To Brad Re: 60 Minutes and Iraq Buildup.

The Real CBS Scandal: When 60 Minutes Promoted WMD Fantasies

BS and CBS by Doug Giebel

Originally published by COUNTERPUNCH, January 19, 2005

http://www.counterpunch.org/giebel01192005.html

Is anything more satisfying for media watchers and conservatives than to pounce on the journalist who has sinned by publishing supposedly-erroneous information? For years, right wing ministers of hysteria have been out to nail CBS anchor Dan Rather, whom they regard as poster boy of the much-reviled "liberal" press. They finally had him in their sights when his 60 Minutes report on the questionable National Guard service of George W. Bush used questionable documents to question our unquestionable and error-averse President of the United States. The program resulted in CBS firing a producer of the program and asking three top staffers to resign for over-zealous reporting, although Joe Hagan reports in the New York Observer that the three have so far refused to submit their resignations. Much to the disappointment of Rather Bashers, Dan Rather survived the storm and will retire on a schedule presumed to be of his own choosing.

But why so much ado about a serious report that, whatever its faults, had truth at its core? ....

[ed note: Comment edited for length. See more at the link above. Thank you. --99]

Country roads take you somewhere not so recognizable nowadays....

I may not be here much - stuff going on - car problems.

Thanks for the new Coulter picture - at least she isn't staring at me!

You could have said it was "hogsnot".... That would have gotten the NYT's attention....

Oh, bummer, BB2....

Did that for you BB2!

"Bush Innovations".... Diplomatic wording....

Brad, does Colleen think that 9/11 was an inside job then?

Brad, there then is John O'Neill. He didn't think that Osama bin Laden was capable of 9/11

Hope I got it in there for ya, Tim!

John O'Neill died on 9/11.

Colleen seems to think people lying to cover up embarrassment may be why everyone is so suspicious.

Ok, Posh Chick is making me crazy. Winter clothes??? I live in Illinois. It was 100° outside today. How many kinds of crack is she smoking?
There. I feel better.

Oh, thank you, Bonnie. I was just about to shoot myself.

NO!!! Don't shoot yourself!! I don't want to be the hostess in your stead.

Brad, can you please ask Mark if Rush Limbaugh is for real? One of his co-worker on the same network Rush is on, is questioning 9/11 and questioned the Bush Crime Family, yet, Rush remains silent. Is Rush a real Retardican or is Rush attempting to be the political Howard Stern and failing miserably?

Ride the apocalypse....

Thanks Brad! You are God!!! comment #10

Really, Bonnie, I should be more considerate!

Can I get you a canapé? Fix you a drinkie? I promise I won't shoot myself. I'll time out the commercials with the mute button and move on to a better day.

Brad just asked an interesting Q: will the media survive in the age of Obama?
A better question, IMO, is: will the progressive movement survive after the economy stabilizes? or will the American populace conveniently forget what the republic*nts did for THIRTY-FIVE F***ING YEARS and elect another reich wing butt pimple?
Right now, the republic*nt controlled media are doing their damndest to trash anything even remotely connected to liberals, not to mention Obama. If Obama does not reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, then *we* --- the decent citizens --- will not survive the age of the RMB (Republic*nt Media Backlash).

Oh, sheesh, Tim! DON'T say that stuff! He'll be strutting around here like he owns the place.....

Oh 99 --- a canapé would be lovely. I don't drink alcohol, so I brought my own water to the soirée.

Agent 99, Rush is a failure. According to an employee at Premiere Radio Networks, when Stern went from CBS to Sirius, Limpballs ratings dropped from 30 to 10 million. He's grasping for straws

Brad Blog the God? How about that Agent 99?

Did Limbaugh not notice that Sanford's published E-mails begin in July 2008? I don't think Obama had anything to do with that...

We have quite a selection for you, and I know what you mean about booze. I'm the cheapest date in Northern California, and so I just put a couple drops of brandy in my blueberry smoothie to take the edge off those posh tips....

To health!

Is that sushi? I'm Japanese American, but yuck

Tush Lumpboil was a failure at birth and has remained that way for his whole miserable existence. People should just turn him off.

I don't think it's safe to invoke godliness around Brad at all. He gets such a swelled head.

Completely unlivable....

