Saturday, January 14, 2006

Miles Davis: The Cellar Door Sessions 1970

NEW RELEASE PICK OF THE WEEK

SOUNDBYTE
Miles Davis: The Cellar Door Sessions 1970
(AMG Review) -- When Miles Davis released Live-Evil in 1970, fans were immediately either taken aback or keenly attracted to its raw abstraction. It was intense and meandering at the same time; it was angular, edgy, and full of sharp teeth and open spaces that were never resolved. Listening to the last two CDs of The Cellar Door Sessions 1970, Sony's massive six-disc box set that documents six of the ten dates Davis and his band recorded during their four-day engagement at the fabled club, is a revelation now. The reason: it explains much of Live-Evil's live material with John McLaughlin. Read full review.

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Reviews from Amazon.com:

The Cellar Door Sessions 1970

Miles Davis Collection

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Web Site Calls Murtha's War Hero Status Into Question

WASHINGTON

Rep. John MurthaCOMMENTLINE
Reminiscent of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth efforts against Sen. Kerry during the 2004 presidential campaign, a conservative Web site, CNSNews.com, yesterday quoted Rep. Murtha opponents as questioning the circumstances surrounding the awarding of his two Purple Hearts.

I offer the story and related news articles for your contemplation.

NEWSLINES
"[Murtha] is putting himself forward as some combat veteran with serious wounds and he's using that and it's dishonest and it's wrong,"

"Questions about my record are clearly an attempt to distract attention from the real issue, which is that our brave men and women in uniform are dying and being injured every day in the middle of a civil war that can be resolved only by the Iraqis themselves,"
Murtha wrote in an email response.

NEWSBYTE
Murtha's War Hero Status Called Into Question
(CNSNews.com) -- Having ascended to the national stage as one of the most vocal critics of President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq, Pennsylvania Democratic Congressman John Murtha has long downplayed the controversy and the bitterness surrounding the two Purple Hearts he was awarded for military service in Vietnam.

RELATED
Web Site Attacks Critic of War
(Washingtonpost.com) -- Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), the former Marine who is an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq, has become the latest Democrat to have his Vietnam War decorations questioned.

'Vast majority' of US troops forced to leave Iraq by year's end: top congressman
WASHINGTON (AFP) - A veteran US congressman who set off a firestorm in November by calling for a quick American withdrawal from Iraq is now predicting "the vast majority" of US troops will leave the country by year's end, or maybe even sooner.

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Soldiers Upgrading Armor on Humvees: Report

IRAQ WAR

An Iraqi man celebrates on top of a burning U.S. Army Humvee in the northern part of Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, April 26, 2004. Soldiers exposed to Iraq's increasingly lethal roadside bombs, which can rip through even armored Humvees, are drawing upon wartime experience and stateside expertise to upgrade their vehicles with improvements like stronger armor and thermal detection cameras. This photograph is from a portfolio of Associated Press photographs that won the 2004 Pulitzer prize in breaking news photography, the AP's 48th Pulitzer. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)COMMENTLINE
In WW II, Allied soldiers invading Normandy became bogged down when they encountered German resistance nested within the impassable Bocage country hedgerows. Military intelligence had underestimated the depth and height of these obstacles. Invasion planners assumed the hedgerows were simply thick shrubs that could be easily driven through instead of vehicle stopping ancient earthen mound walls. Thus, in 1944, the military came unprepared for the fight.

The battlefield ingenuity of American soldiers prevailed when they welded a few iron beams into plows on the front of their Sherman tanks. This on-the-fly adaptation allowed them to smash right through the hedgerows and take the fight forward.

Then as it is now, it would be remiss to criticize the troops or the government for being unprepared. Rather, we should take pride in the ingenuity of the American soldier in rising to the task at hand.

Unlike then, as evidenced in the story linked below, we now have a shameful media who cannot help but backhandedly criticize the military every time there is something good to report.

