Time Magazine has a new photo essay out on the 25 most influential Evangelicals in America. Two of the honorees are Catholics, which sort of stretches the definition of Evangelical, but for the most part they've got it right. My own pastor, Rick Warren, leads the list and given the success of Purpose Driven Church and Purpose Driven Life, probably belongs at the top (although I'm sure he'd disagree, especially with Billy Graham on the list).
Monday, January 31, 2005
More on Sen. Dayton (I-Idiot, MN)
A few days ago I posted on the disgusting behavior of Sen. Mark Dayton during the Condi Rice hearings. The boys at Powerline, who are from Minnesota and very familiar with the Senator and his idiosyncracies, have a long piece today on the Senator that is interesting reading for those of us who are already looking toward the 2006 mid-term elections and are hoping to have two Republican Senators from the frozen north.
CNN Thinks U.S. Military is Killing Journalists
Here's an interesting story coming out of the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland (courtesy of OpinionJournal Political Diary):
Let's not forget that awhile back Jordan admitted that CNN had been covering up atrocities that Saddam had committed in the interest of saving their employee's hides and keeping their bureau in Baghdad. What an example of journalistic ethics.
Is the American military deliberately killing foreign journalists -- including Western journalists -- covering Iraq?
Yes, they are, says Eason Jordan, Chief News Executive of CNN News. Or, rather, no, they're not. Or, perhaps, maybe, sort of, in a sneaky kind of way. Speaking at a panel session on democracy and the media at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, Mr. Jordan startled his audience and fellow panelists -- including Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank and former presidential aide David Gergen -- by implying as much.
First, he noted that of the 60-odd journalists killed in Iraq, 12 had been targeted and killed by Coalition forces. Then he offered the story of an Al-Jazeera journalist who had been "tortured for weeks" at Abu Ghraib, made to eat his shoes, and called "Al Jazeera boy" by his American captors.
Mr. Frank, the liberal Democrat Congressman, asked Mr. Jordan to be more specific: Had U.S. forces actually killed foreign journalists on purpose? And had CNN done a story about it? Well, no, CNN hadn't done a story on that specifically. And, no, he didn't himself believe the U.S. government had a policy to target journalists. And besides, "the [U.S.] generals and colonels have their heart in the right place."
So what remained of the allegation? "There are people who believe there are people in the military who have it out" for journalists, said Mr. Jordan. He then offered another anecdote: A reporter who'd been standing in a long line to get through a checkpoint at Baghdad's Green Zone had been turned back by the GI on duty. Apparently the soldier had been displeased with the reporter's dispatches, and sent him to the back of the line.
It isn't often that we feel grateful for Barney Frank. But had he not spoken up, Mr. Jordan's vague remarks might have been left to stand -- further proof, to the global elites assembled here, of the depths of American perfidy.
Let's not forget that awhile back Jordan admitted that CNN had been covering up atrocities that Saddam had committed in the interest of saving their employee's hides and keeping their bureau in Baghdad. What an example of journalistic ethics.
Dean Will Destroy Dems (but I'm fine with it)
A couple of political writers weigh in on the increasing likelihood that Howard "I Have A Scream" Dean will be elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee when the voting takes place on February 1st.
Robert Novak in the Chicago Sun-Times describes a long-time big money Dem donor who promises to give not another dime while Dean is chairman.
Dick Morris in the New York Post can't believe that Hillary and the Clinton gang have apparently given up any hope of stopping Dean. Harold Ickes, major player in the Clinton political machine, even endorsed Dean the other day. Morris has this to say:
Robert Novak in the Chicago Sun-Times describes a long-time big money Dem donor who promises to give not another dime while Dean is chairman.
Dick Morris in the New York Post can't believe that Hillary and the Clinton gang have apparently given up any hope of stopping Dean. Harold Ickes, major player in the Clinton political machine, even endorsed Dean the other day. Morris has this to say:
So why are the Democrats selecting Dean? And why is Harold Ickes, the putative spokesperson for the Clintons, embracing the choice? Because Dean's momentum is unstoppable and nobody wants to stand in the way of the avalanche of self-destructiveness which is pouring onto the Democrats from their left-wing supporters.The Deaniacs insist that his legion of internet fans will more than make up for any lost donations from some of the big money guys who can't stand Dean. It's going to take a whole bunch of $20 and $50 donations from the Internet crowd to replace donors who give in the hundreds of thousands. All of this bodes very well for Republicans in 2006 and 2008.
Massachusetts in Mourning Over Iraq Election
John Podhoretz writing today in The New York Post does a little "in your face" to John Kerry, who had the misfortune of appearing on Meet the Press yesterday a few minutes after the polls closed in Iraq:
Of course, the senior Eeyore from Massachusetts was equally jubilant at the results (from Newsmax):It's a big fat gigantic winning vindication of the guy that the Moores and Kennedys and millions of others still can't believe anybody voted for.
