December 2003

There were 170 posts published in December 2003 (this is page 7 of 29).

Oh, What a Tangled Web We Weave

Apparently money can’t solve all one’s problems:

An attorney for Rush Limbaugh charged Monday that the conservative talk show host was being blackmailed by the Florida couple whose allegations triggered an ongoing investigation into his purchases of painkillers.
During a hearing over whether prosecutors should have access to Limbaugh’s medical records, attorney Roy Black said Limbaugh paid “extreme amounts of money” to Wilma Cline, his former housekeeper, and her husband, first for pills and then for extortion. Black alleged that the Clines had threatened to go public with information about Limbaugh’s drug use unless they received $4 million.
. . .
Sources have told CNN that the investigation into Limbaugh’s drug use began in February when Cline, who once worked as a housekeeper at his home in West Palm Beach, went to authorities.
The Clines later went public with their charges in the National Enquirer, alleging that Limbaugh’s representative had paid them hush money. Sources said the couple was paid a six-figure sum for their story.

This all couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.

Rogers Interview

Caught a short interview with investment guru Jim Rogers on CNBC last night. He made several interesting observations:

  • China is going to be the economic story of the 21st cenutry.

  • In the Middle East, Rogers is bullish on Iran. He believes its young, democratic-minded population will propel the nation upward.

  • The Saudi Arabian regime will fall apart in the next several years–perhaps within a year or two

  • Currently, Canada presents better investment opportunities than the United States.

  • Financial industry stocks are overvalued–best to get out or short these companies.

Curious Answers

I don’t know how, but I missed this story until today:

Joe Namath’s interview on ESPN was cut short when the Hall of Fame quarterback gave curious answers to Suzy Kolber’s questions.
Namath was at the Patriots-Jets game Saturday night as the Jets celebrated their 40th anniversary team. Asked by Kolber, ESPN’s sideline reporter, about what the team’s struggles meant to him, Namath replied:
“I want to kiss you,” as he leaned toward her.
He added that he believed the team would come back next season with Chad Pennington available to play quarterback all year. But those at ESPN had heard enough.
“Based on Joe’s response to the second question, we concluded the interview expeditiously,” the network said in a statement Sunday. “While Joe made some relevant football points, had we known what was to come, of course, we would not have conducted the interview.”
Kolber responded to Namath’s comments by saying “Thanks, Joe. A huge compliment.”
Namath capped off the interview by repeating: “I want to kiss you.” before Kolber turned things back over to the announcers in the booth.

Ha Ha. A huge compliment.
I wonder: if I happen to be roaming the sidelines some game and Lisa Guerrero decides to interview me–if I tell her I want to kiss her, do you think she’ll be game?

Selling Scare T.V.

I caught a few minutes of one of the local news broadcasts and they had a bug in the corner of the screen informing us that East Tennessee is under an orange terrorism alert.
Thanks guys. If I see al Qaeda milling around a West Knoxville Wal-Mart or Weigel’s, I’ll be sure to drop a tip.

The Saudi Factor

Much of the debate on the Iraq war has focused, naturally, on Iraq. But Iraq’s strategic proximity to a al Qaeda-threatened Saudi Arabian government should not be underestimated when assessing American Mid-East policy.