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The Daily Muck
Rudy’s adviser has a special touch with kids. Just months after Monsignor Alan Placa, a priest, “ was accused of sexually molesting two former students and an altar boy and told by the church to stop performing his priestly duties,” Giuliani asked him to join his consulting firm. The priest, who officiated Giuliani’s second wedding (#2 was Donna Hanover), is still employed by Giuliani Partners. Giuliani has stated, "I know the man; I know who he is, so I support him.” (ABC, “The Blotter”)
Another addition to our great list of disappearing information! The White House removed scientific references from Congressional testimony by the Centers for Disease Control that pointed out the potential health risks of climate change. A CDC official speaking on condition of anonymity asserted that the CDC report "was eviscerated." Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) has called for the immediate release of the uncut CDC statement. (LA Times)
Monday’s mistrial in a terrorism case against an Islamic charity is reflective of its low conviction rate in terrorism cases since 9/11. Critics say the government has been using bad judgment by bringing weak cases and relying on stale evidence. But a former federal prosecutor said failures are due to the fact that juries “are demanding strict proof” these days in terrorism cases. (New York Times)
Led by California, more than one dozen states are preparing to sue the Environmental Protection Agency for its dismal record on regulating greenhouse gas emissions. N.Y. Governor Eliot Spitzer has called for states to “step into a void created by a failure of federal action” and denial of the “scientific evidence” about global warming. States are hoping to remove EPA obstacles that limit the states’ ability to regulate emissions standards. (NY Times)
President Bush claims to be tightening the budget as he prepares to leave office, but he will nonetheless depart as the biggest spender since LBJ. Discretionary spending soared in Bush’s first term by 48.5 percent and has hardly slowed since. According to McClatchy, the standards set by Bush, make Reagan look like a “tightwad.” (McClatchy)
The Government’s terror watch list has grown to 755,000 names. Experts claim that the size of the list undermines its usefulness. And no word yet on whether the FBI can even access the list since only one third of employees at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have internet access at work. (USA Today)
Comments (19)
Jake D. wrote on October 24, 2007 9:35 AM:I am not voting for Rudy Giuliani. As for "greehouse gases" once California declares carbon dioxide a "pollutant" then all exhaling humans are officially the cause of global warming, right?
Steve5117 wrote on October 24, 2007 9:43 AM:Help the cause Jake, stop breathing.
moondancer wrote on October 24, 2007 10:07 AM:re:CDC report
The chimp thinks redacting science will change the facts. Sorta like if we censor Iraq, Americans wont notice we're there. Pathetic little beast our president is.
Richard L. Adlof wrote on October 24, 2007 10:26 AM:Jake D.,
I can understand having a contarian view to articles posted to any site. I can understand wanting to have your opinion heard by people of an opposing point of view. Unfortunately, the tone of the vast majority of your posts appears openly hostile and intentionally designed to draw a similar response in return.
While I welcome the expression of views differing from my own, your less than civil attitude leads me to suggest that you consider another venue to express your views.
Jake D. wrote on October 24, 2007 10:28 AM:You first, Steve.
Back on topic though -- the White House denied that it "watered down" congressional testimony that the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention delivered on the impact climate change is having on public health -- "She testified yesterday. Her spokesperson said that she was able to say everything she wanted to say," Perino said. "It was not watered down in terms of its science. It wasn't watered down in terms of the concerns that climate change raises for public health."
The CDC official said that it is customary for testimony to be revised during White House review. The White House in the past has said it has only sought to provide a balanced view of the climate issue.
Anonymous wrote on October 24, 2007 10:41 AM:"failures are due to the fact that juries “are demanding strict proof”"
I'm sorry, but how is that a bad thing again? Last I checked the law was that everyone, including accused terrorists, is to be considered not guilty until proven beyond reasonable doubt that they have, in fact, committed a crime.
