WHEN THE MOON HITS YOUR EYE LIKE A BIG PIZZA PIE
That's amoré! And I'm not just talking about Jimmy and Vito. I'm talking about that pizza pie -- food, as in pasta and canolis. Mangi! Wise guys love their food. Is it any wonder that they pork out?
Mobsters and munchies: Real-life wiretap transcripts from the late John Gotti's social club make it clear only a small percentage of the average mobster's life is spent whacking people, stealing goods and administering savage beatings. That's the glamour stuff. The heart of mob life is hanging around, cursing and eating - which, not by coincidence, can all be done simultaneously.
8 Which brings me to this ...
Y’think Tony powers the Stuggats this way?: The boat will also be powered by fat drained from his ass.
8 QUESTION: So what did Britney Spears get on her IQ test? Answer: Saliva.
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FASHIONISTA'S FURIOUS FISTICUFFS
Tommy Hilfiger is a local boy. He grew up in Elmira, NY, and started his business here. He had a jeans store in Elmira, and then he opened up one in nearby Corning. We moved to the area in 1973. That Thanksgiving I was up very early to prep the turkey for our dinner. As I worked in the kitchen, I listened to a local rock station. They ran a contest: be the first one to call the station whenever you heard a turkey gobble and win a $5 gift certificate to Hilfiger's store. Although it wasn't called that; I think it was called The People's Place, or some such thing. I must have been the only one up at that hour listening to WXXY, because I won NINE gift certificates. With that $45, I bought a denim jacket as a Christmas present for a relative. (I then hand studded the thing with hundreds of metal studs, as that was the fad back then.) He moved away, got married, had kids, got divorced, and now he's brawling with Axl Rose. siiiiiiiiigh. Kids these days.
HILFIGER DRESSES DOWN AXL IN BRAWL: Kid Rock, wearing a black-brimmed hat and smoking a cigar, took his fellow rocker's side, and explained that Hilfiger was upset because he is way further down on the fame food chain. The hierarchy, according to Kid Rock, begins with mere mortals and works its way up to sports stars. "After that it's movie stars, then rock stars, then Michael Jordan." Hilfiger is somewhere between a mere mortal and a sports star in this ranking.
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IT WAS A DARK & STORMY NIGHT
I used to keep the thermostat set at 64* during winters. DogMan would complain, of course, as that is his nature. Last fall, when it was reported that our heating bills could be as much as 50% higher than the previous winter, I pushed the thermostat back to an unthinkable 60*. Bundle up and keep moving, was my advice. And it was cold.
I can't imagine having to live and sleep in the outdoors, in the cold, shivering 'til you sweat. But that's exactly what Anya Peters has been doing since last August. She lives in her car in the woods somewhere in the UK. Even more amazing is the fact that she has a law degree!
But the job never happened. Though I am still trying. Maybe I’m doing it all wrong — I’m doing something wrong definitely. My background is almost an obstacle now, having a law degree almost a handicap, at least for the kind of jobs you can get without references and while living in a car.
The Wandering Scribe is her blog. It's a long but fascinating read.
Start with her entry Homeless...ness; it's not the very first entry -- I believe it's the second -- but it's the best place to begin.
I have done a lot of thinking over these past months — dark by 4:pm (and now just after 5:00pm) sitting back in the car in the dark waiting to fall asleep there is not a whole lot else to do. But I'm not sure I know all the answers to why I am still here sleeping in my car, and what exactly got me here in the first place. Most of my time goes into trying to conceal my situation from the world — keeping up appearances, keeping up with news etc — using the showers in the toilets of a local hospital to shower and dress, keeping myself neat, eating as healthily as I can (though I am sick to death of car food — of force-feeding myself yet another tin sardine sandwich, or digestive biscuit, which being only 69p a packet are one of the staples of my diet — are breakfast, lunch and dinner often, on the last day (or 2) at the end of a fortnight, before next two weeks money comes). Keeping up appearances has become so important that I cannot admit even to myself even that I am living in a car. Sounds impossibly foolish — dangerous. I suppose I must get some kind of pleasure or satisfaction out of people not guessing what my circumstances are, some sense of triumph, because I am going to greater and greater lengths to try to conceal them.
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McCAIN SANCTIONS IDENTITY THEFT
Pay attention all you McCaniacs!
