A study of US political scandals 30, March 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in American ME Relations.Tags: Democrat scandals, Monica Lewinski, Political scandals, Republican scandals, US political scandals, US politics
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Someone with clearly too much time on their hands has undertaken an academic study of political scandals in US politics. They took into account
58 scandals over the past 20 years involving all politicians or major candidates for city mayor and above…[using]…a methodology that accounted for whether a crime was committed, versus inappropriate behavior; whether the charges were proven, versus alleged; the level of office held; and whether the incident involved children, staff, a coverup or hypocrisy.
Across the Beltway summarised their conclusions as follows:
– The number sex scandals has increased dramatically over the past few decades, thanks to technology, new press standards and a post-Clinton belief that everything is fair game.
– Democrats tend to have more problems with harassment, staffers and underage girls; Republicans tend to have more problems with prostitutes, hypocrisy and underage boys.
– Republicans have more scandals (32 to 26), but Democrats have bigger ones (13 out of top 20)
Hat tip: James Joyner
The ugly face of terrorism?? 30, March 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in American ME Relations, Saudi Arabia.Tags: Al Sharq Al Awsat, Journalism, Terrorism, Terrorism cliches
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There’s an article in Sharq Al Awsat titled ‘The Ugly Face of Terrorism‘. What sort of a title is that? Such a title absurdly insinuates that there is a ‘pretty’ side to terrorism.
The article itself is simply the dullest of recapitulations of all the good ‘ol fashioned clichés about terrorism: it’s an unfair, evil, indiscriminate thing; it’s a scourge for us all; there’s nothing noble about a suicide attack and so on.
I realise that journalists have deadlines and editors demand column inches, especially in the aftermath of an attack that Moscow has just experienced, but this is the most banal, pointless, repetitious and redundant of articles and is a spectacularly bad indictment of ASAW that it was printed.
Kuwaiti wedding arsonist to hang 30, March 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Kuwait.Tags: Death penalty, Kuwait arson, Kuwait wedding fire, Kuwaiti execution, Kuwaiti wedding fire, Nasra al Enizi
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Nasra al Enezi, the 23-year-old Kuwaiti woman who set fire to a wedding party last year killing 57 women and children has been found guilty of murder and will probably face the death penalty. If the appeal courts upholds the verdict she will become the first Kuwaiti woman to be executed.
Body of missing Abu Dhabi Sheikh found 30, March 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in The Emirates.Tags: Body of Sheikh found, Emirati Sheikh missing, Sheikh Ahmed dead, Sheikh found dead
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Sheikh Ahmed bin Zayed Al Nayhan who went missing after a glider accident has been found dead in Morocco after an exhaustive search. The influential Emirati, younger brother of the President of the Emirates, was the CEO of one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world.
Republicans spent $2000 in strip club 30, March 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in American ME Relations.Tags: $2000 at strip club, Republican spending, Republicans, Rupublicans in strip club, Strip club
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Someone from the Republican national committee spent nearly $2000 at a club in Los Angeles where mostly naked women writhe in nets and glass boxes simulating sex. I’m sure their base will understand.
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