By GottaLaff
I officially declare today Rep. Anthony Weiner day (follow links, it's worth it):
[An] obscurely sourced (at best) memo purporting to detail Democrats' messaging plan on health care reform traveled in just a few hours this afternoon from a Republican lobbyist to political reporters to Hill aides and onto high-profile news websites before Democrats beat the story back with cries that the memo was a "hoax."
(click on image to enlarge)By GottaLaff
An aircraft passenger was removed from a plane by counter-terrorism officers after uttering a hoax threat as it readied for take-off, it was reported tonight.
The unnamed white man was on an Emirates flight to Dubai taxiing at Heathrow when he made the comments, which were overheard by a fellow traveller.
Cabin crew were alerted and the pilot turned the jet around. Five armed officers boarded the aircraft and removed the man in handcuffs and a companion. More than one arrest was made, it was reported.
How utterly stupid can someone be to make a joke threat knowing how jumpy and on alert everyone is after Underpants Guy's crotch exploded?
And of course, this was costly since they had to turn around.
Not to mention the fear that must have rippled through the plane.
Oh, and there's those inconvenience and anger factors once everyone realized it was a hoax.
Brilliant move, unnamed white man. Pure comic genius. The Not Conan O'Brien show will contact you shortly, I'm sure.
H/t: DCPlod
By GottaLaff
This is significant because it sweeps away any quasi-legitimacy the Global Warming deniers have had in isolating or trumpeting certain doubts that individual scientists may have had.The 1,073 e-mails examined by the AP show that scientists harbored private doubts, however slight and fleeting, even as they told the world they were certain about climate change. However, the exchanges don't undercut the vast body of evidence showing the world is warming because of man-made greenhouse gas emissions.
There is more fun over at Kos. Go visit, then dance in circles, point and laugh at the Deniers, and call everyone you know.
By GottaLaff
The impact of this autonomic red-blue division often is amplified by the fact that we Americans are, by and large, technologically advanced but scientifically illiterate. Our national conversation is dominated by a culture of assertion rather than a respect for evidence reasonably assessed. Thus the endless wrangling over self-evident nonsense like creationism. [...]Please go read the whole thing here.
In fact, the scientific consensus on the issue is broad and deep. Nor does it rely on science done at the Climatic Research Unit at East Anglia. Even if something untoward occurred there, we have two other scientific organizations providing baseline climate data -- both of which happen to be funded and directed by the U.S. government. One is NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and the other is the Global Historical Climatology Network -- operated not by the EPA or the Interior Department but by the Commerce Department. Their historical data essentially matches that compiled at East Anglia.
So what are we to believe: that huge numbers of British and American scientists have entered into a conspiracy to dupe the world on climate change? Why? What would they stand to gain? [...]
Who benefits? Is it really any accident that Palin and most of the GOP lawmakers trying to discredit the science on global warming come from states enriched by petroleum production and industries with sizable carbon footprints?
By GottaLaff
Via my pal Izzy, who knows people who have videos:
Countdown's Keith Olbermann identifies another famous family story that comes to mind as details of the infamous balloon boy hoax come to light.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
By GottaLaff
I am so sick and tired of the Balloon Boy story, but here he is, the Colorado sheriff on the Tee Vee Machine. Liveblog (update... some of this reporting seems contradictory... is it me?Blog title changed to reflect updates):
"It's become known as the balloon boy hoax... It has been determined this was a hoax, a publicity stunt to ... get on a reality show in the future."
"Insufficent evidence for a criminal prosecution." [Note: I think he means right now, not until after further investigation]
"We now know it was not capable of lifting off... "
"It was plausible to believe that this event occurred.... the family granted us free access to house, to children.... to talk to him... suggested that it was a real deal."
"After the fact, we learned that these people were actors... they met in acting school in Hollywood. They put on a very good show... for us..."
