Le Show; 2006-11-26

From deep inside your radio. Ladies and gentlemen, the Portable Lachodome has been set up in San Francisco with a beautiful view of the city, my goodness gracious me. God, I sound like Don Rumsfeld there for a moment, a beautiful view of the city. And speaking of the city, I want to thank everybody in San Francisco, who showed up for the Friday and Saturday night for the first iterations on the road of the Scherer-slash Owen. Excuse me, the Owen-slash Scherer holiday musical kind of sing-a-long thing, moves now to New York and Sellersville, Pennsylvania, and word to the wise, don't be stupid. And for those of you in San Francisco who want one more chance to touch the hem of the garment, I'll be reading and signing my name. My book, Not Enough Indians, this afternoon, this very afternoon at Cody's in Unforced Street in Berkeley at five o'clock.

And you know, love to see you there. Well, that's good advice from President Bush, ladies and gentlemen. The naming rights phenomenon in this country continues a pace and has, I believe, crossed a new frontier. The home of the Utah Jazz basketball team in the National Basketball Association has a new name. Negotiations with Delta Airlines to keep the original naming rights, Delta Center, it's been known as for 15 years. Stalled with the airline, which is trying to get out of bankruptcy, a domicile it shares with the Air America Liberal Radio Network. So a jazz honor Larry Miller was approached by energy solutions, which runs a radioactive waste disposal facility, 75 miles west of Salt Lake City, Miller said he was apprehensive at first. I really think that this is something that does not need to be a controversial topic.

If people understand what it's about before they just panic and throw their hands in the air when the word nuclear is first used, according to basketball team owner Miller, as I was able to spend time learning about it, I got much more comfortable with it, unquote. Yeah, that polonium is good stuff. So it is now energy solutions arena, giant banners with the energy solutions logo are hanging outside the arena, and chief executive officer of energy solution Steve Kramer, ladies and gentlemen, wants people to look past the stigma associated with nuclear waste. It's a great way for us to help people feel more comfortable, says Kramer. That's what we need more comfort with nuclear waste, ladies and gentlemen, don't you think? I'm sitting by a big steam and tub of it right here, and I feel great, a little weak. And Pakistan, our great friend and ally Pakistan is doing its job to help world peace through

arms fairs that have become a regular feature in recent years. The International Defense Exhibition and Seminar Fair held every two years in Karachi, provides a platform for Pakistan to display its products ranging from light arms to tanks and missiles. Since 2000, when the first fair was held, the number of participants has grown both a number and prestige. That's what you wanted an arms fair prestige. Here's participants include all the usual suspects, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, SAB, Rolls-Rice, the Rolls-Rice of Arms dealers, and some others. Some governments also have an official presence. We are looking to promote industrial cooperation on products that are geared towards the war on terror and humanitarian operations, says the press secretary of the UK High Commission. The theme of the five-day fair, which was inaugurated by President Perves, you know his

nickname, Musharraf, is expanding global security. The official slogan for the fair is, of course, not kidding about this, arms for peace, legs to follow. Welcome to the show. From San Francisco, from just between Portola and Visitation Valley, ladies and gentlemen, I'm Harry Sherri welcoming you to this edition of the show. And we've not had news of the digital wonderland for some time now because, you know, we've been busy getting all these radio stations equipped for HD radio, which is so exciting, so very, very exciting. It means that I can sit here and broadcast live and then go into the men's room and hear the program on a seven-second delay.

And that is such a ball, ladies and gentlemen. It does mean, by the way, digital broadcasting in its full flower will mean that there will be no such thing as live radio or television ever again, regardless of whether, you know, there's a Janet Jackson delay or not. It's just the technology. As everybody knows, who's tried to take a radio into a sports stadium or arena and listen to the radio commentary while the game is being played. Think is gone, babe. Think is gone. As a matter of fact, in New Orleans, the radio station that carries the Saints games is conducting a survey this year asking listeners what television system they watch, cable, analog cable, digital cable, super fragilistic digital cable, so they know how long to delay the radio broadcast so people can sync it up with their TV. But wait, there's more.

