Day: July 5, 2006

Plagiarist Ann Coulter in 2003 Accused NYT of ‘Making up Facts, Plagiarizing’ and ‘Lying’ in Jayson Blair Scandal

Jon Ponder
“[The New York Times] ought to claim all those front-page articles predicting a “quagmire” in Iraq were also written by Blair,” Coulter wrote just days after Bush declared “mission accomplished” in Iraq.

It appears certain now that Ann Coulter has widely and regularly plagiarized the writing of others, including work published both in the liberal media and by rightwing organizations:

[A] 25-word passage from a [chapter in Coulter’s current bestseller “Godless”] titled “The Holiest Sacrament: Abortion” appears to have been lifted nearly word for word from Planned Parenthood literature published at least 18 months before Coulter’s 281-page book was released.

A separate, 24-word string from the chapter “The Creation Myth” appeared about a year earlier in the San Francisco Chronicle with just one word change – “stacked” was changed to “piled.”

Another 33-word passage that appears five pages into “Godless” allegedly comes from a 1999 article in the Portland (Maine) Press Herald.

Plus:

[A] 2003 column that included “six passages, ranging from 10 to 48 words each, that appeared 15 years earlier in the same order in an L.A. Times article.”

And:

“Her June 29, 2005, column, ‘Thou Shalt Not Commit Religion,’ incorporates 10 facts on National Endowment for the Arts-funded work that originally appeared in the same order in a 1991 Heritage Foundation report, ‘The National Endowment for the Arts: Misusing Taxpayers’ Money.’ But again, the Heritage Foundation isn’t credited.”

So has black-hearted Annie ever lashed out at her fellow cribbers-in-crime. You bet she has! In a May 15, 2003, column, titled “The Old Gray Liar,” about the the Jayson Blair plagiarism scandal at the New York Times, Coulter wrote:

The New York Times is to be commended for ferreting out Jayson Blair, the reporter recently discovered making up facts, plagiarizing other news organizations, and lying about nonexistent trips and interviews. A newspaper that employs Maureen Dowd can’t have had an easy time settling on Blair as the scapegoat. Blair’s record of inaccuracies, lies and distortions made him a candidate for either immediate dismissal or his own regular column on the op-ed page.

A sentence or two later, Coulter proves how wrong she can be. Writing just two weeks after President Bush landed on the Abe Lincoln and declared “mission accomplished in Iraq,” she said:

They ought to claim all those front-page articles predicting a “quagmire” in Iraq were also written by Blair.

Poll: Some Columnists Say Writing Is Like Sex; Some Don’t

Buck Banks

The prurient pen: An article in Editor & Publisher discusses a recent survey of U.S. newspaper columnists and how they viewed their craft. It came up with some interesting findings:

The University of San Francisco’s J. Michael Robertson unveiled the results of his survey Saturday at the National Society of Newspaper Columnists (NSNC) conference here. Columnists polled included salaried and freelance writers from 38 states and Canada who write in categories such as political, general-interest, humor, and metro.

Writing for PR was like sex insofar as it left them “sweaty, exhausted and slightly nauseous”

When asked “what writing a column is like,” 26 percent of salaried columnists called it a job and 17 percent likened it to sex. But Robertson explained that this wasn’t necessarily a positive thing; he said some columnists feel like they’re “married to a nymphomaniac” because they have to start working on another column as soon as they’re finished with the previous one.

Of the columnists who call themselves political, 22 percent identified themselves as Democrats, 44 percent as independents, and 20 percent as Republicans.

Since the poll dealt only with columnists for tree-killing newspapers instead of surveying the more environmentally friendly on-line columnists like those who write for Pensito Review, we conducted a nonscientific poll at PR World Headquarters and found that all of our responses fell within the margin of error.

Thirty percent of Pensito Review columnists likened writing for the site to sex, but said “it’s like the worse sex I ever had.” Another third said writing for PR was like sex insofar as it left them “sweaty, exhausted and slightly nauseous.” The remaining 30 percent of columnists said writing for PR was exactly like sex because they “do it naked at the computer.”

As to the political leanings of the columnists, 30 percent described themselves as “angry, embittered Democrats,” 30 percent as “crushed, hopeless Democrats” and 30 percent as “insouciant, indifferent independents.”

Asked why they contributed to Pensito Review, 100 percent of respondents said they do it for the glory, not for the money.

