raids in the capital and the Home Counties. They found half a tonne of fertiliser explosives - enough for a series of terror "spectaculars".

The terrorist suspects arrested by police are believed to have chosen "soft targets" for bombings including pubs and clubs. One of the suspects being held had a job at Gatwick Airport, immediately raising concerns over airlines and passengers.

A total of eight men - all of them British citizens of Pakistani descent, three of them teenagers - were arrested in the operation, with police from five forces searching a total of 24 addresses across London and the South-East.

Stand by for all the whiners to complain that if we were just more understanding of the unmet needs of these tykes, they would be sending us flowers and candy.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 9:46 AM -

 
Overweight "Activists" Alert!

Tasty Manatees has the details on the busloads of shrieking leftists that descended on Karl Rove's house over the weekend to complain that illegal immigrants weren't being giving sufficient access to the public trough. Despite the first impression that it was a cattle stampede, the leaders of the "National People's Action" were merely living down to their heritage:

One of the greatest tributes to Gale Cincotta after her death was being compared to a linebacker. With her size and demeanor, Cincotta ran over, trampled and tackled anyone in her way.

As founder and chairperson of National People's Action for the past three decades, Cincotta is a lasting symbol of community power.

And she was charming to boot, I'm sure. The best part, of course, is that these paladins of pork are all public employees - "educators" no less - and dragged some of the tykes along for the "Cows Gone Wild" hijinks. Of course, they double dip too, since the benighted taxpayers are funding the "community action" organizations that they come from.

The visit to Rove's house seems to have been one of several field trips for their annual hootenanny in Washington, DC and invading homes and offices there seems to be their regular entertainment. Sounds like the right venue for it. Around here, swarming someone's house and pounding on the walls and windows will is liable to get you an introduction to Mr. Buckshot and his pal, Rex the Rottweiler.

UPDATE: Terpsboy has more.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 9:26 AM -

 
The family that burgles together, stays together!

American Presidents and would-be Presidents are traditionally cursed with relatives who they would prefer to keep out of sight. My sentimental favorite was Bubba's mother, the Hot Springs party girl, although his brother Roger is a pip too. Anyhow, Lurch is no exception as the Washingtonian reports:

Now Cameron Kerry, 54, wants to help his big brother, John, win the presidency.

Cameron is an attorney at the Boston firm Mintz Levin, mostly advising clients on environmental law; he also works before the FCC on telecommunications matters. Before joining Mintz Levin, he once worked as an associate at Washington's Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering.

Compatriots of Cameron Kerry's say his self-image is geared toward playing "RFK to his brother's JFK." The two brothers talk frequently, and Cameron played a major role in the campaign-manager switch that turned Kerry from apparent loser to runaway winner.

But there's a shadow on this heart-warming tale:

According to 1972 Massachusetts newspaper articles, Cameron was arrested during his brother's first congressional campaign. He was supposedly found trespassing in the basement of a building where his brother's opponent had an office.

Newspaper headlines proclaimed KERRY BROTHER ARRESTED IN LOWELL WATERGATE.

John Kerry ended up winning the primary. No charges were filed, and suspicion was that Cameron had been lured there by an opponent's dirty trick.

Sounds like a fiendish conspiracy fer sure! Here are some details:

On Sept. 18, 1972, the evening before the primary election during his second attempt for Congress, Kerry's brother Cameron and one Thomas Vallely, both part of his current campaign team, were arrested by Lowell police at 1:40 a.m. and charged with breaking and entering with the intent to commit larceny. The two were apprehended in the basement of a building whose door had been forced open, police said. It housed the headquarters of candidate DiFruscia. The Watergate scandal was making headlines at this time, and it was called the Lowell Watergate.

"They wanted to sever my telephone lines," DiFruscia said recently. Had those lines been cut, Kerry's opponent would not have been able to telephone supporters on Election Day to get out the vote and coordinate poll watchers, vital roles in a close election. "I do not know if they wanted to break into my office," says DiFruscia today. At the time he said, "All my IBM cards and the list of my voter identification in the greater Lowell area are in my headquarters."

Cameron and Vallely, along with David Thorne, who was Kerry's campaign manager at the time and has been close to him since they attended Yale together, did not deny the two entered the building in which they were captured. They said at the time they were in the cellar of the building to check their own telephone lines because they had received an anonymous call warning they would be cut.

So they went to the opponent's HQ to check it out? Makes sense to me! And it's swell that they are "part of his current campaign team".

This reporter heard an allegation that another congressional candidate placed the alleged anonymous call, which was denied. But if the Kerry campaign was concerned about someone breaking and entering to cut off its telephone service, why didn't they just call the police? Why break the law? And what does any of this say about Kerry's mind-set? Kerry campaign officials did not answer important Lowellgate questions.

And if "Thorne" sounds familiar, it's because he's the brother of Kerry's first wife - the one that Lurch dumped when she started suffering from depression. As well she might being married to Lurch. Anyhow, David Thorne is another campaign hanger-on, but that's OK - he and Lurch ran the bulls together at Pamplona. Bulls then and bull by-products now.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 7:54 AM -

 
It's a rare flower that blooms only during election years!

Over at The Corner, Jonah Goldberg alerts us that Momsense Returns:

The Baltimore Sun has the first indication that a particularly stupid media schtick is returning: The movement of the apolitical Moms. The headline should raise the hairs on the back of your neck:

In a grassroots movement, moms of all political persuasions organize to oust Bush.