NEWSLINE
"There is no Humvee armor strong enough to protect against roadside bombs packed with thousands of pounds of explosives."

NEWSBYTE
AP: Soldiers Upgrading Armor on Humvees
TIKRIT, Iraq - Soldiers exposed to Iraq's increasingly lethal roadside bombs, which can rip through armored Humvees, are drawing on wartime experience and stateside expertise to protect their vehicles with stronger armor and thermal detection cameras. Read full story.

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Friday, January 13, 2006

Images of the News: Friday, 13 Jan. 2006

An ash cloud from Augustine Volcano about 75 miles southeast of Homer, Alaska, drifts above the clouds after three eruptions on Friday Jan. 13, 2006. The cloud reached 30,000 feet and is threatening to rain ash on several Kenai Peninsula communities. (AP Photo/Al Grillo)
Water is sprayed on burning rubbish during a fire at a garbage dump in New Orleans January 13, 2006. No injuries were reported as the area was largely uninhabited due to damages caused by Hurricane Katrina. REUTERS/Lee Celano
Fog swirls around the Empire State Building at sunrise Friday, Jan. 13, 2006, in New York City. The New York area is experiencing unseasonably warm temperatures this week, with highs Friday expected to reach 52 degrees fahrenheit (11 Celcius). (AP Photos/Sean Thompson)
Bill Floyd helps clean up debris from a friends house that was hit by a tornado, Friday Jan. 13, 2006 in Belleville , Ala. A woman was killed Friday morning when a tornado struck this rural crossroads community, knocking down trees and damaging or destroying at least 18 homes, authorities said. (AP Photo/Rob Carr) More News Images on THE TENSION

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Regional Aspirations of Iran: Part 3

WORLD/MIDDLE EAST

Members of the 'National Council of Resistance of Iran' protest against the Iranian government and the nuclear program near the Foreign Ministry in Berlin on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2006. The British, French and German foreign ministers meet Thursday to agree on a response to Iran's resumption of nuclear activities, which has pushed international patience to the breaking point. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)COMMENTARY
Once again, presented for your consideration, a collection of recent stories in the news about Iran's political and nuclear ambitions. When taken together, the stories paint a worrisome picture.

NEWSLINE
"If the world should blow itself up, the last audible voice would be that of an expert saying it can't be done."

NEWSBYTES
Bush, Merkel Take Firm Stance Against Iran
(washingtonpost.com) -- President Bush and visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel said today they are pursuing diplomatic efforts to get Iran to end a suspected nuclear weapons program, which Bush said was "unacceptable" and a "grave threat" to world security.

Bush, Merkel Urge U.N. Action on Iran
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush and German Chancellor Angela Merkel stood together Friday in urging U.N. intervention if Iran does not retreat from a resumption of its nuclear program.

Iran threatens to curb inspections
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran threatened on Friday to block snap U.N. inspections of its nuclear facilities if it is taken to the U.N. Security Council, but the United States said the West would not be deflected from that course.

IAEA and Iran
JANUARY 2006 10, Tuesday: Iran Begins Removal of IAEA Seals at Enrichment-related Locations. IAEA inspectors have confirmed that Iran has started to remove IAEA seals on enrichment-related equipment and material at Natanz. Based on the information currently available, the removal of Agency seals at enrichment site of Natanz, and at two related storage and testing locations, Pars Trash and Farayand Technique, will be completed by 11 January 2006.

Iran threatens to block inspections if referred to U.N. council
(AP) -- Iran threatened on Friday to block inspections of its nuclear sites if confronted by the U.N. Security Council over its atomic activities. The hard-line president reaffirmed his country's intention to produce nuclear energy

Defiant Iran threatens to halt nuclear cooperation
TEHRAN (AFP) -- Iran threatened to stop cooperating with the UN atomic watchdog over its controversial nuclear program as US President George W. Bush said it would be "logical" to refer Tehran to the Security Council.

