Eliot’s Waste Land

May 13, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
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Eliot’s waste land: After the disclosure Monday that he was involved in a high-priced prostitution ring Dior Replica Watches, New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer remained holed up in his Fifth Avenue apartment trying to decide whether to resign. (The latest reports suggest he won’t resign Tuesday, if at all.) Many bloggers glory in the high-handed former state attorney general’s comeuppance with a hooker named Kristen; others feel for his family. And if “Eliot Mess” is rung up on charges of violating the Mann Act, would that be anything like getting Al Capone on tax evasion?

Orin Kerr at Volokh Conspiracy revels in the irony of how Spitzer got caught—by transferring suspicious amounts of money from banks, which then reported the transactions to the IRS: “Spitzer, aggressive former white collar crime prosecutor Fake Fendi Watches, was brought down because he couldn’t outsmart banks looking for evidence of white collar crimes.” But those same bank transfers have Jane Hamsher at firedoglake smelling conspiracy: “How did Spitzer’s name get leaked to the media, and who did it? Didn’t happen to Dave Vitter. Why did Mike Bloomberg suddenly start talking about running for governor recently? And why did he give $500,000 to Joe Bruno? He’s good buddies with Mike Mukasey. What did he know and how did he know it?”

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At Hot Air, Ed Morrissey isn’t buying Alan Dershowitz’s claim that Spitzer is absolved from hypocrisy because he really wanted to legalize prostitution: “If Spitzer thought that prostitution should be legal, he has been in uniquely well-suited positions to make that argument. Instead, he positioned himself publicly as disgusted by the exploitation of women through prostitution, even campaigning on it. That isn’t just a story about a married man going to a prostitute, it’s a story of hypocrisy and deception.” While Roger Kimball at Pajamas Media doesn’t want Spitzer’s hypocrisy to overshadow his other more significant shortcomings: “His behavior gives that ambiguous vice a bad name. … Really, he was a power-hungry Replica Burberry Watches for Cheap, regulation-crazed functionary whose chief sin was to harness the power of the state to destroy his enemies and aggrandize himself. Had he been a little more hypocritical he might have been less dangerous.”

Dan Slater at WSJ’s Law Blog wonders “whether federal prosecutors will go after him at all. If they do, what will they charge him with? One theoretical possibility, as we alluded to yesterday: a violation under The Mann Act, which, broadly speaking Fake Hamilton Watches, deals with prostitution and trafficking. Commentators aren’t so sure this is where the feds are headed.” Jennifer Rubin at Commentary’s contentions writes: “[A] savvy ex- attorney general knows that in a prosecution of a public official (one potentially involving the Mann Act and financial hanky panky as well) a significant bargaining chip is the official’s resignation from public office. Why would Spitzer leave without a deal with the feds on potential charges? It’s not like he has shown a prediliction to put the interests of his family, his Party or his state above his own.”

Liberal Lindsay Beyerstein at Majikthise accuses Spitzer of a “Nixonian level of hubris.” “Regardless of what you think of the morality of paying for sex, and irrespective of whatever understanding Mr. and Mrs. Spitzer might have had, … Eliot Spitzer was a self-indulgent fool to think that he could arrange for sex over the telephone and move his money around to cover it!”

This is all bad news for Hillary, given Spitzer’s superdelegate support for her, right? Not so, says John Riley at Newsweek’s Spin Cycle: “We think it actually hurts Obama. First, politically Bill Clinton’s affair with an intern was great for Hillary, earning her both sympathy and respect for the way she handled it Replica Hamilton Watches, and skyrocketing her public standing. Eliot and Silda Spitzer will put people back in touch with that same emotional reaction, reminding people who like Hillary of why they like Hillary.”

At the Huffington Post’s Eat the Press, media blogger Rachel Sklar has the Jewish media’s take on the fall of Spitzer: “Oy, such a nice Jewish boy Wholesale Replica BMW Watches, on his way to becoming the first Jewish President! What’s this girl’s name, Kristen? Sigh. To think he threw it all away for a shiksa.” The reliable Wonkette sums up the scandal thusly: “Spitzer got busted because the IRS thought he was moving money around to conceal a classier crime, like bribery. The lesson, we believe, is to always pay in cash.”

