1) Why has the White House not challenged either the authenticity of the documents, or the truth of the events described therein?
2) Are you certain that the documents were typed by Killian himself? Are you certain the documents were not typed by a Killian aide who may still be alive, and is Rather's source?
3) Do you realize that IBM Selectrics, purchased on government research grants, were in widespread use in universities of that time period?
4) Do you realize that it was a commonplace for typists who did not have custom features on their typewriters to manually adjust the line spacing, and sometimes the font, to insert subscripts and superscripts in mathematical and chemical texts?
5) Do you realize that variations in the heights of superscripts (and depths of subscripts) were commonly seen within single documents typed in that time period because typists had variable skill in making manual adjustments to line spacing?
These queries are not posed with adversarial intent, but simply to raise issues that do not seem to have received much attention to date.
Do you realize that it was a commonplace for typists who did not have custom features on their typewriters to manually adjust the line spacing, and sometimes the font, to insert subscripts and superscripts in mathematical and chemical texts?
In the late 1960's, I worked in the computer facility of a University that did Government research.
I doubt that any memos were composed on typewriters with the kind of care that would be necessary to produce what we've seen.
1) Why has the White House not challenged either the authenticity of the documents, or the truth of the events described therein?
The WH doesn't need to question the authenticity - of the memos - it's being done for them, and even the NY Times & Washington Post is doing it. As to the truth of the content - it's irrelevant if the docs are fake.
2) Are you certain that the documents were typed by Killian himself? Are you certain the documents were not typed by a Killian aide who may still be alive, and is Rather's source?
Apparently you've missed out on the comments from Killian's son, and widow. Both say he didn't type, didn't not keep private files. I'll concede the second point - it's possible - but, needs to be proven. But I won't bet my tinfoil hat on it.
3) Do you realize that IBM Selectrics, purchased on government research grants, were in widespread use in universities of that time period?
Do you know for a fact that the TANG had them? Put up, or shut up.
4) Do you realize that it was a commonplace for typists who did not have custom features on their typewriters to manually adjust the line spacing, and sometimes the font, to insert subscripts and superscripts in mathematical and chemical texts?
Yeah, so? The letter spacing, widths and things have been said to be equal town to the twip level - or even pixel level on the CBS docs, and one you could produce on Word 2000.
5) Do you realize that variations in the heights of superscripts (and depths of subscripts) were commonly seen within single documents typed in that time period because typists had variable skill in making manual adjustments to line spacing?
Thanks for stating the obvious - see above.
I will agree with your "possibilities". I will also add that the font used was developed by Rupert Murdock's company for the London Times in 1980 and then licensed to MS later.
Are there any other documents any where from that period using that font and spacing techniques along with the "superscript"? I haven't seen any posted.
You are about 30 degrees behind YESTERDAY'S power curve, my man.
All these questions are asked and answered, conclusively and authoritatively.
1. The White House HAS challenged the authenticity of the documents. The First Lady did so today, and stated forthrightly that she believed them to be outright forgeries.
2. KILLIAN typed the memos? Are you nuts? Killian had passed away over a decade before it was even possible to type these memos.
3. Do I realize that IBM Selectrics were in widespread use in Universities at that time? Duh. I USED on at a University at that period of time. I also used an IBM 360 computer. So what? Does that have even the slightest relevance to this discussion?
4. Yes, that to, and again, so what. NO amount of manual manipulation of a typewriter platen, line spacing, rolling up or down or changing the font ball can possibley result in the documents in question. This is the point previously proven. Try to keep up.
5. This one is a hoot! As if theis discussion were being hled over such a simplistic point. Of course a typist could manually roll the platen to create a superscript or subscript. But there IS NO WAY that any typist in 1972 could have created these documents with ANY amount of manual tweaking. Already proven.
Contrary to you assertin that these points have not received much attention to date, these are the points that has been analyzed to death and beyond while you were in the shower or on a cruise.
And here is something for YOU to think about: How would Killian or anyone else know in 1972 exactly how to tweak an IBM Slelctric to mimic a document produced on a computer in Microsoft Word using Apple licensed TrueType technology 15 years before they existed? Was he the clairvoyant of the Age, or a time traveler? It has to be one or the other.
What's your theory?
Its silly to speculate on who the person was that typed a memo on a MAKE-BELIEVE typewriter.
If you ask the White House, you'll get the true answer, I suppose.
In case you don't ask them, here are some hypothetical answers to why [other than Laura] the WH hasn't addressed this tempest in a teapot...
Boy, for a guy who shirks his own job, Kerry sure is eager to tell others what they should do and what they've done wrong.
2) Are you certain that the documents were typed by Killian himself? Are you certain the documents were not typed by a Killian aide who may still be alive, and is Rather's source?
If so, where are the typist's initials? If someone else typed these, there should be a notation of the typist's initials at the bottom of the document.
4) Do you realize that it was a commonplace for typists who did not have custom features on their typewriters to manually adjust the line spacing, and sometimes the font, to insert subscripts and superscripts in mathematical and chemical texts?
Do you realize that mathematical and chemical texts of the period were typeset when in book form? If superscripting is used on a typewriter, then one-and-a-half or double line spacing is used to allow for the line violations.
