Clarion Fund, the non-profit anti-Muslim group which created Obsession and Third Jihad, claims that its “educational” efforts to make the world aware of the menace of radical Islam are non-partisan.  It has to do so to maintain its 501c3.  But everything this outfit does is partisan.  Reader Robin McLaren notes that a  Phoenix newspaper said this about a local screening of the film: Brent Lowder, a partner in Frontline Strategies LLC, represented the nonprofit Clarion Fund, ...

tags: muslim group, firm marketing, pr firm, jihad, clarion, obsession, republican

How low can these shitheads possibly sink? Early today, Obama remarked on the all the wackos yelling shit at McCain rallies: "It's easy to rile up a crowd," Obama said. "Nothing's easier than riling up a crowd by stoking anger and division. But that's not what we need right now in the United States." The McCain camp quickly jumped on this unprovoked attack on hardworking, blood-thirsty American xenophobes. Senior advisor Nicolle Wallace: "Barack Obama's assault on our supporters is insulting ...

tags: mccain obama, mccain camp, barack obama, john mccain, brian rogers, nicolle wallace, veiled threats, negative ads, xenophobes, shitheads, middle names, nthe, unprovoked attack, wackos, bigots, tax money, morons, rallies, middle class americans, nit

Talking Points Memo: "There's something else to note too. Over the last 48 hours several name brand Republicans have come out and either chided or denounced McCain's borderline incitement. And given how taboo it is to level such criticism of your own nominee at this stage of the election you have to assume these criticisms were only the tip of the iceberg, with a far more intense and angry barrage of criticism voiced privately."Here is ...

tags: talking points memo, incitement, tip of the iceberg, barrage, mccain, republicans

A bit of horserace commentary — Crooked Timber: "A bit of horserace commentaryby Henry on October 10, 2008So I hear (via a prominent member of the sane Republican faction) that the word on the right side of the street is that the Republican National Committee is about to pull the plug on its joint ads with the McCain campaign, and devote its resources instead to trying to save a couple of the senators who are ...

tags: mccain campaign, republican national committee, enormous difficulty, tough choices, pinch of salt, crooked timber, spending money, rnc, tv advertising, presidential campaign, faction, vulnerabilities, senators, republicans, gossip, legislation, polls, elections, risk

Former L.A. Mayor crosses party lines, endorses Obama | PolitickerCA: "Mayor Richard Riordan: Getty Images PhotoFormer Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, a Republican, is backing Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and attended a high-profile Beverly Hills fundraiser for the candidate last night. He explained to KCAL-TV why he had crossed party lines. 'I think he's a much more open person,' Riordan said as he arrived at the event, which featured a performance by Barbra Streisand. ...

tags: mayor richard riordan, barbra streisand, richard riordan, democratic presidential nominee, getty images, open person, s young, barack obama, fundraiser, high profile, beverly hills, electricity, republican

Obama McCain 100.0% probability of winning 0.0% probability of winning Mean of 363 electoral votes Mean of 175 electoral votes There was little change in the electoral map after the release of seven new polls in six states today. Obama led by a remarkable +8% in a Florida poll, and +2% and +5% in two Ohio polls. Oh…Obama led by +11% in Oregon, too. Today’s big surprise was that McCain’s ...

tags: election scorecard, florida poll, electoral votes, electoral map, probability, polls

[@375]Twits Du JourOn our way to dinner with our nephews. We're keeping one for the weekend. #Signing an Android Application (apk) for Release: Not difficult, once your know how to do it. tinyurl.com/4x5dvg #@chriswebb I totally agree. is.gd/3Pqf #Erik's Weblog: Twits Du Jour tinyurl.com/4u8fhr #

tags: twits, tinyurl, apk, nephews, gd, weblog

I need to tell you something, and some of you longtime readers know this already. My brother died in 1995. He was murdered, by somebody who will be in jail for the rest of his life.My mother died in 1980, when I was ten years old. She was manic depressive - today we call it bipolar disorder. She took her own life. I don't know if I want to say ...

tags: eternal damnation, longtime readers, talking about death, car crash, manic depressive, there is no hell, bipolar, grandmother, heaven, math, bridge, cancer, parents, god, brother

