Awesome: Air America Radio: "After debunking right-wing propaganda in his bestselling books Lies, and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them and Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot, Al Franken is taking the fight to America's airwaves--and he's doing it drug-free. With his co-host, veteran radio personality Katherine Lanpher, Franken will deliver three hours a day of fearlessly irreverent commentary, comedy, and interviews. Franken and Lanpher have a mean streak a smile wide. The O'Franken Factor will energize fans, infuriate liars, and deliver the truth--in what Al Franken likes to call the Zero Spin Zone."

Talking Points Memo: "An emotional former President George H.W. Bush on Tuesday defended his son's Iraq war and lashed out at White House critics.
It is 'deeply offensive and contemptible' to hear 'elites and intellectuals on the campaign trail' dismiss progress in Iraq since last year's overthrow of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, the elder Bush said in a speech to the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association annual convention. " Read the original article.

BBC NEWS: The Democrats' growing confidence: "In this final Letter from America, Alistair Cooke considered how the war in Iraq as well as domestic issues had become key elements in the run-up to the US presidential elections. It was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Friday, 20 February, 2004. "

BBC NEWS: "Veteran BBC broadcaster and writer Alistair Cooke has died at his home in New York.
For 58 years, Cooke presented his radio series Letter from America, the world's longest-running speech radio programme.
Earlier this month, he announced his retirement on health grounds following advice from his doctors. "

New Scientist: "An unmanned supersonic jet shattered the speed record for plane flight by flying at more than seven times the speed of sound on Saturday.
NASA's X-43A plane flew high above the Pacific for 11 seconds using an engine which expels hot exhausts to propel it forward like a rocket, before gliding for several minutes and plunging into the ocean. It was the first successful demonstration of acceleration by a supersonic combustion ramjet or 'scramjet' engine.
'The scramjet is the holy grail of aeronautics' because it promises the most efficient path from the ground to space, says Joel Sitz, HyperX project manager at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.
Unlike a rocket engine which carries its own oxygen as well as hydrogen fuel, the scramjet engine carries hydrogen fuel only and can scoop oxygen up from the air - making it potentially highly efficient."

Update: Mach 7, 5000 miles per hour.... if only for 12 seconds. You can see BBC video here. (launches realplayer)

RugbyRugby.com: "This RBS Six Nations decider match lived up to its top billing by delivering a pulsating, full-blooded encounter - but England will rue the fact that they decided to join the party after half-time only.
England fans have grown accustomed to watching their side toy with their prey before going in for the kill late in the game, but it was France who did all the early toying in this game - capitalising on some shoddy defence to rack up all 21 points in the first period of the game.
England managed to find their natural second-half grit, and pulled themselves back into contention from 24-6 down - but it was too little to late: the horse had already bolted."

The referrer script that I have been using has been discontinued, because somehow people with dodgy sites & sinister intent figured out how to make their sites appear on the list, as though they had a legitimate link to the site posting the list. I suffered with this a bit, but some folks seem to have suffered with it a lot.

The referrer link is off this blog, and off the revamped geocities pages on the rest of the site. I just have to remove it from the original crimsonblog pages from 2003. The code seems to be hosted by someone else now, but the list of referrers is every bit as squalid and strange as it was last week. So farewell cool referrer service. Once again commerce has elbowed a useful little tool in the gut.

From The Roots Action Center: "It's in your hands. Your efforts, your outreach, your participation, your contribution will make the difference and determine the direction of our country. Join us. We are working together to ensure the election of at least 51 Democratic Senators on November 2, 2004.
51 seats to create jobs in our country instead of offshore.
51 seats to reverse tax cuts that favor the rich and put a stop to the endless Bush deficits.
51 seats to restore international respect for American leadership and improve national security, instead of a stumbling foreign policy and permanent wars.
What can YOU do to play a part in winning 51 seats?" Go see.

gme.jp: Freedom from revealing the unsaid: "A computer program which can read words before they are spoken by analysing nerve signals in our mouths and throats, has been developed by NASA."

We know where you live... we know what you're thinking, and now, Mister Anderson, we know what you were going to say...

