Newsweek profiles Duke Rape Frame-Up Case defendant Reade Seligmann in its current issue. It is a remarkable piece in so many ways, but i am particularly struck by this tidbit of information near the end of the article.

"I always believed that the truth will trump everything," he says. "I have to believe that." He'd already planned to go to law school, but now, he says, it's gotten personal: he wants to become a criminal defense lawyer.

This experience would be sufficient to make even the most optimistic person cynical, but it hasn't cone so with this young man. Instead, it has given him a purpose --to ensure that no other defendant gets violated in the way he has by rogue DA Mike Nifong. Maybe that will be a positive outcome of this travesty of justice.

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There are few college sports programs I dislike more than the University of Southern California. I'll root against them in virtually any game in which their opponent isn't Michigan, Michigan State, or any team from the state of Florida (especially Miami).

But today my heart is broken for the Trojans and their fans following the senseless death of their incredible young kicker, Mario Danelo.

Police said there was no evidence pointing to suicide in the death of Southern California kicker Mario Danelo, whose body was found about 120 feet down a rocky cliff.

"I have no indication per se that it was a criminal event," Lt. David Pierson, commanding officer of the LAPD Harbor Division detectives, told the Los Angeles Times. "But we exhaust all leads to ensure that we're making the right categorization of the case."

Pierson said investigators had information that Danelo was out with friends Friday night and that he was last seen around midnight. His body was found Saturday afternoon near Point Fermin lighthouse in the city's San Pedro section.

Pierson said police had no information as to whether Danelo had been drinking and that there was no evidence he committed suicide. Martha Garcia of the Los Angeles Police Department said the body showed signs of traumatic injuries.

I cannot even begin to imagine the depth of the loss being experienced by the Danelo family at this time, and my prayers are with them. May God reach out and comfort them in this time of tragedy.

Posted by: Greg at 08:45 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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There are few Americans in politics today who I see as having more integrity than Senator Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.). His willingness to put the needs of the nation above the needs of his party nearly cost him everything in 2006, but it didn't -- and clearly demonstrates why he would be worthy of a chapter in Profiles in Courage if John F. Kennedy were writing it today rather than a half century ago.

Connecticut Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman shared his own thoughts on Bush's plan. "We need an increase in troops there now," he asserted before an audience of military experts and academics. "It must be substantial, and it must be sustained."

Lieberman was sworn in last week as the chamber's one and only "independent Democrat," with the emphasis on "independent." On most issues, including big domestic priorities, he expects to vote as he has for the past 18 years, as a loyal Democrat. But on Iraq, Lieberman is more in sync with Bush than are many Republicans. He is a passionate defender of the war as a death struggle against Islamic terrorism.

* * *

One Lieberman trait that particularly rankles Democrats is his abiding loyalty to Bush. A few days after the Wall Street Journal published the senator's op-ed piece, Lieberman lectured at a foreign policy conference. "It is time for Democrats who distrust President Bush to acknowledge that he will be commander in chief for three more critical years," he said, "and that in matters of war we undermine presidential credibility at our nation's peril."

The senator was a bit more measured Friday, but his point was clear.

"The president of the United States gets this," Lieberman said. "I think he sees the moment that we are at in the larger war on terrorism and the significance of how we conclude the war in Iraq, how devastating it would be to the Iraqis, to the Middle East, to America if we simply withdrew. He needs our support."

I want to disagree with the author of this article. Liberman is not being loyal to George W. Bush. Rather, he is being loyal to the very American notion that politics ends at the water's edge, and that during time of war we need to fight to victory. Indeed, that is the only appropriate "exit strategy" for the United State in Iraq -- "Win, then bring the troops home."

I'm not a fan of "fusion tickets". I could never vote for John McCain because of his betrayal of the First Amendment. But with that single exception, I will state for the record that I could be quite enthusiastic about a 2008 GOP ticket that showed the true meaning of bipartisanship by including Joe Lieberman in the second slot.

Because after all -- patriotism matters more than party labels.

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This may turn out to be a "win-win" discovery for everyone -- a relatively easy to acquire source of stem cells that doesn't require the taking of human lives!

Scientists reported Sunday they had found a plentiful source of stem cells in the fluid that cushions babies in the womb and produced a variety of tissue types from these cells — sidestepping the controversy over destroying embryos for research.

Researchers at Wake Forest University and Harvard University reported the stem cells they drew from amniotic fluid donated by pregnant women hold much the same promise as embryonic stem cells. They reported they were able to extract the stem cells without harm to mother or fetus and turn their discovery into several different tissue cell types, including brain, liver and bone.

"Our hope is that these cells will provide a valuable resource for tissue repair and for engineered organs as well," said Dr. Anthony Atala, head of Wake Forest's regenerative medicine institute and senior researcher on the project.

It took Atala's team some seven years of research to determine the cells they found were truly stem cells that "can be used to produce a broad range of cells that may be valuable for therapy."

Now this development likely means that we don't have to deal with the issue of cloned embryos or aborted babies being used for "spare parts" by ghouls claiming to be scientists. It means that much of the promise that allegedly exists in fetal stem cell research can be achieved without complicity in the abortion holocaust. (and I say "allegedly exists" because the most promising results have come from adult, not fetal, stem cell research).

Of course, some of the ghouls insist that they have to keep killing babies to achieve progress.

Dr. George Daley, a Harvard University stem cell researcher, said that finding raises the possibility that someday expectant parents can freeze amnio stem cells for future tissue replacement in a sick child without fear of immune rejection.

Nonetheless, Daley said the discovery shouldn't be used as a replacement for human embryonic stem cell research.

"While they are fascinating subjects of study in their own right, they are not a substitute for human embryonic stem cells, which allow scientists to address a host of other interesting questions in early human development," said Daley, who began work last year to clone human embryos to produce stem cells.

Dr. Mengele -- Dr. Daley calling for you on line one.

Posted by: Greg at 08:16 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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No, not the many political prisoners rotting in Castro's tropical gulags, nor the Cuban people yearning to be free from Communist tyranny.

No, this disgrace to American motherhood, who supports the Cuban dictator, wants freedom for terrorists who want to destroy the United States.

American "peace mom" Cindy Sheehan called for the closure of the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as she and other activists arrived here Saturday to draw attention to the nearly 400 terror suspects held at the remote site.