Many of the journalists who’ve reported on the Clarion Fund and its anti-Islam “documentary” Obsession have wondered why the film credits listed fake names for the two producers.  Yesterday we reported that the real name of one of the producers is Erik Werth.  Thanks to Meg Laughlin of the St. Petersburg Times, we may have the answer.  The Charlotte Observer reported the following in 1995: Charlotte Observer (North Carolina) August 2, 1995 Wednesday THREE EDITION Man charged in ...

tags: secret service agent, jihad, obsession, journalists

TBS is playing a rerun of Season 4 of HBO’s Sex and the City. In Episode 64, Carrie has just broken up with Aidan and is looking to buy an apartment. The bank loan officer tells her that despite being New York Magazine’s best columnist or whatever, she’s an undesirable candidate for a loan. The episode aired on January 27, 2002. Wasn’t anyone and everyone able to get a loan back then?

tags: rerun, hbo, carrie, tbs

Those hours were late ones, so much so the alarm was deliberately set with to balance the amount of rest required with the coming onslaught of what comes with the sunshine…There are only two others waiting down here. One is able to distinguish their features a bit more clearly for the advancing solar rays through the tall fragrant noble firs instead of the usual silhouettes customarily encountered at the crack of dawn.One is this ...

tags: annoyance factor, hollow wax, noble firs, wax figure, close proximity, breathing technique, solar rays, misanthropy, spew, ailment, silhouettes, fruition, obscurity, metaphors, bitterness, onslaught, swimmer, ears, dawn, span

Despite lower numbers for Grey’s and Ugly Betty, Life on Mars‘ premiere saw nice numbers yesterday. Meanwhile, CBS - with the help of CSI - scored wins with both the viewers and demos last night. 8pm Survivor: Gabon (13.3 million, 4.3/12 in 18-49) had a 500,000 bump. Ugly Betty (8.5 million, 2.6/7) was down slightly. My Name is Earl (7.1 million, 2.7/8) was up a notch; Kath & Kim’s debut (3.2/9) pulled in 7.5 million. Approximately 6.5 ...

tags: life on mars, abc

george bush is an economic wrecking ball. a few words from him, and the dow drops 400 points. thankfully, bush is a man of few words (and fewer thoughts behind them). “we’ll get through this together,” he says. no, we won’t. soon he’ll be off to crawford. or some country without extradition treaties. the rest of us will be slogging through the wreckage of the economy he’s left us with after eight years of monumental stupidity. the stupidity, ...

tags: man of few words, wrecking ball, scourge, dow, bush

Sorry, Dad, I’m Voting for Obama - The Daily Beast : If Democratic populism is a farce, Republican populism is a tragedy.

tags: sorry dad

The Alaska legislative investigation into whether or not Governor Sarah Palin committed any improprieties with regard to former DPS head Walt Monegan and her ex-brother-in-law and state trooper Mike Wooten has now concluded. The report issued by investigator Steve Branchflower has concluded that Palin abused her power in pressuring Monegan to fire Wooten.The report was made public in a 12-0 bipartisan, unanimous vote. While the McCain-Palin campaign continues to lie and spin this as ...

tags: senator joe biden, alaska state legislature, governor sarah palin, joe biden, dick cheney, legislative investigation, john mccain, trooper michael, personal agenda, code of ethics, unanimous vote, bipartisan group, wooten, improprieties, republican majority, term benefit, state trooper, time john, legislative council, sarah palin

Sorry, Dad, I’m Voting for Obama - The Daily Beast : If Democratic populism is a farce, Republican populism is a tragedy.

tags: sorry dad

The IndieCade International Festival of Independent Games is afoot in Bellevue right now. For today and tomorrow, the show caters only to game makers (seminars, round-table chats, and so on). If you make games, you need to attend this--over a dozen international nerd geniuses are talking shop and waiting for budding developers (or major publishers searching for the next Portal) to pick their brains. Not a dev? Starting Sunday, the fest transforms into a public, all-you-can-play ...