At Portfolio’s Daily Brief, Jeffrey Cane intersperses the affidavit detailing Spitzer’s alleged behavior with his testimony to a House committee on bond insurance and the subprime mess—the reason he was in Washington in the first place. Ann Althouse rounds up video clips of the late-night talk-show hosts having their fun.

Read more about Spitzer’s trouble with hookers. Slate’s XX Factor has a lengthy discussion on all matters Spitzer, while Trailhead weighs the political implications for Hillary Clinton. Read the rest of Slate’s coverage.

Do Dogs Need Sweaters

May 13, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
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A major blizzard dropped 20 inches of snow on New York City on Sunday night as it made its way up the East Coast. Monday-morning dog-walkers had their animals decked out in sweaters and booties to protect them from the snow and ice. Are warm doggie outfits really necessary?

They can be. Some dogs are bred to handle cold weather. Labrador retrievers and Newfoundlands, for example, naturally grow out their locks in winter for added insulation. They’re so good at keeping warm that they don’t mind swimming in near-freezing water. But smaller Replica Tonino Lamborghini Watches, short-haired dogs are ill-equipped for blizzard conditions. A snug-fitting sweater or coat would make a greyhound or Shar-Pei more comfortable in cold weather, especially if it has a waterproof coating. (Dogs don’t perspire much, so Gore-Tex would be a waste of money.)

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There are a few other steps pet owners can take to winterize their dogs. During fall and winter, adding one or two pounds of body weight can help. And after a blizzard it might be worth investing in a set of booties like those worn by Iditarod sled dogs. Snow and ice can accumulate between a dog’s footpads and create abrasions. The booties prevent new injuries and protect old ones from bacteria and road salt.

There’s only so much clothes can do for an animal. No matter what kind of ensemble you put together for your Chihuahua, he’s not going to be comfortable in blizzard conditions. Small, short-haired dogs have little insulation and a lot of surface area, so they lose heat rapidly. If a dog shivers furiously, then suddenly stops, he’s in serious danger—it’s time to get back inside immediately. Frostbite can also develop on the tips of the ears and tail. Sick, older, and postpartum dogs may have thinning hair, which makes them particularly vulnerable to the elements.

Dog-lovers in snowy areas should keep Alaskan huskies as opposed to dachshunds, although the ability to tolerate cold weather also varies among individuals within a breed. Professional mushers test potential sled dogs by letting them sleep in a bed of snow for the night. If the snow beneath them melts Discount Replica Dolce & Gabbana Watches, it means their hair isn’t insulating as well as it should Fake U Boat Watches, and the dog is rejected.

Bonus Explainer: Is the salt that gets sprinkled on roads and sidewalks after a storm edible? No Fake Romain Jerome Watches, it might have impurities. While road salt and table salt come from the same mines, the latter undergoes a more extensive process to remove unwanted minerals. To get road salt, miners simply blast the deposits with explosives and crush the bits to the appropriate size. Some impurities are filtered out Replica Baume & Mercier Watches for Cheap, but the final product still contains bits of calcium or even trace amounts of explosives. Road salt is also more heavily adulterated with anti-caking agents like Yellow Prussiate of Soda.

Got a question about today’s news? Ask the Explainer.

Explainer thanks Cynthia Otto of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Michael San Filippo of the American Veterinary Medical Association Where buy best Replica Tudor Watches, and Bob Traver of U.S. Salt.

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Ford to Tata$2 billion is just the beginning for J

May 13, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
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Not that anyone will be surprised Replica Breguet Watches, but Tata (nor any winning bidder Replica Versace Watches, if not Tata) can’t simply send Ford a money order for $2 billion and have Jaguar and Land Rover delivered to its door. Jaguar and Land Rover are so tied up with Ford that “the buyer of the brands would … need Ford’s research facilities to upgrade the products.” And Ford won’t give that access away for free. Tata will also be assuming pension liabilities Replica Richard Mille Watches, and though there hasn’t been a number put to it, we all know how expensive that can get.