Sheehan is among 12 human rights and anti-war activists who will travel across this Caribbean island next week, arriving at the main gate of the Guantanamo base in eastern Cuba on Thursday -- five years after the first prisoners were flown in.

"Anyone who knows me, knows that I am not afraid of anything," Sheehan said when asked about the possibility of U.S. sanctions for traveling to communist-run Cuba, which remains under an American trade embargo.

"What is more important is the inhumanity that my government is perpetrating at Guantanamo," she told reporters.

Sheehan, 49, of Vacaville, Calif., became an anti-war activist known as the "peace mom" after losing her 24-year-old son Casey in Iraq in April 2004.

Gee, Cindy, what a way to honor your son -- seeking freedom for the ideological soulmates of those who killed him!

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The winning entries in the Watcher's Council vote for this week are Religion and Politics: Intolerance Is Growing by Right Wing Nut House, and The Blogosphere at War by The Belmont Club.  Here is where you can find the full results of the vote. 

Here are the full tallies of all votes cast:

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Down here in Houston, Mayor Bill White wants to do something about the proliferation of convenience store robberies and killings over the last several years -- particularly jumping in 2006. He's forming a "task force".

A new task force will study ways to combat crime at Houston convenience stores, where last year at least four clerks were shot to death during robberies.

City leaders on Friday announced the creation of the group, which will include store owners, security consultants, gasoline company representatives and community members. The effort is the latest initiative by the city to reduce crime.

Abdul Khan, who was robbed twice last year at the Seven Evening Food Store in southwest Houston, including a daytime robbery by two men who held him and several customers at gunpoint, welcomed the announcement.

"Before, it was quiet and peaceful — the customers came in and were kind. Then, last year, we were robbed twice," Khan said.

In announcing the formation of the task force, Mayor Bill White said, "We're doing this because we want to protect our stores, their employees and customers. We wanted some of the best minds in the business to help us with strategies to prevent crime and not just to react to it."

Members of the Task Force on Convenience Store Security will study convenience stores' surveillance technologies, building codes, management processes and law enforcement procedures.

Based on an analysis of those findings, the group then will make recommendations to the mayor on improving safety, as well as suggestions for more crime prevention measures.

Mr. Mayor, here is a better way of dealing with such crimes -- one that is quick, effective, and sure to discourage the criminal element. It seems to have worked in this Las Vegas case.

A convenience store manager shot and killed a robbery suspect and injured another Friday after the men entered his North Las Vegas store and took the manager and several customers hostage.

The two suspects held up the American Mini Market at 2564 Las Vegas Blvd. North on Friday afternoon, North Las Vegas police said. Then, the robbery suspects bound the store manager and several customers using zip ties and tried to rob them, police said.

The manager, whose name was not released, escaped from the ties and retrieved a gun stashed inside the store. Shortly after 2 p.m., the manager exchanged "a bunch" of shots with the suspects, North Las Vegas police spokesman Tim Bedwell said.

Both of the suspects were hit with gunfire.

One of suspects stumbled out of the store and died in the parking lot, Bedwell said. The other, whose name also was not released, was hit in the lower extremities and fled on foot, leaving a trail of blood, he said.

The suspect was caught by police and taken to University Medical Center, where he was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening, Bedwell said. Police said the man could be charged with robbery and murder once he recovers from his wounds. Under Nevada law, a suspect in a felony crime in which a person dies can be charged with murder even if their actions didn't directly cause the death.

No one else was injured in the shooting.

"This is how we like these incidents to end up," Bedwell said.

Ideally, this is how more should end -- with the robbers dead on the floor at the hands of their intended victims.

I'd love to know how many of the dead clerks here in Houston had a firearm within reach, so that they could defend themselves from the violent predators who took their lives. I'd love to know how many of the robbery victims were armed to protect themselves from the thugs who terrorized them. My guess is that the answer is "not nearly enough.

Some would argue that my solution would make for a more violent society. I disagree. Indeed, I'd argue that the implementation of my proposal would make for a safer society, one in which the crime rate goes down because the cowardly criminal element recognizes the likelihood of being on the receiving end of a lethal injection of 9mm of lead.

OPEN TRACKBACKING AT Pink Flamingo, Right Voices, Adam's Blog, 123Beta, stickNstein, Amboy Times, Faultline USA, The Hill Chronicles, Digger's Realm, Jo's Cafe, Rightwing Guy, Gulf Coast hurricane Tracker, Blue Star Chronicles, Stop the ACLU, Woman Honor Thyself, Wake Up America, Random Yak, Samantha Burns, Third World County, Perri Nelson, Pirate's Cove, Stuck On Stupid, Dumb Ox, Faultline USA, Diary of the Mad Pigeon, Right Voices, Uncooperative Blogger, The World According to Carl, Outside the Beltway, Pursuing Holiness, Right Voices, Pink Flamingo, stickNstein, Rightwing Guy, Conservative Cat

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Here is a little something for the race-baiters and poverty pimps of the Left (including Bawney Fwank) to consider.

Up here, in the Northern Plains, we just recovered from a Historic event— may I even say a “Weather Event” of “Biblical Proportions” — with a historic blizzard of up to 44″ inches of snow and winds to 90 MPH that broke trees in half, knocked down utility poles, stranded hundreds of motorists in lethal snow banks, closed ALL roads, isolated scores of communities and cut power to 10Â’s of thousands. George Bush did not come.

FEMA did nothing.

No one howled for the government.

No one blamed the government.

No one even uttered an expletive on TV.

Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton did not visit.

Our Mayor did not blame Bush or anyone else.

Our Governor did not blame Bush or anyone else, either.

CNN, ABC, CBS, FOX or NBC did not visit - or report on this category 5 snowstorm. Nobody demanded $2,000 debit cards.

No one asked for a FEMA Trailer House.

No one looted.

Nobody - I mean Nobody demanded the government do something.

Nobody expected the government to do anything, either.

No Larry King, No Bill OÂ’Rielly, No Oprah, No Chris Mathews and No Geraldo Rivera.

No Shaun Penn, No Barbara Striesand, No Hollywood types to be found.

Nope, we just melted the snow for water.

Sent out caravans of SUVÂ’s to pluck people out of snow engulfed cars.

