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I'm sitting in a Starbucks on West 67th and Columbus with the incomparable Steve Gilliard. The atmosphere here in Manhattan is quite somber -- it's a sparkling, crisp blue day and according to Steve it's just as it was the day the towers came down.
The continuing wingnut attempt to whitewash and hijack this this tragedy played out once again last night on ABC, and we'll let Digby watch it so you don't have to:
When they look at the numbers closely, I think they will show an ABC audience that shrank tremendously within the first 15 minutes. This is not because it was politically sensitive but because it is one of the most tedious, incomprehensible pieces of garbage they've ever broadcast. A bunch of advertisers must be breathing a sigh of relief this morning that they hadn't been talked into blowing any money on it.
They may do propaganda and disinformation well but nothing has yet convinced me there is a single artistic bone in all of wingnuttia. Think "great right-wing comics" and you'll likewise come up with a pretty short list.
I was talking with Johnny Wendell yesterday about his very interesting conversation on Air America Los Angeles with Ray Richmond of the Hollywood Reporter, but Digby beat me to that one too. Richmond says that the reason ABC refused to pull their 9/11 crapumentary was because Jeb Bush had big favors in the favor bank due to all he's done for Disney in Florida, and he called in his markers. Steve recommends a look at Carl Hiassen's hilarious book, Team Rodent, for more on that particular topic.
I have no idea the truth of the matter, but it certainly is an avenue of inquiry that deserves further investigation.
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Fitz!
OOooh! Number Two Fitz!
If the shoe!
I didn’t know Hiaasen had written that - it makes sense, given his other books. Will have to check it out.
“When they look at the numbers closely, I think they will show an ABC audience that shrank tremendously within the first 15 minutes. This is not because it was politically sensitive but because it is one of the most tedious, incomprehensible pieces of garbage they’ve ever broadcast.”
That was my take as well
I hope the ratings stunk and they lost more than the $40 million the put into production.
I am offically boycotting both Disney and ABC. Since I have two young nephews and a niece that means Mickey and gang are losing out to the competition. Shame on ABC and Disney.
I posted this in a different thread…but I believe it bears repeating…please remove it if you disagree…
Are you afraid to die? if you are, you’re afraid to live. If you’re afraid to live, you might as well die.
In the five years since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Bush Administration has sold fear to keep themselves in power. These days, it’s about all they have left.
In the five years since those attacks, Osama bin Butthead and his minions have won every battle. They have a lot to celebrate today.
Keep Americans in fear? No problem, GW and HIS minions are doing a great job of that.
Kill more Anericans? Hey GW Bush and his minions attacked Iraq and we’ve more than DOUBLED the American death toll, and we’ve hardly had to life a finger to make that happen!
Damage the American economy? GW Bush did our dirty work for us. Fuel has doubled in price, the housing market is cooling faster than grandma’s pie on the window sill, they’re STILL sending jobs overseas and the American middle class is sinking, one by one, closer to poverty.
Yet, the GW Bush minions say THEY are winning the war on terror.
I’d say ol’ Osama bin Butthead is enjoying this day, celebrating with some virgins and a lovely Pakistani meal. Meanwhile, the hand-wringing continues, nothing constructive is done, the administration continues to sell fear and our freedoms, one by one, fall farther back in the rear-view mirror.
So I have one suggestion for all who read tis on this day - Live your lives without fear. Fly on an airliner. Take a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. Have lunch at the top of the Space Needle or the Sears Tower. Take a Pentagon Tour. Go to a ball game.
But don’t cower in fear any more. If it’s your time, it’s your time. Live each day like it might be your last, and show not only Osama bin Butthead but GW Bush and his minions that you are NOT AFRAID, and that they can take all the fear they want to sell, and shove it up their ass. YOU are going to live your life with your head up, eyes open and let the chips fall where they will. You will no longer live in fear.
By the way, vote Democratic in two months. :-D
The list is mighty short. The only two candidates I can think of is Larry the Cable Guy and that really big asshole Andrew Dice Clay. And thats the best they can muster.
Jane, nice to hear from you. Tell Steve that I went over to his blog hoping to hear what he thought of the game because last night that was what America was watching.
vote Democratic in two months
As always, Busted is ahead of the curve.
