LOL, the above is a cockney version of Harry Potter. Hmm, the nuttiness of this story - some Sun correspondent was threatened with a gun if he wouldn't pay fifty thousand pounds (damn not having the sterling abbreviation on this Amero-centric keyboard LOL). But truly, the extraordinary secrecy that the publishers and the author are insisting on for it - geez, it's just a book. As my sister was saying earlier today, in regards to Star Wars, she would never consider being one of these people waiting to watch a first minute release movie or, equally, to pick up a book that late at night on its first day of release.
Talking of chequebook journalism, I am sure you have all heard that Deep Throat, the anonymous source in the Watergate affair, outed himself a few days ago. Turns out it was the number two at the FBI (geez, imagine what J Edgar Hoover must have been like as a boss LOL). But in this comment piece in the NYT, John Tierney notes that even though Mark Felt basically came out and asked for payment, they didn't get anything from all the papers that covered the story, apart from Vanity Fair negotiating a story fee. Fair enough you may say, but -
'If People magazine hadn't been bound by the taboo against checkbook journalism, it could have exposed Deep Throat on its cover this week. Instead it gave its readers an exclusive story on Britney's craving for pickles and ice cream, and the singer got publicity that's probably worth more than what the Felts would have collected in cash.'
Hmmph. Let's reshoot All The President's Men shall we. Oh, and do I have to explain the concept of a cheque book to the young 'uns reading, what with internet and debit card banking being to the fore nowadays LOL?
And a good article here about how the US Army is battling to get new volunteer recruits. Some parents, looking out for the safety of their children, are battling the recruiters every inch of the way into schools. Pacifist, anti war boomers perhaps, but if the US doesn't get enough volunteer troops, the only way to sustain the military will be to bring the draft in - or to pull out of Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea. Hmm.
The Iraq thing is turning more into a guerilla civil war against the government forces rather than against US troops, it seems from this far distant - of course, the insurgents are attacking US forces if they can, but the police and militia are easier targets. The more recent Powell doctrine - 'you broke it, you fix it' - is applicable. US and, to a lesser extent, other coalition forces are going to be in country for a long time, unless they have to pack up and go home due to lack of troops. I know it was a Democratic scare story during the election, but unless the armed forces can get the numbers they need, it could be coming in.
LOL, can just imagine the Republicans and White House with that advertising campaign, OK we can have the draft or we can withdraw from Iraq and the rest of the world, and the terrorists would have won. Would be an interesting way the US public would react - but seriously, at home it must seem that there isn't a war going on - any other four year campaign has had conscription and total war effort - this one has had a volunteer force and stop loss orders, permanent tax cuts and massive, continuing budget deficits, only part of which is the defence budget. Oh, and Britney Spears on the cover of People magazine LOL. Not even a whiff of Victory bonds? LOL.
Pauly
Talking of chequebook journalism, I am sure you have all heard that Deep Throat, the anonymous source in the Watergate affair, outed himself a few days ago. Turns out it was the number two at the FBI (geez, imagine what J Edgar Hoover must have been like as a boss LOL). But in this comment piece in the NYT, John Tierney notes that even though Mark Felt basically came out and asked for payment, they didn't get anything from all the papers that covered the story, apart from Vanity Fair negotiating a story fee. Fair enough you may say, but -
'If People magazine hadn't been bound by the taboo against checkbook journalism, it could have exposed Deep Throat on its cover this week. Instead it gave its readers an exclusive story on Britney's craving for pickles and ice cream, and the singer got publicity that's probably worth more than what the Felts would have collected in cash.'
Hmmph. Let's reshoot All The President's Men shall we. Oh, and do I have to explain the concept of a cheque book to the young 'uns reading, what with internet and debit card banking being to the fore nowadays LOL?
And a good article here about how the US Army is battling to get new volunteer recruits. Some parents, looking out for the safety of their children, are battling the recruiters every inch of the way into schools. Pacifist, anti war boomers perhaps, but if the US doesn't get enough volunteer troops, the only way to sustain the military will be to bring the draft in - or to pull out of Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea. Hmm.
The Iraq thing is turning more into a guerilla civil war against the government forces rather than against US troops, it seems from this far distant - of course, the insurgents are attacking US forces if they can, but the police and militia are easier targets. The more recent Powell doctrine - 'you broke it, you fix it' - is applicable. US and, to a lesser extent, other coalition forces are going to be in country for a long time, unless they have to pack up and go home due to lack of troops. I know it was a Democratic scare story during the election, but unless the armed forces can get the numbers they need, it could be coming in.
LOL, can just imagine the Republicans and White House with that advertising campaign, OK we can have the draft or we can withdraw from Iraq and the rest of the world, and the terrorists would have won. Would be an interesting way the US public would react - but seriously, at home it must seem that there isn't a war going on - any other four year campaign has had conscription and total war effort - this one has had a volunteer force and stop loss orders, permanent tax cuts and massive, continuing budget deficits, only part of which is the defence budget. Oh, and Britney Spears on the cover of People magazine LOL. Not even a whiff of Victory bonds? LOL.
Pauly
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