tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33775332008-05-09T14:00:44.721-05:00Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comBlogger6293125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-37996809359283226382008-05-09T13:43:00.001-05:002008-05-09T14:00:45.002-05:00

A couple of points from a quick perusal of Michelle Obama's May 2nd stump speech. I know that she's a very intelligent woman, but I'm not sure if she really gets irony. They move the bar. They raise it up. They shift it to the left and to the right. It's always just quite out of reach. And that's a little bit of what Barack has been experiencing. The bar is constantly changing for this man.

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-74626143437622548522008-05-09T12:53:00.001-05:002008-05-09T12:54:23.060-05:00

There was much talk this week about the special election in Louisiana's Sixth District, where Republican Woody Jenkins was knocked off by Don Cazayoux. The district had been in Republican hands for thirty-four years and many pundits divined that this election's outcome was a preview of a coming Republican debacle in the fall. In today's WSJ, Kimberly Strassel says that while there is a lesson

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-15941562943814441802008-05-09T11:35:00.001-05:002008-05-09T11:37:27.365-05:00

Canada has lost track of 41,000 illegals: Auditor General Sheila Fraser is reporting that Canada's border agency has lost track of 41,000 people who have been ordered out of the country. In a report tabled Tuesday, Fraser said that the numbers of people in Canada illegally may be growing because the Canada Border Services Agency is failing to monitor its detention and removal decisions

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-71500531878424869742008-05-08T15:09:00.001-05:002008-05-08T15:13:15.811-05:00

Bert e-mails to hep us to a story on what sales of Scotch may tell us about the economy: For those trying to see through the current global economic fog and work out how bad things may get, enlightenment can come in many forms. Sales of scotch whisky are regarded by some as a fair, if unusual, barometer of economic prospects and how confident people feel about the present and the future. "I

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-50929769530481158492008-05-08T14:22:00.003-05:002008-05-08T14:29:19.052-05:00

Dave Golokhov provides his list of the Top 10: Worst franchises in pro sports: Every fan wants to cheer for a team that has the championship history of the New England Patriots, New York Yankees or Detroit Red Wings. Unfortunately, many get stuck with a long string of bad luck, like the Chicago Cubs; thrifty ownership, like the now-defunct Montreal Expos; or a dim-witted front office that is

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-88259245316050510182008-05-08T10:14:00.000-05:002008-05-08T10:16:35.107-05:00

The news that Robert Beale had been found guilty of tax evasion last week was cause for celebration among lefty bloggers. Robert is the father of Theodore Beale, better known as Vox Day and no doubt many were happy to use the sins of the father against the son, especially those who had oft felt the sting of the back of Vox's virtual hand in the past. The fact that Robert Beale was an outspoken

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-33987985237434281762008-05-08T00:01:00.001-05:002008-05-07T21:53:50.235-05:00

From an article in yesterday's WSJ on China's softball team's attempt to Recapture Olympic Glory (sub req): In December 2005, with the Beijing Olympics on the horizon, the Sports Administration's Small Balls Department abruptly replaced Ms. Lihong with an American, Michael Bastian. Hey Bill, congrats on the new job. Where you working again? Um...(lowers voice) the Small Balls Department.

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-53745079094721568252008-05-07T13:03:00.001-05:002008-05-07T13:03:58.039-05:00

There's been some concern expressed about the welfare of Atomizer after he participated in last Sunday's National MS Society Walk. For most people, such a walk would not push them to their physical limits, but considering that Atomizer's body has been in a state of advanced atrophy for some time now, that fact that we haven't heard from him since does give us reason to worry.

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-63890874864353856472008-05-07T12:02:00.002-05:002008-05-07T16:50:20.705-05:00

The second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs proved to be a bit of a dud. Other than the four-overtime thriller that sent the Stars past the Sharks in six, the other series lacked excitement. Detroit throttled the Avs in four, proving just how pathetic it was that the Wild lost to the Avs in the first round. The Pens handled the Rangers without too much trouble in five games. While the Flyers

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-70235058372963519812008-05-06T18:41:00.002-05:002008-05-06T19:07:12.838-05:00

If you missed our interview with Douglas Feith (the man who helped put the neo in neo-con) you can now listen to it in its entirety commercial-free here. John ended up asking most of the questions about Feith's new book "War and Decision," while Brian and I were able to sit back and listen to his account of what really happened in the run-up to the war in Iraq. Feith also has created a website

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-21452851970999122242008-05-06T16:22:00.002-05:002008-05-06T16:25:48.705-05:00

This year's Minnesota GOP state convention will be held on May 29th-31st at the Mayo Civic Center in downtown Rochester. Once again, the Northern Alliance Radio Network will be broadcasting live from the convention floor (or perhaps vertigo-inducingly high above it as in 2006). The current schedule calls for us be on the air from 5pm-7pm on Thursday and Friday (pre-empting some obscure national

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-50684432542806836982008-05-06T14:33:00.002-05:002008-05-06T14:36:32.128-05:00

If you haven't checked it out lately, you may have missed the expansion of the RiffTrax Catalogue. There are now a score of movies to enjoy, including a number of recent releases such as "I Am Legend," "Cloverfield," and "Beowulf." You may also notice that one James Lileks has been added to roster of guest riffers. His profile includes a picture of him doing his best impersonation of Tom Cruise

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-9588274059173854542008-05-05T11:07:00.000-05:002008-05-05T11:09:27.581-05:00

