On the Torture Question, a Bunch of Baloney

Wait a minute, Osama Bin Laden was unarmed when he was shot and killed by American warriors? Isn't that against the law.

Meanwhile, over at Attytood, anti-torture zealot Will Bunch is firmly asserting that the sort of rough interrogation tactics that he calls "torture" had nothing to do with gleaning the intelligence that led to the killing of Bin Laden.

Writes Bunch:

It's time to tear down a myth right now before it spreads. Torture had absolutely nothing to do with killing Osama bin Laden. Nothing. Zero. Ziilch. Nada.

And he would know, of course, better than CIA Director Leon Panetta, who says it's an "open question" whether Enhanced Interrogation Techniques (waterboarding, etc.) helped the intelligence community get the information needed to track down Bin Laden.

Time mag reports:

A former head of counterterrorism at the CIA, who was investigated last year by the Justice Department for the destruction of videos showing senior al-Qaeda officials being interrogated, says that the harsh questioning of terrorism suspects produced the information that eventually led to Osama bin Laden’s death.

Jose Rodriguez ran the CIA’s CounterTerrorism Center from 2002 to 2005 during the period when top al-Qaeda leaders Khalid Sheikh Mohammad (KSM) and Abu Faraj al-Libbi were taken into custody and subjected to “enhanced interrogation techniques” at secret black site prisons overseas. KSM was subjected to waterboarding, sleep deprivation and other techniques. Al Libbi was not waterboarded, but other EITs were used on him.

“Information provided by KSM and Abu Faraj al Libbi about Bin Laden’s courier was the lead information that eventually led to the location of [bin Laden’s] compound and the operation that led to his death,” Rodriguez tells TIME in his first public interview. Rodriguez was cleared of charges in the video destruction investigation last year. (Read CIA Director Leon Panetta’s first interview since the bin Laden raid.)

Rodriguez’s assertion drew criticism from the White House. “There is no way that information obtained by [enhanced interrogation techniques] was the decisive intelligence that led us directly to bin Laden,” says National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor. “It took years of collection and analysis from many different sources to develop the case that enabled us to identify this compound, and reach a judgment that bin Laden was likely to be living there.”

So neither the White House nor the CIA is asserting that EITs had "Nothing. Zero. Ziilch (sic). Nada," with the years-long and ultimately successful effort to bring justice to America's most wanted terrorist.

Because Bunch has such a distaste for the idea of inflicting pain on captured terrorists even if it is done to save American lives, he is committed to claiming that it can't work, despite any evidence that it can and sometimes does. This is a bad place for any thinking person, let alone a journalist, to find himself.

Few of Will's blog readers sound convinced of his assertion. And rightly so.

Interview with Coup de Coeur Shopping Concierge | NYC Wedding Shopping Concierge

Can't find that perfect dress? Stressed out about the whole process, not sure what looks best on you? Well now there is Coup de Coeur Shopping Concierge, Manhattan’s premier shopping service, announces their expansion into the bridal industry, providing brides with a ‘front row’ shopping experience of New York’s top bridal designers and ateliers.

Named one of the Best Personal Shoppers in New York City by Page Six, Lela, interviews Coup de Coeur.

1. What is Coup de Coeur Shopping Concierge? And what services do you provide for the bride and groom?

Coup de Coeur is a stylish firm providing a variety of shopping based services. We are Manhattan’s first ‘shopping concierge’. Our main focus is high-end, personalized shopping tours for private clients. Our tours give clients the convenience and luxury of having their own personal shopper. After an initial consultation, we develop a targeted shopping list with a focused itinerary.

Brides-to-be (and their wedding parties) can expect a well-organized and executed shopping experience with VIP access to private showrooms, designer ateliers and bridal salons.

2. Any insider tips for the bride to be aware of or avoid when looking for that perfect wedding dress?

We suggest that the bride take into consideration her body type first and foremost. The right style and cut of the dress can bring out the best in their shape. The next important factor in choosing a dress is to choose a fabric and style that evokes the time of day, venue, destination and season. The bride’s dress sets the scene for the tone of the wedding, or vise-versa. You wouldn’t want to be in 80 degree weather in a corseted ball gown at an outdoor wedding! Also, don’t let your ‘dream dress’ work against you, sometimes what a girl imagined isn’t what flatters a woman.