The result is that Tata and Ford are not discussing one deal Wholesale Replica Bell & Ross Watches, but 15-20 deals. All Ford would say is that they “are in substantive and detailed discussions with a view to securing an agreement.” The deals would ostensibly secure continuation of parts like engines and technology, support for those parts Fake Zenith Watches, and the undoubtedly intense and lengthy training that Tata would need to insure the smoothest transition possible. All of which shows that this sale has not only gotten much more expensive Replica Sarcar Watches, but much more complex, and for a much longer time to come.

[Source: Reuters]

Nasty Parties Don’t Win Elections

May 13, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
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David Cameron speaks to delegates at the Conservative Party Spring Conference Replica IWC Watches for sale

My fellow disappointed conservatives, former conservatives, and disgusted conservatives, it is time for all good Republicans to come to the defense of David Frum and to endorse his critique of radical right-wing talk-show rhetoric. If you’ve left the party in disgust, call up your friends who are still members and get them to do it for you.

I am not writing this because David Frum is my friend, although he is. I am writing this because I have just come back from London, where I got a close-up look at the state of the British Conservative Party, once the intellectual motor of free-market economics in Europe and the rest of the world. After almost two decades in power, the British Conservatives lost in 1997 to Tony Blair’s slicker, smoother, Labor Party—a party that had accepted the basic premises of Thatcherism and moved on.

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At the time, the Tories reckoned they would be in opposition for a couple of years at most. All they had to do was return to their basic principles and declare them with greater fervor and more self-righteous anger than ever before. They knew, they told one another, what the British people really wanted, and they ran two angry campaigns that reeked of xenophobia. The result: The Tories have been out of power since 1997. Thirteen years.

After the second Breitling Replica Watches, decisive election loss, the Conservatives finally made some changes. They elected a new leader, younger and “modernizing.” They changed their social policies to match the views of the majority, supported the green movement—hugely popular among their own heavily rural supporters—accepted the basic premises of Blairism, and moved on. Above all, they changed the way they spoke: No more shouting. No more anger. No more arrogance.

And the result? The Tories are once again real contenders. But only barely. The latest polling shows that even now, with Britain ruled by one of the most unpopular prime ministers in recent memory, they are still not assured of a victory, and recent polls have them slipping. I can’t think of anything worse for the United Kingdom than another term in office for Labor, a party that has left Britain with a vast public deficit, an awkwardly (but irreversibly) reformed constitution, and heavily restricted civil liberties. But the Tories’ nasty public image—arrogant, mean Where find Replica Rado Watches, small-minded—is proving very Replica Technomarine Watches, very difficult to discard.

I haven’t asked him, but I’ll bet Frum had this example partly in mind when he wrote, a couple of days ago, that the American Republican Party had just had its Waterloo, even though it doesn’t apparently know it. As a fully paid-up member of the mushy political center, I am in favor of universal access to health care and also horrified by what President Barack Obama’s bill is going to cost. So who should I be voting for? If congressional Republicans are determined to fix this bill by, say, reforming the medical malpractice laws that drive up costs and put doctors out of business, they’ve got my vote. If, instead, they are going to scream “Communist” and “fascist” at our democratically elected president—thereby achieving nothing at all—then I want nothing to do with them.

In the coming days, many conservative pundits will surely echo the words of another pundit I know and like Best place to buy Replica Franck Muller Watches, Tunku Varadarajan, who has dismissed Frum as a “polite company conservative” and argues that Frum is wrong about that nasty talk-show rhetoric, on the grounds that “passionate extremism is part of any political debate.” Well, “up to a point Replica Seiko Watches, Lord Copper,” as a certain British novelist would put it: The history of the British Conservative Party shows that if by exciting your base you lose the center, then you lose the next election, too.

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In The Autoblog Garage2007 Subaru Forester Sports

May 13, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
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click above image for high-res gallery of the 2007 Subaru Forester Sports 2.5X Fake Calvin Klein Watches

Subaru’s Forester is well into its second generation Sinn Replica Watches, but the styling and driving experience isn’t far removed from the unflappable friendly wagon that bowed in 1998. Why mess with a good thing?

