Can't Think of Anything About Ann Coulter that hasn't Already been Said

Seriously, how much more crazy and insulting does this bitch have to get before news shows stop inviting her on as some sort of policy pundit? In case the show bookers at CNN or MSNBC (I'm not even gonna try with Fox) haven't noticed, she never discusses policy. It's just talking out of her ass, insults and threats.

Also, isn't it funny how the mainstream press and right-wing pundits spent all their time covering the Lamont/Lieberman race, while providing little to no coverage of the Chafee/Laffey race? While they demonize the Democrats for daring to not vote for a guy who has steadfastly backed all of President Bush's unpopular failures, they never mention a Republican effort to purge themselves of a moderate in favor of hardcore righty.

More on Alaska

I searched for an Associated Press story I read a few months back on Alaska. Sadly, I couldn't find it. This CNN transcript pretty well sums it up however.

JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's boom time on the last frontier. Thanks to the trans-Alaska pipeline, the state is awash in oil money. And thanks to you. Why? Those high prices you're paying at the pump. Alaska takes a cut of every barrel of oil that flows out of the state. And with gas prices so high, that's adding up to big bucks, $4 billion this year, so much that the state budget is expected to run a huge $1.4 billion surplus. And get this. Some of the oil money goes into a special fund, now worth $35 billion. They use the interest alone on that to send a check to every person in Alaska, $855 each last year.

With all that money, you might think Alaska wouldn't ask as much of Federal taxpayers, but you'd be wrong. Despite its own huge cash surplus, Alaska gets more per person than any other state in the nation, $12,038 Federal dollars per Alaskan in 2004. So, they profit not only from today's high gas prices, but also from the Federal treasury. In fact, remember those symbols of Washington waste, the bridges to nowhere? Alaska wanted hundreds of millions in Federal money for them, and you'll recall Congress killed them, right? Well, yes, but Congress did give Alaska a lot of money for its highways, and there's little to prevent the state from using that. Keeping them honest, we asked, why a state like this, flush with money, is still cashing in on the Federal fast buck, and we're not the only ones.

Oh, the Irony

One more sign that Iraq and Afghanistan are going well, the economy is growing and, well, some people will say anything to cover their own asses.

Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) held up a bill that would create a free, searchable database of government contracts and grants because he was worried about the proposal's price tag, his spokesman told me this afternoon. Its cost has been estimated at $15 million.

This is the most transparent lie in a while. I wonder if, after he said, the reporter giggled and said, "No, seriously, why?" The Surgeon General has warned that thinking about Ted Stevens complaining about a price tag for a government program too long will in fact make your head explode. It's a first-of-its-kind in science, but this is extraordinary bullshit from this guy.

Bush Team Getting Desperate/Crazy

In a desperate effort to gain support for their failures, the Bush Administration have ramped up the asinine rhetoric.

President Bush and his surrogates are launching a new campaign intended to rebuild support for the war in Iraq by accusing the opposition of aiming to appease terrorists and cut off funding for troops on the battlefield, charges that many Democrats say distort their stated positions.

With an appearance before the American Legion in Salt Lake City today, Bush will begin a series of speeches over 20 days centered on the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But he and his top lieutenants have foreshadowed in recent days the thrust of the effort to put Democrats on the defensive with rhetoric that has further inflamed an already emotional debate.

Bush suggested last week that Democrats are promising voters to block additional money for continuing the war. Vice President Cheney this week said critics "claim retreat from Iraq would satisfy the appetite of the terrorists and get them to leave us alone." And Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, citing passivity toward Nazi Germany before World War II, said that "many have still not learned history's lessons" and "believe that somehow vicious extremists can be appeased."

Pressed to support these allegations, the White House yesterday could cite no major Democrat who has proposed cutting off funds or suggested that withdrawing from Iraq would persuade terrorists to leave Americans alone. But White House and Republican officials said those are logical interpretations of the most common Democratic position favoring a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq.

Of course they have no proof to back up their idiotic claims. But hey, since when do you need that? Bush and his cronies have no way to defend their record, so once again they go out and slander and distort others'.
File this under "Uniter, not a Divider."

