Blogressive February 22, 2006
Have money to burn? Tired of worthy charitable causes? The Scooter Libby Defense Trust would like to talk to you.
"Should we ever appear on Celebrity Jeopardy, we have our charity all picked out: The Scooter Libby Legal Defense Trust, sure to be topping everyone's year-end lists of Least Important Causes. Here, you can learn all about America's favorite former senior administration official — it's everything you need to know about Scooter, besides the unimportant matter of why he actually needs a legal defense trust. And check out the Advisory Committee — a veritable who's who of Washington's indicted, formerly-indicted, and soon-to-be-indicted set." Source: wonkette.com
A few Washington (and current White House) insiders listed as "Advisory Committee Members" ot the Libby Legal Defense Trust:
Spencer Abraham, Bush's former Secretary of Energy
Steve Forbes, former Presidential candidate and Forbes Magazine publisher
Jack Kemp , former Vice-Presidential candidate, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Congressman
Jeane Kirkpatrick, former U.N. Ambassador
Mary Matalin, advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney
Dennis B. Ross, former Middle East Ambassador
Alan Simpson, former Senator
Fred Thompson, former United States Senator and "Law & Order" regular
James Woolsey, former CIA Director
Source: scooterlibby.com
Blogettes Fragments from headlines and blogs you may have missed
UAE Port Security
"I trust the President of the United States. I will not make a judgment until I hear his arguments as to why he made this decision. . . . I will not reject out of hand the decision of the commander in chief."
Sen. John McCain, R-AZ at a recent town-hall meeting in Sun City West, AZ.
More ethics trouble for Santorum? "In 2001, he launched the Operation Good Neighbor Foundation. The charity, which seeks to award money to faith-based groups and other organizations that combat poverty and social ills like teen pregnancy, has a Web page loaded with photos of a smiling Santorum, posing with oversized checks and leaders of community groups. So far, according to the site, the Senator’s charity has doled out $474,000. But public records show that the group has raised considerably more than that since its inception in 2001. A review of federal tax returns filed by the foundation for 2001, 2002, and 2003 shows that the charity spent just 35.9 percent of the nearly $1 million raised on its charitable grants, while spending 56.5 percent on expenses like salaries, fund-raising commissions, travel, conference costs, and rent. Charity experts say that charitable groups should spend at least 75 percent of their money on program grants, and that donors should beware of organizations that spend as little as Santorum’s has. " More ethics trouble for Santorum? "In 2001, he launched the Operation Good Neighbor Foundation. The charity, which seeks to award money to faith-based groups and other organizations that combat poverty and social ills like teen pregnancy, has a Web page loaded with photos of a smiling Santorum, posing with oversized checks and leaders of community groups. So far, according to the site, the Senator’s charity has doled out $474,000. But public records show that the group has raised considerably more than that since its inception in 2001. A review of federal tax returns filed by the foundation for 2001, 2002, and 2003 shows that the charity spent just 35.9 percent of the nearly $1 million raised on its charitable grants, while spending 56.5 percent on expenses like salaries, fund-raising commissions, travel, conference costs, and rent. Charity experts say that charitable groups should spend at least 75 percent of their money on program grants, and that donors should beware of organizations that spend as little as Santorum’s has. " Source: prospect.org
Earth's population to hit 6.5 billion on Saturday. "The planet's population is projected to reach 6.5 billion at 7:16 p.m. EST Saturday, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and its World Population Clock." Earth's population to hit 6.5 billion on Saturday. "The planet's population is projected to reach 6.5 billion at 7:16 p.m. EST Saturday, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and its World Population Clock." Source: wired.com
How to talk to an idiot. (If you must.) Mike Stark has some tips for calling the rightwing talk shows: "Get to know the host and identify their shtick. All of these folks have different ways of dealing with callers that challenge them, but there are some common MO’s… For instance, O’Reilly’s method is to keep you on a short leash and then bloviate - often distorting your initial statement… Hannity is more likely to engage you in debate, but he forces the debate onto his turf, i.e., 'Is the world a better place without Saddam Hussein in power?' Unfortunately, none of those MO’s includes the host saying, 'Hmm, you’ve got a point there. You know what, you’re right, George Bush is an incompetent and dangerous megalomaniac.' " How to talk to an idiot. (If you must.) Mike Stark has some tips for calling the rightwing talk shows: "Get to know the host and identify their shtick. All of these folks have different ways of dealing with callers that challenge them, but there are some common MO’s… For instance, O’Reilly’s method is to keep you on a short leash and then bloviate - often distorting your initial statement… Hannity is more likely to engage you in debate, but he forces the debate onto his turf, i.e., 'Is the world a better place without Saddam Hussein in power?' Unfortunately, none of those MO’s includes the host saying, 'Hmm, you’ve got a point there. You know what, you’re right, George Bush is an incompetent and dangerous megalomaniac.' " Source: firedoglake