The story flatly contradicts this, as does common sense.

Tell tale giveaway:

Tom Seibert, former ambassador to Sweden under President Clinton, Democratic fund-raiser and an Annapolis resident, stands to one side and introduces himself at this event as "Debbie's husband." His wife is one of the founders of the group.

Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge. Can it be long before they trot out the obligatory homeless blossoms?

UPDATE: Someone woke up and retitled the puff piece: "Moms with a goal: unseat Bush".

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 7:23 AM -

 
Awww! Let's all help Spinning Dick!

Drudge reveals that Spinning Dick Clarke will be hauling down over a million bucks for his collection of fairy tales thanks to his enablers in the media and his relentless self-promotion. But heck, he needs the cash - Clarke: I Need 9/11 Book Cash to Fight White House Attacks

Best-selling 9/11 author Richard Clarke rebuffed critics on Sunday who urged him to donate all the proceeds from his best-selling book "Against All Enemies," saying he might need to keep the money to defend himself against Republican attacks "directed at my bank account."

While saying he "plans" to make "a substantial donation" to 9/11 victim families if book profits allow, Clarke told NBC's "Meet the Press," "The word is out in the White House to destroy me professionally."

"One line that somebody overheard is that he's not going to make another dime in Washington again in his life," Clarke explained.

You've got to admit that finding a gig for an incompetent, self-important bureaucrat with an array of shifting stories that he delivers under oath would seem rather difficult. Especially since he seems to have an exceedingly annoying personality.

But I've got just the thing to put a little cash in his pocket - endorsements! Here's one to get ya started, Dick!

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 7:56 AM -

 
Fools rush in...

Anchoring the DNC: The Osbourne family?

Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather may find themselves covering the Democratic National Convention from the FleetCenter's cheap seats.

Hollywood-savvy Dems looking ``to follow the trend of television'' and generate ratings heat for Sen. John F. Kerry, their presidential nominee heir apparent, are wooing hip networks such as MTV, Comedy Central and the Black Entertainment Channel.

``It's where young people tell us they're getting their news these days, be it MTV or Jay Leno,'' convention spokeswoman Peggy Wilhide said yesterday at a press briefing on all things DNC.

Earth to Peggy: folks who get their "news" from MTV aren't going to be spending much time watching the ponderous foolishness of a Democrat convention. Even Comedy Central would have a hard time filtering the undeniable laughs from the tedium. Hmm, maybe she could get Janet Jackson to show her chest!

Transportation logistics for the convention, which takes place July 26-29, will be made public later this week, said Superintendent Robert Dunford, head of security planning for the Boston Police Department.

Dunford warned drivers should expect some road closures and parking restrictions around the FleetCenter, but quipped, ``It's a Democratic group coming in, so we have to leave Hooters open.''

Now we're talking some sensible planning.

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 9:21 AM -

 
Meddling bureaucrats alert!

It's the UN again, searching for a gig where it can apply it's vaunted "problem solving abilities" and haul down a little cash - Countries, companies debate U.N. control over Internet:

Some countries and activists argue that ICANN is too close to the United States and want the United Nations to take a greater role in regulating the Internet.

"The United Nations would be a good platform for that, because it has legitimacy. The countries are all represented," said Izzeldin Mohamed Osman, a computer science professor from the Sudan University of Science and Technology.

If that's Izzy's idea of legitimacy, one can't help but wonder if his father mentioned his name to his mother after the ten minutes he spent with her.

This week, about 200 diplomats, activists and representatives of companies like Hewlett-Packard Co. and Sun Microsystems Inc. met at the United Nations to share ideas on whether the Internet should be governed and, if so, how.

"The world has a common interest in ensuring the security and dependability of this new medium," Annan said.
...
The gathering grew from December's U.N. World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva, where the world's leaders failed to reach consensus on governing the Internet and punted the issue to a task force that is supposed to report to Annan in 2005.

Why don't we make everyone's day and tell the grasping bureaucrats at the UN to pound sand?

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 9:13 AM -

 
Here's swell news!

How one offshore worker sent tremor through medical system

Lubna Baloch sat in her office in the sprawling Pakistani commercial center of Karachi and gazed at the e-mail she'd composed. She tried to imagine the reaction half a world away when the people at UC San Francisco Medical Center saw what she'd written.

The famous U.S. hospital would have to take her seriously, Baloch knew, when it realized she was prepared to post its confidential patient records on the Internet. That is, unless UCSF helped her get the money she was owed from the mysterious Tom Spires, her link in a long chain of medical transcription subcontractors.

"Your patient records are out in the open to be exposed," Baloch wrote in her e-mail, "so you better track that person and make him pay my dues or otherwise I will expose all the voice files and patient records of UCSF Parnassus and Mt. Zion campuses on the Internet."

Then the kicker: "Just to make you believe that I am not bluffing I am attaching latest voice file and text of your hospital." Baloch had included private discharge summaries for two UCSF patients.

She clicked the send button on her computer screen.

And needless to say, everybody's knickers were soon in a twist. I also like the fact that ole Lubna's grasp of English is somewhat tenuous. Gives you confidence, doesn't it?

posted by Cracker Barrel Philosopher at 9:04 AM -