People seem to like everything about HDTV reports USA today this week except TV shows and high definition. Well, that would be it. That would be the deal. Only 47% of people buying a high definition TV set in the past year said that did so looking forward to watching TV shows in high definition. You see, it's according to a study from Frank Magged and Associates, not Magged, Magged. It's down, by the way, that percentage is down from 63% two years ago. That's the wrong side of the curve, is it? Some people are content to watch DVDs and we saw a decent number of new HD owners who were also focused on video console gaming. Total number of American homes with HDTV sets, 15%, they're going to turn off the analog in three years, ladies and gentlemen. So 15% of us will continue to watch TV, that's good. Most cable systems, two dozen HD channels, including local stations, pricing can be confusing,

the technology can be intimidating. Yeah, we've been telling you that for years. A majority of HD owners in the latest survey of nearly 1200 adults rated satisfaction with programming at seven or less, on a scale of one to 10, 10 being best. That's pretty mediocre, as the spokesman for Magged and Associates, part of it is because they have to work to find the channels. They're being placed in the 600, 700 or 800 numbers. Not only did they have to work to buy the set and work to make the programming arrangements, they have to work to actually tune into those channels. Imagine having to work to watch TV. What is this world about? And the push to provide consumers with high-definition television is a threat to Canada's cultural sovereignty. Well now you've convinced me. See I was a doubter until I heard that. This according to two University of Calgary professors, Bart Biti and Rebecca Sullivan argue that while HDTV is offered as an expanded choice for consumers, the selection of programming

using digital over analog technology is almost exclusively American. Quote, if you were to ask most Canadians what's wrong with Canadian TV, they wouldn't say image quality, says Biti, co-author of the new book, Canadian television today. Can I reserve a copy now please? Because I have a gift list that won't quit. The two authors argue in their book that the only incentive for Canadian broadcasters to make the transition to digital is competition or cooperation or even collusion with the United States. Canada has yet to set a date for phasing out analog programming. So if you want to keep your analog set, move to Canada, ladies and gentlemen, it's always good advice, isn't it, when you're wondering where you can go to watch TV and you don't have to work for it. And now, ladies and gentlemen, copyrighted feature of this broadcast, news of the warm, sounds so warm, doesn't it?

Dateline Beijing, global warming is causing animal and plant species to begin dying off or changing sooner than expected. Just according to a review of hundreds of research studies, the review of 866, well that's so close to the mark of the studies, is published in the latest journal annual review of ecology, evolution and systematics, send a copy to Senator James Inhoff of Oklahoma. The review says that at least 70 species of frogs, mostly mountain dwellers that have nowhere to go to escape the creeping heat have gone extinct because of climate change between 100 and 200 other cold dependent animal species, such as penguins and polar bears are in deep trouble, says the review, penguins, they're starring in movies now, what's their

problem? What do they want? TV? We're finally seeing species going extinct, says the author of the study, Camille Parmesan. Yes, Camille Parmesan spelled like the cheese, what's your problem? She's a biologist at the University of Texas. Now we've got the evidence, it's here, this is not just biologist intuition, it's what's happening. That's her quote, she did not say maybe at the end of it. Parmesan reports seeing trends of animal populations moving northward of species adapting slightly because of climate change of plants blooming earlier and of an increase in pests and parasites. Such changes have been predicted for years by experts, but these fast moving adaptations still surprise biologists and ecologists because they're occurring so rapidly. Everything's happening faster these days, don't you find?

News of the warm ladies and gentlemen copyrighted feature of the broadcast, news of the godly now. The Reverend elected to take over as president of the Christian coalition, says he will not assume the role because of differences in philosophy. They got now the Reverend Joel Hunter of Northland church, I guess that's in Florida, says the national group would not let him expand the organization's agenda beyond opposing abortion and gay marriage. This is the latest setbacks as the Associated Press for the group founded by Pat Robertson, Four States, Georgia, Alabama, Iowa and Ohio have decided to split from the Christian coalition over concerns that it's changing direction issues like minimum wage, the environment and internet law, instead of its core issues like abortion and same-sex marriage, Hunter, who is scheduled to take over the group on January 1st, said he had hoped to focus on issues such as poverty and the environment, quote, these are issues that Jesus would want us to care about, unquote, Hunter said.