It's too hot to drink booze right now anyway. My beloved, Python Pete, and I are drinking chilled water by the gallon. Today it was 100°, with 103% humidity. And then I thought I was going to pass out explaining localized supersaturation of the atmosphere (that's why our humidity was 103%)

Oy and vey!

Specially made for you, then, Tim.

I feel for you, Bonnie. I turn into a melted lump of complete uselessness when it gets over 86 degrees. That's why I have to be on the coast. It's the coast or I'm toast.

I love you Agent99! I am an oddball Asian American

BRB, smoke time

I hear ya, 99. I used to live in Portland, OR. I miss Portland. It snowed exactly ONCE in the 8 yeas I lived there. An the summers were so nice....
Be a dear and pass me a tissue.....

Here you go, Bonnie.

Dang Agent 99, you have everything in your bag of tricks. Felix the Cat has nothing over you!

Felix is my little brother... learned everything from me.

Poor Bonnie! I hope she stepped out during this last round of Posh Crack Smoke....

Write the first paragraph of Dick Cheney's new memoir:

Click

Brad, lets get drunk! I know a few bars, if you're interested

Brad, Bob Kincaid is a God! Can you please remind the brothers and sisters to visit the Head On Radio Network? Bob is a great guy, I love the brother and HORN is my "other" home. Thank you...God

The title of the memoir should be: BIONIC FUDD.

I think Tim may be drunk on God....

Pour 'em up, Tim! I'm on my way!

LOL Sorry, drunk on Dog Agent 99

Brad, so does the stench of death reeks sitting in the same building as KKK er KFI? The conservative station?

Agent 99, Brad Friedman is in the same studio as the local Retardican station KFI in Los Angeles. Poor guy. Can you give him something to rid of the poop stench? I hope Brad isn't suffering too much

ok there's no live chat right? It's all refresh board stuff right? if there is a live chat, where is it?

Hi,

Bonnie, ah you bring back the memories of Milwaukee. Those nights when it cooled down 2 degrees and became foggy! Stuck to your sheets with sweat!

And I ain't staying posh dangit!

I have UNposhed myself to the max, just to spite her!

Yeah, I missed the last Posh Chick ad because I was fetching a snack, as my beloved, Python Pete, undergoes selective hearing loss whenever I ask him to get me a snack or beverage. Yeah, I'm a sports widower too. Anyway --- I just survived this last bit, and I've decided to do my own series of ads --- "Impractically Irascible." I'm going to advocate "How to Josh with Panache" and "Bosh, Tosh, and Squash --- How to Keep Your Guests Entertained and Bemused."
Ok, back to the Brad Show.

Controlled drainage - above the schoolyard.

Brilliant!

I need to take that course!

I might be able to keep my chin up without so many of those commercials, or posh spots, or whatever.

What was that website?

I thought he said mountainaction.com, but that gets a mountain climbing site.

http://www.crmw.net/

Thanks dahling
:)

You are most welcome.

We want Brad
We want Brad
We want Brad
We want Brad
We want Brad
We want Brad

FREE AT LAST!

No more posh tips for another 21 whole hours!

Yipeeeee!

Thanks guys! Hope u had nearly as much fun as I did tonight. Gotta get outta the studio.

I'll try to archives up as soon as possible if you missed any portion of the show!

Hi Brad and Agent 99,

I don't want to wait on the phone but I wanted to tell Colleen that she is one of my heroes. Thanks to reporters like her and Ray Talifaro, I knew 9/11 was a set-up. It's a shame how many Americans can't face reality. Of course, how many still believe in God? I still like Santa Claus but I'm not in denial that he isn't really alive any longer. Just a good role model for us kids! ;p Thank you Colleen. I'm so sorry you had to go through so much. It does suck to be right about bad things. Now, I just want the whole truth to come out. I want those poor families to get the help they deserve and the truth that they deserve to know. I want the old Mayor of NY, I can't remember how to spell his name right, in jail. I want Bush, Cheney, Rice to face the Hague. Same for the ex. British Blair. Room for them all. Add those who faked legalizing torture, what was his name..sounds like "U". At least be proud, both this guy and Rice are facing public shame out here in California for their warcrimes. Oh what a World we have allowed them to create. I was out there though. I protested with Code Pink. I camped outside of Feinsteins new Mansion in SF bought with the blood of our poor soldiers. Our Countries shame is so deep. It makes me cry. Mostly because I'm so angry with people. I couldn't vote out Pelosi but I campained against both her and Feinstein. I trusted them both. They are Mothers! Mothers who don't love our children and willing to throw their lives away. The Coast Guard people, they trusted them to do what is right. They failed. I emailed Pelosi, Feinstein. I was sent a copy of the bill that said they can call the Coast Guard to War at their whim. So I picked up a sign and marched. Even though I am disabled. So did my younger son.

