Happy New Year's Eve

So it's the last day of the 2007. Actually, it's already 2008 in China. Isn't that weird? It's a time warp. Anyway, this will be my only post today, so my last of the year.

I'll leave you with this terrible news.

AND A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION: get to "large mammal" in TTLB. (I'm an "insignificant microbe" right now, so that may be a little ambitious, but oh well.

Here's to 2007!

Toy Guns Aren't So Bad...

"Staff have been told they must resist their "natural instinct" to stop boys using pretend weapons such as guns or light sabres in games with other toddlers."

Children playing with toy guns can be healthy? Not in PC America! Maybe the kid will develop better, but that's given his parents aren't locked up and he's not thrown in foster care. Then he'll be REALLY normal.

Bhutto Shot

Bhutto was shot. Thanks LGF.

Mr. Huckabee, You're Out

Mike Huckabee, a Republican relying on support from religious conservatives in Thursday's hard-fought presidential caucuses, on Sunday stood by a decade-old comment in which he said, "I hope we answer the alarm clock and take this nation back for Christ."

27 strikes, you're out Huckabee.

Read it.

A Ron Upset?

"That spontaneous grassroots support is why Mr. Paul, an obstetrician from Lake Jackson, Texas, could pull off a stunner on Jan. 8 and place third in New Hampshire's Republican primary."

"The one thing that unites his supporters is a desire to be left alone, not only by government, but by irritating marketers and meddling pollsters, too. Mr. Paul's supporters might well be screening their calls and not-so-inadvertently screening out pollsters."

Read all about it.

Required Reading

So I've established that I need to give some homework to all you six loyal readers out there (and anyone else who wants to tag along). Here's a little required reading:

some short stuff:

Nuke the Moon, Frank J.
Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson
A Thank You Letter, LTC Jim Crider
The Case Against War on Iraq, Howard Zinn
Abortion: Trust Me, It's Murder, Will Conway
A Note on Labels: Why "Libertarian", David Boaz
Rathergate: The Cover-Up, Scott Johnson

heavier stuff:

An Army of Davids, Glenn Reynolds
Liberal Fascism, Jonah Goldberg
Until Proven Innocent, Stuart Taylor, KC Johnson
Who's Afraid of a Large Black Man?, Charles Barkley
Danger Close, Michael Yon

podcasts

g&h with Jonah Goldberg
g&h with John McCain

other stuff

and always, Day by Day Cartoon, Chris Muir


So check some of that stuff out, it's really good stuff. I love that word, stuff.... stuff, stuff, stuff. Anyways... hope you enjoy it.

It's Clear: It's Time to Nuke the Moon

"Iran's first atomic power plant will start operating in mid-2008, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Sunday, two days after the country received a second delivery of nuclear fuel from Russia."

Well, obviously they're threatening us. But why haven't we realized we don't really need to care? I mean they're threatening that maybe someday they might have something that could maybe go boom. We can go boom.

Anytime.

"Mottaki also told Iranian media that Tehran wants assurances that the United States will accept the results of the talks before holding a new meeting about ways to end violence in Iraq."

They act like they have the upper hand, mostly because we let them.
Read all about it.


It is time. They've been asking for it. Frank was right; we need to show who's boss. We must nuke the moon.

Patriots 16-0

The New England Patriots earned a place in NFL history by completing a perfect 16-0 regular season with a 38-35 victory over the battling New York Giants on Saturday.

My Giants played well, too.

Read all about it.

Congratulations.

Mormon Christmas Card From... Romney?

From the Romney family? No...

"It is sad and unfortunate that this kind of deception and trickery has been employed"

Read all about it.

Kidnapped in Chad

Another Intelligent Observation

Bhutto's assassination leaves Pakistan's future -- and Musharraf's -- in doubt, some experts said.

Once again, an intelligent observation from the 'experts' on the Bhutto case. Do I need to play the whole scenario again, or are we- yeah.. oh, oh- ok, yeah we're... we're good.

Read the whole thing.

Oprah's Help is Hurting Her

One posting on her site, Oprah.com, accused the talk diva of being a traitor. (By Thursday, that message string had attracted more than 12,000 views.) Another poster told Winfrey to "stop pushing Obama down our throats." (There were 3,000 hits logged on that one.)

(Read all about it.) Clearly, this is hurting Oprah, but is it hurting Obama?

Possibly, but maybe not. Only the hard-core Oprah fans are the ones posting on her website; they're the same group watching her religiously. So maybe the less emphatic of her fans don't really know how much she's pushing Obama. So it seems she is helping him with the vast majority of her viewers, but hurting both him and herself with the Oprah-obsessed few.

HD Down, Zed In

OH! So that's why Home Depot's stock is in the toilet. (Comic was Day by Day, obviously.)


And the COMPANY FOLDED!? Chris, I am frankly a little annoyed.

Suspect for Bhutto Killing: Just Guess

Al Qaeda is the chief suspect in the murder of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, standing to gain by preserving its remote stronghold, undermining President Pervez Musharraf and destabilizing the country, U.S. government and private analysts said.

In other news, the sky is blue, according to a reputable source from the Pentagon.

Al Qaeda's Taliban ally, which has publicly threatened Bhutto, was another potential suspect, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

This is all informative (eye roll). They should have given me this job. No really, I want the job of determining potential suspects for terrorism: [sitting around a cherry table, seated stage center at the table are 15-20 serious older looking guys.] Me: Ok, my guess on this one is... Al Qaeda! Everyone else: oooooooh.

