Friday, March 30, 2007

Tuskegee Airmen

The Tuskegee Airmen have been recognized at last. Few things are as embarrassing to me as an American, as a veteran, than the way these men were treated after returning home from World War Two. Thanks gentlemen. Sorry it took 62 years to recognize what was should have been clearly evident at the time, that duty, honor, valor and patriotism know no color.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Three Movies


In the past week I caught The Prestige, The Secret Agent and The Illusionist on cable TV. Oddly enough all of these movies are set in late nineteenth century, two concern magic, two have Christian Bale, all are recommended.

Of the three, I think I liked The Secret Agent best. It must be somebody's pet project because it's an offbeat little film. Based on a Joseph Conrad story about an agent provocateur, played by Bob Hoskins great as always, who is asked by his employer to stir things up in London with tragic results. The weakest link in a super strong cast is Patricia Arquette, whose attempt at a British accent doesn't quite convince. The usually tiresome Robin Williams is excellent in a dark little role. Not for everybody, but a nice film when you're looking for something different.

The Prestige is an interesting story, well told and well done. I'm glad to see Michael Caine is keeping busy, I'd pay to watch him do his laundry. The two leads Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman are great as two magicians and arch enemies. Scarlett Johansson is in the film too, but she could have been replaced by any other actress without detriment. Maybe next time she's in a film with the excellent Rebecca Hall she can ask for some acting tips. Andy Serkis, Golum from LOTR, has a nice turn as Nikolai Tesla's, David Bowie, assistant. Listen to his accent, you'd swear he's from New Jersey, I always appreciate that in the craft.

The Illusionist is the second magic story about a magician, Edward Norton, who falls in love with a woman, the lovely Jessica Biel, far above his station. Norton who was brilliant in American History X and Primal Fear didn't really impress me here, not that he was bad or anything his performance just seemed a little flat. Paul Giamatti on the other hand continues to amaze me, is there nothing this guy can't do? Rufus Sewell gave a nice, reserved, menacing performance as the Crown Prince and principal heavy. The last movie I saw with Jessica Biel was Stealth. The less said about that, the better. Here she did an impressive job as the love interest and bone of contention between Norton and Sewell. I bet she'll be getting some better roles after this film.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Unmet Expectations

From Mitch Berg via Kim duToit

1. What, in your experience, was the most overrated movie of all time?
The Piano. Everyone loved it, deemed it heavy and artesque. I thought it ponderous and predictable when you bothered to give a damn about the story, which wasn’t all that often.
2. What was the most overrated album?
Dark Side of The Moon. It's okay I guess, but I never wore one out. Maybe I need to learn how to smoke dope or something.
3. What is the most overrated book?
Ulysses by James Joyce. Yeah he’s the most brilliant author ever and I’m the best looking man ever, you just don’t get my beauty. I haven’t read Finnegan’s Wake, but I hear it’s worse yet.
4. What is the most overrated blog?
Left-wing: I normally don't read a left-wing blogs, per se. The closest thing that I read that comes close to this description is Andrew Sullivan’s tripe fest over at The Atlantic. Make no mistake, Sullivan can write, but his insincerity is bothersome.
Right-wing: This Blog, insofar that it’s rated at all.
5. What was the most overrated television show?
Tough one since most of them suck. The fact that “The War at Home” is on the air and “Arrested Development” and “Andy Richter Controls The Universe” are not tells you all you need to know about TV.
6. What would you call the most overrated magazine?
Barely Legal. Some of those chicks are like 22! What a gyp!
7. Who was the most overrated classical composer?
Richard Wagner. Even though his farts are more musical than my dreams, I still find him tedious, except for that part of his oeuvre directly involving either Bugs Bunny or Elmer Fudd.
8. Who is the most overrated pop songwriter?
Pick one, with few exceptions they all suffer from toxic self regard. Stevie Wonder is a musical genius? Really? Hum ten songs that he’s written. Those tools from Oasis seem to think they're the cat’s pajamas too.
9. What is the most overrated genre in any form of art?
Hip Hop is music only in the sense that you can record it and listen to it. Somebody much brighter than I said that all music is a mix of music and sociology. Bach’s Prelude and Fugue for keyboard No. 8 in E flat minor from The Well Tempered Clavier is 96% pure music, the most artful pop song you ever heard is 50/50. Hip Hop is 95% sociology, pathological sociology at that.

