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Kick Assiest Blog
Saturday, 12 August 2006
Dead Air America's Sam Seder Makes Desperate Pitch
Mood:
 silly
Topic: Lib Loser Stories
 SAVE MY SHOW!
AAR's Seder Makes Desperate Pitch As an increasingly chaotic atmosphere sets in behind the scenes at troubled liberal talk radio network Air America, at least one host is taking matters into his own hands. For Sam Seder, it's an eleventh-hour attempt to save his own neck. Will it work? So far, Seder, of the Majority Report show heard weeknights on the network, has survived the departure of former co-host Janeane Garofalo, but that may not be the case for long. In addition to making on-air pleas to keep his show, Seder and a website affiliated with the program have kicked off an email campaign that asks fans to write supportive letters to Air America's management.  One problem: with nearly all of Air America's on-site executive team now missing in action, it's hard to determine exactly who would read any pro-Seder emails. Instead, they're far more likely to fall into a cyber-black hole.
He's also enlisted high profile help, including Democrat Party wonder boy Kos. In the subsequent DailyKos reader discussion, liberals dissect Air America's programming, including this analysis from poster "Splicer": The Majority Report notwithstanding, I think the network as a whole has struggled mightily to find a coherent voice since they first signed on the air. I thought it was a mistake to emphasize so much comedy; the programs often seem more like people auditioning for their next gig than something meant for the long haul. Here in NYC, we currently have Rachel Maddow in the morning who I think is fine the way she is but is saddled with this character Kent Jones who is apparently doing a lot of the "comedy" writing, delivering the news in a way that screams, "Hey, Jon Stewart, I want to work on the Daily Show". Uh, no, Kent, they have talent.  Is Jerry Springer still on the air there? That program was a mistake and smells of some genius executive making hiring decisions based upon what a consultant tells him.
I've liked Al Franken from the beginning but think that he was better with Katherine than solo. She seemed to always bring things back to the topic rather than let them veer off into tangentland. Randi Rhodes can be entertaining but it always seems like I'm listening to the same show over and over again. Same sorts of callers and the recorded bits always in the same place coming out of a top of the hour break. Ugh, formats. Now, as to the Majority Report. I like Sam and like the way that he mixes the sarcastic humor with the vitriol. Janeane always grated on my nerves because, in a weird way, her personality reminded me of Rosie O'Donnell - always having to not only have the last word but the definitive word on everything. I always got the feeling that the odd terminology she would use was because she happened to be reading a book on the subject that week which, of course, made her an expert.
 Meanwhile, the company seems to have a hard time keeping its own website updated, as it still lists both Garofalo and Seder as program co-hosts.
While the Radio Equalizer has a hard time faulting anybody for trying to hang on to his job, this energy may be better spent trying to cut a deal somewhere else. For Air America's hosts, it's a tough decision: either hang on until the ship sinks, or jump off now and quickly look for a new home. The Radio Equalizer ~ David A Lunde ** Save My Show!
Posted by yaahoo_06iest
at 12:01 AM EDT
Updated: Tuesday, 15 August 2006 9:46 AM EDT
Friday, 11 August 2006
Teens Cope With Unwanted Pregnancies Better Than Abortions, Study Shows
Mood:
 loud
Topic: Yahoo Chat Stuff
Teens Cope With Unwanted Pregnancies Better Than Abortions, Study Shows  Bowling Green, OH -- A new study published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence refutes a long-standing contention that teenagers are better able to handle an abortion than dealing with an unplanned pregnancy. The study finds that adolescent girls who have an abortion are five times more likely to seek help for psychological and emotional problems than those who keep their baby.
Dr. Priscilla Coleman, a research psychologist at Bowling Green State University, led the study.  Coleman also found that teenagers who have abortions instead of carrying the pregnancy to term were also over three times more likely to report subsequent trouble sleeping, and nine times more likely to report subsequent marijuana use.
To factor out other reasons that may have prompted the need for psychological help, sleep difficulties or drug use, Coleman examined 17 other variables such as prior mental health history and family factors. That helped narrow down the study to make sure it focused only on the results after the abortion or birth decision. Data for the study came from a federally-funded longitudinal study of adolescents from throughout the U.S. who participated in two series of interviews in 1995 and 1996.  About 76 percent of girls who had abortions and 80 percent of girls who gave birth were between the ages of 15 and 19 during the survey and the rest were younger teenagers.