Read all about it, if you want.

Liberation Army Against Freedom

Be afraid.

Watch them all here.

NBC: No News on Bhutto

No idea what happened? Click here.

From Althouse.

Apple Rentals.... iRent?

Apple seems to have persuaded Twentieth Century Fox studios to offer digital movie rentals through the iTunes store...

Read all about it.

Dirty Bird Flaps Its Wings

"But this rush hour, I’m behind the wheel of a preproduction 2009 Volkswagen Jetta, which is powered by a 2.0-liter turbo-charged, direct-injected diesel engine that, even as I leave the speed limit in tatters, is averaging nearly 50 mpg. Equally important, what’s coming out of the tailpipe is no dirtier than the emissions from the 35-mpg econoboxes I can now see in my rearview mirror."

Source. A clean diesel car averaging 50 mpg?

The word 'diesel' might turn people off here, I'm thinking. It may be a setback, but, considering the price of gas and the obsession with paranoid ecofriendliness in general, I'm sure people will come around sooner or later.

"...well, the dirty bird of fossil fuels isn’t so dirty anymore."

It cleaned up, and it's flapping its wings. Will it fly?

Tiger Attack

"Our Christmas is with him," she said. "No more Christmas."

Understandable. Their 17-year old son got randomly attacked and killed by a tiger at a zoo. What was he doing in the tiger cage? He wasn't. The tiger got out. Remind me not to go to a zoo ever again.

Watch a video of the parents here.

Who goes to a zoo on Christmas?

UPDATE: A single protester supports the tiger. RWV: Absolutely the animal rights idiot of the year.

Ron's Rap

Oh, that will get him the win for sure. Apparently he's favored in Wyoming: "...there has been talk among the Ron Paul grassroots that this could be the state which Ron Paul could win."

From a Soldier

A bit from a soldier:

"The experience of war changes people. For some it is a negative change but most manage to absorb the experience and use it to make themselves stronger. I have said goodbye to a mortally wounded soldier in the hospital, spoken to grieving family members of our casualties, and tried to comfort soldiers who just lost their best friend in a single violent moment. I have been under fire, looked insurgents in the eye, and seen corruption up close. I have also seen people emerge from oppression and live with hope for the first time in years. I have seen children reach up and grasp the hands of American soldiers just because they trust them. I have felt the desire to help and then been given the resources to do it. Finally, I have felt the close knit camaraderie that develops when you serve with a group of people fighting for a cause larger than self. Yes, this experience has changed me. I am stronger, more driven, and humbled all at the same time."

That's a nice outline. Read the whole thing. The part about the man's shop is truly touching.

Clinton Moves Up, Conway Cries

"A new Iowa poll seems to show the New York senator with a stunning double-digit lead over her nearest rival among likely Democratic caucus-goers."

No. Way.

Read all about it.

Stacy and Laci

"Nearly two months after Stacy Peterson was last seen, the investigation into her disappearance and suspicions surrounding her husband have produced many intriguing questions. But few answers."

Here.

Damn. Didn't this already happen? Or is this a dead link? Am I the only one making the connection? It seems like the media would be all over duel murders by husbands killing wives named Laci and Stacy Peterson within a few years of each other.

Maybe the first one didn't happen and it's all in my head. It could all an episode of the Twilight Zone. Doo doo doo doo

Ahh....

I haven't had a chance to blog, and I come back to visits in the crapper, no comments for like five days, and reuters won't load.

Merry Christmas

Sorry I haven't been on today. Take a wild guess why...

I'm back, though.

On Huckabee

Some of us -- in my case, a political conservative and evangelical Christian -- are getting a queasy feeling when it comes to the presidential campaign of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, and much of it has to do with his use of faith in this political campaign.

Didn't I say this before?

From the Washington Post.

Abortion: Trust Me, It's Murder

Let me lay out my argument against abortion..

I haven't exactly figured out why the common population has decided to allow abortion's legality while simultaneously convicting people on charges of murder for unborn children.

But Will! I thought you believe in liberty for all?! Doesn't a woman have the right to do what she wants with her body?

Hell yes, she does. But, as I believe in all cases, a woman's right to flail her arms ends at the tip of another's nose. Now, a child in her stomach is a child nonetheless (See next question). Therefore, as it is, her right to mess with her body ends the second she touches the fetus. She can't honestly say that the baby is her. It's not, it's another person, temporarily dependent on her. She has the right to do what she wants with herself, but where is the child's liberty if she kills it?

If the fetus isn't born yet, it isn't a life! Maybe abortion is wrong in the last [trimester, four months, etc], but at the beginning, we're talking about a bunch of cells! Come on!

It's a future life. Look at it this way. If the baby is never born, it won't have an effect on the world. It will never go to kindergarten, it will never experience success, failure, love or drugs. It will never graduate high school, it will never drop out of high school, it will never get hired, fired or promoted. It will never shoot the winning basket, miss the winning basket, or ride the bench. It will never experience an obstacle, it will never be overcome by an obstacle. It will not love, it will never be loved. It will never propose, it will never be proposed to, it will never marry, it will never file for divorce. It will never experience happiness or depression. It will never live, and perhaps most importantly, it will never change the life of another.

Long story short, it will not happen, it will not affect the world. That, in and of itself, is taking away a life. That's murder.

What about a baby that has a mental illness? That's such a hard thing for a parent and the child.