The Forester Sports 2.5X is a handsome set of duds that sets you apart from the CUV crowd Fake Vacheron Constantin Watches, even if you don’t get the turbo motor. The black mesh grille and more monochromatic color scheme dresses up even the lightly optioned Forester we recently drove for a week. Lightly optioned doesn’t mean stripped Where find Replica Girard Perregaux Watches, there’s plenty of equipment here and you’d only want for more if you wanted higher monthly payments. Even a basic Forester is comprehensively equipped. We’re happy to report that while Subaru is all grown up from the days of the GL Discount Replica Seiko Watches, the spirit of those funky rattlers remains infused in the Forester.

Related Gallery2007 Subaru Forester Sports

All photos ©2007 Dan Roth / Weblogs Replica Tonino Lamborghini Watches for Cheap, Inc.

Cash on Hand

May 13, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
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See a Magnum Photos gallery of Haiti as it was.

President Obama tours the Red Cross operations center after the Haiti earthquake

The American Red Cross has received more than $147 million in donations since the initial earthquake in Haiti, some of which is earmarked specifically for relief in that country. Even more cash will come in over the next few weeks. What do charities do with earmarked money if they receive more than they need?

They save it for later. Earmarks are often legally binding, which means charities have to make sure money goes where its donors want—a principle known as donor intent. Sometimes Where buy best Replica Concord Watches, though, a charity will receive more money for a particular cause than it can spend. For example, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies received more than $3 billion for tsunami relief in 2004 Replica Tag Heuer Watches, but still has about $500 million left over. Charities have the option of calling up their donors and asking permission to spend the money on something else. But few have the resources necessary for that. Instead, an organization will usually spend the leftover money on long-term relief—say, rebuilding towns hit by tsunamis for years into the future. Or if a donor earmarked a region but not a specific region-disaster pairing, they may set aside the money until there’s a new crisis.

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Charities encourage donors to be as flexible as possible. That way, if a group runs out of worthy causes in a particular region, it can then funnel the money to other areas in need, particularly those that get less publicity. Nevertheless Replica Alain Silberstein Watches, nonprofits make it easy to be choosy by offering potential donors a set of options. For example, the Red Cross allows contributors to donate to an international response fund for crises around the world, to a fund specifically for natural disasters Casio Replica Watches, or to a pool designated for Haiti. Donors can also designate their money for “where the need is greatest,” which leaves the decision up to the Red Cross itself. Another charity, Partners in Health Replica IWC Watches, normally lets donors pick among a dozen or so programs, from Peru to Mexico to Rwanda. But their Haiti page urges donors to choose unrestricted gifts.

Donor intent became a major issue after Sept. 11, 2001, when the American Red Cross raised more money than it could spend and drew criticism for planning to use the extra cash to build up blood supplies rather than to help the victims’ families. Before that Replica Graham London Watches, in 1998, the Red Cross had been accused of failing to spend millions that had been raised for flood victims.

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Storm brings rare harmony on Qld trail

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It was a rare moment of bipartisanship on the Queensland election trail after a storm destroyed homes in north Queensland.

Liberal National Party (LNP) leader Campbell Newman cleared his election campaign schedule to visit the devastated Townsville suburb of Vincent on Tuesday.

He greeted emergency service workers and residents on Palmerston St, where Premier Anna Bligh had been just a couple of hours before.

Ms Bligh put her campaign on hold until she was confident locals were getting the help they needed Fake Graham London Watches, after the storm ruined about 60 houses around 5am (AEST) on Tuesday.

A solemn Mr Newman said he would not do the same, however.

“I think we need to be mindful of what people are going through here, but it’s only a few days until the election Where buy best Replica Burberry Watches,” he said, adding he had confidence in the authorities.

He refused to answer questions about whether he thought Ms Bligh, who enjoyed a surge in popularity after last year’s Queensland floods, would try to capitalise on the disaster.

“I’m not going to get into that today Wholesale Replica Romain Jerome Watches,” he said.

“The premier has our 100 per cent support to do whatever she needs to do.”

Earlier, Mr Newman promised more funding for Cairns Base Hospital and a policy to help more Aboriginal Queenslanders buy a home.