Previous studies have found that younger abortion patients may be more likely to experience difficulties coping after abortion compared to older women. That may be because they are more likely to be pressured into unwanted abortions or to undergo abortions later in the pregnancy, leading to more physical and emotional risk. A 2004 survey of American and Russian women published in the Medical Science Monitor found that 64 percent of American women reported that they felt pressured into abortion. Coleman said that for teens, the pressure probably comes from the fact that they are more likely to be perceived as unready to be parents and that abortion is often seen by those around them as the best solution. "When women feel forced into abortion by others or by life circumstances, negative post-abortion outcomes become more common," she wrote. "Adolescents are generally much less prepared to assume the responsibility of parenthood and are logically the recipients of pressure to abort." Coleman pointed out that, while having a child as a teen may be problematic, "the risks of terminating seem to be even more pronounced."  "The scientific evidence is now strong and compelling," Coleman said. "Abortion poses more risks to women than giving birth."
In a statement LifeNews.com obtained, Dr. David Reardon, the director of the Elliot Institute, said that Coleman's study was particularly important because it examines pregnancy "wantedness." "Over the last six years, numerous studies have conclusively linked higher rates of mental illness and behavioral problems associated with abortion compared to childbirth," Reardon, who has contributed to more than a dozen studies examining psychological outcomes after abortion, said.  "But abortion advocates have generally dismissed these findings, insisting that while women who abort may fare worse than women who give birth to planned children, they may fare better than the important subgroup of women who carry unintended pregnancies to term," Reardon explained. "Coleman's study addresses this argument and shows that the facts don't support abortion advocates' speculations."
The results of the study are also important because about one-fourth of the abortions that take place annually in the United States are done on teenagers, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, a Planned Parenthood affiliate. As such, the study shows that teenagers should be advised to not have an abortion in order to avoid both short and long-term emotional and psychological complications. Source: Priscilla K. Coleman, "Resolution of Unwanted Pregnancy During Adolescence Through Abortion Versus Childbirth: Individual and Family Predictors and Psychological Consequences," Journal of Youth and Adolescence (2006). Life News.com ~ Steven Ertelt ** Teens Cope With Unwanted Pregnancies Better Than Abortions, Study Shows
Posted by yaahoo_06iest
at 12:01 AM EDT
Updated: Tuesday, 15 August 2006 7:09 AM EDT
Thursday, 10 August 2006
The Real Cause of Global Warming, THE SUN!
Mood:
 bright
Topic: Lib Loser Stories
It's The Photo Algore Doesn't Want You To See... Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Click for a stunning photo and explanation of how THE SUN, not little ole humans on Earth, really causes global warming (Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available.) 
An Erupting Solar Prominence from SOHO
Credit: SOHO-EIT Consortium, ESA, NASA Explanation: Our Sun is still very active. In the year 2000, our Sun went though Solar Maximum, the time in its 11-year cycle where the most sunspots and explosive activities occur. Sunspots, the Solar Cycle, and solar prominences are all caused by the Sun's changing magnetic field. Pictured above is a solar prominence that erupted in 2002 July, throwing electrons and ions out into the Solar System. The above image was taken in the ultraviolet light emitted by a specific type of ionized helium, a common element on the Sun. Particularly hot areas appear in white, while relatively cool areas appear in red. Our Sun should gradually quiet down until Solar Minimum occurs, and the Sun is most quiet. No one can precisely predict when Solar Minimum will occur, although some signs indicate that it has started already! Tomorrow's picture: blue horse
Posted by yaahoo_06iest
at 1:20 AM EDT
Updated: Thursday, 10 August 2006 1:50 AM EDT
Wednesday, 9 August 2006
Tuesday, 8 August 2006
Five-year-old boy has 60-mile train adventure
Mood:
 surprised
Topic: Odd Stuff
 Boy, 5, has train adventure
A five-year-old boy took a 60-mile train ride because he wanted a real-life Thomas the Tank adventure. Ben Ford was walking down the road ahead of his mum and dad when he disappeared. He walked alone for half a mile and jumped on a train. He got off at Taunton in Somerset - 60 miles from his home in Teignmouth, Devon. Two girls spotted him in a car park and alerted police. According to the Mirror Dad David said: "Ben is mad about trains and Thomas the Tank Engine so he probably thought he was in the middle of some kind of Thomas adventure. "It is still quite a long way to the station for a lad of his age and he had to cross major roads and go all the way to the bottom of town. Ben clearly wanted an adventure but he gave us all a huge fright. For those hours that he was missing I just thought 'if he is gone forever I don't want to exist any more'." David and wife Sam had searched
