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Sunday, December 31, 2006
Lefty blogs and annoying e-mailers are all atwitter over a new Military Times Poll that shows a decline in support among the military for both the original decision to go to war in Iraq and President Bush's handling of it since. And while there appears to some level of change in attitude when compared to a similar poll from January 2006, a few points are in order:
- In the January poll, 44% of the respondents had served at least one tour in Iraq. In the latest poll, 50% had. So while the poll does capture the opinions of members of the military, it's not necessarily the opinions of those who have first hand experience in Iraq. It would be interesting to see the results split out for those had served in Iraq and those who had not. - In the January poll, 56% said the US should have gone to war in Iraq while 26% said no and 18% had no opinion or didn't answer. The numbers in the latest poll are 41% yes, 37% no and 20% percent no opinion/didn't answer. This is an area where opinion definitely seems to have shifted. - In the January poll, 54% approved of the way Bush was handling the war, while 25% disapproved, and 21% had no opinion/didn't answer. In the latest poll, the numbers are 35% approve, 42% disapprove, and 22% no opinion/didn't answer. This is the result that has gotten most of the attention from gleeful lefties. But before they start assuming that the troops want to join their push to pack 'er in and go home, they should consider a couple of other questions and answers from the latest poll that were not asked in the January poll. One is that 52% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president, while 31% disapprove, and 16% have no opinion/didn't answer. This would indicate that their disapproval of the president is largely limited to the handling of the war in Iraq. But that disapproval should not be confused with support for bailing out. Consider this question and result from the latest poll: We currently have 145,000 troops in Iraq and Kuwait. How many troops do you think we should have there? Zero 13% 0-50,000 7% 50,000-144,000 6% 145,000 13% 146,000-200,000 22% 200,000+ 16% No opinion/Don't know 23% Only 13% favor a complete withdrawal and a combined 26% a reduction from current troop levels. In fact, 38% favor sending more troops to Iraq. The other item to note about both of these of polls is the methodology: The mail survey, conducted Nov. 13 through Dec. 22, is the fourth annual gauge of active-duty military subscribers to the Military Times newspapers. The results should not be read as representative of the military as a whole; the survey's respondents are on average older, more experienced, more likely to be officers and more career-oriented than the overall military population. Saturday, December 30, 2006
The votes have been tabulated and the results have been certified. As was officially announced earlier today on the radio, Keith Olbermann is the 2006 NARN Loon Of The Year. You can listen to a sample of the looniness that helped Olbermann earn this distinct honor here.
 And we should salute the LOTY runner-up, especially since we won't be able to enjoy her antics in 2007. Check out the very special (and oh so looney) tribute to Cynthia McKinney. We're going to miss you Cynthia.
A couple of my favorite Holiday Hints For Hooch Heads:
--Gift Tips Whenever you open a non-liquor gift, loudly proclaim, "Oh, great, how the f*** am I supposed to drink this?" They'll know what to get you next year. --Family Gatherings Don't freak out if it's your turn bring the Christmas Turkey to a family gathering. Just make sure you buy the one-liter family-sized bottle so there's enough to go around. Check out the entire list that the Modern Drunkard has put together. Atomizer sez: I like this one: If you receive three cocktail shakers every Christmas, you are a drunkard.I received twenty four. Labels: Drinking
...that Glen Mason is a terrible coach. Insight Bowl--Historic collapse:
The Gophers football team played arguably its finest half of football this season before halftime and built a 38-7 lead against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the third quarter of the Insight Bowl ... And then gave it all away. Shannon Woods' 3-yard touchdown run in overtime capped the largest comeback in NCAA Division I-A bowl game history as Texas Tech stunned Minnesota 44-41 before an announced crowd of 48,391 at Sun Devil Stadium. Just the latest chapter in an increasingly lengthy volume of Gopher football shame. Thank God for hockey. Labels: Football Friday, December 29, 2006
While we wait to hear official word that Saddam Hussein has at last been executed, there is a bit of a controversy brewing regarding our Saddam Dead Pool. Back in December of 2003, we asked people to guess the date when Saddam would face his just reward. We received forty-one entries and most predicted, not unreasonably, that Saddam would be offed within eighteen months of his capture.
There were only a few souls cynical and jaded enough to assume that final justice would drag on for as long as it has. One of those was Atomizer's dad, whose personal experience with the legal system led him to believe that Saddam would never face the noose. Thankfully, his prediction has not come to pass, although there were certainly moments of doubt as to whether this day would ever come. The other was our Northern Alliance brethren Mitch Berg, whose prognostication of January 1st, 2007 appears to be proving uncannily accurate. It looks like Mitch will only be two days off. Not bad considering that Saddam was dragged from his spider hole over three years ago. But, and this is a big one, a question remains to be resolved. Are we going by "Price Is Right" rules? You know, closest to the actual price without going over. If so. Mitch's guess, although by far the most accurate, would be disqualified. In that case, Joe Carter, who went with April 24th, 2006, would be the winner. At this moment, our team of crack lawyers is meeting in order to resolve the issue. They have assured us that they should have a final resolution within two, three years tops. Stay tuned for further developments. UPDATE: The deed is done. In this case, I think a little celebratory gunfire is in order.
Only a few days left for charitable giving in 2006 and if you're looking for suggestions, here is a trifecta of great organizations that you may want to consider:
Soldiers' Angels Spirit of America World Vision Daniel Henniger writes on Spirit of America in his Wonder Land column in today's Wall Street Journal (free for all): Spirit of America's experience in Iraq has followed the same rugged timeline of events as the war. Recall that in April 2004 it raised sufficient monies to rebuild TV stations in Al Anbar province, staffed by Iraqis, to counterbalance propaganda from the likes of al-Jazeera. Those TV stations were built. And they have been destroyed. A sewing center for Iraqi women was similarly destroyed. This past year, the group got a request from the Army 451st Battalion to help restore the medical facilities at the Najaf Teaching Hospital. The Mahdi militia had occupied it for a time. Spirit of America sent seven cardiac monitors to the hospital's director, Safaa Hamedi. In October, gunmen killed Dr. Hamedi outside his home. Still, requests from the Marines and Army continue to arrive at Spirit of America. An Army captain in Afghanistan's Parwan province asked for medical textbooks for local doctors. SoA sent bee serum to inoculate honey bees at a business in Iraq's Diyala region. Marine Lt. Jim Wilmott got camping equipment for 200 Iraqi Boy Scouts. At the request of U.S. Embassy personnel, SoA has sent clothing and school supplies for orphans in Baghdad and Basra. They've sent thousands of kids' backpacks and school supplies requested by soldiers around the country. With the SonoSite ultrasound company, SoA delivered handheld ultrasound machines to the primary hospital in Al Qaim, Iraq, near the Syrian border. "Before this," said Mr. Hake, "they were using seashells to listen to the sounds of a pregnant mother and baby; the Marines couldn't believe it." Jim Hake says Spirit of America's contributions have fallen off since 2004 owing to general fatigue with Iraq, "but under the circumstances people continue to be quite generous." An end-of-the-year funding request raised more than $150,000. "The emails we send to donors are not a good-news operation," says Mr. Hake. "We don't want to put a happy face on it. But the information is more encouraging than what they typically hear. The destroyed projects are hardly good news, but there are lots of guys and gals in the military there who are not just marking time, who want to see this work." As Henniger goes on to suggest, those in the thick of things, like S0A, seem to have the most resolve to see the way through to victory: Could this determination be a variant of the much-mocked "stay the course"? It is at least an interesting irony that the people who have had their faces deepest in Iraq and Afghanistan the longest, as soldiers or volunteers like these, are the ones inclined to stick it out; while many here whose experience comes off the bloody front page every day are the ones looking for a way to -- there is no other phrase -- cut and run. Like the members of the military, groups like SoA doing the hard work on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq deserve nothing less than our complete support. If you'd like to know how the numbers breakdown on charitable giving in America and why it's important, you'll want to check out Arthur C. Brooks' excellent new book: It's well-written and refreshingly concise (under 200 pages). Most importantly, even though Brooks is an Ivory Tower egghead (university professor), he communicates in a down-to-earth, conversational fashion that your average Joe Six Pack (or JB Doubtless) would readily appreciate. He answers the question posed in the book's title thoroughly and convincingly, even though it's not necessarily what he expected to find when he began his research. You'll definitely want to read the book if you want to know Who Really Cares? Hint: it's not secular liberals.
Reminder that today is the last day to vote for the 2006 NARN Loon of the Year. There's a calvacade of worthy candidates to choose from and we'll announce the winner tomorrow on NARN Volume I, which airs from 11am-1pm.
We'll also be looking back at some of our favorite looney moments from the past year as well as highlights of the year in radio. Listen locally on WWTC AM1280 The Patriot or on the internet stream. Don't you dare miss it. Thursday, December 28, 2006
Chris Krok, doing an impersonation of KSTP management after receiving the quarterly ratings for the Chris Krok show.
Beyond getting tasered, click here for more photos of Krok at his new radio show in Atlanta, including dressing as a Muslim at a mall. It's good to see there are few levels below even the depths he reached at KSTP.
Under the authority invested in me by myself, I am hereby declaring a moratorium on the further use of the term "rock star" to describe any politician anywhere in the world. This moratorium will remain in effect until further notice and was occasioned by an article in today's Wall Street Journal on Hussein al-Shami, a Hezbollah financer who employs microlending techniques to increase support for the group among Lebanese Muslims (sub req):
Amal Dbouk, a 35-year-old housewife, said she came to the credit agency to pay off part of $1,000 she had borrowed to cover school fees for two of her three children. Abir Mansara, 27, a self-employed hairdresser, said she needed money to buy hair dye and cover other costs. She's taken out two loans, depositing three gold bracelets, a necklace and a gold ring as collateral. Lebanon's mainstream banks, the two women say, would never give them loans. Both support Hezbollah and both took part in the recent street demonstrations against Lebanon's American-backed government. Ms. Mansara says she adores Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, comparing him to a "rock star." "He fights for his country and fights for us," she says. Ms. Dbouk complains that America helps only Israel. "Hezbollah," she says, "helps us." Bill Clinton, Barak Obama (among others), and now Hassan Nasrallah. This "rock star" nonsense has gone on far too long. The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me. Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Culture Shock: Turning on the radio expecting to hear Laura Ingraham and instead hearing the coarsened pipes of Jackie Mason, who was apparently filling in for her. I say apparently because during the first segment of the show that I caught, I never heard Mason mention who he was or whose show he was doing. It was straight from the intro bumper music into Mason launching into a rambling, breathless, twelve-minute eulogy of Gerald Ford and right into the out music.
During the next segment, Mason did introduce himself and explain that he was indeed filling in for Ingraham. It was obvious that Mason doesn't have a lot of radio experience and a couple of times I even caught a producer whispering advice to him in the background. But as a amateur/hobby/part-time/hack weekend radio host, I appreciate how difficult it can be to carry on a monologue for any length of time and Mason's conversational style, while far from polished, was interesting. You literally never knew what you were going to hear next and in radio that counts for a lot. There's nothing worse than boring, predictable talk radio. In the hour that I listened to today, Jackie Mason was anything but that.
All in all it was a very good Christmas. Just before it began, my coffee connection came through with a five pound bag (yes, a FIVE POUND bag!) of some of the good stuff. You can never have too much coffee. Especially when it's free.