Europeans Seek U.N. Intervention on Iran
BERLIN (latimes.com) -- The standoff between Iran and the West intensified Thursday when three European foreign ministers said Tehran should be referred to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions after talks failed to persuade Iran to stop work on technology that could produce a nuclear weapon.

Nuke Standoff Intensifies Between Iran and the West
WASHINGTON (latimes.com) -- President Bush today declared that it was "unacceptable" for Iran, a sworn enemy of Israel, to acquire a nuclear weapon, and visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel strongly agreed, saying that it was "crucial for the Iranians to see how serious we are about this."

Calls Rise To Refer Iran to U.N. Body
PARIS, Jan. 12 (washingtonpost.com) -- The foreign ministers of Britain, Germany and France called Thursday for Iran to be referred to the U.N. Security Council for violating its nuclear treaty obligations, saying that their 2 1/2 years of negotiations reached a dead end this week when the Iranians resumed enriching uranium.

Iran crosses last red line; UN sanctions ahead?
PARIS (CSM) -– Iran's abrupt resumption of its nuclear program this week, throwing Tehran's clerical regime into open conflict with the rest of the world, appears to have doomed current diplomatic efforts to curb the country's nuclear ambitions.

Iran's Foreign Minister Threatens to Limit Atomic Inspectors
(NYT) -- Iran reacted angrily today to Europe's demand that Iran be referred to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.

Cleric says Iran will resist "psychological war"
TEHRAN (Reuters) - A leading Iranian cleric said on Friday the Islamic republic would resist the "psychological war" launched against its nuclear program, which the West fears is a front for covert bomb-making.

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The Alito Hearings

NATION/POLITICS

Judge AlitoCOMMENTLINE
Lately, I have tried to navigate my blog away from politics.

After a while it dawned on me that writing a political blog is so much like being a guest on The Jerry Springer Show. I had to ask myself what's the point. So, I'm working on it.

In any case, here's my humble observations of the Alito hearings.

Despite all the political grandstanding and bullying, I just don't understand why such smart elected folks didn't simply just have Alito's records as judge published on Powerpoint and projected up on a screen.

Heck, everyone could discuss Judge Alito's decisions in-depth and point-by-point!

Well, maybe that's an overly simplistic view on my part, but I am not so sure tax-paying Americans were well served by, for example, the bulldogged bark-fest between Sen. Kennedy and Sen. Spector over irrelevant material from Alito's college days.

You need look no further than the stories I have linked below to see how confused and politicized the messages about the confirmation hearings have become.

NEWSBYTES
Democrats Try to Slow Alito Confirmation
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Samuel Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court is gliding toward confirmation despite a week of hearings in which Democrats tried and failed to hobble his prospects with withering questions on abortion, presidential power and ethics.

Alito seems headed for confirmation
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito on Thursday was headed for Senate confirmation despite a protracted effort by combative Democrats to show he would move the court to the right on abortion and other divisive issues.

Judges Praise Alito in Character Testimonies
(FOX) -- Samuel Alito finishes final day of questioning as Dems took one last chance to probe nominee on 'inconsistencies' in his record.

Few Glimmers of How Conservative Judge Alito Is
(NYT) -- Samuel A. Alito Jr.'s judicial philosophy appears to align him with Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.

Dems weigh filibuster as Alito testimony ends
WASHINGTON (USA Today) -- Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said Thursday that he has "serious concerns" about Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, but there's no sign so far that opponents will be able to stop the judge's confirmation.

washingtonpost.com
A Right Cautious Nominee
Alito Likely To Become A Justice
Emphasis Shifts From Rights to Powers
A Hearing About Nothing

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Hurricane Katrina Aftermath News Pictures #32

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Thursday, January 12, 2006

New Apple iTunes Raises Privacy Issues

TECHNOLOGY

COMMENTLINE
I have yet to download this latest version of iTunes. After having been burned around version 5, I usually play wait and see before I update. Not that it matters all that much; I don't buy downloads, I always rip from a CD.

