BETTY ONG: "My name is Betty Ong. I'm No. 3 on Flight 11."
MALE DISPATCHER: "Okay."
ONG: "And the cockpit is not answering the phone. And there's somebody stabbed in business class. And you can't breathe in business class. Somebody's got Mace or something."
DISPATCHER: "Can you describe the person that you said -- someone is what in business class?"
This is part of a recording of a conversation between a flight attendant and the tower played during a meeting of the 9/11 investigation committee headed by Thomas Kean (a friend of the Bush family). He asked for more time (60 days) to process the millions of documents and tons of information, in part because of delays from wrangling with the administration. Time they might not get because of political concerns. David Kay, the U.S. weapon inspector says that we had faulty intelligence, so now the buck is passed to the CIA, who has been faulted in the past. But no heads rolled. Conservatives are growing more concerned because of the risingdeficitss and lack of fiscal responsibility of this administration. All the same, including when they treat detainees in ways military lawyers are comparing to George III, they continue to say "trust us."
Sorry boys ... no go. I read today how Dennis Miller, best known for his failed MNF years and various "what else can I shill" commercials (sorry, the guy annoys me, and I used to respect him) was changed by 9/11. It made him support the hardline programs of the President, who he plans to support in November. Excuse me? If you care so much for national security, why in the hell would you support someone with this record? We go to war technically for a WMD danger that now we find out was based on faulty intel (see, if one was a bit more careful, it would have been okay ... you might still be wrong, but not look like an ass for saying how it's such a slam dunk, so give me the power w/o the safeguards). Stonewalling and rushing (after thinking Henry Kissinger should head the things) a commission investigating 9/11 (this is disgusting ... simply put). Not doing a bloody good job doing the rest of your job.
The guy deserves to be fired, if only on a "buck stops here" standard. Only a damn liberal gives someone THAT much leeway. This includes the obligation to take the responsibility for your underlings. If the intel was bad, look for this to be used as an excuse, the top doesn't get off the bloody hook (even if the CIA head is a Clinton holdover). [This actually is a CYA excuse in that when the CIA actually provided negative intel, it was often ignored and/or criticized. Reports of Cheney et. al. cherrypicking intel has been reported by several sources. It's getting so bad that Bill O'Reilly (1/27) is starting to become testy about the whole matter.] A business is liable for its workers, the President is liable for his as well. I truly fear the ability of the Democrats to put forth a candidate that can beat this guy, and it is aggravating. [Many like John Kerry, if he's the one, but many others see him as a "best of an inferior lot" sort, and I'm sorry to say, it is really not COMPLETELY wrong to so think. IMHO] All the same, this guy has to go.
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Other News: Cold winter doesn't mean count out global warning ... misspellers (I can relate) lead to eBay bucks ... Soup to Nuts? [Not quite ... "Rice argued during the trial that Johnson's anxiety might stem from other experiences [other than being served the wrong soup], including a prison term for sexual activity with a child under 12 and his public listing as a sexual predator."] ... Dean as vox populi.
"I feel that underwear sometimes is so constricting," she says. "And you know, we should all just be free."
-- roomie on College Hill, new black reality show praised here.
Film: My take on the Academy Award nominations