And they know it.
And it's killing them.
Case in point: the junior Eeyore from Massachusetts, John Forbes Kerry, who had the distinct misfortune of being booked onto "Meet the Press" yesterday only 90 minutes after the polls closed in Iraq — and couldn't think of a thing to say that didn't sound negative.
"No one in the United States should try to overhype this election," said the man who actually came within 3 million votes of becoming the leader of the Free World back in November.
No? How about "underhyping"? How about belittling it? How about acting as though it doesn't matter all that much? That's what Kerry did, and in so doing, revealed yet again that he has the emotional intelligence of a pet rock and the political judgment of a . . . well, of a John Kerry.
At the worst possible time to express pessimistic skepticism, Kerry did just that. The election only had a "kind of legitimacy," he said. He said he "was for the election taking place" (how big of him!), but then said that "it's gone as expected."
Hey, wait a second. If it went as Kerry "expected," how could he have been "for the election taking place" — since the election only had, in his view, a "kind of legitimacy"?
I mean, who would want an election with only a "kind of legitimacy"?
Is Kerry perhaps saying he was for the election before he was against it?
Troop-bashing Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy said Sunday that the historic election in Iraq doesn't really change much, repeating his call for the U.S. to begin pulling its forces out of the country immediately.Podhoretz sums it up best in his closing paragraphs:
Urging President Bush to "look beyond the election," Kennedy griped:
"The best way to demonstrate to the Iraqi people that we have no long-term designs on their country is for the administration to withdraw some troops now."
"At least 12,000 American troops, probably more, should leave at once," Kennedy said, in order "to send a strong signal about our intentions and to ease the pervasive sense of occupation."
Two days before the election the Massachusetts Democrat recommended a pullot, complaining that "the U.S. military presence [in Iraq] has become part of the problem, not part of the solution."
Yesterday was a day for Democrats and opponents of George W. Bush to swallow their bile and retract their claws and join just for a moment in celebration of an amazing and thrilling human drama in a land that has seen more than its share of thrilling human drama over the past 5,000 years.
But you just couldn't do it, could you?
Losers.
A "Rush" For the Border
Syndicated radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh was talking tough to the Bush Administration this past Friday on the subject of illegal immigration. As John Fund of the Wall Street Journal notes, when Rush talks, you better listen.
Rush has 20 million listeners a week, so if he decides to attack President Bush's plan to regularize immigration flows through a guest-worker program, he could help kill the idea.
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Go Get 'em Iraqis!
The Iraqi citizens are turning out in huge numbers to participate in the first democratic election in that country since before most of them were born. Condi says things are going pretty well, and Kerry thinks it's really not really legitimate. Anybody surprised?
Let's give a big hand to the brave Iraqis who are thumbing their nose at the insurgents and going to the polls, despite the threats and actual violence that has taken place there today.
Mark Steyn has some thoughts on the election. Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online has some thoughts on the election coverage:
Let's give a big hand to the brave Iraqis who are thumbing their nose at the insurgents and going to the polls, despite the threats and actual violence that has taken place there today.
Mark Steyn has some thoughts on the election. Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online has some thoughts on the election coverage:
So far, I think the coverage has been moderately scandalous. This morning CNN kept its regularly scheduled medical show (though last night they were better, if mostly pre-taped). The major nets seemed to treat this like a fairly ho-hum story. I just walked over to my computer after seeing that the Today Show was offering viewers a segment on new shaving technologies for men. Meanwhile, Fox is treating this like a huge, momentous, occassion. Given the contrast, I sometimes worry that the MSM media is becoming more biased simply because they define "bad coverage" even when Fox is covering things correctly. It's almost as if NBC News would report "this just in: 2+2 is 5" if Fox were reporting "2+2 is 4."
Friday, January 28, 2005
A Little Oscar Night Thank-You To Hollywood
I love this - CitizensUnited.org is unveiling two billboards which will be put up in Hollywood just in time for the Oscars (courtesy of Human Events Online):
Be sure to click here to see the photos - they're priceless!
HUMAN EVENTS has learned that a billboard blitz "thanking" Hollywood for the reelection of President Bush will be unveiled early next week.
The advertisements feature the faces of liberal Hollywood icons Michael Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, Ben Affleck, Martin Sheen, Chevy Chase, Barbara Streisand, and Sean Penn, and offer thanks to Hollywood their help getting President Bush reelected.
Two versions of the billboard were created, both "thanking" Hollywood -- the first for "4 more years" and the second for "W. Still President."
Billboard creator Citizens United, a group that advocates a return to traditional American values, has purchased the use of three billboards near the Kodak Theatre (home of the Academy Awards) for the month of February, which includes Oscar Night, Sunday, February 27.