"On Larry King Show... we had the 'aha' moment... the "put on a show" quote. It became clear to us that they were lying. We had to develop a strategy to get to the bottom of this. The only way... was if we got a confession. We had to get somebody talking... "
"It was important that they maintain their trust for us... that they believe that we were on their side still... so we could get them in here voluntarily... to conduct an interview on our turf...."
"We [had] to separate them, interview them separately... take a polygraph... to get the media frenzy off their back.... ultimately with the goal of getting a confession..."
"Had we run a polygraph under these circumstances [with them stressed out] would have been invalid... so we waited..." [paraphrased]
"While he was here, we had investigators go to the house to talk to [his wife]. She volunteered to come to sheriff's office for more interviews..."
"One thing you're not gonna like: There's a rule in Colorado... called Rule 3.6 and 3.8.... We are not allowed to talk about the results of the scientific evidence.... whether the polygraph was administered, and if it was, whether truthful or deceptive... or if anyone confessed."
"We did get enough probable cause for a search... [he lists what was covered in search]."
"At this point we have not filed charges. We need to regroup."
"Still an ongoing investigation... have to look at all the documents... We believe we will at some point... recommend conspiracy, contributing to delinquency of minor, false reporting.. influence a public servant. " [Some are felonies] And one about endangering public transportation, we don't have enough for that.
Talking to FBI, FAA about federal charges... if appropriate."
"Restitution, because we should have viable criminal case: We will seek restitution, but no dollar amount for man hours."
Conspiracy charges to be filed... contributing to delinquency of minor...
"The Heenes considered a flight risk, but felony warrants will follow them.
On bizarre meter,this rates a 10."
Children will likely face no criminal charges.
It was a planned event for at least 2 weeks, to launch craft to get publicity. Plan: To create situation that made it look like his life was in jeopardy... to get notoriety, further career, get reality TV show...
We have serious doubts that he spent time in the garage... That's the story still presented to us, that he was in the attic. For all we know he could have been 2 blocks down the road at the park.
They're investigating whether children's services will remove children from home.
Class 4 felony, 2-6 years, up to $500K... per count. That's the highest count they're looking at. Attempting to influence a public official is a Class 4. Decision for courts.
By GottaLaff
Jaclyn Smith is not dead -- and to prove it, she's writing on her Twitter page.Dear Perez Hilton: Suck it.
There are several reports popping up all over the place claiming the "Charlie's Angel" was shot in her home in Honduras -- but she's not even in Honduras [...]
Plus, her publicist Jay Schwartz just told us this, "She is alive and well in Los Angeles ... I spoke to her this morning."
Also, Jaclyn posted the following message on her Twitter page -- Jaclyn is safe and home with her family. She is not in Honduras. It is a lie. >cc
By GottaLaff
"If the incident turns out to be a hoax, Senator McCain’s quest for the presidency is over, forever linked to race-baiting."Our reporting did not find any direct evidence that the McCain campaign's national headquarters played a role pushing the story.
However, the national campaign has now come forward and lied about what happened in Pennsylvania. McCain campaign spokesman Brian Rogers has now told NBC that alleged quotes from the McCain campaign in early reports of the story were actually the product of "sloppy reporting" and that they were actually quotes from the Pittsburgh police.
This is simply not credible.
Initial reports specifically quote the McCain campaign. And at least two sources involved in the contemporaneous reporting have come forward and said on the record that the quotes came directly from the McCain campaign. To believe that two separate local news organizations made the identical mistake with the same quotes and are now both covering it up is simply not credible. But that is what Rogers is now claiming.
The McCain campaign's after-the-fact lie about its role in this hoax makes it essential that it provide a complete and honest account of both the local and national campaign's role. As I said above, we did not find direct evidence of the national McCain campaign pushing this story. But Gov. Palin did call Todd after the purported attack, as did Sen. McCain. And news of these calls was provided to the press.
The involvement of the candidates and specifically the release of such information -- which was clearly intended to bump up interest in the story -- shows some level of involvement by the national campaign.
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