Jane, welcome to Manhattan.
Last night, a few of us(UptownNYChick, dmg and myself) were kicking around the idea of a mini-FDL get-together here in the city. Are you interested?
When they look at the numbers closely, I think they will show an ABC audience that shrank tremendously within the first 15 minutes.
Well, lookie here:
From http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBI.....ml….
“The [Path to 9/11] movie was flattened in the ratings by the debut of NBC’s Sunday night football, matching Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts against his younger brother Eli of the New York Giants. The football game had an estimated 20.7 million viewers, while “The Path to 9/11″ had 13 million, according to Nielsen Media Research.
The ABC movie did, however, beat CBS’ third airing of its “9/11″ documentary, which was seen by an estimated 10.6 million people, Nielsen said.“
Guess it most not have been all that good, huh?
Well, at least it beat that CBS rerun!
I can’t believe it. I actually saw the mythical zero
Next, ABC will put the GOP spin on the Iraq mess.
RESUME OF GEORGE W. BUSH 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue , Washington , D.C. , 20520
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
LAW ENFORCEMENT
I was arrested in Kennebunkport , Maine , in 1976 for driving under the influence of alcohol. I pled guilty, paid a fine, and had my driver’s license suspended for 30 days. My Texas driving record has been “lost” and is not available.
MILITARY SERVICE
I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I refused to take a drug test or answer any questions about my drug use. By joining the Texas Air National Guard, I was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam
COLLEGE
I graduated from Yale University with a low C average. I was a cheerleader.
PAST WORK EXPERIENCE
I ran for U.S. Congress and lost. I began my career in the oil business in Midland , Texas , in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn’t find any oil in Texas The company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock.
I bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using taxpayer money. With the help of my father and our friends in the oil industry, including Enron CEO Ken Lay, I was elected governor of Texas .
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS
I changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies, making Texas the most polluted state in the Union .
During my tenure, Houston replaced Los Angeles as the most smog-ridden city in America
I cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions in borrowed money.
I set the record for the most executions by any governor in American history.
With the help of my brother, the governor of Florida , and my father’s appointments to the Supreme Court, I became President after losing by over 500,000 votes.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT
I am the first President in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record.
I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over one billion dollars per week.
I spent the U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury.
I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. history.
I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period.
I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period.
I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the U.S. stock market.
In my first year in office, over 2 million Americans lost their jobs and that trend continues every month.
I’m proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in U.S. history. My “poorest millionaire,” Condoleeza Rice, had a Chevron oil tanker named after her.
I set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips by a U.S. President.
I am the all-time U.S. and world record-holder for receiving the most corporate campaign donations.
My largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of my best friends, Kenneth Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in U.S. history, Enron.
My political party used Enron private jets and corporate attorneys to assure my success with the U.S. Supreme Court during my election decision.
I have protected my friends at Enron and Halliburton against investigation or prosecution.
More time and money was spent investigating the Monica Lewinsky affair than has been spent investigating one of the biggest corporate rip- offs in history.
I presided over the biggest energy crisis in U.S. history and refused to intervene when corruption involving the oil industry was revealed.
I presided over the highest gasoline prices in U.S. history.
I changed the U.S. policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts.
I appointed more convicted criminals to administration than any President in U.S. history.
I created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy in the history of the United States government.
I’ve broken more international treaties than any President in U.S. history.
I am the first President in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the Human Rights Commission.
I withdrew the U.S. from the World Court of Law. I refused to allow inspectors access to U.S. “prisoners of war” detainees and thereby have refused to abide by the Geneva Convention.
I am the first President in history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 U.S. election).
I set the record for fewest numbers of press conferences of any President since the advent of television.
I set the all-time record for most days on vacation in any one-year period. After taking off the entire month of August, I presided over the worst security failure in U.S. history.
I garnered the most sympathy for the U.S. after the World Trade Center attacks and less than a year later made the U.S. the most hated country in the world, the largest failure of diplomacy in world history.
I have set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously protest me in public venues (15 million people), shattering the record for protests against any person in the history of mankind.