Asked about the campaign, Citizens United President David Bossie said, "We're taking on Hollywood. We've done it in the past." Of the organization's many actions, one of its most famous challenges to Hollywood was Celsius 41.11, a documentary exposing "the truth behind the lies of Fahrenheit 9/11," the Michael Moore anti-Bush mock-umentary.
Be sure to click here to see the photos - they're priceless!
The Decline of the Kennedys
How did the Kennedy dynasty manage to decline from this (from Best of the Web):
Teddy has become America's top cheerleader for defeat in Iraq. He's so afraid that Bush will succeed that he now feels he must do everything in his power to cast doubts on our progress, dispirit the troops, and aid and encourage our enemies. Fortunately, Teddy is a bloated, alcoholic murderer who should have been put in prison 30 years ago for killing his young campaign worker, and who has no credibility among thinking people. According to Charles Krauthammer on yesterday's Special Report with Brit Hume, Kennedy is "washed-up has been who cannot make a major address. There is nothing coherent about that argument. He simply is arguing we'll get out because it's a Vietnam all over again, without making any case to show how that analogy holds. ".
Let's hope the Dems keep putting this gasbag out in front of the cameras.
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.to this:
This much we pledge--and more. (Taken from JFK's 1961 inaugural address)
The war in Iraq has become a war against the American occupation. . . . The U.S. military presence has become part of the problem, not part of the solution. . . . The first step is to confront our own mistakes. . . . No matter how many times the Administration denies it, there is no question they misled the nation and led us into a quagmire in Iraq. . . . As in Vietnam, truth was the first casualty of this war. . . . As a result of our actions in Iraq, our respect and credibility around the world have reached all-time lows. . . . Never in our history has there been a more powerful, more painful example of the saying that those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it. . . . The nations in the Middle East are independent, except for Iraq, which began the 20th century under Ottoman occupation and is now beginning the 21st century under American occupation.
(Taken from Teddy "the swimmers" Kennedy's address yesterday to the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies)
Teddy has become America's top cheerleader for defeat in Iraq. He's so afraid that Bush will succeed that he now feels he must do everything in his power to cast doubts on our progress, dispirit the troops, and aid and encourage our enemies. Fortunately, Teddy is a bloated, alcoholic murderer who should have been put in prison 30 years ago for killing his young campaign worker, and who has no credibility among thinking people. According to Charles Krauthammer on yesterday's Special Report with Brit Hume, Kennedy is "washed-up has been who cannot make a major address. There is nothing coherent about that argument. He simply is arguing we'll get out because it's a Vietnam all over again, without making any case to show how that analogy holds. ".
Let's hope the Dems keep putting this gasbag out in front of the cameras.
Train Wreck
No, I'm not talking about the Democratic Party, though after Ted "the swimmer's" speech yesterday, the title of this post could accurately describe what's happening to the donkeys. I'm talking about the tragic three train wreck in Glendale that was caused by one loser who decided to off himself by parking his car on the tracks. Unfortunately for a lot of people, said loser changed his mind but didn't manage to get his car out of the way before it was hit by a quick moving Metrolink train jammed with commuters. The resulting crash means 11 people will never go home again, and many others will be maimed physically or emotionally for life.
Most train accidents involve only one train, though occasionally someone flips the wrong switch or misses a signal light and two of them are run together (such as what happened in Fullerton awhile back). To involve three different trains took a confluence of events that would be hard to plan if you wanted to do it on purpose.
The impact occurred in the front of a train which was being pushed by its engine, meaning a specially equipped passenger car was leading the way. On several occasions I've walked up to the front of a train like that and have watched the engineer working in a very small and exposed space. Although they are protected by bulletproof glass which would hopefully keep stray missiles from entering the cab at high speed, it is obvious that should a vehicle enter the track at the last minute, the engineer would be toast. There's just not enough train out in front of them to protect them.
I remember traveling south on the Amtrak between Oceanside and Solana Beach. In this stretch the trains are often traveling 70-90 MPH along crowded city streets and crossings. It's both exhilarating and scary as heck. If a car pulled in front of one of the trains flying through that area, the resulting wreck would not only derail the train, but would probably put the train and its riders right through several businesses. The destruction and death toll would make the Glendale crash pale in comparison.
Amtrak and Metrolink run trains with pusher engines as a cost and time saving technique. It takes time and money to pull the engine off, turn it around, and reconnect it to the other end of the train. With the engine out front both the crew and the passengers are safer, because the engines are a lot heavier than the passenger cars and much less likely to derail. Since these events are fairly rare, I doubt if there will be an effort to ensure that the engines are leading the way on all these trains.
Unfortunately, the Glendale wreck probably won't be the last one. Just a day after the crash, another loser in Irvine decided to try his hand at train wrecking. He decided to do himself in, but the police saw him on the tracks and scared him off. After a short chase they caught him. Good work by the Irvine Police who probably saved another big mess.
