Jokes My Father in Law Told Me

My Lovely Bride's father dropped this one on me while I was drinking a glass of juice one morning last week. I avoided the spit-take, but only just.

Man #1: Say, what's that ya got there?
Man #2: Load o' horse manure.
M#1: Oh yeah? What's it for?
M#2: Gonna put it on my raspberries.
M#1:
M#1: I've always been partial to cream and sugar myself.

My New Representative In the Blogging Ecosphere

The Capybara. A native of South America, it is the largest living rodent. I don't know about "Adorable" and it sure ain't "little", but it really is a rodent.

Sweet Home Chicago

Back in Chicagoland for Christmas Day and I got to see the Bears/Packers game yesterday. I was a little conflicted having grown up among all things Wisconsin all my life. (You know? I was a fan of the Badgers as a young child before it even dawned on me that Illinois had a similar school. It became abundantly clear with plenty of time for me to make my college choice back in high school. Funny thing, that.)

The Bears won the game yesterday afternoon, which I guess is for the best since they got the most out of it. With the win the Bears clinched the NFC North title and a first-round bye in the playoffs. With the Vikings eliminated last night after their loss to Bawlmer, the Bears' season finale in Minnesota will probably resemble the final pre-season game with the starters playing about 1 quarter and everyone else playing the rest of the game. Except, maybe for Rex Grossman: I expect he'll play the entire first half.

As for the Packers, Noah Herron the Ball-Carrier got his first NFL touchdown--he went to My Better Two-Thirds's alma mater, don'tcha know. Brett played okay, but he still gave up a handful of interceptions to a really good pass defense. It would be sad to see #4 go out after a season like this one. I expect he'll come back next year to play with the Real Packers rather than the conglomeration of NFL Europe players he has around him now.

Nothing Says Merry Christmas

Like a Wookiee.

A Wookiee singing Silent Night.

Nice!
For a brief while, anyway.

(found it at Ace's)

Patriot Act Extension Blocked in Senate

Sleeper Cells, Big Media Rejoice

From FoxNews.com:

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Friday blocked a vote to reauthorize 16 expiring provisions of the controversial USA Patriot Act.

So much for any kind dot connecting between agencies. So much for tearing down the wall between intel and law enforcement.

According to the FoxNews.com story, Senator Vegas wants the Senate to 'take their time now to make the law right.'

And while the rest of Big Media spins this as a defeat for Bush, I can't help wonder who they think would be most hurt by another terrorist attack on this country. Apparently the newsies think they'll get a pass.

From Reuters:

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators, demanding increased protection of civil liberties, defied President George W. Bush on Friday and blocked legislation to renew the USA Patriot Act, a centerpiece of his war on terrorism.
(emphasis mine)

Apparently the rest of us aren't in a war. That's a relief because I was really sure the Islamists wanted us all dead.

VI Day!

(And no, I don't mean the text editor.)

Smash has a roundup of Big Media headlines contrasted with what it might have been had it been the newspapermen of 60 years ago writing them. The post also includes words attributed to Zarqawi in a letter to bin Laden. Read it here.

Should Zarqawi move to a new country to foment the violent overthrow of Western Civilization, we should follow him there. Give him no rest. Keep them on defense.

Failure in Iraq

Zarqawi's failure, that is.

Zarq's been called out in the town of Babil by one Jasim Hameed:

"I'm here at this early hour to challenge the terrorists who want to kill the democratic process in Iraq and I want to encourage the healthy people to vote”.

Pajamas Media has first hand accounts from all over Iraq. Take a look at the upperleft portion of the site for updates throughout the day.

The story didn't mention the nature of Mr. Hameed's disability. I haven't heard a word yet from international election watcher and miserable failure of a US President James Earl Carter. I suppose that if there is no chance for a dictatorial regime to win the day, he won't consider the election "fair".

UPDATE 1720 EST: Pajamas Media has a summary of coverage up now here. Sounds like it has been a good day.

UPDATE 2005-12-16 1533 EST: A photo of a couple of Iraqi hotties sportin' the purple finger look is up at MVRWC. Iraqi Hotties... there's a phrase I never thought I'd type. Yet there it is.

Memo to Dr. Dean

There were quite a few more American troops KIA in Viet Nam than the 25,000 he cited on a Texas radio show.

(Trying like mad to give him the benefit of the doubt)
Was he referring to a 'after some milestone' figure?

Or was it an attack of massive ignorance on his part?

Regarding his trotting out the "we support the troops" message after whining about his comments being taken "out of context", I have just one thing to say:

Nothing says "We support you!" like "You're doomed to fail."

Dean's going to complete the job of running the Democrat Party right off the rails.

Announcement

I will be posting from time to time over at The Potbelly Stove. The proprietor over there finds today's UN just as distasteful as I do... possibly even more!

Some of hbl's photography will begin to appear here as well.

More blogging next week... the moving truck is due to arrive at Stately Larson Manor shortly.

Merry Christmas, ACLU

This is the best thing ever! I missed Kevin McCollough when he left Chicago's WYLL, but can still read him at Crosswalk.

Here (via Michelle Malkin) is a great idea from Kevin:

We are excited to be launching the opportunity today...between now and Christmas we are asking you to send the ACLU direct "MerryChristmas" cards.

And we aren't talking about these generic "happy holiday" (meaning nothing) type of cards...

Go get as "Christmas" a Christmas card as you can find... something that says.. "Joy To The World", "For Unto Us A Child Is Born", but at least "Merry Christmas", put some of your own thoughts into it, sign it respectfully and zip it off in the mail...

Head on over to Kevin's blog to get the address for the card writing campaign.

And be nice! As it is written in the Bible, it will be like heaping ashes on their heads... far more than any snotty comment one could conceive.

UPDATE: Perhaps they will reciprocate with a "Blandly Inoffensive, Politically Correct, Generic Seasonal Greeting" card of their own. Or not. I won't hold my breath.
(Adapted from a comment I left at Myopic Zeal)

Hugh On Those Who Oppose a Fence

Hugh Hewitt:

It might be difficult to, say, build a border long fence and the roads to patrol it (not as difficult as the construction of the interstate highway system, though). And it might strain relations with Mexico.

As if the hoard of illegals marching into this country and sending cash back to Mexico doesn't strain the relationship already? What are the Mexicans going to do? Tell us we can't get Mexican vanilla anymore? Tell us we can't send our twentysomethings to Cancun to get puking sick anymore? A tequila embargo?

Okay. The tequila embargo would be very, very hard. I may start stocking up now.

To read what Hugh was reacting to, see his post here.

Soldiers' Question Blog

I found this in the comments over at Aubrey's place:
http://www.askthesoldiers.blogspot.com/

There were no questions yet as of this writing, so go ahead and ask them at askthesoldier@yahoo.com.

UPDATE: Here's my question answered. It is good to hear that our soldiers and Marines get what is sent.

Islamism in Denmark

Overheard on a playground at a school in Denmark:

I will kill my classmates, if Allah says so. I will also kill my dad, if Allah thinks, I have to do it. When she asked where such views stem from, the boys said that they had learnt it in koranic schools

The Viking Observer has the full report. I don't think the Danes are ready for this kind of thing.

A Shift in the Ecosystem

There was a movie entitled The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain. I remember thinking "I guess I know what that one's about." (Same feeling I got when Saw came out, as I recall.) The movie was a testament to a Welsh town's determination to have a friggin' mountain and not just a hill.

The other night I went to bed a marsupial in TTLB's Ecosystem as I had for the last several nights. I had been thinking about adding a little picture of an oppossum--an American marsupial--above the TTLB script. Today I learn that I am now a Flappy Bird.

(GASP!)

What's weird is that N. Z. Bear's algorithm now counts more incoming links than before. Ah well. He's working on it, and as a lot of commenters here have pointed out, he does it for free.

Off to find a public domain pic of a quintessentially American bird. (But not a Bald Eagle, since I'm not bald, nor can I really say that I'm all that aquiline.)

SCO on the Hunter/Haworth Resolution

Only 3 Dems voted in favor of immediate withdrawal from Iraq--a la Murtha's statement.
Six voted the most cowardly way of all: Present.

Over at SCO, Doug has a very good wrap-up of the resolution.

Whoever Said It Had to Be One or the Other?

From Michelle Malkin, on the Padilla indictment:

I missed the press conference and would like to know more about the decision to indict. I thought this administration was supposed to be fighting the old Clinton/Kerry law enforcement approach to fighting terror.

Relax, Michelle. I think the Bush Administration really can walk and chew gum at the same time, despite the Big Media stereotype of the President.

