Idiocy Abounds Today

Item 1:
Boston police department arrests one in connection with hoax devices left all over Boston. The appearance of the devices led to road and subway closures, disruptions of traffic, confusion and a massive police response including the bomb squad.

More than 10 blinking electronic devices planted at bridges and other spots in Boston threw a scare into the city Wednesday in what turned out to be a publicity campaign for a late-night cable cartoon. The devices depict a character giving the finger.

Boston police said Wednesday night that one person had been arrested, and authorities scheduled a news conference later in the evening to provide details.

Highways, bridges and a section of the Charles River were shut down and bomb squads were sent in before authorities declared the devices were harmless.

"It's a hoax — and it's not funny," said Gov. Deval Patrick, who said he'll speak to the state's attorney general "about what recourse we may have."

Turner Broadcasting, a division of Time Warner Inc. and parent of Cartoon Network, said the devices were part of a promotion for the TV show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force," a surreal series about a talking milkshake, a box of fries and a meatball.

If it were up to me, I'd make sure that Turner Broadcasting was held fiscally responsible for the entire police response and forced to pay for the emergency response and to make reparations to the city for the costs associated with the hoax. This isn't the kind of press that Time Warner and Turner Broadcasting wants or needs. Heads will roll on that. Turner regrets the inconvenience caused. I'm sure.

Item 2:
Joe Biden declares candidacy for President of the United States and promptly self destructs by making the following comments about fellow Senator and Presidential candidate Barack Obama.

I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy'...

This, from the man who Mark Levin calls the dumbest man in the Senate. Biden sure knows how to put a foot in his mouth. He wasn't exactly a top flight candidate before he threw his hat in the ring, but this pretty much makes him toxic. Of course, Biden fights back claiming that his comments were taken out of context. Typical. What he meant to imply was "clean as a whistle and sharp as a tack". Right. If that's what he meant to say, he could have said it. Instead, he goofed big time. Too bad. So sad.

Oh, and Jesse Jackson was a presidential candidate way back in the 1980s before he got his own case of foot in mouth disease and fell out of favor with the media and establishment Democrats. Al Sharpton has run for President as well, but he's anything but a mainstream candidate.

Item 3:
Al Franken is declaring his run for the Senate.

Comedian and radio talk show host Al Franken has begun calling Democratic members of Congress and prominent DFLers to tell them he will definitely challenge Republican Sen. Norm Coleman in 2008, the Star Tribune has learned.

On Monday, Franken announced that he was quitting his radio show on Feb. 14, and he told his audience that they'd be the first to know of his decision. But Franken has been working the phones in recent days, telling his political friends he's ready to declare his candidacy.

Anyone reading this blog knows I cannot stand Franken, but if Minnesota thinks that he's their guy, sucks to be Minnesota because the joke is on them. Franken's involvement in Air America better be examined by the media far more closely than it has until now because there's more than meets the eye. That should be telling as to what Franken intends to do with taxpayer money and how fiscally [ir]responsible he is.

Item 4:
The New York Times suffers huge Fourth Quarter loss. Restating earnings. Big mess. Don't simply read the article, but instead focus on the actual filings. It's far more juicy and it's what the investors read. This is bad news for the NYT. They're restating earnings because their accounting department was having trouble trying to figure out how to conform to GAAP and tax law. Don't look for the NYT to call for SOX reform or tax reform, even though it is clearly necessary.

UPDATE:
Item 5:
I'm not sure what to make of this, but someone wasn't telling the truth as to what happened.

Rep. Loretta Sanchez has quit the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, accusing the chairman, Rep. Joe Baca, of telling people she's a "whore."

Baca denied the charge.

In an interview with The Politico Wednesday, Sanchez, a California Democrat as is Baca, also cited concerns about whether Baca was properly elected Hispanic Caucus chairman in November and about his general attitude toward female lawmakers. The caucus represents 21 Hispanic Democrats in Congress.

"I'm not going to be a part of the CHC as long as Mr. Baca illegally holds the chair … I told them no. There's a big rift here," Sanchez said. "You treat the women like shit. I have no use for him."

In a statement to The Politico, Baca said Sanchez "has decided to resign from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), and has chosen to air baseless statements. Let me be clear; her comments are categorically untrue."

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