In a few weeks I'll be taking my family down to San Diego on the Amtrak to see The Midway aircraft carrier. We definately won't be sitting in the lead car, and let's hope that another loser hasn't chosen that day to make a statement.
Most train accidents involve only one train, though occasionally someone flips the wrong switch or misses a signal light and two of them are run together (such as what happened in Fullerton awhile back). To involve three different trains took a confluence of events that would be hard to plan if you wanted to do it on purpose.
The impact occurred in the front of a train which was being pushed by its engine, meaning a specially equipped passenger car was leading the way. On several occasions I've walked up to the front of a train like that and have watched the engineer working in a very small and exposed space. Although they are protected by bulletproof glass which would hopefully keep stray missiles from entering the cab at high speed, it is obvious that should a vehicle enter the track at the last minute, the engineer would be toast. There's just not enough train out in front of them to protect them.
I remember traveling south on the Amtrak between Oceanside and Solana Beach. In this stretch the trains are often traveling 70-90 MPH along crowded city streets and crossings. It's both exhilarating and scary as heck. If a car pulled in front of one of the trains flying through that area, the resulting wreck would not only derail the train, but would probably put the train and its riders right through several businesses. The destruction and death toll would make the Glendale crash pale in comparison.
Amtrak and Metrolink run trains with pusher engines as a cost and time saving technique. It takes time and money to pull the engine off, turn it around, and reconnect it to the other end of the train. With the engine out front both the crew and the passengers are safer, because the engines are a lot heavier than the passenger cars and much less likely to derail. Since these events are fairly rare, I doubt if there will be an effort to ensure that the engines are leading the way on all these trains.
Unfortunately, the Glendale wreck probably won't be the last one. Just a day after the crash, another loser in Irvine decided to try his hand at train wrecking. He decided to do himself in, but the police saw him on the tracks and scared him off. After a short chase they caught him. Good work by the Irvine Police who probably saved another big mess.
In a few weeks I'll be taking my family down to San Diego on the Amtrak to see The Midway aircraft carrier. We definately won't be sitting in the lead car, and let's hope that another loser hasn't chosen that day to make a statement.
Great Moments in Mediocrity
How about this story from Rhode Island (courtesy of The Corner):
It looks to me like there are some school administrators who need to be left behind.
The administrators decided to eliminate the spelling bee, because they feel it runs afoul of the mandates of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
"No Child Left Behind says all kids must reach high standards," Newman said. "It’s our responsibility to find as many ways as possible to accomplish this."
The administrators agreed, Newman said, that a spelling bee doesn’t meet the criteria of all children reaching high standards -- because there can only be one winner, leaving all other students behind.
"It’s about one kid winning, several making it to the top and leaving all others behind. That’s contrary to No Child Left Behind," Newman said.
A spelling bee, she continued, is about "some kids being winners, some kids being losers."
As a result, the spelling bee "sends a message that this isn’t an all-kids movement," Newman said.
Furthermore, professional organizations now frown on competition at the elementary school level and are urging participation in activities that avoid winners, Newman said. That’s why there are no sports teams at the elementary level, she said as an example.
The emphasis today, she said, is on building self-esteem in all students.
"You have to build positive self-esteem for all kids, so they believe they’re all winners," she said. "You want to build positive self-esteem so that all kids can get to where they want to go."
A spelling bee only benefits a few, not all, students, the elementary principals and Newman agreed, so it was canceled.
It looks to me like there are some school administrators who need to be left behind.
Dems Wrong to Abuse Dr. Rice
Charles Krauthammer writes today in The Daily News regarding the mistreatment of Dr. Condoleezza Rice by the Dems in an effort to attack the administration:
I believe the Dems will pay a steep price with the minority communities for the way they berated Dr. Rice.
In parliamentary systems it's common to turn a political nomination - or even an insignificant bill - into a show of no-confidence in the government or a policy. In the U.S. that's far less common, but 12 Senate Democrats (plus the independent Jim Jeffords) have done just that over Condoleezza Rice's nomination for secretary of state.
They have used it as a way to stake out opposition to the Iraq war. They are likely to pay a heavy political price. In this country, it is customary to allow the President to choose his own cabinet, so long as the nominee is minimally qualified. Rice is superbly qualified and everyone concedes that.
I believe the Dems will pay a steep price with the minority communities for the way they berated Dr. Rice.
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Michael Medved and The Passion
Michael Medved makes one very good point (actually there are several) in a column today in OpinionJournal.com regarding The Passion of the Christ and Fahrenheit 9/11:
The Passion will live on as long as their continue to be Christians on this earth (and for all you pre-Trib types, it might get some very interested viewing following the Rapture as well). You probably won't see it on TV each Easter as you now see The Ten Commandments (it's a little too violent and gory for today's broadcast television), but I imagine the DVD will get lots of use in churches and small groups all over the world.
