Wednesday, February 22, 2006
This is just too good. Reporters seem to be forgetting the keyword in investigative journalism. The investigating part. We've seen this in the hunting Cheney story, the West Virginia mining tragedy where USA Today and other newspapers jubilantly announced to the world that all the miners were discovered, alive. Here's another. Not as serious, to be sure...but journalists don't seem to know how to vet stories anymore. They just want the news spoon-fed to them. Once again, they got bitten instead. Where's Chuck Goudie when you need him? The I-Team wouldn't put up with this.
Lottery hoax was a professional job
BY PAUL HAMMEL
LINCOLN - The brief hoax involving a man claiming to be an out-of-work truck driver who won the $365 million Powerball jackpot was months in the making.
It involved two men who have jerked the chains of the national news media for years and was financed by a Texas author seeking publicity for his books, one of the pranksters said Tuesday.
"We had decided that one of these days, there'll be a record jackpot, and we'll have to go," said Bob Pagani, who portrayed the unemployed man who spent $2,000 on Monday buying food for everyone at a Lincoln, Nebraska restaurant.
Pagani said he is a former disc jockey and book editor who lives near Pacific City, Ore. He confessed Tuesday to the hoax but said he felt no guilt.
"We spent a lot of money buying people's lunches. They had a thrill. . . . Nobody got hurt," he said. "It's kind of like a magic trick - a magician lies to you."
Pagani walked into the Village Inn on Monday afternoon, announced that he was the winner and bought a round of meals. The news media were apparently summoned by a restaurant employee. "Good Morning America" and "World News Tonight," among others, did on-camera interviews with Pagani.
Pagani said the hoax was hatched in conjunction with Alan Abel, a Connecticut prankster and drummer who started staging hoaxes in a 1959 appearance on the "Today" show, according to his Web site.
"Every once in a while, he has a wild hair," Pagani said.
He said the timing was per-fect because of the President's Day holiday. It closed the Nebraska Lottery office, delaying any official announcement. Because it was a record jackpot, a news media frenzy seemed guaranteed.
The hoax started falling apart as reporters questioned discrepancies in Pagani's story, including how the ticket was purchased. He said he chose the numbers, but lottery officials said the winning ticket was a computer-generated "Quick Pick."
Pagani said he flew in from Oregon on Sunday night and drove to Lincoln on Monday. Two other people, who said they were Pagani's son and niece, also flew in.
Pagani said Joe Vitale, who identified himself as an Austin, Texas, author, financed the hoax - paying for the airline tickets and two nights of motel stays in Omaha, as well as the $2,000 for all the meals at Village Inn.
Before he flew home Tuesday, Pagani said he gets the same thrill from hoaxes as someone who collects stamps.
"With this, I can say I was in the New York Times, the Washington Post and on Good Morning America."
Congrats to the real Eric Zornes for winning the Powerball. Will you be quitting the Tribune now? You know my blog is available for publishing.
Lottery hoax was a professional job
BY PAUL HAMMEL
LINCOLN - The brief hoax involving a man claiming to be an out-of-work truck driver who won the $365 million Powerball jackpot was months in the making.
It involved two men who have jerked the chains of the national news media for years and was financed by a Texas author seeking publicity for his books, one of the pranksters said Tuesday.
"We had decided that one of these days, there'll be a record jackpot, and we'll have to go," said Bob Pagani, who portrayed the unemployed man who spent $2,000 on Monday buying food for everyone at a Lincoln, Nebraska restaurant.
Pagani said he is a former disc jockey and book editor who lives near Pacific City, Ore. He confessed Tuesday to the hoax but said he felt no guilt.
"We spent a lot of money buying people's lunches. They had a thrill. . . . Nobody got hurt," he said. "It's kind of like a magic trick - a magician lies to you."
Pagani walked into the Village Inn on Monday afternoon, announced that he was the winner and bought a round of meals. The news media were apparently summoned by a restaurant employee. "Good Morning America" and "World News Tonight," among others, did on-camera interviews with Pagani.
Pagani said the hoax was hatched in conjunction with Alan Abel, a Connecticut prankster and drummer who started staging hoaxes in a 1959 appearance on the "Today" show, according to his Web site.
"Every once in a while, he has a wild hair," Pagani said.
