Fellow men, do your patriotic duty and help this guy earn a threesome! (SFW; hat tip: Chris.)

UPDATE: He’s well past the 2 million mark now, but it’s almost certainly because of scripts and bots and such. No way is he really getting 55 hits per second. Not even a link from Drudge or Slashdot (or both simultaneously!) will give you that much traffic.

More interesting is the speculation that the whole thing is a conspiracy (or, more to the point, a viral campaign for something calls letsmeetup.info — NSFW).

I can’t find any independent confirmation of this, but commenter Ed — the same guy who tipped me off about the Mark Sanchez sexual-assault story in the first place — again sends along a report based on something he saw on the local NBC affiliate in L.A.:

On KNBC, a reporter was interviewing a USC co-ed who was sympathetic to Sanchez. She had big doubts about the allegation. But she told the reporter something I found profoundly disturbing.

Have y’all seen the tape of Sanchez leaving the Gardens in handcuffs? It’s the only video of this event and it was shot by a female [Annenberg TV News] staffer.

The co-ed told the KNBC reporter that as the [ATVN staffer] was shooting the video, official USC functionaries, from (paraphrase) “the football team and the publicity officeâ€? commanded that she cease taping. They further stated that she was hurting “our schoolâ€? by her actions. The co-ed witnessed the above described behavior by the school officials. …

The photographer went on the record anonymously and stated she had received threats and was concerned for her welfare. She did not name the source of any threat.

As Ed says, that falls under the category of “profoundly disturbing” if true. Luckily, unlike Daily Trojan editors who have a long history of caving in to bullying by the administration (for example, an inside source tells me that the DT photographer who took the infamous Rose Bowl cheerleader photo was actually fired from the staff — notwithstanding the newspaper’s putative “independence” — because the administration was upset about the photo’s wide distribution across the Internet, claiming it hurt the school’s image), this Annenberg TV camerawoman obviously stuck by her guns and kept rolling film. Good for her, and — again, if she really was asked or “commanded” to shut off her camera — shame on USC.

[UPDATE/CORRECTION: I have it on good authority — better authority than my previous inside source — that the above account of the photographer’s firing is incorrect. Although the administration was indeed upset about the photo because they believed it hurt the school’s image, it was not pressure from the administration, but rather the photographer’s attempts to merchanise the photo (which is the property of the newspaper), that led to his being fired. My source assured me that administrative pressure had nothing to do with it — that he would have been fired for his actions whether or not the administration was upset about the photo — and I have no reason to disbelieve that. I was too quick to assume that my initial source’s account was accurate, and for that I apologize. Back when I was at the Daily Trojan, there were definitely some incidents where pressure from university employees had undue influence on editorial decisions, but that was several years ago, with an entirely different set of editors, and my own past experience doesn’t justify my reliance on flimsy sourcing for an allegation that the same thing is happening now.]

The TV report that Ed saw doesn’t appear to be available on KNBC’s website (the video that is online doesn’t include the interview with the “co-ed” that he mentions), and last night’s edition of ATVN doesn’t mention anything about the alleged attempted censorship incident, though it does show the Sanchez video. I’m definitely very curious to know more about this, because if what KNBC reported is true, and the camerawoman and witness are telling the truth, that is truly outrageous behavior by the university: trying to push around its own journalism students in order to create a Cardinal-and-Gold Wall of Silence.

Following up on this post… a very interesting revelation, courtesy of Mickey Kaus:

A Rasmussen robo-poll reports that a third party candidate who promised to build a barrier along the Mexican border and make enforcement of immigration law his top priority beats the generic “Republican” nominee by 9 points– 30-21– and runs practically even with the generic “Democratic” nominee (who gets 31%). The border-centric third-party candidacy actually takes more votes from the Democratic side than the Republican side!. But it draws heavily from both parties, and as heavily from “moderates” as from “conservatives.” …

Yes, this is a robo-poll (though voters may feel more comfortable telling a robot what they really think). And yes, as Rasmussen notes, “This result probably reflects unhappiness with both parties on the immigration issue rather than a true opportunity for a third party.” And yes, candidates with appealing specifics often beat undefined, generic party choices. Still, it raises suspicions about the semi-confected, hothouse Beltway CW that a tough, non-”comprehensive,” enforcement-first approach is a political loser in the short term.