"Fahrenheit 9/11" unequivocally functioned as an artifact of the moment and a factor in a fiercely fought political campaign. As soon as that campaign concluded, the energy instantly leaked out of Michael Moore's effort to win major Oscar nominations, and his movie began to feel as dated, quaint and irrelevant as a faded bumper sticker from a losing cause. "The Passion of the Christ," on the other hand, still plays with the same fiery immediacy it brought to its explosive Ash Wednesday release. And it's easy to imagine church groups (and cinema students) still watching it with avid attention 50 years from now, much as "The Ten Commandments" has continued to draw eager audiences during periodic re-releases in the course of a half-century.He's right. F9/11 is already badly dated and basically irrelevant now that the election is over and Bush has won. Had the movie actually been significant enough to change the outcome of the election, it might have lived on as some sort of political artifact. Now it's destined for the $1 DVD pile at your nearest K-Mart.
The Passion will live on as long as their continue to be Christians on this earth (and for all you pre-Trib types, it might get some very interested viewing following the Rapture as well). You probably won't see it on TV each Easter as you now see The Ten Commandments (it's a little too violent and gory for today's broadcast television), but I imagine the DVD will get lots of use in churches and small groups all over the world.
IN GOOD COMPANY - A Review
I promised awhile back that I would review the new movie IN GOOD COMPANY after I had a chance to see it at a special blogger screening. Unfortunately, due to schedule conflicts, I had to miss the screening in Century City. I did, however, finally get to see the movie last weekend.
Rather than write a long, involved review, I'm going to defer to Frederica Mathewes-Green who writes a review of the movie for National Review Online. I agree wholeheartedly with her review, and she says it better than I could anyway.
Bottom line - a pleasant movie with fairly good values portrayed (fairly good, but not perfect). I wouldn't pay full price to see it, but if you can get a discount ticket from Costco, it's worth the $6.99.
Rather than write a long, involved review, I'm going to defer to Frederica Mathewes-Green who writes a review of the movie for National Review Online. I agree wholeheartedly with her review, and she says it better than I could anyway.
Bottom line - a pleasant movie with fairly good values portrayed (fairly good, but not perfect). I wouldn't pay full price to see it, but if you can get a discount ticket from Costco, it's worth the $6.99.
A King Doesn't Favor Democracy - Imagine That!
King Abdullah of Jordan is starting to get a little nervous about the possibility of democracy breaking out in Iraq. Newsmax has the story here.
The King apparently subscribes to the idea that folks in the Arab world just can't govern themselves and need a monarch, strong man or tyrant to run their world for them. This, of course, is nonsense.
Certainly Iraqis have not known freedom long, and there's a collection of dead-enders that just don't want to let go of the good old Saddam days, but I'm confident that there are some pretty smart people over there that given time can figure it all out.
The King's worst nightmare will be a successful transformation of Iraq to a democratic republic. After all, what will the lowly subjects of Jordan think if their neighbors start enjoying their newly won freedom?
Could be a hot time in Amman in the next few years. And Damascus ...Riyadh ...Tehran ...Kuwait City - you get the picture.
The King apparently subscribes to the idea that folks in the Arab world just can't govern themselves and need a monarch, strong man or tyrant to run their world for them. This, of course, is nonsense.
Certainly Iraqis have not known freedom long, and there's a collection of dead-enders that just don't want to let go of the good old Saddam days, but I'm confident that there are some pretty smart people over there that given time can figure it all out.
The King's worst nightmare will be a successful transformation of Iraq to a democratic republic. After all, what will the lowly subjects of Jordan think if their neighbors start enjoying their newly won freedom?
Could be a hot time in Amman in the next few years. And Damascus ...Riyadh ...Tehran ...Kuwait City - you get the picture.
GodBlogCon1 - Coming soon
What in the world is GodBlogCon1? Well that collection of letters in search of a space bar represents a rapidly developing convention for Christian bloggers which hopefully will be held in Phoenix this fall. It was the brainchild of Hugh Hewitt, and Dr. Andrew Jackson in Phoenix has taken the ball and run with it.
If things come together as hoped, Christian bloggers (like myself) will gather together for a conference to discuss all kinds of topics related to...well, er Christian bloggers. The event is still in its infancy, but more than 100 bloggers have expressed an interest.
If you're a Christian blogger, or a Christian thinking of getting into blogging, you can go here to express your interest in attending.
If things come together as hoped, Christian bloggers (like myself) will gather together for a conference to discuss all kinds of topics related to...well, er Christian bloggers. The event is still in its infancy, but more than 100 bloggers have expressed an interest.
If you're a Christian blogger, or a Christian thinking of getting into blogging, you can go here to express your interest in attending.