This Wednesday, Michael Medved and Ed Schultz will face off at the Northland Inn in a much anticipated debate. Pundits have already begun comparing it to the historic Lincoln-Douglas debates. Well, they would if Lincoln had debated Bobby Douglass. Unfortunately for Schultz the topic of the evening won't be the pros and cons of the spread offense, but rather the very future of America. Whispers

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-27094755883650384982008-05-04T11:00:00.001-05:002008-05-06T19:46:51.336-05:00

This morning I will be participating in the 2008 MS Walk to raise money to pursue the prevention, treatment and a cure for Multiple Sclerosis. Some of you may remember that The Elder and I strapped on the in-line skates and rolled ourselves 75 miles for the same cause several years ago. That particular event is no longer part of the Minnesota MS Chapter's schedule so I'm tossing the skates

Atomizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05258490804319216493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-39345324706446998692008-05-02T11:55:00.001-05:002008-05-02T11:59:21.148-05:00

After a hectic and exhausting week, we're on the last downhill of the moving roller coaster. Except for a few remaining heavy items that will be moved tomorrow (lift with your back not your legs Saint Paul), one POD is empty. The other mostly contains small boxes (diapers--$$$) of less critical items. By Monday, both PODS will be gone from our driveway and everything will be unloaded. Not put

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-968696363342989402008-05-02T11:29:00.001-05:002008-05-02T11:47:56.100-05:00

David Brooks has an interesting column on the realities and challenges of The Cognitive Age: Globalization is real and important. It's just not the central force driving economic change. Some Americans have seen their jobs shipped overseas, but global competition has accounted for a small share of job creation and destruction over the past few decades. Capital does indeed flow around the world.

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-20149125345938059842008-05-02T09:31:00.001-05:002008-05-02T09:37:19.819-05:00

You gotta love a Craft Brewery that can you fly to.

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-8906326579089036022008-05-01T13:50:00.004-05:002008-05-02T10:18:15.434-05:00

Bill from Maplewood e-mails with some important dates for the basement bar enthusiast: Enjoy your website. You mentioned basement bars, if you are looking for some 1930s/40s/50s/60s beer and tavern related stuff to put on the walls, it might be worthwhile to check out any of these shows. (The best is the Guzzle and Twirl but it is not until October). LaCrosse, WI--HEILEMAN/CITY BREWERY SHOW

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-2383401754624631972008-04-29T05:03:00.002-05:002008-05-07T17:03:56.947-05:00

The long awaited day of moving has finally arrived. We have one closing at 10am, the other at noon, and then we're clear to move into our new home. And begin the months and months of unpacking. After having our house on the market for close to nine months, it's a great feeling to be moving forward again. It felt as if our life was on hold and the showings, open houses, and raised and dashed

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-90294523771016374452008-04-28T17:28:00.001-05:002008-04-28T17:34:06.236-05:00

The final Argument of the Month Club event of the season is just few weeks away: "Why Catholics MUST ENGAGE In the Public Policy Debate!" Tuesday May 13th Speaker: Jeff Davis Founder of www.minnesotamajority.org Total cost: $12 at the door (No RSVP) If the topic's not enough to get you in the door, consider the menu: 6:30pm Social Hour -Beverages and Appetizers- Grilled Asian beef,

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-43308120703709918252008-04-28T12:48:00.003-05:002008-04-28T13:20:18.849-05:00

The only way I managed to get through a weekend spent packing and stacking in snowy thirty degree late-April in Minnesota weather was to repeat a simple three word mantra over and over: "Never moving again. Never moving again. Never moving again." Well, that chant and generous portions of Ibuprofen, beer, and whisky.

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-29365004296977667532008-04-28T00:51:00.003-05:002008-04-27T21:59:44.478-05:00

There's an old adage in economics that the cure for high prices is high prices. Another adage not heard enough these days is that at times the cure for economic pain is economic pain. In Friday's WSJ, Ronald McKinnon urged the Fed to recall the lessons of 19th century economist Walter Bagehot: How does Bagehot's Rule apply to today's credit crunch? Bagehot was worried about gold losses to

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-50381638341846604592008-04-25T16:22:00.003-05:002008-04-25T16:34:45.281-05:00

Recently, Hillary and Obama have been trying to gin up votes by trumpeting their superior understanding of the economy and plans for saving us from "the shambles" that is the US economy at the present time. "John McCain admits he doesn't understand the economy -- and unfortunately he's proving it in this campaign," Clinton told the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO union group. After seven disastrous years

Saint Paulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-30059203044476442542008-04-25T14:33:00.003-05:002008-04-25T14:40:34.748-05:00

If you have any interest in the intersection of religion, politics, and public life (especially if you're of the Catholic persuasion), you really should consider subscribing to the magazine First Things. The issues are almost always chock full of insightful, thought-provoking, and intellectually challenging pieces. The first place I turn to upon receiving a new issue is Richard John Neuhaus'

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3377533.post-79548872141490070442008-04-25T12:30:00.000-05:002008-04-25T12:31:22.304-05:00

[Disclaimer: The Following SAB is a bit conceptual in nature. Those with more pedestrian SAB tastes may not fully appreciate its subtleness.] Strong-jawed, lunatic leftist host of MSNBC's "Countdown" Keith Olbemann and.. ...strong-jawed, lunatic leftist host on Air America (and frequent guest on "Countdown") Rachel Maddow? You really notice this when you see them side by side, although I

Chad The Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03781053410876242483noreply@blogger.com