The truck drivers pulled people out of snow banks and didnÂ’t ask for a penny.

Local restaurants made food and the police and fire departments delivered it to the snowbound families. Families took in the stranded people - total strangers.

We fired up wood stoves, broke out coal oil lanterns or Coleman lanterns.

We put on extra layers of clothes because up here it is “Work or Die”.

We did not wait for some affirmative action government to get us out of a mess created by being immobilized by a welfare program that trades votes for Â’sittin at homeÂ’ checks.

Even though a Category “5″ blizzard of this scale has never fallen this early, we know it can happen and how to deal with it ourselves.

In my many travels, I have noticed that once one gets north of about 48 degrees North Latitude, 90% of the worldÂ’s social problems evaporate.

It does seem that way, at least to me.

I hope this gets passed on.

And as one who had family impacted by this mess and the recent winter storms that left family members in Washington and Oregon blacked-out for days in unseasonably cold weather, I won't even try to argue that the lack of media frenzy, massive federal response and presidential visits was based upon racism, incompetence or lack of concern -- or claim that the weather was a government conspiracy or designed to commit genocide.

H/T The Conspiracy To Keep You Poor & Stupid, Areopagitica, Colossus of Rhodey

UPDATE: Want to bet this doesn't rate a presidential visit, saturation news coverage, or left-wing conspiracy theories about how "the Bush Crime Family and CIA did this to distract from Iraq"?

Posted by: Greg at 06:57 AM | Comments (14) | Add Comment
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You know, some mistakes are really not acceptable. This is one.

Fortunately, Wolf Blitzer apologized today for this mistake from yesterday's edition of The Situation Room.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: One additional note, I just want to make a correction, an apology, Soledad, for what we did yesterday. In "THE SITUATION ROOM," we had a bad typographical error in one of ourgraphics. We were doing a piece on the hunt for Osama bin Laden in this new year 2007.

Unfortunately there was a graphic, instead of saying where is Osama, it said where is Obama. We want to apologize for that bad typo. We want to also apologize personally to Senator Barack Obama. I'm going to be making a call to him later this morning to offer my personal apology –Soledad.

The KOSsacks are, of course, frothing. They forget who the first national figure was who made that mistake -- fellow Senator Jabba the Drunk Ted Kennedy (D-Chappaquidick).

UPDATE -- 1/6/07: Some loony lefties (and some not-so-loony lefties) are still complaining about this obvious typo on CNN. I bet none of them were so upset when this error was made during an appearance by Congress On Racial Equality representative and Republican strategist Niger Innis appeared on MSNBC in 2002.

Then again, many of them probably think this is a fair description of any black Republican.

H/T Crooks & Liars and Raw Story

Posted by: Greg at 01:00 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Sort of like Wheaties is the Breakfast of Democrats.

After all, what else do you call a group that votes to supposedly limit lobbyist influence, but then goes to a $1000-a-plate fundraiser full of lobbyists with open checkbooks?

Democrats say they were returned to power in part because of corruption and ethical lapses of the Republican Congress. They promised to clean up the swamp and crack down on lobbyists.

But hours after changing House rules to reduce favors from lobbyists, it was back to business as usual in Washington.

Democrats threw a $1,000-a-person fundraising concert in Washington Thursday night, with Hollywood celebrities, big donors and those lobbyists writing checks to re-elect Democrats.

“Tonight we are having a celebration!” said Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. "Democrats are back!”

You see lobbyists are bad -- until they are giving money to the Democrats, at which point they are a vital, indeed essential, part of the political system.

I particularly love this particular laugh line from Queen Nancy's spokeswhoreperson.

Speaker Pelosi's spokesperson says there were only about 200 lobbyists at Thursday night's fundraising concert, and that this still will be the most open, honest Congress ever.

Taking money from lobbyists at Nancy's Place? I'm shocked! Shocked!

Posted by: Greg at 01:52 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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We folks here in CD22 are a conservative bunch -- so of course our new "representative" voted for Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House.

One of only two freshmen in the 34-member Texas delegation, Lampson also praised the importance of the House vote installing Pelosi as the first female speaker in the chamber's history.

He cast that vote with granddaughter Olivia, who turns 2 next month, in his arms.

Yep -- backing that San Francisco liberal certainly is a prime example of representing the beliefs of the people of the district.

It should be a fun two years, cataloging every betrayal of CD22 by the carpetbagger, Nick Lampson.

Posted by: Greg at 01:26 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I guess that some Democrats want to ensure that the Louisiana Freezer Alligator (Bribus freezeris William-Jeffersonis) remains in Queen Nancy's "ethical swamp".

On the same day that the 110th Democratic-led Congress convenes with a plan to immediately pass lobbyist and ethics reforms, the Congressional Black Caucus Thursday gave a standing ovation to Rep. William Jefferson, the Louisiana Democrat who faces an FBI probe into bribery allegations.

"The haters... and negative nabobs...the people who spoke against him couldn't prevail against the people who spoke for him," Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, master of ceremonies for the CBC's celebratory event, said Thursday morning.

I guess racial solidarity trumps integrity for the CDC.

Posted by: Greg at 10:45 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Unless this Massachusetts scumbag has proof of his claim that George W. Bush has committed ethnic cleansing against Americans – and I mean documents or video that prove as much -- he must resign from the House of Representatives in well-deserved disgrace. And if he will not, his colleagues must expel him for such an intolerable statement.

Welcome to the “new tone” in Democrat “bipartisanship”.

H/T Michelle Malkin, Hot Air, Jawa Report, Seven Stripes, Gay Patriot

Posted by: Greg at 10:32 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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But we canÂ’t tell you who to look for.

Police have refused to release photographs of two escaped murderers, claiming it might breach their human rights, it was revealed today.

Killers Jason Croft and Michael Nixon are among 13 inmates to have absconded from Sudbury open jail in Derbyshire in the past two months.

Despite the fact that only two have been caught - and that the killers are still on the loose - Derbyshire Police said the public do not have a right to know what the convicts look like.

A spokesman for Derbyshire Police said: "When making a decision to release any photograph, police forces must take into account numerous factors including the public interest test, whether there is a strong local policing purpose and, of course, the Human Rights and Data Protection Acts.

"Photographs of named people that are in police possession are classed as data and their release is restricted by law.