Social networking in the digital age: "If you haven’t yet heard of social networking, stay tuned because it’s the Next Big Thing. New Economy magazine Business 2.0 named it "technology of the year" for 2003, and venture capitalists have started throwing money at social networking startups with a zeal not seen since the first generation of dot-coms came down the pike.

Don’t be surprised if a year from now your everyday conversation is peppered with references to Friendster, Spoke, Ryze, LinkedIn, Tribe.net, ZeroDegrees — or to other sites not yet launched.

The phenomenon is new and it’s hot, but it has a very old soul. In fact, the process that drives social networking is found at the heart of all societies and civilizations: the human need to make common cause, to cooperate with others of the species to achieve a whole variety of goals and meet a whole variety of needs — physical, emotional, social, economic, political."

and even though I desperately want to believe the opposite, his comments include this provocative suggestion:: " just have to say this because that last gentleman [Redman] seemed to be veering into the 'tax cuts for the wealthy' mentality: Getting a backyard grill, installing a new kitchen floor, buying a computer for the kids, paying off a student loan--these are things that wealthy people don't have to wait for a tax refund to do. These are nice, middle-class purchases that otherwise may not have been possible. I know some people have had a tough year, but your readers' comments really put the lie to the term 'tax cuts for the wealthy.'"

I guess my follow up is this: If we're getting back enough for a kitchen floor or some debt-reduction, how much is your average CEO getting?

BBC NEWS:
As long as they remember that there's only 4 more to go after this one.....

"Christopher Eccleston will become the ninth Doctor Who
Shallow Grave actor Christopher Eccleston has been named as the new Doctor Who to front the cult BBC sci-fi show when it returns next year.
Eccleston, who starred alongside Nicole Kidman in the horror movie The Others, will be the ninth TV Time Lord to control the Tardis in a 13-part series.
The 40-year-old has starred in Flesh and Blood, The Second Coming, and TV series Our Friends in the North.
The BBC said the Salford-born actor would take 'a fresh, modern approach'. "

"England revived hopes of retaining their RBS Six Nations title with a gripping victory at Twickenham.

But the world champions were given a major scare by a resurgent Welsh outfit which fought back from 16-9 down to take a 21-16 lead.

Ben Cohen's second try levelled matters and Joe Worsley's late score sealed victory, Olly Barkley adding 16 points.

Gareth Thomas and Mark Taylor both crossed for Wales and Stephen Jones kicked 11 points but it was not enough.

While the visitors are left with a final home fixture against Italy, England will travel to Paris knowing victory should see them crowned champions.

The line-out woes that cost them dearly against Ireland were duly rectified, but the margin of victory was agonisingly close given their welter of possession. "

LILEKS: “Oh, we don’t have GE bulbs anymore. We don’t have any GE products.” He said he didn’t know why, had something to do with promotion, or something like that. Interesting. I’m guessing it may have had to do with shelf fees – maybe Home Depot wanted a certain amount of money up front to stock GE products, and GE didn’t want to pay that much, and someone decided to walk away from the partnership for a year, or forever. This drama probably occupied the lives of several dozen middle-level execs for a year or so – sleepless nights, missed dinners, contentious teleconference calls, all ending in a few guys sitting in the kitchen at 2 AM with an Amstel wondering if this was going to cost them their job.

That’s the part of the economy we never see or hear or read too much about. There are guys right now who are on serious antacid medication because they’re in charge of the launch for a new ballpoint pen, and Target has been ambivalent about carrying the high-margin single-pen blister pack, but they are leaning towards the four-pen pack, which is good, but it doesn’t establish the brand as a premium brand, because there’s that whole quantity / discount correlation; I mean, we were trying to make this the Haagen-Daaz of pens, and now it’s going to be sold like a popsicle?"

Yahoo News: A seven-year ethics truce between congressional Republicans and Democrats has begun to fray under the weight of mounting alleged abuses by House GOP leaders and tensions among Democrats over how aggressively to pursue the matters.

Some Democrats and outside groups think the reported wrongdoings have reached a critical mass that cries out for investigations and reforms. Democratic leaders, however, are wary of breaking the long cease-fire that has protected both parties from the types of ethics charges and countercharges that roiled Congress and toppled two speakers in the 1980s and '90s.


