You're Not What You Eat

Recently, a professor at Penn State conducted a little study in which about 90 students "took complex genetic screening tests that compared their samples with those of four regional groups." The results? Let's just say good old David Duke might be a bit disappointed: none of us are exactly AKC material. NYTimes (07.30.05), via DailyKos:

"Many of these students thought of themselves as '100 percent' white or black or something else, but only a tiny fraction of them, as it turned out, actually fell into that category. Most learned instead that they shared genetic markers with people of different skin colors. Ostensibly 'black' subjects, for example, found that as much as half of their genetic material came from Europe, with some coming from Asia as well. One 'white' student learned that 14 percent of his DNA came from Africa - and 6 percent from East Asia." Debunking the Concept of 'Race'

According to the school newspaper, the kid was quite surprised: "'When I got my results I was like, there's no way they were mine. I thought it was just an example of what the test was supposed to look like. Then I was like, Oh my God, that's me.'" Extremely intriguing as it is, it isn't exactly new news. From last April, the Christian Science Monitor (04.28.05):

"Last fall, Samuel Richards, who teaches a race-relations course at Penn State University, arranged for 100 of his students to take the DNA test. About 20 percent were 'very surprised' to find out they had a mixed heritage, he says, and about 20 percent more were somewhat surprised." Mixed roots: Science looks at family trees

"Next year, Professor Richards plans to offer the DNA test to 1,000 of his students." Ahhh, David Duke. Piece o'work, that one is. Once upon a time, our boy Duke ran against Edwin Edwards for the governorship of Louisiana. Sounds like quite an interesting contest. "Edwards was largely perceived as corrupt, but the possibility of electing Duke as governor was widely seen as far worse. A popular bumpersticker read 'Vote for the Crook. It's Important'." "Ads and documentaries aired on television showing footage of Duke from earlier years at Klan rallies and acting as a neo-Nazi spokesman. When a reporter asked Edwards what he needed to do to triumph over Duke, Edwards replied with a smile, 'Stay alive'." David "BellCurve" Duke Proud member of the cognitive elite.

Goat Piss

Or deer urine? You make the call. A labor-relations weekend here at TheKnob. Lexington Herald-Leader (07.30.05):

"Kentucky's State Public Health Laboratory reopened yesterday after authorities determined that the substance that caused the evacuation of 150 workers was animal urine, and not harmful. The brown liquid substance was found about 8 a.m. Thursday on a chair in a supervisor's office on the third floor of the lab. State police are investigating who may have placed the animal urine there." Mystery liquid at state lab found to be animal urine

Not harmful, but you probably ought not to drink it. A defoliant too. "'It looked like it had been sprinkled or sprayed onto a certain area of the room — a chair. There was a plant over on one side that had a leaf fallen off of it that had some material on it,” said Capt. Dan Shouse, of the Frankfort Fire Department.'"

I Spy

Not that Northwest doesn't trust the employees or anything. Probably just concerned about morale. Provocation would be the furthest thing from their minds, you think? Knight-Ridder (07.30.05):

"Northwest Airlines Inc. has hired security guards to watch mechanics at Detroit Metro Airport as the airline and mechanics union approach an Aug. 20 strike deadline - a move that has escalated pressure in a tense environment. At the Northwest hub at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, security guards who appeared to be from Vance International Inc. videotaped flight attendants and mechanics who picketed a Northwest building there Wednesday, said Ted Ludwig, president of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association Local 33 in Bloomington, Minn." Northwest Airlines hires guards to watch mechanics at 2 airports

"It's unclear what Vance's role for Northwest would be or where its personnel would be stationed. Typically, Vance guards monitor picket lines with surveillance equipment. The guards gather information for possible use against unions in various legal actions." "Oakton, Va.-based Vance is known for its involvement in high-profile labor disputes, including the strike at the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press in the 1990s. The firm also played roles for the coal industry in several violent Appalachian strikes in the 1980s and 1990s." Ahhh yes. Good old Vance International: from coast to coast, taking names, kicking ass. UPS, well-known for their own brown shirts, hired Vance back in 1997. Chuck Vance, chairman and chief executive officer, said that its role was "to document violence by striking workers at some of its sites, primarily on the West Coast." On the other hand, as a UPS representative noted at the time, "the level of violence on the picket line is 'so low' at this point that the company is not considering hiring a security force such as [Vance]. But, she added, 'safety is important to us. We can't foresee what our needs may be in the future.'" Sound like Vance doesn't mind mixing it up. "Vance International is working for UPS only 'in a small capacity,' said Vance, a former Secret Service agent. But the company's role could increase if the strike drags on and becomes more violent. 'It's their call,' Vance said of UPS. 'They know our capabilities.'" If any of them Commie Socialist bastards get out of line, heads will be busted right quick! Goon squading Asset protection is good business. "Vance's army of helmeted, baton-wielding guards served on the front lines of the Detroit Newspapers strike and the Caterpillar Inc. strike in Illinois. That double duty helped Vance International post record revenue of $90 million in the fiscal year that ended April 30, 1996." Hey if Vance is good enough for Bush-Cheney '04 Inc., they're plenty good enough for us.

Yum, Yum

How would they know it tastes like licorice? AP (07.30.05):

"Two spacewalking astronauts armed with caulking guns, putty knives and foam brushes practiced fixing deliberately damaged shuttle heat shields Saturday, as NASA extended what could be its last trip to the space station for a long while." Spacewalking Astronauts Practice Repairs

"Astronauts Soichi Noguchi and Stephen Robinson worked on samples of thermal tile and panels that were cracked and gouged before flight. They squeezed dark goo into the crevices as the sticky material got on their gloves and clumped at the ends of their putty knives. Spacewalk managers had feared a much bigger mess, though, and were pleased with the relative neatness of it all. "'It's about like pizza dough, like licorice-flavored pizza dough,' Robinson said as the near-black filler material oozed from his high-tech caulking gun. He used a putty knife to smooth down the substance, again and again." Sounds like when we do the tub.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

And it's not due to you. NYTimes (07.30.05):

"Tucked away on page 1,391 of the 1,724-page energy bill approved by Congress this week is a new tax credit intended to make fuel-efficient vehicles like hybrids more appealing to consumers. But as is often the case with tax credits, the devil is in the details. The bill limits the number of vehicles eligible for the credit. That means automakers like Toyota and Honda that have more developed programs will see their vehicles become ineligible faster than companies like DaimlerChrysler and General Motors, whose advanced hybrid technology will not be available until later this decade." Congress Caps Credits for Hybrid Cars

"By capping the credit, Congress has limited the incentives available to companies that have been at the forefront of hybrid technology." "'Ironic isn't it?' said Ed Cohen, Honda's vice president for government and industry relations. 'It really does create market mismatch.'" To recap, a tax credit generally is a dollar-for-dollar reduction of your taxes, no limits, no threshholds, no matter what. The details:

• The credit depends on how fuel efficiency a vehicle is, and "ranges from $250 to $3,400".
• The credit phase-out starts after a given automaker sells 60,000 eligible vehicles.
• At that point, the automaker "has the remainder of that fiscal quarter plus one additional quarter in which buyers of its vehicles can receive the full credit."
• For two quarters after that, "buyers would receive 50 percent of the credit."
• For two quarters after that, "the credit is 25 percent."
• From then on, nothing.

There is somewhat of a budgetary reason though. We can't really even afford this. "[T]ax breaks not only for hybrids and cleaner diesel engines but for fuel cell and alternative fuel vehicles as well" will run around $874 million. Fill 'er up, and put it on the Visa.

Iraq And The Weapons Never Found There

The AP gets a bit snarky. (07.29.05):

"Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice proposed a management shuffle at the State Department Friday to better focus on links between terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Iraq and the weapons never found there after Saddam Hussein's ouster weren't mentioned." Rice Proposes State Department Shuffle

Facts Is Good

So is credibility. New York Times (07.29.05):

"John D. Negroponte, the new director of national intelligence, has imposed strict safeguards intended to ensure that the government's National Intelligence Estimates are based on credible information instead of the kinds of unsubstantiated claims that were the basis for prewar intelligence on Iraq, his top deputy said Thursday. The deputy, Gen. Michael V. Hayden, made clear that the change should be seen as a response to the intelligence failures on Iraq, most notably the National Intelligence Estimate of October 2002 that asserted that the Iraqis had chemical and biological weapons and were rebuilding their nuclear program." Top Spy's No. 2 Tells of Changes to Avoid Error

"Those assertions were proved wrong, and a presidential commission said in March that the fault lay in part with failures by the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency and others to validate the reliability of their sources and to share their doubts with others." Hopefully, this will include sources such as "Curveball".