"Acpo (Association of Chief Police Officers) guidance states that releasing a 'wanted' photograph of a named person should only happen in exceptional circumstances where officers believe that the named suspect may be a danger to the public."

Which means, of course, that for the last two months these criminals have been at large, and the public can in no way assist with finding them. After all, the logic goes, those killers have a human right not to be identified or stigmatized by being identified publicly as criminals.

Posted by: Greg at 10:30 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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DonÂ’t let the door hit you in the turban on the way out, scumbag.

A Muslim leader from Ohio who was convicted of lying about his involvement with a group the U.S. government designated a terrorist organization has been deported to his native Palestinian territories, immigration authorities said Friday.

Fawaz Damra, 46, was convicted in June 2004 of concealing his ties to Palestinian Islamic Jihad when he applied for U.S. citizenship in 1994.

Damra, who served as imam at one of the Cleveland's largest mosques, was deported on Thursday, said Tim Counts, spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Earlier, Damra had agreed to be deported to Qatar.

He ought to be headed to Gitmo instead. HereÂ’s hoping the Israelis keep close tabs on him.

Posted by: Greg at 10:28 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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First it was maps and a survival guide -- now it seems that some Mexican authorities are going to provide GPS services to border jumping immigration criminals as they seek to break into the United States in violation of American sovereignty.

Two state government institutions are studying the possibility of giving Mexican migrants GPS locators that could be used to call the U.S. Border Patrol for help.

The locators would be given to migrants who are thinking of crossing the border, and would give U.S. Border Patrol agents the location of those in trouble. The U.S. government has yet to sign off on the project, which is still in the planning stages.

Hundreds of Mexicans are killed each year trying to sneak illegally into the United States. Many are lost or succumb to heat exhaustion in the desert, while others are killed trying to swim across the Rio Grande or hide in vehicles.

Supporters of the initiative argue that it could save hundreds of lives. Among those looking at the possibility is Jesus Torreblanca, who works for Puebla state's Commission for the Attention of Migrants.

"This won't guarantee that they won't be detained by the Border Patrol or face deportation, and it won't keep them from facing risks in the desert," he said today. "It is simply an effort at rescuing people while they are still alive."

He denied that the locators would encourage illegal migration.

"Our main purpose is to show people the enormous dangers they risk in crossing rivers, canals and deserts ... but the phenomenon of immigration is something that can't be stopped overnight," he said.

Mexico's Monterrey Tech University is developing the locators, which would be cheap and easy to carry and activate. They would be handed out for free to migrants.

Torreblanca said the locators might be ready by March.

It was unclear whether the U.S. government would approve such a project. In the past, similar campaigns to help migrants in distress have been criticized by U.S. anti-immigration groups as condoning illegal migration.

"The U.S. government has every right to protect its borders anyway it sees necessary," Torreblanca said. "The only thing that we ask is that they respect human rights."

And all we ask is that you folks in Mexican government respect American sovereignty -- and that you begin by acting to stop the incursions by your citizens into the United States, rather than helping them.

Posted by: Greg at 11:36 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Frankly, the information in this article does not come as any great surprise to me -- the financial oversight policies in place in most dioceses are such that embezzlement is almost certain to be caught at some point. And given that every parish -- plus the diocese and its subsidiary agencies -- have separate accounts, it isn't all that shocking that someone, somewhere, will try to put their finger in the till.

A survey by researchers at Villanova University has found that 85 percent of Roman Catholic dioceses that responded had discovered embezzlement of church money in the last five years, with 11 percent reporting that more than $500,000 had been stolen.

The Catholic Church has some of the most rigorous financial guidelines of any denomination, specialists in church ethics said, but the survey found that the guidelines were often ignored in parishes. And when no one is looking, the cash that goes into the collection plate does not always get deposited into the churchÂ’s bank account.

“As a faith-based organization, we place a lot of trust in our folks,” said Chuck Zech, a co-author of the study and director of the Center for the Study of Church Management at Villanova.

“We think if you work for a church — you’re a volunteer or a priest — the last thing on your mind is to do something dishonest,” Mr. Zech said. “But people are people, and there’s a lot of temptation there, and with the cash-based aspect of how churches operate, it’s pretty easy.”

Specialists in church ethics said they believed this was the first study to assess the extent of embezzlement in a denomination.

The reality is that most large organizations face some sort of attempt at embezzlement at some point. A local public university just lost a lot of money to a crooked professor. The school district where I work recently had a case involving an accounting clerk siphoning off enough funds to pay the salaries of three or four first-year teachers or a couple of computer labs. The Episcopal Church lost millions a couple of years ago to a crooked staff member in their national office. What I'm saying is that financial fraud happens wherever there is lots of money floating around.

Indeed, I'd love to see what a study of other denominations would show.

Posted by: Greg at 11:31 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Not that we need a fence, a wall, or the full militarization of our nation's southern border or any such thing. After all, it isn't like we take such matters seriously in this country.!

A U.S. Border Patrol entry Identification Team site was overrun Wednesday night along Arizona's border with Mexico.

According to the Border Patrol, an unknown number of gunmen attacked the site in the state's West Desert Region around 11 p.m. The site is manned by National Guardsmen. Those guardsmen were forced to retreat.

The Border Patrol will not say whether shots were fired. However, no Guardsmen were injured in the incident.

The Border Patrol says the incident occurred somewhere along the 120 mile section of the border between Nogales and Lukeville. The area is known as a drug corridor. Last year, 124-thousand pounds of illegal drugs were confiscated in this area.

The Border patrol says the attackers quickly retreated back into Mexico.

Not, of course, that the US government would have done a damn thing if the gunmen had decided to stay. After all, they were just here to violate borders Americans are unwilling to violate.

Posted by: Greg at 04:29 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Three heartbeats from the presidency.

"Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds."

Robert Byrd

The Democrat Party -- Making America Proud!

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I enjoyed JonÂ’s show during his radio years, but am revolted by the sordid activities in which he engages and the disgusting conduct to which he has admitted. Hopefully he will be locked away from society soon.

A court hearing to determine if probation will be revoked for former radio talk show host Jon Matthews was rescheduled for next month.

Matthews, 61, appeared in a Fort Bend County court room today where prosecutors had planned to ask state District Judge Brady Elliott to revoke his probation and sentence him to prison.