He declined to take questions about the federal Labor government’s minerals resource rent tax as a show of respect.

“My heart goes out to people in the local area Fake Montblanc Watches for sale,” he said.

“I’m quite shocked and horrified at the extent of the damage.”

Mr Newman stepped around fallen power lines, broken trampolines Fake Girard Perregaux Watches, dead birds and sheets of corrugated iron that had crumpled like cardboard.

The external walls of homes left standing were splattered with leaf litter and debris.

Mr Newman spoke to Shane Fayers Replica Piaget Watches for sale, 45, whose home looked like the roof had been taken off with a can opener.

“I really don’t know how he and his family got out unscathed,” Mr Newman said.

“There was clearly some quick thinking … to actually get everyone into the bathroom, because it all happened so very, very quickly.”

New hope for woman mauled by chimp

May 13, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
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A US woman mauled by a pet chimpanzee in February last year may be a potential candidate for a face and hand transplant Where buy best Replica Maurice Lacroix Watches, according to reports.

Warning graphic images: Woman mauled by chimp

Charla Nash, 57, is currently undergoing evaluation at a Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospital and will know within months whether she is eligible.

The plastic surgeon who led the team which performed the nation’s second face transplant, Dr Bohdan Pomahac, says he is cautiously optimistic about the challenging surgery.

“We need to figure out what’s there Fake Alain Silberstein Watches for sale, what’s missing and what we would need to replace should it come to that”.

In the brutal attack by her friend’s 90kg chimpanzee Replica Chaumet Watches, Charla’s hands, nose A Lange & Sohne Replica Watches, lips and eyelids were torn off. After doctors had to remove her eyes due to an infection Where to buy Replica Sinn Watches, her forehead was the only remaining part of her face.

Doctors initially told Charla that due to the severity of her injuries, they could not perform dangerous and lengthy reconstructive surgeries Replica Roger Dubuis Watches, but this current evaluation has given her restored optimism.

“She’s been losing hope and now I think we gave her hope,” Dr Pomahac said.

Video1963 Chrysler Turbine whirs into Jay Leno’s G

May 13, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
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Chances are you’ve probably heard about the Chrysler Turbine cars of the 1960s Replica B R M Watches sale, but we’re betting you don’t know anywhere near as much as Jay Leno. The late night talk show host and car nut picked up his own Turbine Replica Piaget Watches for sale, and it is featured in the latest installment of Jay Leno’s Garage.

The post-jump video is nearly 25 minutes long Fake Zenith Watches, and after watching it you’ll ascend to Chrysler Turbine expert. We had no idea there were only 55 units ever produced Aigner Replica Watches, that it can run on tequila Fake Breitling Watches, the bodies were crafted in Italy or that the turbine engine sounds like… well, you’ll have to hear it for yourself. As an added bonus Ferrari Replica Watches, Jay threw in a 1960s promotional video that illustrates just how the turbine engine works. Terrific history lesson, and you can see it for yourself by hitting the jump.

[Source: Jay Leno's Garage]

GM announces pricing on Chevrolet Silverado and GM

May 13, 2012 by admin · Leave a Comment
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General Motors has officially announced pricing for the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD and the 2011 GMC Sierra HD. Both trucks carry a base MSRP $27 replica watches,965, though you’ll have to tack on an additional $995 destination charge. If you want the 397 horsepower, 765 lb-ft of torque Duramax diesel engine and unstoppable Allison transmission option, GM will politely as you for an additional $8,395. The good news is that despite the powerplant’s increase in power and fuel economy, the price has remained unchanged from the 2010 model.

For the first time ever replica watches, the “Professional Grade” model will be available with a Denali package. Priced at $45,865 including destination fees, the Sierra Denali HD will feature all of the luxury goodies and flashy trim of its less powerful brethren. Buyers who opt for the Denali package will only find the truck available with a four-wheel drive, four-door configuration.

Both the Chevrolet and GMC now feature a 20 replica watches,000-pound towing capacity replica watches, which should be good enough to pull whatever your little black heart desires. Hit the jump for the press release.

[Source: General Motors]

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