Is Snooth Taking data from CellarTracker

Paul Mabray of Vintank published a second blog post this afternoon questioning the origin of some of Snooth.com’s data. Mabray says there have been rumors of data being used from CellarTracker without permission to power Snooth and that from an analysis, “it looks like Snooth is scraping data, reorganizing it as their own, and using it to grow their business.”

Snooth was started in 2007 and is a site where users can “compare prices and shop from over 10,000 wine merchants worldwide as well as review the wine and their buying experience to help others in the future.” The company bills itself as “the world's largest and most comprehensive online wine destination, featuring millions of reviews and hundreds of thousands of wines.”

I sent an email to Snooth founder Philip James after the first post and he replied that he'd be writing a response. 

I spoke with Eric LeVine, the founder of Cellartracker. "If that’s the case, I’ll probably have to follow up legally,” he said. “At the end of the day, the data on my site is my site’s data and my user’s data.”

“There are plenty of people in the industry that I partner with,” LeVine said. “I don’t have any agreement with the Snooth.”

Cellartracker is a cellar management system started in April 2004 and has about 130,000 users that, according to founder LeVine, have collectively generated just over 1.7 million wine reviews. 

Cellartracker’s database includes about a million wines, reflecting what people have tasted or have in their collections. Registered users catalog their collections and post tasting notes. They’ve consumed more than 22.3 million bottles of about one million different wines.

Roughly 2,000 wine reviews, or tasting notes, are generated via Cellartracker every day, and Cellartracker has content partnerships, including channels with bloggers and professional wine critics involving another 300,000 professional reviews that are integrated into the cellar management system but shown only to subscribers of the various publications.

For more on this, also see the responses to the first post. 

via winebusiness.com

Please spread the word about what looks as if it is egregious misappropriation of CellarTracker.com's tasting notes and other data by Snooth.com. If it's true, Snooth should be shunned by all.

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Listeria contamination forces recall of Ossie's Shmaltz Herring

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Offensive, or just crafy? - Palin's use of 'blood libel' in statement on Tucson shooting - Fact Checker

Quoting your self-righteous, indignant material...if what you said actually happened, I would agree. But read the story again: the author is quoting Ronald Reagan, NOT Sarah Palin. The author is pointing out that Reagan was talking about social contexts, and Palin was talking about individual acts of violence. I can't find your straw-man accusations in the actual article. Wow, it's so easy to make the opponent look bad, when you don't bother to quote what they said.

I mean it's just insane to say that blacks and other minorities commit crimes in disproportionate numbers and then claim that you speak without regard to race or social-status. These comments come straight out of fear of minorities. If you aren't willing to accept any responsibility for the actions of criminals, and you think that minorities are disproportionately-criminal than how can you claim to be blind to race? It's inherent in your comment! You're a walking talking racist who then wants to deny any responsibility for minority crime.

That is the very problem with crime, it's a self-perpetuating cycle. Sure some criminals don't choose their victims based on their race and social status but surely some do if not most. And it is their very socioeconomic status combined with the prejudice of other ethnic groups towards that socioeconomic status that *keeps* them in that socioeconomic status and that makes them such a risk to those groups.

This is utter nonsense...and she's saying it like it makes perfect sense. What does she want us to believe, that whites are afraid of minorities, are prejudiced towards minorities, shun minorities, simply because they are **Minorities**, and not because to whites minorities represent a high risk of criminal activity? LOL!

I don't see how she can talk her way out of this. Prejudice exists in this country, there's no doubt about it. It is either an irrational fear of minorities simply because they are different or a rational fear simply because of the risk they represent. But the end result is the same: minorities do not get the same chance to succeed in this country that whites get, therefore they are under more economic pressure, and therefore more of them turn to crime, more often. It's a self-perpetuating cycle...were this not the case, whites would not have a rational leg to stand on for being prejudiced at all.

It's not going to be hard for the average white person to take a hard look at what she is saying and see the inherent contradiction. Now it is right there on the table for all to see. If you want to blame the individual and not society then you have to admit that the individuals are characterized by race and socioeconomic status. If you feel prejudiced at all towards them as a result then what more is there to say? There is absolutely no defense here.

Honestly she should have shut up while she was only so far behind. Now she's clearly a blatant racist as well as delusional.