However, Lee Cox, the attorney for Matthews, asked the judge to reschedule the hearing. Elliott reset the case for Feb. 9.

"There are some things I am investigating and I need more time to prepare," Cox said after the hearing which lasted only a few seconds.

The state alleges that Matthews violated several terms of the probation he received two years ago after he pleaded guilty to exposing himself to an 11-year-old girl.

Matthews, a fixture on Houston's radio scene for almost two decades, was jailed in August after prosecutors filed a motion to revoke the probation and send him to prison. He was later released on bail.

Court records show Matthews violated several probation conditions the court set in 2004 when he entered his plea on the charge that stemmed from the October 2003 incident.

I’ll refrain from reprinting the illegal &/or immoral conduct in which he has engaged in violation of his probation (which I do not believe he should have received to begin with). It is simply too depraved for belief. Indeed, Matthews has made himself a “poster child” (forgive the term) for why those convicted of sex crimes with minors should be shown no leniency whatsoever.

H/T Lone Star Times

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The editors of the Rocky Mountain News are spot-on in their analysis of the Darrent Williams murder – it isn’t the guns or their availablity, it is the cultural message that demands their use at the slightest provocation. You know, the glorification of the thug found in “gangsta culture”.

What makes someone spray a limousine with bullets even though he has no idea who might die? A "gun culture," answers The Denver Post, under the headline "Williams' murder a cowardly gun crime."

Suffice it to say that the murder of Darrent Williams would not have occurred, at least in the fashion it did, without a gun. But that fact in itself explains little. What is most horrifying about this crime was the killer's casual targeting of people he hardly knew or didn't know at all over what perhaps was a disagreement or a perceived slight - an example of "disrespect" that had to be avenged.

It may be "culture" at the bottom of this tragedy, all right - gangster culture. Criminal culture. Culture in which lethal violence is considered the accepted if not the anticipated response to, for example, a heated argument.

One need look no further than rap music to find this message reinforced day after day. Too many of my students show up at school in their “Scarface” shirts and claim that the Al Pacino movie exemplifies their philosophy of life. And if I hear one more story of a fight of a student getting into a fight with another kid because “he/she was talking mess about me”, I’ll surpass the million mark.

We’ve always had guns in this society, and we always will. What we didn’t have was the message that violence and killing are the first response rather than the last and the mark of manhood. Let’s eradicate that message, not eliminate a tool with many legitimate uses.

Posted by: Greg at 10:34 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The editors of the Rocky Mountain News are spot-on in their analysis of the Darrent Williams murder – it isn’t the guns or their availablity, it is the cultural message that demands their use at the slightest provocation. You know, the glorification of the thug found in “gangsta culture”.

What makes someone spray a limousine with bullets even though he has no idea who might die? A "gun culture," answers The Denver Post, under the headline "Williams' murder a cowardly gun crime."

Suffice it to say that the murder of Darrent Williams would not have occurred, at least in the fashion it did, without a gun. But that fact in itself explains little. What is most horrifying about this crime was the killer's casual targeting of people he hardly knew or didn't know at all over what perhaps was a disagreement or a perceived slight - an example of "disrespect" that had to be avenged.

It may be "culture" at the bottom of this tragedy, all right - gangster culture. Criminal culture. Culture in which lethal violence is considered the accepted if not the anticipated response to, for example, a heated argument.

One need look no further than rap music to find this message reinforced day after day. Too many of my students show up at school in their “Scarface” shirts and claim that the Al Pacino movie exemplifies their philosophy of life. And if I hear one more story of a fight of a student getting into a fight with another kid because “he/she was talking mess about me”, I’ll surpass the million mark.

WeÂ’ve always had guns in this society, and we always will. What we didnÂ’t have was the message that violence and killing are the first response rather than the last and the mark of manhood. LetÂ’s eradicate that message, not eliminate a tool with many legitimate uses.

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The Dems now control both Houses of Congress.

The 110th Congress convened Thursday with Democrats in control of both the House and Senate for the first time in a dozen years. "Today we make history. Today we change the direction of our country," exulted Rep. Nancy Pelosi, poised to become the first woman speaker in history.

With her grandchildren joining her for the historic moment, Pelosi beamed as her name was placed in nomination and the party-line roll call commenced.

I cannot help but notice the difference in how the AP treats this power change as opposed to the 1994 shift of partisan control.

Dingell administered the same oath to former Speaker Newt Gingrich, R- Ga., 12 years ago when Republicans seized the House after 40 years of Democratic control _ and he's set to get back his gavel as the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Democrats are “in control”; Republicans “seize power”. No bias in that language – none at all.

MORE COVERGE of this national tragedy.

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How, precisely will they do this? By decreasing freedom, of course!

American companies can expect proposals mandating increased wages and health care, a boost in union membership and greater scrutiny of trade agreements, a key Democrat promised Wednesday.

It's all part of the new Democratic congressional majority's agenda to reduce what Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) calls "inequality" that inhibits economic growth.

"Inequality is not necessarily a bad thing. It's necessary in the capitalist system, and I'm a capitalist," Frank said during a speech to the National Press Club. "But we do not have to have a government that reinforces it."

Frank has a definite agenda, though – letting the government tell business how to do business.

Frank was not specific on every proposal, but he said he intends to hold hearings into income disparity and what the government can do about it. He is also proposing a "grand bargain" that will tie trade bills, regulatory relief and other business-friendly legislation to mandates on increased wages, union empowerment and health care coverage.

"Government doesn't have to interfere with the free enterprise system, but we can work along with it to reduce inequality," Frank said.

Of course, everything Frank is proposing does interfere with free enterprise.

Government will tell businesses how much they must pay heir workers and what benefits they must offer. Government will force in unions, even upon workers who don’t want to be a part of them. And government will impose conditions and restrictions upon how they do business.

I believe that is generally called socialism by economists, Barney.

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How, precisely will they do this? By decreasing freedom, of course!

American companies can expect proposals mandating increased wages and health care, a boost in union membership and greater scrutiny of trade agreements, a key Democrat promised Wednesday.

It's all part of the new Democratic congressional majority's agenda to reduce what Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) calls "inequality" that inhibits economic growth.