I am the first President in U.S. history to order an unprovoked, pre-emptive attack and the military occupation of a sovereign nation. I did so against the will of the United Nations, the majority of U.S. citizens, and the world community.
I have cut health care benefits for war veterans and support a cut in duty benefits for active duty troops and their families-in-wartime.
In my State of the Union Address, I lied about our reasons for attacking Iraq and then blamed the lies on our British friends.
I am the first President in history to have a majority of Europeans (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and security.
I am supporting development of a nuclear “Tactical Bunker Buster,” a WMD. I have so far failed to fulfill my pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice.
RECORDS AND REFERENCES
All records of my tenure as governor of Texas are now in my father’s library, sealed and unavailable for public view.
All records of SEC investigations into my insider trading and my bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view.
All records or minutes from meetings that I, or my Vice-President, attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review.
I am a member of the Republican Party.
PLEASE CONSIDER MY EXPERIENCE WHEN VOTING IN THE 2006 MIDTERM ELECTIONS. PLEASE SEND THIS TO EVERY VOTER YOU KNOW AS WELL AS DISNEY, ABC OR ANY OF THEIR SPONSERS AND LET THEM KNOW WHY YOU WON’T BE WATCHING THEIR MOVIES, OR THEIR TV CHANNELS OR PATRONIZING ANY OF THEIR SPONSERS EITHER.
Boycott Disney and NBC. Send Disney’s CEO Robert Iger a letter or email informing him.
His address is Mr. Robert A. Iger
President and CEO
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521
Walt must be rolling in hais grave.
oops make that ABC.
Hi Jane, if you’re still in NY tomorrow, and you want to pull an Ann Coulter, Vote against Hillary in the primary.
Jane, have a mini FDL meeting in GA. We get lonely down here.
Ah, a special reward for Carl-fan NZ Expat’s diligence in catching those fresh Mouse droppings for us night-before-last!
BTW, the trick on spelling his pesky last name is “double a, single s — just the opposite of his Florida-pol characters,” ‘nother words.
jane,
hope you’re having a great time. as you’ve probably noticed, it’s been a really crazy weekend!
Why can’t we get a multipart, in depth review of where we are and how we got here?
Wouldn’t it be called a Congressional investigation?
****
selise - from below thread - you raise one of the big issues that keeps being overlooked and why withdrawal from areas is more than a stand up/stand down matter. It’s not just Iraq for that matter. Saudi Arabia was a flashpoint.
Without factoring it all in - we’ll never get to the best path away from 9/11.
EPU’d:
The Rude Pundit posts today about Shrub laying a wreath at Ground Zero and how there was, basically, nobody else there. Tonight, he’s going to go on television and there will, basically, be nobody watching.
Remember, when Clinton was deemed “irrelevant” after the ‘94 elections?
In addition to becoming irrelevant, Bush is now practically invisible. A small, wisp of a man whose place in history is assured only because he was in the right place at the wrong time.
When America needed leadership all we got was photo ops and sound bites. Attempts at myth-making will never change that.
And BTW, love that Hiassen. The plastic surgeon in his book “Skin Tight” is named Dr. Rudy Graveline. I see Dick Cheney in the role in the teevee version.
I thought I smelled payment due for services rendered.
The e-mail address for Disney’s CEO is robert.a.iger@disney.com
One week spent on blasting ABC’s “Path” movie was worth it. We shot it full of holes and it is dying a lingering death, to be complete after part 2 tonight. A $40 million failure!
Right, let’s get back to electing Democrats in November.
Guitar Playing Bastard @ 7
Dear Bastard, I not only think this comment is appropriate here, I believe this would make a FANTASTIC plank in the Dem platform.
Only one quarrel I have with you tho: “American middle class is sinking, one by one, closer to poverty”. I am certain you have significantly undercounted.
PS: When writing this comment, I tried to reduce your comment to a small, reference sentance or paragraph. As I read through it, I couldn’t find anything I wanted to eliminate. So I just quoted the whole thing to reinforce what you wrote.
Cozumel @ 5
So my real time comment last night that it was “pretty damn boring” - it wasn’t just me, eh? My politically oblivious brother liked it, but he is quite interested in Asian cultures, and is an eclectic knowledge sponge. (He’s reading Shakespeare’s Henry V right now.) Not average, in other words.