He resigned this past Tuesday. He said he was not asked to leave. They pretty much said these issues are fine, but they're not our issues. It's not our base. The organization claims a mailing list of 2.5 million who doesn't claim a mailing list of that size. That's my question. But it's a question necessarily going unanswered as we turn now to news from outside the bubble. News of the new Afghanistan from the British newspaper, The Telegraph. Afghan police have destroyed 3,000 cans of beer and 630 bottles of alcohol confiscated from foreign guesthouses in the capital of Kabul during a recent crackdown. The alcohol which is banned in Afghanistan was seized in raids on guesthouses in which

seven foreign women were arrested on charges of prostitution. The raids were part of a government campaign against alcohol. Clerics have called for the revival of the religious police. A feared force that insured strict religious rules were followed during Taliban rule. Under the Taliban, the religious police patrolled the streets, punishing women if they went out without wearing the burqa. The force was disbanded after the Taliban was ousted in 2001, but a council of Muslim clerics has suggested to President Hamid Karzai that the department be set up again. Under the Taliban, the religious police punished anyone who sold or drank alcohol. News from outside the bubble. Ladies and gentlemen, copyrighted feature of this broadcast. And I've been focusing for the last few weeks on inspectors general in the government. Because when you don't have a Congress that works, inspectors general seem to be the

only guys who actually keep track of what the government's doing, which is why the administration has proposed getting rid of the special inspector general for Iraqi reconstruction. Because that's working so well. You don't really need to look over the shoulders of those people. And this week, of course, because it's a holiday week, saw a flurry of reports on what the inspector general are doing, because nobody's reading the paper. Private consultants hired by the department of Homeland Security have found widespread problems with its contracting operation, including nearly three dozen contract files that could not be located. Files that could be found often like basic documentation required under federal rules, such as evidence the department negotiated the best prices for taxpayers, according to the Washington Post. The inability to locate files that inconsistent file organization puts the government at risk in ensuring the contractor is fulfilling its contractual obligations, said the consultants. The assessment underscores complaints by department auditors and outside experts that procurement

officials persistently neglected contracting responsibilities as they spent billions of dollars after 9-11, much of it on security systems that do not work as planned. Don't you feel safer now? I do, because I'm sitting next to this tub of nuclear waste. I don't feel safe. I feel comfortable. Says Charles Tifer, an expert on government contracting. This strongly suggests this report that we're buying the wrong stuff. That's the movie I wasn't in. That we're buying the wrong stuff, the wrong way, possibly from the wrong contractors and failing to check before, during or after, well, that sounds pretty complete. The confidential report delivered to department officials way back in March, focused on spending in fiscal 2005, nearly 17.5 billion was spent department-wide, including security at airports and borders, radiation detection monitors and information technology. Well, you don't need that stuff to work, do you?

Really? Do you really? The agency's inspector general, last week, told a house panel that expediency, perly defined requirements and inadequate oversight are creating, quote, a high risk of cost, overruns, mismanagement or failure. This is just a department of Homeland Security, ladies and gentlemen, nothing to worry about. That's that inspector general. Another one found that New Orleans officials paid some workers' exorbitant amounts of over time, and awarded huge service deals to two companies without competitive bids in the months following Hurricane Katrina. This was the inspector general at the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA. The report says amid the 39 million in overtime, cost at New Orleans asked FEMA to reimburse was an employee who earned $207 an hour after the storm. Employee normally paid $23 an hour. Auditors deemed both ineligible for compensation, but all over time requests were blessed by FEMA.

City officials says the report used illegal contracting methodology and signing agreements worth more than $92 million, with a Shaw group and another national firm. Both contracts were awarded without competition, which boosted the risk of unreasonable prices. Just a risk. Another inspector general from the Department of Transportation says the US airline industry needs to do a better job providing timely information about flight delays. I don't think we needed to pay for that one. Just need to fly. Federal Transportation Security officials colluded with members of a private security company at San Francisco International Airport. I flew into that to cheat undercover tests designed to check on screeners at passenger checkpoints. Another report from the inspector general at the Department of Homeland Security. It concluded the Transportation Security Administration officials and the private company Covenant Aviation Security compromised nearly a year's worth of tests by using surveillance cameras to track undercover agents as they made their way through the airport.