He said the timing was per-fect because of the President's Day holiday. It closed the Nebraska Lottery office, delaying any official announcement. Because it was a record jackpot, a news media frenzy seemed guaranteed.
The hoax started falling apart as reporters questioned discrepancies in Pagani's story, including how the ticket was purchased. He said he chose the numbers, but lottery officials said the winning ticket was a computer-generated "Quick Pick."
Pagani said he flew in from Oregon on Sunday night and drove to Lincoln on Monday. Two other people, who said they were Pagani's son and niece, also flew in.
Pagani said Joe Vitale, who identified himself as an Austin, Texas, author, financed the hoax - paying for the airline tickets and two nights of motel stays in Omaha, as well as the $2,000 for all the meals at Village Inn.
Before he flew home Tuesday, Pagani said he gets the same thrill from hoaxes as someone who collects stamps.
"With this, I can say I was in the New York Times, the Washington Post and on Good Morning America."
Congrats to the real Eric Zornes for winning the Powerball. Will you be quitting the Tribune now? You know my blog is available for publishing.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
If you want to know exactly where Chicago's red light cameras are, make sure you drive down to the end of this blog entry to find out so you don't contribute a $90 donation to the Chicago Human Fund.
Before you get there, I want to ask you a simple question. Does bad behavior in the workplace get rewarded? Would you hire this chick?
This all started with a job interview. Twenty-four year old law school graduate Dianna "Bla Bla" Abdala was interviewing for a position at a law firm in Boston. After two interviews in January, Dianna accepted the job. And her employer, Will Korman, ordered her business cards and prepared the office for her arrival. Then she changed her mind. She wrote on February 3rd, that the job offer "would neither fulfill me nor support the lifestyle I am living." She followed up with a voicemail on February 5th, saying the same thing.
Mr. Korman thought her reversal warranted more than a message on the computer. He wrote back. This "smacks of immaturity and is quite unprofessional." He added, "I am extremely disappointed in the way this played out." But ended, "I sincerely wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors."
Dianna Abdala didn't let it go. She wrote: "A real lawyer would have put the contract into writing and not exercised any such reliance until he did so." Employer Korman responds: "Thank you for the refresher course on contracts...do you really want to start pissing off more experienced lawyers at this early stage of your career?" Abdala's response? And I quote...."bla bla bla".
Are you kidding me? Are you seriously going to burn that many bridges before you even start your career? Because this isn't local anymore. The email got forwarded to an associate, who sent it to friends, who probably sent it with the subject line...."Can you believe this spoiled snot..." and then it made its way to a Boston newspaper and finally, was picked up by ABC's Nightline. The bla has hit the fan.
The Wall Street Journal reminds us today, though, that bad boys make good in the business world. They point to the only cast member of The Apprentice that really stood out: Omarosa. She doesn't even need a last name. Paul Argenti, professor at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business says, "This could be great for her career, if you think about it." I see a consulting position at Boston Legal in her future. Or a follow up on Broadway, "How to Succeed in Business by Being a Total B*tch".
Dianna Abdala says she will never apologize. She's living on funds provided by...who else...Daddy....and has rented office space for her own practice. "I've never been the type to work under someone," she says. Hmmm. Then why did she bother the search to begin with? And what happens when Daddy cuts the cord? The way I see it...yeah, this chick may be rewarded short-term for her childish behavior. But I'm looking at it big-picture... when this baby has a baby of her own and she can't understand why her precious offspring is giving her such a hard time. She'll probably be screaming at her child's teacher...or her kid's pediatrician, "Why isn't my child getting this, or doing that"....and the professional will calmly reply, "Bla, bla bla." The apple won't fall far from the tree. So, there's something for the boss to look forward to ...and I bet Mr. Korman's other employees are thanking their lucky stars that they won't have to put up with Dianna in their place of business. Would you hire her? Not if you wanted to keep your other employees employed too.
Okay.....for the red light camera intersections:
The city of Chicago has intstalled the first cameras back in late 2003 and they have generated $20 million in revenue. Don't get caught. This is less about safety and all about money.