From Mommybear’s #16
Did anybody ask for a bit of inspection of the upcoming put-ballot-in-magic-box?
op99 @ 27
As a compelling, interesting movie I thought it was horrible. I only watched it to critique the political angle etc. When it was FINALLY over I said thank gawd! LOL
Tell Steve hi from me. I am a big fan of his!
You mean like this?
You’re right! Not only not funny, but not even comprehensible hehe.
67th and Columbus…Wow. Wish I were there.
I will continue to write to and call the Mouse and ABC to lodge my anger, but I, too, saw parts of the show and was delighted it was such a stinker.
Watched some of the MSNBC 9/11 coverage replay this morning and was surprised by how much my feelings have changed from pure shock and horror to anger at how the events of that day have been misappropriated by the Bush Administration. Maybe it was just the nature of the story, but I was also struck by how unpoliticized the coverage seemed by comparison to the sorry state of news today and how much more unguarded and candid the anchors and reporters seemed to be a mere 5 years ago….
—-
Mary4 @ 21
agreed.
was really blown away by pape’s research… wish it was widely known and discussed. if we’re going to keep painting targets on our country - i’d like to have a national discussion about why and if we think the cause is worth it.
as for me, neoimperialism and control of world oil resources doesn’t cut it.
As a counterpoint to ABC’s crap-u-mentary, the Koppel on Discovery special last night was worth watching, even if the Bush admin representatives continued to spin away - too many well respected voices on the other side contradicting them…
Hi Jane and Steve!
My heartfelt thanks to both of you from Italy. Quite an occasion for me : the founder of my favorite blog “Firedolake”, and the founder of the blog where I wrote my first post ever “The News Blog” (about soccer and racism of all things and Steve (rightly) scolded me..)
Kudos to both of you, you are great!
Good advice here…
Five Years After 9/11: Drop the War Metaphor
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....29181.html
Nice to ’see’ you Jane!
Thanks for the critiques from PT 9/11 watchers.
I’m glad to hear it sucks and hope America agrees.
I don’t watch TV anymore but did watch this 9/11 piece a few times last night:
http://www.takebackthemedia.com/true911.html
I think it’s pretty effective in presenting the real timeline on the morning of 9/11.
Anyone else see this?
Right wing artists who don’t suck:
Van Morrison
Whoever did the Narnia movie.
Otherwise, I’ve got nothin’.
This is off the topic, but was wondering if any of you FDL’ers could help. Unbelievably Mr Tweety himself spoke some serious truth to power today on MSNBC. He was being interviewed by some dingdong anchorgirl while he sat at “ground zero”. He went on a rant (and I mean he cut off the anchor and sounded a little pissed) about how important it is for us to be vigilent about NOT conflating the “war on terror” with the war in Iraq. And how Bush went to war based on personal feelings toward Sadaam…etc. It was AMAZING!I was seriously shadowboxing in my living room as I watched telling Chris to “Go get ‘em” It was trully remarkable. Anyway, MSNBC only provides transcripts to it’s shows, not is “news” portions of the day. This occured at approximately 10:30 am PST. Does anyone have this on tape?, Tivo? etc.? Thanks all.
Cozumel @
5
I switched it off after my initial curiosity turned to nausea. The content alone wasn’t what make me sick to my stomach. The film “style” was entirely the bumpy camera style. I guess they were trying to make it look like it was shot as it happened. If that was their intent, it didn’t work. The tight face shots (many, if not most, of the shots cropped off the top of the character’s heads) soon became irritating. The bumpy camera style works if done in moderation. It doesn’t work if it is done non-stop and there are no commercial breaks to help you gain your balance (and let your stomach settle). I’ll go with “unwatchable” as well as “incomprehensible”.
EPU’d
selise @ 69
Another “Anniversary” for September 11 (2002), for it is the Adoption Day of my middle niece. Today is the day that she offically became a member of our family and is the 4th anniversary of her adoption. My sister started the paperwork for her adoption around the time she was born and we never knew that she’d be chosen to come home to us then.