And you can never have too much good Scotch. My wife came through on this front. I was delighted to find a bottle of double-matured Talisker Distillers Edition waiting under the tree on Christmas morn. Forget the old adage ladies. The truly best way to a man's heart is through his liver. Seriously, it's hard to go wrong with the gift of quality booze. My mom continued her own special Christmas tradition when, a couple of fortnights ago, she asked me what was on my wish list. A gift card to Best Buy would be welcome, I offered. So I got a sweater from Macy's. At least it was the right size. Not so many years back, she made a point of asking what size I wore in advance and then getting me clothing items whose proportions bore no resemblance to what I said. Mother knows best, right? The highlight of the holiday of course was Mass on Christmas Eve. The choir kicked things off fifteen minutes before the service began with a rousing batch of carols. The church was immaculately decorated and the overflowing crowd was decked out in their holiday best. Everything was perfect. It was almost like a scene from a Christmas movie. And then, as the long lines of revelers had just about all made their way through the communion lines, my wife gently nudged me and directed my attention to the Christmas abomination strutting down the aisle. A slack-jawed juvenile wearing vinyl red sweatpants and a... ...a green Brett Favre Packers home jersey. On Christmas Eve, of all the days of the year, you would think this punk could put on something appropriate for church. But no, he HAD to wear his Packers laundry. I'm not sure what was worse, this clueless kid or his parents who allowed him to represent his team on Christmas. Labels: Christmas Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Alienated newspaper lovers all over town may have been given a late Christmas present with the announcement that the Star Tribune is being sold off. Direct from the horse's mouth:
A private equity firm has reached an agreement to buy the Star Tribune from the McClatchy Co., publisher Keith Moyer announced today. Whether that means the days are numbered for front page agenda journalism, PC blinders on important stories, insult editorials, unchecked casual plagiarism, and the willful arrogance of a self-aware monopoly is anyone's guess. But it sure wasn't going to endunder current ownership, so with this change, at least there is hope. It looks like the current owners couldn't get away from their flagship publication fast enough. They sold it for less than half of what they paid for it eight years ago: Newspaper publisher The McClatchy Co. said on Tuesday that it will sell its flagship newspaper Star Tribune to a private equity firm for $530 million, a sharp drop from the $1.2 billion it paid to acquire the newspaper just eight years ago. Apparently taking a loss on this deal was necessary, and perhaps the primary reason for the sale. McClatchy sold 12 other papers for high profit in the aftermath of its acquiring Knight Ridder and it needs a large volume of red ink on the books to stave off the tax man. Which I'm sure is true. But I've seen no speculation stating that the Star Tribune is being sold at a bargain price. It's worth less than half of what it was less than 10 years ago. And that certainly correlates with the esteem it is now held by a large portion of the potential readership. There are some dispiriting early reports that having new ownership will mean nothing to the operations of a business entity that lost half its value in less than a decade. Current and apparently continuing publisher Ken Moyer characterized the new owners (Avista) as: They are progressive, very smart, good-hearted people who believe that no other media platform can reach a local audience as effectively as newspapers Past on their own back and self-serving liberal euphemism is certainly business as usual for them. More ominously: Moyer said he will remain as publisher, reporting to [Avista Board Member Chris Harte], and that the newspaper's management team will remain intact. Maybe they're trying not to spook the herd before the deal is finalized, or they're going to make change with, or despite, the present staff. Either way, I'm sure this statement from the new boss sent some chills down a few spines: You and I and everyone who works with us will have to listen carefully to our readers and our advertisers and make sure we provide them with the information and advertising they want, when they want it, how they want it. Ah, were that it were true. UPDATE: Hope ebbs with some cursory research on the new boss's campaign donation history. Labels: Media-Local (05-07)
Commanders Bound for Iraq Tailor Strategies to a Fragmented Nation (WSJ-sub req):
The Marines also are looking for new ways to help the war-ravaged local economy. Most of al Anbar's business leaders have fled to neighboring Jordan and Syria, and unemployment in the province is well above 60%. In recent weeks, the Marines preparing to go to al Anbar have brought in economic-development experts to talk with them about microlending as a means of jump-starting small businesses. Microlenders provide small loans to would-be entrepreneurs who can't secure traditional financing. Loan recipients typically open shops or craft businesses, helping to bolster the local economy. "The legitimate economy in al Anbar is dominated by local businesses that employ eight to 15 people," says Col. John Koenig, who is overseeing economic development and governance planning. Only about $250,000 has been allocated from the U.S. government's multibillion-dollar Iraq reconstruction budget for microlending efforts in al Anbar, but Marine officials are hopeful that will grow. Given the success of microlending in other areas of the world and the problems in Anbar, one certainly would hope that we could find a few million dollars to invest. Marine commanders also have brought in experts from the Agriculture Department to teach them about date farming, the honey industry and wheat, three of the province's agricultural mainstays. One of the Marines' priorities in al Anbar will be getting a phosphate plant that has been idle since the 2003 invasion up and running, potentially providing hundreds of new jobs. To prepare for that challenge, Gen. Allen toured a major phosphate plant in North Carolina last month. Other Marine officials have spent November and December visiting electrical and sewage plants in the state to better understand their workings. "We have tested the outer limits of applying a military solution in al Anbar," says Col. Koenig. "We need to make progress in economic development and governance to succeed." The Marines' focus on economic development in al Anbar reflects the Army and Marine Corps' new counterinsurgency doctrine, which stresses that in such wars 80% of the effort should be along political and economic lines and only 20% should be military. Sunday, December 24, 2006
Russ Vaughn pens an ode to our Sheepdogs:
It's so easy to forget them there, As we warm beside the fire, Those spread so far out everywhere, Those sent to man the wire. Patrolling on the front line, As peacefully here we bask, Protecting what is yours and mine, That's their hard, dreary task. Like sheep we are protected, From the far off wolves of war, And our Sheepdogs as expected, Never waver from their chore. In peace we sheep ignore their kind, Wary of their violent trends; But when the wolves attack we find, These Sheepdogs are our friends. Forever this has been the way, Since time for us began, Sheep fearing that the Sheepdogs may Disrupt our placid plan. Yet time again Dogs surely prove, When comes a wolfine danger, The Sheepdogs will most swiftly move To guard the lambs, the manger. So here's to Sheepdogs everywhere At this Christmas time of year; Just know the flock is with you there, And we wish you Christmas cheer. We wish we could advance the clock, Cause truth is, Dogs, we miss you, To the day that you'll rejoin the flock, When we'll sheepishly then kiss you. Merry Christmas to all, especially our Sheepdogs. Labels: Christmas Saturday, December 23, 2006
Bobby from Los Angeles answers my question on Che chic:
You asked the question "I wonder how it [Che chic] would play in Miami. Let me answer that. A couple of years ago, I was vacationing in South Beach, and at a restaurant, a young co-ed was sporting a black shirt with a rainbow Che blazoned on the front. As she and her cohorts paid the bill and began their egress, a middle-aged man (presumably Cuban) stopped her and asked if she knew who the man was on her shirt. She mumbled something about revolutionary heroism or some such. The Cuban man laid into her something fierce, describing how his parents were killed in Cuba under the "revolutionary and heroic" regime Guevara helped usher in. When he was done ten minutes later, he asked the girl what she had to say for herself. The girl just stood there, mortified. I think for a large majority of the Che mythologizers, its willful ignorance of the facts that fuels their zealous idolatry. They simply do not care to learn how their "hero" gained his notoriety. Nor do they care to recognize the true nature of the regime that their "hero" helped bring about. Further evidence of that is provided by Matthew, who e-mails to inform us of an upcoming birthday celebration: As a Returned Peace Corp Volunteer I received the following message in my group list. So if you have nothing to do, you could clear your calendar and bring a friend(s). In reading your the above mentioned post I am sure you will be there "with bells on." Here's hoping that this is the last year that said event will be taking place. Friday, December 22, 2006
Mary Anastasia O'Grady (what a name) has the latest on Che "chic" in today's Wall Street Journal (sub req):
Until yesterday Christmas shoppers at Target department stores could purchase a 24-CD carrying case decorated with the image of Che Guevara. When I heard about it, I wondered why the retailer would want to promote the memory of a mass murderer. What's next, I asked, when I spoke with a representative of the company on Wednesday, Pol Pot pajamas? Late Wednesday evening Target sent me this statement: "It is never our intent to offend any of our guests through the merchandise we carry. We have made the decision to remove this item from our shelves and we sincerely apologize for any discomfort this situation may have caused our guests." The fact that it took only a day for Target to make that admirable decision suggests that at least someone at the company knows who Guevara was and what Cuba is today thanks in part to him. The misstep, though, probably occurred because others at the company allowed Target to become a target itself of the Che myth. The Che reality of course is not so pleasant: The fear under which Cubans have lived for 48 years was fathered by the merciless Che Guevara. The unhappy Argentine Marxist met Fidel Castro in Mexico in 1955 and later became a rebel commander. "The Black Book of Communism," published in 1999 by Harvard University Press, notes that early in his career Guevara earned a "reputation for ruthlessness; a child in his guerrilla unit who had stolen a little food was immediately shot without trial." In his will, the book says, "this graduate of the school of terror praised the 'extremely useful hatred that turns men into effective, violent, merciless and cold killing machines.'" Peruvian-born Alvaro Vargas Llosa penned his own book this year titled "The Che Guevara Myth." Mr. Vargas Llosa documents a twisted life, such as when Che shot a comrade and made the following entry in his diary: "I ended the problem with a .32 caliber pistol, in the right side of his brain. . . . His belongings were now mine." After that, Mr. Vargas Llosa says, Guevara shot "a peasant who expressed the desire to leave whenever the rebels moved on." Guevara also liked to simulate executions, as a form of torture. "At every stage of his adult life, his megalomania manifested itself in the predatory urge to take over other people's lives and property, and to abolish their free will." Guevara was an architect of Cuba's forced labor camps, which by 1965 were transformed into concentration camps for dissidents, homosexuals, people with AIDS, Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Cubans of other religious sects. All independent thought that refused to worship the communist state was an affront to Guevara. Christians were an especially difficult lot. From the earliest days after Castro took power, Che sent hundreds of men to face firing squads at the Havana prison known as La Cabańa. His victims could be heard at dawn loudly crying "Long live Christ the King, down with communism," just before the rifle shots rang out. About a month ago, I saw a toddler waddling around with a mini Che t-shirt and it was all I could do to restrain myself from approaching the father and asking him what the hell he was thinking having his son wear something that celebrated such a monster. While the disgusting "revolutionary chic" of Che is apparently acceptable here in Minneapolis, I wonder how it would play in Miami. Labels: Cuba
I see Keith Ellison was on CNN teaching America about its civic and religious heritage. I especially like this part, about who gets to put there hands where during a Congressional swearing-in ceremony:
In a private ceremony, of course I'll put my hand on a book that is the basis of my faith, which is Islam, and I think that this is a -- this is a beauty. This is a wonderful thing for our country because Jewish members will put their hands on the Torah, Mormon members will put their hand on the Book of Mormon, Catholic members will put their hand on the book of their choice and members who don't want to put any book -- their hand on any book are also fully free to do that. Yeah, those Catholics, which deity do they worship again? I know, it's hard to keep track of such an obscure sect, especially in the multicultural utopia of the MN 5th district. Since we are given such wide discretion by the distinguished gentleman, I think we should take advantage of it. If the American people are ever foolish enough to elect any of my favorite Cathlolics to higher office, I predict their hands will be firmly placed, or perhaps trembling, on each of the following books of their choice at their swearing-in ceremonies: Atomizer: The Bartender's Bible Chad the Elder: Blog, by Hugh Hewitt JB Doubtless: Liberalism is a Mental Disorder Nihilist in Golf Pants: 2005 City Pages "Best Of" Issue Sisyphus: The Personal Beliefs of Jimmy Carter Labels: Politics-Local (06-07)
City might stop asking about criminal history:
Minneapolis is one step away from becoming the latest big city to stop asking about criminal records on city job application forms. The City Council's Ways and Means/Budget Committee unanimously recommended a resolution Monday that will remove the question about someone's criminal record on city forms. It will go before the full council on Friday. Considering the chain gang that has passed through the City Council in recent years, it would seem a trifle hypocritical to expect their underlings to have a clean criminal record. There's been a lot of traffic from the City Council to prison, now it's just going to be a two way street. Thursday, December 21, 2006
From an Access Hollywood article (linked to by Drudge):
Click here to read Billy Bush's blog thoughts on "Donald vs. Rosie" Of course I followed it. It doesn't disappoint. Excerpt: I wonder what Regis will do in this matter....
George Costanza volunteering to make tuna sandwiches and wearing his hat backwards to cozy up to his crush Tony and...
...Dean Barnett volunteering to carry water and wearing his political heart on his sleeve to cozy up to his crush Mitt Romney? The more the "conservative punditocracy" relentlessly pushes this guy for 2008, the more inclined I am to look elsewhere. Give it a rest boys. It's way too early and you're trying way too hard. Labels: Separated At Birth
I just unwrapped my Christmas present from my boss and, even though I'm usually opposed on principle to the exchanging of any gifts in the workplace, I have to say that he made an astute purchase.
A four-pack of Bodingtons pint cans. No need to worry about exchanging these babies. Now, if I only had a fridge under my desk... Labels: Christmas
White Christmas denied! Today was billed as the last chance for the Twin Cities to get appreciable snowfall in advance of Christmas. Precipitation was forecast, and indeed it is here. As of 12:15 PM, it is in the form of a steady cold, crooked rain. It's just not cold enough today for snow. The bank clock on the corner lists the temperature at agonizingly close 33F. Damn you Global Warming, damn you to hell!
Before anyone is tempted to do something desperate like buy Al Gore's DVD, I should point out that according to historical averages, the chances we're not going to get a white Christmas on any given year is about one in four. And the last time we had a "Brown Christmas" in the Twin Cities was 2002, so we're long overdue. Thank goodness, it appears we're reverting to the scientifically calibrated historical norms. But we're not out of the woods on this one yet. If the thermometer drops a few degrees and this rain turns to snow, it's clear we all need to start preparing for the oncoming global ice age. UPDATE--The Elder Adds: It's 1:43pm and, in the southwestern 'burbs at least, it's snowing to beat hell. Looks like we won't have to dream of a White Christmas after all. We'll be enjoying the real deal. UPDATE - SP PANICS: big glops of wet snow now falling on the east side of the river! This is historically unlikely! Run for the hills, the advance of the glaciers can't be far behind! UPDATE: Les Enfants Terrible sums up the day in meteorology.
At the very end of a story in yesterday's Wall Street Journal on China's new adoption rules (crazy, fat, poor, and single people no longer need apply) is this little nugget:
Chavonne Yee, who is single, has long wanted to adopt from China and has already completed many of the requirements. But when the 41-year-old Chicago resident learned last week from her adoption agency that China may bar singles, she decided to consider adopting a special-needs child, which would allow her to complete the adoption more quickly before the rules kick in. "I'm concerned that if they've made these restrictions now, they could change again," says Ms. Yee, who is a business development manager at Texas Instruments. While I respect Ms. Yee's willingness to consider adopting a special needs baby (although I'm not sure if that willingness is motivated more by compassion or desperation), I find the very idea of a single, forty-something career woman adopting any child rather appalling. Isn't a cat good enough?
Wavy-haired, glasses clad, tie-wearing radio shock jock, who's been fighting a losing battle with gravity since birth, Hugh Hewitt and...
...wavy-haired, glasses clad, tie-wearing car sales man, who's also been fighting a losing battle with gravity since birth, Hugh Neutron? Labels: Separated At Birth Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Former Minneapolis Council person Dean Zimmerman has become the third member of that august body sentenced to hard time for taking bribes in recent years.
He's getting 2˝ years in federal prison. A relatively lax sentence. Federal prosecutors argued for more, given this egregious violation of public trust, but the judge disagreed. Interestingly, bribe taking isn't the only crime Zimmerman is guilty of. Buried in the story is this little factoid: Noting that a presentence investigation found Zimmermann smoked marijuana a couple of times a week since the 1960s and drank beer daily, the judge suggested he participate in a drug treatment program that could cut seven months off the sentence. It's too bad he wasn't smoking crack too, he might have been let go with time served. But it is a lesson to be learned for all the children of Minneapolis. If you're going to use your public office for personal enrichment, make sure you're also regularly blazing up. BTW, local media this is kind of an interesting story. A Minneapolis council person brazenly flouting the law by purchasing and using drugs throughout his term in office. Who did he get his drugs from? Did his colleagues ever suspect anything? Are they willing to submit to drug testing themselves? Was Zimmerman baked when he voted for the smoking ban? This is how you sell newspapers, people. UPDATE: For more on this story, the Nihilist in Golf Pants. Labels: Politics-Local (06-07)
Yesterday's blog entry by the great man included only one head scratching reference:
In fact, there is much more transparency, accountability, and free speech in the present U.S. government than under the UN as run by Mr. Annan. Had one of the Bush children, Annan-style, shipped in a Mercedes using government exemptions to avoid fees and charges, or had Bush himself turned over his government-subsidized apartment to a wealthy sibling, the outrage would have been immediate. When we do see prosecutorial abuse and judicial overreach--such as the supposed rape case at Duke or the Kafkan pursuit of Scooter Libby (when Mr. Armitage, at no apparent liability, has confessed to the leaks concerning Ms. Plame)--Mr. Annan and others are conveniently quiet. Rudimentary Internet research doesn't reveal any direct references to this concept. For fear of it becoming an almost Sisyphusian endeavor, I'm stopping. But in context, I think he must be referring to Franz Kafka and using an uncommon, but probably more grammatically correct, synonym for Kafkaesque: The adjective refers to anything suggestive of Kafka, especially his nightmarish type of narration, in which characters lack a clear course of action, the ability to see beyond immediate events, and the possibility of escape. The term's meaning has transcended the literary realm to apply to real-life occurrences and situations that are incomprehensibly complex, bizarre, or illogical.