A Multitude Of Issues Today

  • Tony Snow

Tests show that Tony Snow's cancer has returned, this time it has spread to his liver. This sad news less than a week after the death of Cathy Seipp from lung cancer. Tony Snow is a good man. I hope he makes a speedy, full recovery.

  • UAW

President of the United Auto Workers Ron Gettelfinger warned that their cooperation in the past shouldn't be taken as a sign of weakness. Good luck with that. It's like tapeworm saying even though the host is dying it still demands it's nice, warm intestine to inhabit. Newsflash Gettelfinger, onerous union health and retirement contracts make it nearly impossible for American auto makers to compete globally.

  • Joe Lieberman

I never thought I'd write this, especially after November 2000, but I am damn proud of Joe Lieberman. While 50 poltroons in the U.S. Senate voted to cut and run, including needle-dick Republicans Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Gordon Smith of Oregon, 47 real Republicans and Joe Lieberman voted against giving the insurgency a much needed shot in the arm. Thank God John Kerry is yet another turd circling the bowl and not in a position to sign this abomination and thank God for George W. Bush.

Monday, March 26, 2007

The Gender Genie


The Gender Genie is a computerized algorithm that supposedly predicts the sex of the author of a given text. I am shocked to report that it almost always thinks that I'm a lady, not that there's anything wrong with that. After being deemed a chick six or seven times, I entered several paragraphs of Hemingway and sure enough it spotted him as a man. I tried again with several passages of Virginia Woolf's "A Haunted House" and the Genie thought she was a man. A large excerpt of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood was deemed, overwhelmingly, to be written by a man. P.J. O'Rourke's writing was deemed masculine, hell even a large Ann Rice sample came back as masculine. I begin to wonder if The Gender Genie just calls my shitty writing feminine?
Note: Please forgive the overly macho Djinn image. It's just that I'm feeling a little confused right now. Thanks to Greg Staples Art for the image.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Dennis Miller on Family Guy

Greenpeace in Egypt


Our problems in the Middle East are over, Greenpeace is on the job:
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (AFP) - Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior has dropped anchor in Egypt's Mediterranean port of Alexandria to deliver an unequivocal message against nuclear programmes -- civilian and military -- to a region suddenly hungry for atomic power.
The famous Greenpeace ship, which has sailed the world in support of the environmental group's anti-nuclear crusade, was earlier prevented from entering Iranian territorial waters and later plans to head for Israel.
"We were well received here," said ship captain Mike Fincken from the vessel's berth in Alexandria's western harbour. "At least we were allowed to deliver our message."

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Friday, March 23, 2007

The Enemy At Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11


One of the main points of The Enemy At Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11 is that there are two wars. The first, between conservatives and liberals here at home and a second between radical Islam and traditional Islam throughout the world and how the two wars are related.

D'Souza argues that the left bears responsibility for 9/11 because they seek to impose on Islam the same parade of tired horseshit they have imposed here, abortion on demand, gay marriage, no fault divorce and licentious media. Because of this liberal imposition, traditionalist in Islam views the West in general and America in particular not only as anti Islamic but literally evil.

I don't necessarily agree with everything contained in The Enemy At Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11, but D'Souza makes a very persuasive case.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

some inconvenient facts

This is rather long (over an hour) but well worth your time. So get yourself some popcorn and press "play". (via Powerline)

Blanco Won't Run



BATON ROUGE, La. - Gov. Kathleen Blanco, whose popularity plummeted after two hurricanes devastated Louisiana during her term, announced Tuesday that she will
not seek re-election....Blanco's chief of staff, Jimmy Clarke, said the governor made her decision at the end of last week and that low poll numbers and Breaux played no role in it.
Yeah right. Even in Louisiana Blanco, perhaps the worst governor in America, maybe ever, has no chance of being re-elected. Remember her crying, literally crying while her constituants drowned in flood waters? Now that's leadership!

