“Initial observations indicate a surfer was bit by an eel, not a shark, over the weekend off Hawaii’s popular Waikiki Beach, but officials said Monday they’re working to confirm that,” the Associated Press reports. “The state does not keep records of such bites, as they do for sharks.” Stay tuned!
Why the Internet Thinks I Faked Having Cancer on a Message Board
So let's get this out of the way: I did not pretend to be dying of cancer on the popular link-sharing site Reddit. It wasn't me! Call off the hordes! Sheath your pitchforks. Extinguish the torches.
Haley Barbour Does Not Love Civil Rights-Era Racists, He Says
Presidential hopeful Haley Barbour has clarified his fond remembrance of the White Citizens Councils of the Civil Rights-era South, whose members weren't community heroes so much as they were Klansmen in suits. Barbour added today that the Councils were "indefensible."
Vatican Says Pope's Condom Remarks Not 'Revolutionary'
The Vatican says the Pope is not "reforming or changing" the Church's stance on condoms.
This Year's Best New York Times Correction (So Far)
Did you read about a slideshow of ugly undersea creatures on The New York Times' website on Friday? If so, the Times is deeply sorry, and would like to offer the following clarification:
Robert Gibbs Walks Back From Attack on 'Professional Left'
White House press secretary was so nasty to whiny liberals — sorry, the "professional left" — in an interview published this morning, getting everyone all worked up. Now he's in the apology stage, calling his comments "inartful" and counterproductive.
Mort Zuckerman 'Clarifies' Claim About Helping Write Obama Speech
Media mogul Mort Zuckerman is "clarifying" his claim that he helped write one of Barack Obama's speeches, after White House speechwriters said they had never met or spoken to him. He merely meant... uhh... that he supports Obama or something?
Tony Hayward: Still in Charge of Oil Spill
The reports of BP CEO Tony Hayward being removed as oil spill czar are all wrong, says a company spokeswoman. Hayward is simply spending "some rare private time" watching his sailboat, Bob, race around the Isle of Wight today.
Michael Yon Walks Back His Accusation That David Rohde Was Ransomed
Independent warblogger Michael Yon created a minor furor earlier this month when he claimed, via Twitter, that the New York Times had "paid millions" to secure reporter David Rohde's release from the Taliban. Now he says he didn't mean ransom.
Bloodcopy Is Not Written by Gawker
Update: That advertorial Bloodcopy post below is now clearly and accurately labeled as sponsored. Phew.
Failed Political Flacks Jockey For Crown of Evil
Yesterday we asserted that former Bush roboflackMale Ari Fleischer was America's most irrelevant talking head. Today, however, we learned that former Bush roboflackFemale Dana Perino is joining forces with Microtrend maker-upper Mark Penn. Revision:
What just happened at Valleywag? The FAQ
I love Owen, but he has trouble writing in English during a crisis. So here's the basics on what's happening at Valleywag:
David Duchovny's Tennis Coach Denies Affair, Confirms Insatiable Need for Press
Earlier today, America was introduced to Edit Pakay, the tennis coach who allegedly taught beleaguered sex addict David Duchovny more than just a one-handed backhand. "I am not going to deny it," she helpfully told The Mail. "If you want to write that we have an affair then fine. I will not argue against it." Now,…
"not banksy! it's kuszyk"
Well then: the mysterious hooded and bearded man photographed supervising the painting of a new Banksy mural yesterday is not Banksy; it's Williamsburg artist R. Nicholas Kuszyk! As he informed us just now in an email with the intriguing subject line: "not banksy! it's kuszyk." Who is this be-aviator shaded man of…
What Does Jesse Jackson Want to do With Barack Obama's Nuts?
Controversy! Did Jesse Jackson want to rip Barack Obama's nuts "off" or "out"? No big deal, you say? Tell it to the Post! "Veterinarians and doctors talk about cutting nuts 'off.' Only a thug or a gangster cuts a man's nuts 'out.'" Jeff Johnson makes the importance of the distinction a little clearer: "Maybe Jackson…
Lydia Hearst and Her Money Are Just Fine, Thanks
Newspaper heiress/Page 6 Magazine contributor Lydia Hearst doesn't have a website that she's not paying the bills for. She writes us, "I wish I did not have to contact you, as I'm sure you will most-likely print this (but if you do, please respect me enough to keep my E-mail address private), but I'd like to clear…
For the Record
Tracy Sefl, the "informal conduit between the Clinton campaign and Matt Drudge," didn't have anything to do with the wacky Obama-in-dress picture that ended up embarrassing the Clinton campaign on Drudge this morning. [The Atlantic, Earlier]
Clarifying The Confusion
For updates on the murky details emerging from the media coverage of actor Heath Ledger's death, including drug test results performed on a rolled-up $20 bill found at his apartment, click here.
Confused? What The Media Does And Doesn't Know About Ledger's Death
Some of the details surrounding Heath Ledger's death yesterday have been a little murky, with conflicting reports from various media outlets. Let's answer some of your basic questions.
Lodwick: Not My Norbum
A clarification: while new media entrepreneur Jakob Lodwick did indeed invent the term "norbum," a portmanteau of "Nordstrom" and, well, "bum," then "register a few domains," he was not, specifically, one of the people involved in the homeless people-mocking site that then went up at norbum.org. Lodwick helpfully adds…