Since I like albums over individual songs, I find ripping tracks cheaper. My rips produce noticeably higher quality tracks. Plus, if I don't barter the CD away, I have a good hard-copy, including a case and liner notes.

Enough about me, it's off to the story.

NEWSLINE
"If this was Microsoft or RealNetworks, people would be screaming and calling for heads to roll."

NEWSBYTE
Apple's iTunes raises privacy concerns
A new version of Apple Computer's popular iTunes software, released Tuesday, is drawing barbs from privacy advocates for sending information about computer users' playlists back to Apple.
(CNET) -- The new music software includes a "MiniStore" window, which provides recommended links to Apple's music download service when a listener actively clicks on a song in their personal playlist, including songs that haven't been purchased from the iTunes store. Read full story.

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Frey Admits He Made Up Details for Book

BOOKS IN THE NEWS

James FreyCOMMENTLINE
James Fray has been making a million little trips to the bank.

After being called out by The Smoking Gun, he is now forced to admit some fabrications in his story.

Honestly, though, that doesn't bug me one bit.

The best twist to the whole story comes from Oprah Winfrey. In true Rathergate form, Oprah saves face by stating that, while the fact's ain't true, the story is relevant.

Just file the whole mess under Fiction.

NEWSBYTE
Writer Says He Made Up Some Details
(NYT) -- The author of a best-selling memoir whose truth was called into question this week acknowledged yesterday that he had made up details of his life.

But Oprah Winfrey, whose recommendation last fall of the memoir, "A Million Little Pieces," by James Frey, made it the best-selling book by any American author last year, said Wednesday that she would continue to recommend it despite Mr. Frey's admission that he made up significant aspects of his story of addiction and recovery. Read full story.

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From Amazon.com:

A Million Little Pieces (Oprah's Book Club)

My Friend Leonard

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Fight Online Fraud with Apple iPods: U.K. Official

TECHNOLOGY

Locked iPodCOMMENTLINE
Ah, it's the U.K. in search of a national identity ... a national identity card, that is. While it's all in fun, the idea says much for the security of digital certificates.

NEWSLINE
"It (an iPod with a digital certificate) would be cheaper than the ID Card scheme."

NEWSBYTE
U.K. official: Fight online fraud with iPods
A senior manager at a British government agency has come up with an alternative to the U.K.'s identity card scheme: Give everyone a free iPod installed with a digital certificate.
(CNET) -- Patrick Cooper, the head of applications and data services in the U.K. Department of Trade and Industry, floated the idea--albeit with his tongue firmly in cheek--at an event on Tuesday, hosted by Adobe Systems, to discuss technology predictions for 2006.

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It's Amazon.com for the best prices on iPods and accesories, most available with free Super Saver shipping:

Amazon.com iPod Store

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Katrina Anger Brings Gov. Blanco Recall Efforts

NATION/GULF COAST

Work continues at the site of the levee breech on the Industrial canal caused by Hurricane Katrina in the Lower Ninth Ward district Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006, in New Orleans. The city is dreaming big as it puts together a blueprint for its rebirth in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, reinventing the structure of government, recreating a long-gone jazz district, laying out a network of biking paths and light-rail lines, among other audacious ideas. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) COMMENTLINE
Recent Hurricane Katrina rebuilding efforts do little to sooth the emotions of those most effected. Folks are returning to storm-devastated homes only to find that the government has bulldozed into ruins anything left standing. Angry La. residents, finally fed up completely, are now calling for Gov. Blanco's recall.

I have included highlight stories linked below.

NEWSBYTES
Rebuilding Plan Angers Some New Orleanians
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Angry residents expressed frustration Wednesday at the debut of rebuilding proposals for this devastated city, taking aim at a suggested four-month moratorium on new building permits in areas heavily flooded by Hurricane Katrina.