Posted by: tokenwhitemale | January 12, 2011 1:30 PM

via voices.washingtonpost.com

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Yet another reason to shun commercially processed meats

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003_2011_labels.pdf (62 KB)

The recall announced in the news release from the Department of Agriculture below may be a low health risk, but it shows how easily someone with impure intentions can introduce products of questionable quality into the U.S. food chain. In this case, a company that makes bulk supplies of frozen pre-formed hamburger patties was found to have repackaged meat that had been returned. The problem was discovered after institutions that had received some of the bad meat complained about off-odors and discoloration. More details below or at www.fsis.usda.gov.

Personally, I'm going to stick to buying meat directly from farmers or from a local butcher I can trust. In the San Francisco area, my favorite is Woodland's Market in Kentfield, whose owner has been in the meat business most of his life. John can tell you everything you might want to know about any of the meats in his store. In San Francisco, Dave the Butcher at the Marina Market, Avedano's, and Prather Ranch are good picks. Also, Marin Sun Farms meats are sold at farmers markets in SF and Marin. In New York, I have been buying meat from an Amish farmer who sells at the Thursday Greenmarket in Morningside Heights (115th and Broadway) and from Fresh Direct. I would welcome other suggestions.

Also worth noting that even if the burgers from One Great Burger were fresh, I would not want to eat them. These quarter-pound patties have 27% fat. Although some of the flavor of a burger comes from the fat, ground meat with 15% fat or less tastes just fine - and is considerably healthier.

New Jersey Firm Recalls Ground Beef Products Due to Possible Adulteration

Recall Release CLASS II RECALL FSIS-RC-003-2011 HEALTH RISK: LOW Congressional and Public Affairs (202) 720-9113 Adrian Gianforti WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 2011 - One Great Burger, an Elizabeth, N.J., establishment, is recalling approximately 226,400 pounds of ground beef products that may have become spoiled, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.  The problem was discovered by FSIS during an investigation into customer complaints of discoloration and off-odors in the products. The review uncovered evidence to show that the establishment repackaged and recoded returned products and sent them out for further distribution to institutional customers. Therefore, FSIS must consider the products to be adulterated and has acted to remove the products from commerce. FSIS is continuing to investigate the product subject to recall in commerce. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a physician.  The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels(PDF Only)]  20 lbs. boxes of "ONEGREAT HAMBURGERS" with "ITEM #02044" labeled on the front as well as "KEEP FROZEN." Each box bears establishment number "EST. 34575" within the USDA mark of inspection. The products were produced between Jan. 2010 and May 2010 and contain "PACKED ON" dates ranging from July 2010 to Nov. 2010. The products were distributed to institutions in California and Oregon.  FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.  Media with questions about the recall should contact the company's public relations representative, Frank Tobin, at (323) 661-3720. Consumers with questions about the recall should contact the company's Director of Technical Services, John Haug, at (973) 477-9039.  Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day atAskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. # www.fsis.usda.gov Food Safety Questions? Ask Karen!  FSIS' automated response system can provide food safety information 24/7 Follow FSIS on Twitter attwitter.com/usdafoodsafety

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NYTimes editorial clearly explains why GOP must take the lead in cooling down political hate talk

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From the Jan. 9, 2011 Opinion page of The New York Times.

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Sarah Palin had - and still has - Rep. Giffords in her gun-sights

I do not question Sarah Palin's sincerity when she says that she and her husband pray for the victims of Saturday's horrible shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and others in Tucson. However, I think she needs to look in the mirror and think hard about whether her tone and language either directly or indirectly gives extremists the idea that violence is somehow ok. The map showing 20 Congressional districts in a rifle's crosshairs that Palin used leading up to the 2010 election remains on her Facebook page. Just as I believed when the ad was first published, this is appalling. There are so many ways to indicate political targets. Why use a gunsight as the marker if you are encouraging peaceful discourse and democracy in action?

Here's Palin's Facebook page as of about 12:05 AM Sunday - the crosshairs, including the ones on Rep. Giffords' district, are below the first long post. Read the comments for some very disturbing exchanges. We have a lot of work to do to make this a more perfect union. How about starting now?

t

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Two continents; 20,000 miles; 80 hours

Back home in NYC, where I'm seeing patches of snow on the ground, and the temperature is 55 degrees colder than in Sydney, where my day began.

