Remember the Washington, D.C. scandal last year after a staff aide was revealed to have engaged in sex acts with many in the political arena? Well, it's back.

Jessica Cutler, 27, the ex-employee of Senator Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), is being sued by one of DeWine's staff attorneys, Robert Steinbuch. Steinbuch claims that his privacy rights were violated when Cutler published details of her various sexual encounters with Washington players — including Steinbuch — on her weblog under the name "Washingtonienne."

Steinbuch claims he was personally identified on multiple occasions when Cutler referred to "RS" or "Rob" and included the details that Steinbuch says make it clear to whom she was referring. In the blog — which has been resurrected in its supposedly original form from an individual's browser cache — Cutler describes in explicit detail the acts she and Steinbuch engaged in, an action he purports is a violation of his rights.

In fact, the suit filed in U.S. Federal Court on Monday, 16 May 2005, confirms and corrects many of the steamy details from Cutler's online diary. According to The Washington Post, Steinbuch confirmed he and Cutler engaged in "spanking and hair pulling during their sexual activity."

After the knowledge of the tawdry, high-profile affairs broke in the nation's Capitol, Cutler was offered $300,000 USD to pen a book (see excerpt) entitled "The Washingtonienne: A Novel" available now in stores. She declined to comment to Washington Post reporters when they asked her about the suit.

Television reporter Arthur Chi'en with New York City's WCBS Channel 2 was terminated following his colourful on-air outburst in response to a few men holding up a sign during his report.

Turns out the men were interns of radio personalities "Opie and Anthony" who were were present during Chi'en's live report on MTA MetroCard fraud. As they approached, the pranksters filled the back of the shot with a sign promoting their own radio show and even gave "the finger" to the camera and WCBS viewers. After keeping his cool through the prepared remarks, Chi'en gave in and as he finished his report, turned away from the camera and angrily asked, "What the fuck is your problem, man?"

Apparently Chi'en assumed that since his remark was made at the conclusion of his live broadcast, the master control room would have already cut back to the studio. He was incorrect and in this post-Janet Jackson Super Bowl "fear the FCC" climate, WCBS fired the reporter of two years according to Audrey Pass, station spokesperson. The reporter's biography page at the CBS affiliate's website was removed almost immediately thereafter.

Chi'en was quick to issue apologies to those who he may offended.

"I regret the entire thing and I apologize to those who were offended," he told the New York Daily News.

Meanwhile, "Opie and Anthony" went to their website to boast about this incident, one designed and executed in their effort to publicly annoy television reporters. The show, originally broadcast on WNEW-FM but moved to XM Satellite Radio (Channel 202) after complaints, typically features crude humour and practical jokes.

Source: New York Daily News [ via ]

Media: Watch (Windows Media Video, 1.10 Mb, original source)
Media: Watch (Windows Media Video, 1.10 Mb, local mirror)

Link: Chi'en Revolution at CafePress
Link: Arthur Chi'en Fired: Why He Had No Choice

UPDATE

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Thank you to DoctorSteve for linking to this story and referring to it as "the best and most idiotic." Seems the words "interns of" got cut from the draft, making it sounds like "Opie and Anthony" were present themselves. This can been corrected, but thank you for referring to Mount Sutro as "the media."

Do you enjoy The West Wing? Perhaps even a little too much?

If Bravo Network's existing marathon schedule — currently Monday nights — was insufficient for you, tune in all next week. The West Wing Week includes eighty-eight (88) episodes of White House antics, Bartlet "did you know…" historical taradiddles, Josh yelling for Donna, Toby upset about something and Sam making an ass out of himself right before and after writing moving speeches.

Check out the complete schedule for a detailed episode listing and check your local listings for the Bravo Network.

Living in a city that is more progressive than not, it is easy to forget that racism is not only a tactic used by governments and political action groups, but is practiced by otherwise normal individuals.

Last night, while chatting outside a Bennigan's restaurant, my group and me were approached by a man. He had long, straight, blond hair and slightly resembled musician Kid Rock.

As he walked up to our group of four, he singled out our friend Tom and invited him to read the back of his t-shirt. I could see before he turned around that displayed on the front of this shirt was the flag for the Confederate States of America. On the back was text that read something like this, "If we would have known it was going to be such a big deal, we would have picked our own cotton. White Pride!"

After giving Tom the chance to read this racist statement, the man posed to give a high-five which Tom did so as not to upset the stranger. Afterward, he said "white pride" and walked away into the night.

On Thursday, 12 May 2005, Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center is scheduled to make history as the Space Shuttle Discovery blasts off on mission STS-114, the first such launch and flight since the Columbia was destroyed during re-entry.

After the Columbia Accident Investigation Board announced their findings in August 2003 regarding the cause of the accident, NASA was charged with making many modifications, not only to its Shuttle Fleet hardware, but to procedures and personnel. A structural redevelopment of the large external fuel tank was completed in order to prevent the casting off of insulating foam, the object that punctured the fatal hole in wing of Columbia.

Two years later, hopefully having learned from the mistakes of the past, NASA feels confident to return to flight and I for one and very excited. While it may be too idealistic to think that human space travel holds the key to peace on Earth, it is certainly one of the most important aspects of current evolution. In addition to the scientific gains we make in the fields of spaceflight, astronomy and astrophysics, countless new technologies and medicines have either been developed in or designed for space. On Earth, those same "futuristic" explorations have proven essential.

Living in Orlando, the backyard of human spaceflight, is a special opportunity. Since moving to the area in September 1989, there have been eighty-five launches and I have tried to watch each and every one. If you stand in my front yard and look up, both the flights of shuttles departing Launch Complex 39A and 39B are clearly visible. You can watch the sun shimmering off the surface of the ship as it breaks away from the confines of Earth. I have also gone out to the Kennedy Space Center for launches, both watching them from across the Banana River and on occasion on NASA property via drive-on permit.

I have some great stories about being on property for launches and the granddaddy of them all: the tour I took of the complete facility. I will be sure to write about those experiences soon.

In the meantime, I anxiously await that day in May when I can again look at the sky and see our future taking flight.

Abe Vigoda Status: a Firefox Extension
Alive and kicking? Always know with this extension. [ via ]

Kana Hakkliha, a product of Estonia, Remix Contest
A twisted commercial is being redone by amused visitors.

Light-Up Bras
"Now that LEDs are available in all colors of the rainbow (including purple), we thought we'd make a bra to celebrate!" [ via ]

Improv: McDonald's Bathroom Attendant
A "Five Star Fast Food" improvisational experience. [ via ]

Handlers suing; said forced to flash Koko
"Two former employees of the Gorilla Foundation, home to Koko the "talking" ape, have filed a lawsuit contending that they were ordered to bond with the 33-year-old female simian by displaying their breasts." [ via ]

Since making a reference to her in a previous article, I have noticed many visitors arriving via search engine on the hunt for pictures of Rosa Parks.

So here you go. A picture of Parks being fingerprinted after her historic arrest.

Learn all about the history of Rosa Parks, her fight for equal rights and protection under law and, of course, a few more photographs (including one from 2000).