La. Woman Files Governor Recall Petition
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- A Republican who says she has never worked on a political campaign filed documents Tuesday launching a drive to oust Gov. Kathleen Blanco, who was harshly criticized for her response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Recall Kathleen Blanco Website

Rebuilding Plan

Hostility Greets Katrina Recovery Plan
NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 11 (washingtonpost.com) -- Angry homeowners screamed and City Council members seethed Wednesday as this city's recovery commission recommended imposing a four-month building moratorium on most of New Orleans and creating a powerful new authority that could use eminent domain to seize homes in neighborhoods that will not be rebuilt.

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Wednesday, January 11, 2006

America is Shifting Leftward: Dick Morris

NATION

Dick MorrisCOMMENTLINE
I don't always agree with Dick Morris. Sure, he is a reformed Clintonista, but therein lies Dick's inability to always get it right. However, because he has been a long-time politico, I respect his opinions and present the link below to today's Op-Ed for your perusal.

I'll agree with Dick that it would appear America is slipping left. How much of apparent slippage is the smoke and mirrors of the media circus, who can say? Having recently moved from my home deep in the Red Zone, I can only offer a regional observation that there are a lot of folks who will usually see the pursuit of a liberal agenda as the lowest form of modern carpetbagging.

NEWSLINE
A big part of the reason is the success the Bush administration has had in solving and hence diminishing the importance of the Republican agenda. Taxes have been cut, we have not had a terror attack since Sept. 11 and trial lawyers are on the defensive. The issues that remain -- energy, environment, healthcare and Social Security -- usually are Democratic and liberal.

NEWSBYTE
America is shifting leftward
Dick Morris
(The Hill) -- It is always dangerous to generalize about ideological trends among the American electorate, since it will always lean right on certain issues (like defense, terrorism and taxes) and hew to the left on others (like healthcare, education, poverty and the environment). But the data are becoming overwhelming that the nation is moving left and is likely to stay that way through at least the 2006 election -- and, if President Bush doesn'’t adjust, for a lot longer. Full Article

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Amazon.com books by Dick Morris

Condi vs. Hillary : The Next Great Presidential Race

Rewriting History

Because He Could

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Israel Cancels Pat Robertson's Christian Theme Park

MIDDLE EAST

Pat RobertsonCOMMENTLINE
Here's your sign, Pat.

NEWSLINE
"We will do business with other evangelical leaders, friends of Israel, but not with him."

NEWSBYTE
Israel Cancels Pat Robertson's Christian Theme Park
(NEWSMAX) -- Israel will not do business with Pat Robertson after the evangelical leader suggested Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's massive stroke was divine punishment for the Gaza withdrawal, a tourism official said Wednesday.

Robertson is leading a group of evangelicals who have pledged to raise $50 million to build a large Christian tourism center in Israel's northern Galilee region, where tradition says Jesus lived and taught.

But Avi Hartuv, a spokesman for Tourism Minister Avraham Hirschson, said Israeli officials were furious with Robertson, a Christian broadcaster. A day after Sharon's Jan. 4 stroke, Robertson said the prime minister was being punished for "dividing God's land," - a reference to last summer's pullout from the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements. Read full story.

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Spam, Send a Flame, Go to Jail

COMPUTERS/TECHNOLOGY

COMMENTLINE
Ok, so it's now illegal to spam IMs or e-mail messages without disclosing your true identity. However, it's ok to flame someone on a mailing list or in a blog as long as you do it under your real name. Cool. I do that already! Many thanks to Congress for the controversial legislation.

So, what happens to annoy.com now?

NEWSLINE
"Who decides what's annoying?"

NEWSBYTE
Perspective: Create an e-annoyance, go to jail
Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime.
(CNET) -- It's no joke. Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-mail messages without disclosing your true identity. Read full story.

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Tuesday, January 10, 2006

NSA Whistleblower is New York Times Source

WASHINGTON

Russell TiceCOMMENTLINE
Speaking of warrants, it will be interesting when Russell Tice, former NSA employee, self-styled whistleblower, and New York Times source, is served one for leaking government secrets.