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Sydney goes ga-ga over Oprah

That round red circle on Sydney's landmark bridge looks like a holiday wreath, but it's not. It's just one of several ways the city shows its appreciation to Oprah Winfrey, who has taken over the famed Sydney Opera House and made it her show's home base this week.

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Exploring Aussie beers in Manly, NSW

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I'm perched happily at a wooden bar upon which sit five generous pours of house brews at 4 Pines Brewing Co., a local favorite among Sidneysiders for hearty house-made beers and ales and big plates of comfort food to soak it up.

The beers are traditional, and to me, they feel quite British. Nothing wrong with that. The pale ale has a soft finish and balanced hoppiness. The ESB has a tinge of coffee almost like a stout but retains some of the mellowness of a typical bitter. I am also enjoying the "Brewer's Mix," a glass filled half with kolsch and half with pale ale.

Thanks to my friend Lil for bringing me to this great spot. I'm fairly certain I'm the only tourist here tonight.

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What I've learned in Sydney in six hours

Yes, the city is beautiful, warm, and sunny. And the people are friendly. But friendly doesn't mean reliable.

Lesson No. 1: I need to trust my own reading of a map more than the tourist info people at the airport.

Lesson No. 2: I have to realize that I have been to a lot of places. A "huge" attraction in one country may seem almost insignificant in another - and vice versa.

I don't mean to knock Sydney, but my trip from the airport to my hotel was a bumpy, slow 75 minutes in a crowded minibus because the info desk at the airport told me finding my hotel from where the 15-minute train stopped would be difficult. Right. The train station is one block from my hotel.

My other transportation snafu was when I asked the hotel concierge how to get to the Sydney Fishmarket. He said I should take a taxi. I asked about public transit. He said there was no way to get there by public transit. Imagine my surprise when I got to the Fishmarket, and the $20 taxi left me off adjacent to the Fishmarket light rail stop. At least the ride back toward downtown was easy. (I returned fairly quickly because the Fishmarket was somewhat disappointing. The wholesale activity is mostly behind the scenes, and although the retail fish looked great, it was nothing even remotely approaching the frenzy of Tsukiji market in Tokyo - or even the Fulton Fish Market in New York when I was little.)

Lots more sights, sounds and sensations to experience. Will share more when I can.

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CORRECTION: Yet another egg recall

My apologies - this was reported last month and is not a new recall. 

Begin forwarded message:

Subject: Yet another egg recall

Calhttp://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm232988.htm">-Maine Foods, Inc. Conducts Voluntary Egg Recall 

Sun, 07 Nov 2010 19:23:00 -0600

JACKSON, Miss. (November 5, 2010) ? Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ: CALM) today was notified by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) that one of the Company’s suppliers, Ohio Fresh Eggs, LLC, Croton, Ohio, had a routine environmental study sample which tested positive for Salmonella Enteritidis (SE). Cal-Maine purchased approximately 24,000 dozen unprocessed eggs from Ohio Fresh which were processed and re-packaged by the Company’s Green Forest, Arkansas, facility between October 9 and 12, 2010, yet the Company was only notified today.

• Products: Sunny Meadow, Springfield Grocer, Sun Valley, and James Farm eggs (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm232988.htm">see recall notice for specific dates and plant numbers)
• Distributed: To food wholesalers and retailers in Arkansas, California, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.
• Why: Possible Salmonella
• Illnesses reported: None
• For more information: Contact Cal-Maine’s corporate office at 1-866-276-6299 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CDT.

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Yet another egg recall

Calhttp://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm232988.htm">-Maine Foods, Inc. Conducts Voluntary Egg Recall 

Sun, 07 Nov 2010 19:23:00 -0600

JACKSON, Miss. (November 5, 2010) ? Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ: CALM) today was notified by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) that one of the Company’s suppliers, Ohio Fresh Eggs, LLC, Croton, Ohio, had a routine environmental study sample which tested positive for Salmonella Enteritidis (SE). Cal-Maine purchased approximately 24,000 dozen unprocessed eggs from Ohio Fresh which were processed and re-packaged by the Company’s Green Forest, Arkansas, facility between October 9 and 12, 2010, yet the Company was only notified today.

