Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes Senator
Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes Senator
July 29, 2008
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), who both outraged and amused Net Neutrality advocates with his 2006 assertion that the Internet was a series of tubes, is reportedly now facing a series of federal allegations.
As reported by MarketWatch:
Sen. Ted Stevens has been indicted on criminal charges related to his business dealings in his home state, the Justice Department is expected to announce Tuesday.
Stevens, 84 years old... is up for reelection this year and has served in the Senate for 40 years... Last year, USA Today reported that federal agents searched Stevens's Alaska residence as part of a wide-ranging public corruption investigation.
Stevens faces seven counts of false statements involving VECO, the oil services company in Alaska, and the renovations done on his home...
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Posted 01/06/09 at 04:28am
Nocturne: Id've thought the Sony Stores would be up for the chop, never see any customers in them
Nocturne: Id've thought the Sony Stores would be up for the chop, never see any customers in them
Posted 01/06/09 at 03:22am
Flamespeak: I could easily see VIAO taking a dirt nap though. too pricey and don't sell all that well.
Flamespeak: I could easily see VIAO taking a dirt nap though. too pricey and don't sell all that well.
Posted 01/06/09 at 03:21am
Flamespeak: Sony won't axe Playstation. They have said that Playstation is the only thing that consistantly generates profit for them.
Flamespeak: Sony won't axe Playstation. They have said that Playstation is the only thing that consistantly generates profit for them.
Posted 01/06/09 at 01:03am
SimonBob: US Army testing Calgary "Booze Cruise" game -- http://snipurl.com/9ivi7 [CBC]
SimonBob: US Army testing Calgary "Booze Cruise" game -- http://snipurl.com/9ivi7 [CBC]
Posted 01/06/09 at 12:24am
barra_sadei: There's a difference between "rightfully seizing land and "stealing land." The first deals with buying it, and the second with gaining it through war.
barra_sadei: There's a difference between "rightfully seizing land and "stealing land." The first deals with buying it, and the second with gaining it through war.
Posted 01/05/09 at 10:09pm
Neeneko: Heh. Trying to simplify the israely/palistinaint conflict into shout boxes.....
Neeneko: Heh. Trying to simplify the israely/palistinaint conflict into shout boxes.....
Posted 01/05/09 at 10:02pm
Derovius: How is Hamas a rebel faction? Its their government. The Israeli's laided claim to land thats not theirs, and shooting ensued. If Mexico marched its army across the border into the US, said "Nice land, I'll take it", how fast would the US start shooting?
Derovius: How is Hamas a rebel faction? Its their government. The Israeli's laided claim to land thats not theirs, and shooting ensued. If Mexico marched its army across the border into the US, said "Nice land, I'll take it", how fast would the US start shooting?
Posted 01/05/09 at 09:51pm
Austin_Lewis: Israel has been 'taking it' for 20 years, at least a rocket or mortar everyday.
Austin_Lewis: Israel has been 'taking it' for 20 years, at least a rocket or mortar everyday.
Posted 01/05/09 at 09:18pm
JustChris: Army of a sovereign nation versus smallish rebel groups, and people are complaining that the former is utterly destroying the latter? Don't bring it if you can't take it.
JustChris: Army of a sovereign nation versus smallish rebel groups, and people are complaining that the former is utterly destroying the latter? Don't bring it if you can't take it.
Posted 01/05/09 at 08:28pm
JDKJ: @SDD: Fair enough.
JDKJ: @SDD: Fair enough.
Posted 01/05/09 at 07:17pm
Austin_Lewis: @Zippy: 1) Way too many gundam shows. 2) I don't care about the rest, just Hamas in palestine.
Austin_Lewis: @Zippy: 1) Way too many gundam shows. 2) I don't care about the rest, just Hamas in palestine.
Posted 01/05/09 at 07:15pm
ZippyDSMlee: Austin_Lewis:You should enjoy Gundam00 themid east antions are getting wiped out one by one.
ZippyDSMlee: Austin_Lewis:You should enjoy Gundam00 themid east antions are getting wiped out one by one.
Posted 01/05/09 at 07:06pm
Shadow D. Darkman: @JDKJ: Sorry, but I'm not in this.
Shadow D. Darkman: @JDKJ: Sorry, but I'm not in this.
Posted 01/05/09 at 06:40pm
JDKJ: This is one of those weird cases where I'm actually hoping that Shadow will appear, face in palm.
JDKJ: This is one of those weird cases where I'm actually hoping that Shadow will appear, face in palm.
Posted 01/05/09 at 04:58pm
Austin_Lewis: Actually, I hate hamas. Mainly because, you know, they're dicks. Of course, if you want to hang out with terrorists, go for it
Austin_Lewis: Actually, I hate hamas. Mainly because, you know, they're dicks. Of course, if you want to hang out with terrorists, go for it
Posted 01/05/09 at 04:57pm
Derovius: Well, according to your response you only hate Muslims. So instead being an utter douchebag, you're only a complete douchebag.
Derovius: Well, according to your response you only hate Muslims. So instead being an utter douchebag, you're only a complete douchebag.
Posted 01/05/09 at 04:53pm
Austin_Lewis: Of course, I enjoy your suggestion that I hate Jews AND Muslims.
Austin_Lewis: Of course, I enjoy your suggestion that I hate Jews AND Muslims.
Posted 01/05/09 at 04:52pm
Austin_Lewis: Actually, I'm just glad to see the Palestinians getting a bit of pay back for 20 years of rockets into Israel everyday.
Austin_Lewis: Actually, I'm just glad to see the Palestinians getting a bit of pay back for 20 years of rockets into Israel everyday.