Central to the debate is the House ethics committee, largely dormant since the unwritten truce took effect but rousing in recent days to defend itself against the rain of criticism. Watchdog groups are demanding that the secretive panel show more vigor in pursuing published reports of questionable behavior by lawmakers, and they want an end to the House-approved 1997 rule that bars ethics inquiries based solely on complaints from outsiders.


Some Democratic activists also are seething, convinced their elected officials are letting Republicans flout ethical standards in ways that were unthinkable when the GOP took control of the House in 1994. Republicans had attacked the entrenched Democrats' abuse of the House bank and post office and vowed to end Congress's "cycle of scandal."


The recent allegations touch top lawmakers, including House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and several committee chairmen. They involve suggestions of bribery and threats on the House floor, illegal use of campaign funds, misuse of a federal agency for political purposes, conflicts of interest, and strong-arm tactics against lobbyists and campaign contributors.

Adults and computer games - From Lileks: "Nevermind the fact that I will never find myself riding a commandeered alien vehicle and interrupt a battle between the Covenant and the horrid flood, and be forced to dismount and engage in a shoulder-mounted RPG duel. Goes without saying. But when the battle’s over, you scavenge for ammo. There’s lots of RPG ammo. There’s a rare sniper rifle, too. Since you can only carry two weapons, this means you’d have to drop your Trusty Shotgun for a sniper rifle, and your other weapon would be a rocket launcher. This is the worst combination you can have – two long-range weapons, nothing for close work when one of those gawdawful Flood bipeds comes running at you. But the game seems to suggest that this is what you should do, so you do it.

In a world where your choices are usually of the paper or plastic nature, this is a welcome change."

BBC: "England captain Lawrence Dallaglio has vowed that England will bounce back from their defeat by Ireland when they face Wales on 20 March.
The world champions suffered a 19-13 Six Nations loss on Saturday as the Irish ended their long unbeaten record at Twickenham.
'There is no-one more disappointed than this England team and there will be a reaction,' said Dallaglio.
'Speaking on behalf of the team, I know what sort of reaction it will be.' "

I guess this throws the championship wide open, & puts Ireland in with a shot at the Triple Crown. I'll be interested to read the analysis of this one....
Ireland stun England: "England suffered their first home loss since 1999 as Ireland stunned the world champions 19-13 at Twickenham.
The home side scored the only try of the first half through Matt Dawson but four penalties from Ronan O'Gara gave Ireland a 12-10 lead at the break.
Full-back Girvan Dempsey crossed in the corner to put Ireland further in front although Paul Grayson kept England in the match with a 51st-minute penalty.
England pressurised late on but could not come back despite a frantic finish. "

MTV.com: "Police cut short an autograph session by Jessica Simpson Thursday after thousands mobbed a Boston-area Wal-Mart. The cops pulled the plug about a half-hour after Simpson arrived, saying the crowd posed a threat to public safety.

Three teens were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and another was charged with assault and battery, according to the Danvers Police Department's chief of police. An officer was scratched in the face trying to arrest one female fan.

Wal-Mart employees and local police were expecting between 500 and 1,000 people at the signing, but were met with more than 5,000 fans instead. State police had to shut down a section of a nearby highway because of traffic jams."

Entertainment News Article: "LONDON (Reuters) - The film industry is partly to blame for the global culture of violence against women, Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart said on Friday.
'The entertainment industry has been extremely irresponsible in perpetuating and stereotyping the violent attitudes of men to women,' said Stewart at the launch of an Amnesty International campaign against attacks on women.
Stewart, who revealed that as a child he had witnessed his father beating up his mother, picked out Quentin Tarantino's revenge tale 'Kill Bill' for particular criticism.
'I condemn utterly films like 'Kill Bill.' We are told it is about empowering women. All it does is empower a woman to kill other women,' he told reporters.
The film industry had much to be ashamed of in its portrayal of women, he added.
'It's a lazy and sensationalist approach. I condemn it entirely. The entertainment industry has to be super-watchful over this,' he said. "

Newsday.com: "Martha Stewart built her company around her own image and tastes.

Now after Stewart's conviction on federal charges, it is left to search for a future without her.