Fullerton and Cicero
Fullerton and Kedzie
Fullerton and Damen
Diversey and California
Chicago and Halsted
Division and Halsted
North and Kostner
Belmont and Kedzie
Irving Park Rd and Narragansett Ave
Lawrence and Cicero
Foster and Nagle
Peterson and Western
111th and Halsted
119th and Halsted
99th and Halsted
79th and Kedzie
63rd and State
Roosevelt Road and State
Cortland and Ashland
87th and Vincennes Ave
71st and Ashland
55th and Western
55th and Pulaski
47th and Western
35th and Western
31st and California
Cermak and Pulaski
Roosevelt Rd. and Kostner
Madison and Ashland
Kinzie and LaSalle Drive
Now, a disclaimer, in case I get in trouble. Simple. Don't run red lights. Here, there and Everywhere. Because they will cost you.
Before you get there, I want to ask you a simple question. Does bad behavior in the workplace get rewarded? Would you hire this chick?
This all started with a job interview. Twenty-four year old law school graduate Dianna "Bla Bla" Abdala was interviewing for a position at a law firm in Boston. After two interviews in January, Dianna accepted the job. And her employer, Will Korman, ordered her business cards and prepared the office for her arrival. Then she changed her mind. She wrote on February 3rd, that the job offer "would neither fulfill me nor support the lifestyle I am living." She followed up with a voicemail on February 5th, saying the same thing.
Mr. Korman thought her reversal warranted more than a message on the computer. He wrote back. This "smacks of immaturity and is quite unprofessional." He added, "I am extremely disappointed in the way this played out." But ended, "I sincerely wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors."
Dianna Abdala didn't let it go. She wrote: "A real lawyer would have put the contract into writing and not exercised any such reliance until he did so." Employer Korman responds: "Thank you for the refresher course on contracts...do you really want to start pissing off more experienced lawyers at this early stage of your career?" Abdala's response? And I quote...."bla bla bla".
Are you kidding me? Are you seriously going to burn that many bridges before you even start your career? Because this isn't local anymore. The email got forwarded to an associate, who sent it to friends, who probably sent it with the subject line...."Can you believe this spoiled snot..." and then it made its way to a Boston newspaper and finally, was picked up by ABC's Nightline. The bla has hit the fan.
The Wall Street Journal reminds us today, though, that bad boys make good in the business world. They point to the only cast member of The Apprentice that really stood out: Omarosa. She doesn't even need a last name. Paul Argenti, professor at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business says, "This could be great for her career, if you think about it." I see a consulting position at Boston Legal in her future. Or a follow up on Broadway, "How to Succeed in Business by Being a Total B*tch".
Dianna Abdala says she will never apologize. She's living on funds provided by...who else...Daddy....and has rented office space for her own practice. "I've never been the type to work under someone," she says. Hmmm. Then why did she bother the search to begin with? And what happens when Daddy cuts the cord? The way I see it...yeah, this chick may be rewarded short-term for her childish behavior. But I'm looking at it big-picture... when this baby has a baby of her own and she can't understand why her precious offspring is giving her such a hard time. She'll probably be screaming at her child's teacher...or her kid's pediatrician, "Why isn't my child getting this, or doing that"....and the professional will calmly reply, "Bla, bla bla." The apple won't fall far from the tree. So, there's something for the boss to look forward to ...and I bet Mr. Korman's other employees are thanking their lucky stars that they won't have to put up with Dianna in their place of business. Would you hire her? Not if you wanted to keep your other employees employed too.
Okay.....for the red light camera intersections:
The city of Chicago has intstalled the first cameras back in late 2003 and they have generated $20 million in revenue. Don't get caught. This is less about safety and all about money.
Fullerton and Cicero
Fullerton and Kedzie
Fullerton and Damen
Diversey and California
Chicago and Halsted
Division and Halsted
North and Kostner
Belmont and Kedzie
Irving Park Rd and Narragansett Ave
Lawrence and Cicero
Foster and Nagle
Peterson and Western
111th and Halsted
119th and Halsted
99th and Halsted
79th and Kedzie
63rd and State
Roosevelt Road and State
Cortland and Ashland
87th and Vincennes Ave
71st and Ashland
55th and Western
55th and Pulaski
47th and Western
35th and Western
31st and California
Cermak and Pulaski
Roosevelt Rd. and Kostner
Madison and Ashland
Kinzie and LaSalle Drive
Now, a disclaimer, in case I get in trouble. Simple. Don't run red lights. Here, there and Everywhere. Because they will cost you.