On Second Thought

Get out the jelly 'cause he's toast now. Reuters (07.28.05):

"The State Department reversed itself on Thursday night and acknowledged that President Bush's U.N. ambassador nominee gave Congress inaccurate information about an investigation he was involved in. The acknowledgment came after the State Department had earlier insisted nominee John Bolton's 'answer was truthful' when he said he had not been questioned or provided information to jury or government investigations in the past five years." State Dept admits Bolton gave inaccurate answers

"'When Mr. Bolton completed his form during the Senate confirmation process he did not recall being interviewed by the State Department inspector general. Therefore his form as submitted was inaccurate in this regard and he will correct the form,' State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said." Couldn't recall? OK. If you say so. Though you have to wonder how many times he's been "questioned or provided information to jury or government investigations" to have forgotten one. Won't make much difference though. Knight-Ridder (07.28.05):

"President Bush is expected to sidestep Congress and appoint John Bolton, his controversial choice for United Nations ambassador, to the job temporarily because opponents have blocked his confirmation by the Senate, several lawmakers and influential conservatives said Thursday." Bush poised to install Bolton at U.N. through recess appointment

Shark In The Water

Organized crime may not have much on some of these guys. Reuters (07.29.05):

"Ameriquest Mortgage Co., one of the biggest US subprime mortgage lenders, said yesterday it has set aside $325 million for a potential settlement of a probe into its lending practices by regulators in 30 states, including Massachusetts. The investigation concerns allegations that the Orange, Calif.-based company charged home buyers too many points on mortgages prior to February 2003, misrepresented loan terms, and conducted inaccurate appraisals." Ameriquest sets aside $325m for settlement

"Typically, subprime loans are for persons with blemished or limited credit histories. The loans carry a higher rate of interest than prime loans to compensate for increased credit risk." Back in 2002, subprime lenders "accounted for 9.4 percent of both conventional home purchase originations and conventional home refinance originations." For first-time home buyers, subprime lenders "accounted for one-fourth of the market in 2004, up dramatically from their single-digit shares in the previous decade. Their explosive growth partially has been the result of their willingness to say yes -- at a price -- to almost any applicant." In other words, it's a huge, very profitable market. Plus your customers almost never bitch because they're just happy as hell someone will loan them money. For those of you who've endured the countless Ditech ads on cable, the participants are aggressive marketers. Believe it or not, sometimes those in the business (Citigroup) yield to temptation, and cross that fine line into what the FTC calls "predatory lending". This is when "a mortgage company or broker pushes unjustifiably expensive refinance or home equity loans on homeowners. Typically, the purpose of these loans is to finance home improvements or to consolidate debts." Ameriquest has had a little trouble too, having "been dogged by consumer complaints and lawsuits accusing it of fraud and falsification of documents." AP (07.29.05):

"In March, the company agreed to pay $50 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging it cheated thousands of borrowers in Alabama, Alaska, California and Texas. The settlement, finalized in June, did not include an admission of liability." "In 1996, Ameriquest paid $4 million to settle charges by the Justice Department that its lending practices cheated minorities, women and the elderly." Ameriquest Sets Aside $325 Million for Potential Settlement

But hey. If you play your cards right, there is a definite upside. Washington Post (07.29.05):

"On the same day that the White House announced that President Bush is nominating California billionaire Roland E. Arnall to be ambassador to the Netherlands, the company he controls said it would set aside $325 million for a possible settlement of allegations of predatory lending tactics. Arnall's company, Ameriquest Mortgage Co., is being investigated by regulators in 30 states. A $325 million settlement would be one of the largest ever in a predatory lending case." Bush Picks Ameriquest Owner as Ambassador

"Arnall is the firm's principal shareholder. He, his wife and their companies have been the biggest political contributors to Bush since 2002." We're pretty sure one has nothing to do with the other. You wouldn't think it would, would you?

Venezuela Being Pain In Ass

First, a financing alternative to the US. AP (07.28.05):

"Venezuela bought US$200 million (euro165 million) in Argentine bonds this week, part of a larger planned purchase, a Venezuelan newspaper reported Thursday. The purchase completes a planned investment of US$500 million (euro413 million) in debt from Argentina, but the government is looking into buying debt from other South American nations, Edgar Hernandez Behrens, head of the state-run Bandes development bank, told the newspaper El Universal." Venezuelan Government Buys US$200 Million (Euro165 Million) in Argentine Debt, Official Says

President Hugo Chavez has said his government "has called for the creation of a market for regional debt as a way to reduce dependence on U.S. banks and investors." Then there's good old cash. Financial Times (07.27.05):

"Venezuela will divert as much as $17bn this year and next from its oil export income bonanza into an opaque parallel budget for 'development' projects, mostly elsewhere in Latin America, economists said on Wednesday." Venezuela plans for oil income

The Venezuelan legislature recently passed a law capping the Central Bank's international reserves. "'Excess' foreign earnings in the world's fifth-largest oil exporter must now be deposited into a special fund called Fonden." "The fund is expected to receive its first deposit of $6bn in the next few weeks, and because oil prices are forecast to remain high during the next two years, it is likely to be topped up with about $1bn a month." Sounds like the US doesn't quite have this kind of change to throw around down there. Finally, oil. And lots of it. AP (07.28.05):

"Venezuela's state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) is looking to upgrade Uruguay's La Teja refinery to process Venezuelan oil in the most recent step to increase oil sales to Latin America, a company official said. The Uruguay refinery talks come as Venezuela's government seeks to strengthen its political influence in Latin America through preferential oil deals." Venezuela Looks to Revamp Uruguay's La Teja Refinery

It also sounds like all the US can do (at least for the time being) is to call Chavez names: "Critics say Chavez is using oil to win political support in the region amid growing tensions with the United States. U.S. officials have sought to portray Chavez as authoritarian and a risk to political stability in Latin America." Then, there's China, who recently "offered Venezuela a $700 million credit line for new housing construction to help reduce Venezuelan poverty", who already "operates two Venezuelan oil fields and after signing a January agreement in Caracas" will begin developing other fields, and who has "agreed to buy 120,000 barrels of oil a month and build an additional fuel producing facility." "Venezuelan officials announced that they expect trade with China to reach $3 billion in 2005...."

Gratuitously Speaking

Like the White House was going to oppose it? AP (07.28.05):

"President Bush supports NASA's decision to ground future shuttle flights until experts can learn more about why a piece of insulating foam fell off Discovery during liftoff." White House Backs NASA's Decision to Ground Shuttle

We Know What's Best For You

Whether you like it or not. Agape Press (07.27.05), via AmericaBlog:

"Emmy Awards or not, an online activism group that includes thousands of moms and housewives finds no redeeming value in Desperate Housewives, the prime-time series that chronicles the 'sex-ploits' of a group of suburban women." Moms Hope to Make 'Housewives' Desperate for Sponsors

The good women of OneMillionMoms, a subsidiary of Don Wildmon's American Family Association, find "little humor in a prime-time television program that promotes such societal ills as adultery and sexual promiscuity." We have the sneaking suspicion they don't find humor in much of anything. They definitely don't like gays, or Paris Hilton's Hardee's ad, plus they're honked off at NASCAR for airing Levitra ads last March in which the terms "long-lasting erection" and "if erections last more than four hours" were used. Hard to believe, eh? Big Don doesn't like Desperate Housewives either, having described the show as "'a television show that promotes prostitution, adult-teen sexual relations, infidelity, deception, seduction, adultery, promiscuity [and] sadomasochism.'" So, uhhh, what time is it on? Back to the moms. They're trying to convince companies to refrain from advertising on the show. They had some luck with Mary Kay Cosmetics and a few others, though one wonders if they'll be much missed. When it premiered last October about 21.6 million folks watched it, "leading the twisted prime-time soap to the top spot in the ratings week ended Sunday, according to Nielsen Media Research." "About 18 percent of all 2 million TiVo boxes are programmed to record every episode in the inaugural season of the show. The number of Season Pass requests for 'Desperate Housewives' has tripled since the show's debut earlier this month." That would be 360,000 subscribers who forked over Desperate Housewives was also Tivo's most popular series for the week of July 24, 2005. Yeah. No GodFearing advertiser would want a piece of that action, huh. The Cato Institute has a question for Big Don's comrades over at Parents Television Council (Janet Jackson's SuperBowl teat, the Summer Olympics nekkid statues):