It is. But have you every seen a mentally ill child? That was a stupid question; I'm sure you have. But tell me that child isn't changing the world in some way, either positively or negatively. That child may not have the best life, but I'm sure it's better than death. Should we just not give him chance to live, based on some predetermined dividing line between 'good life' and 'bad life'? The child, regardless of diseases and disorders, should be given the liberty to make his or her impact on the world; to change the life of another in some way.

"A well-documented investigation has shown that there is no difference between handicapped and normal persons in their degree of life satisfaction, outlook of what lies immediately ahead, and vulnerability to frustration." Source.

What if the birth will kill the mother or child?

In a situation where, if no abortion takes place, both the mother and child will definitely die, I can't argue. This is a valid point, and in this case, and this case only, I understand the need for abortion. I have a feeling though, that this could be exploited. (Example: My mom will kill me if she hears about this.)

Let it also be known that this particular case of abortion accounts for only 1.5% (source) of all abortions (fetal and mother's health combined). This reason alone is truly not enough to allow abortion. (Basically, if you agree with all the other points, this one alone should not deter you from being pro life.) I do feel, however, it is enough to make an exception to the rule.

What about in cases of rape and incest? There is no possible way you can explain this one.

Rape is one of the most common arguing points for "pro choice" supporters. Unfortunately for their case, rape and incest together make up less than .5% of all abortions (source).

I understand the struggle and pain women go through when they are raped. I understand the idea that living for nine months with the child of a person's rapist in them is no easy task. I understand how this could motivate almost anyone to get an abortion. However, does nine months of pain and suffering counter a loss of somewhere around 75 years of life? Does being a victim of rape justify creating a victim of murder? I don't think so. I also understand most people would not want to live with this child for the rest of their lives. The answer is simple. Adoption. There is a notion that it is difficult to place a baby for adoption; no one will want him. This notion is quite the opposite of the truth, as there is a ratio of 35 couples competing for every one child placed for adoption (source), giving the mother an extensive selection of potential couples to choose from. In fact, so many couples never end up getting a child in this country that they go elsewhere (usually China and the Middle East) to adopt children.

But if you still don't think killing a baby in this situation is murder, Faith Daniels will tell you otherwise. She was a prominent CBS and NBC news anchor who is, in fact, the child of a rape victim, and she is now an active supporter of the National Council for Adoption.

You've already written a ridiculously long entry, and I think you have maybe covered about 2% of abortions. What are we missing?

You see, the issues you hear argued for and supported the most are the rarest of the rare cases. It needs to be understood that 98% of abortions come under the category of "personal choice" (source). These abortions are done for much less significant (while still serious) reasons than those listed above. They are done for reasons such as not wanting parents to find out, economic issues, personal feelings of immaturity and irresponsibility, poor parenting situations, adjusting one's life around the child, and least respectably, already having too many children. I understand all these issues, but they can be covered by one word. What is it?

Adoption.

One more case, if you are still doubtful:

There was a woman Pennsylvania who would be getting married in several months. She and her fiance were living together and the woman discovered she was pregnant. This was not an issue at the time, because the woman was planning on getting married. Unfortunately, though, her fiance became too distressed with the situation and didn't feel he was ready to get married and raise a child. The man left her, leaving the woman with a huge problem and obviously huge problem. The woman was left with only two financially possible options: have an abortion or put the baby up for adoption and wonder what happened to the child she never knew....


If the woman had an abortion, you wouldn't be reading this article.

Tony Blair Converts

"Tony Blair has my prayers and good wishes as he takes this step in his Christian pilgrimage."

Tony Blair converted to Catholicism. Finally.

Read all about it.

Maybe a tiny bit awkward for the Former Prime Minister of England, given the history there.

CIA Withholding Tapes

I'm back. The trip was fun.

The CIA withheld tapes from the 9/11 Commission. (Read it.) I assume there were reasons. I assume those reasons won't exactly put the CIA in a favorable light.

Oh shucks. Those CIA kids are up to it again...

Taking a Trip

I'm going to the city tomorrow with some friends. I might get a chance to post tomorrow depending on when we get back. Don't expect much.

McCain Pleads With NYT

McCain has personally pleaded with NY TIMES editor Bill Keller not to publish the high-impact report involving key telecom legislation before the Senate Commerce Committee, newsroom insiders tell the DRUDGE REPORT.

What does this mean for McCain? Depends on the publicity it gets. Coming from Drudge, McCain will have his hands full keeping it on the DL.

Read Drudge.

Purple is the New Black

"We have become a red state/blue state country, with elections angrily won 51 percent to 49 percent. Little noticed in the increasingly shrill red versus blue sniping, however, is the emergence of a purplish centrism."

He's right. Ron Paul is becoming overwhelmingly popular, and it's not by chance. The world is going purple.

Also, my new slogan:

"Smoke all the crack you want, or go motorcycling without a helmet; just don’t expect me to pay for your rehab."

From an article on Ron Paul.

Apologize Video

I just put this video on youtube.


Maybe that was blogger suicide, who really knows? But I'm not anything significant, so I'm not losing too much.

Let it be known: I know the surge is working. But we've been there for four years, it's about time something worked. "Something went right" just isn't a good enough reason to stay to me. I also know it isn't a one day thing; it will take time.

We just need to start.

Tom Tancredo... You ARE the Weakest Link

Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo, whose forceful opposition to illegal immigration vaulted him to national prominence, plans to announce he is abandoning his long-shot bid for the presidency, a person close to Tancredo said Wednesday.

Took him long enough.