Beth Takes Us All to the Internet Woodshed

Beth writes a tour de force on the use and misuse of the apostrophe. I think E. B. White would approve.

Highly Recommended.

Bill Frist: Worst. Leader. Ever.

Hugh Hewitt shows that the disgust of the base against the GOP Senate, er, "leadership" (for lack of a better word) is taking its toll on RNSC fundraising efforts. The Democrat equivalent (chaired by Chuck Schumer) has more than a 2:1 advantage in cash on hand.

Given that the Democrats haven't done well in fundraising across the board, it is as sure a sign as any that Bill Frist's tenure as "Majority Leader" is teh suck.

No End But Victory

No End But Victory is the name of a new blog by Josh Treviño. It takes a look at the present war in terms of these timely categories:

America
Defeatists
Iraq
Terrorism
War

To the camp of the Defeatists you can add every Senator that voted in favor of quarterly progress reports as a steppingstone to a timetable for withdrawal. That Bill Frist would vote in favor is somewhat surprising only in that he isn't running for re-election. I would hope he doesn't have any delusions of Presidential grandeur, since it is very clear that he lacks both moral courage and the fortitude to wage the present war.

Here are the Nay votes on the Warner bill:
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Byrd (D-WV)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Conrad (D-ND)
DeMint (R-SC)
Graham (R-SC)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Leahy (D-VT)
McCain (R-AZ)
Sessions (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)

Presumably the D's voted No because they wanted the even MORE defeatist version that spelled out for al-Qaeda precisely when they could launch their attack on the nascent Iraqi Democracy. As for the Republicans who voted YES, let's just say that I can't wait for the next NSRC fundraising letter to come...

(Hat tip to Hugh Hewitt for the heads-up)

"Århus teens on the warpath again"

Is the headline of a story in the Copenhagen Post today. More windows smashed and a group of teens attempted to set a store on fire. A nineten year old was arrested.

I fear the Danes may not be concerned enough:

"City officials reacted to the original disturbances by entering into a dialogue involving the young people and their parents, social workers, the police, teachers, and housing association members."

Smells like an invitation to future violence. Worse, Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen called the series of events "pranks". Attempted arson?

It doesn't bode well.

The Lies That Led to the Antiwar Movement

Max Boot in the LA Times:

So much for the lies that led to war. What we're left with is the lies that led to the antiwar movement. Good thing for Wilson and his pals that deceiving the press and the public isn't a crime.

Yes, really, the LA Times. Read the whole thing wherein they detail the real liar in the Plame Name Blame Game: Joe Wilson himself.

(Hat tip: Rantburg)

UPDATE: Norman Podhoretz weighs in at Commentary Magazine. Some good quotes here.
(Another tip of the hat to Rantburg)

Orson Scott Card on Realism in Foreign Policy

Orson Scott Card has some great points in this article. This one, in particular, caught my eye:

"I know from experience that what passes for political thought in America today is largely at the level of first-year high school debaters. Instead of listening to ideas and measuring them, most people seem to be looking for anything that resembles a contradiction, whereupon they pounce."

As I've pointed out in a number of comment threads, pointing one's finger and stating "hypocrite!" is not an argument. (And you always have to look at the three fingers pointing back at yourself.) I haven't stumbled across anyone hopping up and down about any perceived self-contradiction in OSC's article, but he apparently fully expects it.

The bulk of the article rips Brent Scowcroft a new orifice for his carping about the War on Terrorism. Here's my other favorite quote: "[I]t is not 'peace' to postpone a war, or 'statesmanship' to end a war under such terms as to generate the next one."

Check it out.

"Granny Brigade" on the Border

Heard about this on Laura Ingraham this morning. (Hat tip to Rantburg for the link.) It's good to see people participating in the defense of the country on a grassroots level.

Can we get the National Guard down there to help? And if we can't afford that, every state should give back some pork (*cough*Alaska*cough*) to Get Er Done.

Warriorsvoice?

I clicked on Warriorsvoice and Blogger says "Beats me." Did I miss something in the last couple of days? Or was it unceremoniously yanked?

Here We Are

A photo of My Honey and me behind our wedding cake.

The cake is a spicecake from Custom Cake Design, Gaithersburg, MD.
Flowers by Kentlands Flowers and Bows.
Dress by Casablanca, from P. Lawrence.
Tuxedo by After Hours Formalwear.
Photo courtesy of our friend Bruce.

A Different Perspective

Was watching a show yesterday on Discovery Channel that had robotic recreations of dinosaurs duke it out. After the ankylosaur tail simulator smashed into a side of pork, My Honey declared "You just like to watch machines smash meat, don't you?"

I never thought of it that way before, but I guess I do.

The tail also smashed through a pretty sturdy timber. The scientists took that as an indication that the ankylosaurus could have smashed the lower leg bone of a large predator. For the predator's part, they showed the robotic jaws chew up a Mini Cooper, indicating that the actual dinosaur could have eaten through the ankylosaurus's bony armor... but only if it could get close enough.

I missed out on the tail vs. the (thawed) turkey simulation (apparently velociraptors were a little smaller than shown in Jurassic Park). Anyone know how that one came out? I'm betting on "turkey went flying".

Riots in Denmark

No, it is not a joke. The town of Århus has been the site of rioting the likes of which Denmark hasn't seen in years. Check out the Viking Observer for the details. Here's something to get you started:

Rosenhøj Mall has several nights in a row been the scene of the worst riots in Århus for years. "This area belongs to us", the youths proclaim.

(Hat Tip: Rantburg)

Do the Danes have it in them to crack some skulls? Deport the troublemakers? Here's a Copenhagen Post story that suggests they are working on it. "A government committee is preparing a report on how to improve Denmark's response to terror, which is to be presented on Thursday. The study comes after seven people have been arrested on suspicion of planning a terror act."

Here's a story from another paper: Zero Tolerance for Århus rioters. "The Mayor of Århus Louise Gade dismissed the concerns of experts and said that a hard-line must be taken with these troublemakers so ordinary law-abiding citizens could feel safe in their homes." She seems to get it. (Hat tip: Fjordman)

Here's a Copenhagen Post story on youths arrested last week for fomenting terrorist activity in Denmark: All went to the same mosque. And at least one mom maintained the kind of denial that only a parent can:

'The mother said her son had lately become more and more frustrated and angry towards Danish society, which he criticised harshly. Even if he sometimes sounded like he could go to extremes, his mother is certain that he would never had carried any of it out - and mothers can usually tell the difference between their children's words and deeds,' - Abu Laban, leader of the mosque in question.

Hugh is in the Blog Polling Game Now

Now that Patrick Ruffini has stepped away from his blog, the blog polling masta is now Hugh Hewitt.

His first poll, on the Alito nomination, is here.

And some folks from Democrat Underground actually showed up to vote. Shocker: they skew mostly negative. Go figure.

Speaking for the Great State of Maryland...

I support the Fiscal Watch Team Offset Package.

Unfortunately, I don't see our mediocre Senators doing the same. But I'll ring 'em up anyway.

(See also: Porkbusters)

Plame Name Blame Game... part 341,504

And the winner is...!

Some guy named Scooter? (photo, right, is the best I can do since I wouldn't know I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby if he stepped on my foot on the Metro.)

He's affiliated with Cheney, and it is said that CIA lifers have a bug up their tail about the VP going back 20 years or maybe more.

This isn't the end. With the blood of the VP's chief of staff in the water, the Dems are only going to want to get their hooks into Cheney that much more. And then the President. (And that's what this has been about every since the Clinton was impeached. Bank on it.)

So who did noted paleocon Novak get the name from? Was it Scooter? Someone else?
Was Joe Wilson [pictured above with his lovely wife] questioned before the Grand Jury? I'll bet that would make for some interesting times.

The take away message here is: never agree to talk to the grand jury. If they want to take you, they'll find a way to take you... even if it had nothing to do with the original theory of the investigation.

(And if only poor Scooter had been talking about sex... ah well... lawyer up.)
(Wilson photo source: Vanity Fair via Michelle Malkin, if memory serves)
(The Muppet photo I found here; I disagree that the Swedish Chef was among the worst Muppets ever, however.)

UPDATE: Power Line's Paul Mirengoff predicts no further indictments. That would really tick off the Rove haters... but it wouldn't end anything.

UPDATE II: I did find the Vanity Fair pic at Michelle Malkin. Here's the link to her story.