NEWSLINE
The NSA revoked Tice's security clearance in May of last year based on what it called psychological concerns and later dismissed him.

NEWSBYTE
NSA Whistleblower Alleges Illegal Spying
Former Employee Admits to Being a New York Times Source
Jan 10, 2006 (ABC) -- Russell Tice, a longtime insider at the National Security Agency, is now a whistleblower the agency would like to keep quiet.

RELATED
Watchdog Says He Can't Probe Spy Plan
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Justice Department's independent watchdog says it does not have jurisdiction to open an investigation into the legality of the Bush administration's domestic eavesdropping program.

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Images of the News: Tuesday, 10 Jan. 2006

The sun sets over New Jersey covered in a thick haze as seen from the top of the Rockefeller Center observation deck Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006 in New York. Mild temperatures in the upper 40s and low 50s are expected to continue throughout the week. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Skiers and snowboarders enjoy the spectacular views of Lake Tahoe during the reopening of Diamond Peak at Incline Village in Lake Tahoe, Nev., Monday, Jan 9, 2006. The resort has been hampered this season with rain and then a days-long power outage. Conditions on Monday were spring-like. (AP Photo/The Gazette-Journal, Tim Dunn)
Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito answers questions on the second day of his Senate confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill, January 10, 2006. (Jason Reed/Reuters)
Apple Computer Inc. CEO Steve Jobs gestures as he talks about Intel Corp. during the MacWorld conference in San Francisco, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006. Apple Computer Inc.'s historic shift to Intel Corp. microprocessors came months earlier than expected Tuesday as Jobs unveiled desktop and notebook computers based on new two-brained chips from the world's largest semiconductor company. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma) More News Images on THE TENSION

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The Sacrificial Beast Strikes Back

ODD NEWS

Sacrificial BeastCOMMENTLINE
It seems that Muslim animals have had enough. Can anyone say suicide bull?

NEWSLINE
Television showed a number of bulls escaping the knife and running down the streets. One butted open the door of a corner shop and took refuge inside. Angry bulls in at least two places attacked their would-be killers and put them in hospital.

NEWSBYTE
Sacrificial beasts strike back in Turkey
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The Muslim faithful are supposed to sacrifice sheep or other livestock for the Eid al-Adha festival, but in Turkey more than 1,600 people cut themselves and two died of heart attacks on Tuesday.

Turkey's streets annually run with blood as sheep and cattle have their throats cut on pavements and waste ground to commemorate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son for God. The scenes are decried by the secular media which every year calls for an end to the public slaughter. Read full story.

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O'Reilly to Appear on Good Morning America, Thurs. 12 Jan.

ENTERTAINMENT/MEDIA

ABC News Good Morning AmericaCOMMENTLINE
Here's an appearance note to folks who have been following the O'Reilly - Letterman brouhaha. Bill O'Reilly will appear on ABC's Good Morning America on Thursday, 12 January 2006.

I have included links to articles covering BillDave that O'Reilly mentioned on his show.

NEWSBYTES
David Letterman and the Culture War
(billoreilly.com) Thursday, Jan 05, 2006 -- Even though the war on terror dominates the headlines, the culture war in America is almost as intense. On one side you have traditionalists, people who believe the country was well founded, does mostly good things, and has become the most powerful nation on earth by adhering to Judeo-Christian principles like generosity, justice, and self-sacrifice.

LETTERMAN VS. O'REILLY
(New York Post) -- January 5, 2006 -- TV funnyman David Letterman traded punches with Fox News Channel yakmeister Bill O'Reilly on CBS's "Late Show" Tuesday night -- taking O'Reilly to task for supporting the Iraq war in an acrimonious exchange that departed from the usual lovefest between the gap-toothed host and his guests.

Bill O'Reilly gains publicity from verbal joust with David Letterman
(Newsday) -- As the saying goes, you can't buy publicity this good, and maybe Bill O'Reilly should put David Letterman on his Christmas card list next year.