Illegals granted Social Security: The Senate voted yesterday to allow illegal aliens to collect Social Security benefits based on past illegal employment -- even if the job was obtained through forged or stolen documents. …
"We all know that millions of undocumented immigrants pay Social Security and Medicare taxes for years and sometimes decades while they work to contribute to our economy," said Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican.
"The Ensign amendment would undermine the work of these people by preventing lawfully present immigrant workers from claiming Social Security benefits that they earned before they were authorized to work in our community," he said. "If this amendment were enacted, the nest egg that these immigrants have worked hard for would be taken from them and their families."
U.S. Senate Has Become a Laughingstock: RUSH: Okay. (sigh) The Senate voted yesterday to allow illegal aliens to collect Social Security benefits based on past illegal employment, even if the job was obtained through forged or stolen documents. In other words, the United States Senate -- now, this will never survive conference with the House, but I don't care. The United States Senate -- if this isn't amnesty, I don't know what the hell it is! We're going to throw out identity theft? Just basically going to sanction identity theft? Just go steal somebody's identity, and their Social Security number, and go get a job, and then earn and pay Social Security benefits, and we find out you did that, no problem! You're still going to get your Social Security benefits after you paid your Social Security taxes, and you know who led the charge on this? Senator McCain.
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TAR-BABY TALK
"`Mawnin'!' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee - `nice wedder dis mawnin',' sezee.
"Tar-Baby ain't sayin' nuthin', en Brer Fox he lay low."
I have a friend whose quick wit makes him fun to be with, but whose public demeanor can be compulsively PC. I recently stopped by where he works to see him, and during our conversation he said, "It's not right and it's not fair." To which I replied, "Sounds like a black man's left leg" (a line spoken by Diana Rigg's character in the 1982 movie Evil Under the Sun). Witnessing his reaction, you would have thought I had yelled the *N* word right there in the store.
"It's an old joke," I explained.
"It's racist!" he whispered, looking to see who might have heard it.
"What's racist about it ... the word 'black'?"
"SHHHHHHHH!"
So it's no wonder that Tony Snow's tar baby comment caused a stir.
Wizbang had a good rundown: Is the term used as a derogatory term for black people? Occasionally, yes. Is more commonly used otherwise? Absolutely, as Kim Pearson's examination details. In fact Toni Morrison has a Nobel prize winning novel tittled Tar Baby, which was a modern take on the fable.
DeWayne Wickham writes: It's obvious to me that Snow had no racial reference in mind when he uttered those words. Like others who use the term "tar baby" in describing a sticky situation, Snow was probably unmindful of its more insidious usage.
To many blacks, "tar baby" is a racial slur. It's a derogatory term used to describe blacks with really dark skin. Snow, who succeeded Scott McClellan as White House press secretary, should have known better than to use the words "tar baby" in any way.
Outside the Beltway noted: Dan Froomkin notes that the press corps was downright niggardly in criticism over Tony Snow's use of the racist term tar baby in a press conference ... Which reminded me of the 1999 ruckus over niggardly.
I did a search for "tar baby" and discovered that the picture was used in this anti-Bush/anti-war political cartoon at this university .
Not to mention that a man named TARBABY is the owner and Founder of Tar Media Productions.
So we now have a *T* word, forbidden to certain people only, even when it's used in a non-racist way. Who's writing these rules anyway?
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GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS
A link roundup ...
8 Is Hillary Rodham Clinton Unstable?
8 Maybe if you slap her upside the head … :-)
8 Tom Cruise Loses ‘South Park’ Battle: Tom Cruise has lost his fight to stop an episode of South Park mocking his Scientology beliefs being shown in the UK.
8 Those bad little bunnies have been busy :~) Caddyshack and Star Wars
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AND THE WINNING PLAGIARIST IS ...
Not yours truly, but I do think the winner's sly wit deserved to win.
What am I talking about? It was called Sloppy Seconds With Opal Mehta: Inspired by recent events, we wondered not “why does anyone plagiarize,” but “why aren’t more people better at plagiarizing?” And so we are launching a contest to see if there is a “writer” out there who can create a coherent and original piece of fiction completely made from the works of others.
They announced the winner today: Responding to the recent announcement of our plagiarism contest, 54 people assembled stories that were not entirely theirs and sent them in for review. We read them all. Most were creative, some wonderfully so; some were so good we hope their authors will try to sneak them into credible magazines. But it was Bonnie Furlong’s “The Parlourmaid’s Tale, or, MS in a Dustbin” that won us over with its wit, variety and use of citations, and obvious delight with the form.