"Inequality is not necessarily a bad thing. It's necessary in the capitalist system, and I'm a capitalist," Frank said during a speech to the National Press Club. "But we do not have to have a government that reinforces it."

Frank has a definite agenda, though – letting the government tell business how to do business.

Frank was not specific on every proposal, but he said he intends to hold hearings into income disparity and what the government can do about it. He is also proposing a "grand bargain" that will tie trade bills, regulatory relief and other business-friendly legislation to mandates on increased wages, union empowerment and health care coverage.

"Government doesn't have to interfere with the free enterprise system, but we can work along with it to reduce inequality," Frank said.

Of course, everything Frank is proposing does interfere with free enterprise.

Government will tell businesses how much they must pay heir workers and what benefits they must offer. Government will force in unions, even upon workers who donÂ’t want to be a part of them. And government will impose conditions and restrictions upon how they do business.

I believe that is generally called socialism by economists, Barney.

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Is Sean Hannity the ascendant voice of American conservatism? Well, it could be, given his increasing talk time.

If 2007 is supposed to be a big year for liberals, conservative voice box Sean Hannity didn't get the memo. The man not only keeps going and going, but he's also growing and growing.

Already heard 2-5 p.m. daily on KPRC 950 AM and 8-9 p.m. on Fox News Channel, Hannity will now appear 8-9 p.m. Sundays starting this weekend on FNC, as well. Unlike his weeknight gig opposite Alan Colmes, he'll host Hannity's America solo.

"What I want to do with this are things I couldn't do on Hannity & Colmes," said the Man Who Loves to Talk. "We're going to have reporters assigned to the show, and we're going to go out and find stories nobody else is covering."

The show will also include, he said, an on-the-street segment, a Sunday "rewind," a two-on-two political debate and a segment called the Hannity Hot Seat.

I do not watch H&C, and rarely listen to his show for more than a few minutes in the afternoon -- but i wish him well.

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Kids do dumb things all the time -- that is part of being a kid.

It is sad when those things result in their death.

A 10-year-old boy who apparently was mimicking the execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein accidentally hanged himself on New Year's Eve, authorities said.

Webster police Lt. Tom Claunch said officers were called to an apartment in the 800 block of NASA Parkway about 7:30 p.m. on Sunday and found the boy dead.

Sergio Pelico's mother told police he had watched a report on Saddam's death on a Telemundo news broadcast before he hanged himself, Claunch said.

"It appears to be accidental," he said of the boy's death. "Our gut reaction is that he was experimenting."

My deepest condolences to the Pelico family.

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is their own constituency.

House Democrats tried to unveil their lobbying reform package today, but their press conference was drowned out by chants from anti-war activists who want Congress to stop funding the Iraq war before taking on other issues.

Led by Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a slain soldier, the protesters chanted "De-escalate, investigate, troops home now" as Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., began outlining the Democrats' plans to ban lobbyist-funded travel and institute other ethics reforms. The press conference was held in the Cannon House Office Building in an area open to the public.

Emanuel finally gave up trying to be heard over the chants, and retreated to a caucus room where Democrats were meeting.

Sheehan says she has nothing against lobbying reform, but she and her fellow anti-war activists want Democrats to know they will keep pressuring Congress to end the war in Iraq.

"We wanted the Democrats to know they're back in power because of the grass roots," Sheehan says.

The anti-war activists held their own Capitol Hill press conference earlier in the day before deciding to attend the lobbying reform press conference as well.

Not that this pathetic woman who has made a career of whoring her dead soldier-son is necessarily in favor of ethics reform.

Before the chanting started, Sheehan got a hug from Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., the new chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

After all -- Conyers has just owned up to abusing his government-paid staff by using them for personal and campaign purposes.

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Are they not the most annoying thing on television today?

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Signaling that the university recognizes the dubious nature of the charges against them, two of the students charged in the Duke Rape Frame-Up Case have received letters from a senior administrator at Duke University welcoming them back to campus as students in good standing for the spring semester.

Duke University will allow two former lacrosse players accused of sexual assault to return to campus as students in good standing.

The university informed Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty in letters dated Jan. 2 that they were welcome to come back to Duke for the coming semester. They they had been placed on interim suspension and then administrative leave of absence. The third accused player, David Evans, graduated from Duke last year.

It's unclear whether Seligmann and Finnerty will accept Duke's offer to return this semester. The next court hearing in the case is scheduled for Feb. 5.

The gesture reflects the university's new stance toward the three former players. After rape charges were dropped in December, Duke President Richard Brodhead issued a statement calling into question Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong's handling of the case and the fact that kidnapping and sexual assault charges remain against the three men.

In a letter to Seligmann, Larry Moneta, vice president for student affairs, wrote: "As circumstances have evolved in this extraordinary case, we have attempted to balance recognition of the gravity of legal charges with the presumption of your innocence. Now with the approach of a new term, we believe that circumstances warrant that we strike this balance differently."

The return of these young men to school is a complicated question. Both are still facing serious charges, and could stand trial during the coming semester. Would their return to school be an additional complication as they prepare to defend themselves against the increasingly flimsy charges brought by DA Mike Nifong? Will they really be welcome on a campus where a large group of professors have publicly issued a statement declaring them guilty – a statement that has never been retracted? Given the race-baiting engaged in by Nifong and others, will these young men be physically safe in Durham? Frankly, I’d be surprised to see either of them return prior to their full acquittal or the dropping of all charges – and even then I wonder if it would be more appropriate for them to make a clean start somewhere else.

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The paperwork for the “exploratory committee” has been filed, making it all but official that Mitt Romney will actively pursue the 2008 GOP presidential nomination.

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said Wednesday he's taking the first step in a 2008 presidential bid, joining an increasingly crowded field of Republican hopefuls.

"We've filed exploratory papers today, so the process is moving forward on that front," he told reporters Wednesday, his final day in office.

A spokesman for Romney later said the paperwork officially would be filed late Wednesday afternoon in Washington with the Federal Election Commission. The formation of an exploratory committee allows Romney to raise and spend money for a presidential run.

Romney's confirmation of his plans comes after a 10-day period of contemplation during a family vacation in Utah and follows several years in which he acknowledged he was considering a White House run but hadn't made a final decision about pursuing the presidency.