UPDATE III: Monday, 31 October: "I feel sorry for Libby, whose life is ruined even if he beats the wrap. But after him, the Libs are the big losers. They sent Patrick Fitzgerald out to hunt for bear, but all he bagged was a squirrel." -- Jack Kelly. Read the whole thing.

UPDATE IV: The base is fired up about Samuel Alito for SCOTUS. Bush is The Grinch That Stole Fitzmas.

Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks's body will reportedly lie in state in either the Lincoln Memorial or the Capitol. Det News shows both to be the case.

I wonder if she could have imagined while refusing to give up her seat on the bus that decades later she would be honored in the same manner as deceased government officials.

Rest in peace, Mrs. Parks.

Live from Southern Command in Melbourne, FL

Kory's back in the Lounge.

Perhaps her nom de Rantburg will become Beach Blondie rather than Desert Blondie?

Sweep!

Congratulations to the White Sox, particularly to Chairman Reinsdorf who had said while the Bulls were winning that he'd be willing to trade some of those basketball rings for a World Series ring. Now he's got one.

Congratulations to Jermaine Dye, World Series MVP. He had the highest World Series batting average at .438 in White Sox history.

Congratulations to Kenny Williams for assembling the team and to Ozzie Guillen for managing it. Wire to wire in first place doesn't happen by accident.

Congratulations to the Astros for making it. Watching them in this series I was reminded of the Sox, the last time they made it to the playoffs against the Mariners: otherwise reliable hitters popped the ball up or grounded out. Something tells me Houston won't have to wait 46 years to go back, especially if they maintain that pitching staff.

Now I need to find a new hat. Maybe a T-shirt. Or two.

(See also: "Mold Remediation...")

Al-Qaeda in Iraq Fails Again: Constitution Ratified

Twelve members of the Kurdish peshmurga in Sulaimaniyah were killed by a car bomb.

Nonetheless, the Constitution of Iraq passed muster with 78% voting in favor. A few predominantly Sunni provinces voted against it. (Not a twitch from the Suprise-o-meter.)

"It's a landmark day in the history of Iraq," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said. "We congratulate the Iraqi people. ... The political process is continuing to move forward in Iraq, and it is an encouraging sign to see more and more people participating in the process."

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Iraqis "have shown again their determination to defy the terrorists and take part in the democratic process." Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini also welcomed the results, saying Italy would keep supporting the political process in the country.
(Source: Fox News)

Zarq's organization fails again.

Common Cause With Terrorists

Warriorjason has this pic up at warriorsvoice. It is crystal clear to our soldiers in the field that to lobby for withdrawal from (e.g. defeat in) Iraq is to make common cause with the terrorist enemy. It bolsters the resolve of the enemy while eroding the will of the people in this country, bit by bit.

The little cardboard sign now reads "Liberals & news media, THANKS for your support! Together we can defeat the American infidels."

Note to the hard Left: you are counted among the infidels, too, lest you should forget. They would like you every bit as dead as anyone else in America.

Click the image for Jason's take.

Meanwhile the hard Left in the United States is awaiting the 2000th serviceman to be killed in action with all the solemnity usual reserved for a supermarket's 1 Millionth Customer. Here's a site where you can find a gathering of Leftwing ghouls near you. (via Rantburg and Little Green Footballs)

It is a sad thing to lose your young men and women in combat, but it is a thoroughly disgusting thing to rally behind the bodies of the fallen as evidence that the war should end immediately. Should that occur, every one of the fallen would have died in vain.

Mold Remediation...

...on my jacket and my trusty White Sox hat. They had been in the trunk of my car since I didn't really need the jacket at this point, and the hat was somewhat hidden. With all the rain we got starting the day of our wedding, the conditions in the trunk must have become wonderful for mold growth. After a week away I opened the trunk and there was both WTF? and OMG!

Sadly the hat was a loss, but then it didn't quite fit anymore. (I was a 7-1/4 when I bought it back in the early Nineties as they switched to the current logo.) [You're a crawly amphibian... your head couldn't have swollen from that -- Ed.] It will give me an excuse to get a new one. (Hopefully no one will think of me here in Maryland as a Johnny-Come-Lately front runner!)

The jacket, however, was a rather pricey item from The North Face. I've heard borax works, so I'm trying Clorox II right now.

Any other thoughts?

New Milblog Added to Blogroll

I found warriorsvoice linked at Beth's place and thought I'd add it to the blogroll here, too.

Whenever Big Media reports on something going on in Ramadi, I'm going to crosscheck it at warriorsvoice, since he is there.

The first story regards Big Media's usual report that one of our airstrikes has killed "civilians". Sure, if you count a civilian as anyone who doesn't wear a uniform but still sets up IEDs to blow up our troops... that would cover them. Read Warriorjason's account here.

Air America Radio in DC...

...has no measurable listenership.

Air America, the liberal talk network carried on WWRC-AM (1260), went from bad to nonexistent. After WWRC recorded a mere fraction of a rating point in the spring with syndicated shows from the likes of lefty talkers Al Franken, Janeane Garofalo and Stephanie Miller, Arbitron couldn't detect a measurable listenership for the station this time around.

The signal had trouble dribbling across the Potomac into Northern Virginia, so no one there could hear it if they wanted to. And no one in the District apparently wants to.

(From the bottom of this article in the WashingPost. Via Hugh.)

Today Show Infobabe Attempts to Stage Stunt

It didn't work out so well for Michelle Kosinski on the scene in flooded New Jersey. There she was talking about the horrors of getting around by canoe when a couple of fellows in hip-waders walk right in front of her.

As Laura Ingraham says "Oopsie!"

New Busters has the pic and the video. Go check it out.

If you are going to get all huffy about someone staging an event, it is best not to get caught doing the same, yeah?

(via Darleen, and also Rush Limbaugh)

A Compilation of Quotes From Our Trip to Aruba

Wildlife
"Look! A pelican!"

"Crabs!" (a couple times... once for some sand crabs at night on the beach, the other for some other kind skittering around the rocks on De Palm Island.)

"Where did the iguanas go?"

Her: "Mourning doves? Here?"
Me: "They must smell the impatiens on you."
(An inside joke)


Hardship, Palm Beach, Aruba style
Her: "What time is it?"
Me: "I can't see... the palm tree is in the way."

"I banged it [my forehead] on the hut." (Did the hut survive the impact -- Ed.)

"Must be rush hour"
After 4 cars in a row passed on Irausquin Blvd as we were trying to cross the street


Other Fond Memories
[parrot at the Wyndham] "Cracker!"
Me: "I'm not a cracker. You're a cracker!"
[parrot] "Cracker!"
etc.

The iguana that seemed to have adopted a strict diet of maraschino cherries from the Tambu Bar.

Declaring our hut #15 to be our own private Umpapa Mau-Mau. Then coming back from a dip in the surf to find that I hadn't extended the boundary line far enough, I created the newly annexed land of West Umpapa Mau-Mau.

Me: "Good morning, Honey."
Her: "Good morning, Mooner."
After the T-Shirts we were awarded at the General Manager's cocktail party last Tuesday night. Oddly enough, we didn't see anyone wearing them.

Her: "She rubbed my hair. All the way to the ends!"
In reference to our dual hour-long massage at the Intermezzo Spa on De Palm Island. Should you find yourself in need of relaxation, seek out Adriana and Adriana from Intermezzo. They do good work.

Her: "Whoo... this [pina colada]'s strong."
Me: "I could get a cup and you could dump a little of the rum out, if you want."
Her: "It's the Caribbean... I want the rum."

The Aruba Aloe Guy
He would come around a couple times a day hawking sun care products from Aruba Aloe. One of his pitches ended with "And fellas, it is better than Viagra."

Wow.

Other than during 'Rain Delay Theater', I've never gotten to hear the "White Sox are the champions!" in my lifetime. After beating LAA 4 out of 5, and 4 in a row... with 4 complete games by the starters, at that, now I can.

Here's the Sox official site which shows the end of Fox TV's coverage of the game.

Considering they lost their last World Series appearance 46 years ago to LA (the Dodgers), maybe beating LA (Angels, in this case) is a sign that it really can be their year.

At any rate, what a great season. I'm glad all the talk of a late season collapse was premature.

ObWhiteSoxFanPessimism: It figures that it happens the year I move from Chicago. :) Did they sound the air raid sirens like in '59?

White Sox Solidarity: Bama Pachyderm has this quote as her thought for the day over at My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, 10/17:

"The Magic Number is none!"
Bill Veeck, September, 1959

(Go White Sox!)

You can put it on the board... YES!

We're Back

After a week in Aruba, I think I can best summarize my feelings by paraphrasing a cruise line's commercial: "I think of this as a temporary exile."