She and her two sisters were adopted from China. The people at the ophanage place the children based upon other children already in the family and the adopting parents ‘personalities’ (or as close as they can come). It’s really very uncanny how their personalities mesh with the families and definitely lends some credibiitly to the nurture over nature issue. N2 was 16mo when she came home to us and is the classic definition of the “mother’s curse”.
We all know (except the 3 girls) what happened 5 years ago, but we choose to find the positive that today’s date has brought to our lives.
and while we’re checking out fellow compatriots, billmon is at it again, and he is razor sharp today. also driftglass. powerful stuff……
I’m going to run the PT911 production crew through IMDB to see how many other
turkeysfilms they’ve done, and which. It’ll take a while. (Who knows, something else might turn up.)My email to Robert Iger:
Mr. Iger,
You were warned. Repeatedly. You chose to ignore the intelligent and correct cries of the people.
Effective immediately, our home of 3 kids under the age of six is boycotting Disney products. We are starting by discarding the Best Buy pre-buy cards for ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘Cars’. $10 thrown away, but by not buying the DVDs your company and your shareholders will be out $50.
I have also agreed with my wife that starting immediately there is no such place as Disney World. Or Land. We will be choosing vacation properties run by responsible American citizens. Disney no longer qualifies.
There is some solace in the fact that your “Path to 9/11″ flopped worse than Nemo on a hot sidewalk. But not enough to excuse it.
Jane,
You should have also mentioned that this Starbucks just happens to be right across the street from ABC headquarters in NYC (which, I imagine, is probably why you were there).
(It also has personal meaning for me because I was living just blocks away from there when the planes hit the towers.)
And yes, 9/11/01 was indeed a beautiful day, which made the events of that terrible day all the more unsettling.
Disney and ABC will pay for this, one way or another. Be it financially, in terms of its broadcast license, legislation, name brand, legally, etc., it will not emerge from this monumental blunder unscathed. Of that I am sure.
Hi, Jane — and say hello to Steve for me.
Does Les Paul still play every Monday night a few blocks south from where you are now? You might want to check that out if you have a chance…
op99 @ 54
Anybody know how many viewers an 8.2/12 share equates to? Bet Part 2 doesn’t bust 5 tonight.
Meanwhile, I’m forehead-slapping over not cottoning onto that Disney-Jebbie scenario right away. Wonder what big ol’ announcement Disney World has in store between now and Jebber’s leaving office in January. Stay, as they say, tuned . . .
Has anyone been looking at CNN’s web page today? They’re showing their coverage from 9/11/01, both video and screen captures of the web site. The thing that keeps striking me is that Bush was saying that he wouldn’t rest until those responsible were brought to justice. So, what happened to all that, do you think?
fahrender @
42
Yeah, Billmon.
HotFlash @ 24
This was not my comment (unless there are two of us) though it is an interesting thought. I think there is lots behind Disney.
Thanks for high lighting Hiassen - I love his work. Talk about speaking truth to power - and with humor, good writing, and popular appeal!
Great news that “path” sucked as entertainment. Wouldn’t see it (am boycotting ABC and Disney)
I do have an ABC question for the better connected FDLers however. I have read that Fox and NBC would love to get rid of ABC. Any truth to this, or that ABC got dupped into this? Frankly at this point in time there is virtually no tv I watch (sorry can’t get KO because I don’t have cable). I also no longer listen to NPR. Mostly it is music and Air America.
On the latter, I received an XM for my birthday with a neat portable Pioneer player (there is a similar Samsung one) that serves as an MP3 -sort of. You can save music or talk or games to it. (I listened to most of the World cup which was awesome). For those wanting to boycott Apple (IPOD) here is an option - though at a monthly cost. I love it, except there is virtually no left leaning talk outside of Air America and Ed Schulz (sometimes left). It would be great to get others here with XM to try to put pressure (for example Stephanie Miller is not there). Dozens of uber-righties however.
Today, by the way, Schulz’s guests were amazing on the actual events of 9-11. Sometimes I disagree with him strongly, but today there was alot of real meat there; Bush looked really bad.
You have a point, but I thought the wording made it a little more emphatic.
