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Thursday, November 30, 2006
From the Talk of The Town pages of the New Yorker Hendrik Hertzberg and...
...from the editorial voice of the newspaper pages of the Star Tribune Steve Berg? Labels: Separated At Birth
Robert T. Miller takes Pope Benedict XVI to task (gently of course) for economic ignorance in a post at FIRST THINGS:
Speaking about the many people in the world who go hungry, Pope Benedict XVI says that we need "to eliminate the structural causes linked to the system of government of the world economy, which allocates the greater part of the planet's resources to a minority of the population." In focusing on the allocation of goods, however, Benedict misdiagnoses the problem, which really concerns economic growth. Like most non-economists, he speaks as if the world's stock of goods and services were fixed, the only issue being how properly to distribute them. In fact, the total amount of goods and services in the world has been increasing very rapidly for a long time. Miller goes on to provide a stark comparison: But economic growth is very uneven, with the economic output of some countries increasing much faster than that of others. If you want to know why some countries have become wealthy and others have stayed poor, therefore, you need only compare the growth of their respective GDPs per capita. Consider South Korea and Zimbabwe. In 1970, their respective GDPs per capita were virtually identical: $290 for Zimbabwe and $291 for South Korea. By 2004, Zimbabwe's GDP per capita had hardly budged, having increased to just $351, meaning that the average Zimbabwean was only marginally better off in 2004 than 1970. In South Korea, however, GDP per capita increased to $14,266, an astonishing forty-nine-fold increase. (In fact, matters are even worse than these numbers imply, for Zimbabwe's GDP per capita had been as high as $867 in 1982, and from 1997 to 2004 it declined every year, from $735 to $351.) Comparisons for similar pairs of nations--e.g., Singapore and Zambia--yield similar results. It is thus true, as Benedict says, that the greater part of the planet's resources is enjoyed by a minority of the population, but this is because the greater part of those resources is produced by that same minority of the population. The world economy is not rigged in favor of the rich nations. South Korea did not get rich, and Zimbabwe did not stay poor, because the captains of industry and the Wall Street bankers met in a smoke-filled room and decided that they loved South Korea but hated Zimbabwe. The South Koreans got rich because they earned their riches and continue to do so, year in and year out. Zimbabweans are poor because they produce little--and less now than twenty years ago. People who produce wealth naturally think they are entitled to keep most of it for themselves and their children. I don't dispute that such people ought to give away more of what they have, but we should be clear that they have this wealth in the first place because they are producing it themselves, not wrongfully taking it away from others. UPDATE: King weighs in. Labels: Economics
It's a well-established fact that talk radio host Hugh Hewitt bears striking resemblance to Ralphie Parker from the classic film "A Christmas Story."
Hugh is also a native of Ohio and big booster of all things Cleveland. Now, in what can only be described as delicious case of karmic convergence, the two threads are intertwined. Fan Gives 'Christmas Story' House Another Shot at Fame: CLEVELAND -- Ralphie Parker and Brian Jones know what it's like to want something. For Ralphie, the object of desire was an official Red Ryder, carbine-action, 200-shot, range model air rifle. (Go ahead, say it: "You'll shoot your eye out, kid.") For Jones, the gotta-have-it item was Ralphie's house -- the one in "A Christmas Story," the quirky film that's found a niche alongside holiday classics like "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street." Jones has restored the three-story, wood-frame house to its appearance in the movie and opened it for tours beginning this past Saturday. His hope is that it will become a tourist stop alongside the city's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and other destinations. He's unsure whether he'll make enough money to cover his $500,000 investment, but as sure as a kid's tongue will stick to a frozen flagpole, he's committed to the project. "I just want people to come and enjoy it as I have," said Jones, a 30-year-old former Navy lieutenant. I think I smell a divine radio remote promotion the next time Hugh is in Cleveland: "Hugh Hewitt Live From Ralphie's House!" Life is indeed beautiful.
It is with regret I have to inform you, the viewing public, that you already missed the one and only airing of A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Yes, it has come and gone and December hasn't even started yet. The programming wizards, and presumptive Satanists, at ABC put it on this past Tuesday. A mere 5 days after Thanksgiving and 9 days after they ran A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving! Are they mad! It is an outrage, it is a travesty, it is an abomination. No right thinking American expects it to be on this early. And since Monday Night Football was moved to ESPN there are exactly zero reasons to ever intentionally turn the channel to ABC. How in the name of Rankin and Bass are we supposed to catch this holiday classic? ABC, I condemn you. May you spend the afterlife watching reruns of According to Jim for an eternity. After some research, I am relieved to report that none of the other holiday classics have passed us by this year. They are all still on the horizon, though bearing down on us like a freight train. (Really, why don't they wait until we're closer to the big day before showing these? With Linus's poignant reading of Luke 2: 8-14, Charlie Brown Christmas would be the perfect Christmas eve fare. As Charles Schultz himself is reported to have said: If we don't tell the true meaning of Christmas, who will?). Circle these dates on your calendar so you don't miss the other must-sees this season: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - the all-time classic, nothing else need be said. Next Friday, Dec. 8, at 7 PM central on CBS. Rudolph's Shiny New Year - an underappreciated gem. Rudolph, Ben Franklin, and a cave man (voiced by Morey Amsterdam) in a fight for the future. Inexplicably relegated to cable, ABC Family (Comcast channel 46), next Saturday, December 9 at 3 PM. Gack! a conflict with NARN 3: The Final Word on AM1280 the Patriot. Which is a show about a political operative and economist (coincidentally, voiced by Morey Amsterdam) in a fight for the future. Never fear, Shiny New Year reruns during prime time on Dec. 13 , 22, and 24. But strangely NOT on Dec. 31. Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Kris Kringle from cradle to the fat, bald, old scamp we know him as today. Featuring Fred Astaire, Burgermiester Miesterburger, and the Winter Warlock singing one of the catchiest songs of the holiday stop animation oeuvre, "Put One Foot in Front of the Other". It's must see TV. Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 7 PM on, hold your nose, ABC. How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Tuesday, December 12, 7:00 PM on, you guessed it, ABC. The "According to Jim" fan base will be beside themselves, it's pre-empted for the third week in a row! Note, this is the Boris Karloff narrated cartoon version, the 40th anniversary showing no less. The inferior, live action Jim Carey vehicle is also on ABC, Saturday December 9 at 7 PM. Year Without a Santa Claus - A different view of Jolly Old St. Nicholas, as a vain, hypochondriac, prima donna. He comes down with the sniffles and threatens to pull the plug on the whole she-bang. I don't recall how this situation was resolved, but I do remember the appearances by the Heat Miser-Cold Miser brothers were worth the price of admission. Airs on ABC Family, THIS FRIDAY, at 7 PM. Reruns on the same channel on December 3 at 9 PM, December 13 at 8 PM, December 15 at 6 PM, and December 24 at 8 PM. Believe it or not, NBC is premiering a live-action remake of this cartoon next Monday, December 11 at 8 PM. Don't know much about it, except Heat Miser is being played by a gay cross dresser and Cold Miser by the less funny member of the Lenny-Squiggy tandem. If ever there was a night for a very special episode of According to Jim to score in the ratings, this would be it! And finally, the highlight of any Christmas season . . . Midnight Mass from St. Peter's Basilica - featuring the Vicar of Christ himself, Pope Benedict XVI, and the heavenly host, LIVE! on EWTN (Comcast channel 21) on Christmas Eve at midnight Vatican time, and usually a replay at 12 midnight local time on one of the network affiliates. Not sure which one, but I know it's not ABC, since they'd schedule it to run sometime around Dec. 16. Enjoy! And happy holiday TV watching from Fraters Libertas. UPDATE--The Elder Adds: Don't forget THE Christmas classic movie for the ages, "A Christmas Story," which will air on TBS for twenty-four straight hours beginning on Christmas Eve at 8pm eastern time. You can flip back and forth between it and the Pope's Christmas Mass. Labels: Christmas Wednesday, November 29, 2006
The spate of SABs continues with this entry from Paul:
Deceased Russian spy who ate poisoned sushi, Alexander Litvinenko and... ...Duran Duran singer who was Hungry Like The Wolf, Simon Le Bon? [Note: A more updated photo of Le Bon seems to show that while his appetite hasn't slowed since the '80s, his metabolism definitely has.] Labels: Separated At Birth
Now that the internet has become part of our daily lives, you would think that companies would have the whole e-business thing pretty well figured out. And yet, a good ten years in, I still encounter company after company that appear clueless when it comes to serving customers in cyberspace.
My interest in this matter is strictly from the viewpoint of the consumer. I'm sick and tired of wasting my time and being frustrated that so many companies can't get it together. And so I offer up my three piece approach (the three "Es") to successful e-business: Exist: As obvious as this one would seem, I'm still regularly surprised by the number of businesses with no web presence. Last week, I was trying to find a web site for a local restaurant and, after much messing around, had to conclude that they didn't have one. Make no mistake about this: if you're running a business that serves consumers, you HAVE to have a web site. It probably won't be a differentiator, it's simply an expectation of being in business. It doesn't have to be fancy or graphic intensive--in fact, it's usually better to keep it as simple as possible--it just has to be there. At a minimum, it should include hours of operation, your location, and contact information. When it comes to contact information include as much as possible; phone number, address, and e-mail. If you're a restaurant, having a copy of your menu on-line is essential as well. It also has to come up in at least the top 20 Google searches for the company name. Top ten is better, but you gotta at least be among the first twenty. If you're a technophobe, there are plenty of companies who can handle the design and hosting for minimal cost. You'll probably never be able to figure out who much your web site helps the bottom line, but you'll also never know how much business you're losing by not having a site. I can almost guarantee that it's higher than the cost of having one. Engage: You HAVE to respond to your customer inquires. I'm constantly frustrated by companies that set up an e-mail address for you to contact and then never respond. It makes you look incredibly unprofessional and will likely cause your customer to look elsewhere. One of the reasons that I use the internet and send e-mails is to avoid making a phone call. If I have to end up calling you to get an answer, I am not going to be happy. There's a national chain of bowling centers that has a special contact form on their website for information on planning corporate events. I submitted such a form over two weeks ago and have yet to hear word one from said company. Instead, I've been forced to pick up the phone and make a call. If you're going to go through the trouble of having such a venue for communication available, the least you could do is make sure you get back to your customers. Make it Easy to use: The other day I was trying to find some information on a local hotel/water park. The web site was chock full of neat looking Flash animation and graphics. But when I tried to find out how much it would cost to use the water park on a particular day I entered a cyber-hell of being forced to follow link upon link upon link (while animation played for each one) until I was finally able to find what I was looking for. And then, when I was curious about the room rates, I had to go through the same rigmarole again only to eventually be instructed to "call for information." Arghhh! If I wanted to call, I would have done that in the first place. The whole idea of visiting the web site was so that I didn't have to make a fargin' phone call. Think about the top two or three reasons that customers are visiting your site and make that information as easy to find as possible. Fancy graphics are nice, but what I really care about is finding what I'm looking for as quickly as possible. It shouldn't be all that complicated. Set up a web site, make sure you answer your mail, and make it easy to find critical information. It ain't rocket science, it's just the internet.
[Gomer Pyle voice]
Surprise, surprise, surprise! [/Gomer Pyle voice] The political leaders of Minneapolis suddenly develop a little backbone when it comes to their lesbian fire chief: Efforts to remove embattled Fire Chief Bonnie Bleskachek will proceed, after Mayor R.T. Rybak and City Council members rejected a proposed settlement Tuesday that would have allowed her to remain a supervisor in the department. The unanimous vote of the city's executive committee, led by Rybak, to reject the deal came as a surprise to Bleskachek's lawyer, Jerry Burg, who had revealed terms of the agreement Monday: a cash settlement of less than $50,000 and a voluntary demotion for Bleskachek, the nation's first openly lesbian fire chief. Why the unexpected stiffening of spine? But the mayor's office and council members were flooded with calls Tuesday, criticizing the proposed deal. Are the long-beaten down taxpayers of Minneapolis finally rising up and saying enough's enough? Dozens of calls and e-mails poured into the mayor's office in the past day, Hanson said. By far, callers didn't want Bleskachek to return as chief, he said. Many City Council members also heard such comments Tuesday. Well, it's a start anyway. But don't expect the guardian of the city's purse to change their stripes overnight. But while there was some sentiment at Tuesday's meeting for firing her, there was no straw poll, and no consensus that she should be forced out of the department. No, of course not. Wouldn't want to do anything drastic and actually follow through and can an employee who has no business running a lemonade stand to say nothing of a fire department. Bravo to the taxpayer of Minneapolis for saying "no mas" at last. It's a good beginning, but you've got a long way to go baby. Labels: Politics-Local (06-07)
Incredible athiest fool (and Vox Day nemesis) Sam Harris....
Unt.... The Incredible Hulk his damnself Lou Ferigno? Labels: Separated At Birth Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Since I hardly ever write about the things people do that irritate me, this post will be a refreshing look at the humorous human foibles that make every day of life on earth so interesting and enjoyable. Wait...scratch that. Reverse it. Since I almost always write about the things you people do that irritate me, this post will be yet another in a long list of grievances I have against other humans for constantly doing things that make every day of life on earth a bothersome chore.
Actually, today I'm feeling somewhere in the middle of those two views...but don't push me because tomorrow could become a bothersome chore very rapidly. With that ominous warning, let's move on to today's admittedly rather innocuous grievance. There is not now, nor has there ever been, a building or room dedicated to the practice and/or art of regurgitation called a "vomitorium". The word is actually an architectural term that is defined here as: a passage situated below or behind a tier of seats in an amphitheatre, through which the crowds could "spew out" at the end of a showNow I don't normally get too bent out of shape about things like this. Today, however, I just happened to be in an exceptionally irritable mood and, believe it or not, I heard "vomitorium" misused on two separate occasions (once by this chronic repeat offender who should have the book smarts to know better). So, for the record, a vomitorium is not a place to go to vomit just as an auditorium is not a place to go to get audited and a sanatorium is not a place to send our Senators...well, bad example, but you get my point. Now, on to The Feats of Strength...
Anyone can come up with obvious celebrity separated at births. It takes a good eye to spot the more obscure ones. James from Folsom displays just such keen vision with this SAB submittal:
Golden State attorney general Bill Lockyer and... Golden Gopher assistant hockey coach John Hill? Labels: Separated At Birth
If you're a Minneapolis taxpayer, I take pity on you. A good deal of your problems of course are your own fault, since you keep electing bozos who keep finding new ways to squander your money. But when it comes to tales of fiscal woe like the following, I feel your pain. When you read this article keep in mind that the reason most oft cited by Mayor RT Rybak for the city's inability to afford to put enough cops on the streets is the LGA (local government assistance) cuts made by the state more than three years ago.
Time to oust fire chief, Rybak says: Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak called on Monday for the removal of embattled Fire Chief Bonnie Bleskachek, saying he no longer has confidence in her ability to lead the department. He no longer has confidence in her abilities? Now? What was it R.T., the FOURTH lawsuit alleging sexual harassment that finally got your attention? Or did you actually sit down and figure out how much this little diversity play was costing the city? Under the proposal, Bleskachek is asking to remain in the department as a captain, said her attorney, Jerry Burg, of Minneapolis. If the settlement is approved by the City Council, Bleskachek would receive a severance payment because her chief's contract has not yet expired. Bleskachek, who has been on paid administrative leave for eight months, is accused of allowing her romantic liaisons to color her ability to manage the department. She has been the target of lawsuits brought by four firefighters. That litigation depicts a lesbian chief who allegedly favored some firefighters and retaliated against others. It also depicts a firehouse culture where careers rose and fell based on who slept with whom. Bleskachek was ill with the flu Monday and unavailable for comment, Burg said. Well, at least she didn't have to call in sick. Burg said he believes the severance package amounts to the difference between what Bleskachek would have earned as chief and her salary as a captain. The settlement payment, if approved by the council, would be one year's worth of that difference, he said. Given her salary of $113,000 and that of a senior captain -- $68,000 -- that would put the payment at roughly $45,000. Let me get this straight. She commits workplace violations that would have gotten anyone in the private sector thrown out on their arse long ago without so much as a second thought and now she not only is going to continue working for the Minneapolis FD, she's going to get paid difference between her position as chief and her new "demotion" to captain? Unbelievable. Bleskachek, 43, has been the focus of internal investigations as the suits claiming discrimination and sexual harassment were pressed. A city investigation continues, but it has already been determined that the department gave preferential treatment to lesbians or those socializing with them. Good advice for budding job seekers out there: be sure to network with lesbians. Bleskachek joined the Fire Department in 1989, quickly emerging as a leader and pioneer. Fifteen years later, she became the first lesbian in the nation to head a big-city fire department. Then, a few years ago, the city's Civil Rights Department accused her of repeatedly mixing her romantic relationships with her professional life. Burg calls such claims baseless and painful. Now, he said, the embattled chief simply wants to return to what she loves: fighting fires and helping people. And freeloading off the taxpayers of Minneapolis for as long as possible and running a fire department as a lesbian dating service. You want to talk about pain? Here's some real pain for the hard-working taxpayer of Minneapolis: In all, Minneapolis has spent more than $410,000 on the investigation, legal settlements and compensation of Bleskachek during her paid leave. Since she was placed on leave March 22, Bleskachek has collected about $90,000 in salary and benefits, said Matthew Laible of the mayor's office. Through early October, the amount paid to the private law firm conducting the internal investigation was $220,580, but that figure continues to rise, Laible said. The city is paying Bleskachek's attorney, and as of early October, that amount totaled $7,125. So far, two of four suits brought by firefighters have been settled. On Oct. 6, the city paid Jennifer Cornell $65,000 and Kathleen Mullen, $29,000. Their suits contended that the chief prevented those firefighters' promotions because of her own grudges. Ouch. Each figure another dagger in the wallet of Minneapolis taxpayers. But hey, your city hired the first lesbian in the nation to lead a big city fire department and that's gotta be worth something, right? Right? UPDATE-- Bert e-mails to bring up some other costs: It should be remembered that the cost of Bull Bleskachek's tenure as fire chief is costing the city far more than $400,000 when one considers that a lot of bright young firefighters have probably left the force when they realized that they wouldn't exactly be on her short list of prospective dates, and it's possible to likely that certain emergency situations were not handled as well due to their absence. Labels: Politics-Local (06-07) Monday, November 27, 2006
A duet with Ann Coulter? I'm not much of a singer and the college tour dates would be rough, but if her album sells anything like her books I'd be a fool to pass on the opportunity. Sign me up.