I'll post more about our stay at the Wyndham Aruba Resort, Spa and Casino later, but I'll summarize that by calling it "Adventures in Housekeeping." Note to the Wyndham: teach your staff the names of the various towels and the exact number that should go in each room every day. Don't get me wrong, we did enjoy the dozen or so washcloths we ended up with by week's end, but multiple washcloths don't readily equate to a handtowel.

Oh... and putting a honeymoon couple in a room with two beds was NOT amusing. Not even slightly. Thanks to them for moving us to the king room we had initially requested based solely on a phone call.

We'll definitely go back to Aruba again, but next time we'll probably try one of the Marriott properties.

D-2 Day

With our wedding 2 days away, my folks are on their way to Maryland by road. My soon-to-be inlaws will be arriving at DCA some time this afternoon, and at the hotel in the early evening.

LOML was a cleaning tornado last night, adding a bit of extra sparkle to a place that is always vastly tidier than my old joint in Chicago. She's at work now, keeping her mind off all the preparations and the myriad of things that could go wrong. (Delegation is a hard thing for her.)

Me? I'm entering this last blog entry for awhile.

Pray for us, if you would. I'll see y'all again October 17.

Two New Blogs in the Blogroll

I've linked to BizzyBlog and Stones Cry Out this morning. BizzyBlog can be thought of as the business section of the blogosphere. Stones Cry Out features news and commentary from a Christian point of view, and I occasionally comment there, as well has link back to them (and sometimes vice versa).

Harriet Miers for SCOTUS

I can't say as I've ever heard of her. Paul over at Power Line says that she never would have been picked if a) she wasn't a woman, and b) a Bush associate. John is cautiously optimistic that she is a Conservative. Time will tell.

Confirm Them has some posts already about Miers's judicial philosophy. She sounds like a person who will read the text of the Constitution without trying to find anything eminating from the penumbra.

Bench Memos has a great deal up already, including several from K-Lo. A reader of theirs posited this:

Don't worry, it's all just a Rovian strategy to pick someone who has little apparent qualifications so the Dems can spend all their capital attacking her. Eventually, Bush will give up and she won't be confirmed. Then, he announces his TRUE pick, and the public runs out of patience for the dems trying to defeat two in a row. Eh? Eh?

I doubt it. Bush is loyal to a fault. He wouldn't gratuitously hang someone out to dry.

How about this, which goes toward the Bush cronyism angle: "She was National Co-Chairman of Lawyers for Bush-Cheney in 2000 and helped manage the Bush v. Gore litigation effort." Confirm Them's Krempasky sounds underwhelmed, but it could become a rallying point for the loony left nonetheless. "Who's next?" they will cry out "Ken Starr?!" (Sounds good to me. Or Bork. -- Ed.)

I was hoping for McConnell, if for no other reason than to stick it to everyone who said it just had to be a woman replacing O'Connor. He's also supposed to be a good First Amendment guy, who would be just the kind of guy to help straighten out the previous Court's hash of church/state decisions.

Hugh's Bummed

Hugh is bummed. The White Sox swept the Indians at the Jake to eliminate them from the playoffs.

I'm a little bummed, too. After the great first half that the White Sox had, and the great second half of the season that the Tribe had, I really wanted both to make it to the playoffs.

I don't know if the Indians ran out of gas, or if the pressure got to them. Maybe both. Maybe neither. Whatever it was, the playoffs will be a little less fun without CWS's division rivals.

Gloria Wise No Longer Associated with Boys and Girls Club of America

Checking the Boys and Girls Club of America site for Gloria Wise shows that it was listed as recently as Sep 22, 2005 05:17:16 GMT, but checking that same link today does not show it.

I've not found a news story yet that announced the severance of ties to the Gloria Wise organization, but it had been talked about a month ago [NYSun now requires registration] that the BGCA would take a vote on the matter.

UPDATE (2005-09-30 1600): The New York Post had the story on 9/21.
(Hat tip: the 'coast watchers' at Free Republic)

WHAT-AM (Philadelphia) Drops Franken, Rhodes

Spotted over at Michelle Malkin. I'm posting the excerpt in its entirety since the link requires registration.

Al Franken and Randi Rhodes are getting the boot from Philadelphia airwaves, as WHAT-AM (1340) is pulling off programming from Air America, the liberal talk-radio network.

Friday will be the last day, and a new WHAT lineup will begin Monday, said general manager Kernie Anderson, adding that "things were not working out" with Air America after about a year.

WHAT aired Air America's programming from noon to 7 p.m. weekdays, sandwiched between the rest of its lineup. The juxtaposition of liberal talk and WHAT's African America-targeted talk programming seemed an odd fit from the start.

Ratings were abysmal.

I wonder if they'll put more local programming on in their places, or just turn off the transmitter for a few hours. Perhaps another station in blue, blue Philadelphia will pick them up.

The Malkin story also notes that Franken's partner is dropping him to go write a book about her move to New York. I can't say I blame her. I've listened a bit to Randi Rhodes. While I find her tedious, she is at least a radio pro. Listening to Franken was pure torture. I can't imagine doing it for a couple hours a day, every day.

(See also: The Radio Equalizer)

What a Wonderful World

I was looking over Kate's Small Dead Animals and found this post:

I want a public service where the Highways Minister is prohibited from flying, where the Health Minister can only access medical care under an assumed name, the Education Minister must face a class of 15 year olds 2 weeks a year as a substitute teacher, and the Justice Minister has at least two released violent young offenders placed into his personal guardianship at all times.

There's more, too. Go forth and check it out.

I like the bit about the Education Minister. I suppose I'd just as soon not have a Secretary of Education here. I'm also glad that we don't have an exact analog to a Health Minister, since that would mean we'd have a full-on Government-provided, tax-payer extracted health care in this country.

As for our own... I'll have to think about it awhile. More later.

White Sox Clinch American League Central

Paul Konerko snared a hot linedrive that could have emptied the bases and tied the game in the bottom of the ninth for a White Sox winner.

Cleveland will play tonight and could draw within 3 games with 3 to go against the White Sox. Even if the Tribe were to win their last 4 games, the could do no better than a tie with the White Sox... and the White Sox have the better head-to-head record.

That's not to say that I wouldn't want to see the White Sox win at least 2 of the games in Cleveland. It wouldn't be wise to play it casually going into the post-season.

Blame America First? Not Here!

Governor Pataki of New York has kicked the "International Freedom Center" out of the World Trade Center site. The AP's slant is that the governor was "[b]owing to pressure from Sept. 11 families." I think the outrage extended far wider than just the immediate families.

Governor Pataki's own words on the matter, courtesy of Take Back the Memorial:

I view that memorial site as sacred grounds, akin to the beaches of Normandy or Pearl Harbor, and we will not tolerate anything on that site that denigrates America, denigrates New York or freedom, or denigrates the sacrifice or courage that the heroes showed on Sept. 11.

I don't sense a lot of arm twisting behind a statement like that.

Governor Pataki's words are in accord with the majority of Americans and certainly a big majority of New Yorkers. Cox and Forkum had a cartoon that illustrated that position very well. "Come along Sweetie... That's not why we're here."

(See also C&F's June 9th cartoon, which nailed the moral equivalence angle.)

Another Stem Cell Breakthrough

Doug over at Stones Cry Out has brought word of another breakthrough using stem cells:

In an apparent major breakthrough, scientists in Korea report using umbilical cord blood stem cells to restore feeling and mobility to a spinal-cord injury patient.

I join Doug in calling out Non Reagan and John "Silky Pony" Edwards to futher publicize this exciting development.

Go read Doug's post here. Then follow the link to the story.

Would-Be Subway Bombers Arrested in... France?

I found this story about would-be Paris Metro boomers over at Power Line. A line at the bottom of the story reads "Early reports indicate that the bombers were motivated by France's support for the U.S. war effort in Iraq."

Was John Hinderaker typing that with his tongue firmly in cheek?

Air America Radio Mimics NPR

And not just in the left to hard-left slant of the topics. No, they're effectively having a fundraising drive.

Thanks to Brian @ Radio Equalizer for bringing this one out for those of us who can't actually hear AAR.

Protesting the Anti-War Protestors

Every Friday Code Pink would show up outside Walter Reed Army Medical Center to jeer wounded soldiers and their families. Then the DC Chapter of Free Republic started showing up on an opposite corner to rally in favor of our troops and their mission. Last night there were far more people rallying in favor of the war than against it.