• Products: Sunny Meadow, Springfield Grocer, Sun Valley, and James Farm eggs (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm232988.htm">see recall notice for specific dates and plant numbers)
• Distributed: To food wholesalers and retailers in Arkansas, California, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.
• Why: Possible Salmonella
• Illnesses reported: None
• For more information: Contact Cal-Maine’s corporate office at 1-866-276-6299 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CDT.

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G'day from Sydney

Landed ahead of schedule at Sydney airport... My Australia adventure begins.

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Processed meat/deli products recalled in NYC area

The recall announced below by the US Department of Agriculture involves chicken salads, meatballs and other processed foods typically sold at grocery store deli counters. Most of the retailers affected by this announcement are in Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island, but the incident provides yet another reminder to be careful about choosing any processed products. Details below.

New York Firm Recalls Various Meat and Poultry Products Produced Without Inspection

Recall Release CLASS I RECALL FSIS-RC-062-2010 HEALTH RISK: HIGH Congressional and Public Affairs (202) 720-9113 Catherine Cochran WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2010 - N.Y. Gourmet Salads, Inc., a Brooklyn, N.Y., establishment, is recalling an undetermined amount of various meat and poultry products that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The following products are subject to recall: 4.5-pound and 5-pound containers of "Lemon Grilled Chicken" 4.5-pound and 5-pound containers of "Meatballs" 4.5-pound and 5-pound containers of "Meatballs and Sauce" 4.5-pound and 5-pound containers of "Swedish Meatballs" 5-pound containers of "Sausage and Peppers" 4.5-pound and 5-pound containers of "Chicken Salad" 5-pound containers of "Grilled Chicken" 5-pound containers of "Grilled Chicken, Plain" 4.5-pound and 5-pound containers of "Breaded Chicken" 6-pound containers of "Stuffed Cabbage" 5-pound containers "Teriyaki Grilled Chicken" 5-pound containers "Chopped Chicken Liver" The implicated products were produced between March 11, 2010, and Oct. 29, 2010, and were distributed to retail establishments in New York. Labeling information on these products is currently unknown, unless otherwise noted above. The products subject to this recall may or may not bear the N.Y. Gourmet Salads Inc. label with the establishment number "P-34440" or "Est. 34440" inside the USDA mark of inspection. A retail distribution list(s) is available on the FSIS' website atwww.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/ Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp.  These products were the subject of a public health alertissued on Oct. 30, 2010. After a continued investigation by FSIS, the products are now being recalled by the firm. FSIS has received no reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a physician.  FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.  Consumer and media questions regarding the recall should be directed to the company Vice President Lenny Spada at (718) 765-0082.  Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day atAskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. #

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RECALL: Organic Dark Chocolate Squares

From the US FDA:

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm234699.htm">Artisan Confections Recalls Dagoba new moon™ Rich Dark Chocolate 74% Cacao 0.32-Ounce Squares Due to Possible Health Risk
Wed, 24 Nov 2010 07:58:00 -0600

Artisan Confections Company is voluntarily recalling a limited quantity of its Dagoba Organic Chocolate new moon Rich Dark Chocolate 74% cacao 0.32 ounce squares because they may contain Salmonella. No other sizes or Dagoba items are involved in this recall.

• Product: Dagoba Organic Chocolate new moon Rich Dark Chocolate (74% cacao) sold in 0.32 ounce squares
• Distributed: Sold nationwide online and through natural/specialty food retail outlets
• Why: Possible Salmonella
• Illnesses reported: None
• For more information: Contact Artisan Confections Consumer Relations at 866-608-6944. (9 a.m to 4 p.m. EST)

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Versatile cauliflower adds nutrition, cuts calories in mac & cheese; can sub for mashed potato

A few days ago I had a guest visiting and I made dinner as best as I could in my temporary apartment in uptown New York City. The menu included two small, beautiful grass-fed sirloin steaks, seared then broiled to mid-rare; baked acorn squash with honey and olive oil glaze; salad of field greens, pear and local blue cheese; and, mashed cauliflower.