Forming an exploratory committee is the prelude to a full declaration of candidacy for the presidency,

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Jack Kelly nails it – and explains why the Ethiopians are so successful in Somalia and the US is bogged down in Iraq.

Ethiopia won in short order because it unapologetically used force against vicious people who understand only force. They killed the people they needed to kill without worrying overmuch about collateral damage, and not at all about world opinion. And though the Ethiopian soldiers are Christians, they were hailed as liberators in this overwhelmingly Muslim country.

What is more important – victory, or appeasing the unappeasable critics of military action?

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I’m not one of those who has a problem with Keith Ellison using a Koran for his ceremonial swearing-in – indeed, I have been critical of those who do. But even if I did, I think I’d have to admire Ellison’s decision to tie himself to one of America’s greatest Founding Fathers with this brilliant choice.

Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, found himself under attack last month when he announced he'd take his oath of office on the Koran -- especially from Virginia Rep. Virgil Goode, who called it a threat to American values.

Yet the holy book at tomorrow's ceremony has an unassailably all-American provenance. We've learned that the new congressman -- in a savvy bit of political symbolism -- will hold the personal copy once owned by Thomas Jefferson.

"He wanted to use a Koran that was special," said Mark Dimunation, chief of the rare book and special collections division at the Library of Congress, who was contacted by the Minnesota Dem early in December. Dimunation, who grew up in Ellison's 5th District, was happy to help.

Jefferson's copy is an English translation by George Sale published in the 1750s; it survived the 1851 fire that destroyed most of Jefferson's collection and has his customary initialing on the pages. This isn't the first historic book used for swearing-in ceremonies -- the Library has allowed VIPs to use rare Bibles for inaugurations and other special occasions.

Ellison will take the official oath of office along with the other incoming members in the House chamber, then use the Koran in his individual, ceremonial oath with new Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "Keith is paying respect not only to the founding fathers' belief in religious freedom but the Constitution itself," said Ellison spokesman Rick Jauert.

Whatever one’s view of Islam, it is hard not to see this as a well-intended move to pay homage to the founding principles of America – and the men who established the nation whose Constitution Ellison will swear to uphold.

Posted by: Greg at 11:15 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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I’m not one of those who has a problem with Keith Ellison using a Koran for his ceremonial swearing-in – indeed, I have been critical of those who do. But even if I did, I think I’d have to admire Ellison’s decision to tie himself to one of America’s greatest Founding Fathers with this brilliant choice.

Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, found himself under attack last month when he announced he'd take his oath of office on the Koran -- especially from Virginia Rep. Virgil Goode, who called it a threat to American values.

Yet the holy book at tomorrow's ceremony has an unassailably all-American provenance. We've learned that the new congressman -- in a savvy bit of political symbolism -- will hold the personal copy once owned by Thomas Jefferson.

"He wanted to use a Koran that was special," said Mark Dimunation, chief of the rare book and special collections division at the Library of Congress, who was contacted by the Minnesota Dem early in December. Dimunation, who grew up in Ellison's 5th District, was happy to help.

Jefferson's copy is an English translation by George Sale published in the 1750s; it survived the 1851 fire that destroyed most of Jefferson's collection and has his customary initialing on the pages. This isn't the first historic book used for swearing-in ceremonies -- the Library has allowed VIPs to use rare Bibles for inaugurations and other special occasions.

Ellison will take the official oath of office along with the other incoming members in the House chamber, then use the Koran in his individual, ceremonial oath with new Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "Keith is paying respect not only to the founding fathers' belief in religious freedom but the Constitution itself," said Ellison spokesman Rick Jauert.

Whatever one’s view of Islam, it is hard not to see this as a well-intended move to pay homage to the founding principles of America – and the men who established the nation whose Constitution Ellison will swear to uphold.

Posted by: Greg at 11:15 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Well, there have always been false prophets, claiming to speak in the name of God.

In what has become an annual tradition of prognostications, religious broadcaster Pat Robertson predicted Tuesday that a terrorist attack on the United States would result in "mass killing" late in 2007.

"I'm not necessarily saying it's going to be nuclear," he said during his news-and-talk television show "The 700 Club" on the Christian Broadcasting Network. "The Lord didn't say nuclear. But I do believe it will be something like that."

Robertson said God told him during a recent prayer retreat that major cities and possibly millions of people will be affected by the attack, which should take place sometime after September.

Robertson said God also told him that the U.S. only feigns friendship with Israel and that U.S. policies are pushing Israel toward "national suicide."

But given that the predicted tsunamis hitting the US didn’t happen in 2006, I think we can safely categorize Robertson – and disregard this claim.

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Some folks have absolutely no shame -- and Duke Rape Frame-Up Case prosecutor Mike Nifong is clearly one of them. He claims that he is not part of the problem in Durham, and that he will help heal the racial wounds and divisions that exist.

District Attorney Mike Nifong said after a private swearing-in Tuesday that he intends to help Durham heal the wounds of the Duke University lacrosse case.

The prosecutor, who faces ethics charges for his public statements about the sexual assault case against three former lacrosse players, began his four-year term of office in a ceremony closed to avoid reporters.

Nifong answered questions after the ceremony but declined to discuss the lacrosse case or whether he will remain its prosecutor. He said his work as Durham's top law enforcement official will be to help the community recover from the case, which has drawn international attention.

"I don't feel that I'm part of the problem. I feel that I have assisted in revealing the problem," Nifong said. "Durham has some healing to do. And I need to be part of that healing process, and I need to have something to do with how we move forward."

Let's see, mike -- you've taken a case that had potential to inflame racial tensions if mishandled and exploited it to get votes in the black community, while at teh same time engaging in prosecutorial misconduct that appears to violate a number of laws and the civil rights of the defendants. But you are the healer?

No, Mr. Nifong -- you are the carrier of the pathogen.

Posted by: Greg at 12:34 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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And so the people may actually get their say on the issue of gay marriage in that state.

Massachusetts legislators approved a measure yesterday that next year could allow voters to overturn a historic same-sex marriage law in the only state in the nation where such unions are legal.

A bitterly divided state legislature voted to advance a proposed amendment to the state constitution that defines marriage exclusively as a union between a man and a woman. If the measure survives another legislative vote, it will go on the statewide ballot in 2008, a presidential election year.