"While the PTC claims to be non-partisan, the watchdog group's public policy advocacy adopts a distinctly social conservative and moralistic tone. Interestingly, the PTC's motto is: 'Because Our Children Are Watching,' which begs the question: Why are your children watching? Why are they watching Desperate Housewives or any other show you find objectionable? I know my kids aren't watching." Desperate Housewives and Desperate Regulators

"Despite the fact that today's youngsters live in a media-saturated world and consume much more news and entertainment than previous generations, important cultural indicators are all showing significant signs of improvement. Consider these facts [ed.: the author cites no sources]: * Juvenile murder, rape, robbery and assault are all down significantly over the past decade. Overall, aggregate violent crime by juveniles fell 42% from 1995-2002. * There are fewer murders at school today and fewer students report carrying weapons to school or anywhere else than at any point in the past decade. * Alcohol and drug abuse has generally been falling and is currently at a 20-year low. Teen birth rates have hit a 20-year low and fewer teens are having sex today than they were 15 years ago. * High school dropout rates continue to fall steadily, as they have for the past 30 years. * And while teenage suicide rates rose steadily until the mid-1990s, they then began a dramatic decline that continues today. "Not surprisingly, you don't hear any of this good news over at the PTC website or from other conservative groups. Could it be because it does not fit nicely into their "Let's-blame-media-for-all-our-problems" mentality?" To paraphrase Cato's recommendation, rather than bitch about this stuff, turn off your fucking TV sets, you idiots.

New Polls

Quinnipiac University (07.27.05), via FirstDraft:

"American voters disapprove of the job President George W. Bush is doing 53 - 41 percent, his lowest approval rating since becoming President. This compares to a 50 - 44 percent disapproval in a May 25 Quinnipiac University poll." Bush Approval Drops To New Low

USAToday (07.26.05):

"For the first time, a majority of Americans, 51%, say the Bush administration deliberately misled the public about whether Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction — the reason Bush emphasized in making the case for invading. The administration's credibility on the issue has been steadily eroding since 2003." Poll: USA doubts Iraq success, but not ready to give up

Yeouch.

Hearts And Minds

LATimes (07.27.05):

"A company of the California Army National Guard has been put on restricted duty and its battalion plunged into disarray amid allegations that battalion members mistreated detainees in Iraq and extorted shopkeepers, according to military officials and members of the unit." Army Probes Guard Unit

Jesus. As many as three companies may be involved. "Among the allegations now under investigation is that at least six soldiers from the battalion took part in a scheme to extort money from Iraqi shopkeepers, apparently in exchange for protection from insurgents." Supposedly they took over $30,000, US.

Chickened Out?

"Well, how come you say you will when you won't? Say you do, baby when you don't? Let me know, honey, how you feel. Tell the truth now, is love real?" Compared to Carl Perkins, Elvis was a punk. Knight-Ridder (07.26.05):

"Two of President Bush's Cabinet secretaries scrapped scheduled appearances Tuesday before a Senate hearing on overhauling immigration law, raising questions about the president's commitment to repairing the nation's immigration system. Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., displayed frosty annoyance after Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao backed out of the committee's first major hearing this year to begin shaping an immigration bill." Two Bush Cabinet secretaries back out of Senate immigration hearing

Specter was pissed: "'We're going to do our work,' Specter said. 'When the administration wants to chime in, we'll be ready to listen.'" Chime in? "The administration no-shows baffled participants in the issue, since the administration has had more than a year and a half to fine-tune its positions on immigration. Bush first stressed the need for immigration reform in January 2004 by proposing a temporary immigrant guest-worker program, which has become a starting point for other proposals." They want the Latino vote, but they're nervous as hell about the "anti-immigration wing of the GOP" and the "echo chamber of conservative talk radio". Might this little conundrum be causing the Administration a good deal of consternation? Confusion too, perhaps? Tell the truth now, is love real?

Don't Embarass The President

There were two amendments added to the Senate's defense spending bill for fiscal 2006, one from John McCain (R - AZ), setting standards for military-prisoner interrogations, and another from Trent Lott (R - MS), delaying base closings. Approval would have been considered "potentially embarrassing defeats for President Bush." Frist was way short of the votes needed to block the amendments, plus there was a very good chance the Senate would have adopted both, so he did the only thing he could do: he pussed out and pulled the entire bill off the floor. Knight-Ridder (07.26.05):

"The Senate's Republican leader on Tuesday derailed a bipartisan effort to set rules for the treatment of enemy prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and other military detention camps by abruptly stopping debate on a $491 billion defense bill." Frist pulls defense bill to avoid votes on treatment of detainees

"McCain had been working with Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John Warner of Virginia, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, to respond to widely publicized cases of prisoner abuse. They proposed to set specific standards for the treatment of foreign detainees. Vice President Dick Cheney, in a meeting last Thursday, urged the three to back off." They essentially told the Veep to stick it. It's not over yet though, not by a long shot. The issues will come up later this year. Gotta have that defense bill. If the legislation passes with either amendment, Bush has threatened to veto it. Then there's another move afoot to protect the President from embarrassment, much less impeachment. Boston Globe (07.27.05):

"For eight months, the Senate Intelligence Committee has made little effort to pursue its long-promised probe into whether the Bush administration intentionally misconstrued intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq war -- an investigation that would have delved into whether White House aides tried to put pressure on CIA analysts." Senate probe of prewar intelligence stalls

Committee chair Pat Roberts (R - KS) "vowed last year that soon after the presidential election was over, his panel would examine whether Bush or his top aides misled the public about prewar intelligence, or pressured CIA agents to make a stronger case for invading Iraq." "But since then, the Intelligence Committee has made no measurable progress on the investigation. Instead, Roberts has offered vague public promises of picking up the key pieces of the probe at some point but has warned that other more pressing matters must be dealt with first." None were mentioned in the article, but a couple of 'em are probably the McCain and Lott amendments. Not to mention the investigation and possible indictment of good old Karl and other members of the "All Hat, No Cattle" posse.

Commence Offloading

Dumping the assets. Once upon a time, this would be known as a fire sale. Bloomberg (07.26.05):

"General Motors Corp. agreed to sell as much as $55 billion in car and truck loans to Bank of America Corp. over five years, giving the automaker another source of financing as it struggles to stem losses from making autos. Bank of America, the second-biggest U.S. bank, will buy $5 billion immediately and purchase as much as $10 billion in each of the five fiscal years from July 2005 to June 2010, the companies said today in a statement. The $10 billion represents as much as half of the GM auto loans available for sale each year, said Joanne Krell, a spokeswoman for General Motors Acceptance Corp." GM to Sell Up to $55 Bln in Loans to Bank of America

"The sale may lower borrowing costs for General Motors Acceptance, which generates most of GM's profits." Speculation is that BoA is "probably is paying a premium of up to 13 percent for the loans." Why a premium? High interest rates!! "Credit card and auto loans are attractive for their high interest rates, which create wide spreads against consumer deposits". Considering BoA is paying 0.5% on their passbook savings, it wouldn't take much to create a nice spread. A very nice spread indeed.

Microsoft Makes Apple Disappear

We'd heard they could do this. AP (07.26.05):

"With Microsoft's new Web service for satellite photographs, did the world's largest software company find a way to wipe Apple Computer off the map? Internet sleuths have discovered that anyone using Microsoft's new 'Virtual Earth' website for a bird's-eye view of Apple's corporate headquarters sees only a grainy overhead photograph of what appears to be a single, nondescript warehouse and a deserted parking lot — not Apple's sprawling campus, with 11 modern buildings surrounding a plush courtyard." Microsoft wipes Apple off the map

Apple v. NoApple Microsoft said it was because an outdated photograph was used. Google map shows it plenty good.

Hearts And Minds

AP (07.26.05):

"Hundreds of protesters chanting 'Die America!' and throwing stones tried to batter down a gate at the U.S. military's main Afghan base Tuesday, adding to anxieties in a country worried that fighting with insurgents could disrupt elections." Afghan Protesters Riot at U.S. Base

Hello George? Hello Karl? Say Goodbye To The Base

Emerging Democratic Majority (07.25.05):

"Pundits like to point out how dependent the Democrats are on the minority vote and, therefore, how vulnerable the Democrats would be to any weakening in that support. True enough. But it's also true--perhaps even more so--that the GOP is utterly dependent on high levels of support among whites and, therefore quite vulnerable to any weakening of support among these voters. And weakening of white support for the GOP appears to be precisely what's happening--though you'd never guess it from the deafening silence among the very pundits who like to tut-tut about the Democrats' dependence on the minority vote." Whites Moving Away from GOP

Ruy looks at a recent Gallup report "based on results of their 2005 and earlier Minority Relations polls" (it's here, if you have a subscription), and finds some very interesting numbers. First, approval ratings:

• In June of 2004, Bush's approval rating among non-Hispanic whites was 61 percent. This June, it's down to 47 percent, with 48 percent disapproval.
• Bush's approval ratings among blacks is flat-lined at 16 percent in the two polls.
• Hispanics haven't really budged either, giving Bush a 40 percent rating in 2004 and a 41 percent rating in 2005.