In his generally accurate critique of political blogs in today's Wall Street Journal (free for all!), Joseph Rago passes on the standard MSM anti-blog canards---No editors! No gatekeepers!--and focuses on an area where many political blogs are ripe for ripping:
More success is met in purveying opinion and comment. Some critics reproach the blogs for the coarsening and increasing volatility of political life. Blogs, they say, tend to disinhibit. Maybe so. But politics weren't much rarefied when Andrew Jackson was president, either. The larger problem with blogs, it seems to me, is quality. Most of them are pretty awful. Many, even some with large followings, are downright appalling. Every conceivable belief is on the scene, but the collective prose, by and large, is homogeneous: A tone of careless informality prevails; posts oscillate between the uselessly brief and the uselessly logorrheic; complexity and complication are eschewed; the humor is cringe-making, with irony present only in its conspicuous absence; arguments are solipsistic; writers traffic more in pronouncement than persuasion... Hard to argue with those sentiments. As with most things, quantity does not equal quality and, as Rago mentions, neither does traffic. The blogs must be timely if they are to influence politics. This element--here's my opinion--is necessarily modified and partly determined by the right now. Instant response, with not even a day of delay, impairs rigor. It is also a coagulant for orthodoxies. We rarely encounter sustained or systematic blog thought--instead, panics and manias; endless rehearsings of arguments put forward elsewhere; and a tendency to substitute ideology for cognition. The participatory Internet, in combination with the hyperlink, which allows sites to interrelate, appears to encourage mobs and mob behavior. Amen to that. The one piece of advice I always offer to new bloggers is to not write about the same things that the twenty million bloggers who came before you already are. Sometimes it's unavoidable, and there are obviously subjects that nearly every one is going to weigh in on, but if all you're doing is giving your opinion on the top three or four news stories of the day, it's very unlikely that you're going to offer readers anything they can't get somewhere else from someone who can do it better than you. Rago also points out that the problems with blogs span the political spectrum. Because political blogs are predictable, they are excruciatingly boring. More acutely, they promote intellectual disingenuousness, with every constituency hostage to its assumptions and the party line. Thus the right-leaning blogs exhaustively pursue second-order distractions--John Kerry always providing useful material--while leaving underexamined more fundamental issues, say, Iraq. Conservatives have long taken it as self-evident that the press unfavorably distorts the war, which may be the case; but today that country is a vastation, and the unified field theory of media bias has not been altered one jot. Leftward fatuities too are easily found: The fatuity matters more than the politics. If the blogs have enthusiastically endorsed Joseph Conrad's judgment of newspapering--"written by fools to be read by imbeciles"--they have also demonstrated a remarkable ecumenicalism in filling out that same role themselves. Tuesday, December 19, 2006
My post from last week regarding cluelessness in the checkout line seems to have touched a nerve with a number of you readers out there. So, since I'm simply too lazy to come up with any original material, let's see what you people have to say.
Ken from Arizona checks in with this old favorite: While I share your frustration with the "check writers", I think you've got it good where you are. Out here in Scottsdale, there are two more steps (or rather non-steps) in the process. Since we're heavily populated by long-time retirees, it is not unusual to watch a grandmom from Detroit Lakes wait until the groceries are totaled to begin the search for the checkbook prior to completing the register followed by the check. Once that process is completed, the search for the driver's license begins.Ken, I feel your pain. I'm constantly amazed how anyone can spend several minutes watching the cashier ring up their basket of goods and then seem so completely gobsmacked when actually asked to produce some form of legal tender. You have absolutely nothing else to do while holding the lead position at that checkout line than prepare for its impending conclusion. Pull out that billfold, write that check or yank that handgun out from your waistband...whatever method you prefer. Just do it quickly and then get yourself out of my way. Tim from Colorado pipes in with this: Please inform your readers who may work at a drive-through to please place the coins from my change in my hand first, and then the bills. That way, I can grip the coins with my palm while I grip the bills with my fingers. Please don't put the bills flat in my palm and then pile the coins on top, so that I have to crumple it all in a wad and try and get my money back into my pocket, most likely dropping it outside the vehicle where I cannot trouble the others behind me while I retrieve it, or dropping it inside the vehicle where the change will fall into some crevice, never to be seen again, but definitely heard again as it goes through the vacuum hose at the car wash.Consider them informed, Tim. Personally, I run into this particular peeve in the convenience store checkout line. The C-store I frequent most often, however, has that nifty little coin super-slide thingy that spits the requisite amount of pennies and such out of the register automatically. Now, I like that. See, then I can pick up the coins at the time of my choosing...and who out there doesn't like to choose the picking-up time of their own coins? Colorado Tim continues with one last blast of hate filled vitriol: It probably doesn't sound like it from my message here, but I love this time of year, and I really am in pretty good holiday spirits.I couldn't agree more, Tim. Merry Christmas to all of us here at Fraters Libertas...and to those of you out there who keep those checkout lines moving. God bless you, every one!
Today's article in the Wall Street Journal on architecture in Minneapolis (sub req) by Ada Louise Huxtable, proves that even the best of newspapers (and writers) can have an off day. First, Huxtable starts the piece with this groan inducing string of cliches:
This city, not inappropriately, has produced a smorgasbord of new architecture in the past year, and like the children of Lake Wobegon, all the buildings are above average. Is it possible to write a story about Minnesota without a lame reference to our alleged Scandinavian heritage (in reality more German) and "A Prairie Home Companion"? Minneapolis is no stranger to the new. Its modernist landmarks of the 1960s look better than ever. Philip Johnson's IDM building, completed before he succumbed to the sillier aspects of postmodernism, is a rational rebuke to today's torqued and tortured towers. Ah yes, the famous "IDM" building. Symbol of the civic pride of Minneapolis. The details do matter. And when you miss such obvious ones, it makes me wonder about the rest of the work.
The Daily Princetonian--Group invites world to come together for Orgasm Day:
This year's winter solstice will be hotter than usual, if a Princeton-inspired movement has its way. The antiwar group Baring Witness is organizing what it calls "Global Orgasms for Peace," an effort to persuade people worldwide to orgasm on Dec. 22 while concentrating on peace. The purpose is to "effect change in the energy field of the Earth through input of the largest possible surge of human energy," founders Donna Sheehan and Paul Reffell say on the movement's web site. The initiative was inspired by the University-affiliated Global Consciousness Project (GCP), a research project that aims to demonstrate the impact of global consciousness by measuring correlations between international events and the generation of random numbers. The GCP "is not 'involved' in the Orgasms for Peace movement," GCP director Roger Nelson said in an email. But "we're aware of it and admire the creativity, and hope along with others that it can have a good effect." Sheehan and Reffell urge everyone to follow through with the project, especially in countries with weapons of mass destruction. Any time on Dec. 22 would work, they say on the website globalorgasm.org, and "[you can have] as much privacy as you choose." C'mon baby...you're not against world peace, are you? [Via FIRST THINGS]
Alcohol can help save lives:
Alcohol may actually provide some life-saving benefits to drinkers who get themselves into car crashes and other serious accidents, new research out of Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre shows. But that's no licence to drink and drive, warn researchers, whose study was published yesterday in the journal Archives of Surgery. The study shows that people with low to moderate amounts of alcohol in their systems may be less likely to die after arriving in hospital with serious head injuries than those who have not been drinking. "Low concentrations of alcohol may have the ability to reduce secondary brain injury and may therefore improve brain-injury survival," Sunnybrook trauma surgeon Dr. Homer Tien, who led the study, said in a news release. "However, the study only describes the effect of alcohol on the brain after injury occurs, and I'd like to stress that alcohol remains the leading cause of preventable trauma deaths and dramatically increases the likelihood of injury and fatal injury." About a third to a half of all patients hospitalized from trauma are intoxicated at the time of their injury, the report says. Paradoxically, however, the same alcohol responsible for the trauma might offer some significant brain protection in the aftermath of injury, Tien said. Proving once again the wisdom of Homer Simpson's toast: "To alcohol! The cause of and solution to all of life's problems."
Anne from Parlin, New Jersey e-mails on the hazzards of mall shopping:
I can relate to your dislike of mall kiosks all too well. These days every other one of these hawks cell phones or cell phone accessories. Market oversaturation, anyone? I really despise when the people working at these places get in your way and ask if you want to take a survey or learn about whatever they're selling. No, if I'm interested, I'll walk over to you in the same way I'll walk into a store. I have a working set of eyes and ears and am aware of my surroundings. I'm too polite to say that to the kiosk employees, not to worry. My fiance and I have learned to walk through malls with focused expressions and a sense of purpose. A standard kiosk gambit that I experienced once again yesterday is for the person running the stand to approach you as you walk by and innocently inquire, "Can I ask you a question?" My standard reply is a quick "You already did" while staring straight ahead and picking up my pace. Labels: Business Monday, December 18, 2006
If you missed the December 9th NARN interview with Mark Moyar, author of Triumph Forsaken: The Vietnam War, 1954-1965, you can now listen to it here. Mark was a great guest and his book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the Vietnam War. I can't wait for volume two.
If anyone is interested, I have a couple of tickets to this Wednesday's off-Broadway production of Altar Boyz at the Pantages Theater in Minneapolis. The curtain opens at 8pm and from what I hear it's a pretty entertaining show, more along the lines of "Nunsense" than "The Pope & The Witch." Drop me an e-mail if you'd like the free ducs, first come first serve.
Labels: Culture
I remember one mid-winter night while the Elder and I were watching a Stars/Edmonton game and Neal Broten somehow got tangled up with Wayne Gretzky. I can still see Broten mouthing the words F-U to Wayne before they dropped the gloves for Wayne's one and only NHL fight.
Neal actually landed a couple of shots on him before he turtled and it was over. Here's the video. Doesn't seem possible that this was almost 25 years ago. And whilst I'm walking through the park and reminiscing, here's some vintage North Stars footage of Dino Ciccarelli swinging his stick at a Toronto Maple Leaf. Wild! UPDATE-The Elder Adds: I recall that night fondly and I believe it was right around the holiday season. No better Christmas present than that. My up the ante challenge to JB is to find a clip of Dino leaving the penalty box at Met Center to fight one of the Winnipeg Jet--I believe it was Tim Trimper. Sunday, December 17, 2006
On the way to work every day I drive past a billboard sponsored by some pro-life organization. It carries the message "An Embryo Is A Baby." Underneath the message is a picture of a very cute baby. No one who saw the picture would deny that it was a baby. The problem is that the message isn't "A Baby Is A Baby," so the image does nothing to advance the argument.
How about this instead? Get a state of the art ultrasound photo, one of the new 3D, HD variety that clearly shows the proof of life inside the womb. The little fingers, toes, lungs, heart, etc. On top of the picture ask the simple question, "What Is This?" Underneath the photo, two check boxes. One with the choice "An unviable tissue mass." The other with "A baby." Simple, straight-forward, and effective. Saturday, December 16, 2006
Eric Felten writes on the key elements for you at bar at home in today's Wall Street Journal (sub req):
The home bar may be vaguely illicit, but it is also eminently practical -- a designated place for bottles, glasses and the rest. The English novelist Kingsley Amis liked a good drink or three and wrote a couple of books on the hobby. In "On Drink," he includes a section on how to outfit a bar at home. For the most part he focuses on the tools needed -- bar spoons, lemon squeezers, corkscrews and a "really very sharp knife." (Amis suggests: "If you want to finish the evening with your usual number of fingers, do any cutting-up, peel-slicing and the like before you have had more than a couple of drinks, preferably before your first.") But No. 1 on Amis's list of "Bar Kit" essentials is a refrigerator of one's own. "Wives and such are constantly filling up any refrigerator they have a claim on, even its ice-compartment, with irrelevant rubbish like food," Amis writes. And what might he have had in his bar refrigerator? Among the bottles might be some freshly squeezed cucumber juice, which he would have used to make a proprietary cocktail named after his first novel, the Lucky Jim. It's a curious, and not unpleasant, twist on the dry Vodka Martini, a drink that would look fine sitting on one's own slab of vintage mahogany. UPDATE: Jonathan from Mangled Cat posts a pic of his basement bar and, other than the barstools (which will be appearing in Lileks' next book on horrible interior design), it's a beaut. Labels: Cocktails
Yesterday, the Pentagon released a new Counterinsurgency Manual. Today at noon on the Northern Alliance Radio Network, we'll be interviewing Lt. Col. John A. Nagl, who has written a book on the subject.