And I'll say it quite clearly -- the outcome of that election is less important to me than the issue of allowing the people's voice to be heard. Gay marriage was imposed upon Massachusetts by the courts -- it is hardly unreasonable to let the true source of political power in the state weigh in on the issue.

Posted by: Greg at 12:13 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Look at what counts as “an unreported independent expenditure or a prohibited corporate expenditure."

In a decision announced Tuesday, the FEC sent an “admonishment letter” to Kirk Shelmerdine Racing. Kirk Shelmerdine, a former pit boss for the late Dale Earnhardt, has been an unsuccessful, underfunded and undersponsored driver. He has never finished higher than 26th.

So back in 2004, in a move perhaps designed to draw some attention to his car, he placed a “Bush-Cheney ’04” decal on his rear quarter panel, which was otherwise unencumbered by advertising. Democratic activist Sydnor Thompson complained to the FEC, and the agency found that Shelmerdine “may have made an unreported independent expenditure or a prohibited corporate expenditure.”

This literally amounts to a ruling that a bumper sticker can count as a regulated contribution, if it is placed on a commercial vehicle. So rather than being permitted to engage in the sort of political speech clearly envisioned by the Founding Fathers when they adopted the First Amendment, we have a pathetic gang of government bureaucrats determining that such political speech violates laws designed to suppress and regulate political speech.

Former FEC commissioner Bradley Smith makes an observation about the placement of the sticker by Shelmerdine – in light of the fact that no one was willing to pay to place a logo or other sponsorship decal on that part of the car, “evidence is strong that the market value of Shelmerdine’s rear quarter panel was approximately $0, give or take $249.”

UPDATE -- 1/3/2007: Ryan Sager makes this pointed observation about how far this absurd ruling could go in allowing the regulation of political speech -- and the danger of just such absurdity.

With this case, the FEC has opened a new and disturbing door. If the agency claims oversight over any endorsement that it sees as valuable, what's next? Celebrities routinely get paid for endorsements. Is a rock star wearing a "Kerry for President" or "Impeach Bush" shirt now fair game?

It seems that, so long as trouble-makers are ready to write up the complaints, the FEC is happy to take any nutball theory for a few spins around the track - no matter how ludicrous the repercussions for free speech in our democracy.

Indeed -- this case proves that "campaign finance reform" has become less about ending corruption than it is about regulating speech and the ability of Americans to freely participate in the American political process.

Posted by: Greg at 12:10 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Last April, we Houston Texans fans expected that the defensive rookie of the year would be wearing our uniform. After all, we had just taken Mario Williams with the first pick of the draft. Surely it would be him.

Well, we were half right.

The winner of that honor is a Texan -- but not Williams. It is DeMeco Ryans.

DeMeco Ryans came into the NFL as Houston's second choice to bolster its defense. He leaves his first pro year as The Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The linebacker, chosen at the top of the second round of last April's draft — 32 spots after the Texans made defensive end Mario Williams the first overall selection — was a runaway winner of the award announced Wednesday. Ryans led the league in solo tackles with 126, and his 156 total tackles were 33 more than the next-best rookie, Detroit linebacker Ernie Sims.

In fact, no rookie in the last 20 years had more tackles than Ryans, who was an All-American at Alabama in 2005. And Ryans had more tackles than any of the other five linebackers who won the award this decade, including Brian Urlacher and Shawne Merriman.

"It's always nice to be touted as one of the best and have a big-time stat, but I credit that to the other 10 guys that are around me on defense," Ryans said. "We wouldn't be talking about me without those other 10 guys out there."

This young many has bee absolutely incredible -- and clearly outshined Williams. he's also become a fan favorite, with a winning personality and a genuine warmth shown towards the people of his professional home. And the great thing is that we know there is more to come from this kid, that he has yet to reach his full potential.

So congratulations, DeMeco -- you earned this one.

And I'll keep that autographed football in the place of honor it deserves.

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Initial reports indicate it was lost by an aide this fall, and leaked to the press by a supporter of another GOP hopeful.

It's clearly laid out in 140 pages of printed text, handwriting and spreadsheets: The top-secret plan for Rudy Giuliani's bid for the White House.

The remarkably detailed dossier sets out the budgets, schedules and fund-raising plans that will underpin the former New York mayor's presidential campaign - as well as his aides' worries that personal and political baggage could scuttle his run.

At the center of his efforts: a massive fund-raising push to bring in at least $100 million this year, with a scramble for at least $25 million in the next three months alone.

The loss of the battle plan is a remarkable breach in the high-stakes game of presidential politics and a potentially disastrous blunder for Giuliani in the early stages of his campaign.

The document also examines the possible skeletons in the Giuliani closet.

One page cites the explicit concern that he might "drop out of [the] race" as a consequence of his potentially "insurmountable" personal and political vulnerabilities.

On the same page is a list of the candidate's central problems in bullet-point form: his private sector business; disgraced former aide Bernard Kerik; his third wife, Judith Nathan Giuliani; "social issues," on which is he is more liberal than most Republicans, and his former wife Donna Hanover.

The concerns appear to be listed as issues for Giuliani law partner Pat Oxford to address and are followed by the central question of the campaign:

Are there "prob[lem]s that are insurmount[able]?" it asks, adding, "Has anyone reviewed with RWG?" Giuliani, whose middle name is William, is referred to throughout the document by his initials.

"All will come out - in worst light," the memo continues. "$100 million against us on this stuff."

The Giuliani campaign has fired back, claiming the document was stolen from an aide's luggage, not mislaid and forgotten.

Giuliani spokeswoman Sunny Mindel claimed it was actually pilfered from a piece of airline luggage.

"This wasn't left in a hotel," Mindel told The Associated Press. "This is clearly a dirty trick. The voters are sick and tired of this kind of thing."

Ms. Mindel said that while working on the 2006 campaign trail, a Giuliani aide lost a piece of luggage containing the paper.

"After repeated requests over the course of a few days, the bag was finally returned with the document inside. Because our staffer had custody of this document at all times except for this one occasion, it is clear that the document was removed from the luggage and photocopied," she said.

If that is the case, I am not pleased. This sort of crap is bad for the GOP, and I will not look kindly on anyone involved in stealing the document, if that is what happened.

Regardless, though, the document presents some fascinating insights into the Giuliani machine.

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