Friday, February 17, 2006
I love this idea! Don't you? Especially when you apply to college and the recruiters ask where you attended school. "Oh, I studied at the very prestigious St. Do Whatever the Hell I Feel Like Academy. You haven't heard of us? Our patron saint is Ray Nagin and our basketball team is known as the BodeMillers~It's Always Miller Time." Check this out:
No school, no books, no teacher's dirty looks
By Traci Tamura and Thelma Gutierrez
CNN
-- It's a child's dream. Wake up whenever you want, with nobody telling you what to do and when to do it. And here's the kicker: No school to rush off to.
Welcome to the world of "unschooling" -- an educational movement where kids, not parents, not teachers, decide what they will learn that day.
"I don't want to sound pompous, but I think I am learning a little bit more, because I can just do everything at my own pace," said Nailah Ellis, a 10-year-old from Marietta, Georgia, who has been unschooled for most of her life.
Nailah's day starts about 11 a.m., her typical wake-up time. She studies Chinese, reading, writing, piano and martial arts. But there's no set schedule. She works on what she wants, when she wants. She'll even watch some TV -- science documentaries are a favorite -- until her day comes to an end about 2 a.m.
An extension of home-schooling, "unschooling" is when parents give their children total freedom to learn and explore whatever they choose.
According to Holt Associates, an "unschooling" advocacy group, in 2005, about 150,000 children were unschooled, about 10 percent of the estimated 1.5 million home-schooled children in the United States.
The term "unschooling" was first coined in 1977 by John Holt, an education reformer, the founder of Holt Associates and author of the book, "Teach Your Own."
Holt felt traditional home-schooling didn't go far enough. He believed parents should not duplicate schools in their homes. He favored an education more freewheeling in nature, one that depends on the child for direction.
The expectation is that along the way they will get an education.
There are no mandatory books, no curriculum, no tests and no grades. Nailah's parents are in touch with the local school district and she takes the district's required tests.
While "unschooling" could be characterized as the ultimate indulgence by a parent, Nailah's stay-at-home mother, Barbara Ellis, doesn't see it that way.
"When you get to travel around, that's education to me. That's learning. You're doing it firsthand. You're not reading it from a book. You are not hearing it from a teacher," Ellis said.
But proponents of the public education system suggest these children may be missing a key part of the educational experience.
"There is nothing like the texture of kids having contact with each other, making friends and relating to different adults in a school setting," said David Tokofsky, a longtime educator and member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education.
Nailah, who would be in 4th grade if she attended a regular school, seems to enjoy the "unschooled" lifestyle, even if she's a bit confused when asked what exactly she is learning.
"I actually don't know what I'm learning," Nailah said. "I think I'm just having a good time."
So does Bart Simpson.
Have a great weekend! I'll be at Mancari's of Orland Hills this Saturday from 2-4pm. Please stop by and join us!
No school, no books, no teacher's dirty looks
By Traci Tamura and Thelma Gutierrez
CNN
-- It's a child's dream. Wake up whenever you want, with nobody telling you what to do and when to do it. And here's the kicker: No school to rush off to.
Welcome to the world of "unschooling" -- an educational movement where kids, not parents, not teachers, decide what they will learn that day.
"I don't want to sound pompous, but I think I am learning a little bit more, because I can just do everything at my own pace," said Nailah Ellis, a 10-year-old from Marietta, Georgia, who has been unschooled for most of her life.
Nailah's day starts about 11 a.m., her typical wake-up time. She studies Chinese, reading, writing, piano and martial arts. But there's no set schedule. She works on what she wants, when she wants. She'll even watch some TV -- science documentaries are a favorite -- until her day comes to an end about 2 a.m.
An extension of home-schooling, "unschooling" is when parents give their children total freedom to learn and explore whatever they choose.
According to Holt Associates, an "unschooling" advocacy group, in 2005, about 150,000 children were unschooled, about 10 percent of the estimated 1.5 million home-schooled children in the United States.
The term "unschooling" was first coined in 1977 by John Holt, an education reformer, the founder of Holt Associates and author of the book, "Teach Your Own."
Holt felt traditional home-schooling didn't go far enough. He believed parents should not duplicate schools in their homes. He favored an education more freewheeling in nature, one that depends on the child for direction.
The expectation is that along the way they will get an education.