everywhere with neighbours and called police. Neighbour Joanne Gartside, 37, said: "All hell broke loose round here. There were swarms of police officers and dogs and a helicopter." PC Austin Clarkson said: "The little boy was fine - he sat and watched the trains while we made inquiries." He then boarded a service to Exeter St David's station, where Ben was reunited with his parents. Ananova.com UK ** Boy, 5, has train adventure
Posted by yaahoo_06iest
at 4:19 AM EDT
Updated: Tuesday, 8 August 2006 4:37 AM EDT
al-Reuters ~ First Casualty Photo
Mood:
 caffeinated
Topic: Lib Loser Stories
 
Posted by yaahoo_06iest
at 3:13 AM EDT
Chief of Naval Ops accepts New EA-18G ''Growler''
Mood:
 special
Topic: News
 Full Image: Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Adm. Mike Mullen, delivers remarks during the EA-18G Growler roll out ceremony held at the Boeing Company in St. Louis. The EA-18 Growler is being developed to replace the fleet's current carrier-based EA-6B Prowler. The next-generation electronic attack aircraft, for the U.S. Navy, combines the combat-proven F/A-18 Super Hornet with a state-of-the-art electronic warfare avionics suite. The EA-18G will feature an airborne electronic attack suite based on Northrop Grumman's Improved Capability III system, a radically new jamming and information warfare system. The EA-18G is expected to enter initial operational capability in 2009.
 CNO Accepts New EA-18G Growler
From Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Mullen accepted on behalf of the Navy the EA-18G Growler in a formal roll-out ceremony at The Boeing Company's facility here Aug 3.
The Growler will replace its aging predecessor, the EA-6B Prowler, as the Navy’s air platform for electronic warfare.
“The EA-18G Growler is a first-class aircraft with a key mission at a critical time in our history,” said Mullen.
Naval aviation, he explained, has been a very integral part of the nation’s defense in both peace and war.
“As we have seen in operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, naval aviation brings revolutionary capabilities to the fight and demonstrates again and again the enduring criticality of naval air power,” said Mullen.  (View All Photos) Guests get a closer look at the EA-18G Growler during its roll out ceremony held at the Boeing Company in St. Louis. The EA-18 Growler is being developed to replace the fleet's current carrier-based EA-6B Prowler. The next-generation electronic attack aircraft, for the U.S. Navy, combines the combat-proven F/A-18 Super Hornet with a state-of-the-art electronic warfare avionics suite. The EA-18G will feature an airborne electronic attack suite based on Northrop Grumman's Improved Capability III system, a radically new jamming and information warfare system. The EA-18G is expected to enter initial operational capability in 2009. >>>>>
The Growler's speed, range and robust self-defense systems will serve as force multipliers for the joint force, Mullen noted.
"Its pilots and crews will employ Growler's systems not just to jam signals," said the CNO, "but to control all aspects of the electromagnetic spectrum to protect our troops and engage our enemies."
 Program managers and engineers saved the Navy billions of dollars, Mullen argued, by using innovative methods such as testing cutting edge technology in existing aircraft and then using the already proven F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet’s airframe to create the aircraft.
“Less than three years ago, we signed the contract, and here we are today, on schedule and under budget with a new electronic attack aircraft that exceeds every performance measure,” said Mullen.
Mullen praised the men and women flying electronic warfare missions for the Navy in the war on terrorism and stressed the importance of getting Growler to the fleet.
"This roll-out comes none too soon," said Mullen, "because as we speak, the Growler's predecessors are themselves flying vital missions over Iraq and Afghanistan, and they need to be replaced as soon as possible.
 "I recently visited some of our Prowler crews in Iraq. I can tell you that they are superb and, like all the Sailors and Marines I met there, are doing remarkable work. It is hard, grueling, vital work. In some ways and in some places, the most vital we are doing."
The CNO also acknowledged the hard work of all those involved in designing and building the Growler.
“You can be justifiably proud of this fine aircraft you have provided our Navy and nation," said Mullen. "Right now, day in and day out, naval aviators bet their lives on your aircraft, flying at sea, far from land, and in combat over some of the most remote places on earth. They are succeeding in their tough missions because of the terrific aircraft you have built for them.”
 The Growler must still undergo test and evaluation, beginning with a first flight planned in the next two weeks, a month earlier than expected.