Next Hot Spot: Gulf of Guinea

Buck Banks

About the oil: Yeah, I didn’t know where it was, either. It’s on the southwestern Atlantic coast of Africa, and our military presence there is growing dramatically. Why? Because about 15 percent of our oil comes from southern Africa (not to mention timber, iron ore, copper and other useful stuff). And where there’s oil, there’s U.S. military might to protect it.

I found out about this from the Department of Defense, which is so proud of our enhanced military presence in the Gulf of Guinea that it sent out a press release about it. Here are some highlight excerpts:

U.S. military engagement along southwestern Africa’s Atlantic coast has increased exponentially, Navy Capt. Tom Rowden, commander of Task Force 65, said during a Pentagon interview last week. It’s increased from almost no activity in 2004 to 130 “ship days” in 2005 to even more planned ship days this year, he said. The goal is to build long-term relationships that promote greater security and stability in the region, Rowden explained.

The focus is on helping African nations increase their naval capabilities

The region faces several potentially destabilizing factors: narcotics trafficking from South America, smuggling of illegal aliens into Europe, about $1 billion a year in illegal fishing, and pollution that threatens the coast and the local food supply, among them.

“We’re looking at building the capacity and capability of the nations down there to secure the maritime domain to address these destabilizing activities,” Rowden said.

Basically, we need to make sure we can get all that oil and raw materials out of Africa cheaply and efficiently, so we’re helping the Africans help themselves. Helping — kind of like what we’re doing in Afghanistan and Iraq, but with fewer bulets and bombs — so far.

The focus is on helping African nations increase their naval capabilities, with help from the United States, [Rowden] said.

Toward that end, the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land recently wrapped up a three-month deployment to the region, where its crew conducted a series of security cooperation activities. The deployment included port visits to Senegal, Sao Tome and Principe, Gabon, Ghana, Angola, and the Republic of the Congo.

U.S. Navy training teams helped their West African counterparts increase their capabilities in damage control and ship maintenance. They provided survey teams to help develop more accurate navigational charts. They also helped the African navies build leadership within the ranks and strengthen their noncommissioned officer corps.

But it’s not so much a military operation as it is a diplomatic mission, which leads to the most over-the-top quote in the whole hyperbolic release:

“There’s no better ambassador for the United States of America than the sailor of the United States Navy,” Rowden said. “I was absolutely blown away by their ability to go out and make friends and the willingness on their part to give.”

Well, given our recent military-industrial-oil-protection history let’s hope that the Africans get it together, otherwise we know who’s going to really get “blown away.”

Bushworld Roundup

Trish

Oil, Gas Prices Rising But U.S. Keeps Pedal to Metal

Oil closed at a record high above $75 a barrel Wednesday on strong U.S. demand and ongoing tensions over Iran’s nuclear program…

Gasoline futures rose on forecasts that U.S. demand increased last week ahead of the Independence Day holiday weekend…

European motorists have adjusted their habits as prices soar, however…”The large European countries, for the first half of this year, the consumption of motor fuels has declined,” [one expert said].

Oil also rose as geopolitical tension heightened after North Korea, labeled by President George W. Bush as part of an “axis of evil,” launched a series of missiles into the Japan Sea.

Law Does Not Apply to Rush Limbaugh

Rush Limbaugh will not face charges in Palm Beach County for the bottle of Viagra found in his luggage that appeared to have been prescribed to someone else, prosecutors said Wednesday…

Charges in the Viagra case could have nullified a deal Limbaugh reached with prosecutors last month in which a single “doctor shopping” charge was deferred for 18 months, so long as Limbaugh does not get arrested for any reason.

Black Republicans Could Find Recruiting Tougher

African-Americans’ share of U.S. national income has narrowed in recent years as a weak job market helped unwind earlier strides, according to a report published on Wednesday.

A black family’s median income was 62 percent of the earnings of their white counterparts, down from 63.5 percent in 2000, the Economic Policy Institute said.

“The racial gap widened by 2004 as a result of the recession and the jobless recovery that followed,” said Jared Bernstein, economist at the Washington think-tank.

FEMA Likely to Become USEMA, Possibly More Useless

Buck Banks

Name games: Congress Daily is reporting that Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Rules Chairman Trent Lott, R-Miss., have reached an agreement to keep the Federal Emergency Management Agency within the Homeland Security Department but give it enhanced powers and protected status.

If Collins and Lott have their way, our beloved FEMA would be transformed into the U.S. Emergency Management Authority, or USEMA, which, I suppose would inevitably be pronounced use-mah.