Even more interesting, even startling, is as to party identification. "In June of 2004, the GOP enjoyed a 19 point lead in party ID (including leaners) over the Democrats among whites." Here we are, one year later, and we find that "the Democrats actually have a small 2 point lead in party ID among whites." "That's a huge shift. Combined with the Democrats' current 60 point lead in party ID among blacks and 19 point lead among Hispanics, that makes the GOP look quite vulnerable indeed."

GOP Senators Tell Cheney Where To Stick It

Yeah, we're not thinking John McCain or Lindsey Graham much cared for Cheney butting in. "McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, and Graham, who spent 20 years as an Air Force lawyer, introduced the legislation Monday." AP (07.26.05):

"Senate Republicans pushed ahead Monday with legislation that would set rules for the treatment and interrogation of terrorism suspects in U.S. custody, despite a White House veto threat. The Bush administration, led by Vice President Dick Cheney, is working to kill the amendments that GOP Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina want to tack onto a bill setting Defense Department policy for next year." GOP Senators Push Detainee Treatment Rules

"Republicans said the measures were not toned down even though White House lobbying against them intensified late last week." "Senate aides estimate that nearly a dozen Republicans could be on board - which would be more than enough for the amendments to pass if Democrats support them as well." That would include the Senate Armed Services Committee Chair John Warner, who "has endorsed the effort." So does Mr. Bush have the brass to veto this thing? Ha! Doubt it. Though things sure would get a helluva lot more interesting if he did. We can hear it now: So Senator, why did feel it was not appropriate to support establishing clear and exact standards for interrogation of prisoners?

How About Diet Supplements?

Arnold knows what's best for you. AP (07.26.05):

"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is promoting legislation that would encourage healthier food and drinks in schools, including a bill that would extend a statewide ban on soft drinks from lower grades to high schools. Bob Achermann, a lobbyist for the California-Nevada Soft Drink Association, said his group would fight against expanding the soft drink ban to high schools. He argued it would not keep sodas out of teenagers' hands.' Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Urges Passage of Bills Targeting Junk Food in Schools

Bob noted that the kids "'can bring them to school, they can get them after school.'" He also noted that "'(t)hey're high school students, they're almost adults.'" And as almost-adults, they should have the right to make as many stupid and ill-advised decisions on their own as they want. Remember now Arnold "vetoed legislation that would have imposed government regulations on the supplement industry." Arnold also recently "accepted a consulting job paying an estimated $8 million over five years" for a publication deriving much of its advertising revenue "from makers of nutritional supplements." We hesitate to suggest he may be teaching the kids a lot more about government than about nutrition, but we will anyway.

Frist Poised To Blow It Again

On Friday, Frist's office said he intended to push for a bill permanently repealing the estate tax. Even the folks on his side "say the GOP doesn't have enough votes to overcome potential objections." AP (07.25.05):

"The Senate's top tax writer said Monday that a vote on permanently repealing the estate tax could doom senators' efforts to strike an agreement limiting the tax to the wealthiest estates. Sen. Charles Grassley, the Iowa Republican who leads the Senate Finance Committee, said he was 'a little anxious' to learn the Senate's GOP leader intended to push forward this week with a bill permanently repealing the estate tax." Senate's Lead Tax Writer Says Estate Tax Repeal Vote Could Doom Compromise

"'I think if we push to have a vote without having a compromise, it could be the end of estate tax for this year,' Grassley said." "Nick Smith, a spokesman for Frist, said the GOP leader wants to see the estate tax gone for good. 'Bringing it to a floor vote is the best way to move the bill forward,' Smith said." It's also a good way of looking like a bumbling dupe who really doesn't have a clue as to how to get the job done. Again. On a related note, both the CBO and Professor think that the contention the estate tax is destroying family farms is a crock.

Union-Busting With Birth Control

AP (07.25.05):

"Union Pacific Railroad discriminated against women by not covering contraceptives in its health care plan, a federal judge has ruled. The policy is discriminatory 'because it treats medical care women need to prevent pregnancy less favorably than it treats medical care needed to prevent other medical conditions that are no greater threat to employees' health than is pregnancy,' the judge wrote in the ruling late Sunday." Judge: Railroad Must Cover Birth Control

A Union Pacific representative said the railroad would appeal "because, among other things, the decision to exclude contraceptives in the benefits package was negotiated with the company's unions." Well if the union fell for it, it must be OK. For some reason, the representative also felt a need to point out that "nonunion employees have had prescription contraceptive coverage for 'some time.'" The Civil Rights Act "prohibits employers with 15 or more workers from making decisions based on gender or pregnancy", which pretty much covers all the bases here. Even so, it's not like contraceptives are prohibitively expensive, with many running at around $40.00 a month. And this is a retail price. And this is brand-name, not generic. As well, the heathens at Guttmacher note that "available research suggests that by reducing the direct and indirect costs associated with unintended pregnancy, contraceptive coverage would, in fact, save employers money." The $64,000 question is posed by Illinois governor Rod R. Blagojevich: "If insurance companies can cover Viagra for men, it’s only fair that they be required to cover birth control for women." Hmmm. Would the good Governor be suggesting be some kind of correlation here?

Hotter Than A Pistol

Given that summertime is by far the biggest part of the year for home sales, this kind of volume is not particularly unexpected. We'll know a lot more come September and October. AP (07.25.05):

"Sales of existing homes set a record in June with home prices shooting up at the fastest pace in nearly 25 years. The torrid sales pace helped to push the median price of an existing home up to a record of $219,000 last month, a gain of 14.7 percent from the median, or midpoint, for prices a year ago. That was the biggest jump in prices since November 1980." Existing Home Sales Set Record in June

Here's some stats existing home salse since 2002, nationwide and by region. Some context: the median sales price for a new home fell last month to $217,000. Also, "mortgage rates have risen in the past three weeks, according to a national survey by mortgage giant Freddie Mac." Sigh. Always the naysayers!! What they're fretting about "is that housing prices are rising at a pace that is unsustainable and that in some parts of the country could start declining if rising interest rates begin to weaken demand." Well, so what? "Such a development could spell trouble for homeowners who find the value of their homes falling below the value of the mortgage they obtained to finance the purchase." Lenders tend to start getting nervous if the value of the collateral falls to less than the amount of the loan. Very nervous. Especially if they have a lot of loans where this is happening.

No Comment

NYTimes (07.23.05):

"Vice President Dick Cheney is leading a White House lobbying effort to block legislation offered by Republican senators that would regulate the detention, treatment and trials of detainees held by the American military." Cheney Working to Block Legislation on Detainees

The legislation Cheney is opposing includes provisions:

• Barring the military "from hiding prisoners from the Red Cross";
• Prohibiting "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of detainees"; and
• Using "only interrogation techniques authorized in a new Army field manual."

And our Vice-President, on behalf of the Executive branch of our government, opposes this, claiming it would unduly infringe on our President's authority. It's time to tell that little prick to go fuck himself.

Too Much Bother

Congress wants the Justice Department to file an annual report about its data-mining techniques. The Administration, specifically the Justice Department, says they don't want to do it because it would be too inconvenient. What they didn't say is considering how well they've handled this stuff in the past, they're really sick and tired of being embarrassed. NYTimes (07.23.05):

[A] set of talking points distributed among Republican lawmakers as the measure was being debated warned that the Justice Department was opposed to the amendment because it would add to the list of 'countless reports' already required by Congress and would take time away from more critical law enforcement activities." Behind-the-Scenes Battle on Tracking Data Mining

Apparently, "the Congressional requests have become an annoyance for at least some Justice Department officials." "The unsigned talking points, circulated by Republican House members, said the [Justice Department] opposed the amendment because it would be 'burdensome, costly, and of little value, and could interfere with the daily law enforcement activities.'" Damn that Constitution. Such an inconvenient thing! On the other hand, the Justice Department's track record has not particularly impressive. "The government's use of vast public and private databases to mine for leads has produced several damaging episodes for the Bush administration, most notably in connection with the Total Information Awareness system developed by the Pentagon for tracking terror suspects and the Capps program of the Department of Homeland Security for screening airline passengers. Both programs were ultimately scrapped after public outcries over possible threats to privacy and civil liberties, and some Republicans and Democrats in Congress say they want to keep closer tabs on such computer operations to guard against abuse." As noted by Representative F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R - WI5), "past data-mining programs by the F.B.I. and other agencies, even before the Sept. 11 attacks, had wasted tax dollars and 'compromised the privacy of literally millions of Americans.'" The House approved the amendment, "(d)espite the opposition of other Republican leaders". The Justice Department said they were "'still reviewing the language of the bill to make sure we fully understand what the implications are from a budget perspective.'" Ha!! Look for all the loopholes, use a magnifying glass.

