Thursday, September 13, 2012

Media-Whore D'Oeuvres


"The man behind the incendiary film, Innocence of Muslims, has a criminal record that includes a narcotics conviction. According to a source close to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula was arrested by the L.A. Country Sheriff's Department on March 27, 1997 and charged with intent to manufacture methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Nov. 3, 1997 to one year in county jail and three years probation. The D.A.’s office said he violated probation on April 8, 2002, and was re-sentenced to another year in county jail. Nakoula had been registered to vote as a Democrat from 2002-2008, according to the L.A. County Registrar Recorder’s office. In April of 2008, he changed his political affiliation to American Independent. Nakoula’s identity and involvement in the film was confirmed to the Associated Press by federal law-enforcement officials. Nakoula, who lives near Los Angeles, had claimed to numerous media outlets that the man who created and directed the film was an Israeli real estate developer named Sam Bacile. The Associated Press reported yesterday that Nakoula was a Coptic Christian convicted of federal bank fraud charges in 2010." (TheDailyBeast)


"Fortunately I have only once been in the position to make such requests. For most of my life I have been happily club-free. I never wanted to be a member of any particular club nor had I ever found a club that had many friends with whom I wanted to regularly associate in our own clubhouse. Physical lethargy prevented me from joining any athletic clubs, and perhaps the general lack of youth clubs precluded me from finding a club of my own. Certainly the number of terrific bores who frequent many of the world’s “exclusive” clubs was a disincentive.  How times change. I joined three clubs this year. I surprised myself to realize that I actually want to spend time in places where I know a lot of people. Why be a stranger in a strange land? It’s as boring as going to a party where you don’t know anybody. But stranger things have happened. Someone recently told me about a rich man who came to town and invited people he didn’t know to his birthday party. Apparently he was surprised when people declined. That’s the thing about clubs: Proximity doesn’t necessarily ensure association, much like befriending members of the English upper class." (Mandolyna Theodoracopulos)



"Democrat Steve Bullock has pulled ahead in the race to be Montana's next Governor. He's at 44% to 39% for Republican opponent Rick Hill. The candidates were tied at 39% on PPP's last poll of the contest in the spring ... PPP's first likely voters survey of Minnesota voters finds a much closer race than earlier in the year, although Barack Obama still has a solid 7 point lead over Mitt Romney at 51-44. That's down from an average lead of 12.5 points for Obama on PPP's two previous polls of the state in 2012. Minnesota voters only narrowly approve of Obama with 50% giving him good marks to 48% who disapprove ... We conducted a New Mexico poll for a coalition of environmental groups over the weekend. We found Martin Heinrich with his largest lead of the year in the state. Additionally Barack Obama leads by double digits and is in good position to again win its 5 electoral votes ...Sherrod Brown continues to hold a good sized lead in the Ohio Senate race, 48-40 over Josh Mandel. Brown is not a popular incumbent. Only 42% of voters approve of the job he's doing to 44% who disapprove. But Mandel is not proving to be a strong challenger either, with 33% of voters rating him favorably to 44% with a negative opinion. A few things stick out in the crosstabs. Brown is winning over 16% of Republican voters, while losing just 10% of Democrats. And even though Barack Obama trailed with independents on this poll, Brown has a 44-40 advantage with them. Brown is winning with white voters, 46-44, and any time a Democrat can manage that they're going to win in Ohio." (PPPolling)

 

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