I discovered two other entries:
1) New Orleans, 1960, which used the minimum of five books and had a mere 5 footnotes.
2) The Tortured Artist, who had eighteen "liftings" but who didn't exactly follow the correct procedure.
For my story, I color coded the nine books I used (pictured above) in order to keep things in order, partly because I had 94 footnotes. I was relieved to see that the winner had 79.
Here is my story: How The First Jewish Kimberly Got Her Life Stuck In A Groove
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THE SHORT REIGN OF BLOGOSPHERE STORIES
Let's see, Rush was supposedly arrested, and then Patrick Kennedy was not arrested, and, of course, there was Mary McCarthy. I can't even recall which came first, and I'm not certain if I've forgotten any, either. Most people probably know that Rush's alleged sin has something to do with drugs, although I doubt most of them could tell you what the specific charge was, and most people know that Kennedy's "mishap" involved driving drunk. But how many people remember Mary McCarthy? Such is the lifespan of a story in the blogosphere: as one story's bloom begins to fade, another story crops up. And if the story is one which fires one's ire, then the story will probably not fade entirely, but the burning passion does begin to ease somewhat, thank God, because it's simply too tiring on the body and spirit to maintain that level of anger/outrage/angst for too long.
I wonder what the next story will be?
The arc of passion on the immigration story is peaking for some and has peaked for others. The coming downward swing is a relief, especially for me. I was supposed to have been writing for the past month, remember? But these stories keep dragging me back into the blogosphere. Not that an issue, which has been roiling for decades now, will fade completely away, because it won't. The reaction from the Right was a nasty reminder to those spineless hacks in DC, or at least it should have been. Which is just one reason why I'm in favor of term limits.
For the record: I am against illegal immigration. I am against illegal aliens receiving public a$$i$tance. My POV has always been how this issue is causing the Right to devour itself. I'm hoping this will be about the last time I post anything on the subject of illegal immigration.
Rush suggested that before anything is "reformed, " you first must identify what exactly it is that you want reformed.
8 Ted Kennedy "Reformed" Immigration in 1965: The problem is called "Hart-Seller" or the Immigration and Nationality Services Act of 1965. ... The man who marshaled Hart-Seller immigration bill 1965, not only is he still around, he is leading the reform on the reform that he helped reform. We're into our third or fourth incarnation of reform here, and the guy who's working on the third or fourth version was the first guy who got this whole thing started in 1965.
Referenced here (dated December 10, 2002): The 1965 Immigration Act: Anatomy of a Disaster
The ultimate question for the Right ...
8 Us, or Them?: [T]he conservative blogosphere's anger towards President Bush has begun to resemble the foam flecked frothy faced insanity of the left. ... Get this through your heads, my friends.We've already made a difference, we've forced the issue and are beginning to see some traction in our direction.I, too, don't think the President's speech was enough, but it was a start.... So I put it to you.Are you going to act like the US, which as brought us so far, so solidly and so successfully, or are you going to act like THEM ?
Good news for a change ...
8 Olive Branches Springing Up Everywhere: Seems the fevered tempest over immigration may finally be abating on the right.... All of this will take years to do. President Bush will definitely leave office with all these efforts in progress. Don't worry about the order, get them all started so we can get them done as soon as possible.
More good news?
8 Mexican Government Starts to See the Light: I think our Mexican friends are starting to figure out that the free ride is over - that they will no longer be able to endlessly shove their un-employable up to the United States.
A bit of wishful thinking, but we can make it happen if we don't sit out the election ...
8 The Conservative Victory in 2006: Elections are about paradigms, not presidents.
And speaking of Mary McCarthy ...
88 I think I know why the caged canary sings: I first learned about the "Canary Trap" in Tom Clancy's "Patriot Games." It's a technique for identifying leakers; feed selected (often false) information to those you suspect of disloyalty, then see if it appears in public.
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NON-IMMIGRATION NEWS ROUNDUP
There is other news out there besides the topic which shall remain nameless for now because it's driving me up the wall.
8 Spook86 reports on The Next "Big" Spy Scandal: The case began as a counter-intelligence investigation, and resulted in the arrest of a Chinese-American defense contractor, Chi Mak; his wife, Rebecca Chiu, and his brother, Tai Mak.