Hornet's Nest

Bush getting ready to stick his hand back in. LATimes (07.24.05):

"Worried that the tone of the immigration debate is pushing Latinos away from the Republican Party, the White House is working with political strategists to create a broad coalition of business groups and immigrant advocates to back a plan President Bush could promote in Congress and to minority voters in the 2006 elections. The push is being planned to coincide with next year's campaigns for the House and Senate, in which Latino voters could be crucial in several states. It is part of a broader White House strategy to forge a long-lasting majority by drawing more minority voters." Immigration Rising on Bush's To-Do List

The lure of the Latino vote is just too compelling. But it's not just for political purposes. Part of the plan would involve some version of a guest-worker program, an idea "favored by many Latinos and by businesses, many of them major GOP donors that depend on a steady flow of workers from Mexico and other countries." This means the Administration will have to square off with the "vocal bloc of cultural conservatives in the GOP — some in the House leadership — who argue that undocumented workers present a security threat and take some jobs that could be filled by Americans." "Some Republican strategists worry that the more extreme voices in this camp are alienating Latino voters with anti-immigrant language...." Their concern is well-founded. "(T)he administration effort is running into problems even as it begins: Several key business groups are hesitant to join the new coalition, questioning whether the administration can separate itself from the anti-immigration wing of the GOP that is promoting restrictive policies. And the party's leading voices favoring stricter limits on immigration, such as Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), remain undaunted — pledging to intensify their efforts." Guys like Tancredo may be the least of the Administration's worries. They're already bracing themselves for the "echo chamber of conservative talk radio...." Those guys will be a huge pain-in-the-ass. Have fun dealing with 'em.

Sorry

About that sponge we left in your abdomen. How's about we take it out for free? Boston Globe (07.24.05):

"Harvard Medical School's major teaching hospitals are considering adopting a sweeping disclosure policy that would establish detailed procedures for physicians to openly acknowledge medical errors and other bad results to their patients, and provide for training in apologizing." Hospitals study when to apologize to patients

Apologizing rule one: try to do it while the patient is still alive.

No Deadline

Blank check. Doesn't have to work. Nice deal. Contractor heaven. Army Times (07.22.05):

"The Pentagon agency charged with developing an anti-missile system to protect the United States is not facing any deadlines to fix all the bugs in the system before it can be ready for service.

Asked if senior Pentagon leaders or the White House had set a deadline for the system to be ready, the MDA’s director, Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry 'Trey' Obering, said, 'I’ve not been given a date that says this is the date the system has to be fully operational.'"

No deadline set to fix missile defense system

"Instead, the system as it exists today — nine ground-based interceptors, radar and command-and-control centers — is being switched back and forth between alert status and time off for fixing problems, he said."

So they can turn it on and off now?

NTI: Global Security Newswire (01.14.05), via the ACW ("What we have here is a failure to operate"):

"Having missed Oct. 1 and Dec. 31 [2004] deadlines for activating components of the ground-based national missile defense ordered by President George W. Bush, U.S. military officials now say may never declare the system operational."

Missile Defense Activation Date Remains Uncertain

Another confidence-inspiring quote, from the Washington Post (07.22.05), again via the ACW:

"'We have a better than zero chance of successfully intercepting, I believe, an inbound warhead,' Obering said. 'That confidence will improve over time.'"

U.S. Missile Defense Being Expanded, General Says

The ACW comments, "It is also irrefutably true that, if a warhead is incoming, and I am standing quite near to its impact point, and I threw a golf ball at it, I have a better than zero chance of hitting it and causing it to fail to explode."

On that note, the Post notes the Pentagon wants to expand the system "to address potential threats from the Middle East and China, and from ship-borne missiles off America's coast...."

So instead of not working against threats from North Korea, they want it to not work against threats from the Middle East and China too?

As to ship-borne, short-range ballistic missiles, the Pentagon's concern comes from an experiment they did. They launched one from a ship, and found "'it was not hard to do'."

Leaks Breaking Out

As in companies leaking jobs. AP (07.22.05):

"In a week where Alan Greenspan said he expected the U.S. economy to keep growing and Wall Street seemed generally pleased with corporate performance, workers at Eastman Kodak Co., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Kimberly-Clark Corp., among others, were warned about thousands of new layoffs." Corporate Icons Lead Bad U.S. Labor Week

"'We won't know till afterwards, but I do think we may be seeing a tipping point in the economic cycle that these big layoffs are flagging,' said John A. Carpenter, chief executive of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a Chicago-based employment research firm. 'I think it's a sign that leaks are breaking out.'" Might be a long, hot summer, economically speaking. "U.S. corporations announced plans in June to cut 110,996 jobs — the highest monthly total in 17 months — and July's toll could turn out to be steeper. Overall job cuts are on the rise in 2005, reaching 538,274 through June, according to Challenger's monthly job-cut analysis."

The "P" Word

Target has been acquired, over. LATimes (07.23.05):

"The special prosecutor in the CIA leak investigation has shifted his focus from determining whether White House officials violated a law against exposing undercover agents to determining whether evidence exists to bring perjury or obstruction of justice charges, according to people briefed in recent days on the inquiry's status. Differences have arisen in witnesses' statements to federal agents and a grand jury about how the name of Valerie Plame, a CIA agent, was leaked to the press two years ago." CIA Leak Investigation Turns to Possible Perjury, Obstruction

"According to lawyers familiar with the case, investigators are comparing statements by two top White House aides, Karl Rove and I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby, with testimony from reporters who have acknowledged talking to the officials." Leak, leak, leak. "Although no one has suggested that the investigation into who leaked Plame's name has been shelved, the intensity of the inquiry into possible perjury charges has increased, according to one lawyer familiar with events who spoke on condition that he not be identified." "Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the special prosecutor, and his team have made no decision on whether to seek indictments." Not yet they haven't. Or at least they're not saying. Bloomberg has more (07.22.05):

"Two top White House aides have given accounts to a special prosecutor about how reporters first told them the identity of a CIA agent that are at odds with what the reporters have said, according to people familiar with the case." Rove, Libby Accounts on Plame Differ With Reporters'

President Tom Tancredo

Hoo ha. AP (07.22.05):

"Tom Tancredo (R - CO6) has been called a one-trick pony of a politician, a man out of step with his party, a bigot. The Republican congressman vehemently opposes illegal immigration, and he created an uproar last week when he talked about nuking Muslim holy sites. No matter, Tancredo is pressing on and even hinting at a long-shot presidential bid in 2008." Tom Tancredo Eyes White House Run

Some folks wanted him to run in 2004. NFW, and we don't mean No Future Wrestling.

Martin And Lewis, They're Not

Two very rich people give the rest of us advice on retirement. "(L)ike a vaudeville team, they kept stepping on each other's lines and zinging each other." AP (07.22.05):

"Former first lady Barbara Bush teamed up with her son the president on Friday in trying to drum up support among older Americans for his Social Security and Medicare plans." Bush, Mom Pitch Social Security Overhaul

Here's an example of the comedic banter. Note the use of the words "tartly" and "retorted". "He called his 80-year-old mother 'my favorite senior citizen,' and she tartly reminded him that at age 59 he was almost one himself — with hair starting to turn white." 'You can see where I got my white hair from,' the president retorted." Bit of tension between mother and son, eh? She treats him with a lot of respect, too: "When Bush said he and his mother would go around the room to shake hands, she pointed to the right and told him, 'You go that way.'" "'She's still telling me what to do,' Bush said, going dutifully to the right." "'I'm here because I'm worried about our 17 grandchildren," said Barbara Bush.'" Same schtick back in March: "'I'm here because your father and I have 17 grandchildren ... all born after 1950 and we want to know: Is someone going to do something about it?' she said." Back then, the AP reminded us that "the grandchildren in the wealthy Bush family are unlikely to depend on Social Security in their sunset years and the monthly Social Security check collected by Mrs. Bush's husband, the former President Bush, is undoubtedly only a minuscule portion of their retirement income." And just how are the old boy's plans for Social Security faring these days? Uhhh, not well it would seem. Reuters (07.22.05):

"President Bush refused on Friday to back down from his push to restructure Social Security despite dimming prospects for action by the U.S. Congress this year and the toll it has taken on his popularity. Visiting an Atlanta civic center, Bush insisted 'something's going to happen' on Social Security." Bush says not backing down on Social Security

Something is happening: nothing. "House of Representatives Republicans have put off until at least September action on even a pared-down version of Bush's plan to create private investment accounts out of the Social Security retirement program." "Americans, especially senior citizens, are skittish about Bush's top domestic priority of changing Social Security and pollsters say the issue has contributed to a slide in Bush's approval ratings." "Senate Republicans, who disagree on whether to proceed in the face of firm Democratic opposition to Bush's private accounts idea, have had even less success than their House counterparts in moving forward with a plan." In the meantime, the last poll on it we could find was the CBS/NY Times poll taken from June 10-15, 2005. It showed 62% disapproved of the way Bush was handling Social Security, 25% approved, and 13% weren't sure.

