Clipmarks | Spin Clips

FBI Silences Agents On 9/11 Disclosures

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:40:48 GMT

clipped by: BartendingBear
clipper's remarks: CIA could be accused of withholding information if they spoke.

The FBI has blocked two of its veteran counterterrorism agents from going public with accusations that the CIA deliberately withheld crucial intelligence before the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

FBI Special Agents Mark Rossini and Douglas Miller have asked for permission to appear in an upcoming public television documentary, scheduled to air in January, on pre-9/11 rivalries between the CIA, FBI and National Security Agency.

The program is a spin-off from The Shadow Factory: The Ultra-Secret NSA from 9/11 to the Eavesdropping on America, by acclaimed investigative reporter James Bamford, due out in a matter of days.

Pre-9/11 intelligence mishaps have been generally attributed to bureaucratic screw-ups -- a "failure to connect the dots," exacerbated by spy agency rivalries.

Rossini and Miller

are prepared to say publicly that, under pressure from the CIA, they kept the full the truth from the Justice Department's Inspector Genera

There was pressure on people not to disclose what really happened

"Large Fella" Bikes Back to Life

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:13:31 GMT

clipped by: mugofcoffee
clipper's remarks: 50 pounds in the first four months – and they kept on coming off. He'll be quick to point out that he wasn't “dieting”; he was changing his life. Permanently.

He and his family left the east coast for Minneapolis, largely for its reputation as a cycling haven. Thus far Cutshall has dropped to about 230 pounds; he estimates that he'll plateau around 180 but says, “"It's not about a goal weight," he said. "I'm just doing what's healthy for my body, and the results will follow."

Clip Source: www.carectomy.com

Written by Joshua Liberles

In 2005, Cutshall weighed 501 pounds. The avant-garde jazz drummer, husband, and father was in need of a serious change. His size XXXXXXXXXXL lifestyle wasn't going to sustain him for much longer. His doctor told him that he'd need stomach-reduction surgery and lots of medication just to survive – and that his way over-stressed body only had about a 50% chance of surviving the procedure.

Cutshall opted for none of the above. He ordered a custom-made bicycle that could support his body and on Thanksgiving, 2005, he took his first spin around the neighborhood. He rode for 1.9 miles, gasping all the way, with five breaks to recuperate. It took him three hours.

But Cutshall's commitment to change was complete. He completely revamped his diet, cut out all the crap, and went vegan. Veggie soup, portabello hummus pita sandwiches, and “Mega Salads” became his everyday menu.

The 2 mile inaugural ride became 20 to 30 miles per day.

Cutshall's health improved

McCain Resorts to Atwater's Bag of Dirty Tricks

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:54:09 GMT

clipped by: spirithiker
clipper's remarks: Lee Atwater is a master of media manipulation. His talents as 'spin-meister' have served him well as a political consultant for Reagan and George H W Bush. His close association with the undeniably despicable Karl Rove makes him even more reptilian.

Lee Atwater had a hand in designing the current seamy campaign for John McCain.

McCain has basically sold his soul to the devil to win this, most people agree, his last chance at higher office.

Atwater's sulfurous, rumor-mongering campaign stylle is testiment to how low someone will go to win an election.

It is interesting to note how Atqater, in 2000, tore McCain apart in his campaign against G W Bush and now he is attacking Obama in favor of McCain. These guys are all willing to prostitute themselves for power and money without any regard to ethics.

John McCain must be disgusted with himself for some of the choices he has made in his struggle to become president.

Today, he is a very different man than he was just one yea

Clip Source: www.newser.com

(Newser) – Before Karl Rove, Maureen Dowd reminds us, it was Lee Atwater who masterminded the Republican smear campaign, and his demolition of Michael Dukakis was his greatest, dirtiest success. Atwater painted the 1988 candidate as a weak Harvard-educated elitist with a weird last name, a man who supported "the Scary Black Man" and was not on "the American side." Watching John McCain's ugly campaign, the New York Times columnist asks simply, "Sound familiar?"