A gentleman from Chicago traveled to DC to take pictures of pro-War rally that will take place there on Sunday. You can find his pictures (of which the one above is an example) here; they include several of the Walter Reed counter-protest.

(Hat tip: Power Line)
(See also: this post)
(See also: The Carnival of Trackback Love over at MY Right Wing Conspiracy)

More: Protest Warrior was on the scene. Brendan Steinhauser is the Washington leader of Protest Warrior. This is his blog discussing the weekend's festivities. He expresses a bit of frustration with the lack of protest experience on the part of the Right. I guess I don't blame him. I could have come back a day earlier to DC in order to participate on Sunday... but I didn't. Had to pack.

Facts About Maryland: "BLIEVE, HON"

When you walk around Baltimore City ("Bawlmer, hon"), you see it everywhere: BELIEVE. White letters on a black background. "Huh," I thought. But I didn't pay it too much mind until I saw the first parody bumper sticker "Blieve, Hon".

Okay so it is ubiquitous and now people are putting their own spin on it. What is it?

It turns out that it is "an advertising, community-centered campaign aimed at reducing drug trafficking, drug violence, and drug use in the City." Sounds good. It could also have a beneficial effect for the homeless in the city, of which there seem to be hundreds in the Inner Harbor/convention center area alone. Not everyone is convinced it will work. Left-wing nuts over at the Baltimore Chronicle and Sentinel blame Bush, naturally. Whatever...

So what about the variants? Besides "BLIEVE, HON" there are also "BEHAVE" and "BEEHIVE", "BE EVIL" (said to be a favorite of John Waters) and "BE VILE".

The same magazine article mentioned green and white "Bertha's Mussel's" stickers, but oddly, I don't recall seeing a single one of those. Maybe next time.

Rita Hits Land

It happened in the middle of the night. Once again it is poor Louisiana that got it first. (New Orleans was already flooded yesterday thanks to a failure of one or another levee.)

If you haven't already today, check out Michelle Malkin, who has links to some photoblogging in Houston, and other storm watcher blogs.

New Additions to the Blog Roll

I've added Beth's "MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy" over in the Cotillion Ball area (even if it doesn't work as well as I'd like with Firefox. Perhaps I'll just go there using IE.)

I've also added Hugh Hewitt's new group blog "One True God." Check out this line up of bloggers:
Albert Mohler
John Mark Reynolds
Mark D. Roberts
Amy Welborn
David Allen White

Wowza... The first topic is about demons and there's already more there than I could readily read in one sitting. (ADHD? -- Ed.) I'll be checking back there frequently.

UPDATE: 2005-09-24 1000 CDT: I finished the posts on the topic of demons just in time to catch Hugh's second question regarding suffering.

The Sultan of Umpapa Mau-Mau

LOML thought John O'Hurley's and Charlotte Whatever-her-name-was's waltz was a little flat. Not knowing anything about the waltz myself, I couldn't say as I could say. Looked fine to me, I guess. (I'll get to learn my own this Monday, courtesy of The Wedding Dance Specialists.)

Be that as it may, John and Charlotte have won the Dancing with the Stars Dance-Off. Coming on the heels of the revelation that Tyra Banks's breasts are indeed real, I think the nation can breathe a sigh of relief. (Hat tip: Michael Medved Show, Rantburg)

Well, except for Hurricane Rita about to smash into Texas.

Other than that, though...

Perspective: Deadliest Hurricane Ever

I found this over on Yahoo! news this morning. I doubt it'll be mentioned anywhere in the Big Media, where Hurricane Katrina will continue to be framed as a) the worst ever, and b) All Bush's Fault.

The deadliest hurricane in US history hit Galveston in 1900. The storm surge swamped the entirety of Galveston Island. In the end, there were between 8000 and 12000 people killed.

Erik Larson, author of the recent Devil in the White City (and no relation to yr hmbl srvnt) also wrote a book about it called Isaac's Storm.

Here's more on the Galveston hurricane of 1900. There's a 16 foot high seawall there now as a reminder. To the people who feel they will wait it out "as usual", please reconsider! There is nothing "as usual" about a storm as huge as Rita. If you are anywhere from Galveston to Houston to Corpus Christi, why not head inland for the weekend?

The Latest From Mississippi

The link is to a southern Mississippi television station. It has some news on the progress and the needs for aid there. Harrison County, in particular, needs volunteers to keep the relief effort going (Harrison's county seat is Gulfport). If you are in the area call (228) 832-6653 to volunteer.

Bill Clinton Talks a Big Game

Now that he's out of office, Bill Clinton sure has been talking a big game about what he would have done. Sometimes he even phrases it as if he had actually done it. Such was the case with his recent Sunday Show blitz. (Side note: Did you notice how he has not missed a chance to throw in everyone's face just how rich he is now? He did it again and again on Sunday, talking about cuts to his tax bracket. Note to Bill--and everyone else who feels grossly UNDERtaxed: Leave a tip this year or quit your damned whining about it!)

At any rate, from North of the Border comes Trodwell with a round-up of Bill Clinton's statements from the time he was president. Check out Bill Clinton: Big Mouth, Short Memory. Gotta love the Blogosphere for jogging the ol' memory.

John Hinderaker from Power Line takes a look here.

What's German for 'Florida'?

The guys at Power Line have been watching the polls in Germany. It sounds like at various times either the Social Democrats (Schroeder's party) or the Christian Democrats (Frau Merkel's party) have gained the upper hand. At one point both leaders vowed to build a ruling coalition.

At the time of this post at Davids Medienkritik, it looks like the combination of CDU and CSU votes would be enough to shade the SPD. Barely. But, points out David:

The number of seats for each party is not exactly proportionate to the percentage distribution of votes because of some intricacies of the German election law ("Überhangmandate"). Also, while the SPD is 3 seats short of the CDU/CSU seats (225), there can still be changes due to a by-election to be held in Dresden on October 2, 2005.

Will one or the other throw a Gorian temper tantrum and take it to the courts? Is that even allowed in Germany?

Arrr....

It be getting close to National Talk Like a Pirate Day.

What be a pirate's favorite state?
(Get ye to the comments to see the answer.)

--Black Jack Cash

Larsonian Institution Calls for Immediate Withdrawal

By unanimous vote, the Board of Regents of the Larsonian Institution resolves that

whereas the political system in Chicago is an utter quagmire, and
whereas they have been known to rubber stamp anything that hizzonner da mayor requests, and
whereas they have been known to make really goofy, non-binding resolutions such as making Chicago a Nuclear Free Zone, in the past,

the Chicago City Council shall be dissolved forthwith, that all of its members go home by the most expeditious fashion, and never to be seen in public again.

Heck... it makes about as much sense as their dopey resolution for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq. 29 to 9 that thing passed. Somehow I expect that all 38 of those voting will claim to "support the troops".

Katrina Relief From an Unexpected Place

Near the bottom of this Michelle Malkin post) I found this bit of news on Katrina Relief:

Iraqi soldiers serving at Taji military base collected 1,000,000 Iraqi dinars for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Iraqi Col. Abbas Fadhil, Iraqi base commander, presented the money to U.S. Col. Paul D. Linkenhoker, Taji Coalition base commander, at a Sept. 5 staff meeting.

"We are all brothers. When one suffers tragedy, we all suffer their pain."
Iraqi Col. Abbas Fadhil.

The amount of money is small in American dollars - roughly $680 - but it represents a huge act of compassion from Iraqi soldiers to their American counterparts, said U.S. Army Maj. Michael Goyne.

Thank you.

They should set that aside and see if the new Iraqi dinar doesn't go up in value over the course of the next few years. If COL Fadhil's efforts are any indication, it should go up considerably.

Michelle's not the only one who is left scratching her head about all the "My People" talk, by the way. Check out Ith over at Absinthe and Cookies, too. (via The Cotillion)

Katrina Help WIKI

Hugh Hewitt mentioned it and I'll put it here, too, on the off-hand chance that you read here but not there. (A small population, to be sure--Ed.)

The Katrina Help WIKI.

If you've been seeing 'stories' that seem a little extreme, even to the point of unbelievability, take note and help out Hugh with your examples here.

Meanwhile, in Mississippi...

...the people need help, too.

Here's a link from the Oglethorpe County News, regarding items needed for the relief effort in Pascagoula.

If you would rather give cash, here's the address:
New Town Baptist Church
3969 Paoli Road
Carlton, Ga. 30627

Air America Radio Blog Roundup

Doug from Stones Cry Out makes an interesting comparison between the Salem Radio Network. Salem is the home of Hewitt, Medved, Prager and Bill Bennett:

Bill Bennett's "Morning in America" radio show started at the same time as Franken's did. At the one-year mark, Bennett's show was broadcast in 116 markets (including 18 of the top 20) while Franken was heard in only 50.