There are no mandatory books, no curriculum, no tests and no grades. Nailah's parents are in touch with the local school district and she takes the district's required tests.
While "unschooling" could be characterized as the ultimate indulgence by a parent, Nailah's stay-at-home mother, Barbara Ellis, doesn't see it that way.
"When you get to travel around, that's education to me. That's learning. You're doing it firsthand. You're not reading it from a book. You are not hearing it from a teacher," Ellis said.
But proponents of the public education system suggest these children may be missing a key part of the educational experience.
"There is nothing like the texture of kids having contact with each other, making friends and relating to different adults in a school setting," said David Tokofsky, a longtime educator and member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education.
Nailah, who would be in 4th grade if she attended a regular school, seems to enjoy the "unschooled" lifestyle, even if she's a bit confused when asked what exactly she is learning.
"I actually don't know what I'm learning," Nailah said. "I think I'm just having a good time."
So does Bart Simpson.
Have a great weekend! I'll be at Mancari's of Orland Hills this Saturday from 2-4pm. Please stop by and join us!
Friday, February 10, 2006
Be Eileen's Producer for a Day. This is not a joke!
First, if you haven't read the real deal behind the Muslim riots over Danish cartoons, scroll down below and get the inside story.
Okay. Be my producer for a day!
I get about fifty pitch letters a day. Eileen, read this book....Eileen, your listeners would love to know about x. Eileen, did you know that 51% of men believe that women shouldn't be driving? Eileen, this is the latest study that coffee is/isn't good for you and... my favorite, if you take drug Y, your finances/sexlife/prostate/leftbrain will vastly improve. Some of them, I pass along to you. If you are a regular listener, you'll know that my NUMBER ONE reading recommendation is Tony Blankley's "The West's Last Chance" --discussing our war with radical Islam. I've interviewed Mr. Blankley no less than three times. I get no kickbacks or incentives for endorsing this book. It's just a fantastic, yet frightening book and I know you'll love it. I couldn't put it down. Anyway, I digress.
I got a pitch letter yesterday that was so....out there....I thought it was a joke. It's not. So...I have included it below and invite YOU to be the producer of the show for a day. If you want me to discuss this, I will. If you don't, tell me and say, Eileen...NO WAY. Respond at eileen.f.byrne@abc.com
Okay. Here it is. If you get offended easily...that's your problem.
Dear Eileen,
Singles say Valentine’s Day stinks. And they’re right--but not for the obvious reasons.
Over 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be given to lovers this Valentine’s Day, according to the National Confectioners Association.
But for tens of millions of Americans--dieters and diabetics especially--Valentine’s Day chocolates have an unpleasant dark side that’s among society’s last taboos: the odious flatulence that results from gastrointestinal distress.
For many people, a few Hershey’s Kisses can lead directly to the ‘Hershey squirts’, intense stomach cramping (‘knives’), heartburn, general indigestion, bloating, growling guts, and even dehydration (a result of diarrhea).
Then there’s the Valentine’s Day restaurant dinner, which makes things worse with alcoholic drinks, fatty main courses, buttery side dishes, and sweet (often chocolatey) desserts.
Interview Bill Downs, one of the world’s foremost experts on diet and digestion, and find out how men and women can avoid gassing out their lovers this Valentine’s Day.
He can share Cupid’s secret formula for having a sweet, romantic Valentine’s Day, without overtaxing the GI tract or polluting the body with antacids and other over-the-counter drugs that, for many people, don't even work.
Downs has over twenty years of expertise in diet, digestion, nutrition science, and biological chemistry. He's also published several peer-reviewed studies, and is the author of the Trafon blog (http://www.Trafon.org), the first ‘fart blog’ to promote serious discussion about digestive disorders, gastrointestinal diseases, and what people can do about them.
Downs can also discuss:
* The little-known reason why dieters and diabetics suffer from uncontrollable gas far more than the general population
* The most polite way to tell your lover he/she has offensive gas
* Health risks chocolate makers don’t want the public to know
* How Americans are the most medicated society on Earth, yet remain the most chronically diseased
* The crucial difference between antibiotics and probiotics that every American should know
* How to survive dinner out without over-stressing the digestive system
* The unalterable biochemical processes that cause indigestion
* How most people can control indigestion, without resorting to over-the-counter medications
* How a multivitamin a day can keep gastrointestinal distress away
* What causes flatulence (farting)
* Why farts are funny to everyone except the person suffering with them
* Why some foods cause GI distress in some people, but not all people
To arrange an immediate interview with Bill Downs, contact Jackie at xxx-xxxx
Thank you for considering an interview with Bill!