I want to see Libby, Cheney, Bush imprisoned for Treason! It was a hit in the gut when they got off "outing" a CIA agent. If she was a man, would she have been treated better? She was a Mother? My outrage knows little end. Where are the Patriots in this Country? No Honor, no Glory, only a bucket full of shame.

Thank you Brad, Colleen, for giving voice to something I will never forget or forgive of those whose loyalty to our Country doesn't exist.

After we learned the deep ties between the Bushes and Bin Laden's? How can I not think this was planned? Probably on an, " as needed" format. I'm just so ill, well much sicker, knowing so many people just want me to forget about it. They said the same thing after being the victim of a violent crime. You can't forget because the victims of these crimes are still suffering.

Damn Rudy, that was his name. He committed Treason for a run for the Presidency. It's so hard to vote since most of those who make it to the top are so corrupt. We put up a non-corrupt guy and those silly Conservatives are too dumb to realize it. I mean Tipper Gore? A little too conservative for me but still, better than Laura Bush. I swear Laura spent those whole eight years in a drunken haze. How could she not? Do you have to go to school to learn how to be stupid? I think I took a few of those courses but I took enough of the smart ones to know the difference.

People say they support the troops. They support our Firefighters, Police. When they are dying because of Treason? Where the hell are you? Praying for rain? I have little relief. My faith in Obama is getting weak. Yet how can he stand up, with his small kids, to those who have him killed with just a simple word? I was so afraid to vote him in. Not because he wasn't qualified. Because I know he has to protect his family. What we need, what we all deserve, isn't revenge but justice. I'm kind of tired of people confusing justice with revenge. Justice is making one pay the price for committing a crime. Revenge is ending it all. I'm am against torture. So I have to support the Death Penalty. You can't be for both. Prolonging the inevitable does none of us any good. Bush, Cheney, they know what they did. Now, it's time for them to pay the price.

Rush is a victim of greed. A love of fattening food? They are whores for the money. I mean, they are surrounded by wealthy, greedy, self-righteous, corporate vampires? They spend the majority of their time making sure they stay that way. Whatever Rush wants, he gets because he is their puppet. Imagine what kind of life he would have if he stopped talking? He'd be poor, ugly, and definitely unloved. Who wants that? They know and we would be fools not to admit it.

Things like honor are lost on Rush. Since so many Americans are such sinners, they can't judge Rush. Their lives are almost as bad as his is. He has found a following of people whose choices put them in a position that they cannot judge Rush. So there you have it. We need a bigger God who can tell people to repent and think about the future. You bring these kids into the World. What right has any of us to leave it worse off then when we got it? That's tough. Our Parents left us with the after effects of Vietnam. No wonder they have become such good liars. What are we going to leave our kids? America needs a new vision. I can only hope Obama doesn't forget what Americans really need. Part of that though includes justice and accountability. Than, unlike how we handled Vietnam. we might finally find forgiveness.

Forgiveness will start though in Obama making a huge statement, a huge apology to the families of our Armed Forces, for the injustice forced upon them by their leaders for forcing them to fight an unjust War. Put the blame where it belongs. Than, we have to make ammends to the Iraqi people. We need their representatives to have air time. We need to own up to our own greed and hate and beg for forgiveness. It is the only way to real forgiveness.