8 Chris wants to know Geezus, how does Blanco get away with it?: Governor Blanco of Louisiana has got to be the most worthless twit politician in America.How this woman has escaped scrutiny for her Katrina bungling is beyond me.
8 Anti-Bush Producer Back on the Job at ABC: John Green, the ABC producer who became somewhat notorious for his statement that President Bush "makes me sick," is now back on the job ... PLUS "There was a terrific late night out at the 72nd Street Boat Basin to celebrate his return," a TVNewser tipster adds. "And he got a big ovation at the morning meeting."
8 Streisand is a cheap bitch.
8 Another part of Madonna's anatomy is naked.
8 Dateline Little Rock: Democrat Mayor Pays For Sex With Free Water
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TIME FOR KINKY?
Lorie Byrd's "departure" from Polipundit yesterday brought this immigration issue to a head to those of us who hadn't blogged about it previously. Lorie is a blogger friend, one of us. It made us ask, What in the hell is going on? On Lorie's blog Byrd Droppings, she thanks Polipundit and appreciates all the opportunities that Polipundit provided me. For now, Lorie will be blogging at Byrd Droppings, and she said she's changing the name as soon as she figures out how.
My point about this issue was how the Repubs are tearing each other apart. Lorie's Town Hall piece expresses it better than I. Disagree, don't destroy: Disagree, dissent, march, email, telephone the White House and the Congress, heck, even mail a brick, but it doesnt make sense to completely destroy the man who will be leading the country for two more years, or to destroy the Republican Party unless you are ready to accept the agenda of Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid.
DJ Drummond was another Polipundit blogger who explains what happened. Scroll down through his blog Stolen Thunder for some great posts, such as this insight posted before the president's speech: It Does Not Matter What The President Says Tonight ... If George W. Bush were to make a public appearance led by a vanguard of angels sent from God Himself, this crowd would declare that evidence that Dubya was already replacing his advisors with undocumented aliens.
Bookmark Stolen Thunder.
8 Pat and I agree on this issue: I know lots of people on both sides whom I respect and I have no intention of refereeing this bout. I'd rather cover Duke lacrosse and Loose Change.
8 Blogger Wild Bill (stated in the comments from yesterday) sees things differently: I love Bush; I voted for Bush, I would never vote for a donkey. Immigration is one of my major issues and I feel that the Republican Party has just been split down the middle. Bush disappointed me so much yesterday I am done voting for republicans just because they are not democrats.
** There were lots of great comments left here yesterday. Check them out. **
8 Rush was asked what he would do. The Limbaugh Immigration Plan: The first thing I would do is whatever it takes to stop illegal immigrants crossing the southern border. That's the first thing I would do. Whatever it takes, fence, what have you. ...As to what I would do with the 11 or 12 million or whatever that are here now, I'd recognize they're here. ... After I did all that, then I would go to Washington ... to find out what the hell is really behind the asinine thinking that's been going on with this issue for 20 years.
Rush interviewed VP Cheney yesterday, which was very revealing. THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, I think part of it is that a lot of folks aren't aware of what's already being done. I mean, the president pointed out in his speech for example that since we got into office, we have arrested, turned back, sent back across the border some six million illegals. That's huge number. There's a huge amount of effort that's gone into that. We've had a very significant increase in resources. It's just that the problem is so big, there's still a lot more to be done and to date we've not been successful in getting a comprehensive approach out of the Congress that would allow us to address some of these issues. So we've been doing what we could administratively; we've been doing what we could with appropriations bills but in terms the basic legislation we've still got a ways to go. The House has acted; the Senate has not yet acted, and then of course we'll have to get something out of conference, and what the president did last night was lay out a fairly precise program in terms of what he'd like to see. [emphasis mine]
88 Mac Ranger listened to the Cheney interview and believes that Bush did not reveal the whole plan: [W]hat if Bush didn't outline the entire plan? What if he just layed the 'ground' work - an outline - however sparce or incomplete? ... So he leaves the wall issue for others to determine down the line - AFTER the midterms. Why? Simply because he is simply not going to get an immigration reform package through to law with Hawish language in it. Forgetaboutit. Just isn't going to happen. So he feigns he has nothing in his hand and 'bluffs". But I wonder, Does he have something up his sleeve?