Reply to Judd Brown: Good for you. I’m not a parent so the whole Disney thing is pretty repugnant to me anyway, but I’m also boycotting ABC TV, ESPN (no Monday Night Football for me) and anything else owned by Disney. Probably forever. Sucks because I’m a huge football fan but sometimes you have to have the courage of your convictions.
Write your congresspeople and senators, make DAMN sure they know you EXPECT them to campaign for people like Ned Lamont, Jon Tester, Jim Webb and Jack Carter. And if they don’t they may face their own primary challenge.
Terry in Maryland @ 47
Interesting that you bring this up. I was here in NYC on 9-11 and I certainly was not watching teevee, so I never saw any of it (for weeks actually). So, out of curiosity, I took a few peeks. Only a few because I really couldn’t bear it. They immediately started to spin and spin and spin. It is shocking how early in the day they started with their scrolls of “America under attack” etc. Collecting lame talking points on the taliban took less than 2 hours.
And Jane, welcome to the city!
Dru at 37– thank you for the Lakoff article. He’s onto something and I hope the Dems listen as I plan to from here on!
It’s clearly a way to tear the country and the Constitution out of their cold, deadly hands and actually get back to international relations.
Jane– I’m insanely jealous to read that you are enjoying a beautiful day in NYC. But why the heck are you patronizing Starbucks? There are better ways to spend your money, and better coffee to boot. Hope you won’t do the same next time you swing through San Francisco. We even have viable caffeine alternatives here in dull old San Diego.
I hear Les Paul doesn’t really have ‘it’ anymore, but I’d go see him too, despite that, if given the chance. Have fun in the Apple.
Terry in Maryland @ 47
I’m listening/watching it too. Judy Woodruff just reported that the BBC was reporting there was knowledge a couple of weeks prior that something like this was going to happen — then she got interrupted and hasn’t gone back to it.
It’s truly interesting to listen to the coverage and evaluate it in light of five years passing.
The Child in Chief does not look good in retrospect.
Banner at CNN.com:
President Bush will tonight call the war on terror a fight “to maintain the way of life enjoyed by free nations,” according to excerpts released ahead of his 9 p.m. ET address
Is he going to try explaining why he doesn’t want to maintain it in this country? (Don’t know about y’all, but I’ve had enough of his speeches about democracy when he keeps trying to get himself made king and emperor.)
Hope I’m not repeating someone else’s comment, but regarding last night’s ratings…(from RawStory.com):
ABC 9/11 film ties documentary rerun
RAW STORY
Published: Monday September 11, 2006
Print This Email This
An expensive and highly-publicized September 11 ABC “docudrama” was soundly defeated in overnight Nielsen ratings by Sunday Night Football, RAW STORY has learned.
Early indications are that the “miniseries event” actually tied a rerun of a documentary on the same subject, and barely edged out the eighteenth season premiere of The Simpsons.
The New York vs. Indianapolis game earned rival NBC a 15.1/23 rating, according to overnight returns.
Part one of ABC’s “Path to 9/11,” in comparison, earned a rating of 8.2/12–about half as many viewers. This tied a CBS repeat of a documentary, also about the September 11, 2001 attacks on America. The CBS repeat was somewhat handicapped by a half hour delay caused by an overrun of a U.S. Open Tennis match.
The season opener of The Simpsons looks to have come in third with an 8.1/12, considered to be healthy for such a long-running series.
As overnight metered ratings are not always indicative of the final national numbers, the second and third place standings are subject to change.
In a rational world, where the representatives worked for the people and not the corporations, something like this would lead to the revocation of ABC’s license:
Dan Whitworth @ 52
at starbucks, you’re not paying for the coffee - you’re paying for the health insurance for the employees.
lots of reasons to dislike starbucks - but employee health insurance (if it is the same in nyc) is one reason to patronize them (t-mobile wifi is another).
i confess that during the week i last spent in nyc (protesting the rnc in 2004) everymorning found me in a starbucks for coffee and wifi (i was one of the lucky ones who wasn’t arrested).
Richmond @ 49
Hi Richmond. Well, maybe there are two of you. I cut my quote from Jane’s article above, para 5. I was not able to get the link there to load, so never saw original.