A Tribute to Rob Corddry

Since it appears Rob Corddry has left "The Daily Show", I thought I would post two of my favorite pieces he did. Unfortunately, I can't find the second, so I'm stuck with one of them. Corddry was the best correspondent on the show since at least Stephen Colbert left, and possibly before then. Maybe ever.
The first piece is hilarious all the way through. But even if it had been mediocre, it would have risen to genius just because of what he does at the end.

The second clip is Rob's tribute to himself.

Tomlinson Abusing Another Post

Former chairman for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, has gotten himself in trouble again. Like most President Bush allies, and staunch conservatives, Tomlinson is seemingly incapable of being honest or doing anything wihtout a partisan political goal. Tomlinson is now chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, since leaving his Public Broadcasting post, which oversaw PBS and NPR.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 — State Department investigators have found that the head of the agency overseeing most government broadcasts to foreign countries has used his office to run a “horse racing operation” and that he improperly put a friend on the payroll, according to a summary of a report made public on Tuesday by a Democratic lawmaker.

The report said that the official, Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, had repeatedly used government employees to perform personal errands and that he billed the government for more days of work than the rules permit.

The summary of the report, prepared by the State Department inspector general, said the United States attorney’s office here had been given the report and decided not to conduct a criminal inquiry.

Yeah, horse races.

The State Department report noted his use of his office to oversee a stable of thoroughbreds but did not mention one specific way in which his professional responsibilities and personal interests appear to have intersected. The horses, according to track records, include Karzai, as in Hamid Karzai, and Massoud, from the late Ahmed Shah Massoud) references to Afghan leaders who have fought against the Taliban and the Russians, as well as Panjshair, the valley that was the base used by forces to overthrow the Taliban.

Tomlinson, a close ally of Karl Rove, resigned from Public Broadcasting last year after a failed attempt to remold it in the image of Fox News...literally.

Tomlinson's conviction is so strong he once suggested to the CPB board that Fox News anchor Brit Hume be invited to "talk to public broadcasting officials about how to create balanced news programming," according to a report broadcast May 20 on National Public Radio.

When I hear conservatives talk about most reporters being liberal, I always think, "Well, duh. They should be." In a Q & A with the clueless Tomlinson, NPR's Bob Garfield nailed it while discussing "Now with Bill Moyers."

Ken, aren't you confusing liberalism with journalism? The two have a lot in common - suspicion of authority, sympathy of the little guy, the instinct to reform and so on. Of course "Frontline" and "Now with Bill Moyers" will question the establishment, will question power - now matter who is in power - whichever party. That isn't ideological bias, Ken. It's journalism.

Sure to be Spun as Good News

The Census Bureau reported that for the first time under the Bush Administration the nation's income rose slightly higher than the rate of inflation. The source for the rise however is not that workers have begun earning more.

The rise, however, had little to do with bigger paychecks — in fact, both men and women earned less in 2005 than 2004. Rather, census officials said, more family members were taking jobs to make ends meet, and some people made more money from investments and other sources beyond wages.

So people are actually still gaining less from the work they do, so they're getting more jobs. Bush mouthpieces will certainly spin the increase in earnings as signs their tax cuts for the wealthy are working. But the truth is right there for you to read again.

in fact, both men and women earned less in 2005 than 2004.

We're once again getting poorer under Bush.

O'Reilly Rage

Crooks and Liars points us to a Countdown segment on an agitated driver being cited for speeding. He's a typical Bill O'Reilly fan and has mimicked his hero quiet well. When given a tame chiding for an honest infraction the man has neither the humility nor common sense to acknowledge his wrong. Instead, like the sexual harasser O'Reilly, launches into a childish rant filled with personal, and unoriginal, attacks.
The O'Reillification of America has begun.

Rick Santorum's Lame Ad

Attack ads are nothing new. One of the more popular attack ads appears to be the "My opponent didn't show up for work..." genre. It's the theme of Rick Santorum's new ad against challenger Bob Casey for the Senate seat in Pennsylvania.

I especially like the last tidbit insinuating Casey is wasting taxpayer money. Really Rick, do you want to go there?