Meanwhile, Air America Radio has pushed the money that had been transferred to them from the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club into an escrow account: $875,000. (And I didn't think AAR had that kind of scratch.) However, it appears that account is controlled not by the New York City Department of Investigation, but rather by... Air America Radio's parent company. (What are they called this month?--Ed.)

Michelle Malkin's got the story, along with a press release from DOI.

Brian Maloney brings to the table the nature of the account and what New York law says about that kind of account in a piece updated particularly early in the morning.

Tom Blumer examines how AAR can grind through dollars and still survive over at BizzyBlog. Tom points to an article from Professor Bainbridge last month in which a commenter suggests that Multicultural Radio (owner of Air America's FORMER Chicago affiliate) take the owners of Air America Radio into Federal Bankruptcy Court in a petition for Involuntary Bankruptcy.

On Big Media's Wishful Thinking

Hugh Hewitt asked "And why can't American newspapers carry writing like this?" He amends that to note that the ones that carry Mark Steyn do... but the rest generally don't. (I'll put in that Lileks is pretty darned good, too.)

The piece in question really nails the Big Media folks whose sole interest is in trumpeting that "This" will finally be "The Thing" that topples the Bush Administration. It doesn't matter what "This" is. In the last couple of weeks it has been the hurricane that smashed the Gulf Coast. Prior to that it was the mother of slain soldier Casey Sheehan. Prior to that... actually without Google, I don't even remember what the last Great Hope of the Big Media was.

A blog by the name of Slugger O' Toole has gained permission from the columnist to reprint his piece in full. Go there and read "Ill wind may not blow to the Whitehouse" by Newton Emerson. In fact, bookmark it for the occasion of Big Media's next Great Hope.

Beth is Back

Read it at the Cotillion: Beth is back home in Alabama and the power is on.

OK, here’s the deal. We left Sunday and stayed in Birmingham, but since the power’s been out here we stayed longer than I had originally planned. We only came back today to check on the cats and refill the food and water, and we were going to move to Fort Walton Beach for however long it took for the electricity to come back on here (since it’s a lot closer than B’ham).

The rest of her story is here.

Welcome back, Beth.

Survival of New Orleans blog

I got this link via the WWA's Infeed/Outfeed forum.

Thanks, Ned.

U-2 Photographs the Devastated Area

A U-2 surveillance aircraft was dispatched from Beale AFB in California to survey the devastation. "The Optical Bar Camera, or film-based imagery equipment used, is ideal for photographing very large areas with high resolution. In a six-hour mission, a U-2 employing the OBC can collect imagery over 90,000 square nautical miles." (Black Anthem military news)

I don't know if I want to see the photos.

Technorati Tags: Hurricane Katrina

Don't Forget About Mississippi

A word from one of Mississippi's favorite sons, Brett Favre.

Perhaps I'll take a trip up to Madison tomorrow before I hit the road for Washington on Saturday.

Technorati tags: Hurricane Katrina

A Pause in the Blog-a-Thon for a Word from...

Foamy the Squirrel.

WARNING: Not safe for work. Not safe for anyone with a low tolerance for profanity. Not the sort of thing a good Christian should be sharing, but I can't help it, because beneath the profanity, I agree with the message.

Here's the link. Click on the Hurricane Report live from Louisiana.

(hat tip: Rantburg)

Feed the Children

Feed the Children pledges 91 cents of every incoming dollar to services. Two percent goes toward management and supporting services, and 7 percent goes toward fund raising appeals.

(None of those 7 cents are coming my way, I should add. I'm doing this because the group is well positioned to get relief aid down to the hurricane-battered states of the Gulf coast right now.)

You can see Feed the Children's Financial Accountability page here. It includes their form 990, and their fully audited financials as well.

Please give generously. The people of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana will be counting on it during the months ahead.

Technorati tags: flood aid, Hurricane Katrina

Feed the Children to Help Gulf States Relief

Feed the Children has a page set up regarding relief for victims of Hurricane Katrina. On that page is an audio clip from founder Larry Jones describing the relief effort. The clip is accompanied by pictures.

See it here.

The initial donations will be to help in the logistics, in particular fueling the trucks. More about Feed the Children tomorrow during the Blog-a-Thon.

Glenn Reynolds has got a clearinghouse of bloggers and their recommended charities here.

Here's N. Z. Bear's topic page.

Technorati tags: flood aid, Hurricane Katrina

Germany to Help in Katrina Relief?

Just heard via Laura Ingraham that Germany will assist in Hurricane Katrina relief. I haven't found a link yet, so this will be updated when I find confirmation.

UPDATE: 2005-8-30 2035 CDT: I haven't seen anything that confirms it. The closest I've seen is this lovely sentiment from one Joern Ehlers of WWF Germany:

[G]lobal warming had increased the intensity of hurricanes such as Katrina, but that it was unclear whether climate change had made them more common.

In general, ``natural catastrophes are more extreme and occur more often'' due to global warming, he said, noting that Germany had been struck with three severe floods in the past six years.

Though no conclusions can be drawn from a single event such as Katrina, that storm ``fits into the picture of modern climate researchers. It's a building block in the global warming theory.''

Aside from its tragic aftermath, Katrina might help people understand the urgency of global warming effects, Ehlers said. But do the Americans, infamous for consuming massive amounts of energy, have themselves to blame?

``I wouldn't go that far,'' Ehlers said. ``But it's a fact that the Americans have a big impact on the greenhouse effect.''

Ah, yes. Blame America First. Thanks a heap, Herr Ehlers. I guess that is the vaunted European Compassion coming to the surface. (The quote is from al-Guardian. See the story for an excerpt from a Jihadist cheering for the destruction.)

UPDATE II: 2005-09-01 1725 CDT: This link from Fox News lists the countries that have apparently offered help. Germany is, indeed, on the list.

UPDATE III: 2005-09-01 1726 CDT: Herr Ehlers is still a wanker and a Political Looter. (Hat tip to a Laura Ingraham caller this morning for the new term.)

Katrina lands

Weather.com reports that Katrina made landfall 2 hours ago south of Buras, Louisiana. Dry air slowed the top winds to 140 mph.

Biloxi, Mississippi appears to be in the crosshairs now.

There's a Hurricane Katrina Blog at USAToday. WDSU has one, too, and they broke the story that there is a tear in the Superdome roof. It's a little weird to look at the weather bug in the corner of WDSU's page and see the current weather is 80 degrees (F) with light rain at New Orleans airport.

Kate over at Small Dead Animals has a satellite photo putting the size of Katrina in perspective with New Orleans.

UPDATE: (from the above mentioned WDSU blog)

4 p.m.: East New Orleans Underwater
New video from a WDSU crew shows east New Orleans is underwater. Only the very tops of some cars can be seen, and on other streets, the water has risen past the second story of some homes. A man was seen wading through chest-deep water. He told the news crew that he was searching for injured or trapped people. -- WDSU.com Web Staff

I hope the would-be rescuer doesn't become a victim.

Breakthrough! Embryonic Stem Cells from... Skin Cells?

Harvard University researchers have apparently been able to derive embryonic stem cells from skin cells. This article doesn't really go into how. Being the WashingPost it is more interested in the political ramifications. Here's a bit:

The news that Harvard scientists have successfully converted human skin cells into embryonic stem cells -- without using a human egg or new embryo -- is likely to muddle the already complex debate over federal stem cell research policy.

(Hat tip: Laura Ingraham)

Isn't this great news, in general? Sen. Tom Coburn thinks so:

"All this is confirmation we will see breakthroughs without compromising ethical standards," said Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), a physician who has led opposition to embryonic stem cell research. "We're not going to have to go that way if we can just be patient and fund the basic science."

And it wouldn't be a WashingPost story without a snarky quote like this: "[For lawmakers] who want to appear to support embryonic stem cell research without alienating their conservative base, it gives them something they can vote for even if it continues to trade patient interests for political symbolism," said R. Alta Charo, a professor at the University of Wisconsin medical and law schools.

What are the great breakthroughs that have come from fetal stem cell research to date that anyone would be 'trading patient interests'? Did I miss the big breakthrough?