Stickers and the University of Oregon
There was a little rhubarb in Oregon the other day (from KEZI.com):
A yellow ribbon sticker that says "Support The Troops" has created a big stir at the University of Oregon.
A day after a campus employee was told to remove the sticker from his maintenance vehicle -- people on campus are reacting.
It all started after a university employee complained.
Some think the university may have gone too far.
But for now... all the stickers are gone.
For some it's a sticker that supports the troops.
But at the University of Oregon... someone saw it as a political statement.
"I don't know how they think these are political.. i think they're patriotic," said Pete Baker, U of O delivery driver.
Pete Baker has had the stickers on his work truck... for months. Friday, a university employee... complained.
Now the stickers are gone.
A lot of folks got their underwear in a wad over this one, calling the University all kinds of things, the kindest being "anti-military". Granted, Oregon is a very blue state with lefties as far as the eye can see, but I'm afraid I have to part ways with my conservative brethren on this one.
I'm a property rights kind of guy, which means if you own something, you should have the right to decide how that item will be used and what is or isn't acceptable. I'm sure it was a political decision to remove the stickers from the truck, but the fact is, the truck belongs to the University and they should have the right to ban stickers if they want to.
We may not like their reasoning for it, but it's not our truck.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Condi Confirmed
Dr. Condolezza Rice has been confirmed by the Senate 85-13, almost a week after this should have all been completed. Apparently former KKK Grand Wizard Robert Byrd decided to relive great moments from Democratic Party history by rhetorically standing in the State Department door and trying to block admission to a highly qualified black woman. Such Democrat notables as Orvil Faubus, Lestor Maddux and George Wallace tried this type of maneuver in the past, and it failed, just as it failed today.
What's really going on here? Condi was a sure bet to be confirmed, and yet 12 Democrats and one Idiotdependent voted against her in what can only be seen as more of a slap at the black community than at President Bush. This will not play well with many of the minority groups that the Dems take for granted.
I think what's happening here is that Dems are scared to death of Condi, not as Secretary of State, but as a possible presidential candidate in 2008. If he does a good job as Sec State, she will be very well positioned to make a run for president, and with that in mind, some of the more lefty Dems decided they better start impugning her integrity now. They're hoping to saddle her with a reputation as a liar that will stick for the next four years. Not going to happen.
Condi will do great, and I look for bigger and better things from her in the future.
What's really going on here? Condi was a sure bet to be confirmed, and yet 12 Democrats and one Idiotdependent voted against her in what can only be seen as more of a slap at the black community than at President Bush. This will not play well with many of the minority groups that the Dems take for granted.
I think what's happening here is that Dems are scared to death of Condi, not as Secretary of State, but as a possible presidential candidate in 2008. If he does a good job as Sec State, she will be very well positioned to make a run for president, and with that in mind, some of the more lefty Dems decided they better start impugning her integrity now. They're hoping to saddle her with a reputation as a liar that will stick for the next four years. Not going to happen.
Condi will do great, and I look for bigger and better things from her in the future.
Mark Dayton (I-Idiot, MN)
Senator Mark Dayton has apparently started his 2006 campaign to become the next ex-Senator from Minnesota (see also Walter Mondale). Dayton decided to jump on the Barbara Boxer whacko wagon yesterday during debate on Condi Rice (from ABC News):
I'm not sure who his Republican challenger will be in 2006, but I'll be sure to send him some money once he's identified.
One Senate Democrat called Condoleezza Rice a liar Tuesday and others said she was an apologist for Bush administration failures in Iraq, but she remained on track for confirmation as secretary of state.Dayton is up for reelection in 2006 in a state which is trending Republican, and you may remember that just before the November elections he suddenly shut down his Capital Hill office and fled Washington in response to a terrorist threat that nobody else knew about. A man of courage is he.
Rice, who has been President Bush's White House national security adviser for four years, was one of the loudest voices urging war, Democrats said. She repeatedly deceived members of Congress and Americans at large about justifications for the war, said Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn.
"I don't like impugning anyone's integrity, but I really don't like being lied to," Dayton said. "Repeatedly, flagrantly, intentionally."
Rice is expected to win confirmation on Wednesday. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., predicted that Rice would have "an overwhelming majority" of votes.
Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., cautioned against "inflammatory rhetoric that is designed merely to create partisan advantage or to settle partisan scores."
Rice would succeed Colin Powell, who often found himself on the outside looking in with Bush's close circle of war and national security advisers.
By contrast, Rice is a trusted Bush loyalist. As a principal architect of the Iraq invasion and the administration's war on terrorism, she shares blame for overstating the threat posed by Saddam Hussein, Democrats said.
"My vote against this nominee is my statement that this administration's lies must stop now," Dayton said in opposing Rice's nomination on the Senate floor.
I'm not sure who his Republican challenger will be in 2006, but I'll be sure to send him some money once he's identified.