Jean Schmidt takes (offense at) the cake. "Congresswoman Jean Schmidt is upset with some of her political opponents for slicing up a cake made to look like her. State Representative Tom Brinkman cut the head off the Schmidt-cake at a meeting of COAST, an anti-tax group he founded. Bob McEwen, Schmidt's opponent in the Second District Republican congressional primary, was also in attendance. " Jean Schmidt takes (offense at) the cake. "Congresswoman Jean Schmidt is upset with some of her political opponents for slicing up a cake made to look like her. State Representative Tom Brinkman cut the head off the Schmidt-cake at a meeting of COAST, an anti-tax group he founded. Bob McEwen, Schmidt's opponent in the Second District Republican congressional primary, was also in attendance. " Source: wcpo.com
Government minister learns that sharing his cell number on TV is a bad idea. "Malaysia's works minister was swamped with 2,600 text messages and hundreds of calls on his mobile phone after he asked the public to direct their complaints to him, reports said Friday. S. Samy Vellu was quoted by the New Straits Times as saying that his mobile phone has not stopped ringing since he gave out his number during a TV show on Sunday after viewers complained about inefficiency at his ministry. 'I received so many calls and messages, that I think my phone may quit on me soon,' he said. But he said only 200 text messages were complaints about problems such as poor road drainage or traffic lights that were not working. More than 1,000 were congratulatory messages and the rest were suggestions for improving service, he said." Government minister learns that sharing his cell number on TV is a bad idea. "Malaysia's works minister was swamped with 2,600 text messages and hundreds of calls on his mobile phone after he asked the public to direct their complaints to him, reports said Friday. S. Samy Vellu was quoted by the New Straits Times as saying that his mobile phone has not stopped ringing since he gave out his number during a TV show on Sunday after viewers complained about inefficiency at his ministry. 'I received so many calls and messages, that I think my phone may quit on me soon,' he said. But he said only 200 text messages were complaints about problems such as poor road drainage or traffic lights that were not working. More than 1,000 were congratulatory messages and the rest were suggestions for improving service, he said." Source: suntimes.com
GOP seeks church directories in North Carolina. "The North Carolina Republican Party asked its members this week to send their church directories to the party, drawing furious protests from local and national religious leaders. 'Such a request is completely beyond the pale of what is acceptable,' said the Rev. Richard Land, head of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. During the 2004 presidential race, the Bush-Cheney campaign sent a similar request to Republican activists across the country. It asked churchgoers not only to furnish church directories to the campaign, but also to use their churches as a base for political organizing." GOP seeks church directories in North Carolina. "The North Carolina Republican Party asked its members this week to send their church directories to the party, drawing furious protests from local and national religious leaders. 'Such a request is completely beyond the pale of what is acceptable,' said the Rev. Richard Land, head of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. During the 2004 presidential race, the Bush-Cheney campaign sent a similar request to Republican activists across the country. It asked churchgoers not only to furnish church directories to the campaign, but also to use their churches as a base for political organizing." Source: washingtonpost.com
Bush mounts a vigorous defense of that policy he just learned about. "President Bush was unaware of the pending sale of shipping operations at six major U.S. seaports to a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates until the deal already had been approved by his administration, the White House said Wednesday." Bush mounts a vigorous defense of that policy he just learned about. "President Bush was unaware of the pending sale of shipping operations at six major U.S. seaports to a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates until the deal already had been approved by his administration, the White House said Wednesday." Source: ap.com
Katherine Harris using 2000 election to raise funds. "In a recent direct-mail fundraising appeal, U.S. Senate candidate Katherine Harris makes her most direct use yet of her role in the 2000 presidential election to rally Republican support, and then asks Republicans to make a 'pledge of loyalty,' signified by a contribution to her campaign. 'As Florida's Secretary of State during the hotly-contested 2000 Presidential election recount, I was thrust into the national spotlight for five grueling weeks,' she wrote prospective donors. 'To this very day there are angry liberals … who still cannot deal with the fact that their candidate lost. ... I am still being blamed for President Bush's victory.' " Katherine Harris using 2000 election to raise funds. "In a recent direct-mail fundraising appeal, U.S. Senate candidate Katherine Harris makes her most direct use yet of her role in the 2000 presidential election to rally Republican support, and then asks Republicans to make a 'pledge of loyalty,' signified by a contribution to her campaign. 'As Florida's Secretary of State during the hotly-contested 2000 Presidential election recount, I was thrust into the national spotlight for five grueling weeks,' she wrote prospective donors. 'To this very day there are angry liberals … who still cannot deal with the fact that their candidate lost. ... I am still being blamed for President Bush's victory.' " Source: tbo.com
Today's Video: Now that he's done with Cheney, Brit Hume kisses Today's Video: Now that he's done with Cheney, Brit Hume kisses his own butt
Hume mumbles a sleepy defense of last week's whitewash interview which includes an admission that he considered the Vice President's needs beforehand. "The last thing in the world Dick Cheney needed was a soft interview." mediamatters.org
Today's Site: This is broken
Today's Site: This is broken
This site describes itself as a "project to make businesses more aware of their customer experience." It features photos of dumb sign, idiotic instructions, and examples of rotten user experiences. Exhibit A: The sign on the left. thisisbroken.com