Labels: NARN (06-07) Friday, December 15, 2006
Paul P. from parts unknown writes in with this selective reading of my linking to a Rudolph Giuliani endorsement for President:
That's terrific. I'm glad that you've finally seen the light. Pro-choice is a perfectly legitimate position in American political life. A woman's body is her own. The government has no right to legislate her reproductive choices. Rudy believes it. And you're down w/Rudy! Love it! With this spewing of clichés and feminist obfuscation, it's clear Paul isn't at risk of over thinking the issue of abortion. And any time a man starts so glibly throwing around these notions, I suspect he's one of those guys who thinks he'd get laid more often if enough women were deluded into accepting the notion of an abortion rich, consequences free environment. Or as Chris Rock once put it: Abortion, it's beautiful, it's beautiful abortion is legal. I love going to an abortion rally to pick up women, cause you know they are f*!@*%g. To be clear, any vote by me for Rudy G. would be in spite of these sophisticated social views, not because of them. Richard Brookhiser said "his political problems sit there like turds in a punch bowl" and it's not going to be easy for me to drink that Kool Aid. He wouldn't get my vote in a contest where he's running against a proven social conservative. Let me go out on a limb and suggest that scenario will not be in play should he make it to the 2008 general election. Hillary, Osama Obama, Kerry/Gore/Edwards, Dean, Kucinich. They, or any other standard bearer of the Democrats, will be fiercely defending and looking for ways to expand a women's right to make themselves more attractive to Chris Rock. If Giuliani somehow makes it through the crucible of GOP primary elections (where I probably won't have my voice heard, even I have better things to do on a cold February Tuesday night than attend a caucus - come on Minnesota, get on the primary election bandwagon), against what could be an excellent roster of competitors, he will be the superior option to anyone form the menagerie of the left. Reasons for conservatives to hold their nose with one hand and pull the lever for him with the other: 1) The President's role in influencing abortion policy in this country is limited. For evidence, look no further than all the progress in restricting the practice made under social conservative heroes like Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. They claim they would have signed relevant legislation presented to them. I suppose Giuliani, to stay true to his abortion supporting beliefs, would veto this same legislation. But in either case, a prerequisite is a Congress with the moral fortitude to pass such legislation in the first place. We didn't have it for Reagan, we don't have it now, and the recent influx of all those tolerant people with (D) after their names makes this increasingly unlikely, at least in the short term. More to the point, because of misguided Supreme Court decisions of the past, the real action on the abortion front is in the decrees of the courts, not the democratic process. Which brings us to the next reason to support Giuliani 2) Giuliani's views on abortion law seems to be identical to that of social conservatives. He wants to return it to the states and to legislatures. He's for strict constructionist interpretation of the Constitution. He's kind of a reverse of the "personally opposed, but support the right to choose" canard. He's personally in favor, but supports the right of democratically elected bodies to enact the laws that would reflect the people's wishes to restrict it. 3) There may be bigger problems than abortion politics for the federal government to concern itself with between January 2009 and January 2013. Of course ,there is no larger concern for individuals than saving their immortal souls and avoiding the wages of evil. That struggle will continue, as it ever has (repent now!). But if things continue on their present course with Iraq, Iran, Syria, North Korea, terrorist threats, flying imams, etc. two years from now, the nation is going to have as its priority survival, first and foremost. In understanding the threats that face us and having the strength to fight, there may be no better candidate than Giuliani on either side of the aisle. For an alternate view, see Joe Carter with 7 Reasons Rudy Ain't Right. Labels: 2008 Election
Toto is not exactly a band held in high regard by critics, would-be tastemakers, urban hipsters or baby boom bloggers who write glowingly about such unknown greats as Frank Sinatra.
But damnit if "Africa" is not a perfect pop song, then there is no such thing. Every piece of the song is perfect: the arrangement, the harmonies, the singing, the melody, the production, the engineering, the expert muscianship--it's as finely crafted a piece of pop as has ever been produced. (btw, here is a great link to all the recordings played on by legendary studio drummer Jeff Porcaro, an original Toto member. Wow.) It was over-played in it's day and gets no props from the hipnoscenti but this song is almost 25 years old and still sounds amazing. It's not Important and it's not revolutionary. It's just five minutes of pure entertainment bliss by pros at the top of their game. If you have Itunes, it's worth .99 to see if you agree. UPDATE--The Elder Adds: I hate to rain on your parade JB, but I'm pretty sure that said song has been cited by a certain well-known shock jock as ideal music to run to. Imagining him humming the tune with this visual will no doubt put you off your Toto feed for some time.
One of Nick Coleman's editors will finally sack up and tell him to cease and desist trying to be funny. Twin Cities residents reported hearing several loud thuds this morning as, one after the other, the leaden "jokes" in Coleman's column fell flat. Is it too late to ask Santa to bring Nick a sense of humor? Maybe even a little wit as a stocking stuffer.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
One thing that proponents of a quick pullout of US forces from Iraq seem to fail to recognize is that no matter how unpleasant the prospect may be, the reality is that unless we want to pull up the drawbridge and hunker down in Fortress America, we're likely going to be engaged in similar counterinsurgency struggles in the foreseeable future. We can leave Iraq if we choose, but at some point we're going to have to figure out how to defeat enemies who recognize that while they can never beat the US on the battlefield, they can wear down our will to fight through asymmetrical warfare.
In the October 2006 edition of Armed Forces Journal, Lt. Col. John A. Nagl and Lt. Col Paul L Yingling propose some new rules for new enemies in The Long War: Critics may object that the proposals outlined above--language training, higher education and force-structure redesign--are enormously expensive. These critics are correct. Counterinsurgency is an intensely human activity and requires significant investment in human capital. Providing continuous security to civilian populations and encouraging political and economic development cannot be done by machines at standoff ranges. There are many opportunities for material solutions to aid soldiers in COIN operations. However, there is no substitute for adaptive, intelligent and disciplined soldiers and leaders operating in close contact with host-nation security forces and the civilian populations they secure. The Long War can be fought only at close range. Furthermore, the costs of transforming the Army for the Long War pale in comparison to the risks of failing to do so. The U.S. is already fighting active insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan. If we fail to bring stability to these states, their territories and populations will soon become instruments for spreading instability throughout the greater Middle East. Fragile governments such as those in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan may fall, endangering global oil supplies and nuclear nonproliferation controls. If we fail to dominate this conflict at the lower end of the spectrum, we may indeed find the need to fight a major theater war to impose stability on a region too vital to ignore. The costs of doing so will be exponentially greater than our current operations. We have responsibility. Lt. Col Nagl is also the author of the highly-touted Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife: Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam, which compares the British military's ability to adapt and learn in Malaya with the corresponding failure of the US to do so in Vietnam. This Saturday, he will be our guest on the Northern Alliance Radio Network at noon central time. Lt. Col. Nagl has served in Iraq as well and we'll be discussing both the theory and actual practice of successful counterinsurgency operations. Listen live locally to all six hours of the NARN on WWTC AM1280 The Patriot (and stock up on last minute stocking stuffers at the Patriot Labels: NARN (06-07)
While it may seem a trifle absurd in mid-December 2006 to spend time agonizing over which candidate to support for president in 2008, such is the nature of the current political environment and far be it for me to go against nature.
Just as I was prepared to write off the idea of ever supporting Mitt Romney--despite the on-going effort to tout him as the "only conservative choice"--a couple of items came to my attention which have given me reason for pause. The first was an article by John J. Miller in the latest edition of National Review called Evangelicals for Romney?. Here's the key quote: "People will be practical, and they will make judgments based on the alternatives," says Richard John Neuhaus, a Catholic intellectual who is widely respected by Protestants. "From what I've seen of Romney, I'm very favorably impressed--he's done well within the eccentric politics of Massachusetts. For me, his Mormonism is not a positive factor, but I could support him." The second is an interview with Romney by Kathryn Jean Lopez at National Review Online: Lopez: Read anything good lately? Gov. Romney: A few of my current favorites are "The Cube and the Cathedral" by George Weigel, "The Looming Tower" by Lawrence Wright, "America Alone" by Mark Steyn, "The Places in Between" by Rory Stewart, and Bill Bryson's latest book "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid." That's a reading list that hits very close to home. While I would still prefer a Gingrich, Brownback, or Sanford (on the slim chance that he would enter the race), these two items are definitely positives for Romney. Let's not close that door just yet. SP Adds: I must admit, the full court press for Romney by various sections of the conservative punditocracy is creating a reflexive rejection response in me. I think Newt Gingrich would be the best President of any potential candidate in 2008. And I thought I could write off Guiliani as being too socially liberal. But when Richard Brookhiser (a guy so intelligent and learned in the intellectual disciplines I value, I'm tempted to believe anything he says), provides this full endorsement, I have to give it some serious consideration. And I better get started brooding soon, only got 23 candidate shopping months to go! Wednesday, December 13, 2006
People...please, on your next visit to the grocery store, the gas station, the liquor store, the pharmacy or any other place of business that other humans happen to frequent, try to have one tiny iota of consideration for those of us in the long line rapidly forming directly behind you. You do not exist in a vacuum. Your actions in such situations directly affect the flow of other people's daily lives. Take a moment, once in a while, to think about that and then act accordingly.
At the top of the list of common courtesies that I'd love to see afforded to all of us in my ever shortening lifetime is a simple attempt at brevity when writing a personal check (a payment method that I resolutely abhor). If you feel that you simply MUST write a check, Rule Number One is to never, under any circumstances, fill out your check register before you trouble yourself to actually write the dag-blasted check! The vehemence of this request is infinitely magnified if you are equipped with the magic that is the duplicate checkbook. Why not just invite us all over on the night that you balance your checking account so we can spend hours adoring your unique way of meticulously recording every payment you've made in the past month (with perfect penmanship, of course) despite the existence of a completely up-to-date imprint of every single check built right into your checkbook? To be perfectly honest, I'd much prefer that mind-numbingly dull experience over being forced to stand in a motionless line at the Walgreen's pharmacy counter while I wait to pick up my Gout medication with nothing to look at other than your stultifying performance and a copy of People magazine so old it features K-Fed and Britney's favorite places to "hook up". More advice to follow as conditions warrant. Labels: Polite Society
Walz, Ellison, get first committee assignments:
Incoming Reps. Tim Walz and Keith Ellison, both Minnesota Democrats, got their first committee assignments on Tuesday. Walz was selected to sit on the House Agriculture Committee, while Ellison was named to the Financial Services Committee. It appears that the Democratic Congress is handing out job assignments like the military used to. Let's see...you had problems filing your taxes, following campaign finance laws, and paying parking tickets? Finance is the perfect place for you. Next.
There are a lot of bad jobs out there. Finance manager of Dennis Kucinich's 2008 presidential campaign. Paris Hilton's gynecologist. The guy who cleans up Hugh's studio after his radio show (Diet Coke and Cheetos make for a toxic and almost impossible to remove sludge). Hooker in Las Vegas during the 2007 Blog World Expo.
But is there anything worse than working the kiosks in your typical suburban shopping mall? You know what I mean. The stand alone booths and carts that feature such novelties as genuine Norwegian reindeer slippers, "never wrinkle" osmosis skin moisturizers, and Styrofoam "fun" gliders. Working anywhere in a mall is not high on my list of dream jobs, but the poor saps slaving at those kiosks are laboring in a whole new level of hell. Trying to cajole busy shoppers to stop by their stands and buy the useless crap they're trying to shill. All the while standing (or sitting on a stool) with no place to hide their shame. I have to imagine that turnover in these positions is astronomical, to say nothing of the suicide rate.
Pawlenty gets ready to return to radio:
For four years, WCCO was home to the governor's program, a topical mixture of entertainment, politics and Pawlenty's brand of humor. The station is now one of three vying for the right to air his show; the others are KTLK (100.3 FM), which airs talk shows and Minnesota Vikings games, and WWTC (1280 AM), the Patriot. Pawlenty's office expects to award the two-year contract by next week; he could be on the air the first week of January. UPDATE-- Scott e-mails to ask: If the Patriot broadcasts Pawlenty's show, do they have to drop the Always Right slogan? A tough, but accurate query. Labels: Media-Local (08-09) Tuesday, December 12, 2006
John 15:13;
Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. Hero sacrifices himself saving fellow Soldiers: FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq--Private First Class Ross A. McGinnis packed only 136 pounds into his 6-foot frame, but few have ever matched his inner strength. McGinnis sacrificed himself in an act of supreme bravery on Dec. 4, belying his status as the youngest Soldier in Company C, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. The 19-year-old amateur mechanic from Knox, Pa., who enjoyed poker and loud music, likely saved the lives of four Soldiers riding with him on a mission in Baghdad. McGinnis was manning the gunner's hatch when an insurgent tossed a grenade from above. It flew past McGinnis and down through the hatch before lodging near the radio. His platoon sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Cedric Thomas of Longview, Texas, recalled what happened next. "Pfc. McGinnis yelled 'Grenade...It's in the truck,'" Thomas said. "I looked out of the corner of my eye as I was crouching down and I saw him pin it down." McGinnis did so even though he could have escaped. "He had time to jump out of the truck," Thomas said. "He chose not to." Thomas remembered McGinnis talking about how he would respond in such a situation. McGinnis said then he didn't know how he would act, but when the time came, he delivered. "He gave his life to save his crew and his platoon sergeant," Thomas said. "He's a hero. He's a professional. He was just an awesome guy." Three of the Soldiers with McGinnis who were wounded that day have returned to duty, while a fourth is recovering in Germany. For saving the lives of his friends and giving up his own in the process, McGinnis earned the Silver Star, posthumously. His unit paid their final respects in a somber ceremony here Dec. 11. McGinnis was born June 14, 1987, and joined the Army right after graduating high school in 2005. He had been in the Army 18 months and made his mark even before his heroic deed. "He was a good kid," said C Company's senior enlisted Soldier, 1st Sgt. Kenneth J. Hendrix. "He had just gotten approved for a waiver to be promoted to specialist." He also appeared on the Nov. 30 cover of Stars & Stripes, manning his turret. Besides his military accomplishments, McGinnis leaves his friends and family with memories of a fun-loving, loyal man. Private First Class Brennan Beck, a 1-26 infantryman from Lodi, Calif., said McGinnis made others feel better. "He would go into a room and when he left, everyone was laughing," Beck said. "He did impersonations of others in the company. He was quick-witted, just hilarious. He loved making people laugh. He was a comedian through and through." While having a witty side, McGinnis took his job seriously. "He was not a garrison Soldier. He hated it back in garrison," Beck said. "He loved it here in Iraq. He loved being a gunner. It was a thrill, he loved everything about it. He was one our best Soldiers. He did a great job." Beck has memories of talking all night with McGinnis about where they wanted their lives to go, and said McGinnis always remembered his friends. "When I had my appendix removed, he was the only one who visited me in the hospital," Beck said. "That meant a lot." Another 1-26 infantryman, Private First Class Michael Blair of Klamath Falls, Ore., recalled that McGinnis helped him when he arrived at Ledward Barracks in Schweinfurt, Germany. "When I first came to the unit...he was there and took me in and showed me around," Blair said. "He was real easy to talk to. You could tell him anything. He was a funny guy. He was always making somebody laugh." McGinnis' final heroic act came as no surprise to Blair. "He was that kind of person," Blair said. "He would rather take it himself than have his buddies go down." The brigade's senior noncommissioned officer, Command Sgt. Maj. William Johnson, also had high praise for McGinnis. "Anytime when you get a Soldier to do something like that - to give his life to protect his fellow Soldiers - that's what heroes are made of," Johnson said. It also demonstrates, Johnson continued, that the "MySpace Generation" has what it takes to carry on the Army's proud traditions. "Some think Soldiers who come in today are all about themselves," Johnson said. "I see it differently." The Silver Star has already been approved for McGinnis' actions Dec.4, and will be awarded posthumously. Ross A. McGinnis R.I.P. Monday, December 11, 2006
Victor Davis Hanson writes another brilliant essay on one of the biggest problems we face in prosecuting this war on terror, the attention span and fortitude of modern pundits and politicians.