8 Not everyone thought Bush's plan was dismal. Bush May Succeed After All: This was supposed to be a column on how the Bush administration could turn around its political fortunes. I thought I had some good answers. But I keep running into the same problem: The administration is hamstrung by a GOP Congress that seems (collectively) to lack both principle and political sense, which is a lethal combination. How the White House can overcome not just its own past mistakes, but alsothe ongoing mess on Capitol Hill, is a serious conundrum.Nevertheless, here are some reasons why, apart from Congress, the White House still has a fighting chance for some real policy successes, and also some suggestions for how to maximize their opportunities.
Which brings me to Kinky Friedman. In case you didn't know, Kinky is making a maverick run for governor in Texas. At first some thought the Texas Jewboy was just havin' some good ol' boy fun. But the guy is very serious. So serious, in fact, that over the past year he convinced 169,574 people to sign the petition putting him on the ballot this November -- that's more than 3.5 times the number needed. Texas is a major player in this issue, so the governor's opinions should be noted.
Q: Are our border problems important to Kinky?
Kinky supports the legislation passed in March 2006 by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which includes the legalization of the country's 11 million illegal immigrants who hold jobs, pass background checks, and pay fines and taxes.Kinky also supports a guest worker program which would allow approximately 400,000 new guest workers per year. In fact, Kinky has been calling for a Bracero-sized work program since he first announced his candidacy for governor in February 2005. He is the only candidate to have done so.
Check out the rest of his answer, plus the answer to other questions as well.
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WHAT'S YOUR SOLUTION?
Border Patrol agents process undocumented aliens Thursday, April 13, 2006, after the illegals were caught on a ranch near Sasabe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
As I've previously stated, I have no idea of how to fix the immigration problem. Rush stated it succinctly today when he said that this is a problem where the horse has already left the barn, that nobody is talking about deporting the millions of illegals who are already here.
You disagree with the president? Fine. I've no problem with disagreement. Do you have a solution?
If you do, here's your chance; I'd really like to know how you propose to realistically deal with the illegal alliens who are already here. Leave your ideas and thoughts in the comments.
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HAVE YOU BECOME PART OF THE PROBLEM?
Remember this picture of President Bush on 9/11? That was a reassuring picture for many of us, seeing the president calmly leading us through the horror of being attacked in our own country. The Left raised an unholy stench because the RNC was going to use this picture in its fund rasing. They accused the president and the RNC of using the tragedy of 9/11 to raise money. Those were the good ol' days.
The Left's rancor for Reagan and their bile for Bush is to be expected, but I've gotta be honest; I am not prepared for this seething from the Right.
I did not watch the speech. Immigration is not one of my issues. Maybe it should be considering the times, but it just isn't. I have no idea of how to approach the issue, a problem which this country has faced for decades.
Rush predicted on January 28, 2005: [T]here's one real issue here that could break up the so-called Republican-conservative coalition, and that is immigration. ... This issue, if not handled properly by this administration, it could be the issue that severs the existing Republican coalition and could see to it to create the rise of a new Perot or somebody, where a president only needs to get 43% of the vote to win, a'la Bill Clinton, because some of the Republican coalition breaks away and votes for the newcomer. This is the issue that could cause that to happen if they're not careful.
That prediction seems to be coming to true.
This morning I received an e-mail from my friend, Lorie Byrd, announcing that she will no longer be posting at Polipundit: What is really ironic about this is that the split is over the immigration debate and that is not even one of "my issues." I always deferred to Polipundit on the issue due to his background and passion on the subject. Lately most of my posts have not even dealt with immigration, but the ones that have were more about how I thought the tone and tenor of the debate had gotten out of hand, rather than the actual policy positions. I am sad that things turned out this way, but believe this is probably for the best.
I voted for George Bush because I liked his character. Still do. I have to tell you that Bush was a hard sell for me. Early in 2000, I felt as though he were being crammed down the Republicans' throats. But as he campaigned around the country, and as more and more people reacted positively towards him, I began to think I had misjudged the man. By October at least, maybe sooner, I was sold. I voted for the man, for his character, knowing he would always put this country ahead of his personal interests. I still firmly believe that, too, even though I have not always agreed with him on every issue.
It's disheartening to see so many from the Right taking their potshots at the president. It seems too many of the bloggers are angry at President Bush. I'm not talking about good ol' American disagreement. Disagree in public all you want. I'm talking about the vitriol, and thank goodness there are others who agree with me.