UPDATE: Here's an AP story story that explains a bit of what they did. Essentially fusing an adult skin cell with an existing stem cell--such as from the existing lines which researchers have available--"reprograms" it to its embryonic state. I'm sure that's not a perfect description, but that's what came from the article. Here's the money quote:

"If future experiments indicate that this reprogrammed state is retained after removing the embryonic stem cell DNA — currently a formidable technical hurdle — the hybrid cells could theoretically be used to produce embryonic stem cells lines that are tailored to individual patients without the need to create and destroy human embryos," said a summary of the research reported on the Science site.

Custom cells per patient. How cool would that be?

A succinct policy analysis can be found here courtesy of the Health Law Blog.

UPDATE II (2005-08-29 0800 CDT): Welcome to readers of Wizbang, the Stones Cry Out, Daddy Pundit and Two or Three. If anyone has information on how a stemcell extracted in this way could be engineered such that there is only the genetic information from the skin cell, please post.

Cindy is Ready For Her Close-up, Mr. DeMille

Sadly, Evan Coyne Maloney of Brain Terminal fame doesn't have the bandwidth to shoot video while his current film is in production. Lights Camera Protest has some photos of Cindy Sheehan's circus tent. Note the shot of her being attended by a makeup artist.
(ht: Power Line)

The proprietor of Lights Camera Protest is promising more photos through tonight into tomorrow. Check back frequently.

Code Pink Protesters Outside Walter Reed Army Med Center

Every Friday night, Code Pink war protesters gather outside Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. They bring, among other things, banners that say "Enlist Here Die for Halliburton" and flag-draped coffins.

You may not be surprised to learn that Code Pink believes they are helping the wounded soldiers. You may be further unsurprised that the wounded soldiers and their families aren't feeling the love.

The article is up on the front page at CNSNews.com, but their server is presently overloaded, courtesy of Laura Ingraham's show where I heard this outrage this morning. There is a video report available here if you can keep your blood pressure down.

The DC Chapter of Free Republic gathers on an opposite corner to counter-protest. Their homepage is here, and their experience from last Friday can be read here.

UPDATE: A question that I asked over at the Cotillion: Can some of the protections that have been applied to abortion providers be applied to Walter Reed? For instance, can the Code Pink for Peace idiotistas be kept a certain distance away?

UPDATE II: Cam Edwards has followed up on his site. Here's a fine post with lots of pix that I found via Gunn Nutt. Here's Gunn Nutt's post. (ht: Michelle Malkin)

Strange Bedfellows in Crawford, TX -- Part II

First David Duke sided with Cindy Sheehan's cause. Now, Neo-Nazis are on their way. Rantburger Atomic Conspiracy pointed out that the author of the announcement is an assistant to David Duke and a member of the organization "Stormfront".

Any takers on whether we'll get to see them on TV? I suspect if we do, the Big Media flak will do his utmost to disavow them. Nonetheless, there they are.

And they all can eat Ben and Jerry's ice cream while they are there, courtesy of founder Ben Cohen who's helping fund the Big Media circus.

(hat tip: Rantburg, LGF)

Ms. Sheehan Claims to Hear Voices Now

This article (ht: Rantburg) suggests that Cindy Sheehan may need some medication.

As Mrs. Davis put it on Rantburg, "She deserves to be ignored and left alone till she recovers."

New Michael Yon Dispatch

If you haven't already, go see Michael Yon's harrowing dispatch "Gates of Fire." Get well soon, LTC Kurilla.

Where Should the UN Go?

Take for a moment the statement "UN out of the US! US out of the UN!"

Where should it go? On Rantburg this morning, a commenter suggested Geneva. That would be far too easy for them, I think.

I vote instead to move them to Darfur. In that way the various UN functionaries can see first hand on the way to and from work just how useful the UN has become.

Scrappleface exclusive!

Normally I don't link to Scrappleface. Everyone already knows about it, and besides Scott's funnier than I am. However today I share with you this Scrappleface Exclusive: a leak of a draft letter from President Bush to Cindy Sheehan.

Good stuff, Scott. And it sounds pretty true to form, too.

Oh and while I'm at it, here's the story on Pat Robertson's fatwa.

Who Would Jesus Assassinate?

That is the question posed by Marvin Olasky at World Magazine. I won't leave you in suspense: the answer is 'no one'. The Bible offers no warrant for political assassination.

Here's a portion:

Mr. Robertson's comments also made the day of some Islamic groups. Under the press release heading "PAT ROBERTSON’S FATWA," the Muslim American Society went on offense, screaming that "someone should remind the darling of the Christian Right about the Ten Commandments. About the one that says 'thou shall not kill.' If that had been a Muslim cleric talking about killing a head of state, you would have never heard the end of it."

Two things:
1) As a person who considers himself part of the Christian Right, I can say that he's no darling of mine.
2) We are not hearing the end of it any time soon because Robertson once ran for President as a Republican. Therefore he is the piñata of the moment for Big Media who like to try to discredit any conservative based on the statements of any one of them.

When will it end? When Judge Roberts's confirmation hearings begin.

From the Comments at Small Dead Animals...

...comes the following:

this is all nice, but the fact remains that there is ample proof that the clinton white house actually issued terror alerts that directly resulted in the alert to the customs folks at port angles that stopped the millenium plot.

No proof was linked. I'm still inclined to believe that a Customs Agent did her job to the utmost when she noticed the twitchy behavior of the would-be bomber. No shame in that. The country could use dozens more just like her. (Perhaps retired police detectives?)

there is also direct proof that the state justice and defense dept people fromn clinton's watch warned the incoming bush team that terror attacks should be one of the main., if not the the main foriegn policy and law enforcement issue in the coming years.

If only there had been the usual, orderly transition from one administration to another in December 2000, rather than Al Gore's temper tantrum over the state of Florida.

Setting that aside, the world is still left to wonder what might have happened if Clinton had just taken custody of bin Laden when he had the chance.

Sorry: chances.

Or if he had responded to the USS Cole. Or the embassy bombings in Africa. Or backed up the military in Mogadishu when their Blackhawk went Down, rather than denying them further support.

We'll never know, but we can surmise that perhaps bin Laden wouldn't have taken the US as a paper tiger come 2001.

instead, even after being warned by the CIA,and several foriegn governments of immenent terror attacks "within the united states" bush stayed in crawford, doing nothing in the waining days of august 2001.

The President of the United States is never on vacation, whether it is GWB on his ranch in Crawford or Bill Clinton on the beach at Martha's Vineyard. I'm still a little puzzled as to what it is that Bush should have dropped everything to do? Brush up on his skills as a fighter pilot so that he, Super Bush, could have shot down all of the incoming aircraft?

as i recall,

Pardon me for standing back as you make the effort

ashkroft's responce to outgoing briefings o n the importance of stopping attacks by that ol meany osama bin laden was to reassign most of the FBI's top islamic terror experts to jobs outside their place of expertise, and put more money and effort into busting new orleans whore houses and bong manufacturers than into stopping 9/11...

Hindsight is always 20/20. If 'ashkroft' had marched into the flight schools and hauled the little jihadis out by their ears because he said he had evidence that these guys were plotting to destroy both towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon and the Capitol dome... what would you have said? Honestly... what would you have said? Probably that he'd been smoking something, or was some kind of jackbooted thug, assaulting the civil rights of Arabs wanting to learn not how to take off or land a commercial airliner, but only how to--you know--steer it.

but you little folks just keep yer little fantasies alive and never mind anything resembling fact...or adult perpective. sarge alsmosty thinks you kanukistani deserve yer own bush, but then i remeber theres all of like 12 of you morons, and the rest of yer people are quite smart and decent enough folks.

Is that what they call damning with faint praise when one considers the source?

(Source: Small Dead Animals "Humpty Gorelick Sat On A Wall")

Malkin and Maloney In Print

Michelle Malkin and Brian Maloney have an OpEd in the New York Post this morning.

It is largely a recounting of the story as we know it so far: the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club debacle; the lawsuit from Multicultural Radio against AAR's current ownership, Piquant LLC; the lawsuit of a former staffer and on-air talent for backpay. The latest episode centers around Air America founders Sheldon and Anita Drobny as they start yet another corporate entity called "Nova M".

Not much new to blog readers, but for the universe of people out there who don't read the blogs but do check in with the New York Post either in print or online, it will serve as a nice primer on the news that the NYT has not seen fit to print.

What if Air America Had Folded?

What if the Air America Radio network had folded immediately after the 2004 election? Would that have made it nothing but an in-kind donation to the Kerry campaign?

If They Must Sticker It...

--public school biology texts in Kansas, that is--here's an example I'd like to suggest that might hopefully keep everyone's respective undergarments from bunching:

"Evolution is not a comprehensive answer to the question of how life began. Indeed that is a separate subject. It is a description of how life diversified."