O'Reilly can't take us for another spin
(Newsday) -- Talkmeister David Letterman is but the latest opponent to prick the balloon that is Bill O'Reilly. "I have the feeling about 60 percent of what you say is crap," the comedian told O'Reilly to wild laughter on the Letterman show the other night.

Letterman's O'Reilly Factor: Verbal Clash
(People) -- A clash of the titans took place Tuesday night on Late Show with David Letterman, when the usually apolitical host let conservative FOX News pundit Bill O'Reilly have it with both barrels on such topics as Iraq.

Letterman unbalanced
(Detroit News) -- We knew Fox News' Bill O'Reilly could dish it out, but he can take it as well. O'Reilly sat politely through an insulting session Tuesday night with David Letterman, who used the opportunity to vent his opinions on the Bush administration and the Iraq war. It was just as biased and one-sided as the left accuses Fox of being. And it was as rude as television gets.

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Monday, January 9, 2006

Saddam's Terror Training Camps

MIDDLE EAST

Saddam HusseinCOMMENTLINE
The current edition of Weekly Standard includes an article titled, "Saddam's Terror Training Camps." Sure to be overlooked by the mainstream media, I have included reference to the article here because it details important facts that are sourced to names other than anonymous. The author discusses the successes and failures of the DOCEX (Document Exploitation) program and the lack of public attention given to the project.

NEWSLINES
The discovery of the information on jihadist training camps in Iraq would seem to have two major consequences: It exposes the flawed assumptions of the experts and U.S. intelligence officials who told us for years that a secularist like Saddam Hussein would never work with Islamic radicals, any more than such jihadists would work with an infidel like the Iraqi dictator. It also reminds us that valuable information remains buried in the mountain of documents recovered in Afghanistan and Iraq over the past four years.

The main worry is that the mainstream press might cherry-pick documents and mischaracterize their meaning. "There is always the concern that people would be chasing a lot of information good or bad, and when the Times or the Post splashes a headline about some sensational-sounding document that would seem to 'prove' that sanctions were working, or that Saddam was just a misunderstood patriot, or some other nonsense, we'd spend a lot of time chasing around after it."


NEWSBYTE
Saddam's Terror Training Camps
What the documents captured from the former Iraqi regime reveal--and why they should all be made public.
(Weekly Standard) -- THE FORMER IRAQI REGIME OF Saddam Hussein trained thousands of radical Islamic terrorists from the region at camps in Iraq over the four years immediately preceding the U.S. invasion, according to documents and photographs recovered by the U.S. military in postwar Iraq. The existence and character of these documents has been confirmed to THE WEEKLY STANDARD by eleven U.S. government officials. Read full story.

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Images of the News: Monday, 9 Jan. 2006

A mouse took fiery revenge on a man who threw it into a pile of burning leaves by burning his house down.(AFP/Illustration)
A model stands near the V-12 powered Ferrari 612 Scaglietti at a press preview of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan January 9, 2006. REUTERS/J.P. Moczulski
A view of the New York Stock Exchange. Wall Street's Dow Jones Industrial Average index finished above 11,000 for the first time in over 4-1/2 years, extending the surprising market rally of early 2006.(AFP/File/Stan Honda)
These Spitzer Space Telescope infrared images, released January 9, 2006, show 14 massive stars on the verge of exploding as supernovae. These hefty stars reside in one of the most massive star clusters in the Milky Way Galaxy, which scientists on Monday said is warped -- like a bowl, a saddle or the brim of a fedora hat, depending on when you look. The bluish cluster is inside the white box in the large image, which shows the star-studded region around it. A close-up of the cluster can be seen in the inset photo. NASA/HandoutMore News Images on THE TENSION

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A Million Little Pieces and The Smoking Gun

BOOKS IN THE NEWS

James FreyCOMMENTLINE
I haven't read James Frey's book, "A Million Little Pieces," and I probably won't read it. Rest assured, however, my short piece about the book is not an opinion and is mainly for your information.

