Giggling Belgrade looters becomes YouTube smash hit

From Reuters:

A video of two young women looting with gay abandon during rioting in the Serbian capital Belgrade was becoming a Balkan smash hit on the video-sharing Web site YouTube Friday.

Police arrested some looters but public humiliation by YouTube may prove a far more painful punishment for the pair, whose spree Thursday night was also aired on local television stations and was being discussed across the Internet.

A persistent amateur cameraman followed the women as they loaded up with chocolates at a corner shop, came out giggling, then went after designer bags, shoes and clothes at Belgrade's swankiest stores in its vandalized main shopping street....

YouTube viewers were not amused.

"Shame on you," was the general message of hundreds of comments about the women's behavior, though most used unrepeatable vocabulary.

The video was entitled "Swapping Kosovo for a pair of sneakers" and the person who posted it, "Gvantanamo," gave a description:

"Belgrade bimbos exploit unrest to steal from smashed-up boutiques without the slightest shame. They are so greedy they even have to carry things in their teeth."

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Time to declare war on CNN

This is unforgivable. Questioning Senator Obama's patriotism? Why does CNN feel comfortable questioning Obama's patriotism? You don't see CNN questioning John McCain's patriotism, even though he let our troops down in Iraq and Afghanistan for years while they fought with insufficient manpower and equipment and VA benefits. I doubt CNN is going to be doing a poll about whether John McCain is crazy. Or how about if George Bush is still an alcoholic? The media never dares to question the integrity, the sanity, the patriotism of Republicans. God forbid. Hell, if you're the NYT, you literally pull stories that might make voters not like Republicans as much. But if you're a Democrat, the NYT, CNN, and the AP have no such problem sliming our politicians and ourparty. Oh let's do talk to about the AP. Their reporter, Nedra Pickler, writes a piece that regurgitates all the right-wing lies about Obama lacking patriotism, and what's the title of the story?

"Conservatives say Obama lacks patriotism"

How fucking dare you? Lack patriotism? What is this, the McCarthy era? AP is now willing to write any crap, so long as it's a Republican saying it about a Democrat? AP knows damn well that Obama doesn't hate America. This isn't a he-said-she-said. It's a case where AP is genuflecting to the Republicans and regurgitating their crap in a way Pickler and her fellow reporters wouldn't dare do if the victim were Republican. Has Pickler ever written a story about John McCain being insane? Being senile? Somehow I doubt it.

CNN should be ashamed of itself (and AP and the NYT are close behind). It's high time we declared war on the media and made it clear that this year if they decide to give coverage to the Republicans' swift-boating lies, then they are going to pay a huge price. Read the rest of this post...

We are all African

If you believe science, that is. The DNA study is discovering (or confirming) so many interesting pieces of information. To that end, Brazilian singer/songwriter Chico César and Mama Africa. One of my favorites.
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John McCain's other scandal, it's actually quite serious, and criminal

A friend wrote up a nice white paper explaining the other John McCain FEC scandal (this one has nothing to do with the blond lobbyist). I asked him to write up something that was 3 paragraphs long and explained in simple English what this scandal is about. He did an excellent job, please read this, it's bad:

Here's what it means and why it's important.

When John McCain's campaign was strapped for cash John McCain opted into the campaign financing system by requesting certification that he was eligible to collect federal money. As the New Hampshire primary approached and John McCain was broke he took material advantage of the system by using the promise of matching funds to borrow money to keep his campaign afloat. And he took advantage of a rule that gives candidates who take public financing automatic ballot access on ballots in several states. (Governor Dean estimated that he spent 3 million dollars in 2004 getting on ballots in states because he had opted out of the public financing system. )

Once John McCain had taken advantage of the system by gaining ballot access and securing a campaign saving loan, he won the New Hampshire primary and became the apparent nominee of the Republican Party. He then sent a letter saying that he was opting out of the primary process and claiming that the FEC is now impotent to stop him.

If John McCain is forced to stay in the matching system he will only be allowed to spend $56 million dollars before the Republican convention in September. As of the end of January John McCain had already spent $49 million dollars meaning that today he's either close to the cap or over the amount of money he can spend during the primary.

What does it mean for John McCain? It's yet another issue where John McCain tries to legislate one way and do something completely different. In this case it has to do with campaign finance issues. As Brad Smith, the former Republican FEC commissioner noted, if McCain drops out of the system the FEC will subpoena McCain, and his staff during and their records to determine whether they violated the law. If they're found to be in violation of the law they can be fined up to $25,000 and they can be jailed for up to five years.

What happened today?

Governor Dean announced that the DNC will be filing an FEC complaint against John McCain tomorrow. The complaint will ask the FEC to investigate whether John McCain has broken campaign finance law by taking advantage of federal matching funds to secure a loan, get on the ballot automatically in states and break that commitment by trying to get around spending limits.