In an illuminating piece in today's Wall Street Journal (sub req), Arthur C. Brooks breaks down the results of the much-discussed survey on charitable giving:
Why does Giving America behave so differently from Non-Giving America? The answer, contrary to what you might be thinking, is not income; America's working poor give away at least as large a percentage of their incomes as the rich, and a lot more than the middle class. The charity gap is driven not by economics but by values. Nowhere is the divide in values more on display than in religion, the frontline in our so-called "culture war." And the relationship between religion and charity is nothing short of extraordinary. The Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey indicates that Americans who weekly attend a house of worship are 25 percentage points more likely to give than people who go to church rarely or never. These religious folks also give nearly four times more dollars per year than secularists, on average, and volunteer more than twice as frequently. It is not the case that these enormous differences are due simply to religious people giving to their churches. Religious people are more charitable with all sorts of nonreligious causes as well. They are 10 percentage points likelier than secularists to give money to explicitly nonreligious charities like the United Way, and 25 points more likely to volunteer for secular groups such as the PTA. Churchgoers were far likelier in 2001 to give to 9/11-related causes. On average, people of faith give more than 50% more money each year to non-church social welfare organizations than secularists do. A second core value affecting charity shows up in the belief citizens have about the government's role in their lives. Some Americans (about a third) believe the government should do more to reduce income differences between the rich and poor -- largely through higher taxation and social spending. Others (about 40%) do not favor greater forced income redistribution. This is a major difference in worldview -- not just about taxation, but also about the perceived duty of individuals to take personal responsibility for themselves and others. This difference affects people's likelihood of voluntarily giving to charity. The General Social Survey shows that people who oppose government income redistribution donate four times as much money each year as do redistribution supporters. A third key value affecting charity is reflected in family life. Couples, even when they earn the same amount as single people, are more likely to give to charity, and the simple act of raising children appears to stimulate giving as well -- children help us fill the collection plate even as they drain our wallets. Further, family life is the ideal transmission mechanism for charitable values: Data show that people who see their parents behave charitably are far likelier to be charitable themselves as adults. Don't you just love it when evidence comes along to confirm beliefs that you've long held? It's nice to see that marriage and religion, a couple of bedrocks of our civilization that have been taking a beating in recent years, are once again shown to be unqualified goods. Not just good for your personal happiness and contentment as previous studies have shown, but good for society as a whole. Maybe there is something to these traditions that have lasted for thousands of years after all. It's also heartening to see that what conservatives have long suspected of "government as the ultimate answer" liberals is indeed true: they're more than happy to spend money to "help" others, just as long as it isn't theirs. It's easy to make yourself feel good by calling for higher taxes and more spending. It's much harder to dig into your pocket or donate your own time to do something that actually does make a difference. Voluntary giving enriches both those who receive the benefits of the charitable act, as well as those who give. It's good for the soul. Confiscatory taking and redistribution do nothing for the one being forced to "give" and, in the long run, are damaging to the individuals purportedly being helped as well as the larger society. It's sad that the Left is still viewed as caring more about people despite years of experience and reams of evidence to the contrary.
Shawn e-mails to advise us that Star Tribune columnist Nick Coleman is looking for a few good Minnesotans:
I am looking for My Peeps of the Year. If someone else had taken up the slack, I would've been happy to let them. But when you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. So here's my idea: With your help, I'd like to name my ColeMan and ColeWoman of the year. Two Minnesotans who deserve to be recognized as Person Of The Year (POTY) for being the most outstanding -- or the most outrageous -- among us. I am no Saint Nicholas: Nominees do not have to be good little boys and girls. Nor do they have to be someone I approve of, voted for or want to hang with. Nor, in order to not minimize the participant pool, do they have to be someone who wants to hang with Nick. Based on his preliminary list, it looks like he needs all the help he can get: How about Minneapolis Fire Chief (on leave) Bonnie Bleskachek, who has made fire houses far more, ahem, interesting to me than they were before, and who leads the country in the number of four-alarm law suits she has sparked? She could be in the hunt. Other names among the usual categories of suspects include: Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who won re-election and made it through the whole year (so far) without publicly dropping an F-bomb along with the puck. Joe Mauer, who won the American League batting title. Congressman-elect Keith Ellison, the Honorable Muslim from the great state of Minnesota. Or Amy Klobuchar, our first elected woman senator. Or Judi Dutcher, who turned a campaign around and won the election (for the other guys). Or, turning our sights to loftier plateaus, a St. Paul native named HeideMarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, who did rings around all of them (and around the planet), as a crew member on a space shuttle. Yawn. Thankfully, you have a chance to liven up this lame list: Send your nominations to me, by e-mail at the address below. Remember: There are two awards, one for a man and one for a woman. I will sort the nominees and make an initial effort to winnow them down. Then, on Dec. 17, I will report back to you with the names of our finalists. That's when you will have a chance to vote. We'll get a ballot online on the Star Tribune website, so you can choose the winners. They will be announced on Dec. 24. ncoleman@startribune.com E-mail early, e-mail often. Labels: Media-Local (05-07) Sunday, November 26, 2006
Condoleezza Rice was the runaway choice in our poll as the most likely member of President Bush's cabinet to be successful on the game show Jeopardy. She certainly would be a better choice to represent than Margaret Spellings was. Losing to Lenny still has to sting.
Found: Several maize and blue jock straps, believed to belong to defenseman, forwards, and the goaltender from the seventh ranked University of Michigan hockey team, were found at Mariucci Arena after Saturday night's 8-2 thrashing at the hands of the Gophers. If one of these jock straps belongs to you, and you're not too embarrassed to admit it, you can contact the janitorial staff at Mariucci Arena to have it returned. To prevent a repeat of such losses in the future, please limit your hockey playing to CCHA games where you have a chance of not being completely humiliated by a superior opponent. Thank you for your cooperation.
UPDATE--Scott e-mails to express his cautious optimism: I too watched the Gophers destroy Michigan on Saturday night. I started to think, maybe this team has a chance at defeating Holy Cross this year. Of course, the season is still young... Friday, November 24, 2006
Ross Douthat points to a lengthy piece on Iraq by Mark Danner in The New York Review of Books. It's well-worth reading, especially since Danner has good insights on what compelled the Bush administration to go to war.
According to Woodward, this report had "a strong impact on President Bush, causing him to focus on the 'malignancy' of the Middle East"--and the need to act to excise it, beginning with an attack on Iraq that would not only serve, in its devastating rapidity and effectiveness, as a "demonstration model" to deter anyone thinking to threaten the United States but would begin a process of "democratic transformation" that would quickly spread throughout the region. The geopolitical thinking animating this "democratic domino theory" could be plainly discerned before the war, as I wrote five months before US Army tanks crossed the border into Iraq: Behind the notion that an American intervention will make of Iraq "the first Arab democracy," as Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz put it, lies a project of great ambition. It envisions a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq--secular, middle-class, urbanized, rich with oil--that will replace the autocracy of Saudi Arabia as the key American ally in the Persian Gulf, allowing the withdrawal of United States troops from the kingdom. The presence of a victorious American Army in Iraq would then serve as a powerful boost to moderate elements in neighboring Iran, hastening that critical country's evolution away from the mullahs and toward a more moderate course. Such an evolution in Tehran would lead to a withdrawal of Iranian support for Hezbollah and other radical groups, thereby isolating Syria and reducing pressure on Israel. This undercutting of radicals on Israel's northern borders and within the West Bank and Gaza would spell the definitive end of Yasir Arafat and lead eventually to a favorable solution of the Arab-Israeli problem. This is a vision of great sweep and imagination: comprehensive, prophetic, evangelical. In its ambitions, it is wholly foreign to the modesty of containment, the ideology of a status-quo power that lay at the heart of American strategy for half a century. It means to remake the world, to offer to a political threat a political answer. It represents a great step on the road toward President Bush's ultimate vision of "freedom's triumph over all its age-old foes." It represented as well a breathtaking gamble, for if the victory in Iraq was to achieve what was expected--which is to say, "humiliate" the forces of radical Islam and reestablish American prestige and credibility; serve as a "demonstration model" to ward off attacks from any rogue state that might threaten the United States, either directly or by supplying weapons of mass destruction to terrorists; and transform the Middle East by sending a "democratic tsunami" cascading from Tehran to Gaza--if the Iraq war was to achieve this, victory must be rapid, decisive, overwhelming. Only Donald Rumsfeld's transformed military--a light, quick, lean force dependent on overwhelming firepower directed precisely by high technology and with very few "boots on the ground"--could make this happen, or so he and his planners thought. Victory would be quick and awe-inspiring; in a few months the Americans, all but a handful of them, would be gone: only the effect of the "demonstration model," and the cascading consequences in the neighboring states, would remain. The use of devastating military power would begin the process but once begun the transformation would roll forward, carried out by forces of the same thrilling "democratic revolution" that had erupted on the streets of Prague and Budapest and East Berlin more than a decade before, and indeed on the streets of Kabul the previous year. Here was an evangelical vision of geopolitical redemption. Was it folly to believe that such a vision could be realized? Wishful thinking? Perhaps. But opponents of the war should at least acknowledge what the true aims and goals were and direct their criticism accordingly, rather than attacking imaginary cabals, oil-greedy warmongers, and imperialistic cowboys. Labels: Iraq Thursday, November 23, 2006
Thanksgiving seems to be a time to reflect on the past as well as gives thanks for the present. In that vein here are some of my scatter shot Thanksgiving memories.
When we were kids, we ALWAYS went to our grandparents in Iowa for Thanksgiving. While it may seem like a raw deal, it was a small price to pay for being able to stay home for Christmas. Straight through, it's a little over a three hour car ride, which in kid time is like three days. Not exactly the most exciting scenery either. We'd leave right after school on Wednesday afternoon and more often than not it seemed to be snowing. Or maybe I just remember the years that it snowed. We'd stop for dinner somewhere along the way and usually by the time we arrived in Iowa, JB and I would be crashed in the back seat of our parent's car (sans seat belts or any other child safety restraint of course). It was usually a full house for Thanksgiving, so we often ended up on the living room floor in sleeping bags. A hard floor with very thin carpet and a German cuckoo clock, whose incessant noise-making made sleep difficult. We'd be up bright as early as our grandma would start cooking at around 4am. Okay, maybe it only seemed like 4am to a dumb kid, but the woman wasn't one to sleep in or be mindful of people sleeping nearby when she was rattling around the kitchen. The rest of the day would be a haze of food and football. JB and I would always get stuck at the "kids table," some crappy, wobbly card table with decrepit folding chairs with our like-aged cousins. It did allow us to be out of the watchful eye of grandma, which meant we could have a glass of milk WITH the food. How we were we supposed to wash it down without? One odd memory is the way our grandpa would rave on and on about all the mashed potatoes one of our girl cousins ate. Mashed potatoes, we thought, who the hell cares how many mashed potatoes she eats? Alas, the extra grandfatherly attention didn't ensure happiness down the road as she ended up popping a couple kids out of wedlock and has had difficulty leading a stable life. Apres the feastin', if the weather was decent, we'd go outside and play football with our cousins and some of the town kids we had gotten to know (we used to play "riot" with some of these same kids with JB and I playing the role of baton wielding cops and they the role of disruptive hippies. Good times, good times.). If not, we'd watch it on TV and laugh at the fact that the Iowans had no professional team of their own to cheer for. Pitifully, they were forced to "adopt" teams of their own choosing. There were always a lot of Vikings and Bears fans of course and then those who jumped on the successful teams of the day like the Cowboys and Steelers. There were also a few outliers like one cousin who was a diehard Lions fan. Poor bastard. If we managed to make it through the day without incurring the wrath of our uptight English professor uncle or our creepy loner uncle (by marriage)--who always was skulking off somewhere to read Louis L'amour novels--we considered the day a high success. The best part of course was the food. The turkey, the buns, the gravy, the stuffing, all was top-notch. Since it was Iowa farm country, even simple things like corn, butter, and milk were better than what we were accustomed to. And the pie...oh, the pie. A slice of hot apple pie with a scoop of ice cream was heaven on earth. Thanksgiving as an adult of course takes on an added dimension: the drinking. Beer, wine, gin, Scotch, etc. when it comes to Thanksgiving drinking the mores the merrier. Two of the more memorable Thanksgivings in this regard are the times that my wife and I spent Thanksgiving with JB when he was living as a bachelor in Boston (believe it or not he wasn't always a backwards-arse hick). The best thing was that once we got to Beantown, there was no place to go on the big day. We'd pick up an amazingly over-priced free range turkey (I think they were around $17 a pound) and other food stuffs at Whole Foods-- along with plenty of booze of course--the day before and we were golden. No car trips. No relatives. Nothing. Frankly, it took some bit of motivation to even decide to bother with a shower. After all, we weren't going anywhere. My wife would take the lead in the kitchen (otherwise JB would be serving up toast and popcorn), which allowed the two of us to basically sit on the couch and start the drinking nice and early. No obligations, no pressures, no need to not be completely yourself and let it all hang out (eventually I did have to insist that JB put some pants on). After much eating, drinking, and football watching, we'd each settle in for a nice nap late in the afternoon. No one to disturb your rest. Nothing to feel that should be doing instead. Completely guilt-free sloth. It really doesn't get any better. Then we'd get up, grab a couple of turkey sandwedges, watch a movie or two, and recommence the imbibing. Pretty much the way the 'Grims must have envisioned it being when they broke bread with the Indians at that first Thanksgiving so many many years ago. Have a very happy Thanksgiving. And go easy on the mashed potatoes. Labels: Family Wednesday, November 22, 2006
I don't know what's worse. Our Secretary of Education coming in second--behind David St. Hubbins--on the game show Jeopardy:
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings says she studied hard to prepare for Tuesday night's airing of "Celebrity Jeopardy!" "I didn't want to be the education secretary who didn't know how to spell potato," Spellings joked, describing how she read books and sought advice from a former show contender and her daughters. In the end, Spellings said she thinks the effort was worth it. She came in second behind the actor Michael McKean, best known for his role as 'Lenny' on the television show "Laverne and Shirley" and for the movie "This Is Spinal Tap." Placing third was actor Hill Harper, from the television show "CSI: NY." "I think I held my own," Spellings said in an interview Tuesday, hours before the show aired. She noted McKean had an edge, having been on the show before. Or her deputy press secretary Trey Ditto (is that a name made for Sports Center or what?) sending out a press release touting her "achievement": Last night, U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings won second place on Celebrity Jeopardy and $25,000 for ProLiteracy Worldwide. Michael McKean, best known for his role as 'Lenny' on the television show "Laverne and Shirley," and actor Hill Harper, from the television show "CSI: NY," made strong starts, but after the first commercial break, Secretary Spellings went on a streak to gain solid control of second place. Behind the guy who played Lenny. Keep that bar nice and low. During Double Jeopardy, Secretary Spellings played smart and conservative. In fact, her strategic play led to answering BOTH Double Jeopardy questions correctly and maintaining a significant lead over Mr. Harper. In the end, Secretary Spellings successfully answered the Final Jeopardy answer, "What is To Kill a Mockingbird" and came in second place with $11,100. Secretary Spellings was the first Cabinet secretary ever to appear on the popular quiz show. She said she'd like to return for another try. And maybe next time she might even play to win! Is it really too much to expect that our Secretary of Education could beat a comic actor in a trivia game? Is finishing in second place in a contest with three players good enough for America in 2006? Sadly, this little spectacle has a lot of parallels with the general state of American education today. Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Why Mitt Romney is not an option:
Forty-three percent (43%) of American voters say they would never even consider voting for a Mormon Presidential candidate. Only 38% say they would consider casting such a vote while 19% are not sure (see crosstabs). Half (53%) of all Evangelical Christians say that they would not consider voting for a Mormon candidate. Overall, 29% of Likely Voters have a favorable opinion of Romney while 30% hold an unfavorable view. Most of those opinions are less than firmly held. Ten percent (10%) hold a very favorable opinion while 11% have a very unfavorable assessment. Among the 41% with no opinion of Romney, just 27% say they would consider voting for a Mormon. It is possible, of course, that these perceptions might change as Romney becomes better known and his faith is considered in the context of his campaign. Currently, just 19% of Likely Voters are able to identify Romney as the Mormon candidate from a list of six potential Presidential candidates. The response to a theoretical Mormon candidate is far less negative than the response to a Muslim candidate or an atheist.[Woo-hoo] Sixty-one percent (61%) of Likely Voters say they would never consider voting for a Muslim Presidential candidate. Sixty percent (60%) say the same about an atheist. For the record, I'm with the 43%. Conservatives looking for a kindred spirit in the White House without the religious baggage might want to take a long look at Sam Brownback in 2008. [Via Vox]
Morneau edges Jeter to win AL MVP award:
First baseman Justin Morneau, who hit .348 after the All-Star Game as the Minnesota Twins stormed back from a 12-game deficit in July to win the American League Central Division, was named Tuesday the AL's Most Valuable Player. In the closest vote in five years, Morneau edged New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter 320 points to 306 for the honor as voted by the Baseball Writers' Association of American. Morneau, Jeter, Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz and Chicago White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye were the only four players named on every ballot. Morneau, who batted .321 with 34 home runs and 130 RBI, was named first on 15 of the 28 ballots. Jeter, who was second in the league in batting with a .343 average and had 214 hits, 118 runs, 97 RBI and a career-high 34 stolen bases, was listed first on 12 ballots. The other first-place vote went to Twins pitcher and unanimous Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana (19-6, 2.77 ERA, 245 strikeouts), who placed seventh overall. Cy Young, batting title, and MVP winners? Not a bad year for the local ball club. Labels: Baseball