The book appears to be a runaway hit. But there's more trouble brewing than in the book's stories. It appears the folks over at The Smoking Gun have made the book and its author a major project, and as such, have devoted much research and space on their Web site reporting the results of their probe.

NEWSLINE
Police reports, court records, interviews with law enforcement personnel, and other sources have put the lie to many key sections of Frey's book.

NEWSBYTE
A Million Little Lies: The man who conned Oprah
"Book Club" author's best-selling nonfiction memoir filled with fabrications, falsehoods, other fakery, TSG probe finds.
(TSG) -- JANUARY 8--Oprah Winfrey's been had.

Three months ago, in what the talk show host termed a "radical departure," Winfrey announced that "A Million Little Pieces," author James Frey's nonfiction memoir of his vomit-caked years as an alcoholic, drug addict, and criminal, was her latest selection for the world's most powerful book club. Read full story.

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From Amazon.com:

A Million Little Pieces (Oprah's Book Club)

My Friend Leonard

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Letterman - O'Reilly Still Reverberating on the Net

MEDIA

ALSO SEE
O'Reilly to Appear on Good Morning America, Thurs. 12 Jan.

Bill O'ReillyCOMMENTLINE
Bill O'Reilly greeted me on AOL this morning.

On the Welcome screen, AOL blasted the headline: Stepping Into Ring With Bill O'Reilly Is Getting Crowded

Huh? Wasn't that last week's news?

Having gained much from my association with AOL in the past, I am usually the last person to overly criticize them for the small stuff. However, the folks in the AOL newsroom were pretty slow on the uptake and missed this netbuzz. I realize AP just ran the BillDave story on Sunday and AOL just picked the story up for Monday. For AOL's sake, I guess I'll have to defer to the old saying, "Better late than never."

As far as the actual story goes, could it be that Bill O'Reilly is actually smarter than all the liberal elites he baits into irrational attacks? (Take note Media Matters, Keith Olbermann.)

Only Bill's ratings know for sure.

NOTE: If you want to see my original article including transcript of the Letterman - O'Reilly interview, you can find it here: Letterman - O'Reilly: Unofficial Transcript, Late Show 3 Jan. 2006

NEWSLINE
Who will have the last laugh?

NEWSBYTE
AOL News -Stepping Into Ring With Bill O'Reilly Is Getting Crowded
Non-AOL link: Stepping into the ring with Bill O'Reilly is getting more crowded
NEW YORK (AP) -- If Bill O'Reilly truly loves a good fight, then he's had quite a week.

The Fox News Channel personality's confrontation with David Letterman Tuesday night made for some gripping television. The cranky 'Late Show' host told his guest: "I have the feeling about 60 percent of what you say is crap.'' Read full story.

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Remembering Lou Rawls

ENTERTAINMENT/MUSIC

Lou RawlsNEWSBYTE
Lou Rawls: 50 years of class, soul
(USA Today) -- Lou Rawls, the classy soul star whose easy smile and rich baritone made him one of music's most distinctive singers, is probably best known for his 1970s pop hits: You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine, Natural Man. But Rawls' repertoire was far broader.

By 1959, he had switched to secular music. In 1962, he made the jazz album Stormy Monday, his first album of more than 50. Four years later, he had his first big R&B/pop hit, Love Is a Hurtin' Thing, and he opened for The Beatles at Crosley Field in Cincinnati that year. He won his first of three Grammy Awards in 1967 with Dead End Street. Read full story.

RELATED
Audio: Listen to clips of Rawls' songs
RIP: Lou Rawls

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From the USA Today story above, courtesy of Amazon.com, five essential Lou Rawls albums:

Live!

Lou Rawls Live

All Things in Time

All Things in Time/Unmistakably Lou

When You Hear Lou, You've Heard It All

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