Ezert Corrects Dear Abby

I now introduce you to what may become a regular feature here at Corrupt Outlook. I have always enjoyed reading the advice columnists. I don't enjoy it because I think their advice is so good. I actually enjoy how lame they are. Problem is, some people may actually take to heart the advice given by these great-grandmothers with no knowledge of the way the world works here in the 21st Century. So, in an effort to right those wrongs, I introduce to you Ezert Corrects Dear Abby: Vol. 1.

DEAR ABBY: I'm in my early 20s and very much in love with "John," the man of my dreams. I know what I want, and I'm on the road to achieving it. I have had my "fun," and hope one day to start a family. Granted, it may not be for another two, five or 10 years -- but hopefully sooner.

This brings me to my predicament. John has told me he's not sure he ever wants to marry. He assured me that if, one day, he decides to be married, if it's not to me, then it will be to someone just like me.

I think John is worth waiting for while he decides, but I refuse to be his girlfriend for the rest of my life. Much as I love him, it would devastate me 10 years down the road if he finally decided not to marry at all.

I don't know what to do. I live on my own with no mother to run to for advice. I have always taken your answers to heart and applied them to my own life. Your advice would be greatly appreciated. -- MINDY IN SOUTH CAROLINA

DEAR MINDY: John may be an absolute doll, but you have described someone who has made it plain he is not ready for a serious commitment. Has it occurred to you that he may be trying to keep you from getting your hopes up where he is concerned? My advice is to keep your options open, and do not sit around waiting for him to grow up and recognize what a catch YOU are.

Dear Mindy: You need to decide what is important to you, the individual or the ring. You say "John" is a great guy whom you love. Well, is keeping this great guy worth maybe never getting married? Is the government legally sanctioning your relationship so important to you, you would give up the great guy? If it is, then maybe you should wait a while to see if he decides to marry you. However, if "John" is more important to you than a marriage license from the all-knowing, all-powerful state of South Carolina, then maybe you stay together, forever maybe, without ever legally defining your relationship. It would be just like a marriage, with the initial love and partnership, eventually festering into boredoom, resentment and ultimately uncomfortable silence during "Wheel of Fortune." Doesn't that sound just like a marriage?
And I would certainly never say someone needs to "grow up" just because they don't want to be married. Yeah, I guess Britney Spears and Kevin Federline are so mature because they decided marriage was for them. And maybe you should stick with him cause he may be the best you could get, since I don't know if you are a catch or not.

Lewis Black Nails Cheney

Andrew Sullivan posts a clip from Lewis Black on Dick Cheney's hunting accident. I guess we can put this along with the previous story of the country artist. Oh, does Black get him. I think I need to change my pants.

Entertain Yourself

Nothing really new to write today. Been away from the computer most of the day, and will completely be away from it the rest of the day. Check the links for news. Oh, that's right. There are no links cause I'm too retarded to figure out how to put them there. I can't figure out that, trackbacks and blogroll. What can I say? It's a slightly bumpy start.

More Cold Water Thrown on Chemicals

Kevin Drum points us to a Register article showing just how unlikely the UK terror plot would have been.

Now for the fun part. Take your hydrogen peroxide, acetone, and sulfuric acid, measure them very carefully, and put them into drinks bottles for convenient smuggling onto a plane. It's all right to mix the peroxide and acetone in one container, so long as it remains cool. Don't forget to bring several frozen gel-packs (preferably in a Styrofoam chiller deceptively marked "perishable foods"), a thermometer, a large beaker, a stirring rod, and a medicine dropper. You're going to need them.

It's best to fly first class and order Champagne. The bucket full of ice water, which the airline ought to supply, might possibly be adequate - especially if you have those cold gel-packs handy to supplement the ice, and the Styrofoam chiller handy for insulation - to get you through the cookery without starting a fire in the lavvie.

Once the plane is over the ocean, very discreetly bring all of your gear into the toilet. You might need to make several trips to avoid drawing attention. Once your kit is in place, put a beaker containing the peroxide / acetone mixture into the ice water bath (Champagne bucket), and start adding the acid, drop by drop, while stirring constantly. Watch the reaction temperature carefully. The mixture will heat, and if it gets too hot, you'll end up with a weak explosive. In fact, if it gets really hot, you'll get a premature explosion possibly sufficient to kill you, but probably no one else.