That's cute. They use surveillance cameras to track the undercover guys. Security officials would notify screeners as the undercover agents approach checkpoints, radioing in their physical descriptions and sometimes even the agent's methods for concealing contraband. Because you don't want people like that in your department, if you can help it, a federal agency has been probing the inspector general of NASA, Robert Cobb. It outlines allegations that he stifled investigations, mistreated department employees, and maintained a close personal relationship with the top officials in the agency he was supposed to monitor. Cobb is denied any wrongdoing. The allegations came primarily from career employees in his very own office. They described him as a partisan manager who often failed in his responsibility to independently investigate possible wrongdoing at NASA.

He vehemently disagreed with that allegation and threatened to kill the alligator. The number of audit reports issued by Cobb's office plummeted from 62 in 2000 to 7 during the first half of this year. And audit safety team was abolished, investigations were derailed, including some related to safety and national security. You know, if I wasn't feeling so comfortable next to this tub of nuclear waste, ladies and gentlemen, I'd sense a pattern. News of inspector generals. I don't think we're going to copy, right? I think we're just going to let it sit there. This is Lesho from San Francisco. It's San Francisco treat. And now news and reports about the newly rock. Some metrics as Don Rumsfeld used to like to say, before he got sacked, metrics, that's

how you know, electrical service in the week between November 8th and 14th fell to six and a half hours a day in Baghdad, six and a half hours a day of electricity in the capital city of the new Iraq and 10 and a half hours nationwide. That's down 3% from last year. Food oil production for the week ending November 12th, 2.05 million barrels a day. That's 275 barrels a day below the average for the previous month. And far below the 2.5 that was the goal of the oil ministry. Does the oil ministry know how to set goals? We don't know that. Here's an interesting piece of the puzzle. I've been from time to time letting you in on the story of the brewing scandal in Australia involving the Australia wheat board.

This is the agency that handles the exporting of wheat from Australia that was apparently paying kickbacks to Saddam Hussein to increase the amount of Australian wheat that could get into the country when Saddam was running things. How evil is that? Charging people money to get the wheat in. It is so evil. Well, here's the next true dropping in that story. A year before the invasion of Iraq, Australia's then ambassadors of the UN, John Douth, told the former chairman of the wheat board Trevor Flugie, can't forget that name, can you? That the Australian government would join military action by the U.S. to overthrow Saddam. That's a year before it happened. Details of the conversation contradict statements by the Prime Minister that Australia did not agree to join the war before the UN debate in late 2002, yeah, and other contradicts other things too. The conversation took place in early 2002, 13 months before the war began. The details are contained in confidential minutes of the wheat board released by the

inquiry looking into the wheat board scandal. The records indicate that Flugie, the chairman of the wheat board, told the board on February 27th that Douth, the Australian ambassador to the UN, confided him. He believed the U.S. military action to depose Saddam was inevitable, and the Australian government would support and participate in such action. He predicted the Iraqi regimes offered to invite UN weapons inspectors to return was only likely to prevent U.S. action for 12 to 18 months. Some military action was inevitable. The ambassador told Flugie the operation in Iraq would be very similar to that in Afghanistan with heavy use of air support followed by deployment of ground troops. So, you know, it was a plan, it was a plan. The U.S. and yet the U.S. military's effort to train Iraqi forces has been rife with problems. To train Iraqi forces, rife with problems, officers being sent in with poor preparation to a lack of basic necessities.

In short, coming to plague the program, according to the Washington Post, dozens of official interviews compiled by the army for its oral history archives says that officers who had been involved in training and advising Iraqis bluntly criticized almost every aspect of the effort. Some officers thought team members were often selected poorly. Others fredded the soldiers who prepared them had never served in Iraq and lacked understanding of the tasks of training and advising. Many felt they were insufficiently supported by the army while in Iraq. The Iraqi officers interviewed by an army team also had complaints. The Iraqis complained they were being advised by officers far junior to them who would never seen combat. Some of the American officers even faulted their own lack of understanding of the task. Quote, if I had to do it again, I know I'd do it completely different. Reported major like Sullivan. Yeah, I'd use adverbs. No, sorry, he advised the Iraqi army battalion in 2004, quote, I went there with a wrong attitude and thought I understood Iraq and the history because I had seen PowerPoint slides.