Posted 01/05/09 at 04:35pm
Derovius: You should be happy Lewis, the two groups of people you hate are killing each other.
Derovius: You should be happy Lewis, the two groups of people you hate are killing each other.
Posted 01/05/09 at 04:16pm
Austin_Lewis: Slow news day today, eh? Oh well, at least Palestine is getting pounded by Israel. Here's hoping for some real news tomorrow.
Austin_Lewis: Slow news day today, eh? Oh well, at least Palestine is getting pounded by Israel. Here's hoping for some real news tomorrow.
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Comments
I wonder how he'll defend his actions in court? "the senate is not a dump truck, it's a series of bribes and underhanded dealings..."
Why, one of the oil companies sent me a bribes on Friday, but I didn't get it til Tuesday.
Every person in alaska gets a check for $500 because of the oil industry.
Atleast it used to.
It still occurs, it changes from year to year depending on the price of oil. More info found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Permanent_Fund
It's a *bit* more than $500. I had a lovely amount of $1654 magically appear in my bank account last October :D
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The oil business is a series of tubes....
Well, it is!
"...and the renovations done on his home..."
Which probably included installing a series of tubes.
TUBES!
While it doesn't relate directly to video games, it might also bear mentioning that Stevens has also sponsored legislation that would be considered anti-free speech and pro-censorship. He's both sponsored and introduced bills that would have fined cable TV companies for indecency as well as approving tougher FCC fines for broadcasters. He also introduced a bill in January 2007 that would have restricted access in libraries to social networking and other internet information sites like Myspace, Facebook, Youtube and Wikipedia.
Not to mention he's also notorious for sponsoring pork barrel projects like the "bridges to nowhere" (specifically the Gravina Island and Knik Arm bridges) that never got finished.
So another corrupt politician gets thrown on the dungheap. It continues to prove, then, that people who point fingers usually end up in jail (or in JT's case, get disbarred).
Hey, he's not only famous for a "series of tubes". Don't forget, he helped to come up with the amazing metaphysical concept of "a bridge to nowhere".
Chuck E. Cheese is a bunch of arcade games and a series of tubes.
In Alaska its called Bullwinkle's.
I think I hear the sound of his career going down a series of tubes...
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Hmm the Knik Arm bridge leads to the largest and fastest growing area in Alaska. That sounds like 'nowhere' to me. Though the damn Gravina island bridge leads from their airport (on one island) to the town (on another island that traffic currently takes traffic between. not exactly nowhere but when even the locals opposed that bridge you would think he wouldn't push for the money :P Having heard a lot of info about Ted and his son Ben though, i don't think they are going to come out of this one too happy. especially on this house. Ted's public defense so far has been to say that he paid all the bills given to him. So if he wasn't given the bills, it wasn't his fault and he didn't take any official action. If that holds up he may just get off with a slap on the wrist. I bet he is re-elected anyways.
Of course I meant the proposed Gravina Island Bridge for $300 million, the one that was featured on 20/20, called the "Bridge to Nowhere" by local resident Charlie Arteaga. From what I understand the bridge was eventually canceled. I didn't come up with the term, but it sure sounds metaphysical.
As for Ted Stevens re-election, he's apparently down in the polls (partially because of his reputation of being bought and paid for) to his Democratic opponent anyway in a very red state in an admittedly tough year for Republican incumbents and now he's been indicted. I'm not presuming he's guilty, but the Feds certainly don't like coming down on powerful Senators unless they feel they have their ducks in a row. It was a similar charge against Scooter Libby which the Justice Department won. They have a significant witness and most likely a great deal of documentary evidence.
If Sen. Stevens wins re-election, his first decision should be to take his 84-year-old frame and climbe Mt. McKinley in the dead of winter...because he'd be unkillable.
One more down only hundreds to go! I remember the bridge to nowhere fiasco. What sucks is that people still vote for these idiots or they vote for the idiot in the other main party and ignore potentially better candidates because they're not in the "big two" and are too lazy to check them out. Not to mention the work the DNC and RNC does to try and prevent them from getting publicity and into the debates.
Corruption? In OUR government?
Say it aint so!
You tell me which speaks more about our government: that this guy was corrupt, or that no one is surprised.
I'm not sure there's anyone left in our government who isn't corrupt. I don't think there's any easy solution to the problem, either.
Ban lobbying money, officially. There will be sources of course that will be unofficial even if this happens, but congress whores need to be weaned off of lobbying money first and foremost.
That could be considered a First Amendment violation. The Lobbyists serve as government advocates for their respective lobbies. The only way that they have any kind of influence is bringing in monetary support for candidates that support their cause. Thus, banning lobbyist money would stop those lobbies from having their voices heard in a meaningful way.
No one is saying Lobbyists can't speak to Representatives about topics.. they just shouldn't be able to wave money around to make politicians listen. Last time I checked the US Constitution started with We the People... not We the Lobbyists...
I'm sure there's a number that aren't corrupt. They just aren't in prominent or high places.
-Gray17
This video sucks shit. Seriously.
Sidenote: NRO is calling for his resignation. Seems he's been abandoned by his party.
Seriously, I'm a Republican and I've been wanting this guy gone for years. He doesn't deserve to be in office and I really don't understand how he keeps getting re-elected.
As an Alaskan resident, i'm so damn tired of Ted Stevens and his "team". I really hope this will finally get that extra push needed to have him lose the next round of voting or for him to resign. I could only hang my head in shame between the outbreaks of laughter when i first heard his speech about the tubes -_-
I find it funny that the day this news comes to light i saw about a 100 Ted Stevens signs as i drove around Anchorage today pop up all over the city seemingly over night XD.
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