Mining Engineer, Physist & Roboticist here regarding Mountain Top Removal issue you covered on Thursday on the Mike Malloy Show you were filling in for.
The lady who commented on mountain top removal was saying she doesn't want to send anyone under ground as it's certain death by black lung in Coal Mining.
If she wants an alternative she, and your audience, should look to how coal and other minerals are mined in countries with EFFECTIVE health and safety legislation and oversight.
In Canada for underground mining it is RARE to send miners underground except for some very specialized and limited underground construction, such as safe room maintenance and installation, long-term-use tunnels and maintenance-way tunnels which are almost never pushed through the ore itself. During those periods they're required to wear almost HazMat level gear, at the very least full respirators due to the "unfinished" nature of the rest of the mine and the active areas contamination of the air supply. Once access ways and extraction corridors are established, ore is excavated by robotic systems controlled from trailers on the surface. The argument that the miners are performing arduous work and can't wear full HazMat gear is beside the point, we have robots and automated equipment to perform those tasks now the workers can do maintenance on communications links for robots it full gear and are relatively safe (as anyone is in a mine that is by nature a temporary affair and thus somewhat unstable.).
As for the mining method, coal is a unique ore in that it is restricted between layers of waste rock unlike most ores that are intrusive and deposited by hydrothermal action, or column-linear in the case of Diamond pipes. With coal, a much easier, more robotically friendly and especially CHEAP method of extraction is possible instead of the old stand by of "room and pillar". It's called "subsidence" exploitation. your linear excavator moves along a wall of coal, unattended, ripping at it like a mill passing the coal to a conveyor that brings it to the surface. This moves "up" the "pitch" of the oar until you hit the "safe distance from surface mining exploitation". The trick is you don't have rooms you don't have pillars you just let the rock (which is very plastic) literally stretch or "subside" to fill the void left by the extraction. This is actually safer than room and pillar mining in which only educated guesses can be made about the strength of the overhead rock, the pillars of oar, etcetera in what is referred to as a "Q factor". The continuous mining method described, "subsidence mining", usually comes with "roof support" in the form of steel supports that move with the excavator as it proceeds up the wall much like the chunnel boring machine did but not leaving cement or any other form of roof support behind. So we get the best of both cost and safety as the steel supports are the safest environment for anyone to attend the machine in case of maintenance failures.
Historically in mining, Engineers have worried more about loosing men to cave-ins instead of long term effects because it was their greater loss. Now that we have these safer and more efficient techniques (If they're implemented admitably.) we can "afford" to direct our attention to longer and longer term effects of mining on the workers. I don't think this is intentionally callous, it's just that if you loose 100 workers a year (As they still do in Chinese mines!) due to explosives detonating prematurely, cave-ins, bad air and blow outs you're first priority is usually to deal with those first before some "possible" or "long term" health risk.
I honestly don't think it's possible to mine both safely and efficiently without the use of robotics underground, where they are not implemented, it's usually a sign of some lack of legislation / enforcement / liability in the local social environment rather than the Engineers desire to off as many miners as possible and get away with it.
Engineers are all trained to see if something is 1st physically feasible and 2nd economically feasible. Any training or encouragement we receive to consider environmental feasibility, or social feasibility is left purely to the personal ambition and financial largess of their financiers not to the Engineers. Yes I'm pointing fingers but as China as an example they have no legislation / enforcement / liability so they can use reckless methods cheaper than safer ones, again the financiers decision not the Engineers, given their druthers all mines would be almost entirely automated, robotics and their implementation are a feather in the cap of any Professional Engineer, a shiny new penny to show to their peers. No Engineer wants to be known as the one who set up the meat-grinder that ate workers and spat out money, no that takes an Economist.
BTW: Chinas safety record, as a percentage is far better than any other countries just because they have such a HUGE work force that an accident that kills a couple hundred is barely noticed...also helpful is the fact that they carefully fail to report little things like injuries on the jobs... and some people buried alive or sent through the mill unknowing are just conveniently taken off the pay roll and officially disavowed.

Now don't get me wrong please, I'm an Engineer; mountain top removal is "cool" to me. Hell my thesis was on back filling the bearing straight using surrounding mountain tailings as fill with cost incentives for refining what was possible from the ganges; purely for the end effect of a land bridge between Eurasia and North America. Engineers look at the world differently, if you want us to consider other variables, make us, get your governments in shape, don't let us work where there isn't effective government, etcetera. I'm sure we'll look forward to the challenge.

Brad you did a fine job last week, hope you get something more permanent one day.

I have never heard so many hate mongers all at one site. I shouldn't be surprised with the hate monger loser Mike Malloy associated with it. It is almost sad to see so many spending so much time hating. I know you feel you are superior but you are just like skin heads or any other hate group. You are a bunch of sad little people and Mr Malloy is the saddest of them all. I wish you all well and hope you get a life. Now you can hate me.