For related news, visit the Chief of Naval Operations Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/cno/. Navy News ~ Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs ** CNO Accepts New EA-18G Growler
Posted by yaahoo_06iest
at 2:30 AM EDT
Updated: Tuesday, 8 August 2006 2:58 AM EDT
Dennis Miller Returns to Fox News
Mood:
 chatty
Topic: Yahoo Chat Stuff
 Hannity & Colmes adds Miller to show
Comedian and actor Dennis Miller is joining Fox News as a contributor to "Hannity & Colmes" this autumn, according to a network executive. Miller, who did a stint on "Hannity & Colmes" in 2003 and then had his own eponymous show on CNBC, will begin weighing in on news and politics beginning Sept. 13. He also will provide commentary on the Fox News Web site. Meanwhile, CNN has hired as a contributor Alina Fernandez, the exiled daughter of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and a critic of her father's policies. Fernandez, who left Cuba in 1993, is based in Miami. Belleville News Democrat ~ Los Angeles Times ** Hannity & Colmes adds Miller to show
Posted by yaahoo_06iest
at 12:33 AM EDT
Monday, 7 August 2006
al-Reuters Doctored Pictures
Mood:
loud
Now Playing: LIBTARD MEDIA BULLSHIT ALERT
Topic: Lib Loser Stories
Reuters on Sunday withdrew an image of smoke rising from burning buildings after an Israeli air strike on the suburbs of Beirut on August 5, 2006 after evidence emerged that it had been manipulated to show more smoke. The manipulated image is shown on the left. The unaltered image, shown on the right, has since run. Reuters has told the photographer, freelance Adnan Hajj, that the agency will not use any more of his pictures. 
 Reuters admits to more image manipulation
News organization withdraws photograph of Israeli fighter jet, admits image was doctored, fires photographer. Reuters pledges 'tighter editing procedure for images of the Middle East conflict' Reuters has withdrawn a second photograph and admitted that the image was doctored, following the emergence of new suspicions against images provided by the news organization. On Sunday, Reuters admitted that one of its photographers, Adnan Hajj, used software to distort an image of smoke billowing from buildings in Beirut in order to create the effect of more smoke and damage. The latest image to face doubts is a photograph of an Israeli F-16 fighter jet over the skies of Lebanon, seen in the image firing off "missiles during an air strike on Nabatiyeh," according to the image's accompanying text provided by Reuters. Reuters has recalled all photos by Adnan Hajj The owner of the My Pet Jawa web log noted that the warplane in the picture is actually firing defensive flares aimed at dealing with anti-aircraft missiles. | Caught Red Handed | | Reuters admits altering Beirut photo / Yaakov Lappin | Reuters withdraws photograph of Beirut after Air Force attack after US blogs, photographers point out 'blatant evidence of manipulation.' | | Full Story |
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In addition, the Jawa blog says the flares have been replicated by Reuters, giving the impression that the jet was firing many "missiles," thereby distortion the image. "The F-16 in the photo is not firing missiles, but is rather dropping chaffe or flares designed to be a decoy for surface to air missiles. However, a close up (of) what Hajj calls "missiles" reveals that only one flare has been dropped. The other two "flares" are simply copies of the original," Shackleford wrote. "But what about the 'bombs' in the photo? Here is a close up of them. Notice anything? That's right. The top and bottom "bomb" are the same." 
Another manipuated Reuters image ^
Following the accusations, Reuters conceded that a second image it provided had been manipulated, and released a statement saying it had recalled all photos by Hajj. "Reuters has withdrawn from its database all photographs taken by Beirut-based freelance Adnan Hajj after establishing that he had altered two images since the start of the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese Hizbullah group," the statement said. The news outlet said that it discovered "in the last 24 hours that he (Hajj) altered two photographs since the beginning of the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese group Hizbullah," Reuters added. “There is no graver breach of Reuters standards for our photographers than the deliberate manipulation of an image", Reuters' statement quoted Tom Szlukovenyi, Reuters Global Picture Editor, as saying. 'Tighter editing needed' Reuters also said it would apply "tighter editing procedure for images of the Middle East conflict to ensure that no photograph from the region would be transmitted to subscribers without review by the most senior editor on the Reuters Global Pictures Desk." "Reuters terminated its relationship with Hajj on Sunday... An immediate enquiry began into Hajj’s other work," the statement said. Hajj had provided Reuters with several images from the Lebanese village of Qana, many of which have also been suspected of being staged. Other Reuters images have been called into question by blogs in the United States. A reader of the Power Line blog , Robert Opalecky, wrote: "I don't know if this has been brought to anyone's attention yet, but in a quick search of the authenticated Reuters photographs attributed to Adnan Hajj, I found the following two." 