Yes, there were no potatoes. After boiling the cauliflower until soft, I put it in the blender with a little milk, salt and pepper. I added more as the mixture approached a mashed consistency so that there would be some small but noticeable chunks of cauliflower. Then I popped the mixture into the oven with a little Vermont cheddar on top. Who needs potatoes when you can make something like this? My version was not low-calorie or low-fat, but you could easily reduce the milk or cheese and still have a pretty nice side dish.

For an even more creative way to use cauliflower in otherwise gluttonous dishes, try this recipe from Mark Bittman:

Creamy Cauliflower Mac

Makes: 4 servings
Time: About 45 minutes

Vegetables are comfort food too, as proved by this recipe, which is sure to please anyone who loves mac-and-cheese. The "secret" is cauliflower's miraculous ability to turn creamy when puréed. If you don't want to wash out a blender or food processor (and don't mind some lumps), use a potato masher to purée the cauliflower in the same pot you cooked it in.

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing the baking dish 
Salt 
2 1⁄2 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water 
2 bay leaves 
1 cauliflower, cored and separated into large pieces 
8 ounces elbow, shell, ziti, or other cut pasta, preferably whole wheat 
1⁄2 cup grated cheese (like sharp cheddar, Gruyère, or Emmental or a combination) 
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, or to taste 
1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg, or to taste 
Black pepper 
1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
1⁄2 cup or more bread crumbs, preferably whole grain and homemade, optional

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish with a little oil. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put the stock with the bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When small bubbles appear along the sides, about 5 minutes later, turn off the heat and let stand.

2. Cook the cauliflower in the boiling water until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Scoop the cauliflower out of the water with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a blender or food processor. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until still somewhat chalky inside and not yet edible, about 5 minutes. Drain it, rinse it quickly to stop the cooking, and put it in the prepared baking dish.

3. Remove the bay leaves from the stock. Carefully process the cauliflower with 2 cups of the stock, the 2 tablespoons oil, the cheese, mustard, nutmeg, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. (You may have to work in batches.) If the sauce seems too thick, add the remaining 1⁄2 cup stock. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Pour the sauce over the pasta, toss, and spread the mixture evenly in the dish. (You can make the dish to this point, cover, and refrigerate for up to a day; return to room temperature before proceeding.)

4. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan and bread crumbs if you're using them. Bake until the pasta is bubbling and the crumbs turn brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Recipe by Mark Bittman, published in The Food Matters Cookbook. Used with permission. For more information, visit markbittman.com.

 

This post was originally published on Doug Levy's other blog, http://wineandfoodworld.com. 

 

 

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Not sure what statement this fashion makes

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On the Broadway subway, Saturday night.

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Recently Opened "Co". Brings a New Style Pizza to New York

My culinary exploration of New York city took me this week to Chelsea, a neighborhood nestled between Greenwich Village and the Meat-Packing District to the south and Hell's Kitchen to the north. Historically home to artists both rising and falling, Chelsea is an eclectic area now experiencing some of the general upsurge that seems to be occurring citywide. In fact, today's New York Times says that a couple of new buildings going up in the area are going to house condos that will sell for well over $1 million each. Ouch.

Our destination was a medium-sized casual restaurant at the corner of 24th Street and Ninth Avenue, called Company, or "Co." to those more familiar. Known for pizzas, the pies here are not New York, Chicago or any other familiar style. The crusts have a slight sourdough flavor and a great balance of crispness on the bottom and a just-right sponginess once you bite into it.

The choices range from the leafy Popeye (spinach, gruyere, Pecorino, and mozzarella) to the Meatball (tomato, veal meatballs, caramelized onions, olives, Pecorino.) The simple Rosa has bright tomato sauce coating the crust, dotted with slices of fresh garlic and spiced with a little red chili and fresh oregano. The Leek & Sausage is more complex, with chili flakes, sausage pieces, leek and cheese cushioned with a layer of bechamel sauce that created a surprisingly light background flavor.

Each pizza has four generous slices - two slices a person seems like a decent portion. (My friends and I went ahead with a more encompassing sampling, each of us tasting six different pies - and none was leftover. We were doing research, after all.)

Of the pizzas we tried, my favorite was the vegetarian Popeye, though the Leek & Sausage was interesting, flavorful, and maybe a little quirky - in a good way.