Bing West and Hans Binnendijk suggest the U.S. adopt one of the key lessons from Vietnam and embed more troops with Iraqi units (WSJ-sub req):
But any diplomatic package will fail unless Iraq's security forces restore order. The only way to rapidly do that is to shift platoons from American battalions into 140 Iraqi army battalions and critical police stations. Currently the U.S. has about a dozen military advisers working in each Iraqi battalion. These advisers spend their time as managers. They are too few to give combat advice and moral reassurance out on the streets during daily operations. As a result, Iraqi platoons, lacking self-confidence, restrict their patrolling in the dangerous areas where they are most needed. To infuse combat confidence in each Iraqi battalion, we propose embedding about 60 advisers -- by transferring a reinforced platoon from every U.S. infantry battalion in Iraq. Each American soldier and Marine so deployed would be a force multiplier, greatly increasing the effectiveness of the Iraqi soldiers. The total number of advisers would expand to 20,000, plus additional support. Air and artillery strikes would be on call. Additional U.S. battalions would be needed to provide Quick Reaction Forces should the embedded forces need them. Special Forces commandos would still seek out al Qaeda operatives anywhere. U.S. units would maintain security in parts of Baghdad and 10 other key cities. The huge increase in advisers would be offset by a drawdown of American conventional battalions and base support units. American-only patrols are becoming counterproductive, with fewer direct enemy engagements, more sniper and IED attacks, and more alienated Iraqis. In return for the embedding, the U.S. would insist that Iraqi officers accused of malfeasance by their advisory teams be relieved of duty. By shifting missions from American-only patrolling to embedded combat advisers, the overall U.S. troop requirement might be cut nearly in half during the coming year. But the effectiveness of the mission should increase, based on past experience. In Vietnam, the Marine Combined Action Platoon (CAP) program deployed over 100 squads to live in hamlets with Popular Force units. Large areas were patrolled at low cost and 60% of the Marines involved extended at the end of their tours. Last year in northwest Iraq, the American commander in al Qaim replicated the CAP experience by integrating his battalion into local police and army forces and driving al Qaeda out of the city. Such an integrated approach, with advisors living, training, and fighting alongside native troops to provide needed backbone, has proven successful in past counterinsurgencies. It usually results in better intelligence gathering and helps minimize the overt presence of the foreign "occupier." Why it hasn't been widely adopted in Iraq up to this point is a bit puzzling. Let's hope that the advice offered by West and Binnendijk become part of the much talked about "go long" approach the military is considering. Labels: Iraq Monday, November 20, 2006
A couple of years ago, when I first noticed that Blue Moon beer was becoming increasingly popular, I was surprised that most people, including those who were regular Blue Moon drinkers, were not aware that it was a product of Coors. Today's Wall Street Journal explains that the mysterious background of Blue Moon is not an accident:
Candace Lawson loves Blue Moon beer. "It's the only beer I drink," she says. But the 27-year-old Chicago bartender has no idea who makes it. "I just know it's a Belgian wheat beer," she says. Except it's not -- or not exactly. Blue Moon is indeed a Belgian-style wheat beer, and it has become a hit in the increasingly important segment of the market catering to fans of "craft" beers -- traditionally the products of small brewers. But what many Blue Moon drinkers don't know is that the beer is made in Canada by Molson Coors Brewing Co., the third-largest brewer in the U.S., after Anheuser-Busch Cos. and Miller Brewing Co. Typically, linking a large brewer to a craft beer would be the kiss of death. But Coors has managed to have it both ways, relying on a "stealth" marketing campaign that rejects the macho TV commercials that offend many craft-beer aficionados. A Coors spokesman says Blue Moon has an agency -- Omnicom's Integer Group -- that creates the brand's point-of-sale materials, but "our marketing has been very minimal." As have been any indications of ties to Coors. The approach seems to be paying off: Industry estimates predict the company will sell between 400,000 and 500,000 barrels of Blue Moon this year. If so, that would make it the third- or fourth- largest craft brewer in the U.S., behind Boston-based Boston Beer Co.; Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, Calif.; and New Belgium Brewing Co. of Fort Collins, Colo. Distributors credit the success of Blue Moon in part to its visual appeal in "on-premise" locations like bars. In what turned out to be a masterstroke of marketing, Keith Villa, Blue Moon's creator, decided that the company should suggest that bars to serve the beer with an orange slice garnishing the rim of the glass. "When people saw a beer with an orange slice in it, it piqued their interest," says Jim Doney, president of Chicago Beverage Systems LLC. "They said, 'Hey, let me try one of those.' " As the beer developed a strong following in on-premise accounts, says Mr. Doney, distribution was then expanded to off-premise accounts, like grocery stores. When you read something like this, it's hard to argue against the stereotype of your average beer drinker being about as sophisticated as Homer Simpson. Beer with orange slice? Me want try. Mmmm...beer with orange slice. Can Skittle-brau really be that far off? While I'm not normally a big fan of adding an orange to my beer (lemon in a good hefeweizen is perfectly acceptable of course), I have to admit that it works with Blue Moon. On so many levels. Although Blue Moon has been around for more than a decade, Molson Coors won't talk in detail about its strategy for the beer, citing a highly competitive marketplace. But as the beer has become more widely known, so, too, have some of Molson Coors's tactics: playing down the beer's connection to its corporate parent; avoiding TV ads; using distributors who know how to sell smaller brands; and targeting key markets and accounts. The U.S. craft-beer segment is still relatively small, accounting for about 3.4% of the volume and 5.3% of sales in the U.S. in 2005, according to the Brewers Association, a craft-beer trade group based in Boulder, Colo. But the craft segment represents a desirable demographic of young, educated, affluent beer drinkers willing to shell out more for their brew. And big brewers are eager to tap this market. Earlier this year, Anheuser-Busch introduced two organic beers, Wild Hop Lager and Stone Mill Pale Ale. Like Blue Moon, both play down their relationship to their parent. Stone Mill's label says it's brewed by Crooked Creek Brewing Co., and Wild Hop is marketed as a product of the Green Valley Brewing Co. Would it be possible to come up with lamer sounding names? You can tell they were run through the corporate marketing grinder until every last ounce of authenticity was wrung out. They're utterly banal and completely indistinguishable. Yeah, I'll have one of them Stone Hop Pale Ales from Green Creek Brewing. Or whatever. Miller, too, is trying hard to crack the craft market. In April, its Leinenkugel brand introduced Sunset Wheat. It is, for all practical purposes, a clone of Blue Moon, down to the use of coriander. This is a little bit misleading. While Leinenkugel is owned by Miller, and is not a craft brewer per se, it has been brewing beer that comes closer to the craft than big brew category for some time (at least in terms of styles and flavors). And Sunset Wheat is hardly a clone of Blue Moon, although Leinenkugel's has copied the orange slice bit. Mr. Thompson attributes much of Blue Moon's success to Molson Coors distributors, who he notes are very good at selling smaller brands. Blue Moon's success, he notes, has also been a slow process, taking more than a decade, but one that has earned the beer respect. Die-hards don't consider Blue Moon to be a true craft beer. True craft beers must be produced by small, independent and traditional breweries, generally those producing fewer than two million barrels of beer a year. But even beer snobs admit to liking it. "It is nice," said Jeff Meyer, host of The Good Beer Show, a podcast that often originates from the Heorot Pub and Draught House in Muncie, Ind. The Heorot is a real beer lover's bar. It's got 53 draft lines, 350 bottled beers and plaques on the wall for anyone who has tried 100 different beers. Stan Stephens, president of the Heorot, says he has one rule: "No Budweiser, no Miller, no Coors." But he makes an exception for Blue Moon. "Blue Moon's real popular," he says. Although I've been accused of being one, I don't consider myself a beer snob. I just happen to like beer with taste and flavor. Most of the beers that meet this standard are craft beers, but frankly I don't care who makes the beer as long as it's good. And Blue Moon is definitely that, especially on a hot summer day. Labels: Beer
...and forward that e-mail about gas price conspiracies, the government's secret plan to bring back the draft, or how some company is not supporting the troops, take a minute and check the facts behind the frenzy. My favorite resource is Snopes.com, but there are plenty of places you can go to find the truth. It is out there if you're just willing to do a little looking.
If you live in the Twin Cities and have ever wondered about the origins of today's nominally Catholic politicians--like Kerry, Kennedy, Snowe, and Durbin among others--who seem to take their Church's teachings on life issues about as seriously as they do Jon Stewart's commentary on the Daily Show, there's an event in town tomorrow night that you may want to attend:
THE KENNEDY COMPROMISE: How America's First Catholic President Inaugurated an Era of Compartmentalized Faith in Politics Tuesday, November 21, 2006 at 7:00 pm The Cathedral of Saint Paul 239 Selby Avenue, Saint Paul Free and open to the public When President John F. Kennedy addressed a skeptical and largely anti-Catholic crowd at the Greater Houston Ministerial Association in September 1960, he promised that he would sever his Catholic faith from his political decisions. That promise propelled him to election as America's first Catholic President. It also influenced a generation of aspiring Catholic politicians, by encouraging a gap between private faith and public service that has widened to a chasm in the ensuing four decades. Author and former presidential speechwriter Colleen Carroll Campbell will chronicle the development of this separation between faith and works in Catholic politics, its consequences for the Church and the culture, and the possibilities for a more integrated public witness by Catholic politicians in the years to come. Labels: Religion
You ever have a weekend where you do absolutely nothing? Under some circumstances, spending two unproductive days can be a very good thing. But when you're forced into such slothful inactivity because of illness, it ain't no picnic.
On Friday, I came down with a case of Dengue Fever (or some other exotic dehabilitating ailment). By Saturday morning I pretty much incapacitated. Every joint, muscle, tendon, ligament, disk, and vertebrae (especially the vertebrae!) was sore and aching and sleep was well nigh impossible. My head was throbbing and my brain wracked by fever. My bowels were roiling and it was all I could do to keep down the precious sport drink that was hydrating my system. As I mentioned, sleep did not come easy. Reading was impossible. Even listening to the high-brow discourse of talk radio proved too taxing About all I could do was prop myself up with pillows on the couch and watch TV. And watch TV I did. All I can say is thank God for college football. I watched a lot of college football and it, along with a couple of naps replete with fever-fueled dreams, was able to get me through to the start of the Gopher hockey game that night. Like I said, I watched a lot of TV on Saturday. Sunday was better in some respects, worse in others. The fever was gone as was most of the aching, but now my body had apparently decided that the best way to dispose of the intruder within was to flush the system. Completely. Again, not conducive to getting much done. At least I was able to read and by the end of the day had managed to complete a couple of light tasks around the house. I even showered, shaved, and brushed my teeth, activities that had seemed like impossible dreams on Saturday. I also ventured outside for a spell, so I suppose saying the weekend was entirely lost is a exaggeration. Today, I'm in the netherworld between sickness and health. I desperately want to feel "normal" again and find enough signs to indicate a complete recovery that I start believing it true. But then the retreating forces of malady will find a soft spot in my defenses and launch an unexpected counter-attack. It's an on-going battle that I must win before Thanksgiving--truly "the most wonderful day of the year"--rolls around. How was your weekend? Sunday, November 19, 2006
Today, Brad Chidress managed to accomplish something no coach before him in Viking history had. He lost a football game to quarterback Joey Harrington. Harrington had been 0-6 in his career against the Vikings. Until he played the offensively anemic Childress-led 2006 team. Pathetic.
What was almost as pathetic was the factor that was supposedly motivating the Dolphins. Daunte Culpepper. Yup, since Daunte was injured and couldn't play against his former team, the Dolphin players were reported to have "dedicated" the game to him. A guy who's played all of what, four games for the Fins? He didn't exactly remind fans of Bob Griese or Dan Marino during his short starting stint either. And now we're to believe that the Dolphins were all pumped up to "win one for Daunte"? Next game maybe they can find a sick kid to dedicate the game to. It shouldn't be hard to find someone more deserving than Daunte. Saturday, November 18, 2006
Join us beginning at 11AM today for another episode of the fresh, young, exciting, and highly relevant Northern Alliance Radio Network.
The post election realities are just settling in and we'll have all the latest on the back biting among the back benchers now emerging as our national leaders. Plus Tim Pawlenty's unmoored drift to the left, Keith Ellison's first week in Washington, Loon of the Week, this Week in Gatekeeping, and much, much more. We'll be sans Chad the Elder who I beleive is finally cashing in that "Day of Beauty" gift certificate I gave him last christmas at Mr. Jose's Tan and Wash in Hopkins. But, as usual, John Hinderaker will be on hand. It all begins at 11 AM central. Listen locally at AM1280 the Patriot, and streaming world-wide here. Calls encouraged at 651-289-4488. Don't you dare miss it! Labels: NARN (06-07) Friday, November 17, 2006
It's always good to see people seemingly made for each other ending up together, despite all the impediments society throws in their way:
The Star Tribune and the organizer of the Twin Cities' annual gay pride event announced Tuesday that they settled a dispute dating to 2004 over the newspaper declining to run advertisements featuring a same-sex kiss. The newspaper will resume sponsoring the event and GLBT Pride/Twin Cities will drop a pending lawsuit, according to a news release by the parties. That's a relief. The Twin Cities annual gay pride event without the Star Tribune is like gay men's chorus float without the Mayor of Minneapolis stage diving off of it and injuring his knee - it just feels wrong. It is good to see this brief spat over what constitutes "community standards" and discrimination has created some emotional growth and maturity that will only bring these parties closer together: In a joint statement released Tuesday, the two organizations said they "regret their difficult and strained relationship" after working together for many years. "The positive side of this dispute is that we both have grown in understanding each other's views of their rights, responsibilities and missions," the statement said. Or, as Peter Cetera once crooned: Hold me now It's hard for me to say I'm sorry I just want you to stay After all that we've been through I will make it up to you I promise to Just what has the Star Tribune agreed to publish in future ads and bring into the homes of unsuspecting families all over the metro area? Details are sketchy: They are still discussing details of their sponsorship agreement, the statement said. The circulation department waits and worries. Labels: Media-Local (05-07)
You've winced at his columns in the newspapers.
You've suffered through his ill-fated radio ventures. And now ladies and gentlemen, brought right into your living rooms in vivid Technicolor, Nick Coleman on your television. At least he was tonight when we happened to have the local Fox affiliate's news on. He was doing a commentary segment on the lines of people waiting at a local Best Buy for the PSIIIs and how it spelled the end of civilization as we know it. Yes, it was that bad. It really was the worst of all worlds. His commentary was remindful of his carping columns. His voice of his off-putting, snarky radio shows. And to top it off, we had to look at his smug face the whole time. How many mediums can one man befoul? Labels: Media-Local (05-07)
Dutch government wants burqa ban:
THE HAGUE, Netherlands - The Dutch government announced plans Friday for legislation banning full-length veils in public places and other clothing that covers the face ? putting the Netherlands at the forefront of a general European hardening toward Muslim minorities. The Netherlands, once considered one of Europe's most welcoming nations for immigrants and asylum seekers, is deeply divided over moves by the government to stem the tide of new arrivals and compel immigrants to assimilate into Dutch society. Based on conversations that I had last month when I was in Holland, I would guess that this is just the beginning. Anxiety about the future of the country was evident and fears of the growing Muslim population were being openly expressed. The Dutch are starting to wake from a long slumber. Let's just hope that it's already not too late in the day. Labels: The Netherlands
While listening to NPR this morning, I caught Mara Liasson employing one of the most tired, overused political cliches of recent years. Discussing the Democratic presidential prospects for 2008, she referred to Barak Obama as a...
[wait for it] [you know what's coming don't you?] ..."rock star." Sigh. Put that one to rest Mara. It's played. Labels: 2008 Election Thursday, November 16, 2006
I'm usually overjoyed when the annual A.I.A.-MN convention rolls into town. In years past, it has meant nearly four stress-free days spent away from the office at company funded architecture seminars. While that may not sound like fun to you, it does get me away from the constantly ringing telephone, the always annoying co-workers and the 100% flavor-free office coffee.
This year, however, I am a bit conflicted. I always enjoy the time away from the office, I usually enjoy a few of the seminars and I most certainly enjoy the fact that being at the Minneapolis Convention Center puts me within walking distance of two of my favorite downtown drinking establishments (neither of which I will link to here in deference to the official pub of Fraters Libertas...but, believe me people, I take full advantage of "bar proximity" every chance I get). The conflict I am suffering arises with the theme of this year's exposition. It's entitled "In the Mix" and it is officially described as an attempt to: -encourage architects to become more engaged in the external communityGuess which bullet point has become the focus of this year's convention. Let me just throw at you some of the "greenspeak" that has been flung my way in the last 72 hours: -carbon neutral mortgagesI seriously don't think I can survive one more day of this. I leave the convention each evening with a nagging urge to hack a few trees down, pour gasoline down the sewer and kick a squirrel or two. That's about what it's going to take to get my mind right again. If I could only find my pair of squirrel kicking shoes...
Speaking of waiting, whilst at lunch today, I noticed the freaks and geeks camped outside of Target and Best Buy waiting for their chance to purchase a Play Station III tomorrow. This being Minnesota and November, the teenage and twenty-something dateless wonders were bundled up with parkas, blankets, and their Transformer sleeping bags. They made for a pretty pathetic site.
Amongst the huddled masses yearning for a life, I was surprised to find Mrs. Nihilist In Golf Pants and the Nihilist childrens queued up. She informed me that they had joined the line on Wednesday, right after their monthly plasma pay day (Do you have any idea how much they're paying for infant plasma these days? The Nihilist does.) Apparently the Nihilist, being a dedicated disciple of the recently departed Milton Friedman, had analyzed the supply and demand situation for PSIIIs and determined that an opportunity for a lucrative pay off existed in the market. And he's willing to have to his family wait outside Best Buy as long as it takes to realize it. Now you know how the other half really lives.
It looks The City Pages guide to reporting has attracted a few converts.
Sisyphus with the Top 11 other things overhead while skulking around the GOP election night gala. And Learned Foot goes under cover at the CP offices. Shocking revelations include: 1130: Lunch time. My contact informs me that a lot of the female staff use their lunchbreak to get abortions.