War Protests

NEW YORK - America's current anti-war movement is resourceful and persistent, but often seems to lack the vibrancy of its counterpart in the Vietnam era when protesters burned draft cards, occupied buildings and even tried to levitate the Pentagon. The biggest difference, say activists and historians, is the lack of a draft.
That, and the protesters are forty years older. I have often suspected that many anti war types are longing for the relevance and passion of their youth. My oldest brother, a Vietnam Vet, went to Washington D.C. over the weekend as part of the Gathering of Eagles. Here's what he had to about the event:

Well I have not yet seen an accurate report of the numbers of people assembled. My personal observation is that there were more "Eagles" than turds. We had masses in three locations to there one. We were primarily at the Vietnam Memorial to protect it from threats of vandalism. That is why I went. We were successful.
It looks to me that somehow, someone has found a way to freeze dry pseudo radicals and thaw them out for demonstrations. There was street theatre but nothing original. It was all stolen from my generation especially the music.
When the turds oozed back from the Pentagon some of them got into a bottle throwing frenzy with the Police. As a casual observer with experience in the methods of crowd control it was a joy to watch the DC Police and the Park Police react with speed, overwhelming numbers and restraint. The police came from every direction on foot, horse back, Harley Davidsons with sidecars, Hondas, Bicycles, vans and sedans. Directed by a helicopter overhead.

The bottom line is that the press still has their left leaning agenda in misreporting the numbers of participants. The leftist have been put on notice that they will no longer have "the stage" of our national mall to themselves.
The nation supports its ALL VOLUNTEER MILITARY AND NAVAL FORCES. The republic is strong.
Long live the memory of Charles Martel!

Knut The Bear


Animal rights activist are calling for the death of a Polar Bear cub abandoned by his mother on the grounds that the wee beast is better of dead than raised by humans.
Accordingly, I have become an animal rights activist-activist and rather than see these poor misguided people subjected to ridicule for their ridiculously untenable positions, I think they should all be euthanized and fed to carnivorous animals. Or just fed to carnivorous animals, whatever.

More Bumper Stickers


Over at Dr. Helen's blog she ponders what bumper stickers say about your personality. My two cents: Sanity decreases as bumper stickers increase. No stickers, chances are you're probably o.k.. One sticker, still o.k. depending on the sticker, two or three things begin to change. If you have more than four, chances are you're crazier than bat shite, regardless of sticker subject matter.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Monday, March 19, 2007

John Derbyshire and Andrew Sullivan

John Derbyshire:
Can I find one? This is the kind of thing I'm looking for, but they don't seem to come any bigger than 12 inches. I need 18 inches.
Somewhere in DC, Andrew Sullivan passes out at his desk. Won't somebody please turn up the pressure on his CPAP machine?

Floccinaucinihilipilification

Weird Word of The Week: Floccinaucinihilipilification -the action or habit of judging something to be worthless.
Back in the eighteenth century, Eton College had a grammar book which listed a set of words from Latin which all meant “of little or no value”. In order, those were flocci, nauci, nihili, and pili (which sound like four of the seven dwarves, Roman version, but I digress). As a learned joke, somebody put all four of these together and then stuck –fication on the end to make a noun for the act of deciding that something is totally and absolutely valueless (a verb, floccinaucinihilipilificate, to judge a thing to be valueless, could also be constructed, but hardly anybody ever does). The first recorded use is by William Shenstone in a letter in 1741: “I loved him for nothing so much as his flocci-nauci-nihili-pili-fication of money

Ray Nagin

New Orleans the most irresponsible of cities has found it's match in the most irresponsible of mayors:
New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin has suggested that the slow recovery and rebuilding of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina -- which has prevented many black former residents from returning -- is part of a plan to change the racial makeup and political leadership of his and other cities.
"Ladies and gentlemen, what happened in New Orleans could happen anywhere," Nagin said at a dinner sponsored by the National Newspaper Publishers Association, a trade group for newspapers that target black readers. "They are studying this model of natural disasters, dispersing the community and changing the electoral process in that community."
In Nagin's deck of 52 every card is the race card. Mr. Mayor could it be that your city is below sea level and therefor particularly at risk of hurricane flooding? Hasn't everybody been warning of this eventuality for 100 years? Weren't billions of flood protection dollars pissed away in typical Big Sleazy fashion? Or was this a big scam to import 500,000 black voters to Houston?