As is VDH's style, he drops a few cultural allusions that may need some explanation to anyone not holding advanced degrees in Greek History and Political Zoological Science. Here is the key paragraph, link enhanced with original sources for your reading pleasure: Listening recently to the pious homilies of Jimmy Carter on C-Span demands a bath in the waters of Lethe. How else to think away hundreds of days watching him like a deer in the headlights as a few students in Teheran paralyzed his administration, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, he sent Mohammed Ali on a mission to boycott the Olympics, Central America seemed lost to Cuba-like communism, over a million died in Cambodia, the economy suffered double-digit inflation and interest rates, high unemployment, and low growth?before, then and afterwards punctuated by petty, snide comments about kicking Ted Kennedy's ass, George Bush Sr. being effeminate, secret lusting in his heart, and vicious, swamp rabbits skimming toward the President in a pond attack mode. Labels: Terrorism
Richard John Neuhaus remarks on the New York Times and their keen grasp of the obvious at FIRST THINGS:
There they all are, all forty-three of them. Their pictures take up the better part of the front page of this Sunday's "Week in Review" section of the New York Times. Underneath the pictures is the headline of the story by Adam Nagourney, "The Pattern May Change, if..." Aha, so there's a pattern we're supposed to detect. The Times regularly reminds us that its readership is highly educated, and I like to think that I'm no slouch when it comes to detecting patterns, so I study the pictures carefully. Pattern, pattern, what's the pattern? Well, all forty-three were, and one still is, president of the United States. Most are middle-aged or older. The more recent ones are smiling for their picture. But I have the sense I'm not getting the pattern that the Times wants me to get. And then there it is, right before my eyes. Recognizing that even highly educated readers may need some help, the editors put the clue to the pattern under each and every picture: "White Male." Is it really possible? I go back and study the pictures again and, sure enough, every one of them is a person of pallor and every one is a man. There does indeed seem to be a pattern here. Read the whole post to find out what the shocking revelation of this pattern means for the 2008 election. UPDATE-- Jonathan also knows how to connect les dots: I did some digging on Wikipedia and discovered the exact same pattern in another country. France. Go here and then click on each President (they are near the bottom of the page, so scroll, please -ed) going back to Napoleon Bonaparte himself and the pattern is the same. Somehow, I doubt that Adam Nagourney would categorize them the same way. Well, it is liberté, égalité, and fraternité after all.
Legislature likely to favor statewide smoking ban:
A statewide ban on smoking in bars and restaurants looks likelier than ever. For several years the biggest obstacle to the ban has been the Republican majority in the state House of Representatives, which was swayed by the concerns of restaurant and bar owners who said the ban would hurt their business. With Democrats set to take control of the House in January, supporters believe their time has come. And yet, the smarter-than-thou libertarians will continue to assure you that there is no difference between the two parties. "This is definitely the year for the dialogue to happen," said Pat McKone, president-elect of the Minnesota Smoke-Free Coalition, which includes an array of public health organizations. "We see a lot of acceptance, even from people who once opposed the idea." Funny, but I don't see a lot of opportunities for "dialogue" when you're talking about the imposition of a statewide smoking ban. Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty has said he'd sign the ban into law. Some predict the new Legislature could pass it within weeks of the start of the session in January. We're happy to surrender more freedoms for a better Minnesota. Labels: Nanny State
Last year, I posted the ingredients for what I call my Holiday Bracer--a strong cocktail designed to get you through the often challenging "Holiday" season (quick aside--how inane does "Holiday Hawk" sound in that new Sierra Mist ad?).
Due to overwhelming demand, here again is the post. Careful though, you don't want to wind up acting like this after sucking down 2-3 of these sumbitches. JB's Holiday Bracer As we all know, "The Holidays" or what I call Christmastime can be quite stressful. There's in-laws, travel, work parties you really don't want to attend, purchasing expensive presents for ungrateful brats, weather--basically any number of things can go wrong and cause your stress to rise to unacceptable levels. (Kind of like what Captain Ed must have gone through when the Drudge Report was down the other morning.) Which is why I am willing to share with you all a new drink recipe I came up with this weekend. I call it JB's Holiday Bracer and it's sure to get you through even the toughest social challenges this season. Ingredients: ice, gin, vodka (no plastic bottles of either) bourbon or rye (I find the Wild Turkey 100 proof Rye to be delicious), Angostura bitters and 7-Up (no diet). Take your shaker and add copious amounts of ice. Important step here, so no chinzing on the ice. Next add equal measures (about 2-3 1.5 ounce shots) each of the gin, vodka and bourbon or rye. Personally, I add more a little more bourbon than gin or vodka since it carries more taste, but that's up to you. Add a couple of dashes of the bitters and top the creation with a small splash of 7-Up--a splash, this is a strong drink and you don't want to be watering down the taste of the booze. Shake the concoction vigorously. The flavors should infuse each other and become one singular elixir. Pour the contents into a chilled rocks glass, garnish with a cherry and enjoy. Early field tests have shown the only problem so far is that the drink tastes so good you tend to suck them down quite quickly and immediately want another. I have to advise against this. You may consume it quickly, but let the booze settle a little in your system before going for round two. You WILL feel it the next day after two of these beauties, but most importantly whatever stress you are dealing with will seem light years away. Put on a little Brian Setzer and you will be all set. Labels: Cocktails
This past Saturday night, my wife and I were treated to a glimpse into the soul of Red State America via the wonders of reality television. I'm not sure if we were watching A&E's Flip This House or TLC's Flip That House, since the channels are next door neighbors on our cable system. I am confident that it wasn't MTV's new show, "Pimp Dat 'Ho."
Anyway, it was one of the house flippin' shows and the particular episode was set in Charleston, South Carolina. A professional company was managing the flip and the house was located in a neighborhood that was apparently a little questionable, based on the problems they were having with theft of job materials and tools. Eventually, the owner of the company had enough and enlisted one of his managers to help take matters into their own hands. They decided to stake out the job site at night to send a message to the criminals. On the way to the job site in a pick-up (of course), the manager--who was riding shotgun--explained, "'Round here we don't call it vigilante, we call it common sense," between pulls on his beer which he made no effort to hide from the camera. Not sure what the laws are in South Carolina, but 'round here that's an open bottle violation. The owner was cradling a shotgun in his lap and he explained that since he wasn't a very good shot, he brought his scatter gun. They parked the pickup across the street and began the stakeout. And the beer drinking, with the driver putting 'em away along with his passenger. They ended up tossing several empties into the pickup bed in the course of the night. Two armed middle-aged men, sitting in a pickup truck, drinking beer at 2am in order to protect their property rights. On camera. Now THAT'S Red State America for ya. Sometime before daybreak, the thief showed himself inside the house and our boys swung into action. No pussy-footing around. No, should we call the police? The both charged at the house, developing a plan on the way. which essentially was "you go this way and I'll go that way." While they did catch sight of the culprit, they were not able to prevent his escape, which was unfortunate since they both seemed eager for a little old fashioned two-fisted justice. They were quite certain however that he would not return. And they were correct. The next day at work, they regaled their coworkers with tales of their escapade. A female staffer was a little shocked and said, "But you could have gotten hurt." To which the manager replied, "Hey, it we would have caught that guy, he's the one who would have gotten hurt." You gotta love that attitude. An attitude that just screams Red State America. An attitude that we would do well to have more of 'round here. Sunday, December 10, 2006
The voting has once again begun to determine who will walk away with the coveted title of 2006 Northern Alliance Radio Network Loon Of The Year. All previous Loon of the Week winners were eligible for the yearly distinction. A select panel narrowed the field down to twenty finalists and now your votes will decide who deserves LOTY recognition.
The original poll that was posted on Friday was missing a prominent name in looniness and two-time Loon of the Week winner, so we're going to start the voting over again. The winner will be announced on the December 30th NARN broadcast. Vote early, vote often, vote looney. Labels: NARN (06-07) Saturday, December 09, 2006
Disturbing front page story in today's Wall Street Journal on the budding alliance between the hard left and Islamic radicals. Their common cause? Anti-Americanism (sub req):
Religion, excoriated by Karl Marx as the "opiate of the masses," has become a great mobilizing force -- even for zealous atheists. The phenomenon extends beyond the Middle East to Europe, Latin America and Africa, too. Causes that a few years ago seemed moribund or at least passé -- socialism, Third World solidarity, strident anti-Americanism -- have been injected with the fervor, though rarely the actual faith, of Islamic radicalism. "We are all here to fight American hegemony," Naim Qassem, Hezbollah's deputy chief, told hundreds of secular activists from around the world who gathered last month in a Beirut conference center. They were there to celebrate his Islamic movement's "divine victory" over Israel this summer and cheer a broader battle against America's vision for the world. Mr. Qassem was dressed in flowing robes and a cleric's turban. Many in his audience wore T-shirts or badges featuring portraits of Che Guevara, clenched fists and other emblems of secular radical chic. Strange bedfellows indeed. The enemy of my enemy is my friend movement seems to be spreading too: Some of Hezbollah's biggest fans are in Europe. There, the hard left, demoralized by the collapse of communism, has found new energy, siding with Islamist militants in Lebanon, in Iraq and in a wider campaign against what they see as an American plot to impose unrestrained free-market capitalism. "We are all Hezbollah now," read posters carried through London this summer during an antiwar protest march. Earlier, London Mayor Ken Livingston, once known as "Red Ken," invited a controversial Egyptian cleric to the British capital, arguing that his views have been distorted by the West. In deeply Roman Catholic Latin America, Hugo Chávez of Venezuela has become the exemplar of a new populism that sees common cause with Iran and Hezbollah. Mr. Chávez, re-elected in a landslide last Sunday, has met Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad several times and this summer was given the Islamic Republic Medal, Iran's highest honor. Amid the rubble of Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, portraits of Mr. Chávez now hang alongside pictures of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah put them up after Mr. Chávez denounced President Bush as the devil in a September speech to the UN. "Gracias Chávez," they say. Africa, too, is boarding the bandwagon. A summit of the 53-nation African Union this summer in Gambia featured two special guests: Mr. Chavez and Mr. Ahmadinejad. Back in Tehran, Mr. Ahmadinejad in November hosted Zimbabwe's authoritarian Prime Minister Robert Mugabe, an erstwhile devotee of Mao Zedong. Fulminating against President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Mr. Mugabe said likeminded countries must "fight against these evil men and their evil systems." Pot. Kettle. You know the rest. With America's reputation badly blemished across much of the globe, widespread anger at Washington's foreign policy is fusing with local grievances in an unstable mix of discontent. The result is a motley assemblage rife with contradictions and competing agendas. The Islamist-led protest movement has none of the central organization once provided by the Comintern, the body set up by Vladimir Lenin to coordinate global communism. Nonetheless, it is giving voice and a sense of common cause to those opposed to America's plans. Leading the way in embracing it are mostly fringe groups with names redolent of the 1960s: The Global Peace and Justice Coalition, The Socialist Workers Party, The League for the Fifth International. While such outfits are quirky, they "magnify trends in the mainstream," says Nick Cohen, a British writer who is publishing a book next year about the alliance between Islamists and leftists, "What's Left?" Karl Marx, he says, would be horrified. "The sight of Godless communists in alliance with Islamo-fascists is one of the wonders of the modern world," Mr. Cohen says. Wonder is not the first word that comes to my mind. At the Beirut conference last month, a Mexican Marxist denounced America for "colonizing" New Mexico. A South Korean foe of free trade raged against American beef. A Turk fumed about American military bases. A Frenchman denounced American genetically engineered foods and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. There were even a few Americans. One thundered against big business, another against the Federal Bureau of Investigation. A big part of Hezbollah's appeal is simply that, unlike other tarnished icons of revolt, it can point to successes. It has defied Israel's military, by far the region's most powerful. It prodded Israel to end its 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon in 2000 and unexpectedly bloodied Israeli troops in clashes this summer. Hezbollah shows that "resistance," whether fuelled by religion or secular zeal, "can break governments and roll back the American project," says John Rees, a former editor of the journal International Socialism and a leader of Britain's anti-Iraq war movement. Hezbollah, he says, isn't a terrorist outfit but a social movement seeking better living conditions for its supporters. "It is better to think of it as an AFL-CIO with guns," he says. Feel better now? Neither do I. The idea of the AFL-CIO as an armed militia isn't exactly comforting. An American who traveled to Beirut in November to cheer Hezbollah, who identified himself as Bill Cecil, summed up the appeal of Islamism to non-Muslims: "Your enemy is our enemy; your victory is our victory," he told a conference. Mr. Cecil, an activist for a radical group in New York, later appeared as a guest on the breakfast show of Hezbollah's television station, al-Manar. America, he told a veiled female presenter, is "not a democracy ... but a dictatorship of giant corporations." America "needs a government that provides for the people like Hezbollah helps people here." Just ask homosexuals and women how Hezbollah "provides" for them. Sitting beneath a portrait of Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara in his Beirut office, Khaled Hadadeh, the general secretary of the Lebanese communists, admits that Hezbollah and the Communist Party hated each other for years. "We started out in blood," says Mr. Hadadeh, a Sunni Muslim by birth but now a firm atheist. Che Guevara, he says, "is our symbol, like Jesus Christ or Mohammed." What's the old line about a man who won't believe in God will believe in anything? The larger question overriding the whole Islamic radical/hard left alliance is just who is playing the role of the useful idiot? I have a hunch it'll be the same people who willingly did so in the past. Labels: Terrorism
Kevin from Portland e-mails with more on Kraut cars:
I just have to chime in on the auto thread. Back in the 90s, I worked at Chrysler in the electronics division in Huntsville, Alabama. This was before Quisling Bob Eaton sold out one of the more innovative auto companies in the country, but that's another story. Anyway, we would regularly do competitive analysis on the various competitive brands. The one I remember best is when we looked at Mercedes and Lexus, with a Camry thrown in. We all loved the Camry, thought it was a genuinely great car, with good finish, performance, and comfort; good value for the money. The Lexus, we just laughed at. Stodgy, even with a V8, not finished nearly as well as the Camry, which is interesting because the Lexus is nothing more than a Camry. Everything under the skin is Camry. They just drop a new skin over it, plunk some doodads inside and add $40000 to the price tag. We knew the Japanese execs had to be roaring with laughter that Americans were paying all of that money just for the little hood ornament. The Mercedes was just pathetic. We pulled out the radio and stereo, and, swear to God, the wire harness, amp, radio must have weighed around 50 pounds. It looked like the comm gear pulled from some panzer. There was nothing new in it. The finish wasn't all that great either. This was 10 years before the public woke up and started telling JD Powers what they really thought about the car they just paid $60000 for. Then the Germans marched into Chrysler, and the good days were gone...sort of like that old famous photo of the weeping Frenchman taken when the Germans were marching through Paris. I left soon after that. Friday, December 08, 2006
Separated at Birth?