Joseph Bottum on the virtues of patience at FIRST THINGS:
Except it was. All right, I'll admit it: Even the conscious ironic comedy of browsing frowsy old magazines didn't help. These are the reading material the demons lay out in the waiting rooms of hell, and if I could have found a box of kitchen matches, I would have burned down the offices of the various doctors I've been forced to visit over the last three weeks. Not to worry: There's nothing wrong with me except some aches and pains and lingering colds, all caused by general lack of "taking care of yourself," as one doctor kindly explained. In fact, she said, "You are in as bad a shape as a body can possibly be and not actually be very sick. There are these things called exercise, sleep, and regular meals. You ought to try them sometime." Turns out that coffee and cigarettes are not completely reliable substitutes. Good to know, I suppose. But that physicians' tone of moral authority--oh, how it grates, and, oh, how it works. Even dentists have it, the voice that speaks from certain knowledge of right and wrong in your personal behavior: "Do you floss after every meal?" There isn't priest or pastor left in America who would dare assume that stern, judgmental tone. Speaking as a someone who's spent far too much time having his teeth poked, prodded, drilled, and pulled in the last year, I can testify that the old bugaboo of "Catholic guilt" can't hold a candle to dental guilt. "Dentist forgive me for I have sinned against my teeth." "How long has it been since your last cleaning, my son?" "Oh, I don't know, seven, eight months maybe?" "According to our records it's been over a year. And you ignored our repeated phone calls to come in. What other sins do you have to confess?" "Well, I was playing hockey without wearing a facemask and..." "You were playing hockey without a mask? That wasn't very smart now, was it?" "No, I guess it wasn't. It'll never happen again." "It had better not. What about flossing? Do you floss every day?" "Well, I try to..." "Try? Trying isn't doing. Look at those bleeding gums. Do you want to get gum disease?" "Ummm...no..." "You need to start taking better care of your teeth. For your penance, you'll have to get three shots of Novocain, a root canal on #10, and a thorough cleaning with an extra sharp dental pick. Now go forward and sin against your teeth no more." "Thank you dentist." Besides, it comes at you just when you're worn down--by the sickness that brought you there in the first place, by having nothing to read except an age-yellowed copy of People, by the sheer, unendurable boredom of waiting. And waiting. And waiting. I realized today, waiting to see yet another doctor for yet another test, that I have organized my life to eliminate waiting, insofar as anyone who is not wealthy can. It wasn't conscious, but I've always worked in fast spurts rather than steady flows, and when I start something or arrive somewhere, I want it to zip and zing and get done. And the body--that vile slosh and sway of meat around our bones--ah, yes, that's the thing that breaks us, in the end, to the yoke of mere enduring. A man after my own heart. There are few things in life that I despise as much as waiting. Although we're told that you develop patience as you get older, I find that I have less and less tolerance for waiting as the years go on. Whether it's at the coffee shop on the way to work, the checkout line at Target, or waiting to get seated for dinner, I can't stand delays. Sometimes I drive my wife crazy because I consider a half-hour wait at a crowded restaurant unacceptable. I'd rather leave and spend twenty minutes driving to another restaurant to wait fifteen minutes than spend thirty at the place we're already at. When we shop together, she's appalled at my willingness to forgo buying something (even it's a great deal) if there's more than three or four people in line at the checkout. I'd rather pay more to not have to wait in line. For the medievals, patience was the virtue opposed to the vice of anger, while for moderns it seems rather to be the virtue by which boredom should be confronted. I hadn't realized the connection until recently, for the idea of boredom always suggested to me the dangers of ennui and acedia. Sitting in the doctor's office, like patience on a monument, however, I start to get it. To borrow an oft-used paraphrase of Saint Augustine, "God, give me serenity and patience--but don't make me wait."
Influential Economist Friedman Dies at 94 (sub req):
Nobel prize winner Milton Friedman, one of the most influential economists of the last century, died today. He was 94. Mr. Friedman died of heart failure after being taken to hospital near his home in San Francisco, his daughter, Janet Martell, said today. His wife Rose Friedman, who co-authored many of his books, survives him. Mr. Friedman's death was also announced at a conference of the libertarian Cato Institute in Washington by the institute's vice president of academic affairs, James A. Dorn. The audience of academics and policy makers observed several moments of silence in observance. Mr. Friedman was awarded the Nobel prize in 1976. He has long championed the cause of political and economic freedom and the links between the two. He has originated, or been associated with, many breakthroughs in economics since the 1950s. He is best known for explaining the role of the money supply in economic and inflation fluctuations. He also, with this year's Nobel prize winner Edmund Phelps, developed the theory in the 1960s that policy makers couldn't achieve a permanent tradeoff between lower unemployment and higher inflation, and that efforts to do so would simply result in the same unemployment rate and higher inflation, a view that holds sway at major central banks today, including the Fed. Mr. Friedman also exercised extraordinary influence not just through his academic work but through his advice to politicians and his many popular books, such as Capitalism and Freedom in 1962 and Free to Choose, with Rose Friedman, in 1990, which was made into a television series. Mr. Friedman had enormous impact on economic policy though he never had a formal job in a government administration after World War Two. His opposition helped lead to the end of the draft. He was an adviser to President Ronald Reagan. He has been closely associated with school vouchers and other applications of free market principles to policy issues. Milton Friedman R.I.P. UPDATE-- King shares a personal remembrance. Labels: Obit
Landing the 2008 GOP convention means that the Twin Cities will also have to deal with the wretched refuse that such events invariably attract:
With nearly two years to go before the gavel falls at the 2008 Republican National Convention, anti-war demonstrators already are planning to march on the convention arena in St. Paul. The Anti-War Committee, based in Minneapolis, has applied for marching and demonstration permits from the city of St. Paul. Delegates "have 17,000 hotel rooms; I hope we have numbers at least as many," said Jess Sundin, a member of the Anti-War Committee. As many what? Tents? Cardboard boxes? Giant puppet heads? But even worse than crowds of decaying hippies and mush-minded youth, our zone is going to be flooded with liberal law-talkers: The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota (ACLU) says it expects more protest groups to sign up for the Twin Cities convention, and is getting ready to help them get access to the convention site. "We've already started discussions and lining up attorneys," said Chuck Samuelson, executive director of the state ACLU. "They have these conventions every four years and they take away the First Amendment rights of everybody except the people they agree with." Yeah Chuck, because if these brave voices of dissent (from hygiene) aren't allowed to go wherever and whenever they want to harass and hurl obscenities at convention goers, then their free speech is being crushed. Never mind the rights of the citizens who are peaceably gathering to do their civic duty by legitimately participating in the political process. The scraggly man on the street is the hero, the successful man in the hall is the bum. Wednesday, November 15, 2006
It's no secret that the staff of heavy breathers over at the City Pages spends an inordinate amount of time hatin' on conservatives. How thrilled they must have been when they sent a couple of smirking, cynical scribes over to the GOP party on election night to skulk around the fringes, and guess what, they found things to smirk and be cynical about. Excerpts from their live blogging-like time line:
8:35 p.m.: In the Navigators bar on the hotel's ground floor, a group of five revelers expounds on race relations. "There's a difference," explains one of them. "It depends on what kind of blacks you're talking about. There's the light-skinned blacks and the dark-skinned blacks. And they're different. But you can't just say that." You know, I was at the GOP party and Navigators bar that night, talked to a lot of people, and I didn't hear anything like that discussion. It's like a miracle that people who view Republicans with such disdain would just happen stumble on rhetoric that justifies their prejudice. Then again, miracles are much more common when the standard of reporting is overheard conversations from anonymous bar flies. 8:47 p.m.: A twentysomething guy is wearing a black T-shirt that reads, "Liberalism is a mental disorder." Minneapolis hot house lilies, meet The Savage Nation. 8:55 p.m.: Enthusiastic applause greets the announcement that purported closet-case Charlie Crist has won the Florida governor's race. Ha, those hypocrites! Take note Republicans, if you want the approval of the City Pages, you need to jeer all purported closet cases. 12:44 a.m. A GOP partisan, frustrated by slow late-night returns from St. Louis County, says to no one in particular: "What are they? A bunch of Iron Range hicks?" Was this anonymous partisan the same as the anonymous guy from the bar? If so, this is an equal opportunity bigot. Come on, let's hear it for equality! 2:37 a.m.: A young Republican counsels an elder comrade on protocol for hooking up on election night. "Give it up, dude," he tells him, sipping from a can of Coors beer. "She's a college Republican. I'm a college Republican. You're like 50." OK, that happened. But my calling Chad "50" was in jest, exaggeration to make a point. He only looked like he was 50 due to the mandated Patriot uniform for the night. To provide balance, we're looking for volunteers to skulk around the City Pages staff Xmas party this year and we'll report what you thought you might have overheard in passing. In the name of journalistic integrity and blending in, violations of any substance abuse statutes and/or the Mann Act will be overlooked. UPDATE--The Elder Adds: First off, I'm only forty-nine. Secondly, this sort of drive-by slander posing as journalism is despicable. Funny how the City Pages staffers just happened to overhear a racist conversation at a bar at a hotel where the GOP victory party was taking place. And funny how the quote they happened to catch was a just oh so perfect example of what the writers and CP readers really believe about Republicans. Best of all, there is no way that anyone can ever check it. It's the perfect crime.
Tired of trying to buy clothes for your daughter and finding nothing in the stores but the latest and greatest (in other words most revealing) in skankwear? You now have a modest alternative at Up Stream Girl:
We founded Up Stream Girl with a desire to provide fashion apparel with a more feminine, classic look for girls, teens and juniors. The kind of clothes we had when we were younger, but with today's fashion - the fashion which makes these clothes great! Fun and cool colors, new fabrics and great styles. We call these "Today?s Classics". Our objective is to make your life easier, to give you a single place to shop that provides the fashion apparel that is so hard to find these days such as beautiful dresses, fun skirts, cool bermuda shorts, and fun & practical modest swimwear. It can be very time consuming to shop for girls clothing and there is no guarantee of success; unless you want to wear what everyone else is wearing. Up Stream Girl is not about fitting in, we are about standing out. And if you live in the Twin Cities, you can attend their Mother/Daughter open house this weekend: Saturday November 18, 2006 from 10:00am to 4:00pm at: 1864 Eldridge Avenue West Roseville, MN 55113 Call with questions: 651-485-0307 Just because all the other girls look like runaway teen prostitutes doesn't mean that your daughter has to.
...can everyone please take the frickin' 2004 campaign bumper stickers off your vehicles? Most of the ones that I see are Kerry/Edwards, but I'll still note an occasional "W '04" too. My personal standard would be that you remove all campaign bumper stickers within a month of the election. Don't even get me started on the pathetic people who insist on sportin' the green stickers for a guy who's been dead for four years.
Labels: Politics-Local (06-07)
Ramesh Ponnuru has a piece in the latest issue of National Review on the crisis of conservatism:
Which brings us, finally, to the real crisis of conservatism, which is neither political nor philosophical but a mixture of both. That crisis can be boiled down to two propositions. The first is that, at least as the American electorate is presently constituted, there is no imaginable political coalition in America capable of sustaining a majority that takes a reduction of the scope of the federal government as one of its central tasks. The second is that modern American conservatism is incapable of organizing itself without taking that as a central mission. The Republican party is a coalition that includes some libertarian-minded members, some social conservatives, and some voters who have a foot in both camps. It is easy to imagine (as Sager does) that it can choose which kind of majority party to be: one oriented toward the libertarians, or one oriented toward the social conservatives. If that were the case, a voter could root for one definition or the other, depending on his own priorities. But only one of those coalitions would actually form a majority. If over the last generation the Republicans had not absorbed the statist social conservatives at the price of losing some libertarians, it would have remained a minority party. If it had instead tried to pick up libertarian Democrats while alienating social conservatives, it would have become a much smaller minority than it already was. You can try to separate the economic and social conservatives, but it's an illusion to think the groups can prosper independent of each other. Labels: Politics-National (05-07) Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Ross Douhat and Reihan Salam, who blog at The American Scene, have a piece in the Weekly Standard that looks at why white middle-class voters, much maligned by liberals after the 2004 election for their irrational voting in books such as What's The Matter With Kansas?, were more receptive to the Democrat's message of economic populism this time around:
For Rose, the economic story of recent decades is not one of immiseration but one of dramatic gains for both middle and working-class families. His most striking finding: When you average-out family incomes over 15 years and capture only the peak earning years--from age 26 to 59--fully 60 percent of Americans will live in households making over $60,000 a year, with half of these households making over $85,000. This has meant that more and more workers feel like beneficiaries of the changing economy rather than victims of it--and as a result, feel comfortable voting for the GOP. So what happened in 2006? Why is left-wing populism suddenly resonating? What's masked by Rose's averaging, and by the general picture of working-class success, are the tremendous fluctuations in annual income created by the globalized economy. This has made economic security, not poverty or prosperity, the central concern of today's working class--whether you're talking about the small business woman who can barely afford health care or the autoworker who's just discovered that his corporate pension is a mirage. And the bad news for the GOP is that the left has begun to figure out how to speak their language. In cutting-edge polemics like Jacob Hacker's The Great Risk Shift, the smartest liberal voices are focusing on voter anxiety about health care and income volatility--anxiety that the GOP hasn't even begun to find a way to address. The good news for Republicans, on the other hand, is that the left's preferred solution--making America more like Europe through a vast expansion of the tax-and-transfer state--is still extremely unpopular with most voters, which is why Democrats talked up economic security in 2006 but were thin on policy detail. To working-class Americans struggling to figure out how to get ahead in a more competitive economy, when you can expect to change jobs several times in a decade let alone a lifetime, the "Lou Dobbs Democrats" don't have much to offer--a minimum wage increase, a critique of the alleged inequities of small-bore trade deals, and tough talk on border security that will be drowned out in a caucus that's eager to liberalize immigration laws and increase the influx of low-skilled laborers. Once the artfully named bills pass and the signing ceremonies fade into the past, working class voters will probably wonder, as Walter Mondale once put it, "Where's the beef?" This gap between what the Democrats are promising and what they can deliver offers a renewed opportunity to the GOP. To date, Republicans have failed to come to grips with the issue of economic insecurity, offering table scraps and tax credits in place of real solutions. This signal failure is the reason that the Bush-Rove vision of a lasting Republican majority has hovered just beyond the GOP's reach. It's easy, however, to imagine a renewed "ownership agenda" focused on spreading capital ownership, freeing workers from employer-based health care, rewarding low-wage work, and defending the interests of hard-pressed parents. The question is whether Republicans, in their present state of drift and disarray, will be farsighted enough to embrace it. In May of 2005, Hugh Hewitt had an essay contest where he asked people to describe what the GOP message should be for the 2006 midterm election. This is part of my entry: The GOP strategy for 2006 should be to follow up the "ownership society" message that George W. Bush pushed (not aggressively enough in my opinion) in his 2004 reelection campaign. The message is a powerful one that appeals to all Americans, but particularly to young twenty and thirty-somethings that the party has made inroads with already. It also has strong appeal to minorities, who are beginning, however slowly, to realize how hollow the Democrats message of victimization and government as the only answer really is. It's a message of personal responsibility, individual freedom, and optimism that encapsulates the American Dream. But it needs a little rebranding. Instead of "ownership society" it should be simplified to "It's Yours." It's your retirement. It's your health care. It's your kid's education. It's your government. And most of all, it's your country and it's your future. It's impossible to say that such a message could have prevented the loss of the House and Senate in the recent elections. But, as Douhat and Salam point out, it is a message that at least begins to address the issues of middle-class economic security that the GOP for the most part chose to ignore in 2006. There is no reason that Republicans shouldn't own these issues if they decide to focus on them. Labels: Politics-National (05-07) Monday, November 13, 2006
Mark Steyn, perhaps the finest politcal writer in the world, on the state of the political writing at the monopoly newspaper in Minneapolis:
Aside from its political bias, which I think is actually quite disgraceful, the Star Tribune is just unreadable sludge and in the end, people are not going to carry on paying money for unreadable sludge. That sounds reasonable. But most of those readers are the same people electing the likes of RT Rybak, Keith Ellison, and Chris Stewart to positions of power. Keen discernment is not exactly their strong suit. But it's not that bad at the Star Tribune, is it? They do have Lileks, Katherine Kersten, and these Top 11 Other Things. Labels: Media-Local (05-07)
Remember when your parents told you to be sure to run with the right crowd? As the years go by, it's amazing how much of that parental advice that you discounted as an all-knowing teenager is proven to have been spot on.
In fact kids, if you hang with the smart set at special events and make the right connections, maybe one day, you too can get elected to Congress. I jest of course. While I'd like to think that we may have played some infinitesimally small role in her success last Tuesday, Michele Bachmann won her race because of her incredible energy, determination, and conviction. You can listen to our election night interview (after her victory speech) with Michele here. You may not agree with her on everything, but you have to admit that she's got Saint Paul figured out.
I went to the rink yesterday for an hour or so of skating with the family. In the sheet next to the open skate a girls hockey game was about to begin. It seemed like many of the girls couldn't even carry their own equipment bags or lace up their own boots. Dads were doing it. And these girls were 12 or 13 years old.
If you can't even carry your own gear... If you think it's so great that your daughter is acting like a boy, don't be surprised when she comes home from college with a girl. UPDATE--The Elder Adds: Actually ALL kids who play hockey should be carrying their own equipment. I've been dismayed in recent years by the numbers of parents I've seen lugging equipment bags in for their spoiled children. If you can't carry the bag, you can't play the game.
Before Republicans can determine what they need to do to get back on the right track, they need to make sure that the right people are driving the bus. Stephen Moore's opinion piece (sub req) in today's Wall Street Journal makes a strong case for House Republicans to put Mike Spence behind the wheel:
If Rep. Mike Pence, the fourth-term Republican from Indiana, wins his bid this Friday for House minority leader, he will become the second most influential conservative in Washington, behind President Bush. The leadership contest, of course, does not take place in a vacuum. The congressional Republicans are engaged in a desperate search for a new revolutionary, a Newt Gingrich figure to help them rediscover who they are and what they believe in. One story about Mr. Pence suggests that he might just be the man: "The president said, 'Mike, I really need your vote for my prescription drug bill," Mr. Pence recalls of his first-ever meeting in the Oval Office. "And I responded, 'With all due respect, Mr. President, I didn't come to this town to create new entitlements, but to rein in the ones we already have.'" A few days later, this wet-behind-the-ears sophomore congressman captained a conservative revolt that fell one vote short of killing the hugely expensive legislation. That wasn't the first time this maverick bucked his party leadership and his president. His first spending vote in the House was against the No Child Left Behind education bill that the Bush White House still considers one of its crowning achievements. His reasoning: "Why are we federalizing schools and education?" A great question that far too few Republicans have bothered asking in recent years. The silver-haired Mr. Pence is most known as a free-market conservative who fought to make the Bush tax cuts bigger and the Bush spending smaller, and he relishes the idea of taking on the trade protectionism of the Democrats. On immigration, he rejects as economically wrongheaded the Pat Buchanan isolationism of the party. He wants a border security bill that includes expanded legal immigration and a system to allow illegal workers to go back home and secure a green card for re-admittance if they have a willing employer who will hire them. The closed-border Republicans have screamed "amnesty" -- a policy Mr. Pence says he's "dedicated to preventing." It says a lot about his likeability and conservative credentials that even his highest-profile opponent on the immigration issue, Tom Tancredo, is a Pence supporter in the leadership race. Music to my ears. What about the notion of the need for bipartisanship? One complication for Republican leaders is that over the next two years a legacy-minded Mr. Bush might work to make bipartisan deals with a Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- on questions like minimum wage, health care and entitlement reform. Mr. Pence sees the House Republicans' game plan for winning back the majority as pretty much the opposite: to oppose such deals whenever they deviate from Reagan principles. "The duty of the Republican minority as I see it is to contest and where possible defeat the liberal agenda of the Democratic Party and Speaker Pelosi," he stresses. "But I think that we will only defeat the Democratic agenda by presenting positive, substantive reforms based on Republican values for every major legislative initiative of the Democratic majority -- whether the issue is the economy, security or values." There's a definite spirit of combativeness, not cooperation -- thank God. Amen to that. Pence almost sounds too good to be true. He's just what the House GOP needs to get back to principles and win back the respect of conservatives. Which probably means he doesn't have a chance of getting the nod. Whether the Republicans decide to go with Boehner or Spence will say a lot about the direction they're going to take in the House. And about their chances of getting back into the majority.