Saturday, March 17, 2007

or so he says...

Trillian, my better half, is in Florida right now with her best friend. I’m here in New Hartford with our dogs, Henry and Jelly.

Last night Trillian called me from a cafe in Key West. They were outdoors and had just finished their meal. They were watching the fire eaters.

Here in Connecticut, I had built a fire in the wood-stove and was watching Al Gore’s opus while 7 inches of global warming fell outside.

You probably think I’m writing this as some kind of complaint. Actually, no.

Don’t get me wrong. I’d love to be in Key West right now. Also, I vastly prefer to be with Trillian than to be apart from her. Even so, I don’t really mind winter (for the most part). And the fire in the wood-stove keeps the body quite comfortable. Henry and Jelly comfort the soul.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

300


Captain Oveur: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?
While not exactly a gladiator movie, 300 has more sweaty buff men than a Waylon Smithers wet dream. Even though it's slightly campy and a little slow in places, 300 is great fun, visually spectacular and highly, highly fictionalized. If you have any interest in it you will probably love it. Be sure to see on the big screen, the sound and the visuals alone are worth the price of admission.
There is some obvious political commentary in 300 that is supportive of the war in Iraq. I'd be interested in how a liberal might view it, Dexter be sure to let us know.
The friendly folks in Iran have their shorts in knot over how the Persians are portrayed, which in truth is not so flattering. The Persians in 300 are so over blown they are barely human. Iranians attribute this to some Governmental smear campaign against them, if only. A more realistic reason is that 300 is a film adaptation of a frigging comic book, which are kind of known for their overblown caricatures.

"Honey I'm Home"


I hope this guy isn't married because there's no way in hell he can weasel out of this one:


JERUSALEM — The Israeli ambassador to El Salvador has been recalled after he was found drunk, naked and bound in sexual bondage gear in his yard, an official said Monday.
Tsuriel Raphael has been removed from his post and the Foreign Ministry has begun searching for a replacement, said spokeswoman Zehavit Ben-Hillel.
Two weeks ago, El Salvador police found Raphael naked outside his residence, tied up, gagged and drunk, Israeli media reported. He was wearing several sex toys at the time, the media said. After he was untied, Raphael told police he was the ambassador of Israel, the reports said.
The British Broadcasting Corp. reported that he could identify himself to police only after a rubber ball had been removed from his mouth.

General Peter Pace and Gays in The Military

General pace stepped in it by saying that he views homosexual acts to be immoral. Like tic following toc, gay advocates demand an apology, refusing to put up with this sort of intolerance.
Tolerance and acceptance aren't they same thing. Many people tolerate gays but do not accept them. Peter Pace is one of these people and he is not alone. In civilian life it doesn't really matter how outrageous your fellow citizens are because you don't have to live with them if you don't want to. In the military everyone has to pretty much fall into line so that several dozen men or women can live together without killing each other.
There are gays in military serving honorably, may God bless and keep them. I'm not huge fan of DADT, but like any other compromise it has it's merits. If a service member is gay but he/she makes a point of keeping their personal live private, I see no need to annoy them. DADT allows this.
To those who would like to see a world were everyone is judged on their merits as opposed to creed, color, race, sexual orientation etc., I would like to see that too someday. Let me know when it happens in academia, the media, politics, business and sports and then I'll join you in demanding that service members share their homes, their tents and their lives with open and active gays and lesbians.
Gay advocates claim that during a war over 10,000 service members have been discharged because of their sexuality, including 50 Arabic specialists. How does one explain this? A cynic might suggest that a wily soldier weary of getting shot at might slap a wet one on his platoon leader to get the hell out of the Army. I'd be interested to see how many discharged gays were slated for deployment and how many have subsequently rediscovered their latent heterosexuality.