3. Any bridal fashion trends you see happening in weddings?

Brides are leaving the ‘princess’ look and searching for a more unique and fashion forward gown. Designer trends and runway style evening dresses are more current.

4. Do you have a favorite shopping story that you want to share?

When most people think of brides-to-be, they imagine a 20 or 30 something girl getting married for the first time. Well, our last client was a 50 something woman getting married for the first time! She was very career focused and is very successful, so true love came to her a bit later in the game. With her, it was all about finding something elegant and appropriate. Although she had a generous budget for her dress and could afford our highest-end designer partners, ‘the one’ ending up being from a cool downtown bridal atelier and from a small up-and-coming designer. Why? Because this one fit and flattered her the most!


5. How do you stay motivated, what inspires you?

Our motivation is from helping real women find their perfect dress and alleviating their stress to find the best option for their budget, style and personality. It is truly FUN to share the experience with our clients and make them feel confident on their special day!

A little more about Coup de Coeur:
Founders Lucia Marcelle Tait and Amanda Doll Sheppard provide brides-to-be with a customized experience that focuses on their personal style, wedding plans and budget to discover their ideal dress.
Clients can expect VIP attention and special perks while shopping in private designer showrooms including Marchesa, Badgley Mischka and Angel Sanchez, bridal ateliers like Gabriella, Lovely Bride and Mark Ingram and a diverse array of stores from Carolina Herrera to J. Crew.

xo

Risky Business in Pakistan

Headline on AP story about Killing Osama:

Bin Laden mission was risky business for Obama

Well, yeah. And it was risky for the guys who actually carried it out too. I'm all for giving credit where credit is due. But let's not forget who the real men were in this deal. If it fails, Obama takes a political hit. But the Navy Seals who went in to deliver justice to OBL, were risking a whole lot more.

Worth A Thousand Words

Springfield Pool Spits Out Pol

Springfield Commish Jim Devenney did a dumb thing. He got his adult daughters and grandkids onto his perky (free) Springfield Country Club pool membership and he got creamed for it. He resigned his 6th Ward seat. Not once but twice. But now he wants it back and he's bucking the party machine to get it.

My print column is up.

UPDATE: I forgot to mention in the column that Devenney is being sued in civil court for the $3,500 the township claims he owes for abusing its perk policy. He won a change of venue for that case on Tuesday and it won't be heard before the May 12 primary in which he's running against Bob Layden.

GOP leader Mike Puppio says Devenney knew that only dependent children were allowed to be included on his free membership plan because he was in the room when the policy was discussed and crafted. So was Puppio.

Devenney denies intentionally violating the policy, that he didn't remember exactly what was in it and claims he merely asked pool personnel if his kids and grandkids were allowed on his plan. Puppio scoffs at that excuse. But it's not wholly implausible.

Over the last five years, Puppio claims that Devenney was told more than once by a pool manager or secretary that it was inappropriate for him to have his kids on the $1-a-visit perk plan. Devenney denies that. He said nobody said a thing to him about it until he got a letter last July from Commish Tom Mahoney.

Puppio named the township worker who supposedly told Devenney, but she didn't return my call to confirm that yesterday.

Puppio said that Devenney went around that person and got the passes from somebody else. Devenney firmly denies that. He says he asked one person about it and if the answer had been "no" that would have been fine with him.

Puppio compared that to Devenney asking the chief of police if it would be OK for him to run every red light in the township from now it. I found that analogy to be a bit tortured.

If Devenney knew about the policy and ignored it to save a few hundred dollars for his kids, he deserved to be held fully accountable. If he didn't remember it, and the township staff responsible for handing out the membership cards, decided to overlook it on his behalf, they're complicit too. They didn't do their job either. Yet, as far as I know, nobody's been fired or punished for that.