Richmond says that the reason ABC refused to pull their 9/11 crapumentary was because Jeb Bush had big favors in the favor bank due to all he’s done for Disney in Florida, and he called in his markers.
I’ll bet the “inside baseball” about PT911 is way more interesting than the actual show. I heard Dan Lurie on Ed Schultz last week saying the cast and crew had many discussions on-set about the script; I read somewhere Keitel was really pissed and re-wrote some of his dialogue to reflect a little actual reality.
I didn’t watch it. The Boy started school today, so we spent the evening trying to keep him from dwelling on it (new kid in school, blech.) I’m so pleased it apparently sux.
Hi, Steve. Hi Jane. The Boy sends hugs to Kobe and wants to know if the Kobe will be your logo at FDL Books?
.
mc @
23
Oh yeah - there were people watching the wreath-laying - Pataki, Bloomberg, etc - no Democrats invited!!! A non-partisan photo-op indeed! Geesh!
see:
http://www.prospect.org/weblog.....tml#006242
Hey, it’s not all somber in NYC today. Down in the Village it’s lovely!
Just saying. . .
I’m sure Jane is in Starbucks for the wireless connection as much as for the coffee.
Dennis Eros @
16
Not to be a stickler for details, but when I was at CalArts several years back I learned that Walt Disney was not only cryogenically frozen but also kept in a mysterious wing on campus. As the campus was open 24 hours, my friends and I often hunted for Disney’s frozen corpse in the middle of the night.
My dear marooned flowah, did you get shook up by the earthquake?
When I fell asleep last night with my tv on a sleep timer, it was on MSNBC. This morning, when I turned it on, Imus was on which I never watch. He was talking on the phone to Bob Kerrey, 9-11 Commissioner. Kerrey was going on and on about PT911 with the comment that he learned a lot about John O’Neill, the ex-FBI agent that was killed in the WTC. I was so pissed I couldn’t turn the channel fast enough. If Bob Kerrey was suckered by the show, there is little to no hope for the average viewer to be able to separate fact from fiction. My Mom used to say, “if I can’t believe ALL if it, I can’t believe ANY of it”. Kerrey will be hearing from this viewer. I am so disappointed as I thought he was a better person than that.
Watching the old coverage I was surprised about the “3 weeks ago” warning - I didn’t remember it at the time. It sure was buried deep after the Bush Speech moment - until resurrected with Rice’s appearance before the 9/11 commission (btw - Pat Lang has a short, biting bit up about the Rice and Cheney appearances this weekend - did Cheney really flunk out of Yale or have I missed the punchline?).
I miss Aaron Brown too - someone else said so below threads.
Goss, as head of the Senate Intel Committee saying THEN that no one thought state sponsored terrorism was involved. *s* Five years to get run backwards to where the Senate INtel Committee is still saying that there was no state/Iraq lnk - but now the VP and Sec of State are saying just the opposite. Bold faced as they were with aluminum tubes; as they were with the Wilson attacks (are you sure you’re done with this & boondoggles). Felicia and Oscar.
And Felicia still hanging Tenet out to dry - about as nasty as can be.
Interesting piece from across the water on The Hunt (for bin laden)
It’s so interesting to hear about the need for human intel - a discussion that never includes and reference to how war in Iraq; decimating villages in Afghanistan & Iraq; developing a reputation for violating international laws and torture restrictions and stacking a mean naked pyramid — how those help develop human intelligence.
Do you try to make a deal with a country that kidnaps and walks their sources into black holes for torture? A country that has so many civilian deaths on its hands and a militarized “you are all the enemy” approach, that includes intimidation and humiliation as daily dosing?
Such a screwed up mess.
KathieinMN @ 61
mc @
23
Oh yeah - there were people watching the wreath-laying - Pataki, Bloomberg, etc - no Democrats invited!!! A non-partisan photo-op indeed! Geesh!
see:
http://www.prospect.org/weblog.....tml#006242
Why would any democrat be caught dead w/ that crew?
motherbear @ #15:
please change George Bush’e resume from:
PAST WORK EXPERIENCE
I ran for U.S. Congress and lost. I began my career in the oil business in Midland , Texas , in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn’t find any oil in Texas The company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock.
to:
PAST WORK EXPERIENCE
I ran for U.S. Congress and lost. I began my career in the oil business in Midland , Texas , in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn’t find any oil in Texas The company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock to the Bin Laden family.