After a few hours - assuming, by some miracle, that the fumes haven't overcome you or alerted passengers or the flight crew to your activities - you'll have a quantity of TATP with which to carry out your mission. Now all you need to do is dry it for an hour or two.

I'll say it again. Shame on me for ever even buying any of this.

Woman Arrested at W.V. Airport

CEREDO, West Virginia (AP) -- A West Virginia airport terminal was evacuated Thursday after two bottles of liquid found in a woman's carry-on luggage twice tested positive for explosives, a Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman said.

"The bomb squad is on site and the woman is being interviewed by the FBI," Amy von Walter said.

A machine security checkpoint screeners use to test for explosives registered positive, and a canine team also got a positive hit, von Walter said.

As with anything like this, proceed with extreme caution. When one of the positive tests was from a canine, well, let's just say it's going to take more to convince.
One right-wing blog I saw was overjoyed of the news. To them it appears to somehow be proof the UK scare was legit.

First Football Post

As I said, I will post about some other things besides current events, on occasion. One of those things is football. My favorite team is none other than 2005 Super Bowl Champions, Pittsburgh Steelers. For those who may have missed it. The Steelers and head coach Bill Cowher are no longer working on a contract extension. Hopefully Cowher will still be running the team in 2007, but this adds fuel to speculation he's gonna retire.

Also, this is a bummer. Since Pittsburgh has the opening game, due to the aforementioned Super Bowl, I was hoping for a decent show from the NFL. It looks like I am to be disappointed.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs will headline the NFL Opening Kickoff concert on South Beach Sept. 7, just before the league's regular season begins that night when the Miami Dolphins visit the reigning Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Diddy, a three-time Grammy winner, will be joined by Cassie, Tego Calderon, DJ Riz and others during the event, which formally opens the NFL's "One Game. One Dream." program that will run through Super Bowl XLI in Miami on Feb. 4.

Portions of the concert will air on NBC's "NFL Opening Kickoff 2006" special leading into the Dolphins-Steelers game that night. That show will also air performances from Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, where Rascal Flatts will perform and Martina McBride will sing the national anthem.

Blech.

First Shot Against Warantless Spying

DETROIT (AP) -- A federal judge ruled Thursday that the government's warrantless wiretapping program is unconstitutional and ordered an immediate halt to it.

U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor in Detroit became the first judge to strike down the National Security Agency's program, which she says violates the rights to free speech and privacy as well as the separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution.

''Plaintiffs have prevailed, and the public interest is clear, in this matter. It is the upholding of our Constitution,'' Taylor wrote in her 43-page opinion.

Cue the right-wing pundits and politicians. Here's a challenge. Count up the times the phrase "activist judge" is used by them. The number will probably reach so high it will make Will Hunting's head spin.

Of course, for a Bush Administration unconcerned with pesky little things like laws, judges, Congress or the Constitution, I'm sure the program will go unabated.

For those who find things like this important, she is a President Carter appointee.

A Member of the Dick Cheney Hunting Club

DULUTH, Minnesota (AP) -- Troy Lee Gentry, of the country singing duo Montgomery Gentry, has been accused of killing a tame black bear that federal officials say he tagged as killed in the wild.

Gentry, 39, of Franklin, Tennessee, and Lee Marvin Greenly, 46, of Sandstone, appeared Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Raymond Erickson in connection with a sealed indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Minneapolis.

Authorities allege that Gentry purchased the bear from Greenly, a wildlife photographer and hunting guide, then killed it with a bow and arrow in an enclosed pen on Greenly's property in October 2004.

Okay. First off I want to say I'm always an "innocent until prove guilty" kind of guy. Maybe he didn't do this. However, fuck him if he did. This is sick. This, like what Cheney was doing when he shot that lawyer, is not hunting. It's just killing an animal for fun. I grew up around a lot of hunters. So I know it's about the skill of going into the woods, finding the animal and shooting it. We can argue all the other stuff is just a smokescreen to make it look competitive just to have the fun of killing, but I don't believe that. I'm sure it's true for some. But others truly enjoy the challenge. If your idea of fun is shooting a trapped animal, without any of the "sport" thrown in, then you are no better than sadistic kids who will kill dogs and cats in their neighborhood. No better.

