Articles by David Roberts

Meta coverage gap

As Lisa noted, at the 25th anniversary celebration for CNN, Ted Turner said this:

I would like to see us return to a little more international coverage on the domestic feed and a little more environmental coverage, and maybe a little less pervert of the day.

Every issue of Newsweek has a page with cartoons and quotes from the week. This week, one of them is this:

"I would like to see us return to a little more international coverage ... And maybe a little less pervert of the day."

CNN founder Ted Turner, on what he'd change about the channel now, if he could

They won't even cover him lamenting the lack of environmental coverage!

God and oil

John Brown thinks there's oil in Israel -- the Bible told him so.

Raised Roman Catholic, Brown was a tool-company executive in Michigan and an alcoholic when he became a born-again Christian in 1981. A trip to Israel two years later convinced him that he had a mission: to help Israel counter Arab domination in oil markets by developing its own supply. Brown formed Zion Oil in 2000 and bought rights from the Israeli government to explore a 100,000-acre plot in northern Israel. After raising $7 million, mostly from other evangelicals eager to support the Jewish state, he chose a spot near Kibbutz Maanit to begin the 4,500-yard drill based on his reading of the Old Testament.

...

Brown says God won't let him fail. If no oil is found at Maanit by the time he reaches bottom later this month, Brown has plans to drill at least three more holes. That will require more money, which he says evangelical Christians will gladly provide. "Finding oil will give Israel a huge strategic advantage" over its Arab enemies, he says. "It will change the political and economic structure of the region overnight."

Newsweek tells the story.

Ahem.

The week in scandal

Having trouble keeping track of the oughtta-be-but-not-quite scandals of the Republican party this week? Carpetbagger is here to help.

(Via KD.)

Pryor confirmed

William H. Pryor Jr., implacable foe of any and all environmental regulation, was confirmed today by the Senate. That means all three of the wingnut controversial judges protected by the recent filibuster deal -- Owen, Brown, and Pryor -- have been confirmed.

Stay tuned for the coming battle over Bush's Supreme Court nominee. It could get ugly.