tags: wii remote, major publishers, tim burton, independent games, wii, game makers, computer camera, player game, wonky, stop motion, room sex, little man, geniuses, remotes, glitches, sex game, today and tomorrow, distraction, nerd, motions

Joe Pony Keg: Frat boy found dead in a “pool of vomit.” Jesus, That’s a Lot of Pot Smokers: October marks 20 millionth pot arrest since it was prohibited in 1937. Too Bad: We don’t have much to show for it. Rockefeller Horror: The push to overturn New York’s incomprehensibly fucked up Rockefeller drug laws. Blow Away: Man freed after substance turns out to not be cocaine. Not That Anyone Should Vote Based on This: Voters guide to drug ...

tags: medical marijuana initiative, pot smokers, rockefeller drug laws, frat boy, pony keg, employment bill, ndon, voters guide, nthe, millionth, vetoes, vomit, cocaine, arnold, horror, drugs, pool

Good evening everyone! Tonight I'll be LiveBlogging this second (and as far as I know, final) debate between Democrat Darcy Burner and Republican Dave Reichert, who are campaigning for Washington's 8th Congressional seat.The debate is being broadcast on KCTS television, channel 9 in the greater Seattle metro area, so watch it if you can!Andrew is planning on attending the debate live, and will probably chime in with his thoughts after the event. In the meantime, ...

tags: seattle metro area, health care education, darcy burner, viewer questions, followup questions, true lie, dave reichert, greater seattle, congressional seat, closing statements, economic questions, economic plan, class policies, coin toss, public television, busine, rebuttals, television channel, economic problems, channel 9

This, the video companion to Charles's earlier post, is a disaster for McCain. The key for Republicans, for many many years, has been to keep these sorts of conservatives out of sight—or at least keep them quiet when cameras are around. Now that they know they're McCain's only hope, they won't be silenced:

tags: video companion, mccain, out of sight, conservatives, republicans, sorts, disaster, cameras

The verdict on Troopergate: abuse of power. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- A legislative committee investigating Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has found she unlawfully abused her authority in firing the state's public safety commissioner.

tags: public safety commissioner, alaska gov, sarah palin, legislative committee, abuse of power, disaster

The AP reports: BERNALILLO, N.M. — A hot air balloon crashed into power lines and burst into flames Friday during Albuquerque's annual balloon fiesta, throwing both men on board to the ground and killing one of them. According to the local NBC affiliate KOB 4: Friday's fatal balloon accident is not the first for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which began in 1972... During the 1998 fiesta, a woman was killed when a balloon plowed into power lines, ...

tags: albuquerque international balloon fiesta, international balloon fiesta, hot air balloon, kob 4, balloon accident, nkob, nbc affiliate, winters california, sea creatures, nice photo, ap reports, whimsy, condolences, briggs, flames, two men, nbc, burst, photos

One week of midterms down, one to go. I hope your week wasn't as stressful as mine. If it was, stop working. It's Friday afternoon, time to close up shop with the ten best posts from around the LexBlogosphere. Have a great weekend everyone. Telemarketers Beware: New FTC Restrictions on Prerecorded Calls Take Effect Soon - Washington, D.C. attorney Timothy P. Tobin of Proskauer Rose in the firm's Privacy Law Blog ...

tags: midterms, legal news

Seattle's KCTS will host the second and final formal debate between Republican Dave Reichert and his Democratic challenger Darcy Burner this evening at 7 PM. I'll wait until after the debate is over to post my thoughts. Jason plans to blog the debate in real time as it airs, so feel free to check back here if you aren't near a television at 7 PM.

tags: kcts seattle, democratic challenger, dave reichert, formal debate, republican, real time, television

So when Sarah Palin talks about being a “reformer,” is she talking about this? A legislative committee investigating Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has found she unlawfully abused her authority in firing the state’s public safety commissioner. The investigative report concludes that a family grudge wasn’t the sole reason for firing Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan but says it likely was a contributing factor.

tags: alaska legislature, sarah palin

I had a hard weekend, as I've never been good with the general public and we had a LOT of the general public out in force that weekend. But I got some good pictures during the down times after and before the public was let in. So I'll let the pictures do the talking (click for larger versions):There was a lot more I didn't take pictures of, including a fantastic multi-table zombie apocalypse ...