McCain's campaign has been disarmingly blunt about its need to take voters' focus off the economy if their man is to have any chance of winning. But while Dowd expected Atwater-like tactics from some Republicans—Sarah Palin is an especially eager "Mean Girl"—it's wrenching to watch the once respectable John McCain sink to such attacks. If he loses, "he will have contributed to his own downfall by failing to live up to his personal standard of honor."

Tags: politics, mccain, republicans, smear tactics, atwater

Bits of Game Making Post

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:43:06 GMT

clipped by: jek989
clipper's remarks: This provides a new perspective

Clip Source: jamiesonkane.wordpress.com

2009 is going to be the year for me to move seriously into getting students to author computer games as “media products”. Complementing the growing interest in Machinima at school, the game-engines in soon to be released games like Little Big Planet and Far Cry 2, look like easy places to start getting game-authoring going. Stay tuned!

Tom Hyland, the Sunday Age’s international editor has a good piece, Stifling Soliders of Spin, on the almost total control that the Australian Defence Force has over war reporting about conflicts Australia is involved in.

nt detail, place, poetics, narrative, and how photography can inform design and planning, among other issues.

Tags: game making, media products

What the Strida folding bike is and isn't

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:18:11 GMT

clipped by: Lexica
clipper's remarks: I'm a little dubious of the part about

the saddle is meant to be a little closer to the crank than with a normal bike, so you'll pedal with slightly bent knees. The advantage of this is that you can put both feet on the ground while in the saddle. Like I said, forget everything you know about bikes.

Forget everything I know about bikes, okay. But pedaling or pumping with one's knees bent, regardless of what kind of vehicle or machine is being pedaled or pumped, is tiring and less efficient than having one's legs more fully extended. Hm.

Clip Source: velo-orange.blogspot.com

Once you forget most of what you know about bikes, the Strida makes perfect sense. It can be stored in the corner of an apartment closet, rolled (still folded) onto the elevator, unfolded in 10 seconds on the sidewalk and ridden around town at about three-times walking speed. Re-folded it will accompany you on the subway or bus. It's also great for plane travel so long as you just need transportation around a city. For a commute of less than 10 miles it's perfect and you can store it in your office. The little rack can even carry a small shopping bag or briefcase if used with a cargo net.

What the Strida is not for is touring, randonneuring, or club rides. My only complaint with the Strida is the gearing. I find that I can spin along comfortably a an estimated 12-14 mph, but I wish this was more like 16-18 mph. On the other hand I can make it up any hill around here easily and without getting out of the saddle. That's a good thing since it's tricky to ride a Strida out of the saddle.

Tags: bikes, folding-bikes, strida, review

Ayers and Obama

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:08:26 GMT

clipped by: oscarrob
clipper's remarks: The fact that they are now calling Obama a terrorist because of this is outrageous, even given all the facts. Assume that Obama knew Ayers history, so what? Are you going to resign in protest from a charitable board, or refuse to be recruited because 30 years ago the guy recruiting you was a bomber protesting the Vietnam War, gave himself up to the FBI, who (shock and dismay) blew the intelligence so they had no case. That makes you a terrorist? I must be a hardened criminal because I worked on a loading dock once with a guy who I knew was a loan shark. John McCain consorted with financial criminals who stole money from poor retirees who lost everything in the S&L crisis, he must be a criminal too and a thief and someone who would let retirees pensions disappear on purpose. Actually he's also a racist because he accepted an endorsement from a pastor who was know as a racist. No wait, he's a rampant liberal because he consorted and even sposored legislation with Ted Kennedy.

Clip Source: campaignspot.nationalreview.com

Obama described Bill Ayers as a guy who lives in my neighborhood, and with whom he served on a board

Bill Ayers and Barack Obama worked on actually two foundations — two boards — together

both with very good ideas: improve education, send money to charities and groups working with the poor.

Barack Obama served as the chairman of that group for seven years while Bill Ayers was benefiting from the money from this foundation and while Bill Ayers was also advising the council as part of the advisory council to the (INAUDIBLE) board.

he also did work on the Woods foundation. The Woods Foundation another charitable group that sent money to — Bill Ayers wife worked at a national justice center, sent money there, sent money to Trinity Youth Unity Church.