I guess I also wanted to post this because I hate all this contemporary country music so much I get a little joy when one of their heroes gets exposed for the sadistic pussy he may be. Johnny Cash is an icon. It's a shame crap like this and Toby Keith carry the torch for the great music he made.

Another New Blogger

It turns out I'm not the only person getting into the blogging game.

Sullivan Asks Questions

Andrew Sullivan has pointed out a couple of the things I did in an earlier post. And he has some more info. He quotes former UK ambassador to Uzbeklistan, Craig Murray:

None of the alleged terrorists had made a bomb. None had bought a plane ticket. Many did not even have passports, which given the efficiency of the UK Passport Agency would mean they couldn't be a plane bomber for quite some time.

In the absence of bombs and airline tickets, and in many cases passports, it could be pretty difficult to convince a jury beyond reasonable doubt that individuals intended to go through with suicide bombings, whatever rash stuff they may have bragged in internet chat rooms.

What is more, many of those arrested had been under surveillance for over a year - like thousands of other British Muslims. And not just Muslims. Like me. Nothing from that surveillance had indicated the need for early arrests.

Then an interrogation in Pakistan revealed the details of this amazing plot to blow up multiple planes - which, rather extraordinarily, had not turned up in a year of surveillance. Of course, the interrogators of the Pakistani dictator have their ways of making people sing like canaries. As I witnessed in Uzbekistan, you can get the most extraordinary information this way. Trouble is it always tends to give the interrogators all they might want, and more, in a desperate effort to stop or avert torture. What it doesn't give is the truth.

It's looking more and more fishy. Once again the Bush Administration pushes politics and its attempts to inflate its own pathetic poll numbers above the safety of the country.

Murtha's Challenger

I couldn't find one single poll for Democratic congressman John Murtha's re-election. Murtha's Republican challenger is Diana Irey, a Washington County Commissioner. I don't know where she's polling, but she's way, way behind in campaign cash.

Not much attention has been given Irey, which is obviously bad for her. But if this actually turned into a race, Irey might then have to answer some questions about her husband's business dealings in Iraq. According to an Associated Press article, Diana's husband, Bob, partnered up with an old school buddy named Dale Stoffel to make money in Iraq.

Stoffel's company, Wye Oak Technology, had a hard-to-get federal license allowing him to import weapons. His former schoolmate Robert Irey, head of a Canonsburg, Pa.-based firm called CLI Corp., had years of construction experience.

Together, according to the plan, the international arms dealer and the small-town engineering company would get Iraqi military contracts and make lots of money.

Robert's brother, Bill, who did construction work for Disney World in Florida, also signed on, which was how Joe Wemple entered the picture. "I knew Joe from Disney," said Bill Irey. "He was the project manager for Shades of Green, the Army resort" near the amusement park.

All parties agreed that much of the money earned in Iraq would go to Stoffel, according to Irey. Stoffel had the weapons knowledge and he had made the contacts, including hiring a lobbying firm that also represented Chalabi's exiled Iraq National Congress.

So, Bob's buddy, Dale Stoffel, was going to Iraq to take old Iraqi weapons, refurbish them, and sell them back to Iraq. He got the $300 million contract. Things went well, except for one hitch, they weren't getting paid. So, Stoffel hired lobbyists who previously worked for Iraqi National Congress head Ahmed Chalabi. Chalabi is of course the man who fed our too-willing Bush Administration the bullshit intelligence used to start the Iraq invasion. Stoffel also met with reps. from Senator Rick Santorum's office. Santorum contacted Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. So, things got better, right? Nope. Upon returning to Iraq, Stoffel was shot dead.