Oh this is a hoot– the whole article is good, but this had me howling! GO Tester!
http://www.missoulian.com/arti.....news03.txt
HotFlash @ 59
Well, maybe it was one of those inspired moments I don’t recall. Sounds like my language, but… too much multi-tasking when I turn to FDL - and at other times. Any way I believe you should take credit for the good things people think/say about you even if not true (at least I tried to redirect) because there is certainly alot of crap that gets shoveled one’s way that one has to some way try to shovel back.
beth meacham @ 63
And also, if I remember correctly from the last time I was in the neighborhood, because there is a Starbucks about every 50 feet in that part of Manhattan.
American Airlines is pissed at ABC too. Seemed like they took liberties with them also.
“American Airlines criticizes ABC miniseries on 9/11 attacks
By TREBOR BANSTETTER
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
FORT WORTH — Executives with American Airlines say they are “outraged” at the airline’s depiction in the ABC miniseries The Path to 9-11.
Airline spokesman Roger Frizzell said Monday that the miniseries, which concludes tonight, falsely portrays an American gate agent at Boston’s Logan Airport allowing a terrorist onto a flight despite a warning that he may have been a threat.
“It’s important for the public to know that the ABC dramatization is inaccurate and irresponsible in its portrayal of the airport check-in events that occurred on the morning of Sept. 11,” he said.
Two flights operated by Fort Worth-based American were hijacked in the attacks. Flight 11, which departed from Logan, crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York, and Flight 77, which flew from Washington Dulles Airport, crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
Officials with ABC were not immediately available for comment.
Frizzell said American has alerted ABC to their concerns, but has not yet heard a response.
“The real facts can be found in the 9-11 Commission Report,” Frizzell said.”
Snort. Jerks.
We need a definitive boycott target list to be distributed throughout the left blogosphere. We know ABC and Disney(I also suggest Apple strongly), but who were the 2 big advertisers? Maybe the top 10 advertisers at ABC should be on the list. What I’m saying is we need ONE definitive list.
Mommybrain, I have felt quakes in times past, when I lived in the Ozarks (New Madrid fault zone), but didn’t feel this one. Florida Mom, over on our Gulf coast, noted it, though.
And thanks for asking.
Wonder how long it will take for somebody at ABC to notice how solidly Frizzell slammed them?
Terry in Maryland @
47
He went to work on the Justice department that day and I’m sure he went to bed at 9:00 pm that night.
email from howard dean:
A photo up on Huffington now shows what appears to be Rumsfeld looking contemplatory over a 9/11 memorial. If it is him, I would ask, since when has he actually been contemplatory? And, what about his (and Bush) doing some serious (and public) mourning for those who died in Iraq (American, British, Iraqis and others) and are disfigured and traumatized permanently because of his - and Bush’s - damnable military acts.
annburns @ 74
hehe. They’re down the road from me. Foat Wurth speaks ; )
Cullah ‘em Foat Wrath.
jane
Welcome to the Big Apple. I’m so glad the weather is cooperating for your visit. If you are over by ABC you may want to wander the neighborhood a little. Some nice places to eat and, if you haven’t been there before, touring Lincoln Center can be lovely and they have a great film library.
I longish, but comfortable walk eastward will take you in the vicinity of the Central Park Zoo, which was built while I was a Lawyer at the Parks Dept. There are blackmail piz of me somewhere, of me pretending to be a penguin inside the glass in the penguin and puffins exhibit.
My favorite is the polar bear. We got him (the son) when he was just a cub and I have watched him grow up. He thinks he is a people and really takes shine to kids in strollers.
A few weeks before the refurbished zoo was set to open, the snow monkeys broke out of their exhibit and trashed the place. They may look cute, but boy are they strong.
If you are strolling through the park, head north from the zoo and stop by the model boat basin. On a brezzy day like this, sailing the toy boats is such a joy. If you haven’t seen it, the nearby Alice in Wonderland sculptures are an less well known delight.
Welcome to my hometown. Enjoy.