Some experts Friday questioned whether Stewart's homemaking empire, once valued at $2 billion, could survive without her name and face on its magazines, books, television shows and merchandise sold at Kmart stores. There is no obvious successor, they said, despite two years of efforts by the company to downplay its namesake in favor of other employees.

The experts also said the guilty verdict was a blow to Kmart Holding Corp., which had been hoping sales of towels, sheets, gardening tools and other products bearing the Martha Stewart Everyday label would fuel its rebound from bankruptcy. Consumers purchased about $1.5 billion worth of Stewart-related merchandise in 2002, the most recent available data."

Sure, it would galvanise Dems, but it would also rile up those red states to gun-totin' fever pitch & bring Bush's base out in force..

HoustonChronicle: "With John Kerry's success in Tuesday's primaries, the race for the Democratic nomination for president is all but over -- and speculation about his choice for vice president can now begin in earnest.
John Edwards, Kerry's closest rival [and who is expected to officially withdraw from the race today], is a proven campaigner and could attract Southern voters. Govs. Evan Bayh of Indiana and Bill Richardson of New Mexico have both regional appeal and executive experience. Dark-horse candidates include former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin and former Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia.
Amid this conjecture, however, one name is conspicuously absent: Bill Clinton.
Clinton's strengths would compensate for Kerry's weaknesses almost perfectly. Not only is Clinton the most talented campaigner of his generation, but he is also a Southerner -- and since 1948, when Harry S. Truman chose Sen. Alben Barkley of Kentucky as his running mate, every successful Democratic ticket has included a citizen of a Southern state.
Besides, people might even pay to watch Bill Clinton debate Dick Cheney. So why not? "

New York Post: "The long talked-about liberal talk radio network has finally found an affiliate in New York - WLIB-AM, The Post has learned.
Air America, as the network will be known, is also expected to announce that outspoken comedian Janeane Garofalo will join pit-bull humorist Al Franken in its line-up.
The left-leaning network is backed mainly by well-heeled Democrats who want a counter-balance to conservative powerhouses like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Michael Savage.
The network could be up and running later this month or early April.
Backers of the network are eager to get on the air as quickly as possible in order to play a role in the upcoming presidential elections. "

but a pretty good start on the social responsibility front:- CNN.com: "CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Say goodbye to those supersized fries -- McDonald's is slimming down its menu.
The hamburger giant has started phasing out its trademark Supersize fries and drinks in its U.S. restaurants as part of an effort to simplify its menu and give customers choices that support a balanced lifestyle, a company spokesman said Tuesday.
By the end of 2004, Supersize will no longer be available at the nation's 13,000-plus McDonald's outlets except in certain promotions, McDonald's spokesman Walt Riker said. "

Coming up on March 25th. Hopefully I'll remember.....

BBC NEWS: "The Scottish village of Lost is changing its name because souvenir hunters keep making its road signs disappear. The Aberdeenshire hamlet will now be known as Lost Farm. "

MSNBC - Kerry scores a knockout on Super Tuesday: "Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts knocked Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, rolling to easy victories in big Super Tuesday primary states. Campaign aides told NBC News that Edwards would withdraw Wednesday.

Kerry waltzed to big wins in primaries in New York, Ohio, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland and Rhode Island, while NBC News projections based on surveys of voters as they left polling places indicated similarly large victories in California's primary and in party caucuses in Minnesota. And while Edwards had hoped for an upset in Georgia that could have kept his campaign alive for another week, projections showed that Kerry would narrowly win there, too. "

Dave Barry's Blog: "OK, the new site appears to be working. The address is http://weblog.herald.com/column/davebarry/.

Please note that there is now a 'comments' section, where a thoughtful intellectual discussion is already taking place on the topic of Johnny Depp's ding dongs."

LILEKS: "Still reading the history of the Empire State Building, and came across a remarkable anecdote. (One or two per page, really it's such a fine book.) In the 30s the networks broadcast national shows from the toppermost of the ESB, and you imagine what it must have been like to sit in a kitchen in Witchita and listen to a live concert from the 86th floor in Manhattan. What a modern world, full of wonders. Well. WOR had a show called Microphone in the Sky, which aired at 1 PM, interviewing people on the observation deck."