tags: lego advent calendar, zombie apocalypse, lego bricks, nametag, setbacks, glitch, originality, zombies, computer systems, gore, mountains, boss, bonus, memory

I’m officially majoring in Sociology now. Just waiting to hear about the status of my Psychology application.

tags: high fives

When I bought my first mac about four years ago, I didn't realize what I had been missing up to that point. I think it's safe to say I absolute love my mac now and wouldn't know what the hell to do if I had to go back to using Windows everyday. The freedom you gain over your computing experience once you switch is paramount. Over the last few years, one ...

tags: commercial counterparts, slideshow style, open source software, countless applications, style interface, free alternatives, staples, new mac, bevy, useful software, cooliris, favorite sites, kompozer, four corners, user interface, wonderful thing, microsoft office, gimp, freedom, hell

On the same day, a tiny step forward: Indeed, [McCain] just snatched the microphone out the hands of a woman who began her question with, “I’m scared of Barack Obama… he’s an Arab terrorist…” “No, no ma’am,” he interrupted. “He’s a decent family man with whom I happen to have some disagreements.” –Time And GIANT steps backward: Earlier today, Obama remarked on recent outbursts of “Traitor!” “Terrorist!” and “Kill him!” at McCain campaign events. “It’s easy to rile up a ...

tags: mccain campaign, tiny step, schizophrenia, microphone

Am I the only one thinking that perhaps karma exists after all?You've read plenty on this site in the past few weeks about our friend Aubrey McClendon and the financial 3-card monty he's been playing with Chesapeake Energy. Now, it's really starting to hit the fan. From the AP:Chesapeake Energy CEO forced to sell company stockAubrey K. McClendon, chief executive of Chesapeake Energy Corp., has sold the bulk of his stock in the company over ...

tags: chesapeake energy corp, aubrey mcclendon, worldwide financial crisis, chesapeake energy, 3 card monty, securities and exchange commission, margin loan, extraordinary circumstances, hurtin, oklahoman, net worth, share price, securities and exchange, news release, chief executive, ceo, phrase, stock, money

A report just released by Office of Professional Accountability Auditor Kate Pflaumer appears to have cleared the Seattle Police Department of allegations from civil rights groups and attorneys that officers have used obstruction charges to cover for improper or violent arrests. Pflaumer, who compiled the report at the request of Mayor Greg Nickels, examined "obstruction only" arrests between January 2006 and July 2008 and found "no pattern of abuse" in how officers use obstruction charges. According to ...

tags: mayor greg nickels, seattle police department, civil rights groups, spd officers, pflaumer, professional accountability, obstruction charges, obstruction charge, drug arrests, n22, jail time, paraphernalia, disparity, probation, interference, allegations, sentences, time frame, convictions, gig

Panicking McCain tries to control the monster he conjured up from the underworld: LAKEVILLE, Minn. -- Sen. John McCain responded Friday to the increasingly angry crowds at his rallies and town halls by urging them to be respectful of his rival, Sen. Barack Obama, despite their deep policy differences with the Democratic nominee. ical supporters at a town hall in this Minneapolis suburb, McCain prompted boos from his crowd when he called Obama "a decent person" and ...

tags: sen john mccain, minneapolis suburb, barack obama, angry crowds, communist manifesto, john mccain, bourgeois society, expectant father, nether world, policy differences, decent person, town halls, means of production, democratic nominee, boos, president of the united states, sorcerer, rallies, spells, underworld

Martti Ahtisaari, a former Finnish president who has done a lot of international conflict resolution work, has won the Nobel Peace Prize. Many expected the Prize to go to Chinese dissidents as a little slap to China after this year's Olympics. But another group was snubbed, maybe even robbed, and the mainstream media, predictably, isn't paying any attention: Dr. David Ray Griffin and everyone involved in the 9/11 truth movement have been nominated for the ...

tags: david ray griffin, nobel peace prize, conflict resolution work, international conflict resolution, chinese dissidents, conspiracy theories, mainstream media, ndr, slap, finns, olympics, recipient, china, truth

