Wednesday News Bucket

11 Comments

1. 

   CabinGirl on October 17, 2007 at 8:18 am

   over concerns for the actors’ safety: AP/Google

   The Kite Runner” author Khaled Hosseini is commending the delayed release of the film adaptation of his novel over fears for the actors’ safety.

   Movie distributor Paramount Vantage delayed the debut for six weeks, until Dec. 14, after three of its adolescent male stars said they could be targeted for their participation in a homosexual rape scene. The studio — the art-house label of Viacom Inc.’s Paramount Pictures — is moving the boys and their families from socially conservative Afghanistan, possibly until next spring.

2. 

   CabinGirl on October 17, 2007 at 8:28 am

   Just dreaming of another Bush-Clinton election? CNN

   Democratic strategist and CNN analyst James Carville tossed out a provocative idea during a panel discussion on politics Tuesday.

   At CNN’s America Votes 2008 Breakfast, the chief architect of Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential run predicted that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will be the Republican nominee in 2008. Jeb is a younger brother of President Bush.

   Carville bolstered his prediction, highlighting Jeb Bush’s career: He was a successful governor of a large state, he enjoys the support of social conservatives, he speaks Spanish, and “he’s somebody the party could rally around,” Carville said.

   More proof that the Dem strategists are totally out of touch with reality…they really need to get out of DC sometime.

3. 

   rba on October 17, 2007 at 10:23 am

   MSNBC Breaking News:  Bush to hold news conference today

   “Advisors say the president is expected to open the briefing with comments about domestic issues, including: FISA legislation, S-CHIP . . . and the pending confirmation of his Attorney General nominee Michael Mukasey.“

   Appropriate Image @ AllPosters.com.

   • 

     CabinGirl on October 17, 2007 at 12:06 pm

     Nice graphic, rba.  🙂

4. 

   dada on October 17, 2007 at 11:32 am

   how low can you go?

   the chimperor’s  in the polls continues:

   Bush’s job approval rating fell to 24 percent from last month’s record low for a Zogby poll of 29 percent. A paltry 11 percent gave Congress a positive grade, tying last month’s record low.

   “There is a real question among Americans now about how relevant this government is to them,” pollster John Zogby said. “They tell us they want action on health care, education, the war and immigration, but they don’t believe they are going to get it.”
   .
   .
   .

   The bleak mood could present problems for both parties heading into the November 2008 election campaign, Zogby said.

   reuters

   …could present problems for both parties…that’s a world class understatement.

   lTMF’sA

   

5. 

   dada on October 17, 2007 at 11:37 am

   have you ever wondered how the candidates spend all that money that they raise but just haven’t the desire to go thru all those campaign disclosure reports?

   well, the good folks over at TPM have done it for us, and it seems that a substantial number of dollars are being spent on legal fees…and not the kind you would expect.

   how much have they dropped on lawyers to defend themselves from investigation?

   quite a lot:

   Rep. Don Young (R-AK): $183,785
   So far, Young has spent $447,000 on law firms

   Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ): $111,042
   Renzi has paid around $148,000 to law firms

   Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV): $55,000
   Mollohan has spent $78,000 on the law firms since last May.

   Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA): $26,982
   Lewis has spent over $987,000 on law firms.

   Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-IL): $17,627
   The former House speaker has spent $436,000 thus far on law firms.

   Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA): $4,807
   Since April of 2006, Doolittle’s campaign committee has spent $130,000 on law firms.

   Ex-Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL): $150,752
   Foley has spent $843,000 thus far on law firms.

   Update: For those thinking that we overlooked mucked-up reps like William Jefferson (D-LA) and Tom Feeney (R-FL), both have opened a defense fund to cover legal fees and are not paying them with campaign money.

   LINK previous quarter HERE

   as expected, the ratpublicans are again the leaders in discretionary spending.

   if this isn’t illegal, it ought to be. life inside planet beltway.

   lTMF’sA

   

6. 

   dada on October 17, 2007 at 11:41 am

   remember mr. riechers, who ran into a spot of trouble because while he was temporarily unemployed, before assuming his new duties as deputy assistant secretary for acquisition for the air force, he had a cucshy deal with contractor vendor/?

   at the time, he said:…’he had no problem with his interim contract.’  it would seem that one may have developed, because from all appearances, he has committed suicide:

   No. 2 US Air Force purchasing official found dead

   WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force’s No. 2 acquisition official, facing scrutiny for a temporary job arranged by the service while he awaited Senate confirmation, was found dead at his home in an apparent suicide, according to an internal Air Force memo obtained by Reuters today.

   […]

   The Washington Post reported on Oct. 1 that Riechers was hired for two months by defense contractor Commonwealth Research Institute at the request of the Air Force while Riechers was out of work and awaiting Senate confirmation for his new position. The job paid $13,400 a month.

   Commonwealth Research Institute has close ties to the Pentagon and has received hundreds of millions of dollars in military grants and contracts in recent years, according to the Post report.

   “I really didn’t do anything for CRI,” Riechers told the newspaper. “I got a paycheck from them.“

   Charles Riechers, principal deputy assistant secretary for acquisition, was working on the Air Force’s highest priority weapons programs, including a $40 billion aerial refueling tanker and a $15 billion combat search and rescue helicopter.

   […]

   New questions arose Friday about Commonwealth Research Institute when Pemco Aviation Group amended its protest of a $1.2 billion contract awarded to Boeing Co for maintenance of the existing fleet of KC-135 refueling tankers.

   Pemco raised questions about Riechers’ possible conflict of interest because of ties between Commonwealth Research Institute, its parent Concurrent Technologies, and Boeing.

   […]

   One defense analyst said Riechers’ death is yet another setback for the Air Force’s weapons-buying office.

   “Whatever the reason for the suicide, this is going to contribute to a widespread perception that something is not right about the Air Force acquisition system,” said Loren Thompson at the Virginia-based Lexington Institute.

   “Riechers was under some suspicion because of an expose in the press, but it certainly didn’t rise to the level of a serious scandal, so his apparent suicide is hard to explain,” Thompson added.

   lat

   l find it hard to believe anyone would kill themselves over $26,800 of questionable income, from suspect sources. strange indeed.

   lTMF’sA

   

   • 

     hens teeth on October 17, 2007 at 4:09 pm

     It sounds like he is decent enough to have a sense of shame, unlike his superiors that put him in that position.

     • 

       dada on October 17, 2007 at 5:06 pm

       his epiphany must have occurred within the past 2 weeks, based on his previous statements.

       l’m not attempting to assert any kind of conspiracy here, l’m just not buying the reasoning that it was this ‘conflict‘ that precipitated it. this will, in all likelihood, be the end of it…dead men tell no tales, eh.

       but then, l’m rather cynical.

       lTMF’sA

       

7. 

   Man Eegee on October 17, 2007 at 12:35 pm

   Tom’s at it again

   Republican presidential candidate Tom Tancredo wants foreigners seeking visas to join relatives in the U.S. to provide DNA samples to prove their family ties.

   The Colorado congressman introduced a bill Tuesday in the House to require the tests, saying documents provided by immigrants to show they are related to U.S. citizens or permanent residents are sometimes sketchy and unreliable. – linkage

   • 

     hens teeth on October 17, 2007 at 4:13 pm

     Somebody’s about to make a lot of money.