Read all about it.

Again?

THIS JUST IN: Huckabee falls behind Kucinich in my "If all the other candidates died, I guess I would vote for" list. (He's still ahead of Hillary, if you're wondering)

"There's a sense in which all these years the evangelicals have been treated very kindly by the Republican Party. They wanted us to be a part of it. And then one day one of us actually runs, and they say, Oh, my gosh. Now they're serious. They don't want to just show up and vote."

-Mike

POWERLINE: If Republicans like Lowry wanted to keep Christian conservatives at arms-length why did they support Bush so firmly? The notion that evangelicals have somehow been excluded from the Republican discussion is ludicrous.

Giuliani on Waterboarding

"I don't think you can write [waterboarding] out as a procedure that should be write out for all situations. I think the president and the appropriate officials should have some discretion here.”

- Rudy

Read all about it.

Huckabee Moves In

Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas whose campaign has caught fire in recent weeks, wiped out an 18-point deficit in one month to pull within one point of Giuliani, 23 percent to 22 percent.

In case you didn't already know, I don't really like Mr. Mike Huckabee, and while Giuliani hasn't exactly hit the nail on the head morally, I like his policy (He's my #2, behind Ron Paul).

Needless to say, I'm rather annoyed at this development.

Read all about it.

That's Cute

Fox News seems to want to make a big deal out of this. A little scripted (Obama's trend), but that's ok.

Castro Speaks of Retirement

"My basic duty is not to cling to office, nor even more so to obstruct the rise of people much younger, but to pass on experiences and ideas whose modest value arises from the exceptional era in which I lived," the letter said.

He's going without a fight, although my guess is leadership will stay in the family.

(I don't know why, but I just picture the will being read aloud: "To my daughter, I give my heart and soul. I leave in her posession 50 thousand dollars. To my son, I leave my home in Santiago. And to my brother Raul, whom I trust very much, I leave Cuba." Raul: "Yes!")

Read all about it.

Women in Combat

(For whomever doesn't already know, women may not take up combat positions in the military.)

My central premise is that military effectiveness is enhanced by the inclusion of the best qualified individuals in a gender integrated force, including combat roles. Participation should be predicated on individual performance and not presumed group traits.

-Rosemary Mariner, on the Volokh Conspiracy

She's right, the rule is terrible.

A Good Idea from Clinton

Finally, a marginally decent idea from Hillary:

"Well, the first thing she intends to do, because you can do this without passing a bill, the first thing she intends to do is to send me and former President [H.W.] Bush and a number of other people around the world to tell them that America is open for business and cooperation again."

-Bill Clinton

Read the whole thing.

Telecom Immunity Provision

Also called the domestic surveillance program, some companies like AT&T and Verizon complied with administration requests for phone numbers in its pursuit of leads. Those companies now face up about 40 lawsuits for privacy invasion and other matters.

...Harry Reid pulled the update to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act off the chamber floor late Monday [with an immunity provision]...

Good. Let them get sued. This was one of the worst violations of civil rights in U.S. history. I don't blame the large, angry mob of violated people suing. Maybe AT&T should have read their own contract. It's under "privacy policy," geniuses.

Read all about it.

Long Island Emancipation

A wealthy US couple have been convicted of keeping two Indonesian women as slaves in a New York home and abusing them physically and psychologically.


The women said they had been beaten with brooms and umbrellas, slashed with knives, made to take freezing showers and climb stairs repeatedly.

One said she had been forced to eat several hot chillies and then her own vomit.

"Apparently, the jury was taken by the histrionics (of the Indonesian women)," defence lawyer Jeffrey Hoffmann told AP.

Well, maybe. But maybe it could have been that they KEPT SLAVES in their basement.

What an ego on that lawyer.

Read all about it.

Crazy Saudis

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has pardoned a female rape victim who had been sentenced to 200 lashes for being alone with a man at the time of the attack who was not related to her, a Saudi newspaper reported Monday.

Ah, the irony of the Saudis. At least she was pardoned.

An Excellent Example of Blind Belief

The Belmont Club blog posted just one entry yesterday, giving references to interesting reading material. The first comment on the post was this:

'Who owns the Vietnam War?'

Not these famous chickenhawks, who all found ways to skate out of serving:

Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, Paul Wolfowitz, Bill Bennett, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, John Bolton, Tony Snow, Alan Keyes, Newt Gingrich, Bob Dornan, Dan Quayle, Pat Robertson, George Will, Dennis Miller, Ted Nugent, Michael "Savage" Weiner, Matt Drudge
-Teresita

A later comment:

Your Chickenhawk theme is extremely old and unbelievably boring. Regardless, you included quite a few who were too young or too old to count anyway – I mean Sean Hannity was 7 years old in 1968 and Bill Bennett was 36. Matt Drudge was two years old. What is your draft age range? From 2 to 60 years old or something. Very impressive list. Yup…
-Boghie

Goes to show you, don't listen to everything you hear.

Who Knows?

Who knows, maybe it wasn't Michael Jackson's fault. Read about a disorder that changes skin color.

More Mud Flies

"I like the fact that his name is Barack Hussein Obama, and that his father was a Muslim and that his paternal grandmother is a Muslim," Kerrey is quoted as saying. "There's a billion people on the planet that are Muslims, and I think that experience is a big deal."

"Obama supporters see this as.. a clear attempt to raise an issue while pretending not to raise it."