"Happy Just To Be Here" by Seattlest Flickr contributor Grundlepuck As the battle for our Sonics unfolded over the past few years, Clay Bennett came to symbolize the greedy bastards who, along with the help of weasel-in-chief Howard Schultz, ran off with our NBA basketball team. But make no mistake, Bennett wasn't the brains behind the Great Oklahoma Rip-off. Nope. Clay Bennett was simply the bag man. The most influential person behind the deal was Aubrey McClendon, ...

tags: nba basketball team, aubrey mcclendon, chesapeake energy, greedy bastards, jim cramer, corporate ceo, nthen, clay bennett, margin call, howard schultz, cnbc, massive loss, influential person, oilman, dust bowl, oil prices, nso, emerald city, going out of business, spring and summer

photo by andrea [flickr] via our group pool [#] agenda: if you’re not going to give Black Kids and the Virgins a chance [neumos], maybe you’d rather see people from around the world face off over laptops at Nectar. [fremontuniverse] eighteen things, many of which are likely to make you want to scrape together all of your pennies to go to Poppy. [capitolhillseattle] the makings of a long-overdue Leanimal fanclub. [slog] Grant Aaker and Josh Wallert win Local Sightings ...

tags: flickr, nphoto, andrea, pool, blogs

For the second week in a row, we were able to get five new blogs live, including two from EpsteinBeckerGreen. I probably should not have favorites, but as a journalism student I know I'll be following Brooks Pierce's Newsroom Law Blog as close as any LexBlog blog since we hosted Truehoop. I look forward to seeing what insight this blog and these others have to offer. Toxic Tort Litigation Blog, written by William ...

tags: journalism student, newsroom, brooks, insight, blogs

The title above is a quote from Robert Heinlein, and also one of the three basic premises of Science Fiction. Today, they are also a warning to John McCain, Sarah Palin, and those people at their rallies who scream and cheer at suggestions of hate and violence. The Baltimore Sun has an editorial warning those candidates that they are walking a line that they need to cut short -- a line that is encouraging venom, ...

tags: mob behavior, robert heinlein, sarah palin, walking a line, john mccain, decent folk, baltimore sun, nthe, escalates, nostrils, stink, venom, rallies, hatred, premises, science fiction, opponents, generations, nif, republican

Once again, A. Birch Steen or Lou Guzzo?

tags: lou guzzo, open thread, steen, birch

Opening this week: Brendan Kiley on the Darby Crash hagiography What We Do Is Secret: "Note to the world: Unless you're a reporter or a historian, striving for authenticity is played. Fuck authenticity, whether you're writing a novel or starting an Indian restaurant. We don't need authentic, we need imaginative and good." Paul Constant pretty much likes Jonathan Demme's Rachel Getting Married: "Anne Hathaway should be commended for not drooling all over the part in a Method-inspired ...

tags: rosemarie dewitt, jonathan demme, cia drone, debra winger, darby crash, body of lies, arab markets, nbody, maximum efficiency, dense material, writing a novel, unblinking eye, drama queens, anne hathaway, wedding day, complexities, interested parties, filmmakers, authenticity, swoop

From the A.P.: The absentee ballots sent to voters in Rensselaer County identified the two presidential candidates as "Barack Osama" and "John McCain." The article goes on to helpfully point out: In the United States, the best-known individual named Osama is Osama bin Laden, leader of the al Qaida terrorist group behind the 2001 attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center in New York City. Wow. Is this on purpose or not? (Thanks to various Slog Tippers including Tracy and ...

tags: barack osama, rensselaer county, absentee ballots, john mccain, osama bin laden, presidential candidates, terrorist group, al qaida, world trade center, nin, new york city, united states

In this week's paper, Jonah Spangenthal-Lee takes a hard look at the "epidemic" of violence in Southeast Seattle... In the last month alone, there have been at least half a dozen shootings, many of them attributed to rising tensions between rival gangs. As Mayor Greg Nickels trots out his Youth Violence Prevention Initiative—a $9 million program designed to keep kids out of gangs and reduce violence in South and Central Seattle—South Seattle residents like Rachel ...