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Lose
Ted Turner rants again today, as reported by Drudge:
Ted Turner called FOX an arm of the Bush administration and compared FOXNEWS's popularity to Hitler's popular election to run Germany before WWII.Fox News didn't let this report go quietly. They had a brilliant response to Tonedeaf Ted:
Turner made the controversial comments before a standing-room-only crowd at the National Association for Television Programming Executives's opening session Tuesday.
His no-nonsense, humorous approach during the one-hour Q&A generated frequent loud applause and laughter, BROADCASTING & CABLE reports.
While FOX may be the largest news network [and has overtaken Turner's CNN], it's not the best, Turner said.
He followed up by pointing out that Adolph Hitler got the most votes when he was elected to run Germany prior to WWII. He said the network is the propaganda tool for the Bush Administration.
"There's nothing wrong with that. It's certainly legal. But it does pose problems for our democracy. Particularly when the news is dumbed down," leaving voters without critical information on politics and world events and overloaded with fluff," he said.
A FOXNEWS spokesperson responded: "Ted is understandably bitter having lost his ratings, his network and now his mind -- we wish him well."
No Moore Oscars in '05
The Academy Award nominations were announced today, and while I couldn't possibly care less who wins, I did enjoy these two paragraphs from the Fox News story:
Meanwhile, Mel Gibson did no promotion whatsoever for "The Passion" and got three nominations. Granted their in minor categories and he probably won't win any of them (I just can't see Hollywood honoring Mel for completely circumventing their system), it's at least a moral victory for Gibson.
Mel Gibson's religious blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ" missed out on main categories, but did pick up nominations for cinematography, makeup and original score.Michael Moore has to be crushed (and that's not easy). I'm sure he was expecting Hollywood to rally around him following their defeat in the November election, and he's been taking out those silly "For Your Consideration" ads in Variety and other newspapers to flog his movie.
Michael Moore's gamble to hold his hit film "Fahrenheit 9/11" out of the documentary category -- to boost its best-picture prospects -- backfired. The movie was shut out across the board.
Meanwhile, Mel Gibson did no promotion whatsoever for "The Passion" and got three nominations. Granted their in minor categories and he probably won't win any of them (I just can't see Hollywood honoring Mel for completely circumventing their system), it's at least a moral victory for Gibson.
Monday, January 24, 2005
The Presidents on A&E
This weekend I spent some quality time with our 43 U.S. Presidents courtesy of the A&E network. The eight hour series was shown last week, and thanks to TiVo, I was able to make much shorter work of it.
I'm not sure when the series was originally created, though it had been updated for Bush's reelection. It was not an in-depth examination of the presidents - you couldn't do that in 8 hours - but it did touch on the high and low points of each man's administration, and overall I thought it was pretty well done....at least until they got to the last episode which covered 1977 through today.
I didn't really detect much in the way of bias in the presentation of the program until the last hour which discussed Carter through Bush 43. Carter was portrayed as a brilliant guy who did miracles in the middle east, but the show more or less glossed over Carter's mishandling of the economy and the resulting inflation and soaring interest rates. It discussed the Iran hostage mess that cost him the presidency, but didn't bother to address the fact that Carter made the country look weak and ineffective in the eyes of the bad guys in the world. Thank God Reagan came along and quickly fixed that problem.
I found it interesting that Carter was also the only president interviewed on camera for this show. Although Ford, Clinton and both Bush's were alive and healthy when the show was created, none of them appeared on camera. Carter was definitely spinning his accomplishments to make himself appear in the best light.
The show, through the journalists that were interviewed, also tried to make Carter the glowing example of what a former president should be. Yes, Carter has done some good things through Habitat for Humanity, but there was no mention of his constant harping at Bush, usually on foreign soil, or the fact that his Nobel prize was earned for an agreement on which North Korea later reneged, and the fact that the Nobel committee gave the award to Carter as a slap at Bush.
The next problem in the program occurred at the end of the segment on Bush 41. Bush's famous "no new taxes" pledge was violated when he agreed to huge tax increases in 1991. Breaking that pledge was immediately used by the Dems to ridicule Bush and probably cost him the election. In the very least it paved the way for Ross Perot to come along and steal Bush votes, putting Clinton in office with only 43% of the vote.
The way the show ended the Bush 41 segment was the problem. The supposition of one of the journalists was that the Bush tax increase was "bad for Bush, but good for the nation". His theory was that the tax increase paved the way for the economic boom of the 90's. Rubbish.
Anyone who knows anything about economics knows that tax increases do not stimulate the economy, but in fact rob capital from the economy thus slowing down activity. Had the Bush tax increases not taken place, the recovery, due in large part to Reagan's economic programs of the 80's, would have taken off even faster and probably would have left the economy in much better shape as Bush 41 was facing reelection. I think the journalists feel that the tax increases were good for the country because they paved the way for the Clinton presidency.