Over the weekend, the local conservative blogosphere was rocked by the bitter infighting between Power Line and Captain Ed over whether the Al Qaeda and Iranian mullahocracy's endorsements of last Tuesday's election results was a relevant issue. The public spat exposed a deep fissure within the ranks of the Northern Alliance and led many longtime followers of the Minneapolis blog scene (like JB Doubtless) to wonder if we were witnessing our own conservative crackup.
I can tell you from personal experience that the situation is still volatile and all that it will take is a spark to ignite the powder keg. During Saturday's Northern Alliance Radio Network show, you could have cut the tension in the studio air with a cutlass and Saint Paul and I were almost forced to step in and separate Ed and John, who were at each others throats like a couple of rabid Rottweillers. It all started on Friday with a provocative post by Power Line's John Hinderaker. Captain Ed immediately fired back and the battle was joined. John responded with an incendiary barrage against Ed and his co-blogger Paul jumped in with his own vicious volley: I think that Ed is also wrong... The Rubicon had clearly been crossed and now it was getting personal. No more fighting by the Marquess of Queensberry rules. After Ed poured on more gasoline, Paul went nuclear: It's commendable, in a way, that Ed wants to be high-minded, and thus is reluctant to speak ill of the Democrats at this juncture. It would more commendable if he followed the same approach when he writes about his fellow conservatives. Somehow, Ed survived the savage onslaught and unleashed a counterstrike with this devastating riposte: Nevertheless, I think Paul is too sensitive to my argument here. Ouch. That's going to leave a mark. As is almost always the case in such conflicts, the ones who suffer the most are the innocent bystanders. I understand that Atomizer has been curled up in the fetal position all weekend, unable to cope with the consequences of have to watch his favorite bloggers' acrimonious bickering. For the sake of Atomizer and others like him, let us hope that the two parties can reconcile their differences and get back together for the greater good. Remember guys, makeup blogging is always the best. Labels: Blogs-Local Sunday, November 12, 2006
U dodges loss - and debris from stands:
Down 3-1 in the third period Saturday against St. Cloud State at the National Hockey Center, the Gophers had little choice but to throw everything they had at the Huskies. In the end, their 3-3 tie was extra sweet, after everything the Huskies fans had thrown at them. The Huskies gave out hand-held, battery-operated fans to their faithful, who took aim at the Gophers throughout the game despite pleas from the public address announcer to not throw anything on the ice. "We're sick of it," Gophers coach Don Lucia said. "It happened to us last year, too. I think they had the same giveaway. It's not real smart to give something away that uses batteries." Lucia said the players were so tired of the fans' antics that they came close to deciding not to shake hands with the Huskies at game's end. Providing a bunch of drunk college students batteries before a hockey game against their hated rival? For the SECOND YEAR IN A ROW? What kind of a three-ring circus do you work for anyway King?
At one time in my life, I would have been among the first to rush out to see "Borat," which some are describing as one of the funniest movies ever. But now I think I'll pass on the latest and greatest in cynical comedy. Melik Kaylan had a piece in Thursday's Wall Street Journal called Spoiled Borat which helps explain why:
It now seems clear that, hitherto, television's codes curbed Mr. Cohen's taste, both as Ali G and as Borat, for outrage bordering on vileness. The laxer motion-picture code has freed him to reveal his own fatal flaw. In the movie, Borat is welcomed to dinner in a well-intentioned American home as a foreign visitor anxious to learn Western manners. He excuses himself in mid-meal and returns with a little mesh sack full of human ordure. "What I do with this?" he asks. (I know what I would say, but the dismayed hostess is too polite and takes him back to the bathroom.) At this juncture, the theater falls silent. Which side are we on here? Ingenious postmodern commentators argue that this is where Mr. Cohen gets real, Brechtian even, and transcends comedy, forcing the audience profoundly to question itself. Perhaps so. But this is also where his bullying nihilism herniates into full view and stays in our faces. Each scene thereafter unveils either embarrassment, humiliation or hairy genitalia, unredeemed by laughter, inviting us to savor, and then to applaud, our own discomfort. No doubt that is what the Kazakhs would be doing, if only they could be as ironic as we are. Saturday, November 11, 2006
Families United for our Troops and Their Mission--Minnesota:
Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission is a not-for-profit 501(c)(4) organization. We are a grassroots coalition of Gold Star families, veterans, families with loved ones in harm's way, and Americans who share a deep appreciation for our men and women in uniform and support them in their efforts to make America safer by winning the War On Terror. Collectively we will ensure that the sacrifices our courageous warriors have made are not in vain, and that the heroic soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who have been charged with such a vital mission will be given the support they need to complete their mission. The members of our organization know well why these brave individuals choose to serve. We know that these humble Americans leave their homes and loved ones with the knowledge that they are making the world a safer place. And we know that these dedicated service members are committed, first and foremost, to seeing their mission through to completion.
The Wall Street Journal's always reliable Eric Felten has the perfect anecdote and the perfect drink for a proper Veterans Day salute:
In the hopes of ending the war for good -- and decommissioning the Southern soldiers in such a way that they didn't disperse into troublesome guerrilla forces -- Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman met at a farm in North Carolina with Confederate Gen. Joseph Johnston and the South's Secretary of War, John Breckinridge. The effort almost foundered then and there, all for the want of a glass of whiskey. "You know how fond of his liquor Breckinridge was," Johnston would recount years later. Confederate stores of drink had long been exhausted, and the foraging armies had drunk the countryside dry. "For several days, Breckinridge had found it difficult, if not impossible, to procure liquor," Johnston said. "He showed the effect of his enforced abstinence. He was rather dull and heavy that morning." That is, until Sherman showed up. The Union general arrived with a well-provisioned saddlebag: "Gentlemen," Sherman declared, "it occurred to me that perhaps you were not overstocked with liquor, and I procured some medical stores on my way over. Will you join me before we begin work?" It was a good start. Breckinridge "poured a tremendous drink, which he swallowed with great satisfaction." He perked up immediately -- and a perky Breckinridge was an impressive sight. Vice president in James Buchanan's administration, Breckinridge had been one of the smoothest and sharpest lawyers in the country. Fortified, "Breckinridge never shone more brilliantly than he did in the discussions which followed," Johnston said. "He seemed to have at his tongue's end every rule and maxim of international and constitutional law." Breckinridge was on such a roll that Sherman finally pushed back his chair and blurted: "See here, gentlemen, who is doing this surrendering anyhow?" Flummoxed, Sherman went back to the saddlebag and retrieved the bottle of whiskey. What followed nearly extended the war by months. Sherman, "preoccupied, perhaps unconscious of his action," proceeded to pour himself -- and only himself -- a drink. He put the bottle away in his saddlebag, and lost in thought "sipped his grog." Breckinridge watched in disbelief. According to Johnston, his "face changed successively to uncertainty, disgust, and deep depression." When Sherman came out of his reverie, he agreed to a comprehensive peace settlement, the terms of which were far more generous than Johnston or Breckinridge could possibly have hoped for -- generous enough that they would get Sherman into trouble with the White House. Breckinridge should have been jumping for joy. Instead, he was bitter and glum. "General Johnston," Breckinridge said as the two left the meeting, "General Sherman is a hog. Yes, sir, a hog. Did you see him take that drink by himself?" he sputtered. "No Kentucky gentleman would ever have taken away that bottle." Indeed. Felten goes on to suggest a drink to toast the troops: But most of that drink's ingredients -- the brandy, curaçao (of which Cointreau is a type) and champagne -- can be found in the punch of the Seventh Regiment, a New York National Guard unit that became the 107th Infantry in 1917. Rounded out with lemon juice, sugar and maraschino liqueur -- perfectly balanced between sweet and tart -- it is refreshing and well designed for use in a succession of toasts. SEVENTH REGIMENT PUNCH ½ oz. brandy ¼ oz. curaçao ¼ oz. maraschino liqueur ½ oz. lemon juice ½ oz. simple (sugar) syrup 3 oz. chilled champagne Shake all ingredients except for champagne with ice and strain into a punch cup or goblet. Add champagne and stir gently. Garnish with fresh seasonal fruit. This Veterans Day weekend, let's make up some Seventh Regiment Punch and toast the men and women who fight, and who have fought, so that the rest of us can enjoy such simple pleasures. Labels: Cocktails Friday, November 10, 2006
November 4th: The Battle Has Begun!:
Today America found out who the search for the next great Progressive Talk Radio Star finalists are. Each contestant had five minutes at the microphone to convince the judges why they deserve to be added to the progressive talk show lineup with the likes of Ed Schultz and Bill Press. Not exactly like trying to crack the '27 Yankees lineup, is it? The premise of this event rests on the rather dubious assumption that there already is a great progressive talk radio star (or stars). It turns out that Ed Schultz is not only the standard these contestants are seeking to emulate, he's also one of the judges. Having Schultz judge a contest for "great" radio stars is like having K-Fed judge a contest for great pop singers. As announced on today's broadcast, the finalists are: Khalid Elmasri TalkProgress.com At Large (Web) Russ Belville AM 620 KPOJ Kevin Skiest 1300AM the Voice Linda Morton KLSD AM 1360 Curtis Hannum AM 760 Progressive Talk Mike Lampers 1350 AM Radio Free Ohio Buzz Lutrell AM1200 Boston's Progressive Talk Steve "The Sarge" Beavers 92.1 The Mic Madison's Progressive Talk Household names all. If you're in a masochistic mood, you can listen to a sample of each contestant here. There's an interesting back-story on contestant Khalid Elmasri. He's among the finalists by virtue of receiving the most votes in an internet election to fill the "at large" position. I've been privy to a series of e-mails sent by local Muslim groups urging those on their distribution lists to vote for brother Khalid because: He plans to utilize the program as an opportunity for the Muslim perspective to be heard in an unbiased manner on issues such as the Patriot Act and the "war on terror". They also assured their fellow Muslims that: Also, for those of you that know Khalid and who take the time to listen to the sample show, you'll notice that his tone (in the sample) is more mainstream liberal/democratic than he actually is. But such a tone was necessary in order for him to receive consideration and advance in the contest. Oh, those things that he says about abortion, gay rights, women's equality, and separation of church and state? Just ignore them. He's doing what he has to do to get where he's going. Hmmm....A little taqiyya perhaps? While it should be pointed out that one of the respondents on the chain of e-mails objected to this apparent deception, it's interesting to see how readily some in the Muslim community accept the idea of concealing your true views to gain a position of influence (if you consider being a progressive talk show host influential). When it comes to talk radio, it's probably fairly harmless. But what if such practices were extended to politics as well? More on that next week. JB ADDS: My favorite kind of taqiyya is probably Petron.
The audio of the Keith Ellison victory speech on Tuesday is just now getting wider exposure, through the alternative media. I heard it for the first time on the Jason Lewis show last night and now Power Line has linked to the audio.
The frenzied shouts of Allahu Akbar! ringing through the Minneapolis night air doesn't seem to be of much interest to the mainstream press in town. If asked, I'm sure they'd assume the Alfred E. Neumann position and refer to the official story about how it is merely an expression of praise among one of the many communities making the city such a beautiful tapestry of diversity. Something along the lines of the Wikipedia interpretation: ... a common Arabic expression, which can be translated as "God is Great," "God is Greater," or "God is the greatest." This phrase is recited by Muslims in numerous different situations. For example, when they are happy or wish to express approval, when an animal is slaughtered in a halaal fashion, when they want to praise a speaker, during battles, and even times of extreme stress or euphoria. The term has gained relative infamy in the eyes of some Westerners, who only encounter it as a battle-cry of Muslim terrorists. All right, so maybe the crowed dug Ellison's speech, maybe the preparation of the halaal appetizers had begun in the kitchen, maybe one of the many other conditions for uttering the word among the Muslim fundamentalists was being met. But surely you have to understand "some Westerners" for their associations of the term with things of a more sinister nature. Because some Westerners may remember that the term is also used intentionally to intimidate. No less a practitioner of the art than Mohammed Atta said as much in his instructions to the 9-11 hijackers on what to do when the carnage began on those ill-fated airplanes on a September, now seemingly so long ago: When the confrontation begins, strike like champions who do not want to go back to this world. Shout, 'Allahu Akbar,' because this strikes fear in the hearts of the non-believers. God said: 'Strike above the neck, and strike at all of their extremities.' Know that the gardens of paradise are waiting for you in all their beauty, and the women of paradise are waiting, calling out, 'Come hither, friend of God.' Using that term at a campaign rally in this country is a problem. And it's news to any rational observer, except apparently those running the monopoly news outlet in Minneapolis. Actually, according to prior Star Tribune standards, it's news any time a candidate's political and religious beliefs intersect. Michele Bachmann attempted to speak in a church to her fellow Christians about what compelled her to enter the political arena, one of her dedicated band of stalkers captures the video, and the compliant Star Tribune splashes it across their editorial page and cites it as the reason she is unfit for office, calling it "an embarrassment." Another leftist Internet provocateur digs up a relic of Lutheran animosity from the Reformation and it is used repeatedly by the Star Tribune to smear Bachmann as a religious extremist. WCCO TV even got into the action with this opening salvo from Pat Kessler: Religion and politics. That has crept into this campaign over and over and over again. The Minneapolis-based Star Tribune reports today, Senator, that the church you belong to is affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod which, it says, regards the Roman Catholic Pope as the Antichrist. Is this true? Do you share the views of your church? And, why should any Catholic in the 6th District vote for you if it is true? You'll note that no such question was ever asked of Keith Ellison during the campaign. And the media wouldn't even have to go back to the 16th century to find examples of his faith having some "problems" with Catholics or (INSERT ANY OTHER RELIGION HERE). I guess it's not fair to say Keith Ellison never had to face this same scrutiny. The intrepid press did address this way back on September 13 with this exchange with award winning journalist Wolf Blitzer on CNN: BLITZER: I know, have been reading a bit about your background. You converted to Islam while you were in college from Christianity? ELLISON: That's right. Yes, sir. BLITZER: What made you decide that you wanted to embrace Islam? ELLISON: It was a personal religious choice. BLITZER: And that was that. And you've obviously made some major changes over these many years in your attitude. What about this other issue that's come up? You are also going to make history by becoming the first African American to be elected to the U.S. Congress from the State of Minnesota assuming you win? Moving on now to Kirstie Alley's new diet plan ... The double standard applied to the campaigns of Michele Bachmann and Keith Ellison have been brazen and breath taking, even for long time observers of media bias. Can you imagine the huffing firestorm of controversy the local press would have whipped up if Michele Bachmann's victory speech would have been greeted with calls of "Praise the Lord" or "Hallelujah!" from the assembled at GOP headquarters in Bloomington Tuesday night. Why do our cultural elite demonize and denigrate the fruits of their own Western culture, like Christianity, while turning a blind eye and coddling the crimes and excesses of others? This week Thomas Sowell asks the same question and also provides the answer: How can a generation be expected to fight for the survival of a culture or a civilization that has been trashed in its own institutions, taught to tolerate even the intolerance of other cultures brought into its own midst, and conditioned to regard any instinct to fight for its own survival as being a "cowboy"? Labels: Politics-Local (06-07)
Writing in today's Wall Street Journal Jeff Flake, a Republican Congressman from Arizona, continues with the post-election analysis of what went wrong. He also points out a grand opportunity for the House GOP to put principle ahead of politics:
The Farm Bill probably provides the best example of where we've gone wrong, and what we need to do to hew back to our first principles. During the 1990s, then-Sen. Phil Gramm accurately described U.S. farm policy as "enough to make a Russian Commissar puke." The Republicans assembled the "Freedom to Farm Act," which, starting in 1996, put U.S. farmers on a glide path toward an end to subsidies. Somewhere between the field and the silo, however, we became mired in the political mud. In 2002, we repealed the Freedom to Farm Act and in its place installed the "Farm Security Act" -- those who value the adage about trading freedom for security can pause and shudder here -- with even more lavish subsidies. Now, with reauthorization of the Farm Bill on the horizon next year, we have to decide whether we will up the ante with Democrats in terms of red state/blue state politics in the heartland, or whether we believe our own rhetoric about free markets. This debate will have implications larger than the fiscal one. Most notably, it will determine if we are serious about the future of free trade. Of immediate concern to Republicans in the House of Representatives is deciding who will be our standard bearer. Can those who have been a part of the current leadership team convince the other members that they've had an epiphany? It's possible, I suppose. But I think we'd be best served with some fresh faces, congressmen like Mike Pence and John Shadegg, who haven't had to travel that road to Damascus.
If twenty-four straight hours of "Spongebob" isn't enough to cheer you up, you might want to check out Guns'n'butter, a new conservative satirical news site. Here's a sample:
DENVER -- Bruce Braunschweiger, the President of the National Association of Gay Male Escorts, abruptly resigned today after an evangelical Christian minister announced that the two had met regularly in a Denver motel room for prayer and Bible study. At first, Braunschweiger denied the accusations, saying he only bought a large banana nut bread from the minister at a church bake sale last year, but never ate it. But after the association's directors ordered a search of Braunschweiger's office and found a King James Bible in his desk, he confessed to meeting and studying with the minister, Roy T. Newman of Colorado Springs. "Not all of the accusations against me are true, but enough are true that I have been brutally and sadistically stripped of my office. And my clothes," Braunschweiger said in a prepared statement. "Through my virtuous and God-focused behavior, I have let down the entire gay male escort community. I took an oath to lead a life of debauchery, wickedness and reckless sexual abandon. Instead, I have secretly been clean, abstinent and prayerful. I deserve a spanking. A harsh, harsh spanking."  Thursday, November 09, 2006
Besides being the birthday of the Marine Corps, tomorrow is also the kick off of the 5th annual Salute To The Military Weekend at Keegan's Irish Pub & Restaurant in Minneapolis. All vets who stop by Keegan's will receive a free beer on the house and SOS will be available all day for $3.95. Squeezing a free beer out of jarhead Terry Keegan is like prying a free Krabby Patty from the claws of Eugene H. Krabs, so you know that he considers this a very special occasion. I encourage all vets to report for duty at Keegan's this weekend.
It's time for supporters of President Bush to come forward and admit the harsh truth: the Bush dictatorship has been a miserable failure.