Solid gold pundit and Canadian, Mark Steyn and Gold and Silver seeker Yukon Cornelius? This is not the first visual link we've made between conservative punditry and the classic Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. If they ever do a live action remake, that's half of the starring roles right there. If someone can find the appropriate Hermey the Misfit Elf we'll be set. (I see Rudolph as a stricly CGI insert). If we can sign Rich Lowry, or if we go in a slightly darker direction, Vox Day, we can start talking production schedules. Labels: Separated At Birth
Bill, the unindicted co-conspirator now blogging at Yucky Salad with Bones, reminisces on a flash in the fashion pan (Since YSWB hasn't made the technological leap necessary to link to individual posts, you'll have to scroll down to December 5th to find it.):
An aside here (this should probably be a footnote, but screw it): did anything come and go faster than acid-wash jeans? They were "in" for four days, 6 hours and 23 minutes in the fall of 1987. It was a time when we were all jamming to "Pour Some Sugar On Me" un-ironically. And for those four days and change, acid-wash jeans couldn't have been more hip. Nerds could instantly vault up in the social stratosphere by showing up with acid-wash jeans on. And then-- boom-- they were out. Whoever got to decide what was cool back then woke up one day and pulling them on thought, "Oh my god are these gay." Some people (those who bought a lot of pairs, I assume) tried to keep the dream alive and it was just comical. Acid-wash jean jackets? Never in. Not even close-- in fact, they rank only behind Members Only jackets on the "Never Hip" scale. So then the people who tried to keep wearing the jeans thought that if they cut holes in them, they could keep them hip. Nice try, not happening. Maybe if you're Vince Neil, but definitely not if you're a white kid from the suburbs trying to look sweet at Fowl Play. (Come to think of it, acid-wash jeans had a remarkably similar life-span to Mississippi Live). Ah, the mention of Mississippi Live brings back some memories. Did I ever tell you about the time JB and I went there and they had quarter beers? Two for fifty cents. Three for seventy-five. Four for a dollar. Five for a buck twenty five. Six for...
Dan e-mails to share the pain of German engineering:
Have enjoyed your expensive and annoying stories regarding German automobiles. My love for my BMW is great but $200.00 for a car battery is just silly. I'm not up on car repairs or battery expense but something tells me if I ever have to replace a battery on my Suburban it would be about $69. And Henry weighs in on a couple of recent posts: I can't get as exercised (exorcized) as you over the misuse of quotation marks. Let's dig into the real lexical tragedy--the misuse of what used to be perfectly good collective nouns. Behaviors is the most recent example--academic argot that has infected the language. Behavior is a collective noun. There are forms of behavior and instances of misbehavior, but not--among literate people--behaviors. E-mail is another. There is e-mail and there are e-mail messages, but nah to e-mails." We should allow behaviors only when newspapers run advertisings and send e-mails only when the post office delivers mails. As for Volkswagens, I've been twice bitten by the bug, so shame on me. The first time was in 1961, when I acquired a Beetle that had a sunroof but no gas gauge. When the engine sputtered, you flipped a switch that gave you a reserve gallon to find a gas station. That wasn't high-tech, but neither was an engine that required a valve adjustment every 1,500 miles. The battery was under the back seat, which meant it got precious little service attention. I used to park it on hills, so I could get rolling and start up by popping the clutch in first gear. The fuel pump ran off a steel rod that was sheathed in plastic and the damn thing would freeze up at about 30 degrees. I worked nights in Omaha, at the time, and could get the damn thing going most winter nights only thanks to the assistance of a bartender who worked in a place across the street from my job. I'd stop in to meet friends after work--at about midnight--and the bartender would send me on my way with a fifth of hot water to thaw the fuel-pump. Oh, and the back bumper was so flimsy that it could be pushed forward with no more than a tap, making it impossible to open the rear-engine hood--except by sitting in the street, with a foot against each wheel and tugging hard with (if you were lucky) gloved hands. It was a safe car, though. It the rain, at any speed over 40, water would splash from the highway, causing one of the four cylinders to cut out. The second time was in 1968, when the Jetta was introduced with a warranty that covered two years of unlimited miles. My Jetta was a hoot to drive but a mechanical disaster. Lets see, two transmissions, a heater radiator core, shifting mechanism, several sets of CV joints up front and sundry rear-wheel bearings. A short in the ignition coil killed the engine on the highway. Many drivers on I-94 must have had an intuitive knowledge of VW misadventures, because people always would back off and let me coast cross the traffic lanes to the shoulder while I had momentum. When I traded the car, in about five years, neither right-side door could be opened from the outside, thanks to overly delicate innards made out of pot metal. There's more but, but you get the idea. My son bought a Passat which, like my Jetta, was a hoot to drive--great on long drives, if you could fit one in between trips to the service department. UPDATE-- More from Avonelle: I have loved the German automobile stories you have been posting. Here's mine: When my husband needed to replace his Honda Civic, he selected a new Volkswagen beetle. My husband is not a car buff at all, but he really thought the beetle was cool. I think he had it about 6 months when the car decided that windows were optional. It was raining (of course), and he had pulled into a drive-thru window for some fast food. When he rolled the automatic window back up, he heard a big cracking noise, and the window broke, falling back into the door. Unbelievably, he let them charge him to fix it. A few months later, in the snow, the other window did the same thing. This time, they paid for the window and replacing whatever was required so that the automatic windows didn't break the glass. We also had a couple of Jettas that had power problems. Apparently, some sensor would get flummoxed up, and the car wouldn't let you drive more than 40 mph. Nothing wrong with the engine, mind you. Just the sensor. Phooey. Also, we had the ABS light come on once in a snow storm. Apparently, if too much snow builds up under your car, it can mess up the sensors. We traded in our Jetta last year and bought two Honda Elements. They are fairly ugly cars, but we can haul bikes with them and they just work, you know? The car we owned the longest was a Honda Odyssey, and it just ran and ran and ran. I think the Volkswagen vehicles are over-engineered. Since we aren't car people, are objective is to own cars that get us from point a to point b without lots of stupid problems that require us to constantly head back to the dealer. I would never buy a Volkswagen again. For the record, I should say that other than the confusing and needlessly complicated tire-changing procedure, my wife's Jetta has had very few problems. Although we did have a somewhat similar experience with an automatic window falling into the door as we were preparing to bring our newborn son home from the hospital. It wasn't a big deal and Volkswagen corrected the problem sans charge. I do share Avonelle's feelings about cars. All I'm really asking is that it get me where I'm going in modest comfort and that it doesn't break down. I'll leave the muscle cars and giant SUVs to those guys who feel the need to compensate for other "shortcomings" in their lives. Labels: Cars Thursday, December 07, 2006
 I remember being scared of Santa. Click here for a compendium of scared lil' churlens encountering Ol' Saint Nick.
No, the title of this post is not the subheading of the ISG report. Rather, it's the title of a remarkable book by Mark Moyar.
Triumph Forsaken: The Vietnam War, 1954-1965 If all you know about the Vietnam War is what you learned from TV documentaries and Hollywood movies, you need to read this book. If you think you already know everything there is to know about the Vietnam War, you need to read this book, because I can almost guarantee that you don't. Triumph Forsaken is the first of a two-part history of the war by Moyar that challenges much of the conventional wisdom about Vietnam and shoots holes in many long-held conclusions. It's not merely an opinion-filled polemic however. Moyar has dug deep into the archives of all the relevant parties, including unearthing a good deal of information that has only been made available in recent years. In particular, he sets his sights on some of the journalists whose reporting and writing on the war has largely shaped the public impressions of it to this day. Halberstam, Sheehan, and Karnow all come under fire for the way they misrepresented what was really going on to suit their own biases and were intentionally mislead by South Vietnamese sources and stringers, who in some cases were actually communist agents. Sound familiar? But don't just take my word for it. Check out the glowing reviews at the Triumph Forsaken Official Website. Better yet, be sure to tune in to the Northern Alliance Radio Network this Saturday, when we'll be interviewing Mark Moyar at noon (central time). Listen locally on AM-1280 The Patriot WWTC or from just about anywhere on this pale blue dot via the internet stream. UPDATE-- Chris e-mails to suggest that this is also a good Vietnam War read: Vietnam: The Necessary War: A Reinterpretation of America's Most Disastrous Military Conflict by Michael Lind Labels: Books
In last Saturday's Wall Street Journal Eric Felten pined for the good ol' days of highflying libations:
Now there's no expectation that the flight attendants should have cocktail-mixing knowledge beyond an ability to distinguish the minis of vodka from the minis of gin. But in the early days of air travel, cocktails were an essential part of the luxuries provided. In the late 1930s Pan American World Airways had a fleet of flying boats called the "Clippers." The biggest of them, the Boeing 314, featured a cocktail lounge at which various proprietary cocktails were mixed in silver shakers, including the Clipper Cocktail -- rum, dry vermouth and a dash of grenadine. A few years after the war, Pan Am was flying Boeing Stratocruisers, and among the plane's selling points was that it featured a downstairs cocktail lounge. As they would on Boeing 747s decades later, passengers got to the lounge via a spiral staircase. The idea for devoting so much space to a lounge wasn't just about pushing liquor. Travelers were used to the freedom of roaming the decks of a ship or wandering the length of a train and found airplanes confining. The lounge gave them someplace to get up and go to; the cocktails gave them a reason to get up and go. The various indignities that one has to endure when traveling by airplane these days could be somewhat alleviated if you at least could get a decent drink once you've finally made it to your seat. I don't expect flight attendants to be "bartenders in the sky," but is a little basic knowledge of mixology too much to ask? I don't know how many times I've been frustrated by their inability to answer such simple questions as, "What kind of Scotch do you have?" or fill such simple requests as, "with just a splash of water." After looking on in dismay as I receive a glass filled with one part Scotch and six parts melting ice one time too many, I've taken to explicitly ordering one glass with the whisky and one with water to avoid the horrors of dilution. And these experiences are not limited to a certain locally based carrier not exactly renowned for superior customer service either. It happened to me while flying on Singapore Airlines, oft-touted as the epitome of world class air travel. In hindsight, I probably should have ordered a Sling. Labels: Travel
No offense to Sisyphus and his list, but I have to think that one of the Top 11 highlights of the Iraq Study Group is that all these geezers were all able to meet for nine months without anybody breaking a hip, getting lost on the way home, or passing away. The average age of the members was SEVENTY-FOUR. No offense intended to our senior citizens out there, but when I want some advice about how to best prosecute and win a war, my first inclination isn't "Let's ask grandpa." (Although it should be noted that Grandpa Simpson did provide Bart with the formula for victory over Nelson.)
Vim and vigor are probably not the first words that come to mind when you think of the ISG. Heeding strategic advice from the consensus report of a committee is foolish enough. When that advice is being offered by people with more experience driving ten miles under the speed limit with their turn signal on in Florida than investigating what's taking place on the ground in Iraq, it's a complete farce. UPDATE-- James e-mails with a clarification: At the risk of being mocked for being wrong, wasn't it actually "Herman" the one-armed military antique/surplus/weapons store guy who Grampa Simpson introduced Bart to who developed the "stratedgery" that defeated Nelson? True that. It was Herman who devised the classic "pincers movement" and saturation bombing (with water balloons) that forced Nelson to sue for peace. But if it wasn't for Grandpa Simpson, Bart would have never had access to said advice. And the old coot did seem to relish his role: I thought I was too old. I thought my time had passed. I thought I'd never hear the screams of pain, or see the look of terror in a man's eyes. Thank heaven for children! --Grampa Simpson, "Bart the General"
Birthday greetings go out to Noam Chomsky, a spry 78 years old today. How do I know that? Garrison Keillor told me in a tribute this morning on National Public Radio.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Tim from Parker, CO writes in with some advice on how to have your Midnight Mass and Pee Wee too:
You say you won't stay up until one a.m. to catch a highly recommended episode of Pee Wee Herman. I would agree. But maybe it's time a certain resident of the State of Minnesota caught up with the rest of the world. One word: TiVo. The rewind feature alone is worth it all. When those damn talking-head football and hockey announcers get a replay wrong, you simply rewind it and watch in complete control of the slo-mo. I'm not sure how you sell this to your Significant Other. My wife made the decision one day out of the blue; who was I to argue. Last week, she said it was time to get a big screen HDTV. I fear the apocalypse is upon us. I think I need to work up the technological ladder a few rungs before getting a Tivo. I must admit the whole concept of easily recording and rewatching anything anytime confuses and frightens me. And having the ability to have complete control of the broadcast and fast forward through the boring parts threatens to smash my already Internet ravaged attention span to the subatomic level. Laura M. from parts unknown also writes in with another Christmas Classic recommendation: I enjoyed your post about the Christmas classics. After reading it though, I realized you did not mention Frosty the Snowman. Now, you may not rank it up there with Charlie Brown, but it's one of my favorites. Not to worry, he's on right after Rudolph on this Friday nite (both on CBS). Thanks for the heads up about The Grinch being on network TV again. If I'm not mistaken, it's been on cable the last few years, and I always managed to miss it. Thanks again for the entertaining commentary.