First Ann Frank Now Hitler

Officials in Germany want to retroactively strip Hitler of his German citizenship, so much for German punctuality. A week or so ago an New York Congressman wanted to make Ann Frank a honorary U.S. citizen. What gives?
It used to be that everybody wanted the same thing, they just differed on how to go about getting it. Today you have lefties who feel offended by Old Glory, but comforted by gay pride parades. You have right wing "Christians" who are so rabidly anti gay that they heckle funerals of fallen servicemen. So it must be comforting to make bold statements about a time when right was right, and wrong was wrong. Hitler bad, Ann Frank good. Unfortunately that war is over and now we need to move on and make decisions on who's good and who's bad today.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

What's Wrong With Persia

There are several pro Persian reviews of the film 300 over at Yahoo movies, shouldn't they be more concerned about the immanent nuclear immolation of modern Persia a.k.a. Iran?:
This movie is completely wrong by ohbabyjoon (movies profile) Mar 9, 2007 22 of 105 people found this review helpful What do you guys have against persians by making movies like this or alexander? Whatever greece has as far as art, science, their buildings, culture, and etc has it all from persians. persians rulled the whole world for soooo many years and decades, whats your point of degrading this powerfull nation?

I'm not sure if this person is serious. What's wrong with Persia? What's right with it, then or now, other than great rugs made by child labor? I don't think the concept of democracy came from Persia. Homer, Plato, Socrates, Sophocles, Sappho, diners, etc. ditto. I guess the answer to her question is that in our infancy, western tradition was nearly strangled in it's crib time and again by Persia. So yeah, from a Western perspective, Persia is the enemy. Don't take my word for it, read VDH.
So almost immediately, contemporary Greeks saw Thermopylae as a critical moral and culture lesson. In universal terms, a small, free people had willingly outfought huge numbers of imperial subjects who advanced under the lash. More specifically, the Western idea that soldiers themselves decide where, how, and against whom they will fight was contrasted against the Eastern notion of despotism and monarchy — freedom proving the stronger idea as the more courageous fighting of the Greeks at Thermopylae, and their later victories at Salamis and Plataea attested.

Friday, March 09, 2007

Gayle Fallon Team Player of the Month

The city of Houston accidentally overpaid performance bonuses to Houston teachers and are asking these teachers to return the money. Kind of crappy, but understandable. The president of the Houston Federation of Teachers Gayle Fallon, above left, doesn't think the teachers should give the money back, "If it's the district's error, then the district should bear the loss". In this one act of bad faith Fallon tells you everything you need to know about organized labor in the 21st century. Nice work Gayle. I hope the taxpayers in Houston tell you to pound sand the next time your organization asks for a pay raise.
I called the president at her Houston office, (713) 623-8891, and tried to get her side of the story and was hung up on. I called back and spoke with June who took a message for Ms. Fallon but couldn't guarantee she would get it because the office closes "in exactly 43 minutes". Union jobs must be nice to have.

Newt Gingrich's Affair

It turns out that throughout Monica-gate portly GOP lightning rod Newt Gingrich was having an affair of his own. Newt would have us believe there was no hypocrisy involved in pursuing Clinton, but he's wrong. There's no two ways about it, Gingrich is a bit of a hypocrite:
"The president of the United States got in trouble for committing a felony in front of a sitting federal judge," the former Georgia congressman said of Clinton's 1998 House impeachment on perjury and obstruction of justice charges. "I drew a line in my mind that said, 'Even though I run the risk of being deeply embarrassed, and even though at a purely personal level I am not rendering judgment on another human being, as a leader of the government trying to uphold the rule of law, I have no choice except to move forward and say that you cannot accept ... perjury in your highest officials."

He has a point. If Clinton had copped to it right up front there would have been no where to go with his infidelities.
Absent perjury, I guess all we have is marital infidelity and hypocrisy, sins to be sure, neither are crimes. The sound of Clinton's erstwhile defenders rising in Gingrich's defense is deafening.
A few thoughts occur to me:
  • Kissinger was right. Power must be the ultimate aphrodisiac if these two lard asses are juggling bimbos.
  • The Democrats intelligence gathering ability must have been a tad sub par if we're just finding out about this now.
  • Kudos to Gingrich for getting away with it.
  • Gingrich has more good ideas than the rest of the presidential field combined, it's a shame he can't keep his fly in the upright, locked position.
  • Gingrich is running for president. He's getting this story out now so by the time he announces no one will care, except James Carville who will go from his normal, everyday apoplectic to atomic-super-nova-bile-hemorrhaging-shit-storm.