While successful dictators undermine the court system so that it becomes nothing more than a rubber stamping farce, Bush has suffered a number of reversals at the hands of the judiciary. Successful dictators intimidate the media and only allow voices friendly to them to continue to operate. Bush is openly reviled by around 80% of the members of the American media and yet he hasn't had a SINGLE one of them beaten. How can you expect to properly suppress dissent without some jack-booted thugs? Successful dictators put their political opponents in camps or hang them from meat hooks and strangle them with piano wire. Bush's political opponents just WON an election. Is it any wonder that Saddam Hussein expresses such disdain for him? And don't even get me started on the trains...
Just in time for their two-hundred and thirty-first birthday tomorrow, Mark Yost writes about the new National Museum of the Marine Corps in an article from yesterday's Wall Street Journal:
Indeed, it's hard to imagine that one collection could adequately capture and convey the 231-year history of what's arguably America's most revered armed force. But thanks to the wonderful design and interactive presentation of just 1,000 of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation's 60,000 historical pieces, this $60 million museum, funded almost entirely by private donations, which officially opens Friday, has done that and more. From Yost's description, the museum's designers have done the Marines history proud: Visitors enter through a large atrium that features Marine Corps aircraft suspended in midair and a granite façade etched with the proclamations that have defined the U.S. Marine Corps. Like Col. David Shoup's famous dispatch from the beaches of Tarawa: "Casualties -- Many; Percentage Dead -- Unknown; Combat Efficiency -- We Are Winning." And Adm. Chester Nimitz's statement that at Iwo Jima, "uncommon valor was a common virtue." It also appears that the museum is a refreshing departure from the trend toward historical revision and relativism that many other institutions have unfortunately followed in recent years: Yes, make no mistake about it, this is a full-bore, red, white and blue celebration of all the guts and all the glory that have shaped the U.S. Marine Corps. And it couldn't have come at a better time. Clint Eastwood's new film, "Flags of Our Fathers," concentrates disproportionately -- some would say unfairly -- on the negative aspects of the flag raising on Iwo Jima. This museum, which has the original flag on display, revels in it. And rightfully so. The new museum like sounds like a tribute befitting the spirit of the USMC.
One of the things that I've come to realize as a parent is that once you have kids you end up living in two parallel worlds that rarely intersect. One is the "real" world of work, politics, religion, and adult culture. The other is your kid's world, which largely consists of play, school (when they're older), friends, and kid culture.
Until you have children you're usually completely out of the loop on what's going in this world of children. Once you do, it's easy (and tempting) to caught up in it to the exclusion of the "real" world which is much nastier and far more complicated. You see this sometimes with parents who are so wrapped up in their kids that they have little clue what's going on around them in the wider world. I never understood how people could do this until I became a parent and the advantages of concerning yourself exclusively with what your children are doing (or watching) became apparent. It's much easier to debate whether Steve or Joe is a better "Blues Clues" host than what we should in Iraq. If you know why today is the beginning of the "best day ever," you can probably relate to this observation. Wednesday, November 08, 2006
How has "Election Day Plus One" 2006 been different than similar days of recent years past? Well, I guess I mean aside from the fact that there are a lot more winners with the letter "D" in front of their names...how has it been different?
The answer struck me this afternoon as I was listening to the top of the hour news at noon. I realized that I had AM radio on all day and had not heard one frantic report of rampant voter fraud. I hadn't heard a single person crying about how they had been disenfranchised. Nobody had yet come forward with tales of having been intimidated at the polls. The always reliable members of the MSM had yet to trot out even one pathetic loser who was too incompetent to figure out how to cast a ballot. No candidate was threatening court action to overturn a close result and nobody was shrieking about an election being stolen. No, we were all spared these indignities this time around and I, frankly, found it quite refreshing. I guess that's just what happens when adults lose elections.
It was a long night at the GOP "Victory" Party in Bloomington. We started our broadcast at 8pm, ended at 1am, and hung around until 1:45am hoping that we would hear that Pawlenty had finally secured his victory. Of course, that wasn't finalized until 10am this morning, so our decision to call it a night when we did was a wise one.
Going into the evening, my expectations on the state level were quite low. The two candidates that I was most concerned about were Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann. The fact that they both won made the rest of the news (almost entirely bad) much easier to swallow. I wasn't shocked to see the GOP lose the Minnesota House and fall even further into the minority in the Senate. The biggest surprises for me were Gil Gutknecht losing in the 1st District and Pat Anderson being defeated rather easily by Rebecca Otto. But the biggest loser of the election has to be Mike Hatch. The results were a big FU to the long-time power seeker. Despite the fact that a wave of blue swept the state (actually a wave of green in my district, the 5th), Hatch was unable to win. Voters pulled the lever for DFL candidates up and down the ballot, but enough of them had qualms about Hatch to allow Pawlenty to hang on. And I don't think it was issues either. It was all about personality and the outcome was a personal rebuke of Hatch. Despite the fact that it was a down night for Republicans, the party was actually quite lively and we had a lot of fun. We were able to interview a number of great guests including Rudy Boschwitz, Vin Weber, Ron Carey, and Norm Coleman, who claimed that his wife Laurie is a big fan of the NARN. Boschwitz and Weber were able to provide some much needed perspective on what the evening's results really meant and how one defeat by no means ends a political career. The highlight of the interviews had to be Michele Bachmann. After her victory speech, she did interviews with two televisions stations and then stopped by The Patriot broadcast area. We were her first radio interview and as always she was energetic, enthusiastic, and a little bit feisty. She's not someone who we have to worry about going wobbly once she gets to Washington. Attending these events as media representative is always a bit strange, since we are quite openly partisan. We're used to being on the other side of the wall and it's difficult to pretend that you're a detached observer like most of the media do. And I must report that there was some cheering in the press box, especially when it was announced that Stillwater's spending levies had gone down to defeat. Let's just say that Saint Paul takes his pocketbook issues quite seriously. One thing that was evident last night and continues to seen today is the difference in the way that Republicans handle defeat compared to Dems. There wasn't a lot of head hanging, finger pointing, or blaming outside forces for the setback. No one is going to call for investigations into the voting machines or blame the voters for being too stupid to know what's good for them. Rather, most Republicans will take responsibility for the defeat, look within ourselves to see what we did wrong, and figure out what we need to change to have a different result next time around. We're not victims, we just lost some political races. At this point, it's difficult to draw broad conclusions from the election results. One point that I've been trying to make for some time is that Minnesota is still a predominately Democratic state, although less so than in the past. After the last couple of elections, there has been a lot of talk about Minnesota moving from blue to red and maybe even being a purple state (this despite that fact that 2004 was hardly a banner year for Minnesota Republicans). Perhaps these results are just an example of two steps forward, one step back, but I believe they more accurately reflect the true balance of power in the state. That's not to say that progress hasn't been made in moving Minnesota to the right. It's just that it's going to be a very long, very slow transformation and rather than hoping for sweeping changes, Republicans should be content to chip away at the DFL when the opportunity presents itself and to play defense and expect losses in years where the stars are aligned against them. The good news is that Republicans, especially conservatives, are usually better at playing defense--standing athwart history yelling "Stop" in Buckley's immortal words--than being on offense. And we'll have plenty of opportunities to do just that in the next few years, especially here in the North Star State. Button up your chin strap T-Paw. It's time to play some tenacious D.
Now that you've got yourself back some power and it's been convincingly demonstrated that our democracy is as strong as ever and there is no nefarious Rove/Cheney/Haliburton plot to crush your dissent, can we get together as Americans to tackle the important business of the day?
Defeating our Jihadist enemies would be a good place to start. UPDATE: Now that you won't have one of your favorite bete noires to kick around anymore, it should be even easier to get serious on this.
Like many of my fellow Americans, I'm still reeling from yesterday's disheartening news. I certainly didn't see it coming.
Who would have guessed that Britney and Kevin's seemingly perfect marriage would ever end? It's going to take a long time to recover from this one.
So I'm in the booth last night votin' away and after hitting straight party R's for the 18th consecutive year, I flip the ballot and notice a ton of races that were non-partisan.
I froze for a second. What to do? I don't know anything about soil and water commissioners or local judges. Then I noticed several candidates who had hypenated-names. Joann Highsmith-Browne or whatever. Using simple logic (the only kind I am capable of) I surmised that a hyphenated name usually means a feminist and a feminist usually means a liberal and a liberal usually means someone I will vote against. I was able to take care of 4-5 races right off the bat with this method. The second method (when no hyphens were present) was men getting the nod over women. I later learned my wife employed the very opposite tack, so I guess we cancelled each other out. Labels: Politics-Local (06-07)
Look at it this way: there is no way under the sun that Nancy Pelosi won't screw up the gains the Dems have made in this election. Affirmative Action hires always do--it's just a matter of time.
The fact that the Dems almost want to hose themselves in this matter I guess shouldn't come as a surprise. They are in the driver's seat now and plan on giving the keys to a kid who just got her permit. This hoisting by their own retard will be fun to watch! UPDATE--THE ELDER ADDS: While the prospect of Nancy Pelosi driving the House forward is disquieting, there will be a certain amount of satisfaction carping about every move she makes. It's a lot easier being a back seat driver than being at the wheel. Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Remember to tune in to AM1280 The Patriot WWTC tonight for the best local election coverage and commentary provided courtesy of the Northern Alliance Radio Network. We're going to be hitting the airwaves at 8pm hoping that our lead-in doesn't crater the ratings. The broadcast will continue until the results are final or Saint Paul starts complaining about his parking ticket again.
The set-up is simple. John Hinderaker, Saint Paul, and I will be providing commentary from the Republican victory party in Bloomington and serving as the public face of the NARN, while Mitch Berg and King Banaian will be reporting results from the dimly lit depths of the subterranean studio in Eagan. Michael Brodkorb will also be making the rounds at the GOP gala, providing exclusive interviews and trying to smuggle free drinks back to us at the broadcast table. If you attend tonight's Republican party, stop by and say hi. We'll be the guys with the headphones wearing the "Republican Whore" nametags. If you can't listen to the show on The Patriot, you can always catch us on the live internet stream. If you insist on watching the election coverage on television, just turn down the sound and crank up the NARN. Labels: NARN (06-07)
Whether you're sitting down with a cocktail this evening to toast your political successes, drown your disappointments, or just celebrate the fact that you'll be able to watch TV again without being subjected to a deluge of lousy campaign ads, the Wall Street Journal's Eric Felton has (as always) the perfect drink for the occasion:
WARD EIGHT 2 oz rye whiskey ½ oz fresh lemon juice ½ oz orange juice ½ oz grenadine Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. The cocktail was created to honor one Martin Lomasney, a teetotaler himself, who was a political boss back in the day: In 1898, Boston Democrats suffered a dramatic schism, with the nominating convention splitting in two. Lomasney's faction drew up nomination papers for their man, and Mayor Josiah Quincy's crowd did the same for their candidate. Two messengers were sent racing, first across Boston Harbor by ferry and then through the streets of Boston on bicycle, a mad dash to deliver and file the nominating papers. Lomasney's man got there first, which put his candidate on the ballot. I like to think that this rather fantastical victory was the cause for a celebratory drink. Not that Lomasney was there for the cocktail. Not only didn't he drink, he didn't frequent the Locke-Ober Café, with its lobster and fancy French sauces. Lomasney preferred to eat applesauce on crackers (while wearing a signature straw hat) at his center of operations, a social hall called the Hendricks Club. There, he would greet an endless stream of supplicants. "Martin Lomasney kept little notebooks in which he kept everyone's name for whom he had done a favor," says Peter Drummey, the Steven T. Riley Librarian at the Massachusetts Historical Society. If someone needed a favor that Lomasney couldn't himself deliver, he turned to his notebooks to find someone in his debt who could help out. The "Czar of Ward Eight" also kept a rather large safe in which he archived ruinous dirt on friends and enemies alike. When favors weren't enough for him to get his way, coercion kicked in. When you're kicking back tonight and watching the results of the increasingly focus group-driven, feelings-orientated, and feminized politics of today, you might think about knocking back a Ward Eight or two and remembering the days when men drank rye whiskey and political power could be determined by the winner of a real race. Labels: Cocktails
Tonight all eyes will be on the few dozen Senate and House races that are considered to be competitive or at risk of flipping in terms of party control. Even to the casual observer, the names Corker, Casey, Cardin, and Macaca are all too familiar (and I think that firm once represented me in a tattoo removal lawsuit I was involved in a few years back).
But there are a lot of other races with prominent political celebrities running which have received absolutely no coverage nationally. Much to my surprise, and disappointment, there are a slate of rascals and jesters from the left who would seem to be prime candidates to be picked off by a reasonably competent Republican electoral machine. Yet, according to all available information, they all will be riding smooth, controlled landslides to victory tonight. As you are watching the action tonight (or better yet listening to the NARN present Decision/Collision 2006 on AM1280 the Patriot), keep a cold eye out for these profiles in discouragement and wonder where it all went wrong: Socialist Bernie Sanders - already discussed here). Daniel Akaka (D-HI) - The Senator most likely to get George Allen in trouble if his name is mispronounced during a debate. This spry 82-year-old is scheduled to be a marginally less spry 88 at the end of another term. Despite the fact he could probably tell you first hand memories of the Hindenburg explosion, here is the platform he's running on this year: On November 7th, we have an opportunity to send a strong message to the Bush Administration that it is time for a new direction for our country and our state. Yes, we need the kind of change only possible from an 82-year-old whose been in Washington for 30 years. Actually, if this Time story can be believed, we don't have to worry about any change emanating from Mr. Akaka's corner any time soon. After 16 years on the job, the junior Senator from Hawaii is a master of the minor resolution and the bill that dies in committee. And this record of accomplishment gets him a 28 point lead in the polling. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) - no exposition necessary on the record and character of this 74 year old whose been in the Senate (44 years) longer than he's been out of it . Yet no serious contender is offered by the GOP. The distinguished gentlemen up by 20 points in the latest poll. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) - The New York GOP can't find a single actual New Yorker to seriously challenge New York's senator, by way of Arkansas and the White House. She's up by 35 points on her way to a presidential bid. Robert Byrd (D-WV) - former Ku Klux Klan member, recruiter, and leader. The king of pork barrel politics, shamelessly and boastfully directing billions of dollars of US tax payer dollars to his pet interests in his home state. Hysterical/hyperbolic critic of the Bush administration in a state where 56% of the citizens voted for the President two years ago. And currently a spry 88-years old. He'll be a marginally less spry 94 YEARS OLD at the end of another term. Which it looks like he'll have no problem getting, currently polling at about 70% of the vote. How does he do it? As with Socialist Bernie Sanders, he's more than happy to rob Peter to pay Paul. I rolled up my sleeves to do the work in Congress, to secure the federal funding," Byrd told the crowd. "Yeah, man, you're looking at Big Daddy!" And he's created a 70% majority of Pauls in West Virginia, a state that is supposed to have a conservative disposition. Even the gatekeepers of the truth in the press have shamelessly jumped on board the pork barrel express. They cite this as the primary reason people should vote for Byrd in their full-throated endorsements of the old codger. From the Charleston Gazette: When Democrats controlled the Senate and he ruled its Appropriations Committee, he moved entire government agencies to the quiet mountains. And he provided billions for multitudes of improvements and community facilities now bearing his name. No other person has made such a mark on West Virginia. From the Charleston Daily Mail: Over the past 18 years, Byrd has used his clout as senior Democrat on the Senate appropriations committee to steer well over $1 billion to West Virginia. As a result, West Virginians are benefiting from better highways, schools and medical facilities. One of his greatest triumphs was the relocation of the FBI fingerprint center to the Clarksburg area. [IRONY ALERT, IRONY ALERT] Byrd brought a massive U.S. Bureau of Public Debt complex to Parkersburg. He's responsible for hundreds of good jobs in Wheeling at the National Technology Transfer Center. These actions and their positive electoral results tell you everything you need to know about how serious politicians in Washington will ever be about cutting spending and reconciling the national debt. Term limits would help prevent a guy like Robert Byrd holing up in the Senate chambers for an appalling 48 years and accruing this kind of power. But the short-sighted greed of the voters is every bit as culpable in this mess. Politicians like Byrd just know the best way to exploit them and have no conscience about doing it. Those looking for help making it through this night are advised to tune in to AM1280 the Patriot (streaming here) starting at 8 PM. Don't you dare miss it!
It today's Bleat, Lileks directs his attention to the musings of one his office mates:
Yes, well, that's an accurate summation of the issues: those silly people who believed that it was a bad idea to let individual religious preferences dictate the rules of public transportation were obviously froth-whippers. Note to Christian Identity white-supremacists: you're now free to turn down Blacks as passengers without worrying that Mr. Coleman will rise up and condemn you; he's happy to walk for a better Minnesota. Also, note to some women: you ugly. Get thee to a veilery. Hah ha! It's funny when women have to wear the veil.
Gutknecht's Office Egged:
AP) Rochester, Minn. The Rochester, Minn. staff of Congressman Gil Gutknecht said the windows of the 1st District Republican's office were smeared with broken eggs. Gutknecht said the vandalism was reported to the FBI as required, because the office is federal property. Staff members said they found eggshells still on the ground beneath Gutknecht's name on four exterior windows when they arrived this morning. There was no other apparent damage to the building or nearby vehicles. Gutknecht's campaign manager said there were no witnesses among Gutknecht's official or campaign staffs. The campaign of Gutknecht's Democratic challenger, Tim Walz, denied any involvement in the egging. It was also reported that Gutknecht's toupee was not harmed in the attack. Labels: The Rug Doctor Is In
If you missed the knee to the ol' groinal region video from last night's MNF game, you can view it here.
That's gotta hurt!
James Philips writes in from California with this observation on the priorities of the current Attorney General of Minnesota, Mike Hatch:
I heard part of your interview with AG candidate Johnson last weekend and as I recall the discussion touched on Hatch's lack of focus on criminal justice issues. I've actually wondered about what exactly the Minnesota Attorney General [Mike Hatch] does because every time I look at the MN AG website there is no mention of criminal justice issues. It looks like a consumer protection agency. At least my liberal AG (Bill Lockyer) has criminal justice/crime prevention prominently featured on our web site. A great point by James, who happens to be a lawyer, and according to Mike Hatch, is a "Republican whore!" It is interesting to note the second item on the official site of the Minnesota Attorney General's office is a 23-page report on E85. I don't know if that is a recent addition or not, but in the wake of the Judi Dutcher fiasco, a miraculously beneficial feature to be positioned so prominently on this tax-payer funded web site. If reached for comment, Judi Dutcher would no doubt say - "Can't even comment on it, I'm sorry. It's like you've asked me the college quiz bowl question. What is the Internet?"