Incorrect usage of quotation marks. The latest egregious example greeted me as I walked in to work today and noticed a sign on a table of pocket calendars:
"Free" Calendars So is there some catch? Are the calendars in fact not really free? Am I going to get sucked into some multi-level marketing scheme if I chance to pick one up? If you mean free, just say it and save the quotation marks for situations where they are appropriate. You know, like the government is here to "help" you. UPDATE-- Tim e-mails with evidence of the widespread nature of the problem: Flickr: "Quotation Mark" Abuse
While most states would probably envy the fact that Minnesota has just been ranked as the healthiest state in the nation (again), our state's bureaucratic do-gooders are dreaming up new ways to take care of their wards:
Minnesota is still the healthiest state in the nation, so why are health officials worried? We smoke too much and we're getting fat. One in five Minnesotans still puffs away and nearly 24 percent are obese, according to the United Health Foundation annual survey released Tuesday. The fat epidemic has hit everywhere, but Minnesotans are gaining weight at a faster clip than the rest of the nation -- a 132 percent rise in the obesity rate since 1990 compared with 110 percent nationwide. "We want to celebrate our success, but it would be very easy to become complacent," said Dianne Mandernach, state health commissioner. "When we look at our obesity rate, that's not good." Fear not chubby citizens, the state is here to help: Already Minnesota has a "Cover Your Cough" campaign (not with your hand, thank you very much) and a hand-washing campaign, both widely copied by other states. The state's "Ban the Bug" flu shot clinics cranked up for the season Tuesday, and Mandernach said the "Eat Five a Day" campaign (as in eat five fruits and vegetables) will probably get upped to seven or possibly nine servings. "Five's just not enough," she said. Hey state? I just went to the bathroom. Can you tell me what to do next? How about a "Wipe Your Ass" campaign to help us hygienically challenged citizens out? A statewide ban on smoking in public places will come up for serious consideration in the next legislative session, with the support of Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Good ol' conservative T-Paw strikes again. And because of climbing obesity rates, Mandernach said, she also is looking at a "Just Turn It Off" campaign that would urge Minnesotans to turn off their televisions and computers. Why? Research shows that the longer the tube is on, the more viewers munch, she said. Your tax dollars at work folks. I guess we're just happy to pay more for the state to tell us how to live better. We'll always be baby to them. Labels: Nanny State Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Pajamas Media and the Washington Times have done a terrific job in expanding our knowledge of what really happened with the Flying Imams and their interrupted flight to Phoenix. But there seems to be more to the story. Unfortunately, the natural outlet for pursing it would be the Star Tribune. This story with national import occured in the backyard of the state's dominant news outlet. Yet, they've done little more than the routine. A sketch of the basic facts, unquestioning publication of claims by the aggrieved party, casting suspicion on the critics, a condescending editorial or two, then move on to more important things.
It is a shame they can't see the potential to add some real value to this story. And show the vast majority of readers that perhaps, on an occasional issue, they're on their side. Adding to this shame is the fact they've been handed on a silver platter a lead to a fascinating angle. From an employee of the Star Tribune, no less! From the past couple weeks on the Bleat, Lileks, practically begging his bosses to take it and run with it: I was talking today with a guy I know; he'd been at a suburban hotel for an annual company sales meeting. The regional manager was having a difficult time speaking, since the party in the next conference room was praying about as loudly as is humanly possible, and had followed the prayers with a speaker who expressed in rather . . . forceful terms the depth of Muslim oppression in America. Unless there are several Muslim religious conferences going on in Minneapolis at the moment, I'd guess that might be the one. If so, I wonder if the reported truculence of the men might have been influenced, or at least reinforced, by the speaker. Whoever he was. I phoned the info in to the paper, as a good citizen. Wonder if there's anything to it. And . . . Back to work now; more tomorrow, including a discussion of the piece in the local paper about the background of that fellow who was kicked off the plane last week. I mean, given the questions and peculiarities of some of his associations, I am certain a full accounting is forthcoming. Because I can't see any reason why such a piece wouldn't be written. Ergo, I'm certain it's en route. Quite certain. Absolutely dead-bang positive. Really. I also expect that a reporter will have called the hotel where the conference took place, found out who was in the adjacent room, contacted a representative of that organization, asked for a recap of what they heard, and ran the assessment past a newly prominent local politician [Keith Ellison] who was in attendance to see if it squared with his recollection. Said politician would also be asked about the deplaned imam's connections, regardless of whether this seemed like recrudescent Islamophobia, because these are crucial issues. Now that's an article that would create a buzz in town, no matter what facts are actually uncovered in the investigation. But so far from the Star Tribune, nothing. Perhaps their inability to tell this story isn't surprising. When is the last time any story requiring this level of investigation and insight was published in the Star Tribune? Not even getting a hold of Alan Fine's expunged arrest record and splashing that across the front page counts - they were handed all the details on that by compliant axe grinders. I suppose it's possible that their crack investigative unit is still tying down some loose ends and we'll still see the story. Or maybe they're just waiting for Hendrik Hertzberg to finish the legwork on this one before they're ready to run with it.
Before the stampede to brand Mitt Romney as the only viable conservative candidate for '08 goes any further, right thinking folks might want to take a closer look at just how conservative Romney's reign as Governor of Massachusetts really has been. Liz Mair examines the much touted "RomneyCare" plan and has a hard time finding anything conservative about it:
Almost immediately after the bill creating it was signed into law, the Wall Street Journal ran an op-ed, which claimed that, under RomneyCare, "the state is forcing people to buy insurance many will need subsidies to afford, which is a recipe for higher taxes and more government intervention down the road." Not so, said Romney. Despite the potential weight of RomneyCare on the public purse--likely to be exacerbated by the plan's focus on signing up the 20% of Massachusetts' population that is eligible for Medicaid, but not enrolled--Romney said he would not need to raise taxes to pay for the program. Of course, he was right. RomneyCare has not even been fully implemented yet, and a cost overrun of $151 million in 2007 alone is already in the cards, perhaps because the RomneyCare financial model assumed the wrong number of uninsured in Massachusetts (the Census Bureau puts it at 748,000, but RomneyCare assumes only 500,000). But any needed hike in taxes won't be pushed through by Romney--he'll be out of office when the bill comes due, and when extra federal dollars will likely have to be allocated to Massachusetts to help cover the shortfall between RomneyCare's cost and its budget. Yes, RomneyCare is reliant on federal funds. So imagine if, as Romney hopes, it is replicated in other states. Even if we do not have federally-mandated universal healthcare a la HillaryCare, we could easily end up with that option's badly behaved little brother--"state-specific" universal healthcare, funded in large part, and at greater than current levels, by the federal government. That matters because it means more government intrusion into personal healthcare choices. Government will end up funding healthcare at a higher level, and in exchange, making mandates about the kind of coverage you must have, and who may treat you (RomneyCare mandates that individuals must purchase HMO coverage; PPO coverage, often better and more flexible, is not allowed). Moreover, government will end up dictating to businesses and requiring them to incur potentially great costs: RomneyCare mandates that employers with more than 10 workers must assume ultimate financial responsibility if employees or their immediate family members need expensive medical care, and that if such businesses do not insure their employees, they must pay a $295 per uninsured employee fee to subsidize healthcare costs. This threatens employment levels and discourages small businesses from growing. Ultimately, the entire specter of government engagement in the realm of healthcare hits at a fundamental question. Is healthcare and health itself primarily an individual responsibility, the product of individual choices made in consideration of private matters, or is it a benefit to be assured by the government, without regard to the wishes of the individual? I know what the conservative response to that question is. But I have my doubts about what Mitt Romney's would be.
John e-mails to share his pain with German engineering:
I joined the Volkswagen "family" in August, with the purchase of a 2006 Passat 3.6. Holy Hades (!) that car was fast, emphasis on "was". It had more gadgets and doo-dads than I thought possible. The car was spectacular. My whole family was thrilled. After about a week, the right headlight went out. This was no ordinary headlight. It was a bi-xenon gas headlight mounted on a system that turns the lights in sync with the steering. The light (it didn't have a bulb) cost around $400.00. I brought it to the dealer, Luther Volkswagen in Burnsville, for repair. They told me it would take A FEW DAYS to replace the light, as they had to remove the entire front end to get at it! Those clever German engineers had wedged the car's 280 horsepower engine in so tightly, there was no way to access the right headlight casing. My wife asked the service dept. fella what we should do if the light burned out after our warranty expired, given the cost of replacement and difficulty changing out the part. He told us "sell the car". Yikes! The lights, both left and right, proceeded to burn out five more times over the next two months. The car was in the shop 43 days. After much shouting by my wife, Volkswagen agreed to lemon-out the car, on the condition we bought another new Volkswagen from them. We now have a 2007 Jetta value-addition; not so smoking fast, hardly any doo-dads or luxury items, but the lights continue to stay lit. I love your site! Labels: Cars Monday, December 04, 2006
Senators Jay Rockefeller and Olympia Snow sent a letter to ExxonMobil CEO Rex W. Tillerson essentially telling him to stifle his company's opinions on global warming and stop messing around with all this messy open debate and free discussion nonsense. The Wall Street Journal responds with a scathing editorial (free for all!):
The Senators aren't dumb enough to risk an ethics inquiry by threatening specific consequences if Mr. Tillerson declines this offer he can't refuse. But in case the CEO doesn't understand his company's jeopardy, they add that "ExxonMobil and its partners in denial have manufactured controversy, sown doubt, and impeded progress with strategies all-too reminiscent of those used by the tobacco industry for so many years." (Our emphasis.) The Senators also graciously copied the Exxon board on their missive. This is amazing stuff. On the one hand, the Senators say that everyone agrees on the facts and consequences of climate change. But at the same time they are so afraid of debate that they want Exxon to stop financing a doughty band of dissenters who can barely get their name in the paper. We respect the folks at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, but we didn't know until reading the Rockefeller-Snowe letter that they ran U.S. climate policy and led the mainstream media around by the nose, too. Congratulations. Let's compare the balance of forces: on one side, CEI; on the other, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Sierra Club, Environmental Defense, the U.N. and EU, Hollywood, Al Gore, and every politically correct journalist in the country. We'll grant that's a fair intellectual fight. But if the Senators are so afraid that a handful of policy wonks at a single small think-tank are in danger of winning this debate, they must not have much confidence in the merits of their own case. The letter is so over-the-top that we also wonder if Mr. Rockefeller in particular has even read it. (He and Ms. Snowe didn't return our call.) The Senator hails from coal-producing West Virginia, where people know something about carbon emissions. Come to think of it, Mr. Rockefeller owes his own vast wealth to something other than non-carbon energy. But perhaps it's easier to be carbon free when your fortune comes from a trust fund. The letter is of a piece with what has become a campaign of intimidation against any global warming dissent. Not only is everyone supposed to concede that the planet has been warming--as it has--but we are all supposed to salute and agree that human beings are the definitive cause, that the magnitude of the warming will be disastrous and its effects catastrophic, that such problems as AIDS and poverty are less urgent, and that economic planners must therefore impose vast new regulatory burdens on everyone around the world. Exxon is being targeted in this letter and other ways because it is one of the few companies that still thinks some debate on these questions is valuable. I expect those brave champions of free and unfettered speech and dissent will no doubt rush to Exxon's defense. Any day now.
On the heels of their recent problems with editorial writers "borrowing" material from the New Yorker, it looks like the Star Tribune has decided on a new editorial policy that imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery. How else to explain this editorial from Friday?
You've gotta hand it to Keith Ellison, Minneapolis' congressman-elect: He's not even in the House yet, and he's got wingnuts falling out of the trees on their empty heads. When Ellison announced that he would take the oath of office on the Qur'an, right-wing radio gasbag Dennis Prager went into high indignation mode. Ohmygod, Prager fumed, Ellison can't be allowed to do that; it "undermines American civilization." Using the Qur'an is akin to a racist taking the oath on a copy of Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf," he fulminated: "Insofar as a member of Congress taking an oath to serve America and uphold its values is concerned, America is interested in only one book, the Bible. If you are incapable of taking an oath on that book, don't serve in Congress." And Prager was just warming up, not to mention the acolytes who responded to him. He was over the top, but they were over the moon. Did you know, voters of Minneapolis, that Ellison's campaign was financed by terrorists? Is this what passes these days for serious commentary from the "institutional voice of the newspaper"? Other than the notable absence of ubiquitous, gratuitous profanity, this name-calling little juvenile rant could easily have been lifted from almost any mediocre left-wing blog in the country. It's also a bit rich seeing the Star Tribune ask voters of Minneapolis what they know about Keith Ellison, since the newspaper did their damndest to let only information about Ellison that they approved of reach the public during the campaign. By the way, today on his talk radio show, that noted "gasbag" Dennis Prager challenged ANY member of the Star Tribune editorial board to come on his show for AS LONG AS WANT to discuss this issue. Given their past history of ducking such invitations, a Strib editorial writer appearing on Prager's show seems about as likely as a well-reasoned, respectful editorial appearing in the newspaper.
From The Solzhenitsyn Reader: New and Essential Writings, 1947-2005:
It's one thing in a labor camp: You break your neck the livelong day and, just you lay your head on a straw pillow, you hear: "U-u-u-up you get!" No nocturnal thoughts here. But in the merry-go-round of our modern life, so frayed and fragmented, thoughts have no chance to ripen and settle during the day, and are abandoned. It is at night that they return to claim their due. No sooner does your mind's fog begin to lift, they lunge, they flood your flattened consciousness, jostling with each other. And one of the more caustic and audacious of the lot coils in front, ready to sting. But your resistance, your dignity--is not to give yourself up to these gusts, but to master the dark torrent and guide it toward that which heals. For there is always a thought, often more than one, that introduces a tiny element of tranquility, like those controls rods inserted into a nuclear reactor to impede a meltdown. Just learn to find this element, this saving ray of God--or even have it on the ready--and hold on to it. Then your soul and reason are cleansed, those gusts disperse, and into the troubled world of insomnia step beneficent, spacious thoughts--ones you could never have approached in the bustle of the day. And thank insomnia: From this lookout, even the insoluble can be solved. Power over self.
