Volume 2 Issue 70

May 12, 2003

Back!

The New York Times fesses up, naked people forming unions, and North Korea's special punch

So the move is almost complete...but not entirely. But I'm at work today anyway, so here's a swamp, they'll get longer as the week goes on and I get more time. Though, I'll warn you that tomorrow I may have some hearings to attend, and since I don't have a computer at home yet to do some of this in the AM before work, that there may be some shorter ones this week. We're getting there! Anyway, here's the insanity...

Criticizing the rebuilding: Claire Short, a member of the British Cabinet who stayed in the government despite being anti-war, resigned today over the government's reconstruction policies -
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1-677975,00.html

The Old Grey Lady gone? The New York Times has arguably fallen from its position at the forefront of American journalism, though I would argue its reporting, and especially it's website, are second to none. But the disturbing story of Jayson Blair, a young reporter for the Times who made up almost 50 stories, is almost unfathomable. That despite having more corrections than any other reporter on the paper, and warnings from more junior editors, no one ever called Blair on his plagiarism until a Texas reporter complained when he copied her story. Of course, I noted that the Washington Post yesterday took advantage of this to run a front-page story bashing Blair...guess Don Graham is still pissed at Sulzberger over the whole IHT thing...anyway, Sunday the Times published the results of its investigation, calling it a "low point in the 152-year history of the newspaper" -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/11/national/11PAPE.html

Bill Safire on the scandal -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/12/opinion/12SAFI.html

Look Who's Running for President: Is Bob Graham blowing his reputation by running for President?
http://slate.msn.com/id/2082742/

Look Who's Running for President 2: Thank goodness we have Teresa Heinz to keep us entertained -
http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_show.html?article=210 81

Look Who's Running for President 3: Howard Dean will introduce his long awaited health plan this week -
http://www.boston.com/dailynews/131/region/Dean_to_contrast_ health_plans_:.shtml

Dennis Kucinich released his over the weekend, and big surprise here...it calls for socialized medicine! Though...his way of paying for it seems pretty original -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40260-2003May10.html

Look Who's Running for President 4: Man do Howard Dean and John Kerry hate each other -
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/12/politics/campaigns/12DEMS. html?pagewanted=all&position

Bad John Edwards Photo of the Day:

Bob Graham Journal, 5/3/03, 8:52pm: Try to talk to Edwards, but he's staring off into space again practicing his Kennedyesque look. And he's wearing that ugly tie again.

And now, for no particular reason whatsoever, the next few stories will be introduced Dan Rather style.

Hide the kids, Mabel, the moon's gone red! There will be a lunar eclipse visible in North American on Thursday night -
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/5839564.htm

Hide the kids, Mabel, the money ain't green! Tomorrow the government will introduce yet another new $20 bill...what color will it be?
http://money.cnn.com/2003/05/12/news/economy/twenty/index.ht m

Hide the kids, Mabel, there's no phone here! More and more people, especially young people, are getting rid of their land lines for cell phones. Of course, this only works if you remember to charge them. Trend or Phase?
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/5839519.htm

Union! Union! From The Chronicle of Higher Education:

"Nude models who pose for classes at the Moore College of Art and Design, in Philadelphia, voted last week to form a union -- the first of its kind -- despite the opposition of college officials.

The nude-model union will be part of District Council 47 of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, said Gary Kapanowski, an organizer for AFSCME who helped to bring it about...

Some of the models say that the studios they work in often are dirty, reek with paint and chemical fumes, and are too cold. Ms. Fernandez said she has not received any complaints. Ms. Hankins said that she has complained to college officials, and that "none of these things were corrected."

Cheryl Breese, 41, an art-class model who does not work at Moore, told the Associated Press that she does not support efforts to unionize her colleagues. Ms. Breese, who is raising two children and working on a college degree, told the AP that she made just $12,000 last year, but that she is worried about losing freedom of choice if the jobs were unionized. "Most of us go into this job because of the freedom it presents," she said.

How'd you like to be that union organizer? The meetings must be interesting...

Maybe Clinton was just copying him: Robert Dallek, who is writing a new bio of JFK (some of you may remember his article about the medical records he has obtained that will be included), claims that JFK also had an affair with a 19 year old intern -
http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/05/12/jfk.intern.ap/inde x.html

Mmm...Dear Leader-licious! North Korea has apparently developed some kind of computer drink...even though North Korea doesn't have computers. -
http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/biztech/05/12/offbeat.nkorea.dr ink.ap/index.html

Have a great day!