But I really didn't, unquote, one of the most common complaints of the army officers interviewed was the military did a poor job of preparing them. You're supposed to be able to shoot move and communicate said Lieutenant Colonel Paul Chizensky, who was an advisor in Iraq last year. Well, when we got to Iraq, we could hardly shoot, we could hardly move and we could hardly communicate because we hadn't been trained on how to do these things. The training was outdated and lack of daisicle, he said, adding sarcastically, they packed 30 days training into 84 days. A separate internal review this year by the military's Center for Army Lessons Learned. Based on more than 150 interviews with soldiers found there was, quote, no standardized guideline unquote for preparing advisors. And a majority of advisors have little know or no previous experience or training. After arriving in Iraq, advisors said they often were shocked to find the interpreters

assigned to them were of little use. They couldn't speak English said one and we would have to fire them. Sometimes it was a real juggling act said one with interpreters noting that he would run from the headquarters to a company to borrow an interpreter, run him over to say something and then send him back. Another said we had no interpreters at the time. Lieutenant Colonel Paul Yingling who worked with our Iraqi units came away thinking the army fundamentally is not geared to the task of advising Iraqis. Many were the Iraqi units being advised contained insurgents in Iraqi National Guard battalion was infiltrated by the enemy said one Marine who was an advisor some advisors reported being personally targeted by infiltrators. So things things sound good on the train because that's what we're going to be emphasizing now that is gentlemen is training and we're I think we're set up to do the job. I think all they need to increase their comfort level is a little nuclear waste and they'll

be fine. Now last week we had several prominent neoconservatives leaving the ship. This week it was Henry Kissinger giving a series of interviews. The Los Angeles dog trainers version says he is concluded has Henry Kissinger that the United States must choose between stability and democracy in Iraq and the democracy for now is out of reach quote I think that's reality. I think that was true from the beginning Kissinger said in an interview. Now he tells his department what was he saying at the big I don't think he was saying that at the beginning but I don't know but yes I do. Iraq is not a nation in the historic sense he says now. That being said somewhere back way back then yes it was. The evolution of democracy usually has to go through a phase in which a nation is born and by attempting to skip that process our valid goals were distorted into what we are

now seeing. Kissinger says the United States should focus on more limited goals preventing the emergence of a fundamental fundamentalist jihadist regime in Baghdad. He supported going in he says even now I basically I'm basically supporting the administration. Henry Kissinger now says he doesn't intend to be critical of the president or other officials. He says he would have preferred a post invasion policy to install a strong Iraqi leader from the military or some other institution and deferred the development of democracy until later elections merely sharpened sectarian differences and he suggests Bush President Bush may have been slow to change course in Iraq because subordinates told in the United States was winning the war quote as long as he was told he was winning he had every reason to pursue the strategy that is subordinates proposed. He declined to elaborate except to add it was impossible to portray the current state

of affairs in Iraq as winning and he's he's a supporter ladies and gentlemen yes it's an odd well I don't know if it's an odd way to express your support. It may just be paving the way for a phone call next year on the show. Well did they go hey 40 it's right it's a kind of a different take on your code secret service maybe trying to tell you something. Now it's just a reference to Dick Cheney's wing and an eagle on his hunting trip you know the secret service fellas like the kid that changed her especially now that is influence on my policy policies a little less influence now 401 did you do what I asked you to of course about Dr. Kissinger you on the line just don't move but button I have the voice Dr. Kissinger

we hear you yes sir obviously I'm pleased to make this time available to speak with both of you but I'm do it the El Hague rose to about 20 minutes so well we'll be very brief with you Dr. Kissinger will be the the soul of briefness yeah let me just say 43 but we've all been very grateful for your wise and patient counsel Henry we know that you've had nothing personally to gain but I'm working with us on the Iraq account aside from vindicating your view the Vietnam deal let me say in response sir that I appreciate Mr. President 43's willingness to stand in Vietnam during your trip and give voice to it's somewhat truncated form to what we discussed about the parallels between Iraq and the Vietnam expo well thank you Dr. Kiss you got a real fun away showing your appreciation I mean I don't know maybe my mom and dad raised me wrong but if I'm trying to show my appreciation

to somebody who I'm advising on his war you know I'm going TV in two different countries to say that war is a lost cause well now wait a minute 43 hey listen I'm not saying he did raise me wrong I was being metaphysical aware of that but Henry think you were saying something a little more nuanced than that not aware of you ever not saying something more nuanced than that no sir now I'd like to think at that point in my career that as the youthful consultant to my company like to put it nuance is my brand in fact I was under the impression from Mr. Rove that bringing my expertise to bear on this problem was there any injection of new it's not nuanced to say we're not winning it's just it's just it's just totally off messages what it is you know we brought you on board to toughen us up not to sap or will if I wanted my will sap Dr. Kiss I could start reading newspapers for gosh think pardon my French light I think what Dr. K

