Talon News

As show on Daily Show (1/27/05) and elsewhere, a member of the Press Corps asked the following question of George Bush:

Thank you. Senate Democratic leaders have painted a very bleak picture of the U.S. economy. [Senate Minority Leader] Harry Reid [D-NV] was talking about soup lines. And [Senator] Hillary Clinton [D-NY] was talking about the economy being on the verge of collapse. Yet in the same breath they say that Social Security is rock solid and there's no crisis there. How are you going to work -- you've said you are going to reach out to these people -- how are you going to work with people who seem to have divorced themselves from reality?

Little background. The person that asked the question, Jeff Gannon, is a member of Talon News. Which if go to your site wastes little time in linking to its main parent site, www.gopusa.com, a clearly pro-Bush site.

How is this person a member of the White House press corps?
How in the world did he pass muster to get there?
Has the White House just said to hell with pretending to communicate with the press?
Why is the press in general and other people not questioning his prescence? Has the press gone so far that they don't even bother to question something that reflects poorly on them? Do they not care anymore?
Hell, how can you call this person a reporter? That kind of question is just gross incompetence even if wasn't clearly meant to pander.
Doesn't the Bush Admin know that allowing such a pandering fool into the press corps does little to help him? Its not a plus but a minus to him and his attempt to pretend he is open with the press.

Just a sad state of affairs.

Assault on Precient 13

Good popcorn movie. Great date movie. Doesn't require a big screen to enjoy so watch it as a matinee but don't wait till its a rental. The story is the similar to the orginial but the bad guys are different. In it some cops have to join with some criminials to save their own bacon against the bad guys that are attacking the building, precient 13, that they are in. What unfolds is why they are attacking it, who is attacking it, and how everyone (if any) survives. Simple story, entertaining movie. The acting was good. The character development pretty good for such a story. The action very nice. About the only complaint is the legizamo character. Very annoying. That was intentional but still grated none the less. Early on there is some extreme camera shaking moments, trying to capture that Bourne Supremeacy feel...but luckily someone wised up and nixed it shortly after that. So go out, just the brain off, and enjoy this nice action flick.

Lemony Snicket Review

Eh. This movie was just eh. The idea is decent. The delivery not bad. Jim Carrey acted well but wasn't particurily funny or seemed very evil. The atmosphere, sets and all that good. The story, Carrey tries to kill children for the fortune left by their dead parents, decent. The main problem with the movie is pacing. It was just sooooo freaking slow. To much padding or belief that all that dead weight would equal care for the children. Well, it didn't. Sadly the kids where cute but really the only reason to care about them is cause their parents died. Sad, but not enough to be upset or engrossed in their lives. The movie seemed to have a lesson, an ending designed to make you feel choked up or hopeful. I was just glad the movie was over. This movie is a rental or even better catch it on cable.

Elektra Review

I like to keep reviews short and sweet. Ultimately all that matters is "was i entertained?" In this case yep. The movie was entertaining. Good acting on Jennifer Garners part. Decent plot, good effects and action sequences. The story is basically bad girl seeks redemption by saving cute girl's life several times. Pretty straight forward. Good for making good movies and pleny of bad. In this case just so-so. My main complaint is that it didn't have enough action. Maybe about two real good ones. The rest seemed to be something out of Alias, good but very short. I would have happily traded the CGI for just good ole buttkicking ninja style. Maybe its the limited budget, or limited imagination but this movie just lacked size and scope. I call this one a renter or a matinee. Don't pay the big bucks for it.

Mac Mini

OMG! I may convert. Never really liked Apple machines, not enough software, interface always seemed clunkier then even Windows, but hell for 500, with that kind of speed and price, and even better the sleek look, why not give it a whirl.

By adapters and don't even need to get new monitors, keyboard or mouse (i think).

Check it out.

Kudos for Bush?

The Gaurdian wants to. I actually want to also. Anytime a leader responds well to a crisis you want to be able to look at them with pride and so thats MY president. Sadly, as is the norm, the White House response to the Tsunami was anything but something to be proud of.

The fact that it took Bush THREE days to even respond is horrible. Then to decide to respond with a pentence until pressure results in the 350 million donation? As its been pointed out, we allocated 15 billion for florida and "only" several hundred died. The 350 is about of the cost each day for the Iraqi War. So the donation is technically one less day Bush could have troops in Iraq (as if that has a near end). Bush's people also went out of their way to critize Clinton for his "feel your pain" comments with sarcasism and snarkiness instead of stepping up and responding as a representive of the US (with Bush) instead as an individual (as Clinton was). This thing was partisan from the beginning and the weird thing is most of the republican congress wasn't even participating in the White House's behavior (for once), they where trying to respond as leaders are supposed to.

From day one, the response from the White House has been horrendous. If anyone deserves a kudos it is Colin Powell. While the US was waiting on the White House to get its act together, he was the caring face of America. Promising aid and help, showing the concern that the President himself should have done.

Just because Bush finally got his crap together (finally), doesn't excuse the horrendous initial response to this tragedy. If anything this shows why their is genuine fear of Bush. His first response was one of disinterest and arrogance instead of leadership and concern.

Tsunami Aid

CNN's list of places to donate

Hotline numbers from CNN:
HOTLINE NUMBERS
For information on relatives/friends in the affected areas:

India: +91 11 2309 3054

Thailand: +66 2643 5262 and 2643 5000; Phuket enquiries call +66 76 240 729

Sri Lanka: residents: +94 11 536 1938; tourists: +94 11 243 7061

Maldives: +44 20 7224 2149

Hong Kong residents: +852 2829 3010

U.S. citizens: 1-888-407-4747

Australian citizens: Toll-free 1800 002 214


Aid provided:

U.S.A: $350 million
Australia: $764.5 million (1 billion ins Australian dollars)
Germany: $660 million (500 million euros)
Japan: $500 million
Norway: $183 million
Britain: $95 million
Sweden: $75.5 million
Spain: $68 million
France: 65.9 million
Canada: $65.5 million
China: $60 million

Note these figures don't include all countries, private donations and of course the cost of the supplies, man power, machinary etc many many countries are sending.
source: Fox News and CNN

Of disturbing note to me is that many of those effected are not majority Christian and Muslim nations and as a result it seems that most Muslim countries have committed zero aid. Also noticed neither has Vatican City in Rome. I am hoping this is just a reporting oversite and not a refusal on those areas to provide help for religious reasons.