(adapted from the comments section below, since that post is about to slip off the front page.)

Things I Never Thought I'd Write

If I were of a more cynical bent, I might have titled this post "Even a stopped clock is right twice a day."

But here it goes: Maxine Waters is dead-bang right.

What is she right about? The impact of the Supremes' Kelo decision. Here's the quote
(column by Matt Welch in the LATimes, via RedState):

"It's like undermining motherhood and apple pie," Waters told the San Francisco Chronicle. "I mean, people's homes and their land — it's very important, and it should be protected by government, not taken for somebody else's private use."

In case you're worried about the end of the world being that much nigher, here's Nancy Pelosi and the NYT editorial board (ibid):

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) opposed Waters' amendment, arguing that the Supreme Court decision "is almost as if God has spoken." The New York Times editorial page, virtually alone among the country's newspapers, hailed the decision as "a welcome vindication of cities' ability to act in the public interest" and "a setback to the 'property rights' movement, which is trying to block government from imposing reasonable zoning and environmental regulations."

I shudder to think what sort of regulation it would take for the NYT to find it unreasonable in their eyes. And what gives with the scare quotes around property rights? Perhaps the NYT Editorial staff is entirely made up of renters?

You Can NEVER Have Too Much Cowbell

Today's Day-by-Day...

Another Thread in the AAR Tapestry

The Gloria Wise organization of The Bronx, New York, is not alone in wanting money back from owners of the Air America Radio network. Multicultural Radio--they owned the Chicago station, among others, and was the first big market to yank the welcome mat out from under AAR--also is seeking funds.

Michelle Malkin has the complaint and goes over its points here.

Brian Maloney will be following up over at his place today, too.

Stereotype: Men Are Bad at Remembering Dates

Yes... I passed my first blogoversary on Saturday while driving from Chicago to DC. It is hard to believe that an entire year has passed. (And so many fatuous and/or jejune things to say--Ed.)

AP Editors Meet: Better War Coverage?

Jack Kelly has posted a story about an editors' meeting at AP, written up at the New York Times. Jack mentions servicemen's group life insurance as one way to get more reporters over there.

An interim step would be for the AP to pick up the dispatches of Michael Yon. He's already there and writing rings around the Green Zone-bound journos. How about Arthur Chrenkoff? He's got a link for just that kind of purpose (click here, editors) (I asked him if he would do it if asked by one of the big wire services; I hope he gets a chance to read his comments section). Arthur also nominates Michael Yon, incidentally. Chester would be another good pick.

The point is there are people already there and doing a great job, and with the monetary backing of an organization like AP, guys like Michael Yon wouldn't have to rely on the kindness of strangers hitting his Paypal link in order to buy film and other supplies.

Able Danger - Part I: What's Data Mining?

Hiawatha Bray's got an article up at the Boston Globe about what Data Mining is. If you use one of those grocery store discount cards--"Fresh Values", "Giant Values"--to get a few dollars off the grocery store bill every week, your data is being mined in a similar way, if for a different purpose.

The "Total Information Awareness", later termed "Terrorism Information Awareness" program was championed by Admiral John Poindexter. Given his Iran-Contra involvement (his felony conviction was overturned, but the damage to his reputation can never be overturned), it was no surprise that his program was shut down.

Could it have rolled up all the hijackers? Poindexter doesn't think so. Like pretty much any problem, the information necessary to solve it only seems obvious after the fact.

(via Irish Pennants)

Strange Bedfellows in Crawford, TX

I haven't written much about Cindy Sheehan, the Vacaville, CA mom who lost her son last year in Iraq. People deal with loss in different ways, and in her case, she has immersed herself in the far left causes that she held even before the war began.

Today, though, I found an article on Rantburg describing as strange a political ally for Ms. Sheehan as can be in David Duke. From the second line of Mr. Duke's article comes this, er, nugget: "Courageously she has gone to Texas near the ranch of President Bush and braved the elements and a hostile Jewish supremacist media..."

I wonder how many of the assorted throng -- assorted in that they are tending to tout their own causes for the gathered media -- share the same anti-Jewish sentiments. I doubt we'll get a show of hands on the nightly news.

In the meantime, Sheehan's protest has apparently strained her 28 year marriage to the breaking point. The Smoking Gun has the August 12th filing. (They've been separated since June 1, actually.) I had wondered for the last week if there was a Mr. Sheehan. He has refused to comment publicly about his wife's actions, which explains why there haven't been many mentions of him.
(also via Rantburg)

UPDATE 2005-08-16 0900 EDT: Am I emotional? Yes, my first born was murdered. Am I angry? Yes, he was killed for lies and for a PNAC Neo-Con agenda to benefit Israel. So wrote Ms. Sheehan to the editors of ABC's Nightline back on March 15. David Duke and Cindy Sheehan: Birds of a Feather? I'm not saying, I'm just saying...

(Christopher Hitchens wonders aloud about it, too. I know I'm going to read and learn.)

UPDATE to the UPDATE: LyfLines takes a look at what AP has chosen to run regarding Ms. Sheehan, and what portions of the public record they haven't mentioned. Interesting stuff.

Also "Open War" has been declared on Michelle Malkin. I'm not sure what they called the previous hate they spewed on her.

UPDATE to the updated UPDATE: James Tarranto has more information on Ms. Sheehan. Did you know that she has two other children, alive and well in California?

Able Danger - prelude

I mentioned a little while ago that Gorelick should have been testifying before the 9-11 Commission, not sitting on it.

Now there is tangible proof that the wall between Intelligence and Law Enforcement prevented the identification of 9-11 hijacker Mohammed Atta and his cell to the FBI a YEAR before the hijackings took place.

Gorelick may not have built the wall, but she sure put the razor wire on top to ensure that if someone tried to circumvent it, they'd be toast.

More to come... but in the meantime, Ed Morrissey's got a pretty good set of articles, indexed here.

Click4Cathy: Success

Day-by-Day reports that Operation Click4Cathy is a success.

NYT's Most Recent Mention of Gloria Wise

Here is, as of 1750 CDT, the most recent mention in the New York Times of the Gloria Wise organization.

For those who don't want to register to see the archive, it is dated June 8, 2003. Here's the portion that it hit on:

One memorable incident involved Molotov cocktails. Soon after Charles Rosen, the director of the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club, a Coop City organization, spoke vehemently against several candidates, someone threw two Molotov cocktails at the building that houses the club, causing slight damage. Although some people involved in the elections denied that the episode had anything to do with the contest, many others disagreed.

The story is about elections to the Co-Op City Board of Directors.

If you are registered with the NYT, here's a link you can use to check on it from time to time.

To recap, Rosen resigned last week. And now his replacement has set an end-date, too. (Registration required... et tu, NYPost?)

A tip of the White Sox cap to BizzyBlog for the idea on hitting the NYT archives search. He's got some others, too. Check out that post here.

(Another tip of the cap to Brian Maloney for pointing out the fun stuff at BizzyBlog today.)

UPDATE 2005-08-11-2010 CDT: NYT publishes the story! (reg. req'd) (eagle-eyed Michelle Malkin spotted it in the NY/Region section.) It isn't much. Let's see if they follow up.

UPDATE to the UPDATE: No sign of this story in their search yet. Maybe because it is dated 8/12. I'll try it again tomorrow... and it is there now (2005-08-12 0830 CDT).

UPDATE to the updated UPDATE 2005-08-12 1030 CDT: The part about Michelle Malkin was dropped between last night and today. Red State Rant has a bit and link that does the comparison.

CJR Wonders Why No Coverage of AAR's Woes

The Columbia Journalism Review is covering the lack of coverage of the Air America Radio/Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club imbroglio. It does seem to have all the elements for a good Big Media story. (via Michelle Malkin and Brian Maloney)

In Brian's roundup of the AAR stories, the AAR anonymous apologists have been coming out of the wood work to try to change the subject. The comments thread includes (so far) a basic misunderstanding of the actual Enron scandal, some bashing of Michelle Malkin and that old lefy bugaboo... the meaning of the word "is". As in "Air America is paying the loan."

Not yet they haven't. Based on their missed payroll problem it is rather in doubt that they will be able to. And if the Boys and Girls club drops the Gloria Wise Community Center, will AAR see a need to pay back the money at all?

The Jet Set Chick Explores: Bad Album Art

Kory found a roundup of excruciatingly bad album covers. Then she found another. Some of them are funny, others disturbing... and one of them I've seen before. (Though not in MY album collection, thankfully. The story is in her comments section.)

Check it out here!