Ayers certainly was a domestic terrorist,

the spin from the Obama campaign, that what happened in the past is the past and what happened present day has nothing to do with terrorism for Bill Ayers.

Tags: politics, obama, mccain, campaign, terrorist, ayers

Jack and Karen get their own show?

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:44:17 GMT

clipped by: pcmkrfn

Clip Source: www.gossipsauce.com

Rumors are flying that former Will and Grace co-stars Megan Mullally and Sean Hayes are set to star in their own spin-off of the sitcom in development at NBC. Supposedly a pilot is in the works and the show could be on the air by next fall.

The Art of Spin

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:09:48 GMT

clipped by: mgqv320

Clip Source: www.linktv.org

Saturday Night Live Satire On Bailout: Video @ Link

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 02:58:53 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/c-span-bailout/727521/?dst=nbc|widget|NBC%20Video

Clip Source: irishspy.typepad.com

Saturday Night Live on the financial bailout.(h/t Hot Air) If even they aren't buying the Democrats' spin, you know it's bad.

Tags: bailout, barney frank, george soros, george w. bush, nancy pelosi, satire, saturday night live

The truth about Henry Paulson

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 14:45:10 GMT

clipped by: deb2012
clipper's remarks: With the stroke of a pen, capital requirements were removed

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Many events in Washington, on Wall Street and elsewhere around the country have led to what has been called the most serious financial crisis since the 1930s

But decisions made at a brief meeting on April 28, 2004, explain why the problems could spin out of control.

the five members of the Securities and Exchange Commission met in a basement hearing room to consider an urgent plea by the big investment banks.

They wanted an exemption for their brokerage units from an old regulation that limited the amount of debt they could take on.

Those funds could then flow up to the parent company, enabling it to invest in the fast-growing but opaque world of mortgage-backed securities; credit derivatives, a form

The five investment banks led the charge, including Goldman Sachs, which was headed by Henry M. Paulson

Two years later, he left to become Treasury secretary.

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

It’s a fair criticism of the Bush administration

said Roderick M. Hills, a Republican who was chairman of the S.E.C.

Tags: paulson, politics

Thomas Sowell Opines --- Do Facts Matter?

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 04:41:25 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: So did Bush's Secretary of the Treasury, five years ago.

Yet, today, what are we hearing? That it was the Bush administration "right-wing ideology" of "de-regulation" that set the stage for the financial crisis. Do facts matter?

We also hear that it is the free market that is to blame. But the facts show that it was the government that pressured financial institutions in general to lend to subprime borrowers, with such things as the Community Reinvestment Act and, later, threats of legal action by then Attorney General Janet Reno if the feds did not like the statistics on who was getting loans and who wasn't.

Is that the free market? Or do facts not matter?

Then there is the question of being against the "greed" of CEOs and for "the people." Franklin Raines made $90 million while he was head of Fannie Mae and mismanaging that institution into crisis.

Who in Congress defended Franklin Raines?

Clip Source: www.realclearpolitics.com

The current financial bailout crisis has propelled Barack Obama back into a substantial lead over John McCain--

It raises the question: Do facts matter? Or is Obama's rhetoric and the media's spin enough to make facts irrelevant?

Fact Number One: It was liberal Democrats, led by Senator Christopher Dodd and Congressman Barney Frank, who for years-- including the present year-- denied that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were taking big risks that could lead to a financial crisis.

It was Senator Dodd, Congressman Frank and other liberal Democrats who for years refused requests from the Bush administration to set up an agency to regulate Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

It was liberal Democrats, again led by Dodd and Frank, who for years pushed for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to go even further in promoting subprime mortgage loans, which are at the heart of today's financial crisis.

Alan Greenspan warned them four years ago. So did the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers to the President.

Tags: sub-prime mortgage, market collapse, barney frank, chris dodd, barack obama, head of fannie mae, deposed franklin raines, freddie mac

Viewpoints

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:43:19 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: Junp over to the main article for more spinning. I'll make you dizzy, no doubt.