“Sweet Jesus, I hate Bill O’Reilly.” –Glenn Reynolds

Construction has finally begun on the “Freedom Tower” at Ground Zero.

I wouldn’t be a very good “Irish Trojan” if I didn’t blog about this:

“RESOLVED: That the University of Notre Dame should defeat the University of Southern California in the 2006 collegiate football contest� will be the featured topic as the debate teams from legendary football rivals Notre Dame and USC square off for the first time at 4 p.m. Friday (April 28) in the Decio Theatre of the DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts at Notre Dame.

Two representatives from each university will argue the topic in front of a public audience. Tim Fiorta and Corey Mehlos, captains of Notre Dame’s parliamentary and policy debate teams, respectively, will compete against USC’s Michael Smith and Brandon Hancock, a member of the football team who is expected to start at fullback for the Trojans next season.

The football game Nov. 25 in Los Angeles will mark the 80th anniversary of the first game of what is considered the greatest intersectional rivalry in collegiate sports.

The Notre Dame Debate Team, composed of students from Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s College and Holy Cross College, this year formed its first policy debate team in more than a decade, thanks to the support of alumnus William T. Carey and his wife, Helen. The team is a member of the National Debate Tournament, the most expansive competitive debate organization in the country.

The Notre Dame-USC debate is free and open to the public, but tickets are required and are available by calling the DeBartolo box office at 574-631-2800.

Heh.

California really is falling into the ocean!

A good piece from Reason on oil, and how fast we’re running out of it, here. (Hat tip: Insty.)

David Beamer, father of 9/11 victim hero Todd Beamer, a passenger on Flight 93, on the movie that debuts tomorrow:

There are those who question the timing of this project and the painful memories it evokes. Clearly, the film portrays the reality of the attack on our homeland and its terrible consequences. Often we attend movies to escape reality and fantasize a bit. In this case and at this time, it is appropriate to get a dose of reality about this war and the real enemy we face. It is not too soon for this story to be told, seen and heard. But it is too soon for us to become complacent. It is too soon for us to think of this war in only national terms. We need to be mindful that this enemy, who made those holes in our landscape and caused the deaths of some 3,000 of our fellow free people, has a vision to personally kill or convert each and every one of us. This film reminds us that this war is personal. This enemy is on a fanatical mission to take away our lives and liberty–the liberty that has been secured for us by those whose names are on those walls in Battery Park and so many other walls and stones throughout this nation. This enemy seeks to take away the free will that our Creator has endowed in us. Patrick Henry got it right some 231 years ago. Living without liberty is not living at all. …

This film further reminds us of the nature of the enemy we face. An enemy who will stop at nothing to achieve world domination and force a life devoid of freedom upon all. Their methods are inhumane and their targets are the innocent and unsuspecting. We call this conflict the “War on Terror.” This film is a wake-up call. And although we abhor terrorism as a tactic, we are at war with a real enemy and it is personal.

There are those who would hope to escape the pain of war. Can’t we just live and let live and pretend every thing is OK? Let’s discuss, negotiate, reason together. The film accurately shows an enemy who will stop at nothing in a quest for control. This enemy does not seek our resources, our land or our materials, but rather to alter our very way of life.

I encourage my fellow Americans and free people everywhere to see “United 93.”

Amen. Let’s roll.

(Hat tip: InstaPundit.)

“I successfully completed a course without taking a note.” –Dmytro

***UPDATE, 12:10 PM: In order to prevent confusion, I’ve rewritten the beginning of this post, deleting the portions that turned out to be inaccurate (specifically, the notion that the alleged assault possibly happened at the 901 Club). I’ve moved the deleted portions to the bottom of the post, after the jump, for the sake of the historical record.***

Update on the Mark Sanchez case… according to the timeline established by the L.A. Daily News and the L.A. Times, the alleged sexual assault is said to have taken place at Cardinal Gardens in the wee hours of Wednesday morning after Sanchez returned from a night of boozing at the 901 Club, more commonly known among USC students as “the 9-0.” (For the uninitiated, you can read more about the 9-0, which is sort of like USC’s version of the Backer, from Playboy.com — some links possibly NSFW, duh.) The Times reports:

According to an employee of the 901 Club on Figueroa Street, club security cameras show Sanchez arrived at the bar Tuesday night at 11:21, using a fake Arizona ID that showed his name as Jordan Traver Uttal.