tags: violence prevention initiative, youth violence prevention, mayor greg nickels, police helicopters, rival gangs, dozen shootings, seattle residents, southeast seattle, central seattle, probation officer, south seattle, frizzelle, david schmader, farmers market, apartment building, transit station, sound transit, old capitol, risley, light rail station

LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) — Some of the anger is getting raw at Republican rallies and John McCain is mostly letting it flare. A sense of grievance spilling into rage has gripped some GOP events as McCain supporters see his presidential campaign lag against Barack Obama. They're making it personal, against the Democrat. Shouts of "traitor," "terrorist," "treason," "liar," and even "off with his head" have rung from the crowd at McCain and Sarah Palin ...

tags: mccain supporters, gop events, barack obama, sarah palin, planet of the apes, john mccain, quiet work, presidential campaign, grievance, wis, la crosse, rallies, traitor, liar, treason, gop, witch, democrat, rage, anger

From the comments on this post earlier today: Anyone else a little frightened by all of the calls to "kill him"? Holy crap. I really hope the Secret Service is up for what the next 4 (hopefully eight!) years are likely to bring. --scharrera And: Barack Obama and his family must truly love this country to want to lead and actually try and help morons like these people. If people are saying 'kill him' in situations like this ...

tags: david gergen, john weaver, lone gunman, ugly tactics, george packer, andrew sullivan, cnn, joe klein, nut cases, nthe, vigilantism, republican ticket, palin, obama, epithets, birthday girl, passions, nand, party leaders, american politics

If elected I promise to give every American man, woman, and child one million dollars tax free. Plus free parking -- everywhere all the time. National speed limit: 110MPH. Economic policy? You break it, you've bought it. Foreign Policy: You screw with us, even a little, and you are just one flat and glowing squirrel on the vast highway of life. 24 hours, start to finish. That goes for your whole country and your little ...

tags: one million dollars, man woman and child, sarah palin, air force one, strong hands, gerard van, election coverage, woman and child, american man, little dog, speed limit, news report, gecko, squirrel, ivan, vp, screw, tops

Subscribers to Global Rhythm magazine may be in for a shock this week. Instead of a November issue, subscribers will find in their mailbox a copy of the November relix magazine, a decidedly less global publication, with a letter from the Global Rhythm brass explaining that "due to astronomical costs increases and our desire to reach a broader audience, we have decided to take [Global Rhythm] completely digital."The Global Rhythm website shows no sign of ...

tags: relix magazine, global rhythm, rhythm magazine, burning spear, global publication, alternative publications, global beat, food features, froots, global music, music fans, demise, disappearance, world music, trial subscription, shock, subscribers, desire, audience, transition

... Want to do with your tax dollars? Find out on Slog, where we'll be posting exclusive video of the Stranger Election Control Board's interview on I-985, Tim Eyman's latest initiative.

tags: tim eyman, tax dollars, stranger, initiative, exclusive video

Having just gone through Richard Misrach's press preview this morning, I can say with certainty that you're going to want to hear him speak tonight at UW. (Full details here.) He's talking about his latest completed series, On the Beach, which he made between 2002 and 2005. In it, he stood on a balcony at a Hawaii hotel and shot downward, geometrically reversing the relationship between photographer and subject that occurred when the victims of September ...

tags: richard misrach, n nhe, great painting, hawaii hotel, middle of the ocean, handstand, bruegel, bottom right corner, fetal position, quality images, balcony, september 11, photographers, photographer, imo, priority, high quality, relationship

First: A study by Harvard post-doc fellow Daniel J. Hopkins (pdf here) which argues that the Bradley effect disappeared around 1996: African Americans running for office before 1996 performed on average 2.7 percentage points worse than their polling numbers would indicate. Yet this effect subsequently disappeared. Although precision is limited because there were only 47 observations for 18 elections with black candidates in this period, these finding accord with theories of racial politics emphasizing the information ...

tags: great dismal swamp, north carolina border, andrew hacker, harvard post, african immigration, doc fellow,