President Bush Spins NIE Report: We have to say that we are not surprised at President Bush's comments on the NIE report in his Wednesday press conference, but we are impressed with his continuing ability to twist and turn and spin any and all news into a warning of dire future events. No wonder defense-related business is booming!
Imus and Chris Floyd: Imus is back: Not only on the radio but on television, on something called RFD (rural free delivery). Listen up for Sam's comments on his new show, as well as Chris Floyd's succinct observation on moving the goal posts backward.
Economics: Credit cards and the mortgage crisis continue to grab headlines, and we concentrate on " A Swarm of Swindlers", Bob Herbert's compelling op-ed from Nov. 20 N.Y. Times. Describing the tragic spiral of Rosa Dailey, her now dead sister and mother who were taken advantage of by predatory lenders, Herbert outlines a typical case reflecting outright fraud committed against thousands of vulnerable homeowners, leaving them to enjoy cornflakes and canned vegetables in freezing temperatures for the holidays. That is, if they still have a home. The bright spot? Lawsuits. Listen up.
Supreme Court May Overturn Military Commissions Act: Wednesday oral arguments give a glimpse into the thinking of the justices in considering whether the Gitmo detainees have constitutional rights, according to CNN and MSNBC's Tom Curry. Join us for an explanation.
Where Are Those Pesky Emails? We are intrigued by Matt Renner's "Waxman, Mukasey and Ten Million Missing Emails", published Wednesday in Truthout. We're talking about 10 million internal emails erased between March 2003 and October 2005 due to a "system failure", in addition to thousands more generated through use of unofficial email accounts by White House staff to conduct official business. Wow. Despite White House spokesperson Dana Perino's assurance that any emails that had been deleted would be available on back up tapes, no one has seen them, but good old Henry Waxman continues to pursue them in investigating who was involved in the Plame leak. And he's asking Attorney General Mukasey for help. Wanna bet on the outcome?
Misleading Numbers: Rena Havner's "Little Known Rule Helps Schools Meet State Standards", published Sunday in the Mobile Press-Register is a real eye-opener. Here's the deal. A little-known provision in the No Child Left Behind Act allows schools to give a half-credit for each child who comes close to passing a standardized test, inflating state performance standards to the point that 73 Mobile schools passed rather than the 11 that would have without the half point credits. Baldwin County? 41 of 42 schools with the half credit, probably none without it. False sense of security here or what?
Well folks, we hope that you will spread the word, buy some stuff from our store, and forward your comments and suggestions. We'll return Monday December 9. Thanks!