The first Reuters image of July 24 ^ "One is from July 24 of a bombed out area in Beirut, with a clearly identifiable building in a prominent part of the shot. The second is of the exact same area, same buildings, same condition, with a woman walking past "a building flattened during an overnight Israeli air raid on Beirut's suburbs August 5, 2006," he wrote. 
Reuters' second 'Beirut attack' photo, dated August 5 ^ A film released on the YouTube video sharing website compares the two images, and appears to show striking similarities between the photograph used by Reuters on both July 24 and August 5. Y Net News.com ~ Yaakov Lappin ** Reuters admits to more image manipulation Related: REAL OR ALTERED? REUTERS PULLS 920 PHOTOS BY HAJJ
My Way News ~ Reuters ** Reuters withdraws all photos by freelancer Y Net News.com ~ Yaakov Lappin ** Reuters Employee Issues 'Zionist Pig' Death Threat
Posted by yaahoo_06iest
at 10:01 PM EDT
Updated: Tuesday, 8 August 2006 1:04 AM EDT
Sunday, 6 August 2006
Deficit estimated lowest in 4 years
Mood:
 cool
Now Playing: BUSH'S FAULT
Topic: News
Deficit estimated lowest in 4 years  WASHINGTON - The federal deficit will register $260 billion this year, the lowest in four years, reflecting a strong economy and resulting growth in tax revenue, congressional analysts said Friday.
The estimate by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is well below its earlier predictions and also below the $296 billion White House estimate less than a month ago. Better-than-expected revenues are driving the deficit down from last year's $318 billion figure and far below the record $413 billion posted in 2004. At $260 billion, it would be the lowest since the $158 billion figure in 2002, the first deficit following four years of surpluses.  The deficit picture is even better when measured against the size of the economy, which is the comparison economists think is most important.
"At 2 percent of gross domestic product, the 2006 deficit would be smaller than the deficit recorded in the past three years -- 3.5 percent in 2003, 3.6 percent in 2004 and 2.6 percent in 2005," said the CBO report. So far this year, taxes on corporate profits are 27 percent or $56 billion higher compared to the first 10 months of last year. That reflects the strong economy. All told, receipts from corporate profits are estimated to tally two and a half times those collected in 2003, CBO said.  The budget year ends Sept. 30.
Receipts are also 20 percent higher on income and payroll taxes paid quarterly by wealthier people and small businessmen but taxes withheld in paychecks are only 8 percent higher. Tax receipts are estimated to run $223 billion higher than 2005, CBO said. The CBO estimate continues a positive trend on the deficit after a grim deficit performance during President Bush's first term. Republicans credited GOP fiscal policies centered on tax cuts passed in 2001 and 2003 and a clampdown on domestic agencies funded by Congress each year. Were it not for the war in Iraq and ongoing hurricane relief costs, the deficit would be far lower. "Even with the extraordinary circumstances of the past year -- including Hurricane Katrina and the ongoing War on Terror -- we're seeing the deficit fall," said House Budget Committee Chairman Jim Nussle, R-Iowa. "Thanks to pro-growth policies and a responsible budget blueprint, we're on the right track, but we've got to remain diligent."  Democrats said a $260 billion deficit is nothing to crow about.
"The deficit for this year will be the sixth largest in history, and will stand a long way from the $236 billion surplus recorded in 2000, the last year of the Clinton Administration," said top House Budget Committee Democrat John Spratt Jr. of South Carolina. The Bush White House has gained a reputation for overstating deficit figures early in the year in order to report better news later. In February, the White House predicted a $423 billion deficit for the current year.  On the Web: Congressional Budget Office
Yahoo News ~ Associated Press - Andrew Taylor ** Deficit estimated lowest in 4 years
Posted by yaahoo_06iest
at 12:01 AM EDT
Updated: Sunday, 6 August 2006 1:15 AM EDT
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One problem: with nearly all of Air America's on-site executive team now missing in action, it's hard to determine exactly who would read any pro-Seder emails. Instead, they're far more likely to fall into a cyber-black hole.
Meanwhile, the company seems to have a hard time keeping its own website updated, as it still lists both Garofalo and Seder as program co-hosts.
party time!
Lieberman loses, libtards claim he was a "right wing hero" - McKinney is out... claims "voter irregularities"... IN A DEM PRIMARY! Thanks for the election presents, libtards!!!
The clueless looney-bird leftists made actual chat posts like "Your right wing hero lost" when describing Lieberman. They then called us "nazis" and justified their punishment for Lieberman's "thought crime."