______
Okay. I have to admit...I'm a little curious. A fart blog? And how DO you tell someone they have offensive gas? Is this worthy of an interview? I can't wait to find out. Eileen Byrne
Have a flatulent-free weekend.
First, if you haven't read the real deal behind the Muslim riots over Danish cartoons, scroll down below and get the inside story.
Okay. Be my producer for a day!
I get about fifty pitch letters a day. Eileen, read this book....Eileen, your listeners would love to know about x. Eileen, did you know that 51% of men believe that women shouldn't be driving? Eileen, this is the latest study that coffee is/isn't good for you and... my favorite, if you take drug Y, your finances/sexlife/prostate/leftbrain will vastly improve. Some of them, I pass along to you. If you are a regular listener, you'll know that my NUMBER ONE reading recommendation is Tony Blankley's "The West's Last Chance" --discussing our war with radical Islam. I've interviewed Mr. Blankley no less than three times. I get no kickbacks or incentives for endorsing this book. It's just a fantastic, yet frightening book and I know you'll love it. I couldn't put it down. Anyway, I digress.
I got a pitch letter yesterday that was so....out there....I thought it was a joke. It's not. So...I have included it below and invite YOU to be the producer of the show for a day. If you want me to discuss this, I will. If you don't, tell me and say, Eileen...NO WAY. Respond at eileen.f.byrne@abc.com
Okay. Here it is. If you get offended easily...that's your problem.
Dear Eileen,
Singles say Valentine’s Day stinks. And they’re right--but not for the obvious reasons.
Over 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be given to lovers this Valentine’s Day, according to the National Confectioners Association.
But for tens of millions of Americans--dieters and diabetics especially--Valentine’s Day chocolates have an unpleasant dark side that’s among society’s last taboos: the odious flatulence that results from gastrointestinal distress.
For many people, a few Hershey’s Kisses can lead directly to the ‘Hershey squirts’, intense stomach cramping (‘knives’), heartburn, general indigestion, bloating, growling guts, and even dehydration (a result of diarrhea).
Then there’s the Valentine’s Day restaurant dinner, which makes things worse with alcoholic drinks, fatty main courses, buttery side dishes, and sweet (often chocolatey) desserts.
Interview Bill Downs, one of the world’s foremost experts on diet and digestion, and find out how men and women can avoid gassing out their lovers this Valentine’s Day.
He can share Cupid’s secret formula for having a sweet, romantic Valentine’s Day, without overtaxing the GI tract or polluting the body with antacids and other over-the-counter drugs that, for many people, don't even work.
Downs has over twenty years of expertise in diet, digestion, nutrition science, and biological chemistry. He's also published several peer-reviewed studies, and is the author of the Trafon blog (http://www.Trafon.org), the first ‘fart blog’ to promote serious discussion about digestive disorders, gastrointestinal diseases, and what people can do about them.
Downs can also discuss:
* The little-known reason why dieters and diabetics suffer from uncontrollable gas far more than the general population
* The most polite way to tell your lover he/she has offensive gas
* Health risks chocolate makers don’t want the public to know
* How Americans are the most medicated society on Earth, yet remain the most chronically diseased
* The crucial difference between antibiotics and probiotics that every American should know
* How to survive dinner out without over-stressing the digestive system
* The unalterable biochemical processes that cause indigestion
* How most people can control indigestion, without resorting to over-the-counter medications
* How a multivitamin a day can keep gastrointestinal distress away
* What causes flatulence (farting)
* Why farts are funny to everyone except the person suffering with them
* Why some foods cause GI distress in some people, but not all people
To arrange an immediate interview with Bill Downs, contact Jackie at xxx-xxxx
Thank you for considering an interview with Bill!