Because every other half-arsed wannabee wonk is doing it, here's the way I see things going down today:
Minnesota Congressional Races District One: Gil Gutknecht (GOP) Tim Walz (DFL) A much closer race than had been expected. I see the First District voters giving ol' Gil a break and returning him to office by the slimmest of margins. District Two: John Kline (GOP) Colleen Rowley (DFL) Agent Rowley's campaign has been largely clueless and Kline should win with a comfortable 10% margin. District Three: Jim Ramstad (GOP) Wendy Wilde (DFL) For some reason the transition from Air America radio host to suburban soccer mom just hasn't worked for Wilde. Ramstad in a laugher. District Four: Obi Sium (GOP) Betty McCollum (DFL) Obi has a great story and deserves a better fate, but the demographics of the district dictate an easy win for McCollum. District Five: Alan Fine (GOP) Keith Ellison (DFL) Tammy Lee (IND) Nothing I've seen so far gives me reason to hope that Ellison won't be my representative, although it will be far from a mandate. Let's say Ellison 45%, Fine 30%, and Lee 22%. District Six: Michele Bachmann (GOP) Patty Wetterling (DFL) Easily one of the most bitterly fought, hotly contested Congressional races that Minnesota has seen in recent years. The polls have been all over the place on this race, but I have to think that the combination of Bachmann's tireless campaigning and the makeup of the district will give Michele the edge. Four points or so. District Seven: Michael J. Barrett (GOP) Colin Peterson (DFL) Easily one of the least talked about Congressional races ever. Peterson will win with Fidel Castro-like numbers. District Eight: Rod Grams (GOP) James Oberstar (DFL) The only time in the last thirty-two years that Oberstar has had to work as hard or sweat as much as he has during this campaign was during his many taxpayer financed biking junkets. I have yet to see a poll on this race, but, despite a stellar effort by Rod Grams, I can't imagine that Oberstar will lose in a year with so much going for the Dems. What this means is that the eight Minnesota seats will continue to be split evenly between the Republicans and Democrats. A wash essentially. Unlike Saint Paul, I don't have a lot of free time to lay on my couch shirtless, eating a block of cheese and watching C-Span until the wee hours of the night. So I haven't been able to individually analyze each of the 435 races. But my instinct says that the Democrats will have just enough mo' left to get over the top and gain control of the House. Barely. When the dust clears, they'll hold 219 seats to the GOP's 216. Minnesota Senate Race Are we really going to fill Mark Dayton's seat with a person even less qualified to be a Senator? I'm afraid the answer is yes. Although she won't win by the absurd margins being predicted in the Strib's Minnesota Poll, Amy "Longer Hospital Stays" Klobuchar will be our next United States Senator with a seven or eight point advantage over Mark Kennedy. Minnesota Statewide Offices State Auditor: Pat Anderson (GOP) Rebecca Otto (DFL) This watchdog not only has bark, she has bite. Unless she's swamped by a tide of heavy DFL turnout, Pat Anderson should hold on. As unbelievable as it may seem, a decent number of people actually rely on the Star Tribune endorsements to help guide their voting decisions. It's expected that the Dem will get the endorsement, so in those rare cases when the Strib endorses a Republican, as it did with Anderson, it can make a difference. Secretary of State: Mary Kiffmeyer (GOP) Mark Ritchie (DFL) Kiffmeyer has been the subject of a great deal of criticism in the last two years, most of it unwarranted. I'm afraid that in a year where things appear to be lining up well for the DFL, enough of it will stick to send Kiffmeyer to defeat. The one factor in her favor is that she's a woman running against a man, which seems to be an advantage in Minnesota. Attorney General: Jeff Johnson (GOP) Lori Swanson (DFL) Nowhere is the woman versus man advantage more noticeable than in this race. In a world of logic and reason, Johnson would have a ten point lead. Unfortunately, he's running in Minnesota where a woman with the last name of Swanson is an almost unbeatable combination. Someone should do a study on how last names and gender influence elections in Minnesota, because it's truly bizarre. This year, Johnson is probably the best GOP candidate and has run the best campaign of any of the Republicans seeking state wide office. He deserves to win and it's a crying shame that he probably won't. Pardon me a moment of bluntness if you will. Ladies of Minnesota, you need to quit voting for candidates who share your gynecology and start voting for those who share your ideology. Governor: Tim Pawlenty (GOP) Mike Hatch (DFL) Last week, I was quite pessimistic about Pawlenty's prospects. Then, Judy Dutcher exposed her ignorance and Mike Hatch exposed his real self after successfully concealing it for most of the campaign. I hope that will prove to be enough to get Pawlenty through, although I am still far from confident. It could be very late into the night or early Wednesday before we know who wins the statehouse. If I had to guess, I'd say that T-Paw will prevail, but I wouldn't bet the house on it. This is a race that Pawlenty should have been able to win without breaking a sweat. And maybe that was the problem, since he's run what has for the most part been a weak, ineffectual campaign. After he alienated some of the base with his cigarette While it will by no means be a banner day for the GOP in Minnesota, it likely won't be a complete disaster either (assuming that Pawlenty pulls it out). You can leave your umbrella at home, but you'd better wear a jacket. Labels: Politics-Local (06-07) Monday, November 06, 2006
If you're a Fifth District voter who thinks that Independence Party candidate Tammy Lee will outpoll Republican Alan Fine, Dan at Northern Alliance Wannabe is willing to wager a Guinness on the outcome. Actually you don't have to live in the district to take him up on his offer, you just have to be able to show up at Keegan's to collect. So far he has no takers.
DFL mailers have been trying to make the case that Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is nothing but a lap dog of George W. Bush. This video clip should put that silly slander to rest once and for all.
Governor Pawlenty Talks With President Bush You think Mike Hatch even knows how to skate? Vote T-Paw tomorrow. The future of the State of Hockey depends on it.
Resurgent socialism isn't only a story in Nicaragua. Right here in the land of the free and home of the brave, the world's oldest deliberative body is poised to welcome its first adherent of Marx. Actually, the US Senate has probably harbored more than a few fellow travelers over the years, but until now they all had the good taste not to rub our noses in it. They ran as Democrats, everybody played don't ask-don't tell, and we were happy, dammit!
But Bernie Sanders is under no self-imposed taste restrictions. He's out, he's proud, and he's poised to ride a landslide to victory for US Senate in Vermont. Even from the state that spawned Howard Dean, it surprises me that a socialist can win high office in this country. You'd think all his opponent would have to do is point out to the voters currently enjoying all the benefits of personal liberty and a free market that his opponent is a SOCIALIST and that would be it. How does Sanders get around the little impediment that what he advocates is altering the foundations of this nation's historical prosperity for a system with an unmatched record of worldwide failure? By shamelessly buying the voters, of course. A technique also known, by any good socialist, as redistributing wealth to favored groups. According to the Washington Post: He brings home millions of dollars for veterans and the usual fat subsidies to quaint Vermont dairy farmers. It pays off for him every Election Day. Bernie's got really crazy ideas," [Frankie Paquette] says. "But he's for the little guy who ain't got three dollars for gasoline in February. That's me and I'm for him." In other words, as George Bernard Shaw once said, a government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend upon the support of Paul. Sanders, like any good socialist, gets that appeal. Maybe the Constitutional framers were on to something when they designed the selection of Senators to be removed from the hands of the seething mob. Repeal the 17th amendment! Sanders also benefits from a consistent message communicated from the media about why people need not worry about voting for someone with crazy ideas: Vermonters are a ferociously independent lot who insist on voting for the person and not the party," said Matt Dunne, who is in a tight race for lieutenant governor. "This is part of Bernie's success." And . . . Sanders is popular because even if you disagree with him you know where he stands," said Eric Davis, a political scientist at Vermont's Middlebury College. "He pays attention to his political base. He's independent and iconoclastic and Vermonters like that." As a fan of recycling, I'm sure Sanders is glad to see the Paul Wellstone reporting template being dusted off and used again to such an extent after all these years. A few reminders of what that was like: But in Minnesota, one of the things they appreciated about him and one of the things he based his campaign on was, look, even if you don't agree with me, you know where I stand, you know what I'm about. So I know that the popular thing was the Iraq vote -- his vote against it, might in fact hurt him. I think probably the opposite is true, and that is it would have hurt more had he voted for it. In countless conversations with Minnesota voters, Wellstone heard comments like: "I don't always agree with you, but I like it that I know where you stand." Minnesotans elected Paul Wellstone not despite his strong convictions, but because of them. Like you said, they didn?t have to agree with him on all the issues, but they knew where he stood. This kind of reasoning is only available to Democrats, of course. Good luck finding any testimonials to Rick Santorum in the press because, agree with him or not, you HAVE to respect him because you know where he stands. For good or for ill, Bernie Sanders will certainly win Tuesday night. No need to stay up late for that result. Although it might be interesting to stay up and track who the first media person is to describe him as the new "conscience of the Senate" or "General Secretary of Compassion" or the like.
Like turtlenecks under sweaters and leggings, another nightmare from the '80s has apparently made a comeback:
Leftist Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega appeared to slide into presidential victory on his third attempt at regaining the power he once wielded, according to preliminary results released this morning. The former Marxist revolutionary garnered 38.5 percent of the vote, well above the 35-percent total and five-point margin over the second-place finisher needed to avoid a runoff, according to a quick count carried out by a respected civic organization. U.S.-educated banker Eduardo Montealegre received 29.5 percent of the vote, according to the count by Ethics and Transparency. Former vice president and coffee grower José Rizo received 24 percent of the vote. Lagging far behind were economist Edmundo Jarquín and Edén Pastora, both of whom broke with Ortega's Sandinista National Liberation Front. The Marxist-led group led a massive uprising that, in 1979, brought an end to the Somoza family dynasty. The Sandinistas later fought against contra rebels financed by the Reagan administration. Sigh. I guess it was too much to hope that Marxism would be permanently out of style.
Why is the GOP in very real danger of losing control of the House on Tuesday? I believe one significant factor--especially in the eyes of the conservative base--is the failure of the class of '94 to live up to promise. Thursday's Wall Street Journal looked at what happens when the rebels become the rulers:
The widespread sense that Republicans in Congress have lost their way, drifting into the same abuses they had pledged to end, helps explain why many, like Mr. Hayworth, are in trouble. The Republicans' 1994 "Contract with America" vowed to shrink government, balance the budget and limit members' terms. The Republicans said they would end Congress's "cycle of scandal and disgrace." That contract is now broken, conservatives say, as the former rebels have morphed into an establishment clinging to power. Seventy-three Republicans marched into the House in 1994 as the vanguard of the "Republican Revolution." Despite the fact that term limits were one of the issues that they based their call for change on, only eight honored the pledge to step aside after three terms and twenty-nine are still serving in the House. Of the Republicans who entered the House after 1994, just under half remain. Several have moved on to be governors or senators. Ohio's Rep. Bob Ney faces prison after pleading guilty in the influence-peddling Abramoff scandal. Florida's Rep. Mark Foley resigned after disclosures of lewd computer messages he had sent teenage House pages. While term limits were a big issue in 1994, only a few of the members elected that year voluntarily left after three terms -- the length most espoused. Those who remain now seek their seventh term. Once in office, many of the class of '94 found the corridors of power to their liking. So much so that they decided their being in Congress was so vital to the future of the Republic that they had no choice but to break their term limit commitment. I'm not saying that there weren't very good reasons for some of these Republicans to stay on. And I'm still somewhat torn on the issue of term limits (I would probably favor a five term limit for the House and two for the Senate). But if you're wondering why there are many conservatives who will be holding their noses as they vote for Republicans tomorrow, the way that most of the class of '94 casually tossed aside their term limit pledge is another brick in the wall of disaffection.
Be sure to turn in to CNN tonight (never thought I'd scribble those words) and catch our Northern Alliance Radio Network colleague John Hinderaker on Larry King Live. John will be paired with Markos Moulitsas Zúniga from the Daily Kos to discuss Tuesday's election and the sad parting of Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe. Tune in at 8pm central time to hear all of King's ever insightful questions.
UPDATE: Like one of King's many wives, John has been unceremoniously dumped. Labels: Blogs-Local
Of all the choices that voters have to make on election day, perhaps the most difficult decisions--even for political wonks like Atomizer--involve who to pull the lever for in the judicial races. Since judges are non-partisan, you can't just go with the party that you most closely identify with and it's often difficult to find the kind of information about individual judges that you need to make informed decisions.
But after doing a little research and asking people in the know, I can tell you of one judicial candidate who deserves your vote. There is one seat that is being contested on the Minnesota Court of Appeals. And in that race for Seat 11, Christopher J. Dietzen is clearly the best choice. Dietzen was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 2004 by Governor Pawlenty and by all accounts has acquitted himself well in the position. He's a man of integrity with great respect for the rule of law and deserves to continue as a judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Sunday, November 05, 2006
You have to feel sorry for Rebecca Otto. She's been a reliable liberal her entire career. Macalester College graduate, fomer public school teacher, DFL representative in the state legislature for one special term.
In addition, she was indicted for lying about her Republican opponent and she's married to a guy who wrote a dreary, painful and award-winning movie reviewed as including "a quality that can be vital to art -- a lack of moral rectitude." She's even spurned overtures from the likes of David Strom, with quotes like: This is so old and stale," she said of the No New Tax debate. Yes, lower taxes are so 2002. It's almost as if she's been structuring her entire professional life with the sole purpose of pleasing the members of the editorial board of the Star Tribune. And then, on the verge of claiming her well-earned reward while running as the DFL nominee for State Auditor, she is denied! Caught up in the cruel calculus of the Star Tribune needing to appear "balanced" by picking a few token races down the ballot in which they won't endorse a Democrat, she gets thrown under the bus and is spurned from the warm embrace she so desperately seeks. Despite her mistreatment by them, Ms. Otto's heart seems to belong to the Star Tribune. She's now publicly begging for them to take her back: I'm the DFL-endorsed candidate for state auditor. An Oct. 21 editorial in the Star Tribune declined to endorse me because of a supposed pledge I made to lower property taxes. This is simply not true. Trust me, I'll raise taxes! I'll increase spending! I'll give in-state tuition to the pets of illegal immigrants! I'll do anything, just take me back! Anyone familiar with the dynamics of abusive relationships would tell Ms. Otto to just move on with her life. Forget the SOB and find something better. There are no shortage of others lining up to endorse her, including: Representative Keith Ellison Minneapolis Library Board Trustee Rod Krueger Teamsters Joint Council 32 Polar Explorer & Educator Ann Bancroft Get a hold of yourself woman, take up with one of these and be happy with your life! Labels: Politics-Local (06-07)
It's a well establish fact that The Simpsons "jumped the shark" some time ago. This is the eighteenth season of the show, which means that there are now more years of crappy episodes than quality ones (the slide really started after year seven). That's like Joe Montana playing more years with the Chiefs than the 49ers. Sad really.
If anyone is still watching The Simpsons, tonight's "Treehouse of Horror XVII" should give them reason to finally abandon the pathetic shell that remains of the once grand program. As detailed in a Friday WSJ piece by Dorothy Rabinowitz, the episode is another example of the dangers of a comedy that takes itself seriously: Something happened to "The Simpsons" on the way to their "Treehouse of Horror XVII" Halloween broadcast (Sunday, 8-8:30 p.m. EST, on Fox) -- something odd, trivial and yet telling. That may sound like one of Krusty the Clown's learned riddles from the sages, but it's one way to describe the little storm of anticipation that blew up after word spread -- thanks to an Oct. 20 interview "Simpsons" producer Al Jean gave the Web site RadarOnline -- that the Halloween show would include a direct assault on the Bush administration for the Iraq war. The only question, the interview revealed, was whether a final grim line on Iraq would appear in the final version, or be cut. It's doubtful people have been sitting up nights in suspense over the answer, or anything else connected with the news that the ever brilliant "Simpsons" [What show has she been watching for the last ten years?]-- which has steadfastly steered clear of anything smacking of a sober or sincere pronouncement -- has now, in its 18th season, launched into serious-message mode. Just what I've been looking for: geo-political opinions from the writers of a cartoon. It's a shame that the writers have chosen to make a statement in one of the "Treehouse of Horror" episodes, which have often been the only bright spot in the recent lost years of the show. Part II's horrors concern a Golem, a legendary power from Jewish folklore, but one, in this case, that has fallen under Bart's control, all of which means dark consequences for many, among them that lost soul, Principal Skinner. It's hard, in fact, not to be reminded a bit of Seymour Skinner when we get to Part III -- a teach-in of sorts built around a saga of alien invaders who have destroyed Springfield. "You said we'd be greeted as liberators," one invader complains to the other, amid talk of "Operation Enduring Occupation" and more of the kind. The allusions to the U.S. campaign in Iraq have all of the teacherly Seymour's subtlety and wit -- proving, once more, that there's nothing like deep earnestness, and the drive to deliver lessons, to kill writing. And to kill comedy. This is the final nail in the coffin. May The Simpsons rest in peace. Labels: Television Saturday, November 04, 2006
Scott Johnson brings a previous instance of Mike Hatch's less than proper telephone etiquette (to say nothing of less than proper professional conduct) to our attention in a post at Power Line titled Mike Hatch's forgotten scandal:
Persuasive evidence establishes that Hatch has committed serious violations of the rules of professional conduct governing lawyers -- and then lied to cover them up. The violations involve more than mere technical mistakes. The violations are of the sort that properly can lead to an attorney being severely disciplined if not disbarred from the practice of law. It's a long post, but well worth reading. The bottom line is that it appears that not only did Hatch act improperly, he then lied about it. It is worth pausing to take inventory. Attorney General Hatch first made an improper ex parte phone call to a judge handling a case in which Hatch's office was involved. The fact that Hatch switched cell phones to make the call tends to show that Hatch was aware of what he was doing and was conscious of its impropriety. Hatch then attempted to threaten Judge Leary. When made aware that the judge would disclose the call, Hatch filed a baseless motion to disqualify the judge. Six weeks later, he denied the substance of the phone call and falsely stated, publicly and in sworn court filings, that the call lasted only one minute. He misrepresented the timing of the disqualification motion to discredit the judge. The chain of events involved here shows an extraordinary pattern of disregard for fundamental rules of professional conduct. Mike Hatch should not be practicing law in the state of Minnesota, let alone serving as its Attorney General, let alone standing on the threshold of its highest office. And this man wants to be our Governor?