Got it here

Ok, Clinton, that was mildly racist, and poorly covered by your PR. Obama, by drawing attention to it, you are, well drawing attention to it. While you are pointing out Hillary's lack of integrity, she wasn't exactly known as the most integral of people in the first place. So, as people know this about Hillary already, they look to absorb new information from the situation. Your middle name is Hussein? Oh, Shit!

So you see, Barack, Hillary is willing to give up her already tarnished integrity in place for publicity on your Muslim middle name. By drawing attention to it, you accepted the trade. I think the best analogy here is that you just gave up your autographed Derek Jeter rookie card for her Barry Bonds card.

That you already have.

Terrible trade.

UPDATE: I told you.

That's Helpful

"I believe that having an open policy towards immigrants helps preserve public order because it encourages a relationship of trust."
-Kathy Porter, Takoma Park Mayor

Not bad, but:

In Takoma Park, Maryland, the local government has declared the city an "immigration sanctuary."

"People who are not US citizens, whether they are in this country with documentation or not, have full access to all city services."

NYT Goes Nuts on Afghanistan Review

Unlike the administration’s sweeping review of Iraq policy a year ago, which was announced with great fanfare and ultimately resulted in a large increase in troops, the American reviews of the Afghan strategy have not been announced and are not expected to result in a similar infusion of combat forces, mostly because there are no American troops readily available.

Read all about it.

The Bush Administration is reviewing our 'coordination in Afghanistan,' as the NYT puts it. Thom Shanker and Steven Lee Myers (neither of which have any solid clue as to how to spell their name) evidently thought they made a huge discovery. But the situation is quite on the contrary; only the New York Times thought this was big news. (CNN is apparently more interested in a snow storm)

Global Warming Agreement

...an agreement on a new framework for tackling global warming, one that for the first time calls on both the industrialized world and rapidly developing nations to commit to measurable, verifiable steps.

...the developing nations also agreed to take specific steps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions with the assistance of wealthier nations.

Read all about it.

Romney Mainstream?

As much as conservatives respect Judge Bork, his endorsement is less significant as guidance for undecided conservatives than as evidence of how undecided (non-evangelical) conservatives are likely to break [In the direction of Romney].

Maybe I was wrong before...

Read all about it.

One Expensive Cell Phone

Piotr Staniaszek normally pays $147 a month for his cell phone. So he was more than a little surprised to learn his November bill had ballooned to $59,000.

Read all about it.

Finding Our Inner Black

James Watson, the man who worked with Francis Crick to identify the double-helical structure of DNA, who upon casual inspection might well qualify for the title of "most blatantly Caucasian male" among a raft of serious contenders that includes Mitt Romney, Tucker Carlson, Harry Reid and Peyton Manning, is actually black!

“It was very surprising to get this result for Jim.”

Yes. Yes it was.

Things Are Getting Sticky

Sorry for the lack of posts, I've been busy...

Mike Huckabee, who has joked about his lack of foreign policy experience, is criticizing the Bush administration's efforts, denouncing a go-it-alone "arrogant bunker mentality" and questioning decisions on Iraq.
Got it here.

And then:

Mitt Romney accused Republican presidential rival Mike Huckabee of "running from the wrong party" for criticizing President Bush's foreign policy as an "arrogant bunker mentality."
Got it here.


Things are getting ugly on the right now, too. I think it's funny how the candidates seem to only attack other candidates in their tier. For example, I don't think you would ever see Romney say something that aggressive about Giuliani. And then Hillary and Barack are mud-slinging like champions, but no one else on that side of the line is getting involved. I think it's about the ego? Or maybe fear?

I don't know.

Thanks for the leg work, Drudge.

Virginia Tech Halloween

I just saw this:




Oh, real cool.

Read all about it.

Gas Price Jump

The price of gas jumped .8% last month. In one month!

It was the biggest jump in prices since September 2005, when gasoline prices spiked higher in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

How did that happen?

Capital Punishment in New Jersey

New Jersey lawmakers have voted to abolish the death penalty in the state, sending the governor a bill he has already said he will sign. The measure will make New Jersey the first state in more than 40 years to outlaw capital punishment.

Good.

Read it all, good night.

RC Camera Helicopter

So cool.

I want one. Badly.

Speedy Trial for Terrorists

...One of seven Miami men accused of plotting to join forces with Al Qaeda to blow up Chicago's Sears Tower was acquitted Thursday, and the case against the rest ended in a hung jury.
Federal prosecutor Richard Gregorie said the government planned to retry the six next year, and the judge said a new jury would be picked starting Jan. 7.

Ok, so maybe it does seem a little odd that I'm bringing up the right to a speedy trial for a case regarding national security, but really, 6th Amendment anyone? Starting a whole new judicial process seems a little un-speedy to me. (And I know, I know... the jury was deadlocked, but that seems like a pretty big loophole. Someone should get on that.)

Read all about it.

Not-So-Illegal Steroids

Read all about it.

Former Senator George Mitchell's campaign against steroids is coming to a close later today, as he plans on announcing the names of over sixty illegal steroid users in Major League Baseball. Supposedly, the list includes names of the biggest stars, MVPs, and so on.

I still haven't figured out why steroids are illegal on the federal level, though. Hold on, I know what you're thinking. I'm just saying, why can't we let the private institutions, in this case the MLB, take care of it? Steroids are basically illegal at this point for health reasons. I just don't understand why the government doesn't let people mess themselves up if they want to. (hey, it's your choice, good luck with the acne and tiny ding dong)

Private organizations should be able to ban whatever they want, and in baseball and other professional sports I think that is more than necessary, don't get me wrong. But to say the government should all-out ban a steroid? That's not right.