5) Do you realize that variations in the heights of superscripts (and depths of subscripts) were commonly seen within single documents typed in that time period because typists had variable skill in making manual adjustments to line spacing? [emphasis added]
LTC Killian's wife and son both say he was NOT a typist.
The bottom line is this: Rather submits these memos with no evidence beyond that they confirm his story while the memos themselves are crude, stupid forgeries based on the overwhelming (not just preponderance) evidence. Experts, excepting the one or two cited by CBS, have nearly unanimously confirmed that the documents are likely inauthentic (including one who has indicated she could testify so in court).
Therefore, a question for you:
You indicated you thought your points had not been adequately addressed, yet you have obviously not been following all of the blogger and expert opinion on the matter (I have seen all of these arguments except for the line spacing one listed in posts on FreeRepublic). Why, then, should we not infer "adversarial intent" in your posing these inquiries?
With 30 years experience in Administration with the ARNG from the unit level to NGB level, no way would any one go to the trouble of subscripting a memo. In fact memo's were basically used as information papers rather than orders. If we didn't cut an order to take a physical, we would have written a personal letter when ordering an individual to take a physical exam. If a memo were used it would have been as a reminder that a physical was upcoming. These documents just don't measure up in my opinion to the methods that were generally used in the military.
Actually, they have said they don't know if they are authentic or forgeries and have noted they are concerned if the latter.
Further, they accurately stated that even the content of the forged documents does not change the record that GWB served and was discharged honorably, something many of us noted upon the publication of these things.
The rest of your points have been more than adequately addressed on this board for days.
1) Probably because they understand that this whole incident is backfiring hugely against everybody associated with it. Unlike Kerry, Bush may be smart enough to know that directly responding to something most people think is irrelevant would only serve to make it relevant. Right now the issue isn't whether he missed a physical the issue is fraud and deception by the most prominent member of major network news and I suspect he and his people want it to stay that way.
2) No one can be certain of anything except that the documents were typed in MS-Word font size 11 Times New Roman format. The precise alignment when the doc's and a new print of the same text are over laid seems conclusive. If you want to try and type one up and have it do the same thing feel free, but be sure to let us know how long it took and how much work was involved.
3) Yes, I was in college at that time and I remember typing on IBM Selectrics. Unfortunately for Rather's case I don't think anyone has said that this document could be proportionally spaced on a standard IBM Selectric, but only on an obscure and highly specialized version.
4) Do you think anybody in the Texas Air National Guard would prepare a personal memo to file as if they were typing up a math or chemistry exam? Come on.
5) Did you see any variation in the height of the superscripts within the documents and shouldn't there have been some if your last point is correct?
Why should they. THE WHITE HOUSE received the docments from CBS and they released them to stand or fall on their own. They fell. Deservedly so.
2) Are you certain that the documents were typed by Killian himself? Are you certain the documents were not typed by a Killian aide who may still be alive, and is Rather's source?
No, we are absolutely certain that they WEREN'T typed by Killian himself. They were typed by someone 15 years after his death. Are suggesting that someone was channelling Killian at their computer keyboard??? If so, that may explain why you think your five questions are profound.
3) Do you realize that IBM Selectrics, purchased on government research grants, were in widespread use in universities of that time period?
Do YOU realize that IBM Selectrics could not produce proportional type? The Models that could do that were the IBM Executive and the IBM Selectric Composer... completely different models than the Selectrics that were in widespread use in universities of that time period. These models cost between six and ten times the cost of an IBM Selectric which would handle most office tasks quite nicely, thank you.
Is it your position that Killian's shared secretary had two typewriters? One on which she produced every other typed document that was sent out of Killian;s office and another, far more sophisticated, that she used ONLY to produce these six memos??? If that IS your position, I have a slightly used bridge in Brooklyn for sale at a very nice price. I am certain you would like it.
4) Do you realize that it was a commonplace for typists who did not have custom features on their typewriters to manually adjust the line spacing, and sometimes the font, to insert subscripts and superscripts in mathematical and chemical texts?
Is it your position that these typists and their typewriters (which were limited to 96 characters per type ball) had handy typesets with ligatures, small character superscripts and subscripts plus other typesetting characters? Do you realize that each of those character balls cost almost $100 each? Do you really think that someone would take the time to switch typeballs while typing a 15 line memo for file??? If that is your position, you might like to have some of this excellent land I have for sale in Okefenokee Swamp. It would make an excellent site to put your bridge.
5) Do you realize that variations in the heights of superscripts (and depths of subscripts) were commonly seen within single documents typed in that time period because typists had variable skill in making manual adjustments to line spacing?
Do you realize that is irrelevent to this discussion unless you can show a typewritten product of ANY of those typewriters that comes even close to matching the twip level accuracy of the Word2000 produced overlays on the CBS Documents? If you think it is relevant, then I have this dandy opportunity for you to make some money investing in Nigerian bank transfers... just provide your SSN, your mother's maiden name, and your bank account number so we can transfer US$36,000,000 of which you can keep 15% for merely being gullible enough to believe any of CBS's allegations.