8 Mac Ranger says Shut up whiners: Tell Michelle Malkin that no matter what we aren't building internment camps and we're not going to shoot mexicans. Unfortunately anything short of that won't satisfy her. Too bad - on this issue she is too radical for any calm and rational solutions.
…
Instead of cursing the darkness - at least Bush lit a candle. Most of the detractors I've read tonight are swearing up a storm - in the dark.
8 AJ Strata says: The immigration debate has gotten ugly, and it is because some on the right have forgotten they too are responsible for their self control. A lot of good people are signalling to people like this it is time to take matters out of the handsof government. Well, good people go bad.
8 Lucianne linked to a great blogger who reflected: Blogger burnout: it's the end of the beginning: The consensus is that a frustrating frustration is abroad in the land, related to the fact that the "easier" parts of this struggle have ended or are ending. ... But now we're facing even tougher problems.
She wrote this on 9/11/01:
The legal actions of the past--the puny trial after the first World Trade Center attack, for example--no longer seemed like an effective response. It seemed, in retrospect, to have been almost laughably naive. The situation didn't even seem amenable to a conventional war. Something new would have to be invented, and fast. And it would have to be global. It would have to have great depth and breadth, and it would probably last for decades or even longer.
I have the greatest amount of respect for President Bush. Without whining or casting blame, he has been a tireless leader in the face of some of the most daunting challenges our country has ever witnessed (here and abroad). It's one thing when the Left spew their hatred at Bush, but now some on the Right are chiming in, too, and the level of disagreement has been ratcheted up to ugly. If I were President Bush, I'd be mighty tempted at this point to chuck it all and go back to the ranch. Leave the rest of you to solve the problems. After all, y'all seem so damned smug you know how.
Yet Bush soldiers on because that's just the kind of man he is, the kind I voted for. Thank God!
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RUSH: AMERICA'S ANCHORMAN
Click HERE to enlarge.
There's a great piece in The American Thinker about Rush and why the libs will never be able to compete with him.
Rush Limbaugh and Liberalism’s Fatal Flaw: In the type of political talk show invented by Rush Limbaugh, the host openly takes an ideological stance (conservative or liberal) and then applies it to the issues of the day during his hours on the air. What this in effect amounts to is in-depth analysis of current affairs from a specific political point of view.
…
However abysmal their current predicament may be, the future holds bleaker prospects still. Most liberals do not yet realize that they will never be able to succeed in talk radio. To make it there – at least in the form in which it is currently practiced – requires that hosts do something which liberals simply can’t: logically and rationally expound their views. To make matters even more desperate there is nothing they can do about it short of abandoning their untenable ideology. In popular parlance, they are cooked… completely and utterly cooked.
I've been a dittohead since April '92. How about you?
8 Last week Rush was honored by being made an honorary Texan. Of course, I've been one for the past two years now :-)
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SMOG ALERT
Although it's not quite the silly season of politics, it's revving up. Lots of talk of Algore giving Her Royal C a run for her money. Her war chest may be massive, but his could be, too, thanks to his Google investments. Right now, this is a lotta yadda yadda yadda, so sit back and enjoy show.
I'm linking this Susan Estrich piece to Lucianne because the L.dotters' comments, as usual, are priceless. The Man Who Could Stop Hillary....Al Gore? : Were it not for Gore, if Gore goes away, Hillary looks to cruise. ... Gore deprives Hillary of administration bragging rights. He's got the same ones, without the baggage. And then hes got the right position on the war, and the superstar record on the environment to boot. ... No one fits Hugh Hewitt's stereotype of the losing angry Democrat better than Al Gore. The place to win elections in this country is not the left but the middle. You want to lose for sure, run to Hillary's left.
8 Andrew Sullivan responds to an optimistic readers prediction. It'll Be Gore?: I'd dismiss this if a very canny Republican hadn't said exactly the same thing to me the other night. I still cannot see it. But in politics, anything can happen, I suppose.
8 Pat responds to Sullivan's column with Low-Grade Analysis: The activist base can't stand Hillary, but the activist base pushed Howard Dean in 2004. And while Feingold is beating up on Hillary, where's Al Gore going to get any votes?