Microsoft Does It Again

The operating system that never was is now something else. AP (07.22.05):

"Microsoft Corp. dropped the code name Longhorn on Friday, announcing the next version of its flagship Windows operating system will be called Windows Vista." 'Longhorn' No More: New Version Windows Named 'Vista'

They still say they're "on target to ship the oft-delayed update to Windows XP sometime in the second half of next year." In a rather uninspired example of corporate doublespeak, Brad Goldberg, general manager for Windows product management said, "'The core idea around Windows Vista is bringing clarity to the user so they can focus on what matters most.'" Huzzah to that, Brad.

It's Back!!

And as expensive as ever. Knight-Ridder (07.21.05):

"Flight tests of the multibillion-dollar missile defense program will resume in the fall for the first time since they were halted in February after three in a row failed, the general in charge of the program said Thursday." Missile defense tests to resume in the fall

Missile Defense Agency head Lt. Gen. Trey Obering III, said they have it figured out. The previous problems "have been addressed, and 'the odds that we would have the kind of failures we've had with two interceptors in a row are very low,' he said." What he didn't mention is they thought the odds of the stuff that actually happened were very low too. More naysayers. "'This system cannot deal with simple balloon decoys," said Stephen Young, a senior analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists. 'In the real world, anyone who could put a missile together with a nuclear warhead could also put a balloon decoy on that missile as well. Once it gets into space, you could have 40 decoys and one real warhead and this system has no way at all to tell those apart.'" The article notes that General Obering "didn't address the issue of decoys."

Whether You Like It Or Not

They've given up on the US. Gee. Wonder why. "'We are committed to a good relationship with our neighbors,' [Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim] al-Jaafari said." Knight-Ridder (07.21.05):

"Gunmen seized two senior Algerian diplomats and their driver Thursday in a brazen daylight abduction that further threatened Iraq's relations with Arab countries, as Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari announced a $1 billion aid package from neighboring Iran." Algerian diplomats in Iraq kidnapped; Iran pledges $1 billion in aid

Mr. al-Jaafari "said in his first public remarks since he returned from a state visit to Iran that the neighboring Islamic Republic had pledged about $1 billion for rebuilding projects to include schools, hospitals and libraries. "Iran also will supply much-needed electricity." The article notes that the US efforts to fix Iraq's power grid "have yielded little difference in the lives of Iraqis, who are enduring their third sweltering summer with sporadic electricity since the war began." They also "negotiated plans to boost religious tourism in the southern Shiite holy cities of Iraq and to improve security along their shared border." Here's the kicker: "Al-Jaafari and many other senior [Iraqi] officials spent years of exile in Iran during former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's reign and they maintain close ties to the clerical regime, whose relations with the Bush administration have been hostile." The Iranians will be successful. Bet the farm on it.

We'll Get Back To You On That

Christian Science Monitor (07.21.05):

"President Bush has repeatedly called Australia one of America's staunchest allies and its Prime Minister John Howard a 'good friend.' While the two continue to agree about Iraq and the need to be vigilant about terrorism, a noticeable split has occurred over China." Australia sidesteps US on China

"The US...sees China as a future military rival." "Australia, on the other hand, is much closer in proximity to China than to the US, and sees China as an untapped market that is poised to be developed." "Bloomberg reported Wednesday that Australia's exports to China have more than doubled in the past five years as China's own economy has expanded. Australia's currency has also gained 3.4 percent in the past year." Bloomberg also notes that China is "Australia's second-biggest export market", and that about "9 percent of all Australia's overseas shipments go to China." The Monitor quotes Aussie Prime Minister John Howard in the Melbourne Age:

"'The economic relationship between Australia and China is different from the economic relationship between the United States and China,' he said. 'We have a good relationship with China. It's not just based on economic opportunity; there are a lot of people-to-people ties between Australia and China, and they're growing all the time.'" Bush presses PM on rights in China

Which some may construe as Howard telling Bush to mind his own damned business.

Bears On Vacation

AP (07.21.05):

"A bear wandered into a Raton motel on Monday and a second bear broke into a Taos Ski Valley motel a day later. [At the Raton motel, the bear] 'walked in, went to the pay phones, then straight toward the pool,' said desk clerk Kimbra Pacheco." Bears Wander Into Motels in New Mexico

We usually check in first before going to the pool. "Lodgers with newspapers chased the bear through an enclosed pool area until game officers arrived." Lodgers without newspapers remained seated.

More Pension Defaults For The PBGC Would Clearly Be Negative

What, me worry? AP (07.21.05):

"Any more moves by companies to dump troubled pension plans on the financially strapped agency that insures them for working men and women would be troubling but shouldn't threaten the economy, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Thursday." Greenspan Concerned About Pressures on Agency That Insures Pension Plans

Troubling, but business as usual. Ahhhh, yes. A familiar refrain? Notwithstanding this is painfully obvious to all but the dullest of us, Mr. Greenspan sagely made the following observation: "An additional pension burden for the PBGC 'clearly is negative,' Greenspan told Bunning. 'I think it is a worrisome thing for American taxpayers, needless to say.'" Although Greenspan didn't mention anything about how these problems might impact the financial health of the workers and retirees covered by these plans, he "didn't foresee the pension system's financial problems threatening the health of the economy - at this point." Get it? At this point? How about at this point: September, 2003, the PBGC was estimating "that the total underfunding in the single-employer defined benefit system exceeded $400 billion as of December 31, 2002, the largest number ever recorded." The Washington Post has a little graph to help us put this in perspective:

Nice Headline

More unpopular than ever? That's one way to put it. Reuters (07.21.05):

"California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's approval rating dropped to a new low even before a controversy developed about his hefty side income from fitness magazines, according to a poll released on Thursday. Only 34 percent of adult Californians approve of the job Schwarzenegger is doing as governor, compared with 51 percent who disapprove, according to a survey by the Public Policy Institute of California." Schwarzenegger more unpopular than ever, poll finds

"A year before, the institute found 57 percent of Californians approved of Schwarzenegger's job as governor and 29 percent disapproved." Really turned it around there, didn't he. And this is before the fitness magazine deal went public.

Guess Who's Boss Here?

WIIIAI puts it in perspective: "Genocide in Sudan? Sure, whatever, blah blah. But push around some staffers, and face the wrath of the Condi." AP (07.21.05):

"Security forces in the Sudanese capital manhandled U.S. officials and reporters traveling with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, marring her round of congratulatory meetings with leaders of the new unified government. Rice demanded an apology, and got it." Rice Expresses Outrage at Treatment of Entourage by Sudanese Security

"As Rice's motorcade arrived at the residence, armed guards slammed the gate shut before three vehicles could get in, including those carrying Rice's interpreter and other State Department officials who were supposed to attend her meeting with el-Bashir." "After protests, the officials were eventually allowed in. But guards repeatedly pushed and pulled Rice senior adviser Jim Wilkinson, and at one point he was shoved into a wall." Ms. Rice was calling on Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir at his residence, described by the article as an "ultra-high-security residence".

GM

Second verse, same as the first. Reuters (07.20.05):

"General Motors Corp. posted an unexpected second-quarter loss on Wednesday as its core North American automotive business lost more than $1 billion." GM posts quarterly loss

"Like cross-town rival Ford Motor Co., GM has been hard hit by this year's dramatic slowdown in sales of mid- and full-sized sport utility vehicles, its most profitable models." Who woulda thunk the price of gasoline would go up? "The result capped a nightmarish quarter for GM, which is struggling to regain market share from Asian rivals led by Toyota Motor Corp. and saw its debt cut to 'junk' status by the Standard & Poor's rating agency in May." Fitch followed suit later that month.