Clip Source: www.blah3.com

The Spin

Black teen pregnancies? A 'crisis' in black America.

White teen pregnancies? A 'blessed event.'

If you grow up in Hawaii you're 'exotic.'

Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you're the quintessential 'American story.'

Similarly, if you name your kid Barack you're 'unpatriotic.'

Name your kids Trig and Track, you're 'colorful.'

If you're a Democrat and you make a VP pick without fully vetting the individual you're 'reckless.'

A Republican who doesn't fully vet is a 'maverick.'

If you are a Demoratic male candidate who is popular with millions of people you are an 'arrogant celebrity'.

If you are a popular Republican female candidate you are 'energizing the base'.

If you are a younger male candidate who thinks for himself and makes his own decisions you are 'presumptuous'.

If you are an older male candidate who makes last minute decisions you refuse to explain, you are a 'shoot from the hip' maverick.

McLobbyi$t dot com

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 02:00:10 GMT

clipped by: lifecyce1898
clipper's remarks: McCain & Palin - bought and sold to you by lobbyists

Clip Source: mclobbyist.com

The McCain Seven

John McCain has had at least 177 lobbyists running his campaign and raising money for him. The McCain Seven—all lobbyists—control the campaign filling roles from senior foreign policy advisor and finance co-chair all the way up to head of command, campaign manager. The McCain Seven make sure special interests come first.

Rick
Davis

Campaign Manager, Fmr. Telecom Lobbyist

Charlie
Black

Senior Campaign Advisor, Fmr. Mortgage Lender Lobbyist

Randy Scheunemann

Senior Foreign Policy Advisor, Fmr. Big Oil Lobbyist

Nancy Pfotenhauer

Senior Policy Advisor, Fmr. Energy Lobbyist

Phil
Gramm

Senior Economic Advisor, Fmr. Mortgage Giant, UBS, Lobbyist

John
Green

Campaign Congressional Liaison, Fmr. Mortgage Lender Lobbyist

Wayne Berman

Campaign Vice-Chair and Finance Co-Chair, Fmr. Insurance Company Lobbyist

[Video]

The McCain Gamble

John McCain’s Washington is just more of the same. It is a rigged roulette wheel. No matter how you spin it, George Bush and lobbyists always win.

11 Myths about Palin EXPOSED

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:18:15 GMT

clipped by: maquser
clipper's remarks: as if we didn't already know, but some of you still aren't listening to the TRUTH

Clip Source: www.rollingstone.com

The Truth About Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin's credentials as a "reformer" are nothing but spin. She has sided with Big Oil, lobbied to increase pork spending and abused her public power to carry out personal vendettas. Here's a guide to separating myth from fact.

THE MYTH: "She took the luxury jet that was acquired by her predecessor and sold it on eBay. And made a profit!" — John McCain, at a campaign stop in Wisconsin

THE FACTS: No one bought the jet online. It was eventually sold through an aircraft broker — at a loss to taxpayers of nearly $600,000.

Page 1 of 11

Tags: truth, facts, out, bullshit, crap, liars, losers

Which Direction Should A Ceiling Fan Turn?

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:01:23 GMT

clipped by: thisnamecantbetaken
clipper's remarks: Winter's coming. Flip the switch folks and save on heating.

Clip Source: www.realsimple.com

Which Direction to Make a Ceiling Fan Turn

Real Simple: Which Direction to Make a Ceiling Fan Turn" />

Q. Which way should the ceiling fan turn in the summer, and which way in the winter?

A. Straight out of the box, the majority of brand-new ceiling fans spin clockwise because they are normally installed to cool down a room.

But by switching the direction, you can increase your heater’s efficiency. When the blades spin counterclockwise, they push the warm air down from the ceiling and warm the room. Spinning clockwise pulls the hot air up to the ceiling faster, which cools down a room. Changing the direction is as easy as flipping a switch, literally. Most models have a switch somewhere on the fan that allows you to change the rotation of the blades. When should you change directions? A good rule of thumb is to make the switch when you transition from the air conditioner to the heater and vice versa.