Bob is still trying to collect more than $2 million he claims he is owed for work done. Of course, if the United States pulls out of Iraq, Bob and Diana could forget ever seeing that money. I hate to be a cynic, but is that possibly in the back of her mind when she says things like;

I am standing up to Jack Murtha. And I'm doing it for all of the citizens and all of our soldiers throughout the United States.

she might be thinking about her money? I know, it's only $2 million. I'm sure she has no problem just blowing that off.

What a Coincidence

So while I was editing my previous posts today, and adding more, I was wondering why the edits and new posts weren't showing up. Being new to this I figured there was certainly some simple mistake I was making. Turns out it wasn't my fault at all. I strolled over to one of my favorite blogs, Eschaton, and low and behold found the answer.

Blogspot seems to be having problems with Firefox and not dishing up new content when you reload the page. I don't know why this happens, but when it does you can hit ctrl-reload a couple of times to get a real reload. Tell your friends...

So, it wasn't my fault at all. And of all the days for him to notice and/or post that.

Jurassic 5 and Dave Matthews

Jurassic 5 has a new song called "Work it Out" featuring my man Dave Matthews. It's a really good song, and the video is hilarious. Check it out. Work it out.

No Urgent Terror in London?

If you're like me, and few are, when you first heard of the terror busts in the UK earlier this month you were skeptical. Following the oh-so-scary plots to bomb the Sears Tower and Holland Tunnel, by people with no explosives, knowledge of the locations, plans or a clue, I tend to get skeptical. After a while it appeared I was wrong, and it was the real deal. Now new information is coming that is casting doubt on my second thoughts.

LONDON - NBC News has learned that U.S. and British authorities had a significant disagreement over when to move in on the suspects in the alleged plot to bring down trans-Atlantic airliners bound for the United States.
British officials knowledgeable about the case said British police were planning to continue to run surveillance for at least another week to try to obtain more evidence, while American officials pressured them to arrest the suspects sooner. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the case.
In contrast to previous reports, one senior British official suggested an attack was not imminent, saying the suspects had not yet purchased any airline tickets. In fact, some did not even have passports.

So, my initial thoughts may have been correct. This may very well have been a ploy, following the Lieberman loss, to get everyone very afraid, and to make candidates like Ned Lamont look a little less desireable.

Introduction

And for my third post I thought I might introduce myself...but not really. I think for a little I will remain anonymous, ala old school Atrios. I don't have some great reason for that. I just prefer it this way. So, there's that. I will say I'm male and in my 30's. If anyone ever continues to read this blog, or starts to for that matter, they will certainly be able to piece together more facts, I just will not out-and-out reveal them at this time.

This will be mostly a political blog, with some movies and sports thrown into the mix. Politically I am a liberal independant. Essentially, I think the Democratic Party is too moderate. Joe Lieberman can suck it if he disagrees. I voted for Nader in 2000. Lieberman can suck that too. Don't bitch at me, Gore won my state anyway. Okay, there's another one of those facts. You can narrow down the list of states in which I live.

I'm pro-choice, anti-war, pro-enviromentalism, pro-worker, anti-government, anti-corporation. You could probably just read the lyrics to any Rage Against the Machine song to get a good idea.
I don't know what, if any, theme this blog may take. I guess I'm in favor of throwing out the rules and doing what I want. We don't get enough of that in this world. And since this is my blog, I'm going to take advantage of that.

V For Vendetta

Okay, I watched V for Vendetta last night. I enjoyed it. I'm surprised more of the right wing didn't get up in arms about it. The "hero" is an anti-government "terrorist." Ann Coulter has certainly leveled more asinine criticisms toward Hollywood than what she could come up with for this film. Don't believe me? She's a crazy person.

I Coulda Cried

I was at the Hollywood Video store (not advertising, just revealing all pertinent information) and saw something very disturbing. One of their big shelves, approximately 7-feet-tall and 3-feet-wide, stacked with copies of Larry the Cable Guy's cinematic offering Health Inspector was empty. Even though it was "guarenteed in stock" there wasn't one copy. I'm not saying this cause I wanted to see it. In fact I'm relieved it wasn't there in case I suffered some schizophrenic episode (even though the voices told me I don't have schizophrenia) and rented it. I just wanted to go and have a cry and weep for culture.

I rented V for Vendetta, though I haven't watched it yet.