UPDATE: Read the full report here.

So That's How They Do It

I signed on to all the campaigns' mailing lists just to keep up-to-date with what they are saying. I just got this from Obama's people:

SUBJECT: Hey

Will --
I need your help with something.
The first Democratic primaries and caucuses are only weeks away, and Washington lobbyists and special interests have rallied behind Hillary Clinton.
If we want real change in this country, then we need to prove that together we are stronger than the lobbyist-driven money machine that has dominated Washington for too long.
Right now I need you to take the next step and own a piece of this campaign.
I need you to make a donation

Oh, that's not scripted at all. And it's from Obama himself!

I'm donating, I recommend you do to.

American Gangster Lawsuit

"The day after Thanksgiving, a New York lawyer named Dominic Amorosa wrote a letter to NBC Universal—the film studio behind American Gangster —threatening a class action lawsuit on behalf of a group of Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agents.

According to Amorosa, his client Gregory Korniloff was, in fact, in real life “the case agent for DEA on Lucas’ federal case” and also “personally participated in the search of Lucas’ house in January 1975.

That search is portrayed rather dramatically in the movie."

If this case doesn't get dropped, it will be interesting to follow. Does Hollywood have the right to speak poorly on real-life corrupt cops? They should, if COPS airs a show on a nightly basis that very clearly speaks poorly on the people they charge.

Read all about it.

Any Given Soldier

"Hundreds of thousands of holiday cards and letters thanking wounded American troops for their sacrifice and wishing them well never reach their destination. They are returned to sender or thrown away unopened... mail must be addressed to a specific member of the armed forces -- a rule that pains some well-meaning Americans this Christmas season."

Wasn't that always a given? I was under the impression I had to address my mail. Technology these days... wow.

What were you expecting them to do, send your mail literally to any given soldier in some hospital somewhere? Oh yeah, that's great. I can see it now: you're soldier lying in a bed, half dead. You spent the last six months jumping at the sound of footsteps and sleeping on a metal framed cot. You're still recovering from your recently amputated leg, and you have needles sticking out of every extremity. And then the nurse walks in. "Hey, buddy, you have some mail! Want to read it?"

Your girlfriend you haven't seen in months is thinking of you?

Your family just heard the bad news?

Your best friend from your platoon got a free minute to see how your doing?

Ha, joke's on you, sucker!
It's some preppy family from Chicago who wanted you to see how perfect their life was! On the front, there is a loving picture of a three and a six year old in front of a big 19th century colonial with big smiles on their faces! On the inside, it says, "Merry Christmas! Love, Jill, Robby, Thomas, Cindy, and of course Spot!"

"Great, I'm Jewish, but thanks for thinking of me assholes."

Just don't send them.

Read all about it.

Huckabee and the DNC

Within the [Democratic National Commitee], Huckabee is known as the "glass jaw" -- and they're just waiting to break it.

Drudge all about it.

Oprah for Obama Video

Is it just me, or does she act blacker around black people?

Whoopi is Red Inside

Whoopi:

“It doesn’t matter if you have or don’t have money. Once you paid your taxes, it should be a done deal. You shouldn’t have to pay twice.”

Did.. she.. just... support cutting taxes? Oh My God.

Read all about it.

Harvard Goes %

Now, however, parents earning between $60,000 and $120,000 will pay a percentage of their income, rising to 10 percent. Families with incomes between $120,000 and $180,000 will have to pay 10 percent of their incomes.

Families earning under $60,000 already pay nothing to attend the world's richest university.

Fair?

Read it.

Vick's Dog Fighting

Michael Vick got 23 months. I assume they gave him more than the recommended due to his profile.

N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell has already indefinitely suspended Vick without pay, and said he would not make a decision on Vick’s N.F.L. future until all of the legal proceedings against Vick are concluded.

I doubt he'll ever be back.

Read all about it.

A Slow Day

Stumped about what to give that special someone this Christmas? Consider rhino poop.

Maybe a slow day at the office, AP?

Read all about it.

I Told You

"The reason we have so much government is because we have so much broken humanity," he said. "And the reason we have so much broken humanity is because sin reigns in the hearts and lives of human beings instead of the Savior."
-Mike Huckabee

This is a good homily. But you're running for president.

I told you it would get out of hand. But did you listen?

No Al Gore, Stop

First, I read this:
"if I did get back, it would be as a candidate for president."

Oh, please don't.

But then, I read the whole sentence.
"...He didn't expect to ever get back in the political process, but that "if I did get back, it would be as a candidate for president."

Oh, thank God.

He added that "the political system as it now operates makes it very difficult" for any of the current crop of candidates to make climate change issues a top priority.

Read all about it.

Iraqis Celebrate Mass a Little Differently

The worshippers were searched at the door and snipers stood guard on the roof, but Sunday's Mass was a joyful one for more than 200 Iraqis who packed a church in eastern Baghdad to see the first Iraqi cardinal.

A Christian Mass? In Iraq? What the hell!?

...the service was capped by a handshake from a visiting Shiite imam.

They shook hands? Am I on crack?

No - well, maybe - but either way, this really happened. This is something. I mean if it was a Sunni leader, I would be having a party, but nevertheless, it's a clear step forward and shows maybe a hint of freedom in this foreign world.

Read all about it.

Oprah for Obama

Read all about it.

