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May 2008

A Knife to the Back

Scott McClellan's new book excoriates the president's policies that led the U.S. into war in Iraq. He's got some nerve after helping to sell that war to the American people. If he thought the war and the president's actions were so wrong, why didn't he come out at the time and just say so? Instead he waits until the damage has been done. So now he just looks like another disgruntled, back-stabbing ex-staffer trying to sell book.

28 May 2008 Posted by MD Wong at 11:27:29

Revisionist History Strikes Again

The Chronicle has an article about JPG Magazine and 8020 publishing. The article mentions the company's "founder", Paul Cloutier, and portrays him as something of a visionary. The truth is that JPG was the brainchild of Derek Powazek and his wife, Heather Powazek Champ, two people who can truly be called visionaries. The whole story behind JPG and 8029 can be read at Derek's site.

I've first encountered Derek's work at fray.com. If Web 2.0 is about user-generated content, then I think it's safe to say that Derek and Heather were both Web 2.0 before anyone even realized there was a Web 1.0. It is galling to see someone else reap the rewards that rightfully belong to them.

If there is such a thing as Karma, then Cloutier has truckload about to be dumped on his head. He certainly deserves it.

27 May 2008 Posted by MD Wong at 16:41:43

Trevor Graham's Just Desserts

The self-styled "mastermind in chemistry" faces three counts of lying to federal agents during investigations that began with his anonymous tip that set off the BALCO scandal in 2003. His exact motives for blowing the whistle in the first place are still unknown, though I suspect it was related to his competitive nature.

Graham was an athlete. His clients were world-class athletes. The competition in track and field, especially among runners, is fierce. Once his clients got caught using banned substances, he was probably resentful that BALCO clients were getting away with it. I think he decided to level the playing field by ratting the BALCO athletes out.

But no good deed goes unpunished. Already under suspicion due to the inordinate number of clients who were caught and suspended, Graham made a poor choice and lied to federal agents about providing his clients (and Marion Jones in particular) with steroids. The feds caught on and pursued a case against him.

His lawyer is portraying him as a saint who did the right thing only to be set up. Sorry, I'm not buying it. Too many of his clients have been caught using. Enough of them have come forward to implicate Graham as the connection to Heredia. Have fun coaching the prison track team, Trevor!

20 May 2008 Posted by MD Wong at 14:10:08

Landmark Gay Right Decision

The California State Supreme Court has struck down the voter approved ban on same-sex marriages. In thirty days gay couples will be able to legally marry in California. I imaging the right wing-nuts are already up in arms.

I can just see Rush Limbumb (spelling intentional) frothing at the mouth in indignation. He'll probably blame it all on Obama, liberal activist judges (not accurate since they were either appoointed by Ahrnold or Pete Wilson) and the general deprivation of the left as a whole.

I wouldn't be surprised to hear that Pat Robertson has condemned the entire state to hell and is praying for the expedited demise of the State Supreme Justices.

Ann Coulter will write a book about it that explains how it's all the Clintons' fault.

Michelle Malkin will try to link it to terrorist sympathisors.

15 May 2008 Posted by MD Wong at 13:07:51

Tiger Fight Under Way

SF has denied a claim made by the survivors of the tiger attack, opening the way for a lawsuit. The City is banking on the zoological society that operates the zoo on the City's behalf, to shield them from liability. But I don't think that will work.

The City owns the zoo and the animals. The entity that the City placed in charge of the zoo may be liable. And if the zoological society is liable, then the entity that oversees them (the City) may also be held liable to some extent. This may be the start of some very expensive litigation that the City can't afford.

The City should face the facts. From everything we've heard from experts, the tiger should not have been able to get out no matter what those boys did to provoke it. This tiger had already injured someone else due to (different) poor containment issues. The warning signs were there and neither the zoological society nor the City did anything to prevent another tragedy until is was too late.

They should just pay up now and avoid the legal fees.

10 May 2008 Posted by MD Wong at 9:03:33

Forget What Yogi Berra Said

It is indeed over for Hillary. She can't win enough delegates in the remaining primaries to cinch the nomination. That means back-room deals with super-delegates at the convention. Not a good situation. She should just concede and hand her delegates over to Obama and then use her clout to structure the party platform.

08 May 2008 Posted by MD Wong at 12:12:28

Yahoo is Safe (For Now)

Microsoft has ABANDONED it's pursuit of Yahoo! Now idiot investors are selling off Yahoo stock and driving the price down. So the next time MS comes around, that original off is going to look real good. Maybe I should start clicking again?

05 May 2008 Posted by MD Wong at 10:02:19

No More Clicking Needed

They're apparently in cahoots now, so helping Yahoo helps Microsoft. And I won't do that if I can help it. Too bad. I really wanted to see that asshole Ballmer have to suck it up for a change.

02 May 2008 Posted by MD Wong at 13:52:52

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