was saying there in those interviews is not what you think he was saying and think when he talks about nuance he's saying what I just said about what he was saying yes sir okay let me cut through this because I'm first off at the rose Henry how hagg was your chief aid they gave you a band slot no I wanted to leave in time to have a question you know as the president for the three but I was not only trying to say but I think I was actually saying if you will is that victory in Iraq is definitely achievable it's just not achievable in the time they will constraints of contemporary American political culture yeah which is a very high for lootingly euphemistic way of taking a shot at me right I mean that's how I read it well that's how I had it read to me I was on the stationary mountain bike at the time didn't have both hands free to the president in fact it's the only thing I said it is or remotely critical is that some of your advisors have

persisted in giving you the mistaken impression that we are actually winning in Iraq at the present time when what we are seeing would be well let's say if we were doing a movie of this this is not the way you wanted to pick the victory all right so this is information see that I can use so you believe you know the names of those advisors who've been telling me we've been winning I don't think Henry wants to get drawn into a who shot John type of deal sprout but yes for the sake of getting into my town car on time let's let's say did I do okay now can you help me track down the advisors that have been suggesting we're not winning because see they're the will sappers from within mr president yeah this isn't the question of will as I've told you in our private sessions this is a question of salvaging stability from the jaws of chaos this plenty of will require just to do that and I want a Nobel Peace Prize for doing a lot less

than that so it by any chance so you're very about your legacy that we suggest that what I've been suggesting is in fact not just best for the Iraqis it has yet an advantage of being best for you as well and dr kiss I think I've told you this in our private sessions but since we're washing and drying all of our dirty laundry and semi public now hey hey not really let me just your mind you sir that stability is what a certain other president bush was so dedicated to you're saying that that was his brand yes sir and I brand thing well I guess it's freedom and democracy for everyone in the world who could be bothersome to us if they don't have it see president Reagan didn't win the Cold War just so we could have you know some more stability mr. president for the end of that bipolar superpower environment was a very different geostatic moment from the way I am now I've been trying to tell you I'm not telling you per

save and maybe just hope that you'd realize without my having to or not having to not tell you don't say you need you need one of those at the end to do don't you think if you do what they hear some stories about Reagan you should ask out like sometimes it reminds me if I'm going to get that early I should be leaving within the night look at dr kiss let me cut to the bottom line chase here yeah first I'm concerned hey it's a free country you're welcome to thank all the nuance you want to but as an advisor to this president yes sir I just think like the rest of us you have to practice total nuance discipline because even if I didn't misunderstand you plenty of less thoughtful people did and they got just as much right to be pandered over as the more thoughtful people do mr. president for the three I think I can conclude from the very existence of this conversation that the message I was trying to send you through these interviews has been received so I can assure you there won't be any more interviews

until at least after doubles that's that's the that's the Jewish holiday the world economic form and like January I think Henry's just being impish think he knows the best advice in the world that mean do do if you're not delivering it from inside the circle think we can think we can just let everybody get on with their weekends and their roasts and whatever mr. president for the one with your evident competence it's definitely papering over deeply of differences maybe you should be our ambassador to Iraq bar would kill me so it's proud what do you say we let the good doctor go about his business or his pleasure now just want to say if Rumsfeld had practiced nuanced discipline he would still be here of course if we'd won the election right doctor kiss looking forward to our next visit mr. president for the three looking forward to going over some

of the less bleak options available to us right after the holiday here take care 43 hey tell mom we worked it all out she knows she's listening on the bedroom extension happy thanks giving gentleman you don't want the begging or hold me And now, ladies and gentlemen, the Apologies of the Week. Oh, such a good week. You know them all. You could say them along with me this week. But I guess you're not going to. Michael Richards, I apologize for using racist language in an angry exchange with an African-American man at a comedy club.

