I wonder how much of the war effort is required for the frequent trips made to the front lines by senior politicians. I also wonder if all the NCOs, and Privates get to have any free time, or do they pull so much guard duty that they are exhausted.
On Dec 26, 7:49 am, NavyBrat <[email protected]> wrote: > Yeah...pretty cool. Too bad he got knocked arround for a it bit. I'm > sure he thought it was well worth the insult tho. > > On Dec 26, 5:44 am, "mike [never forget] 532" > > > > <[email protected]> wrote: > > i love the fact that the people of the world see the man who paid bush > > the highest insult one person can give another as a world hero . > > > On Dec 26, 7:24 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > By P.J. Gladnick (Bio | Archive) > > > December 25, 2008 - 18:25 ET > > > mewsbusters.com > > > > Employees of McClatchy publishing in Iraq were in an unusually good > > > mood recently. The occasion was the aftermath of the Iraqi journalist > > > who tossed his shoes at President Bush at a press conference in > > > Baghdad as you can see in these quotes from Inside Iraq, a blog for > > > McClatchy journalists working in that country. The first quote was > > > from McClatchy employee, "Laith," who was talking about his colleagues > > > and the rest of the quotes were from commentors who may or may not be > > > employed by McClatchy: > > > > Some of the guys were happy and they were talking about the bravery of > > > the journalist who threw his shoes at the American president. When I > > > tried to explain my opinion, I was trying to tell the guys that I > > > don't agree with the way the journalist behaved, but I was attacked by > > > them. One of them said "come on Laith, Bush destroyed Iraq". Another > > > said "he deserves more" while a third one said "he is an occupier." I > > > tried to tell to tell they guys that this is an inslut for Maliki. > > > > The "Shoe heard round the world" was an important symbolic event. I > > > felt his action was appropriate and restrained considering the > > > circumstances. > > > > I applauded this act. I don't care that it is rude. Why are we > > > concerned about etiquette when a country was destroyed? Did Bush ever > > > apologize to the Iraqis for the hundreds of thousands of dead? Bush is > > > an occupier, a clown pretending to be a hero, so enclosed in his own > > > little self-certain world he probably was surprised an Iraqi could be > > > that angry. I am not surprised. I am only surprised such a thing did > > > not happen earlier. > > > > Yes, yes, my little McClatchy journalists. Better get all the > > > enjoyment you can out of the shoe tossing incident because soon there > > > will be another tossing event that you will not appreciate quite so > > > much: namely being tossed out of your jobs. While you are busy > > > cheering on the shoe tosser, perhaps you might not have noticed that > > > the McClatchy stock price has plunged about 99% to a mere 75 cents > > > per share from where it was in 2005 at almost $80 per share when your > > > CEO, Gary Pruitt (photo), began going on a spending spree buying up > > > newspapers when it was already clear to almost any sane person that > > > print media was in a permanent downswing due to the internet. Pruitt's > > > purchase of newspapers around the country goes down in the history of > > > stupid business decisions with Quaker Oats' purchase of Snapple and > > > Schlitz beer's decision to cut costs by changing its fermentation > > > process (along with its taste). > > > > The result is that McClatchy is in the process of attempting to get > > > rid of many of its newspapers at much less than Pruitt paid for them > > > including the Miami Herald which still has no buyers interested in > > > purchasing that losing enterprise. In fact, Pruitt's Folly has gotten > > > so bad that in his own words he is having trouble finding a buyer just > > > for the Herald parking lot: > > > > We’re selling 10 acres of land, a parking lot adjacent to The Miami > > > Herald building for a price of $190 million. We have a good dialogue > > > with the sellers and we’re hopeful that that deal closes. It’s a real > > > estate contract which means we can’t guarantee that that deal will > > > close. We’re hopeful that it will and 100% of the proceeds, which > > > after tax would be about $115 million, will be used to pay down debt. > > > > Gary Pruitt isn't alone in his total cluelessness. As we have seen in > > > these pages, Arthur "Pinch" Sulzberger, publisher of the New York > > > Times, is every bit as capable of making incredibly stupid business > > > decisions as Pruitt. However, at least Pinch has the excuse of being > > > born with the correct family name and living through birth for being > > > given a task he can't handle. What's your excuse, Gary? > > > > The most astonishing thing about Gary Pruitt is that he is still CEO > > > of McClatchy. What more bad news do the stockholders need to fire > > > him? For every thousand dollars of stock purchased in 2005, they are > > > now left with a mere ten bucks of value...and perhaps even less in the > > > very near future. And yet Pruitt remains at the helm. Another > > > mysterious thing about Pruitt is why he has not quit McClatchy. > > > Perhaps the salary, bonuses for underachievement, and the fringe > > > benefits such as being able to charge off expensive hotel stays and > > > dining on Kobe beef is much too alluring and overwhelms any shame > > > Pruitt might feel by continuing to lead a publishing company he has > > > run into the ground. > > > > Since this is Christmas Day, here is my fantasy speech that Gary > > > Pruitt should deliver if he ever feels the slightest bit of remorse > > > for tossing McClatchy into the ash heap: > > > > "Hi. I'm Gary Pruitt, CEO of McClatchy. Today I want to give you a > > > frank talk about our company without any unrealistic Baghdad Bob type > > > happy talk. The bottom line is that I have run our company into the > > > ground over the last three years as a result of incredibly dumb > > > business decisions. I began buying up newspapers in 2005 when it was > > > already obvious even to an infant that they were losing circulation > > > rapidly due to the internet. What the hell was I thinking? The only > > > answer is that I wasn't thinking. I should have left this company in > > > disgrace years ago but hung on just so I could collect on all the CEO > > > goodies. However, I now realize that I have overstayed my welcome and > > > am announcing my resignation from McClatchy. So shamed am I by losing > > > billions of dollars and thousands of jobs that I have decided to go > > > into permanent exile with my surfboard off the coast of Satellite > > > Beach. Finally I would like to thank ol' PJ for making me aware of why > > > my resignation is so necessary. As a result, my last official act as > > > McClatchy CEO will be to send him a large doggie bag stuffed with Kobe > > > beef." > > > > Of course, I realize such a speech is strictly a fantasy. Oh, except > > > for the Kobie beef doggie bag part. That I definitely want Pruitt to > > > deliver on. > > > > Meanwhile, to all you McClatchy "journalists" cheering on the Iraqi > > > shoe tosser... enjoy your good mood for now. It won't be lasting long. > > > > And don't forget that Kobe beef, Gary.- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