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Cancer patient wins case against Health Net for cutoff during treatment

Health Net was ordered to pay $9 million after cutting coverage in the middle of breast cancer treatment. It says a lot about why the US system is in shambles, that this could even happen in the first place. In the McCain "free market" health care system, how much more often would this occur? Any Health Net customers should take notice and plan accordingly.

Bates' attorney William Shernoff said he wanted other insurers to take notice of the award.

"We are going to put a stop to this practice," he said.

Health Net said it was implementing a freeze on policy cancelations that would last until the company sets up a third-party review panel to scrutinize cases.

"Obviously we regret the way that this has turned out, but we are intent on fixing the processes to maintain the public trust," spokesman David Olson said.

The award came a day after the Los Angeles city attorney sued Health Net, claiming it illegally canceled the coverage of about 1,600 patients. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo also said the company illegally ran an incentive program in which it paid bonuses to an administrator for meeting targets of policy cancelations.

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Reader feedback about Ralph Nader

AMERICAblog reader John writes:

You let Nader off the hook a bit when you mentioned about what has he been doing over the past four years? it should be noted prominently as to what has he been doing over the past SEVEN YEARS!!!!!

For someone who made a name for himself as a consumer advocate he's done nothing NOTHING (!!!!!!!) since the calendar year of 2001 and bush was inaugurated.

If he was so concerned about problems in the political world then why does he only come around at election time and help enable the right hold power?

At least Kucinich went about things in a proper manner. Tried to win the nomination or, and I'd like to think this was more on his mind, influence the discussion.

I mean, Nader used to take on all the corporations and he's done freekin' NOTHING!!!

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Nader says he's running; Huckabee says Republicans welcome Nader because he steals Dem votes

Where's Buffy when you need her?

Nader had better not be permitted in any presidential debate. He is not a real candidate, his support went from meager to pitiful the past two times he ran for president - the fool does not deserve to be on the same stage with Barack Obama and John McCain. What has Nader been doing the past four years? You haven't heard about a lot of consumer advocacy from Nader once he decided to be the herpes of presidential candidates. Talk about resting on your laurels. Nader handed us George Bush in 2000, and quite possibly George Bush in 2004, and now he has the nerve to complain about the Bush administration? What was that definition of insanity?

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George Will on John McCain, this morning on ABC

Conservative writer and pundit George Will: "All of this may be perfectly innocent, this may be what Senators are supposed to do and all that, and it may not be corrupt, but it is the appearance of corruption. And the appearance of corruption is the rationale Mr. McCain has used promiscuously in his towering moral vanity to say that everyone else is guilty of this and therefore we must pass the... [garbled by crosstalk]" Read the rest of this post...

Sunday Talk Shows Open Thread

Ralph Nader is on Meet the Press to discuss his presidential ambitions. He should really be on A&E;'s Intervention instead. The guy has an addiction and needs a 12-step program to deal with his bizarre need for attention every four years. And, Russert should know better. He's just being an enabler.

The shows are full on McCainiacs on to whine about the NY Times, no doubt. But, viewers would be best served if we could get answers to the McCain campaign's chronic lies about McCain's relationships with lobbyists. McCain adviser/DC power lobbyist Charlie Black, who is appearing on Face the Nation, actually lobbies from the McCain campaign bus. (Oh, just an FYI: Black works for BKSH & Associates, "a part of the Burson-Marsteller family." And we know who heads Burson-Marsteller: Mark Penn. What a tangled web, huh?)

Besides that a slew of senators and governors. The governors are in DC for their annual meeting...and many are auditioning for vice president.

The full line up is after the break.

Any chance that any McCain surrogate will actually provide truthful answers about lobbyists? Any chance they'll actually get aske tough questions? Doubtful:

ABC's "This Week" — Sens. Joe Biden, D-Del., and Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas.

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CBS' "Face the Nation" — Charlie Black, strategist for Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign; Govs. Jennifer Granholm, D-Mich., and Janet Napolitano, D-Ariz.

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NBC's "Meet the Press" — Ralph Nader, consumer advocate and former presidential candidate.

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CNN's "Late Edition" — Mike Huckabee; National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell; Robert Bennett, attorney for McCain; Govs. Ed Rendell, D-Pa., Kathleen Sebelius, D-Kan., and Tim Pawlenty, R-Minn.; Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb.

"Fox News Sunday" _ McCain campaign manager Rick Davis; Govs. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., Tim Kaine, D-Va., Jon Corzine, D-N.J., and Pawlenty.

If you're watchin provide the commentary. And rate the guests as potential VPs. Read the rest of this post...

Sex, scandal, public outrage

And a Vatican statement condemning the immoral nature of the song. This was a massive hit in 1969 thanks to the free publicity by the moralizers. I wonder how such a song would be received today. Would such sexual overtones (including heavy breathing, moaning and an orgasm) still be as scandalous today? Would the FCC ban it from the radio? Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin sing "Je T'aime... Moi Non Plus." Read the rest of this post...

I did not have relations with that lobbyist

David Horsey nails it.
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