Oooops!!

Merck has some 'splainin' to do. NYTimes (07.19.05):

"In a 2001 letter to doctors, Merck seriously understated the heart risks faced by patients taking its painkiller Vioxx, according to evidence presented Tuesday in the first Vioxx lawsuit to reach trial." At Vioxx Trial, a Discrepancy Appears to Undercut Merck's Defense

Merck's letter said "only 0.5 percent had incurred 'cardiovascular events,' or heart and circulation problems." Which means that only 20 out of "the more than 4,000 who took Vioxx during the study" experienced problems. On the other hand, there was this pesky "internal analysis of the study" which said that "14.6 percent of the Vioxx patients - or 590 people - had cardiovascular troubles while taking the drug", and that "2.5 percent, or 101 people, had serious problems, like heart attacks." ""In testimony Tuesday, [senior Merck scientist Dr. Nancy] Santanello struggled to respond to [plaintiff's lawyer W. Mark] Lanier's repeated questions about the letter." Struggled? That might be an understatement. "'You know the way this is written is wrong, isn't it?' Mr. Lanier asked her." "'It's not very precise,' Dr. Santanello said." Not really, considering the the actual percent in the letter was understated by a factor of almost 30. "'The letter does say to read the study for complete information,' she said." Damn doctors, thinking they could just rely on one itty-bitty letter. "Mr. Lanier also played Merck's television advertisements for Vioxx, which did not mention the drug's possible heart risks. Later, he showed the jury e-mail messages between two top Merck executives in which they complained about the Food and Drug Administration's proposed label for Vioxx. In one message, Dr. Edward M. Scolnick, Merck's top scientist, referred to the F.D.A. officials as 'bastards.'"

14,500

AP (07.19.05):

"Computer and printer maker Hewlett-Packard Co. said Tuesday it will cut 14,500 jobs and overhaul its retirement program in a restructuring plan designed to save $1.9 billion annually and bring costs closer to those of competitors." Hewlett-Packard to Cut 14,500 Jobs in Restructuring Plan

"The company also said that beginning in January, it will freeze the pension and retiree medical-program benefits of current employees who do not meet defined criteria based on age and years of company service. Instead, HP plans to boost its matching contribution to most employees' 401(k) plans to 6 percent from 4 percent."

Scarcer Or Dumber?

AP (07.18.05):

"U.S. businesses increasingly are reporting shortages of skilled workers, suggesting the labor market is improving steadily despite the erratic pace of job creation over the last year. The National Association for Business Economics, which polled 103 corporate planners and financial analysts, said Monday that more than a third of them reported their companies had difficulty hiring skilled workers. That marked the highest level in four years, and was consistent with Federal Reserve surveys of economic conditions across the country." Poll Says More Companies Seeing Shortages of Skilled Labor

If that's true, then why would Toyota be building its latest plant in Canada? CBC News has the skinny (07.05.05):

"The level of the workforce in general is so high that the training program you need for people, even for people who have not worked in a Toyota plant before, is minimal compared to what you have to go through in the southeastern United States," said Gerry Fedchun, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, whose members will see increased business with the new plant. 'The educational level and the skill level of the people down there is so much lower than it is in Ontario,' Fedchun said." Toyota to build 100,000 vehicles per year in Woodstock, Ont., starting 2008

Nissan and Honda "have encountered difficulties getting new plants up to full production in recent years in Mississippi and Alabama due to an untrained - and often illiterate - workforce. In Alabama, trainers had to use 'pictorials' to teach some illiterate workers how to use high-tech plant equipment." Pictures. They had to use pictures.

Taking The Heat Off Karl

If you can dazzle 'em with brilliance, give 'em a head fake. AP (07.19.05):

"President Bush is close to making his first nomination to the Supreme Court, and Washington was abuzz with speculation Tuesday about Judge Edith Clement of the U.S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans. There was no word from the White House on when Bush would disclose his selection, but officials familiar with the process said it appeared an announcement was imminent." Bush Says He Wants to Get Moving on Filling Supreme Court Seat

Dr. Frist sounds like he's been left out of the loop on this one. "Asked whether he expected an announcement, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said Tuesday, 'I don't know, but I don't think so.'"

Yeouch

Naysayers all. ABCNews (07.18.05):

"Just a quarter of Americans think the White House is fully cooperating in the federal investigation of the leak of a CIA operative's identity, a number that's declined sharply since the investigation began." Poll: Many Doubt White House Cooperation in CIA Leak Probe

When the investigation began "in September 2003, nearly half the public, 47 percent, believed the White House was fully cooperating. That fell to 39 percent a few weeks later, and it's lower still, 25 percent, in this new ABC News poll." Of folks identifying themselves as Republicans, only 47% believe the White House is fully cooperating. "And doubt about the administration's cooperation has grown as much among Republicans — by 22 points since September 2003 — as it has among others." Holy shit.

One Day As Mayor

That must be some kind of record. AP (07.18.05):

"A federal jury Monday convicted San Diego's new acting mayor and a city councilman of taking payoffs from a strip club owner to help repeal a 'no-touching' law at nude clubs, the latest blow to a city awash in scandal. Michael Zucchet, who became interim mayor over the weekend, was found guilty of conspiracy, extortion and fraud on his first business day in office. He was immediately suspended from the position, his attorney said." San Diego's Acting Mayor, Councilman Convicted of Corruption"

Mayor Dick Murphy resigned and left office Friday, eight months into a second term cut short by mounting problems at City Hall."

Bombs Away!!

AP (07.18.05):

"A Colorado congressman told a radio show host that the U.S. could 'take out' Islamic holy sites if Muslim fundamentalist terrorists attacked the country with nuclear weapons. Rep. Tom Tancredo made his remarks Friday on WFLA-AM in Orlando, Fla. His spokesman stressed he was only speaking hypothetically." Congressman Threatens Islamic Holy Sites

"Talk show host Pat Campbell [Start Your Day The Right Way!!] asked the Littleton Republican how the country should respond if terrorists struck several U.S. cities with nuclear weapons." "'Well, what if you said something like _ if this happens in the United States, and we determine that it is the result of extremist, fundamentalist Muslims, you know, you could take out their holy sites,'" Tancredo answered." "'You're talking about bombing Mecca,' Campbell said." "'Yeah,' Tancredo responded." As of 1992, Mecca's population was 965,697. Recent estimates place the population at over 1.5 million. No word as to whether the Congressman would want to verify whether or not the good folks of Saudi Arabia were responsible before letting loose. Yee haw!!

Just A Durn Minute

NYTimes (07.18.05):

"A public dispute has flared between two Republican House committee chairmen over an inquiry one of them began last month into the integrity of an influential study of global temperature trends. The study, published in 1998 and 1999, meshed data from modern thermometers and evidence of past warmth or cold, like variations in tree rings. The result was a curve showing little variation for nearly 1,000 years and then a sharp upward hook in recent decades." Two G.O.P. Lawmakers Spar Over Climate Study

The deal is that back in the late '90s, three guys, "Michael E. Mann, the climatologist who led the research and has just become the director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University; Raymond S. Bradley, a climatologist at the University of Massachusetts; and Malcolm K. Hughes, a tree-ring expert at the University of Arizona", did a bunch of research and published a study with a graph showing this "sharp upward hook." Two Canadians, "Steven McIntyre, an amateur statistician and mining consultant, and Ross McKitrick, an economist at the University of Guelph", have "published academic papers and opinion articles challenging the study's methods." Based on the Canadians assertions, House Committee on Energy and Commerce chair Joe L. Barton (R - TX6), initiated the inquiry. The House Science Committee chair, Sherwood Boehlert (R - NY24), thinks Barton is full of it, and is grandstanding. Maybe, but think of the hearings. A mining consultant/amateur statistician and an economist going toe to toe with two of the world's top climatologists and one of the world's top tree-ring experts over a climatological study based on tree-ring analyses. We're thinking that would be pretty damned funny. Go read their bios. You'll know what we mean. McKitrick is a "Senior Fellow of the Fraser Institute in Vancouver B.C.", "an economically conservative Canadian think tank." Naysayers "have noted the Fraser Institute's reports, studies and surveys are usually not subject to standard academic peer review or the scholarly method. The accuracy and reliability of the information they produce is therefore often questionable." "The Institute also dedicates considerable energy and funding to actively promote their findings and their agenda to broadcast and print media, a practice not followed by most research foundations or in the research work of university departments." Huh. Imagine that.