“I saw him and he was stoned-faced sober when he came in,” said the employee, who asked not to be identified by name.

The club, known by USC students as “The 9-0,” is about a 10-minute walk from Cardinal Gardens.

Earlier in the article, it states:

The security system at [the 9-0] shows [Sanchez] leaving at 12:59 a.m. Wednesday.

“He left by himself,” [the] employee said. “There was no girl with him.”

After leaving the 9-0, Sanchez apparently went home to Cardinal Gardens:

USC students Matthew Menjou and Altman Tsang, roommates who live in a building adjacent to where Sanchez was taken into custody, said Sanchez happened upon them in a parking lot behind the apartment buildings about 1:30 a.m.

Menjou, from Torrance, said he and Tsang, who is from Centerville, Va., said they had returned from getting something to eat when the car they were in ran out of gas just as they prepared to park.

Menjou said Sanchez, whom he recognized from photos as a football player who was supposed to be “the next Matt Leinart,” showed up and offered to help them push the car into a space.

Menjou said Sanchez was loud and appeared as if he had been drinking alcohol.

It was upon Sanchez’s return to Cardinal Gardens — presumably after the encounter with Menjou and Tsang — that the alleged assault is said to have occurred, according to the Daily News:

Witnesses said Sanchez went to an off-campus bar Tuesday night and was dropped off around 1:30 a.m. at Cardinal Gardens, where he met the alleged victim, who also lives in the complex.

[ADDENDUM: Earlier reports stated that the alleged victim says Sanchez was assaulted at or around 12:30 a.m. But the Daily News says he met her at Cardinal Gardens “around 1:30 a.m.” or shortly thereafter. So, there is an inconsistency in the timeline there. What conclusions we should draw from that is anybody’s guess at this point.]

Obviously, the big story here is the alleged assault. But I think the 9-0 could be in some trouble as well, with this high-profile publicity for letting in an underage drinker. They have an anonymous employee admitting that Sanchez, who is 19, got in with a fake ID — and, keeping mind that the 9-0 has gotten in trouble for that sort of thing in the past, methinks this incident could spell trouble for the club, whatever it ultimately means for Sanchez and the USC football team.

P.S. Who is “Jordan Traver Uttal,” the name on Sanchez’s fake ID? I don’t know, but there is a “Jordan Uttal Fan Club” on MySpace, and most or all of its members seem to be affiliated with USC. At least five “Fan Club” members are also part of “USC Trojan Players,” another MySpace group. Unfortunately, the “Fan Club” is private, so I can’t get any more information about it than that. I can speculate, though. Could it be a sort of underground “fan club” for Sanchez, also known as Uttal to his drinking buddies? I dunno, but it seems plausible. (More on “Jordan Uttal” after the jump.)

P.P.S. You can view Sanchez’s booking information from the LAPD here. His bail has been set at $200,000.

Meanwhile, the Wizard of Odds reports:

The L.A. Daily News, which reported that campus security detained Sanchez in March after he allegedly broke a window at a fraternity party but did not make any arrests, said the quarterback attended a workshop Tuesday night at Heritage Hall for athletes on rape awareness.

P.P.P.S. After the jump, more from the DT… including the very interesting fact that today’s issue is the final issue of the semester, the “graduation issue,” which means it will be what all the parents and alums see as they migrate to campus over the next few weeks!

(more…)

Another convert joins the fold of true believers: after much soul-searching, BoiFromTroy is now officially a Mac person! Skoot illustrates this monumental event with a nifty graphic.

Daniel Steinbock gives a rather different account of the Stanford protest.