Interesting article in Saturday's Wall Street Journal on the low rate of shootout success in the NHL:
This may seem like a nightmare for a goalie, but it doesn't work out that way. Last season, the goalie saved 52.4% of the shots and the skater missed 14.0%, leaving a 33.6% scoring rate. That rate has declined this year, with goalie saves up to 56.2%, misses staying about the same at 13.5% and goals declining to 30.3%. It's surprising that it's not higher. Before the advent of the shootout, I think that success rate for penalty shots was over 40% in the NHL. It makes Saturday night's shootout performance by the Dallas Stars all the more remarkable. They were three for three against the Wild, including an absolute beaut by Mike Ribiero that sealed the deal. A win in four or five shootouts could make the difference in whether a team makes the playoffs. Given the implications, you would think that NHL teams would be working hard on raising that rather pathetic rate of putting biscuit in basket. Labels: Hockey (06-07) Sunday, December 03, 2006
Spotted on a Subaru yesterday:
"Pro Child--Pro Choice" The word "Orwellian" is grossly overused these days, but in this case it seems to be the the most apt descriptor.
Regarding my angst over missing the sole showing of Charlie Brown Christmas a few weeks ago, Learned Foot kicks this season of giving off in style:
Even though you missed A Charlie Brown Christmas, they have this wonderful new technology known as DVD. You can borrow my kids' copy if you like. Giving away your kids possessions' without their consent probably violates the spirit of the Season to some degree, but it's the thought that counts and I'll take what I can get. One problem, I don't actually own a DVD player. You don't want to be an early adopter with every new-fangled technological whiz bang that comes down the chute. (Yes, I got burned by the beta version of the this a few years back.) So, before investing my hard earned dollars, I'm going to take a wait and see attitude on this whole "DVD" thing and make sure it's here to stay. Strangely, although I don't own a DVD player, I do own 4 DVDs: King Kong (the most recent remake), Dumb & Dumber, The Clerks Cartoon compilation (personally autographed by Kevin Smith), and Presidential Bloopers (personally sat on by Gerald Ford). I have one hell of a movie marathon awaiting me once the technology is proven. Would I add a viewing of a A Charlie Brown Christmas to this list? Not sure about that. I don't have a problem watching the classics over and over and over and over. When I was in Jr. High I taped an ABC Night at the Movies presentation of "Patton" on my parents Betamax and literally watched it every afternoon after school for three straight months. I didn't necessarily want to. In fact, near the end of this streak, it really started to seem like a bad idea. But each day before retiring to the den for a relaxing five hours of television, I asked myself "If Patton were being shown on regular TV right now - would I watch it?" The answer, in those primitive pre-cable days the answer was invariably "YES"! But there is a problem with having access to Charlie Brown Christmas on such a convenient, casual basis. And not just the specter of me having to watch it every day for the next three months. Because it is not just a classic, it's a Christmas classic. And like the holiday itself, the anticipation and singularity of the day is what makes it work. Kim from Hayward, CA writes in with a good description of what I mean: Thanks so much for putting together the holiday specials post on Fraters Libertas! My children will never know what it was like to watch the TV Guide in anticipation of Charlie Brown, Rudolf, and the Grinch. By the time they came along we had them all on VHS. But oh man, as a kid it was heaven to anticipate those shows, to sit down with hot chocolate and feast in the fact that the ONLY time we would ever see them for the year was that one night. I only caught Charlie Brown by accident the other night and you would have thought I was nine-years-old again. I told my husband the only thing missing were the commercials for Dolly Madison cupcakes!I think I'm the only person on earth who cries at the end of Charlie Brown. Kim has another recommendation for a show I did not put on my recommended list: Did you ever see the Pee Wee Herman Christmas Special? Don't fall over - it is really funny. I know Paul Reubens is weird, but this really is a fun show. Pee Wee's Christmas list is so long that Santa has no toys for anyone else in the world so Pee Wee has to learn to be less selfish. And he keeps getting "fruitcake" from everyone as a gift. Everyone - even a tiny one from the dinosaurs in the wall. At the end of the special, he builds an addition to the playhouse with all the bricks for fruitcake! It is one of the wierdest things you will ever see, and obviously made before Paul Reubens became the poster boy for NOT going to adult theaters, but it has become one of my favorites. I'd like to know what you think of it, if you have ever seen it. Anyway, as one who rarely watches TV anymore, I certainly appreciate the listing. And I will never, ever watch Christmas Story again without thinking of it as 24 hours of Hugh Hewitt! : D That's okay, I like Hugh. Somebody has to. Have a great Christmas! Kim Hayward, California Merry Christmas to you Kim. Given his sordid background, with the arrests, rumors, and allegations, I'm not sure I'd want to invite that particular performer into my house during the Christmas season. Pee Wee Herman on the other hand sounds like he might have an entertaining program. I've never seen it. But it's got a tough time slot this year, 1 AM on December 25 on the Cartoon Network. Skipping Midnight Mass to watch it is not a likely prospect. Labels: Christmas
But inside my bar refrigerator, it's so delightful:
Summit Winter Ale Red Hook Winter Hook Rogue Santa's Private Reserve Boulevard Brewing Nutcracker Ale Throw in a bottle of Dalwhinnie 15 year-old Single Malt Scotch and I say, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Labels: Drinking Saturday, December 02, 2006
Late yesterday afternoon at work, I got a call from my wife. Her Jetta had a flat tire and my assistance was required tout de suite. Now I'm not a world class tire changer like Ralphie's dad from A Christmas Story, but I've changed enough in my day to feel pretty comfortable with the chore. A jack, some lug nuts, a tire iron; how hard could it be?
Given my previous experience and the fact that I am a man, I dove right in as soon as I arrived on the scene, pulling the spare out of the trunk and getting down to business. Hmmm...Never seen a jack like this before. And what are all these other parts of the kits for? After twenty minutes of getting absolutely nowhere, I was forced to concede and pull out the owner's manual. Volkswagen had managed to design the least intuitive manner to change a tire that I've yet to come across. They also managed to put together one of the harder to use owner's manuals of all time, especially when you're trying to page through it in semi-darkness and temps in the teens. Ten minutes later, my frustration building, I finally was able to find the section on changing a tire and figure out how to use the jack. Things proceeded smoothly from there until I ran into the anti-theft bolt that required a special adapter. Apparently Jetta wheels are a hot commodity among the young thug set, although I imagine the need to use this adapter causes far more consternation for the legitimate owner of the vehicle than it does for a would-be wheel jacker. Eventually, I found the adaptor and finished the job. The whole experience brought to mind the German tendency--oft evidenced in their WWII weapons--for precise mechanical engineering at the expense of easy usability. When working their machines operate marvelously, but God help you if they happen to break down. Labels: Cars Friday, December 01, 2006
Suddenly, Wild hurting on several fronts:
Six regulars will be out tonight against the Detroit Red Wings, with the latest being Kurtis Foster. The defenseman was released from a St. Paul hospital Thursday. Two team sources say Foster broke his larynx Wednesday against San Jose. Foster was sitting on the bench when he was accidentally hit in the throat by a puck on teammate Kim Johnsson's clearing attempt. Not a sport for the faint of heart.
Interesting article from Zenit about a stop Pope Benedict made in Turkey to the site where Mary reportedly lived post-crucifixion of her boy (Jesus). It's good to see that in a country with only 30,000 Catholics amid 70 million Muslims, the sacred sites are still preserved.
This fact, no doubt, helps matters immensely: It is the object of Muslim pilgrimages too . . . Yes, common ground with our interfaith brothers! Everyone prepare to join me in a chorus of We Are the World, right after we finish up that sentence. . . . as Mary is presented in the Koran as "the only woman who has not been touched by the devil." We are the World! We are the chil . . . Wait a minute, we just lost our soprano section. Admittedly, kind of a harsh judgment on the fairer sex there. I don't know the kinds of women the author of that Koranic passage was hanging out with, but I'd like too! Joking of course, but it does sound like he needs to expand his social network beyond the Saudi Arabian chapter of NARAL. But who am I to argue with the Koran on these matters? This is the very book our newly minted Congressman from Minneapolis is vowing to swear an oath on come inauguration day in Washington. Hopefully, the person swearing him in will be a man and not some devil in a blue dress. During this past election cycle, we learned the lead inquisitor on religion in town is WCCO-TV's Pat Kessler. You may recall he did he his best to extend the torch of truth towards those wicked Lutherans with this opening question to Michele Bachmann on a televised debate: 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? Not sure how he missed those Koran passages during the debates this year, but it seems like a natural that Kessler's opening question in the 5th Congressional District debate in 2008 must be: Congressmen, the religion you belong to regards all women, with the exception of the mother of Christ, as being "touched by the devil." Is this true? Do you share the views of your religion? And why should any woman in the 5th district vote for you if it is true? I predict his response, in orthodox Minneapolis liberal fashion, will be that he supports all people, no matter their affiliation with the Prince of Darkness.
No movie can survive being reviewed as "the funniest ever." Satisfaction with entertainment is as much a function of expectations as it is the excellence of the product itself. And the gushing critics using such rhetoric raise the standard to an impossibly high level and do a great disservice to the objects of their adoration.
Despite knowing this in advance, my expectations were summarily raised and I still saw "Borat." And guess what - it's not the funniest movie ever. (Dumb and Dumber retains the title - sorry for ruining that movie experience for all of you who've not yet seen it). But even without the press ruining the freshness and surprise of this film, it wouldn't have been the funniest ever. It certainly is amusing at times, especially any time a chicken is involved. But it is essentially a one joke movie. A guy pretending to be a backward foreigner doing really strange things (basically an X-rated Latka Gravas) and a film crew ambushing ordinary people as they react to it. These "real" documentary-style scenes are interspersed with set-ups where the reactions are as scripted and staged as the premise. Even the non-scripted reactions shots are heavily edited for effect, so the documentary aspect of the film is questionable throughout. Since the humor is often times based on these supposed real reactions by people, the movie too often devolves into manipulative, cheap shot Michael Moore comedy. Ultimately, it loses its steam because there's only so many times you can see a guy do variations of "I'm 'a not from your 'a country, are you a' supposed to wear pants to the grocery store?" before you start looking at your watch. Even at 89 minutes, it feels too long. I wasn't alone in my lukewarm reaction. There wasn't a lot of laughter from anyone in the crowd in the theater where I saw it. The fact that it was a sparse crowd (about 20 people at a weekday matinee) may have added to the less than riotous experience. Crowds take on their own pack mentality and its easier for individuals to bust out in guffaws when others who have been sufficiently primed are reinforcing this behavior. Jack-knifing with laughter carries much higher potential social costs in a quiet room. Lest ye be judged and shunned, your explosions of laughter better be an involuntary reaction based on the stimulus from the screen. And Borat doesn't have enough to bring it. "Funniest ever" might have different meanings for different people though. Surveying the reviews of those whose who raved about the film reveals what really turns their crank about Borat. From Rolling Stone: As Borat Sagdiyev, a visitor from Kazakhstan, Sacha Baron Cohen is a balls-out comic revolutionary, right up there with Lenny Bruce, Andy Kaufman, Dr. Strangelove, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Cartman at exposing the ignorant, racist, misogynist, gay-bashing, Jew-hating, gun-loving, warmongering heart of America. From MSNBC: Not only one the funniest movies ever made, but also one of the smartest. Borat inadvertently exposes the bigotry, misogyny and hypocrisy that continues to afflict the nation well into the 21st Century. It?s an instant comedy classic that needs to be seen more than once in an effort to get all the jokes, but it also has a lot to say in terms of how far we have to go to rid the country of bigotry. From Entertainment Weekly: . . . the people Borat talks to become the symbolic heart of America -- a place where intolerance is worn, increasingly, with pride. It sounds like they saw a different movie than I did. And it sounds like they live in a different country than I do. Per usual with critics of this ilk, their reviews tell you more about them than about the what their criticizing. Their revealed perception of what the heart of America really looks like should be kept in mind before trusting them on any other movie Rolling Stone or Entertainment Weekly raves about or pans in the future. Regarding all this alleged racism and intolerance exposed in the movie, I think Christopher Hitchens had the best comment in his review of Borat. Excerpts: Oh, come on. Among the "cultural learnings of America for make benefit glorious nation of Kazakhstan" is the discovery that Americans are almost pedantic in their hospitality and politesse. The joke may well be on the prankster. I thought the same about Da Ali G Show. As far as one can tell, most youth culture is as inarticulate and illiterate and mannerless as Sacha Baron Cohen made it out to be: The elderly dupes who did their best to respond (Gen. Brent Scowcroft on the anthrax/Tampax distinction being the most notable) were evidently resigned in advance to quite a low standard of questioning. You can see the same fixed expressions on the faces of politicians when they attend a "real" event, like Rock the Vote, where wry, likable smiles are obligatory, and the only dread is that of appearing uncool. But it's that attitude of painfully maintained open-mindedness and multiculturalism that is really being unmasked and satirized by our man from the 'stan. In what other country could such a character talk his way into being invited to sing the national anthem at a rodeo?where the horse urine is not so highly prized, and where horse excrement, and indeed all excrement, is still a term of abuse?
Be sure to tune in to the Northern Alliance Radio Network tomorrow when we'll be joined by one of the most lucid, erudite, and entertaining commentators on politics, world events, and culture on the scene today. No, Atomizer will not be making his much-anticipated return to the airwaves. Instead, the one and only Mark Steyn--who can put on a smile on your face even as he describes the possible end of Western Civilization--will be on at noon to discuss his best selling book America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It and much, much more.
That plus the much anticipated Loon of the Week and a very special This Week In Gatekeeping (way ahead of you Foot). Listen live locally on AM1280 The Patriot WWTC or from anywhere in the world on the 'net stream. Don't you dare miss it. Labels: NARN (06-07)
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