So Oprah has decided to back Obama. The choice of who she chose to back isn't nearly as surprising as the fact that she even chose to back someone. This is one of the few times Oprah has actually decided to support a candidate in anything. But who better for Oprah than an black education enthusiast?

"Oprah has an army out there that really listens. She's one of the great marketing machines in history."

Look for a Barack boom in the near future. Hillary, be afraid.

Interview Opportunity

I have been lucky enough to get the opportunity to interview First Selectman Ken Flatto from Fairfield, Connecticut. You'll be able to see the whole thing here on Saturday, Dec. 22. Thanks to Mr. Flatto and hope you guys enjoy!

NYT on the Internet

Companies have realized that since they can no longer expect to unilaterally define the market the way they once did, they might as well let the market have some control over designing and branding the product.

The NY Times wrote this article today on the internet's effect on campaigns (both marketing and political). They speak of a new level of unpredictability in the elections, and attempt understand the meaning behind surges of Paul and Huckabee. I'm not the biggest NYT guy out there, but this is good stuff.

Also:

Perhaps only in Washington, where so few people have dominated so much for so long, is this trend viewed as inherently negative.

Anything subliminal?

A Good 60th Birthday Present:

Bush's Paper Grading Gets Graded

For years under the Bush Administration, the Office of Legal Counsel within the Department of Justice has issued highly classified secret legal opinions related to surveillance. This is an administration that hates answering to an American court, that wants to grade its own papers, and OLC is the inside place the administration goes to get legal support for its spying program.

I won't lie. I agree. But it isn't necessarily on all things; just the surveillance issue of the past. Wait, is it? No, no not really.

Read all about it.

The Factor

So I watched Bill O'Reilly last night and came to the much belated conclusion that the man is nothing more than an entertainer; I don't even think he understands the words coming out of his own mouth. He makes completely ridiculous statements that he can't support just to jazz up viewers. For example, last night he called readers of far left blogs (naming Daily Kos, specifically) devil-worshippers. Hey! I read Daily Kos! (but nooo, I don't have a golden statue of Che Guevara in my basement)

I guess my final conclusion is to watch him when I feel like listening to a right-wing extremist rant and rave about anything and everything...

PJM Podcast

PJM Online Week in Review.

This is good stuff. If you listen to anything, listen to Joe Mathieu on POTUS '08. Maybe it is more of an ad than an interview, but he does say some interesting things about new media v. old media. His XM station seems a little long-winded if you ask me, but I like the idea.

Check it out (link above).

Hate Crimes of a Different Sort

Read all about it.

I wouldn't really say African Americans are "the victim group" anymore. They were enslaved for hundreds of years, I understand this. But none of those people still live today. I know some of the people today have fallen victim to prejudice and hatred in years past, but that's being well compensated for by the democrats. Martin Luther King fought for equality, but does he think blacks getting accepted to colleges before whites of equal rank is equality? Probably not.

Hillary's Nut Cracker

Hillary nut-cracker.

Barack Obama: This is where I'll be doing all of my holiday shopping.

I'm getting one.

Mr. Fred

Fred says:


My response:


So you see Fred, the reason they are all loligaging around now is because they have proven themselves in the past. And you? You gave scripted advice to Jack McCoy every third episode of the 17th season of "Law and Order." Good effort, my friend. It seems the laziness rap is no longer well-deserved.

Ron Paul on "The View"

This is my guy. He is a pro-life libertarian. I couldn't be more supportive.



Whoopi:
What bothers me is that there is no one who says, 'Here's what we can do,' because you know, you have all these children, what are we going to do with them? If everybody has the kids, the churches don't want to take them; nobody wants them.

Actually, Whoopi, for every single birth mother, there are caring families lined up out the door to adopt. We have about four or five potential couples for each one of these children in our country. My mother was financially incapable of raising me. She could have aborted me or put me up for adoption. I wouldn't be typing this if she aborted me.

Not My Fault

We lost. It wasn't my fault though, I did my part (eyeroll). Ha... math and science; definitely not my area.

Read all about it.

America Responds To Chavez

The Senate decided yesterday to back trade with certain Latin American countries. While this is not an economic breakthrough, Senators agree the political aspect is huge.
"There is a growing division in Latin America today," said Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, referring to the anti-U.S. campaign of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. "We ought to help countries like Peru that are not going the direction of Venezuela."
While I can't see the benefit in on all-out boycott on Venezuela, a move in this direction seems like the right way to go.

Read all about it.

Man From Iran

(that rhymes... marginally.)

"Today it is necessary to create an international Islamic court for pursuing and following international criminals, those who violates the rights of nations, war criminals and governments ..." Ahmadinejad said in a televised speech.

Iranian President Ahmadinejad has expressed interest in an Islamic world court, in which the people of all nations and religions are tried under the laws of Islam. Ahmadinejad felt the need for such a court because, apparently, he felt that, "Some international organizations, [e]specially the Security Council, have not been formed based on justice."

I assume I don't need to explain the irony.

Read all about the scary man from Iran.

Maybe Not a Lame Duck

Bush said House and Senate Democrats "need to work out their differences before they come to the White House," and he threatened to veto any bill laden with "wasteful spending."

Finally, the man grows a pair. It took him six years, but I'll take it. This is the first time he has threatened a veto in a very long time. Good for him that he showed some stones on something important; I would have laughed if he threatened something like this.

Read all about the veto threat.

Mrs. Clinton

One percent of the press coverage was devoted to their record in public life. No wonder people think experience is irrelevant. A lot of the people covering the race think it is (irrelevant).