88 All this bluster about Algore may be why Her Royal C apologized, but only to her own daughter. Sen. Clinton apologizes for work ethic remarks: After telling an audience that young people today "think work is a four-letter word," Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said she apologized to her daughter. "I said, Im sorry, I didn't mean to convey the impression that you don't work hard."
888 Mac Ranger says Keep on Talking Hillary!: Everytime Hillary opens her mouth I get more excited about her run for Prez ...
8 Algore did SNL and was funny at times. Watch for yourself. If Al Gore were President: "Right now, in the 2nd week of May 2006, we are facing perhaps the worst gas crisis in history. We have way too much gasoline. Gas is down to $0.19 a gallon and the oil companies are hurting. I know that I am partly to blame by insisting that cars run on trash."
8 Oily Maneuver: 'Today' Hides How Gas Taxes Dwarf Profits: If shown separately, viewers would have seen that profit amounts to a fraction of taxes. Whoops - there goes the gouging/windfall taxes argument so dear to the MSM and politicians looking to deflect and demagaogue the issue.
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Thank you Jimmah Carter >:O
Take note ...
8 How gas price controls sparked '70s shortages
Mr. Sowell says that although the best response would have been to let prices rise, giving oil companies an incentive to produce more and consumers an incentive to conserve, "this basic level of economics is seldom understood by the public, which often demands 'political' solutions that turn out to make matters worse." The public -- as it does today -- wanted low prices. But the artificially depressed pump prices imposed during the oil crisis of 1973 -- which stayed in place in various iterations through 1980 -- brought about lines at gas stations and an artificial shortage of gas, he said. The price controls resulted in a fuel-rationing system that made available about 5 percent less oil than was consumed before the controls. Consumers scrambled and sat in lines to ensure they weren't left without. Gas stations found they only had to stay open a few hours a day to empty out their tanks. Because they could not raise prices, they closed down after selling out their gas to hold down their labor and operating costs, Mr. Sowell said.
The shutdown of stations that had been open at all hours before price controls further raised the public's panic level and resulted in more lines, anger and frustration in what many Americans still remember as one of the nation's worst economic nightmares.
...
"What is it about rising gasoline prices that causes IQs and body temperatures to converge?"
8 Today's anagram: Howard Dean = A HEAD DR -- NOW! :-)
Bonus anagram: John Kerry = JERKY HORN
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A MOTHER'S WORK IS NEVER DONE
........ "We're hungry, Ma! Hurry UP!"
In the redbud tree right out back is a robin's nest with four baby robins. Look closely and you'll see 2 closed beaks besides the one bird with its beak open in plain view. Between that one bird and the 2 closed beaks is another open beak. Trying to get a photo of them has been a challenge. About the best vantage point I had was inside looking through a window -- two windows, actually, and dirty ones at that. This was the best shot out of the 20 I took the other day.
Happy Mother's Day!
8 A most incandescent light, by Sissy Willis
8 My Mother's Child, by Happy Jack Feder
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A LEGEND IN HER OWN MIND
Although Mary McCarthy has not come out of hiding, she has still been busy.
Mary McCarthy Admits Her Maverick Ways
Looks like Mary McCarthy and the rogue CIA agents, along with the news media (and an out of control prosecutor?) have decided the time is right to admit she was just trying to be a hero.
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What is fascinating about this is McCarthy, as deputy Inspector General for the CIA knew what the process was to go to Congress as a whistleblower and call these people on their lies. In fact, if she had the goods on someone at the CIA lying to Congress she would have been the darling of Reps and Dems - especially those like John McCain. She had the clout as Deputy IG to be taken seriously.
But we know from Democrat and Republican staffers McCarthy never once availed herself of the whistleblower status. There is no record of her once challenging the reports to Congress. She had all the opportunity, but she went to Dana Priest*? If she was such a maverick, independent thinker, why not turn these people into Congress? She was retiring! There could be no retribution aimed at her for disclosing lies!
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Stunningly, McCarthy is still leaking, through her friends, classified details. And all these details dovetail nicely with Dana Priest’s stories.
MARY McCARTHY: HEROINE
In the end, our Mary just couldn’t take it. Armed with knowledge known only to the CIA and those unimportant people who work on top of that big Washington, D.C.hill in that funny looking domed building, this just wasn’t enough. Due to her superior moral sense, our heroine just knew – she felt it in her bones – that absolutely everyone should know what she knows. Only then would her moral outrage be assuaged and goodness triumph over evil.
* A DRAIN PEST
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