Oscar Jr. Was Here

Following the Money

Long-time readers of this site, if any still exist, know that I am a fan of TradeSports. Here's what the speculators on TradeSports, risking their own money, think of the Presidential race today:

Thanks to Pejman for pointing out the state-by-state data. Thanks to Stephen Green for prompting me to update my earlier, unpublished, analyses of these data. Jay Reding independently arrives at the same conclusion as the TradeSports traders. Invest, Jay, invest.

There's a Word for This, Right?

On July 20, 2003, The Philadelphia Inquirer quotes Democratic strategist Mary Anne Marsh on presidential candidate and Vietnam-era "ski bum" Howard Dean in this article:

Of the nine Democratic candidates, the former Vermont governor is drawing the biggest crowds, and in the second quarter of 2003, with the help of his Web site, he was the sole Democrat to raise money in all 50 states. In the words of Democratic strategist Mary Anne Marsh, who is neutral in the presidential race: "He has cleared every obstacle to legitimacy. He's the real deal."

On August 20, 2004, in an interview on Hannity & Colmes, Democratic strategist Mary Anne Marsh characterizes George W. Bush's National Guard service during the Vietnam War (I paraphrase until I can access a transcript):

George Bush betrayed his country by not serving in Vietnam.

Did something change between those dates?

Link to the Future

This post by Zombyboy (or one of his co-bloggers) doesn't exist yet, but it's almost certainly worth reading. CLICK.

Please do check it out once they've gotten around to posting it.

Update: See, I told you. And Zombyboy responds.

Abu Ghraib News

On OpinionJournal, Dorothy Rabinowitz reports on evidence released in Lynndie England's Article 32 hearing on the Abu Ghraib abuses. Based on England's prior statements, it appears that those who attempted to blame the abuses on the Bush administration were (surprise, surprise) making unsupported assertions. Excerpt:

This was a decidedly different explanation from the one she initially gave, according to the Army investigator who first confronted her with the photographs. Months before those were made public, investigator Paul Arthur testified at the recent Article 32 hearing, Pfc. England had told him that the photos of her humiliating the naked prisoners had been taken just in order to have some fun--just some fooling around while on the night shift. There was no mention of orders from higher-ups. The just-following-orders defense would come later--the explanation offered not only by Lynndie England but most of the other six members of the 372nd Military Police Company facing serious prison if convicted.

It was a defense instantly embraced by every antiwar, anti-administration organ in the nation. Those at the topmost levels of the military including Donald Rumsfeld and the president himself, it was argued, were in one way or another responsible for torments inflicted on the prisoners--torments that must have been designed, or at the least suggested, by superior officers high in the chain of command. Editorial writers and other commentators professed astonishment that anyone could believe ordinary soldiers might be moved to commit acts of sadism and terrorization all on their own. They had to have been directed to do so, we were assured by all quarters of progressive and enlightened opinion; there could be no other explanation. A strange argument, that, but an inevitable and determined one--particularly for the legions of antiwar warriors who saw at once that in the Abu Ghraib story they had struck gold.

Dog bites man once again.

By the way, I think my posting on this poor, neglected blog should be returning to a less-sporadic pace. My workload seems to be reverting to normal. I also intend to spend more time on the ever-improving Blogs around the World page.

In any event, thanks for visiting.

Maureen Has 9 Messages

I don’t even know why I bother having telephone at my apartment. Real people email me or call me on my cell phone.

"..You have nine new messages and six old messages..."

#1 Sara from Debt Solutions, called to let me know that I am pre-approved for debt consolidation, and that I should call her back with my statements ready to discuss.

(Umm...I don’t have any debt.)

#2 The Sierra Club. They are so smart they started talking way before my machine picked up, so I missed the beginning. All I understood was that I should contact the Bush administration and urge them to "stop their assault on the environment."

(Huh? Is GW starting fist fights with buffalo?)

#3 "Paul Smith from Big Sky, a local satellite company." He told me he’s been in my neighborhood installing systems, and that one of my neighbors had recommended me.

(Umm...I don’t have a television. What neighbors? True, I live on a highly populated block, but nobody knows my name or my telephone number– well except for the pizza shop across the street.)

#4 Beth from Pioneer Movers. Called to discuss the estimate I requested.

(I did email a moving company and received an estimate, but this company is not the one I called. However, this is the only message from a live person I received.)

#5 The Sierra Club called again.

(Are you kidding me?)

#6 Sara Tate from Express Consolidation, called to let me know that I am pre-approved for debt consolidation and that I should call her back with my statements ready to discuss.

(Haven’t we already been through this? Are you sure you're not the same Sara from Debt Solutions?)

#7 "CONGRATULATIONS! You have won a 22 gig computer and a digital camera and a new cell phone and... you must have a ( -inaudible- ) savings account to qualify!

(Lucky me!...I still don’t have a savings account.)

#8 Your order is ready and will be until August 5th. Thanks for choosing Rite Aid.

(What order? I have no idea what you’re talking about.)

#9 Paul Church from Satellite TV promotions.

(I think I’ve been through this too. Is this Paul Smith?)

I know what you’re all thinking right now: "everybody hates telemarketers" and "frreeeak!"

Blogs around the World News -- News

For many countries on the Blogs around the World page, I've been unable to locate any (or many) English-language weblogs that post, at least occasionally, on national news. (I have a few suggestions in my inbox that I still need to add.)

Therefore, to assist researchers, I've added (for Africa only so far) links to non-blog news sites (indicated by this news icon). Blogs are indicated by this blogger icon.

I tried to include the best news sites available based on a cursory review, but have not vetted any at this point. I expect that I'll be removing some links, and adding others, as this project proceeds. Some of the links (e.g., Libya's Jana) are to governmental news agencies.

I hope any readers will find this to be an increasing useful resource.