On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 22:53:15 GMT, Harry Hope <rivrvu@ix.netcom.com>
wrote:

From WorldNetDaily, 2/25/05:
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43057

Talon News shuts down

Domain names for porn sites tied to reporter now up for sale


Talon News, the website at the center of a scandal linking one of its
reporters to the White House, has temporarily shut down its online
operations, while explicit Internet domain names allegedly used by its
reporter are now up for sale.

A statement posted on TalonNews.com reads:


"The recent public focus on Talon News, while much of it malicious,
has indeed brought some constructive elements to the surface.

It has also brought many kind messages of support, and for that we are
extremely grateful.

In order to better serve those readers across the country who enjoy
Talon News content and look forward to receiving it each day, we feel
compelled to reevaluate operations in order to provide the highest
quality, most professional product possible.

Thus, Talon News will be offline while we redesign the web site,
perform a top-to-bottom review of staff and volunteer contributors,
and address future operational procedures.

We look forward to bringing an even better product to our readers in
the future."


Company spokeswoman Jennifer Ohman told the Houston Chronicle that the
site's founder, Bobby Eberle, "can only take so much of a beating"
over its political slant, as Eberle also runs GOPUSA.com, which looks
"to spread the conservative message throughout America," according to
its mission statement.

The scandal, known as GannonGuckertGate, involves Jeff Gannon -- by
daylight a credentialed "reporter" covering the White House for both
the Talon and GOPUSA.com websites, while allegedly moonlighting as a
$200-an-hour male escort and purveyor of explicit websites like
HotMilitaryStud.com and MilitaryEscorts.com.

It turns out Jeff Gannon was a pseudonym and alter ego for Jim
Guckert, the name under which Gannon allegedly posed for pictures on
those sites and advertised his services.

He resigned his position with Talon and GOPUSA.com following the
disclosures by bloggers.

Although HotMilitaryStud.com and MilitaryEscorts.com -- websites
suggestive of homosexual pornography -- are no longer online, their
domain names are now up for sale.

"This is the site you've been hearing about," says the ads for both
sites which are listed in the "Adult/Porn" category.

The asking price for HotMilitaryStud.com is $15,000, while
MilitaryEscorts.com is asking $7,500.

Traffic figures claim more than 66,000 and 24,000 unique visitors to
the pages, respectively.

No previous offers had been made for either as of press time.

_______________________________________________________

This Bush scandal is movin' right along.

Harry