More than we could go, Richards appeared on Lake Show with David Letterman. What? Some of us thought looked like a hostage video. To say he was sorry about his tirade at the laugh factory. Quote, I lost my temper on stage. She said, I said some pretty nasty things to some Afro-Americans. When's the last time you heard that usage? You know, I'm really busted up over this and I'm very, very sorry. Richards also went on the Jesse Jackson radio program, not heard in your area, on this very day to apologize to some actual Afro-Americans. I don't think there are any in them. Oh no, there's someone Paul's band. And news corporation spiked its OJ Simpson book and TV special, as you now know. The statement issued by the head of the company, quote, I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project. Putting himself first. I guess he should.

Adding, we are sorry for any pain. This has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson. You know, the Rupert doesn't mean to cause pain to anyone. U.S. Senator Barack Obama has publicly apologized to a Georgia reporter for embarrassing him in front of a woman. Obama in a phone call to reporter Nicholas Love Lady of the Daily Herald that aired on Wait, Wait. You don't tell me on National Public Radio. Apologize to the reporter for saying he had a baby face at a news conference two years ago, according to the Chicago Tribune. Love Lady wrote earlier this month that Obama's comment prevented him from impressing a woman he was speaking to. Obama owes me a public apology for making me look like a court gesture and for blocking my shot. Obama said, I'm calling to publicly apologize for messing up your game. I read that. I felt terrible. I didn't know there were any ladies around. I just wanted to let you know that I'm deeply sorry. But if she was that superficial, she wasn't worth it. Obama concluded. The parade of apologies for slavery continues.

Now British Prime Minister Tony Blair will express deep sorrow for Britain's role in the slave trade. 200 years after the legislation that led to its abolition. The layer statement will stop short of a full apology, despite pressure from some black campaigners and community leaders, according to the Observer newspaper. Government advisors had warned that a full apology could provoke claims for reparations. Grand Force Nebraska deadline, Dartmouth College official who disagrees with the University of North Dakota's fighting sue nickname as apologized for a hockey tournament that is to include the University of North Dakota name. A team. I must offer a sincere apology to the Native American community and the Dartmouth community as a whole for an event that will understandably offend and hurt people within our community. That's too many uses of the word community in one sentence, sir. The Dartmouth athletics director Josie Harper. Those would be the arrests are really trivial.

I mean when you start out with the two we started out with, there's nowhere to go but down anyway. The apologies to the weak latest gentleman, copyrighted feature, this very broadcast. And finally this Thanksgiving week, ladies and gentlemen. For the first time, the United States Department of Agriculture's annual report on Americans, access to food has omitted the word hunger in describing the 11 million people who at times can't afford to feed themselves. These people, among a group of 35 million who had trouble keeping food on the table at least part of last year, shall from this moment forward, according to the government, be described instead of experiencing hunger, they're experiencing, quote, very low food security, unquote.

Wasn't it, was it Richard Nixon that tried to define ketchup as a vegetable? So we see a pattern here too. The pattern's all over the place, ladies and gentlemen, you just have to look for. Like Mexican authorities quietly release this week an 859 page report that describes how three consecutive Mexican governments killed, tortured and disappeared, disciplines and political opponents, dissidents and political opponents, from the late 1960s until 1982. But that's in the past, people don't act like that anymore, do they? Of course they don't. Ladies and gentlemen, that's going to conclude this week's edition of La Show. From San Francisco, the program returns next week at the same time over these same stations, over NPR Worldwide, throughout Europe, on the U.S. and 440 cable system in Japan, around the world to the facilities of the American Forces Network, up and down the east coast of North America via the shortwave giant, WBCQ, the planet's 7.415 megahertz, on mighty 104 in Berlin, available as a free download at www.audible.com slash the show

available via the Internet at two different locations, Harry Sheerer.com and KCRW.com live and archive whenever you want it around the world, and available as a free podcast from KCRW.com and be just like, you check it in to buy a copy of Not Enough Indians. Oh, that's my new book, how did I, how did that slip out? If you'd agree to join with me then, would you already thank you very much, huh? The email address for this broadcast is Lumail, L-E-M-A-I-L at www.interworld.net,

www.interworld.com.com, which is always a kind of look, even, even hipper moments from now. And a typical Ashoshapo also to Matt Martin and all the gang here at KALW San Francisco for help in making today's program incredibly audible. The show comes to you from the Century of Progress Productions and originates through the facilities of KCRW's Santa Monica, a community recognized around the world as the home of the homeless, so long from San Francisco.