Mrs. Clinton, I think it has something to do with the fact that no one really cares about your public record if the public doesn't really like you to begin with.

Read all about it.

Lucky Someone

Mychal Bell, 17, originally was charged as an adult with attempted murder in the beating of Justin Barker in December 2006. That charge was reduced before a jury convicted him in June of aggravated second-degree battery.

What!? How?

The charges against Bell and five other black students, who became known as the "Jena Six," led to a civil-rights demonstration in Jena in September.

Oh, race, that's right.

Read all about it.

Hillary's Good Will

Obama:
"I have not been planning to run for President for however number of years some of the other candidates have been planning for."

Hillary:
"Senator Obama's campaign rhetoric is getting in the way of his reality... In kindergarten, Senator Obama wrote an essay titled 'I Want to Become President.'"

I feel I did my job, I'll turn it over to Power Line.

Relief

Well, that's nice.

Iran halted work toward a nuclear weapon under international scrutiny in 2003 and is unlikely to be able to produce enough enriched uranium for a bomb until 2010 to 2015, a U.S. intelligence report says.


Wait, then why have we been so scared?

Huckabee and Faith

Read all about it.
Mike Huckabee is on fire. He has moved up quickly since the Republican debate, and is now just two points behind Giuliani. But don't look for a win here. His website alone is a turnoff.

My faith is my life - it defines me.

Okay, but unfortunately for you, faith barely defines the Catholic Church anymore, let alone our country. You say, "I see no separation between my faith from my personal and professional lives." When you run for the presidency, you are representing the ideas of all people, not your faith. Go home and google the word "represent." Than figure out if you really want this job.

Narrow Miss

(Read all about it.)
Hugo Chavez could have a shot at becoming president for life if voters approve a sweeping overhaul of the constitution Sunday that would give him unchecked power to reshape Venezuela's government, economy and society.

Thank God that didn't happen, but even the potential is scary. Venezuela should take a serious look at its democratic process to make sure this can't happen again.

Voters rejected the 69 proposed amendments 51 percent to 49 percent.

Who are these 49%? What was going through their minds?

Imus this Morning

Imus says hello.

This morning's radio show if you missed it here.

"In thinking about what happened... I didn't see appoint in going on some Larry King tour to offer a bunch of lame excuses for making a reprehensible remark about innocent people who did not deserve to be made fun of."

Also,

"Every time that I got pissed off about that I reminded myself that if I hadn't said what I said then I wouldn't be having this discussion..."

Does it count as an apology in the eye of the public? We'll find out soon enough.

UPDATE: Sharpton was pleased.

Big Spending and Editorials

The New York Times published an editorial earlier today that you may want to read all about.

Even if the Supreme Court has started treating the cash of wealthy corporations and special-interest groups as free speech, there are responsible ways to put brakes on a runaway money train that promises to generate little in the way of voter turnout or issue elucidation.

If Hillary and Rudy want to spend millions of dollars on their campaigns that may or may not do anything for them, why not let them? Their campaigns alone employ hundreds of people. Wasn't that an issue at one point? So what if they are spending too much money? Right, they're elitists, okay, New York Times, that's why your crowd favorite, Barack Obama is doing so well in the polls? Because he's an elitist? Or is it that he's the only non-elitist there?

So if he's not an elitist, and he is doing well, who cares if the others are spending millions... it's clearly not helping them at all.

Not That There's Anything Wrong With That

"Mike Jones, a former prostitute who ended Haggard's career, told The Idaho Statesman that Craig paid him for sex in late 2004 or early 2005. Jones, 50, said the encounter lasted less than an hour and cost Craig $200."

"David Phillips is a 42-year-old information technology consultant in Washington, D.C., who says Craig picked him up at a gay club in 1986 and that they subsequently had sex."

"Greg Ruth was a 24-year-old college Republican in 1981 when he says he was hit on by Craig at a Republican meeting in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho."

"Tom Russell, now 48, is a former Nampa, Idaho, resident who lives in Utah. Russell said his encounter with Craig occurred at Idaho's Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area in the early 1980s."

"A fifth gay man, who is from Boise but who declined to be named for fear of retaliation, offered a recent account: He was in a men's restroom at Denver International Airport in September 2006 when the man in the next stall moved his hand slowly, palm up, under the divider."

...and finally:

"I am not gay, I never have been gay."

Someone is lying. It's like "Who stole the cookie," but with higher stakes.

Read all about it.

Imus on Air

Imus is back tomorrow morning, and it will be interesting to hear if he makes reference to his little issue last April. He'll be on from 6 to 9 on WABC-AM, an I recommend you check it out. If anything, it will be umm... quite unique. Good luck Imus, you'll need it.

Read all about it.

A Solution

A hilarious game show. That's my solution to illegal immigration. We just marry off some of our people to some of these people, and everyone's happy. Well, except, maybe all the Americans involved, but what the hell, that's the result with all the other solutions.

Rough Week

Evel Knievel died earlier today. (Read all about it.) That marks three iconic deaths in a little more than a week. Sean Taylor, a star football player for the Washington Redskins' organization, was murdered on Tuesday during the height of his career. Also, Richard Leigh, who sued Dan Brown for plagiarism of his famous novel, "The Da Vinci Code," died as well.
What a depressing week. My sympathy goes out to the family and friends of all three, especially the young and energetic new father, Sean Taylor.

and I'm a Giants fan