Separated at Birth





Dr. Joshua Perper and Gumby

Separated at Birth





Mickey Kaus of the Kaus Files and Sam The Eagle from The Muppet Show

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Chuck Hagel 2008

Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel will announce Monday that he will seek the presidency in 2008. You may remember Hagel the Haircut who was a staunch proponent of the war in Iraq when everyone was for it, and a staunch opponent of the war when everyone was against it. He's kinda like John Kerry, only not as annoying and pretentious, but every bit as wafflely.
He's deluded if he thinks he has a chance as a Republican, that's scary because he might run as an independent which would probably hand the White House to She of the Stout Kankles. Shudder, wince, wince.

America, Britain, TV and The Queen

From Spiked, you should read the whole thing, it's pretty funny.:
When Americans hear the words ‘the Queen’, they evidently don’t think of the Queen of the Netherlands, the Queen of Denmark, the Queen of Sheeba, or, indeed, the football clubs Queen of the South and Queen’s Park Rangers or the rock band, Queen. To Americans, it is shorthand for the Queen of England, and Great Britain.
We always do that, unless Richard Simmons is in the room. He can get testy if he feels his turf infringed upon. A note about Richard Simmons, oddly enough I like and respect the man. Like William Shatner, he is ridiculous and knows it and isn't afraid of making fun of himself. Unlike Shatner, he seems sincere in his desire to help the chubby slim down, whether or not he is actually sincere I'll never know, but if he's faking he does a good job of it. Can you name someone who made as much money with so little talent? Hat's off to you Richard Simmons!

Hitler's Chappaquiddick

Ron Rosenbaum worries in Slate that Norman Mailer will make too much of Hitler's sexuality and weirdo relationship with his niece, Geli Raubal, in Mailers new tome on Hitler. Geli Raubal killed herself with Hitler's gun September 1931 in Hitlers Munich apartment, just as Hitler's political star was rapidly rising, hence Hitler's Chappaquiddick.
I wonder why people obsess about Hitler's sexuality. If he was a pervert does that change how we think of him? If he wasn't, is that so shocking? There is nothing unusual or special about murderous dictators or perverts for that matter, history and capitals throughout the world are full of both.

Pixies Hey Live in London 1988

John Evander Couey Found Guilty

It's times like these I'd love to be Chuck Hagel. I could abandon all principle and call for the execution of John Evander Couey by the most painful means available. But I can't. I'd like to think, I hope to believe, that even the least of us, and Couey is damn close to the bottom, have value in the eyes of God and are capable of redemption. With that said, his life should only be spared if there is absolutely no possibility of his release from prison. Ever.
As for poor 9 year old Jessica Lunsford who died of suffocation after being sexually assaulted by Couey, I hope she 's resting peacefully in the hereafter knowing that at least she is loved and is missed and it wasn't her parents who wanted her dead.

Failed Abortion

BOSTON --A Boston woman who gave birth after a failed abortion has filed a lawsuit against two doctors and Planned Parenthood seeking the costs of raising her child.
Can you imagine cashing a check from your abortionist's malpractice insurance company and using the money to buy your darling little daughter, among many, many other things, a set of footsie pajamas?
Am I crazy or is this the most screwed up thing you are ever likely to read? If I were the judge, I would award the plaintiff all the money she is asking for on the condition that she give her child up for adoption. That way the accidental mother wouldn't be bothered by the painfull reminder of her botched abortion and could spend all that filthy lucre on important things, like first rate abortions and nice cars. The little girl would live with a family who would cry themselves to sleep at night because of her miraculous arrival and would feel blessed that they were able to work to provider her with the things she needs.

Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage

When I was in college I had the obligatory brush with Jack Daniels that put me off Bourbon for about 15 years. There are those who view Jack as the epitome of American Whiskey, personally I still can't touch it.
A few years back I tried Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage 1992 on a trusted barkeeps recommendation. Wow, this is some good stuff. Very, very smooth and complex. People who normally despise Bourbon will love this stuff. Like any other single malt it's best with a splash of ice cold water and maybe some ice. Try it so you can say things like this:

"The nose is very intense...it smells of maple syrup, walnuts and caramel. In the mouth, the maple falls away to somewhat be replaced by honey, licorice, orange peel, hard candy, and, as one taster noted, some hints of coffee. A long elegant finish follows with the slightest bit of mouth tingle. It is excellent."