Puppio told that Devenney want him to "make it all go away" when they met last year. But by that time, he said, the "tube was out of toothpaste." Puppio said had a choice to make. It had become common knowledge at the pool that Devenney had abused his privileges. He could either look the other way and appear to cover it up, or hold him accountable. If someone in the township wanted to embarrass the party over this, they certainly could have by going to the press with the story about how Springfield commissioners get and then abuse their special privileges. Puppio said his only goal was to protect the integrity and reputation of Springfield government.

He said he didn't threaten or intimidate Devenney he simply laid out what he'd done and told him he had two choices: pay back the full amount the benefit was worth ($3,600 plus) or resign. He told me would have been satisfied with repayment because that would have showed Devenney understood and admitted what he'd done. Devenney chose to resign instead.

Puppio didn't figure that Devenney would have the temerity to challenge his and the party's authority to decide who should hold his seat.

Devenney told me he was intimidated and "befuddled" when he offered his resignation. Since last summer he's come to believe he was buffaloed into resigning, that he didn't do anything that justified the heavy-handed way with which he was treated.

There was probably as smarter way for Puppio to handle this; a way that would have allowed Devenney to see the error in his own actions and judgment and agree to his own punishment, whatever it was. But then when Puppio talks about Devenney's "sense of entitlement" to his seat and to perks he'd gotten used to bestowing on his kids, he's got a point.

Still, for a county political machine that routinely puts relatives and family members on the county payroll, you wouldn't think this would be a hanging offense.

The Devenney family has been a beneficiary of such patronage jobs. So have a lot of local office holders. That's how machines work. But there are limits. It turns out the political pool has a deep end. And you swim in it at your own risk.

He Walks! Vlad Guerrero Walks!

Last night in Kansas City, a remarkable streak ended. Vlad Guerrero drew a walk.

It was his first walk of the season but he didn't walk the last two games of last season either. It was 29 starts without a walk. He finally walked three plate appearances into his 30th start.

Top streaks of consecutive starts without a walk for Oriole batters:

Rk                 Strk Start        End Games  AB
1      Larry Haney 1967-09-02 1968-09-18    39 137
                                                  
2      Charlie Lau 1962-06-03 1964-06-17    34 134
                                                  
3       Cal Ripken 1999-06-05 1999-07-21    31 130
4      Ken Gerhart 1987-04-17 1987-06-20    31 113
5         Bob Hale 1955-07-08 1955-09-11    31 124
                                                  
6     Billy Ripken 1988-09-04 1989-04-30    30  97
7    Billy Gardner 1956-09-03 1957-04-20    30 119
                                                  
8      Andres Mora 1976-04-21 1976-07-06    29 111
9    Vlad Guerrero 2010-10-02 2011-05-02    29 119
10     Jerry Adair 1964-05-14 1964-06-21    29 119
11     Jerry Adair 1963-07-04 1963-08-21    29 111
                                                  

As you can see, Guerrero was performing a rare feat. Among the hitters on this list, Cal Ripken was the most recent streak and that was nearly 12 years ago. All in all, it's not a great streak for Vlad's performance (although during Cal's walkless streak, he OPS'ed .964) but it was kind of fun to watch.

So going back to last season, Guerrero went 123 straight plate appearance without a walk before last night.

I don't need to see another one right now.

DIY idea: mixed stripes

I love these crazy striped trousers!
Different kind of striped fabrics put together to obtain a very interesting look!
Many more combinations can be imagined for dresses,tops and skirts!
The good thing? You only need small pieces of every patterned fabric to make them so you can buy remnant pieces at super bargain prices!


Quanto sono divertenti questi pantaloni a righe! Diverse stoffe rigate sono state combinate per ottenere un mix molto interessante,quasi ipnotico.
Possiamo divertirci a mixare pezzi di stoffe rigate diverse per ottenere vestiti,magliette e gonne.
La bella notizia è che per copiare questo look sono necessari piccoli pezzi di stoffa di ogni fantasia quindi possiamo comprare degli scampoli riducendo al minimo i costi!