Honey Pot

"New York's Medicaid program is by far the most expensive and most generous in the nation. It spends far more - now $44.5 billion annually - than that of any other state...." And is it ripe for the picking. NYTimes (07.18.05):

"It was created 40 years ago to provide health care for the poorest New Yorkers, offering a lifeline to those who could not afford to have a baby or a heart attack. But in the decades since, New York State's Medicaid program has also become a $44.5 billion target for the unscrupulous and the opportunistic." New York Medicaid Fraud May Reach Into Billions

Lots of examples: Dr. Dolly Rosen, a dentist "who within 12 months somehow built the state's biggest Medicaid dental practice out of a Brooklyn storefront, where she claimed to have performed as many as 991 procedures a day in 2003." Van services supposedly for folks who can't walk unaided, "that regularly picked up scores of people who walked quite easily when a reporter was watching nearby." At $50 a round trip, the Times figures this added up "to $200 million a year. In some cases, the rides that the state paid for may never have taken place." School districts enrolling "tens of thousands of low-income students in speech therapy" without evaluating them. Brought in more than $1 billion. "One Buffalo school official sent 4,434 students into speech therapy in a single day without talking to them or reviewing their records, according to federal investigators." "Nursing home operators have received substantial salaries and profits from Medicaid payments, while keeping staffing levels below the national average. One operator took in $1.5 million in salary and profit in the same year he was fined for neglecting the home's residents." "Medicaid has even drawn several criminal rings that duped the program into paying for an expensive muscle-building drug intended for AIDS patients that was then diverted to bodybuilders, at a cost of tens of millions. A single doctor in Brooklyn prescribed $11.5 million worth of the drug, the vast majority of it after the state said it had tightened rules for covering the drug." "'It's like a honey pot,' said John M. Meekins, a former senior Medicaid fraud prosecutor in Albany who said he grew increasingly disillusioned before he retired in 2003. 'It truly is. That is what they use it for.'" No it isn't, say state health officials, who claim "they were doing an excellent job of overseeing the program." Huh. Guess excellent might not be good enough.

And Now There Are Two

LATimes (07.18.05):

"Top aides to President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were intensely focused on discrediting former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV in the days after he wrote an op-ed article for the New York Times suggesting the administration manipulated intelligence to justify going to war in Iraq, federal investigators have been told. Prosecutors investigating whether administration officials illegally leaked the identity of Wilson's wife, a CIA officer who had worked undercover, have been told that Bush's top political strategist, Karl Rove, and Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby, were especially intent on undercutting Wilson's credibility, according to people familiar with the inquiry." Top Aides Reportedly Set Sights on Wilson

Even the White House noticed. "A source directly familiar with information provided to prosecutors said Rove's interest was so strong that it prompted questions in the White House. When asked at one point why he was pursuing the diplomat so aggressively, Rove reportedly responded: 'He's a Democrat.' Rove then cited Wilson's campaign donations, which leaned toward Democrats, the person familiar with the case said."

We Thought So

The Independent (07.18.05):

"Flies evade the swatter by jumping, not flying, scientists say." How flies avoid a swat

When you try to swat them, they "jump forward and away from the threat." They are fast little bastards, "capable of reacting to movement in 1/50th of a second, and when fleeing predators - or a rolled-up newspaper - can make 90-degree turns in less than 1/50,000th of a second." So make sure you lead 'em a little.

God Is Our Business

Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, but give me a little taste too. USAToday (07.14.05);

"More than 10,000 true believers who make, publish and sell evangelical Christian books, gifts and music gathered here this week to look over the latest merchandise, from Scripture Candy to The Soldier's Bible." Convention highlights evangelical retail

Something tells us this guy would be a real pain-in-the-ass to have for a neighbor: "A Missouri artist displayed patriotic paintings that contain hidden images of the face of God, demons, an unborn child, even 'Jesus' written in the stars. One showed the nail-scarred hands of Jesus mending a bullet-torn U.S. flag." Our favorite, from Reverend Finch: "In-Souls™ inserts are designed to provide a tangible support to assist Christians to literally 'walk in the word of the Lord.' Worn in the right shoe, each one provides a related scripture and affirmation." Get it? The "right" shoe? They also sell scripture socks and air fresheners. No lie. We were going to ask about suppositories, but figured they wouldn't appreciate the crack.

Told Ya

Tweedledee and Tweedledum. AP (07.16.05):

"Fellow Republicans warned House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Majority Leader Tom DeLay more than a year ago that the government would come up short - by at least $750 million - for veterans' health care. The leaders' response: Fire the messengers. Now that the Bush administration has acknowledged a shortfall of at least $1.2 billion, embarrassed Republicans are scrambling to fill the gap." GOP Scrambles to Fill Veterans' Shortfall

Nice. At least $1.2 billion short. At least. Gee, think it'll go higher? Can't say they weren't warned. "New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith (R - NJ4), as chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, had told the House GOP leadership that the Veterans Affairs Department needed at least $2.5 billion more in its budget. The Senate passed a bill with that increase; the House's bill was $750 million short." "Smith and 30 other Republicans wrote to their leaders in March 2004 to make the point that lawmakers who were not the usual outspoken advocates for veterans were troubled by the move. Failure to come up with the additional $2.5 billion, they contended, could mean higher co-payments and "rationing of health care services, leading to long waiting times or other equally unacceptable reductions in services to veterans." Not only were they ignored, Smith got booted from the chair by the House leadership because he "was right about a billion-dollar shortfall in veterans benefits, and Nicholson's Bush administration was wrong." In Bush's Washington? Huh. Imagine that. He was replaced by Steve Buyer (R - IN4), who seems to have a talent for pissing people off, especially veterans. "Veterans groups are particularly angry with Buyer, who was specially chosen by the House leadership to chair the House Veterans Affairs Committee to keep spending down. Buyer was selected to replace Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.), who had alienated House leaders by pushing for high levels of spending on veterans programs." "Buyer recently sparked new controversy in an interview published by the American Legion Magazine in which he said the department should concentrate on serving a 'core constituency,' and he disputed assertions that 'all veterans are veterans and all veterans should be treated the same.'" Shockingly, the Democrats are making political hay from all of this, characterizing the problem "as another example of the GOP and the White House taking a shortsighted approach to the cost of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and criticize their commitment to the troops."

We're Number One

Uh oh. Looks like we're in trouble now, aren't you Karl. Reuters (07.17.05):

"White House political aide Karl Rove was the first person to tell a Time magazine reporter that the wife of a prominent critic of the Bush administration's Iraq policy was a CIA agent, the reporter said in an article on Sunday. Time correspondent Matthew Cooper said he told a grand jury last week that Rove told him the woman worked at the 'agency,' or CIA, on weapons of mass destruction issues, and ended the call by saying 'I've already said too much.'" Time reporter Rove was first source on CIA agent

Still Working On It

Sign up now, we'll tell you about it later. As soon as we figure it out, that is. NYTimes (07.17.05);

"Four months before enrollment begins, the Bush administration has started a cross-country campaign to sell its most significant domestic policy initiative, the new Medicare drug benefit. But it is encountering skepticism from some consumers, whose participation is critical to the program's success. In a stop here [that would be Scarborough, Maine], four top Bush administration officials, including the surgeon general of the United States, said the drug benefit would be a boon to retirees, worth $1,300 a year to a typical recipient and much more to those with low incomes. But the officials offered none of the details that would have allowed beneficiaries to judge for themselves." Officials' Pitch for Drug Plan Meets Skeptics

Information such as the monthly premium amount and what drugs are actualy going to be covered won't be available until September. "The economics of the new program depend on the assumption that large numbers of relatively healthy people will enroll and pay premiums, to help defray the costs of those with high drug expenses. Insurers say the new program cannot survive if the only people who sign up are heavy users of prescription drugs." A trenchant query: "Carmela Decker, 74, of Portland, asked, 'Wouldn't it have been easier if Medicare had just established a prescription plan and said, 'We will pay 80 percent of the cost'?'". Why yes, Ms. Decker, it would have been much easier. But making it easier wasn't really the point, you see. "Mr. Bush and Congressional Republicans wanted to create a market in which insurers would compete for Medicare business by offering better benefits at lower prices. Maine officials said they expected 10 or 12 drug plans to be offered here." Yep, picking the best one ought to be a lot easier. "Carol S. Rancourt, coordinator of health insurance counseling at the Southern Maine Agency on Aging, said, 'My biggest fear is that people will be confused by the large number of options, will be shocked into inertia and will just do nothing.'" This thing has abject failure written all over it.