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Loss of Civil Liberties


LOS ANGELES - An Iraqi national wearing wires and concealing a magnet inside his rectum triggered a security scare at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday but officials said he posed no apparent threat.
In George Bush's Amerika an innocent man can be dragged off a plane for something as innocuous as a wired magnet in his rectum. Where does it stop?

PETA Urges Gore To Go Vegan


Drudge is reporting that PETA, people for the ethical treatment of animals, have urged Al Gore to go Vegan under the theory that animals raised for consumption cause more green house gases than all world's cars and trucks combined. That, and Gore is getting kinda chunky.

My Man Mitt


Mitt Romney's Blog is called WWW.MYMANMITT.COM. Are they trying to court the Log Cabin Republicans or what? Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Monday, March 05, 2007

John Edwards on Global Warming, What Jesus Thinks

I love being lectured on global warming and selfishness by a man with a 28,000 square foot home. It's like Ted Kennedy lecturing you on temperance and automotive responsibility.

From John Edwards' Website:

Leading the Fight against Global Warming and Our Addiction to Foreign Oil

Our nation's dependence on oil and other fossil fuels is contributing to global warming and jeopardizing our national security. To protect our future, John Edwards believes that Americans must be patriotic about something other than the war. We must act now by investing in clean, renewable energies like wind, solar, and biofuels to create a new energy economy, developing a new generation of efficient cars and trucks, and putting new energy-saving technologies to work in buildings, transportation, and industry.

His thoughts on what Jesus thinks:
"I think that Jesus would be disappointed in our ignoring the plight of those around us who are suffering and our focus on our own selfish short-term needs," Edwards told the site. "I think he would be appalled, actually."
His Home:

Knight approved the building plans that showed the Edwards home totaling 28,200 square feet of connected space. The main house is 10,400 square feet and has two garages. The recreation building, a red, barn-like building containing 15,600 square feet, is connected to the house by a closed-in and roofed structure of varying widths and elevations that totals 2,200 square feet.

Terror Probe on American Airlines

Think you're safe flying? Read this and ask why you haven't heard about it in the MSM.

“This is not meant to scare, but it probably will. Consider yourself informed and warned that the threat is real. This crew reported that they were not prepared that something of this nature could be happening to them.

Flt 62, Paris to MIA [Miami], a few weeks ago. 2 maybe 4 mid-eastern types causing minor disturbance from the get-go. Nothing that the FAs [flight attendants] couldn’t deal with, but, in hindsight, they seemed to be pushing the envelope. Cross-cabin activity, hanging out in the forward galley, complaining about everything, etc. Mid-Atlantic, the FO [First Officer, or Co-Pilot] called to return to the cockpit after his crew-rest break. One of the perps [perpetrators] was in the forward galley, was instructed by a FA to go aft, but didn’t. As the cockpit door opened, another perp suddenly appeared from around the galley, dropped his shoulder into FO while the first one got in the way of the FO’s attempt to block the other…here I’m not certain …so….wait for the movie.

FO (one of our first FFDO’s [Federal Flight Deck Officers*]) was about to pull his flashlight to use as a weapon in a counter attack, but thought better of it not knowing how many more perps he might have to fight, called “lockdown” to the FB secondary "B” First Officer], inside the cockpit, who slammed the door. As soon as the perps heard the word lockdown, they retreated to their seats.

I’m not doing justice to the story, but, if not an attempt on the cockpit, this was a serious probe.

Crew considered divert, but since the threat diminished and seemed to be contained, they pressed on towards MIA. Flight was met in MIA by FBI, FAMS [Federal Air Marshal Service] (none aboard, by the way), AA [American Airlines] Security suits, etc. During the de-brief, which lasted several hours, the FAMs told the pilots that they would have “dropped” both of the perps with the first shove near the cockpit door. Perps claimed to not understand English, were detained for 4 days and deported, back to Paris, when they are free to attend Sunday school, tell their buddies of their Adventure and plan their next move.

Enjoying the story so far? It’s good we can’t carry guns on Int’l [International] trips, eh?