Some days it seems like even Law and Order reruns have a better grasp of criminal proceedings than this administration. :(
Jake D. wrote on October 24, 2007 10:53 AM:Those jurors will have blood on their hands if any "accused terrorist" now goes on to actually kill innocent Americans -- last time I checked, the Supreme Court allowed accused terrorists to be held for years without any charges whatsoever -- that's probably the better way to deal with it (again, I at least include my REAL NAME in my posts : )
Anonymous wrote on October 24, 2007 11:00 AM:the CDC testimony was sent to a panel that declared that it did not meet scientific standards. who are you going to trust? the CDC or the panel that the WH sent the material to for vetting? look what happened to the scientific info that NASA scientists had wanted to disseminate. do you trust Perino to judge that the revisions to the CDC report don't constitute "watering down" or whatever phrase she used?
Steve5117 wrote on October 24, 2007 11:31 AM:Jake's writings make him eligible for the Minister of Misinformation in Bush's bizzarro world.
Jake, if you wrote a 14 page brief, could you accept it being edited down to 4 pages? Do you really think what you were trying to say in such a brief would still impart the message you originally presented?
TheraP wrote on October 24, 2007 11:36 AM:Good to see you, Steve! I think the Minister of Misinformation is on his way to oblivion. Sort of like what happened to the PR person under Sadam. NO, there are no soldiers at the airport. Remember that? And before you knew it, he was out!
Mafalda Hopkirk wrote on October 24, 2007 11:37 AM:We at the Ministry of Magic are doing are best to magic Jake D - away!
Jake D. wrote on October 24, 2007 11:48 AM:So, an echo chamber is what you wish for?
Ellen wrote on October 24, 2007 12:08 PM:Don't feed the troll.
Mike wrote on October 24, 2007 12:17 PM:We are now gifted with the Ravenous Bugblatter President: A creature so hideously stupid, he assumes that if you can't see the facts, they don't exist.
Steve5117 wrote on October 24, 2007 12:43 PM:Hello ThereP, good to see you too.
Sometimes I get so disgusted because of the misinformation that has been the hallmark of this administration. I tend to believe that if you look at all the political appointeess that this administration has planted in every agency and the actions they have taken to "make sure the message conforms to the President's agenda", that you can't help but believe there has been an intentional effort to distort and mislead.
I've always thought that politicians were perhaps a little better than the average person because they serve the country. This administration has shattered that belief.
I truely hope that the voters will show all the idiot members of congress that still listen to the shit from Bush and his henchmen their exit from political life.
TheraP wrote on October 24, 2007 1:02 PM:Steve5117:
I never had much confidence in politicians as a whole. Perhaps a result of being young in the 60's.
Nevertheless, I am a believer in the Constitution. And I am convinced, totally convinced, that unless we demand that all politicians put the Constitution first, ahead of their own self-interest, ahead of being elected, that we will never recover the soul of this country.
It heartens me, actually, that we can now find people on both sides of the political spectrum, who have become alarmed by the failure of politicians to live up to their oaths of office, failure to uphold Constitutional norms, willingness to trade the bill of rights for a facade of security.
To me the first priority has got to be compliance with the Constitution. Overturning of all legislation contrary to the Constitution. Recognition that there is no such thing as total security in life - anywhere in the universe. And a willingness to recognize the same rights for all people on this earth that we claim for ourselves.
Steve5117 wrote on October 24, 2007 1:57 PM:TheraP;
My conservative friend says that we should "bomb the fuck" out of the Middle East. Camel jockeys are useless according to him.
I listened to him spout off today and then asked him if he was going to the service at his church tonight? He is, as on every Wednesday and twice of Sunday!
I told my friend several years ago that Bush and Co. would go down in history as the crookedest administration in our history. I really didn't expect thing to begin unravelling this soon however. But that's ok, being 63 I was wondering if I would live to see the lies revealed. I'm enjoying watching the administration pull down the Republican party.
TheraP wrote on October 24, 2007 2:28 PM:Steve5117:
The conservatives are "for life" until they're for bombing!
tekel wrote on October 24, 2007 5:16 PM:A special touch with the kids. ROFL and soda on the keyboard...
As an aside, does the "remember personal info?" check box work for anyone? Cuz it never works for me.