There may be a ray of light in the gathering Democratic storm that appears likely to settle over the House of Representatives. Today's Wall Street Journal reports that many of the new candidates aren't cut from the same mold as current Democrat leaders:
If the polls turn out to be correct and the Democrats rack up big congressional gains Tuesday, they will have to thank a crop of candidates who don't look like a lot of the Democrats already in Washington. In a party with a racially diverse old guard -- perhaps four African-Americans and one Hispanic could chair House committees -- nearly all of the party's promising new faces are white. Several are former Republicans, including two business executives: Gabrielle Giffords, who has run her family's Arizona tire company and Jack Davis, who runs an upstate New York factory making furnace parts. The Democrats have fielded a squadron of military men and women including Joe Sestak in suburban Philadelphia, a former Navy admiral, and Iraq war veteran and double-amputee Tammy Duckworth in suburban Chicago. Brad Ellsworth, a 48-year-old county sheriff favored to capture a House seat in Indiana, is one of the few Democrats ever to sign the antitax increase pledge of Republican activist Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform. If the Democrats barely control the House after Tuesday's election, an outcome which seems increasingly likely, the votes of these new face Dems could prove critical. Will they fall in lock-step with their leadership or will they on occasion vote their conscience and go against the liberal party grain? There at least appears to some cause to hope for the latter. Already, Mrs. Pelosi -- who would likely be Speaker if her party wins a House majority -- is privately trying to insist that liberals tamp down expectations of getting out of Iraq now. Democratic allies in the House say she wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the new recruits' electoral future, and by extension Democrats' newfound power. Former Kentucky state Rep. Mike Weaver, a Vietnam veteran who Democrats hope can win a congressional seat Tuesday, is running on a platform of "family, faith, freedom" opposing abortion, gay marriage and gun control. He reckons the new Congress could have as many as 40 moderate-to-conservative Democrats and another 29 anti-abortion conservatives. "If you have 69 people that have a more conservative view of things, you can't ignore them," he says.
Join us beginning at 11AM today for another episode of the fresh, young, exciting, and highly relevant Northern Alliance Radio Network.
It is the last show before the election, therefore we're considering talking about politics (pre-show preparation starts at 10:50 and we'll nail it down for sure about then). The great Mark Kennedy is on the road for his statewide blitz and he promises to give us a call. Also calls from the terrific Michele Bachmann and more of our favorite candidates are in the works. Plus John Hinderaker and Chad the Elder back in the studio. To welcome their return we're attempting to get Mike Hatch in the studio to call them both "whores." It all begins at 11 AM central. Listen locally at AM1280 the Patriot, and streaming world-wide here. Calls encouraged at 651-289-4488. Don't you dare miss it! Labels: NARN (06-07)
Great video here from a classic Blackhawks/North Star brawl circa 1983 at Met Center. Them was the days. Ciccarelli, Young, Meloche, Smith, Priest, Plett; all the names we remember from the Day are present.
You have to fast-forward to the 1:40 mark, but it's classic brawl time from then on out. When we was fab.
If you want to accept the global warming doom-saying being peddled by the likes of Al Gore, there are three propositions that you must accept. They form the legs of the global warming scare stool and without all three you don't have a platform to stand on.
1. Global temperatures are in fact rising: This is the one that I have the easiest time with, although there are wide discrepancies in just how much warming is actually going on and what the consequences of that warming will be. 2. Increased CO2 emissions in the last fifty years have had a SIGNIFICANT impact on this increase in global temps: This one is a little tougher to accept. While there appears to be plenty of evidence that CO2 emissions have had an impact on warming, it's far from clear just how much that impact is. Whether CO2 emissions are responsible for 10% or 90% of the increase is critical, especially when it comes to choosing what to do or not do about it. 3. Whatever costs are involved in reducing CO2 emissions are worth the future benefits of decreased warming. This is where argument that we MUST act now to stop global warming is really on thin ice (sorry, couldn't resist). The inability of environmental activists to take such cost/benefit considerations into account was brilliantly demonstrated by Bjorn Lomborg in The Skeptical Environmentalist: Measuring the Real State of the World. In the past, such activists were content to wail that since X causes Y we must do Z to save the planet, without ever considering the costs of Z. In the real world of limited resources and capital, such ignorance was naïve at best, dangerous at worst. Now an attempt is being made to justify acting now to stop global warming based on a cost/benefit analysis. It's a report (seven-hundred sleep inducing pages) produced by Nicholas Stern and the government of the U.K. In an editorial in Thursday's Wall Street Journal Bjorn Lomborg deftly tore it apart: The Stern review's cornerstone argument for immediate and strong action now is based on the suggestion that doing nothing about climate change costs 20% of GDP now, and doing something only costs 1%. However, this argument hinges on three very problematic assumptions. First, it assumes that if we act, we will not still have to pay. But this is not so -- Mr. Stern actually tells us that his solution is "already associated with significant risks." Second, it requires the cost of action to be as cheap as he tells us -- and on this front his numbers are at best overly optimistic. Third, and most importantly, it requires the cost of doing nothing to be a realistic assumption: But the 20% of GDP figure is inflated by an unrealistically pessimistic vision of the 22nd century, and by an extreme and unrealistically low discount rate. According to the background numbers in Mr. Stern's own report, climate change will cost us 0% now and 3% of GDP in 2100, a much more informative number than the 20% now and forever. In other words: Given reasonable inputs, most cost-benefit models show that dramatic and early carbon reductions cost more than the good they do. Mr. Stern's attempt to challenge that understanding is based on a chain of unlikely assumptions. Moreover, there is a fourth major problem in Mr. Stern's argument that has received very little attention. It seems naïve to believe that the world's 192 nations can flawlessly implement Mr. Stern's multitrillion-dollar, century-long policy proposal. Will nobody try to avoid its obligations? Why would China and India even participate? And even if China got on board, would it be able to implement the policies? In 2002, China decided to cut sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by 10% -- they are now 27% higher despite SO2 being nationally a much bigger health and environmental problem than climate change. Instead of taking action to stop global warming based on dubious assumptions, Lomborg suggests that we commit our resources to actions with a much higher rate of return, especially for the poor of the world: Why does all this matter? It matters because, with clever marketing and sensationalist headlines, the Stern review is about to edge its way into our collective consciousness. The suggestion that flooding will overwhelm us has already been picked up by commentators, yet going back to the background reports properly shows declining costs from flooding and fewer people at risk. The media is now quoting Mr. Stern's suggestion that climate change will wreak financial devastation that will wipe 20% off GDP, explicitly evoking memories of past financial catastrophes such as the Great Depression or World War II; yet the review clearly tells us that costs will be 0% now and just 3% in 2100. It matters because Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and Nicholas Stern all profess that one of the major reasons that they want to do something about climate change is because it will hit the world's poor the hardest. Using a worse-than-worst-case scenario, Mr. Stern warns that the wealth of South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa will be reduced by 10% to 13% in 2100 and suggests that effect would lead to 145 million more poor people. Faced with such alarmist suggestions, spending just 1% of GDP or $450 billion each year to cut carbon emissions seems on the surface like a sound investment. In fact, it is one of the least attractive options. Spending just a fraction of this figure -- $75 billion -- the U.N. estimates that we could solve all the world's major basic problems. We could give everyone clean drinking water, sanitation, basic health care and education right now. Is that not better? We know from economic models that dealing just with malaria could provide economic boosts to the order of 1% extra GDP growth per capita per year. Even making a very conservative estimate that solving all the major basic issues would induce just 2% extra growth, 100 years from now each individual in the developing world would be more than 700% richer. That truly trivializes Mr. Stern's 10% to 13% estimates for South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Last weekend in New York, I asked 24 U.N. ambassadors -- from nations including China, India and the U.S. -- to prioritize the best solutions for the world's greatest challenges, in a project known as Copenhagen Consensus. They looked at what spending money to combat climate change and other major problems could achieve. They found that the world should prioritize the need for better health, nutrition, water, sanitation and education, long before we turn our attention to the costly mitigation of global warning. We all want a better world. But we must not let ourselves be swept up in making a bad investment, simply because we have been scared by sensationalist headlines. Labels: Global warming Friday, November 03, 2006
For the record, I'm with Jerry from SD63 on sticking with Alan Fine in the 5th District. I fear that Keith Ellison will still prevail with somewhere around 45% of the vote, but I don't buy the notion that Independence Party candidate Tammy Lee has the best chance to beat him.
She may be peeling off some Democratic voters from Ellison, but not enough to give her any realistic prospect of victory. At the end of the day, I see Fine coming in just short of 30% while Lee will collect just a hair over 20%. Rather than asking Republicans to crossover to Lee, I believe the only real chance to prevent Mr. Ellison from going to Washington is to encourage independents and disaffected Dems to pull the lever for Fine.
It seems Garrison Keillor's blend of art and politics hasn't been limited to his antics at Orchestra Hall last Sunday. Rudimentary research reveals appearances by the gentle bard of the prairie these past few weeks in Virginia, Michigan, Washington, Illinois, and all over Minnesota.
The purpose of Keillor's visits are often times ambiguous. According to his Illinois sponsors: He's very popular and I think this is a good opportunity, not to mention a good price, to see him," Arts & Issues series Coordinator John P. Peecher said. "With Garrison Keillor around, the topic he chooses to talk about is usually unpredictable." Yes, when Garrison come to town, you never know if it will be Swedes or Norwegians who'll be feeling the sting of his witty barbs! Actually, for anyone who's been exposed to Keillor recently, his shtick is entirely predictable. Reported quotes from his recent appearances include: "These people [Republicans] have done terrible damage to the country," he said. "What we believe in is just some kind of restoration of decency in this country." and ... He called the military commissions act passed by Congress this week "horrible" legislation that "essentially legalizes torture and suspends habeas corpus for non-Americans." The law, he predicted, will be struck down by the Supreme Court. "You can't get away with violating basic human rights in a civilized country," Keillor said to applause from the Town Hall audience. and ... "The Republican Congress has marched in lockstep and has not raised a single peep of protest about the convoluted intelligence that got us into this elective war in Iraq," he said. "They have put party loyalty above independent thinking and the principles of the United States." Although unannounced at most of his appearances, the St. Cloud Times appears to have the facts on the motivation for Keillor's recent travels: Keillor, who has been touring the country on behalf of Democratic candidates, made the crowd laugh with his stories but got them cheering with his criticism of the Republican-controlled federal government. As I learned myself last week, patrons of the arts and charity events should be aware any time they see a performance touched by this man, the Democratic Party approves of his message. Listeners and funders of NPR/MPR should be similarly wary. Given the millions in tax dollars those outlets receive, I guess that means all of us. Just how much does Keillor make from "public' radio"? Not even members of the legislature are sure, because MPR refuses to say. Rep. Marty Seifert has been waging a one man truth squad effort on the public's behalf to find out exactly where the state subsidies might be going. His sponsored legislation recently revealed: MPR leader Bill Kling makes more than $550,000 in combined pay from MPR and a subsidiary, Public Radio International.The newest list released by MPR shows figures of 16 employees who made more than $100,000 in 2005 -- with salaries ranging from $100,946 to $146,156. Gack! And even those gross expenditures leave out some even grosser ones: [Seifert] said MPR is still not in compliance with the new law, which required disclosure of 2006 salaries for regular employees, plus the disclosure of pay to "contracted? MPR workers like "A Prairie Home Companion" host Garrison Keillor. "MPR needs to give us (Keillor's pay)," Seifert said. Which MPR disputes, since the public's right to know about public radio expenditures apparently only goes so far: [MPR spokeswoman Jennifer Johnson] also wanted to dispute what she saw as attempts by Seifert to link famous radio host Garrison Keillor to MPR. Keillor is not an employee of MPR nor under contract, so his pay would not be subject to the disclosure law, Johnson said. Given the obscene amount of discretionary income he has available for campaign donations, I'm guessing he's not on MPR on a volunteer basis. Unfortunately we're all now getting what we paid for.
Listening to Keith Olbermann's latest sanctimonious bloviating this week , the staff here at Fraters Libertas realized that he is but one member (and oh what a member) of a much larger group of smug, arrogant, self-assured, cynical, juvenile, SOBs.
This group is made up of white, middle-aged guys who think they're much smarter than they actually are. They love to hear themselves speak, consider their humor the height of wit, and always think they are the smartest guys in the room. They also love to talk about "speaking truth to power" and challenging the status quo. They pretend that they're not partisan even though upwards of 90% of their attacks are aimed at conservatives. They fancy themselves to be counter-culturalists at heart (in terms of drug use, sex, radical politics) while still being firmly in the establishment and enjoying all the benefits that provide. Another key differentiator is that they are almost universally irreligious. They're also usually in the media or entertainment industry. Once the group's defining characteristics were established, we needed a name. My colleague Saint Paul came up with the apt descriptor "Smugocracy." We are pleased to our inaugural list of members of the Smugocracy, the founding fathers of smug if you will. - Keith Olbermann - Bill Maher - Jon Stewart - Nick Coleman - George Clooney - Al Franken - Brian Lambert - Eric Alterman - Joel Stein - Blois Olson - Joe Conason - "DFL" Don Shelby - Paul Douglas Updates to the membership rolls will be posted as events warrant. There certainly doesn't appear to be a shortage of smugness out there. Labels: Smugocracy
Two days after its been all over the 'net, the Pioneer Press picks up an AP story reporting on the now famous photo from Iraq rebuking John Kerry. Guard to Kerry: "Halp- stuck n Irak":
A group of Minnesota National Guard soldiers in Iraq has made a comically misspelled sign mocking Sen. John Kerry's recent comments about the education level of troops, and their handiwork is getting plenty of attention. The Massachusetts Democrat told a group of college students this week that people who don't study and do their homework were likely to "get stuck in Iraq." Kerry has since apologized, saying he botched a joke meant to be about President Bush. The photo shows eight soldiers holding a white sign with heavy blue letters spelling out, "Halp us Jon Carry - We R stuck hear n Irak." The photo has appeared in newspapers and on television newscasts and Web sites. Now I'm not a graduate of one of them fancy J-schools or anything, but common sense would seem to indicate that you would want to have the picture in question accompany the story, something that the Pioneer Press web site does not do.
Note to NHL would-be tough guys that think they might want to scrap with the (Wendy) Wild's Derek Boooogaaaard: DON'T.
Check out this video from last Friday where he KO's Anaheim's Todd Fedoruk, who is now out indefinitely with what doctors are calling a kicked ass. (Actually he has a broken cheekbone.) Boogie goes about 7'8 and 371 pounds and has the reach of a giraffe. Why would anyone challenge that? Boogie down! Thursday, November 02, 2006
You know I like Hugh Hewitt as much as the next guy, but when I hear that he's having Mark Steyn guest host for him tomorrow, I have to wonder what he's thinking. Let's just say that Steyn is no Jed Babbin. It might be a little tough for Hugh to get back in the lineup after Steyn takes a crack behind the mike.
The flight home from Miami today went fairly well. The boy had a bit of an ear infection, which we feared could lead to much wailing and gnashing of teeth on his part (mostly wailing since he's several choppers short of a full set). Thankfully, it was not much of a factor and, other than a brief snit, he was a content traveler.
A bit of advice for would be traveling parents: If you're flying with an infant and using frequent flier miles for the trip, it's well worth your while to lay down a few more and upgrade to first class. The extra room comes in handy as does the early boarding and exiting. Plus if the kid doeth protest too much, you can always mix a drop or two of Scotch in the bottle (I kid, I kid). I'm also proud to say that I've officially joined the Mile High Club. That's right, I changed a diaper at 38,000 feet. If you think it can be difficult to do your business in a cramped airline restroom, try diapering a baby who isn't anymore happy to be in there than you are. Talk about earning your wings. Labels: Travel Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Remember the stark black bumper stickers with the somber message "November 2nd" in simple white type that lefty vehicles were sporting before the 2004 election? At a park in Coral Gables today, I saw a car with a sticker proclaiming the new magical date for the deranged Bush-haters:
January 19, 2009 In smaller font underneath the date, it explains, "The last day that Bush is in office." Or is it? Buh-wah, buh-wah, buh-wah... No matter who wins the 2008 election, you have to wonder what these folks will be doing once Bush is no longer on the scene to drive their irrationality. Get a life, you suggest? Not very likely.
Sometimes it takes an Australian to see through the fog of American political controversies. Tim Blair, regarding John Kerry's excuse that he "botched a joke" in his comments about the uneducated getting stuck in Iraq:
Kerry's excuse is breathtaking: Mr. Kerry said that he botched a joke that his aides said had been prepared as follows: "Do you know where you end up if you don't study, if you aren't smart, if you're intellectually lazy? You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq. Just ask President Bush."That joke was prepared and Kerry still managed to ruin it? Wasn't he meant to be the smart guy all loaded with nuancy prowess? How "intellectually lazy" is it to forget a lame punchline?
Regarding the Garrison Keillor/Martin Sabo hijacking of the charity event last Sunday, I fully disclose I was in attendance at the Orchestra Hall that night. Such are the requirements of being a part-time member of the cultural elite.
Aside from the content of Sabo's poem, I must say paying $30 for the ticket and watching a rusting party machine hack with zero personality get up to do a prolonged reading was enough to get the terror started early. Nice call by the sponsors of this show, who seemed to forget the small fact that the audience was there for *entertainment* purposes. What's up for next year, Mae Schunk reading out of the Burnsville white pages? When Sabo started his plodding diatribe on how Republicans lie, cheat, and steal, only my sense of propriety in this civilized setting prevented me from responding in the manner this garbage called for. Although I did hear the most muffled hint of catcalling and booing (some of which came from the person in my seat). Ultimately Minnesota Nice prevailed in Orchestra Hall. Sabo got mild courtesy tittering at his nasty one-liners and the bitter old partisan hack got a polite round of applause the end. Keillor then made a big deal about how Sabo was a "man of the people" and was going to live among us the peasants back in the Twin Cities in his retirement. Just don't expect to welcome back Marty at a Twins game this summer, this man of the people will have much better seats than you: Keillor presented him with tickets for he and his wife to attend six Twins games, seated "just behind home plate." The perfect gift for the man who has everything: Today, a sitting lawmaker who retires at age 60 with 15 or 20 years of service will likely collect at least a million dollars in inflation-compensated lifetime pension benefits. Some will collect four or even five times that amount. Follow that link above for the entire story about the appallingly generous benefits received by our public servants. Then shudder some more when thinking of the value of a Congressional pension once Keith Ellison retires in 30 years. Labels: Politics-Local (06-07)
Big doses of red wine extract keep obese mice happy, healthy, longlived:
Huge amounts of a red wine extract seemed to help obese mice eat a high-fat diet and still live a long and healthy life, suggests a new study that some experts are calling "landmark" research. The big question is, can it work the same magic in humans? Scientists say it's far too early to start swilling barrels of red wine. But some are calling the latest research promising and even "spectacular." Can we really afford to wait?
Today in Miami, it's humid and the high is going to be around eighty-five.
Tomorrow in Minneapolis, the high is going to be around thirty-five. Sigh. All good things must come to an end.
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