Upsetting is that we all have to learn of this, by happenstance. Why didn’t you and your last crew know of this? We took a delay yesterday while this FB detailed the entire event to my crew. Believe me, there were no disbelievers that the terrorist threat is real in my crew by the time we boarded.

I’m more than upset that this is still a secret! The FB is a man I’ve flown with often, trust completely and attended FFDO (Federal Flight Deck Officer) training with a year ago January. I hope I’ve presented his story accurately, but am certain that the basic details are very close.

Hat Tip LGF

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Cherokees Revoke Freed Slaves' Membership

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Cherokee Nation members voted Saturday to revoke the tribal citizenship of an estimated 2,800 descendants of the people the Cherokee once owned as slaves.
Isn't there a pejorative term for when someone gives something, then takes it away? Just wondering.

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Ann Coulter

Anne Coulter is accustomed to a certain amount of ink, when she's not getting it - out come the bombs. In this case "faggot" used or not used to describe John Edwards. While I am second to none in my disdain for Edwards, I don't think schoolyard slurs are illuminating.
Conservatives of all stripes should avoid this woman like the pariah she is.

Vagina Envy at Newsweek

Roger Simon explains.

Friday, March 02, 2007

Dr. Seuss


I never much liked Dr. Seuss, I didn't like him on a house, I didn't like him with a mouse, etc....
I love this cartoon he drew from WWII. This probably represents the last time a left wing, eastern intellectual sided with America and the American President against the forces of tyranny and oppression. After WWII with the Germany and Japan in ruins the American left began their long love affair with communism and those who hate America.

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Thank God for Canada

First there was AL Gore, now former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Hellyer wants to save our planet from global warming. And like Gore his methods are about as efficacious:
"I would like to see what (alien) technology there might be that could eliminate the burning of fossil fuels within a generation ... that could be a way to save our planet,"
I feel cooler already.

Questions and Answers

The Question: What we will never have so long as humans inhabit the earth?
The Question: Name an clever and effective mode of communication, other than Spam?
The Question: Who will save the people of Darfur?
The Question: What comes after "C"?
The Question: What do liberals excel at?

The Question: I'm tired of ham & cheese omelets, where can I get something different?
The Question: What tired philosophy is responsible for the deaths of 242,294,997 unborn women since 1973?
The Question: What did Morrissey have for dinner last night?
The Question: If you want peace and security, what belief system is most effective?

Blood Simple


Blood Simple was the first Coen brothers movie that I saw, in fact I think it's the first one they ever made and still one of their best. It's a film noir set in Texas:

The world is full o' complainers. An' the fact is, nothin' comes with a guarantee. Now I don't care if you're the pope of Rome, President of the United States or Man of the Year; somethin' can all go wrong. Now go on ahead, y'know, complain, tell your problems to your neighbor, ask for help, 'n watch him fly.
Now, in Russia, they got it mapped out so that everyone pulls for everyone else... that's the theory, anyway. But what I know about is Texas, an' down here... you're on your own.
A typical noir love triangle, a ruthless rich businessman - Dan Hedaya, his beautiful young wife - Frances McDormand and his employee - John Getz who loves her. M. Emmett Walsh, never better, plays the original VW driving P.I. hired by the husband to spy on his wife. I guarantee you will never forget his performance.
Not for everybody, but if like film noir and or the Coens this is a must see. Insist on this flick next time no one can decide on a movie and everyone will thank you.

Fire Chief John T. Boutin Arrested in Sex Sting



FARMINGTON -- Police arrested Colebrook's volunteer fire chief Wednesday after he showed up at a local restaurant to meet and have sex with what he thought was a 14-year-old boy he'd met on the Internet, police said. The "boy" turned out to a police officer. John T. Boutin, 49, of 31 Eno Hill Road, Colebrook, is in custody with bail set at $100,000, police said.
I think it's great that the police have these stings set up all over the Internet and when they catch some pervert, they publicize it as widely as possible. Now there one less perv on the street and pederasts everywhere will think twice before attempting to make contact with some kid. Bravo.
As for Boutin, I don't suppose he can help who he's attracted to and like the rest of us he probably couldn't change his predilections even if he wanted to. Accordingly, I think they should lock the poor bastard up until he is no longer a threat to children, which may be a very long time.