Co. has six craft beers on tap and a modest but well rounded wine list. Interestingly, the wine list includes only wines with screw-tops - no corks. The cheerful server, Brenna, had great descriptions of each of the beers and was able to guide us skillfully through both the beverage and comestibles parts of our meal.

Dinner for two with a round of wine or beer runs between around $30-$50, depending on your selections.

Co. is located at 230 9th Ave; New York, NY 10001; www.co-pane.com or (212) 243-1105.

This item is cross-posted from Doug's other blog, http://wineandfoodworld.com. 

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Gawker.com: Possible Energy Committee Head: God Promised There'd Be No Climate Change

This is from http://gawker.com/5686027/possible-chair-of-energy-committee-god-promised-thered-be-no-climate-change

Possible Chair of Energy Committee: God Promised There'd Be No Climate Change

 

Are you worried about global warming? Don't be! According to Illinois Rep. John Shimkus—candidate for chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee—climate change isn't a big deal. How does he know? Because of the Bible!

 

Shimkus, a Republican who represents part of Springfield and some St. Louis suburbs, is seeking the chairmanship for the Energy and Commerce Committee. And good thing, too, because what's really missing in this whole terrible fake "debate" about climate change is sub-Sunday school Biblical literalism.

See, Shimkus' whole take on this "global warming" situation is informed by the part in the Bible when—after flooding the earth—God promises Noah he'll never again destroy the world. So, obviously, climate change won't do much harm to the planet. Because of God's promise. Do you follow? This is all in Genesis, people!

But that kind of scintillating logic isn't all Shimkus brings to the table—Progress Illinois illustrates his climate expertise:

During a discussion at a hearing about the Environmental Protection Agency's ruling that greenhouse gases threaten public health and the environment, Shimkus noted that carbon dioxide is a natural result of breathing and asked, "Does EPA propose we stop breathing?" (They do not.) At a dinner held by the Sangamon County Republicans in February, Shimkus suggested that the sight of farmers "ice-fishing on ponds in Southern Illinois" is the latest evidence that global warming is a "hoax." Oh, and let's not forget the time Shimkus expressed fear that curbing carbon emissions would "take away plant food." (Scientists disagree.)

[Informed Comment; Progress Illinois]

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Unbelievable: Tucker Carlson impersonated Olbermann and sent nasty emails that were published

 

Tucker Carlson Sent Emails Posing As Keith Olbermann

The Huffington Post   |  Jack Mirkinson First Posted: 11- 9-10 05:23 PM   |   Updated: 11-10-10 08:51 AM

 

UPDATE: The text and headlines of this article have been changed to reflect Tucker Carlson's admission that he sent emails posing as Keith Olbermann.

Conservative pundit and Daily Caller editor Tucker Carlson perpetrated a hoax last weekend by posing as Keith Olbermann in a series of emails to a Philadelphia columnist.

On Tuesday afternoon, a set of emails surfaced on the Philadelphia news site Phawker. Phawker said that the emails showed the "100% for real" correspondence between Olbermann and Philadelphia Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky over the weekend. In the emails, "Olbermann" talks about his boss, MSNBC President Phil Griffin, in hyperbolic, insulting terms.

In one email, "Olbermann" says that Griffin is "not my boss (thank god), nor is he intellectually qualified to be...I'll be anchoring on election night 2012, long after Phil Griffin has moved on to a job for which he's actually qualified, perhaps on QVC."

In another, "Olbermann" writes that "I could have Phil Griffin fired tomorrow if I felt like it, trust me. And if he keeps yapping about me in public, I may. For the moment, however, keeping Phil around is like having a drunk chimp in the office -- more amusing than threatening."

The incendiary emails seemed too good to be true -- and they were. They were sent from keith@keitholbermann.com. That's an address that is not owned by Olbermann, but by Carlson. In July, Carlson announced that he had purchased the domain name KeithOlbermann.com, and told Politico that people could email him at Keith@KeithOlbermann.com -- the same address that the emails to Bykofsky came from.

On Tuesday night, Yahoo's Michael Calderone reached Carlson by phone. Carlson confirmed that he had, in fact, sent the emails posing as Olbermann.

"Could you resist?" Carlson said. "It was just too funny. The flesh is weak."

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