______
Okay. I have to admit...I'm a little curious. A fart blog? And how DO you tell someone they have offensive gas? Is this worthy of an interview? I can't wait to find out. Eileen Byrne
Have a flatulent-free weekend.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
The Cartoon that set the Middle East Ablaze:
Have you seen any of the twelve cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed...the ones causing such mayhem, injury and even death in the Middle East? My favorite is the one depicting the entrance to Heaven-- Mohammed turning suicide bombers away because they ran out of virgins. Probably the most provocative among the cartoons is the one of Mohammed with an orange. Where is my Danish flag so I can set it afire and stomp upon it? Give me a break. Most of the cartoons are dumb. (You can see them all at michellemalkin.com) And certainly not worthy of violent demonstration. What is most ironic is that they have made the point of the political cartoons--that radical fundamental Islamicists ARE violent. And they're outraged over a drawing with a pencil and not innocent Muslims being tortured or killed by Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden or Zarcowi --who bombed a bunch of innocent people at a wedding? Why aren't those Muslims infidels? Where is my terrorist flag so I can set it afire and stomp upon it? The other part of this debate is the rampant hypocrisy...a cartoon gets you that upset---but only if it's an anti- Muslim cartoon...because cartoons deriding Jews and Christians are perfectly acceptable and published in state-controlled newspapers all the time. The other part of this rioting and "outrage" that stinks to high, holy heaven is that Iran, Syria and other governments are behind all of this. The cartoons were originally published back in September. Now either you're not getting your copy of Jyllands-Posten in a timely fashion...or you have some clerics who driving anti-European sentiment and using the cartoons as an excuse to do something they foment anyway. Methinks the latter. And if this was a "free" anti-Syrian demonstration in Syria---how long do you think it would last and what would happen to the "free" participants? This is the way their government operates--deflect criticism from your own corruption by pointing to the Great Satan, America, Israel and Europe. Finally, the really sad thing in all of this? Our media has folded like a cheap Eddie Bauer tent on a campground. They say they don't want to publish or air the cartoons because that would be insensitive. That's BS. They insult Christians on a regular basis. Just look at the coverage that Piss-Christ got on American media. Really, they're just afraid. And fear has dictated their coverage of a cartoon that is now a part of a news story. We were always told after 9/11...if we refuse to get on airplanes that we were giving in to fear and the terrorists "have won". Well, here's the score--1 for the terrorsts....0 for the American media. At least the European press has the postens to post the news.
Have you seen any of the twelve cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed...the ones causing such mayhem, injury and even death in the Middle East? My favorite is the one depicting the entrance to Heaven-- Mohammed turning suicide bombers away because they ran out of virgins. Probably the most provocative among the cartoons is the one of Mohammed with an orange. Where is my Danish flag so I can set it afire and stomp upon it? Give me a break. Most of the cartoons are dumb. (You can see them all at michellemalkin.com) And certainly not worthy of violent demonstration. What is most ironic is that they have made the point of the political cartoons--that radical fundamental Islamicists ARE violent. And they're outraged over a drawing with a pencil and not innocent Muslims being tortured or killed by Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden or Zarcowi --who bombed a bunch of innocent people at a wedding? Why aren't those Muslims infidels? Where is my terrorist flag so I can set it afire and stomp upon it? The other part of this debate is the rampant hypocrisy...a cartoon gets you that upset---but only if it's an anti- Muslim cartoon...because cartoons deriding Jews and Christians are perfectly acceptable and published in state-controlled newspapers all the time. The other part of this rioting and "outrage" that stinks to high, holy heaven is that Iran, Syria and other governments are behind all of this. The cartoons were originally published back in September. Now either you're not getting your copy of Jyllands-Posten in a timely fashion...or you have some clerics who driving anti-European sentiment and using the cartoons as an excuse to do something they foment anyway. Methinks the latter. And if this was a "free" anti-Syrian demonstration in Syria---how long do you think it would last and what would happen to the "free" participants? This is the way their government operates--deflect criticism from your own corruption by pointing to the Great Satan, America, Israel and Europe. Finally, the really sad thing in all of this? Our media has folded like a cheap Eddie Bauer tent on a campground. They say they don't want to publish or air the cartoons because that would be insensitive. That's BS. They insult Christians on a regular basis. Just look at the coverage that Piss-Christ got on American media. Really, they're just afraid. And fear has dictated their coverage of a cartoon that is now a part of a news story. We were always told after 9/11...if we refuse to get on airplanes that we were giving in to fear and the terrorists "have won". Well, here's the score--1 for the terrorsts....0 for the American media. At least the European press has the postens to post the news.