If we’re serious about reforming FEMA we should do it in a way that we know can be passed into law

The House has been watching this deal-making closely, as it is considering a bill that would separate FEMA from DHS, making it an independent agency again as it was before DHS was created in 2002 — a position Lott had supported. Under the agreement, the FEMA director would report directly to the White House on emergency matters.

House Homeland Security Chairman Peter King, R-N.Y., immediately seized on the announcement to express hope that it will influence House lawmakers. The House leadership plans to put a bill on the floor the week of July 10 with language backed by House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Don Young, R-Alaska, and House Government Reform Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va., that would remove FEMA and make it an independent, Cabinet-level agency.

King was going to introduce an amendment to the bill with language almost identical to the agreement worked out by Collins and Lott.

“This has to show the House that legislation taking FEMA out of DHS is an exercise in futility,” King said. “And if we’re serious about reforming FEMA we should do it in a way that we know can be passed into law, rather than just making a statement.”

The White House has opposed FEMA’s removal from the Homeland Security Department.

This whole debate seems to me to be designed to direct our attention away from the fact that FEMA is staffed at only 75 percent and has made few substantive changes in its operations since its disastrous response to the Katrina disaster last year. Whether it’s under DHS or independent, or whether its director reports to George Bush or Bugs Bunny will likely have little effect on whether FEMA can manage a large-scale emergency.

I reckon we’ll find out in the next hurricane or flood or earthquake, eh?

Ken Lay Dies

Jon Ponder

CNN:

Enron founder Kenneth Lay died early Wednesday in Aspen, a family spokeswoman said. He was 64.

In a statement, spokeswoman Kelly Kimberly said, “The Lays have a very large family with whom they need to communicate, and out of respect for the family we will release further details at a later time.”

In May, Lay was found guilty of nine counts of fraud and conspiracy related to the collapse of Enron, the company he founded that grew into the seventh largest company before it imploded after an accounting scandal.

Bush-Style Mexican Presidential Election: Millions of Uncounted Votes Turn up After Official Tally

Jon Ponder
The race is “officially” too close to call. But they will call it – after they steal it.

Paging Katherine Harris: On Monday, investigative reporter Greg Palast filed a story about the voting in the presidential election in Mexico this week:

As in Florida in 2000, and as in Ohio in 2004, the exit polls show the voters voted for the progressive candidate. The race is “officially” too close to call. But they will call it – after they steal it.

Reuters reports that, as of 8pm eastern time [on Monday, July 3, 2006], as voting concluded in Mexico, exit polls showed Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the “leftwing” party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) leading in exit polls over Felipe Calderon of the ruling conservative National Action party (PAN).

We’ve said again and again: exit polls tell us how voters say they voted, but the voters can’t tell pollsters whether their vote will be counted. In Mexico, counting the vote is an art, not a science – and Calderon’s ruling crew is very artful indeed. The PAN-controlled official electoral commission, not surprisingly, has announced that the presidential tally is too close to call.

Calderon’s election is openly supported by the Bush administration.

Today the Los Angeles Times is reporting that the vote count has gone from disarray into near chaos:

The margin between the two leading candidates for president narrowed suddenly Tuesday after election authorities revealed that about 2.5 million votes had been missing from earlier counts. The announcement meant the race between leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and conservative Felipe Calderon was still too close to call.

The news of uncounted votes heightened the sense of disarray since Mexico’s polls closed Sunday night.

An initial count of the ballots gave a slim but apparently insurmountable lead to Calderon. On Monday evening, Calderon was leading Lopez Obrador by 402,708 votes, with 98.45 percent of polling stations “processed,” according to official reports.

Dem Message Should Be ‘If You Think War Is Going Well, Vote GOP’

Jon Ponder

Jonathan Alter:

Unless things improve dramatically on the ground in Iraq, Democrats have a powerful argument: If you believe the Iraq war is a success, vote Republican. If you believe it is a failure, vote Democratic.

Isn’t that irresponsible? Not in the slightest. It’s only under Bush that criticizing the conduct of a war has been depicted as somehow unpatriotic. Lincoln was lambasted by opponents during the Civil War as was FDR during World War II. To take a lesser example, some of the same Sean Hannitys of the world who slam antiwar critics were blasting Bill Clinton’s Bosnia policy in 1999 when U.S. planes were in the air over Belgrade.

We’ll see this summer if Democrats begin to get up in the morning, look in the mirror and say, “This isn’t about us. It’s about them.” We’ll see if, when Karl Rove wants to talk about Iraq, the Democrats respond with three familiar words: “Bring it on.”