My final problem with the show was the way they treated Bush 43. In the brief synopsis (which they did on each president) he was described as "lacking curiosity". This is a euphemism the left uses for "stupid". You see, you are said to "lack curiosity" if you have firm ideas and beliefs, and are so solidly rooted in those values that you are not interested in hearing what the opposition has to say (I guess I'm sort of like that - that's why there aren't any comments allowed on this site).
What's really going on with W is that he just doesn't care how the Dems feel about his plans and programs. He's going to go with them regardless of the opposition.
Since the show chose to interview only liberal journalists to discuss Bush, I shouldn't be surprised how it came out. One of the main sources who appeared frequently was Evan Thomas of Newsweek. Thomas is the guy who stated early in the 2004 campaign that favorable press coverage of Kerry would be worth 15 points. I guess it's a good thing Kerry got that favorable coverage or else he would have lost by 18 instead of by 3.
To the credit of A&E I did learn quite a bit about past presidents, but I wish they could have been a little more balanced in their assessment of the more recent leaders.
I'm not sure when the series was originally created, though it had been updated for Bush's reelection. It was not an in-depth examination of the presidents - you couldn't do that in 8 hours - but it did touch on the high and low points of each man's administration, and overall I thought it was pretty well done....at least until they got to the last episode which covered 1977 through today.
I didn't really detect much in the way of bias in the presentation of the program until the last hour which discussed Carter through Bush 43. Carter was portrayed as a brilliant guy who did miracles in the middle east, but the show more or less glossed over Carter's mishandling of the economy and the resulting inflation and soaring interest rates. It discussed the Iran hostage mess that cost him the presidency, but didn't bother to address the fact that Carter made the country look weak and ineffective in the eyes of the bad guys in the world. Thank God Reagan came along and quickly fixed that problem.
I found it interesting that Carter was also the only president interviewed on camera for this show. Although Ford, Clinton and both Bush's were alive and healthy when the show was created, none of them appeared on camera. Carter was definitely spinning his accomplishments to make himself appear in the best light.
The show, through the journalists that were interviewed, also tried to make Carter the glowing example of what a former president should be. Yes, Carter has done some good things through Habitat for Humanity, but there was no mention of his constant harping at Bush, usually on foreign soil, or the fact that his Nobel prize was earned for an agreement on which North Korea later reneged, and the fact that the Nobel committee gave the award to Carter as a slap at Bush.
The next problem in the program occurred at the end of the segment on Bush 41. Bush's famous "no new taxes" pledge was violated when he agreed to huge tax increases in 1991. Breaking that pledge was immediately used by the Dems to ridicule Bush and probably cost him the election. In the very least it paved the way for Ross Perot to come along and steal Bush votes, putting Clinton in office with only 43% of the vote.
The way the show ended the Bush 41 segment was the problem. The supposition of one of the journalists was that the Bush tax increase was "bad for Bush, but good for the nation". His theory was that the tax increase paved the way for the economic boom of the 90's. Rubbish.
Anyone who knows anything about economics knows that tax increases do not stimulate the economy, but in fact rob capital from the economy thus slowing down activity. Had the Bush tax increases not taken place, the recovery, due in large part to Reagan's economic programs of the 80's, would have taken off even faster and probably would have left the economy in much better shape as Bush 41 was facing reelection. I think the journalists feel that the tax increases were good for the country because they paved the way for the Clinton presidency.
My final problem with the show was the way they treated Bush 43. In the brief synopsis (which they did on each president) he was described as "lacking curiosity". This is a euphemism the left uses for "stupid". You see, you are said to "lack curiosity" if you have firm ideas and beliefs, and are so solidly rooted in those values that you are not interested in hearing what the opposition has to say (I guess I'm sort of like that - that's why there aren't any comments allowed on this site).
What's really going on with W is that he just doesn't care how the Dems feel about his plans and programs. He's going to go with them regardless of the opposition.
Since the show chose to interview only liberal journalists to discuss Bush, I shouldn't be surprised how it came out. One of the main sources who appeared frequently was Evan Thomas of Newsweek. Thomas is the guy who stated early in the 2004 campaign that favorable press coverage of Kerry would be worth 15 points. I guess it's a good thing Kerry got that favorable coverage or else he would have lost by 18 instead of by 3.
To the credit of A&E I did learn quite a bit about past presidents, but I wish they could have been a little more balanced in their assessment of the more recent leaders.
Hey Dummy It's Cold Outside!
The hyperventilating global warming crowd is at it again, this time releasing a report in Britain that basically says the world is in a downhill slide (atmospherically not morally) and that in 10 years it will be too late to prevent disaster. Of course, the report was released on a day in which the Northeastern U.S. suffered through one of the top 10 blizzards in history. Boston got something like 40 inches of snow.
It sort of reminds me of Al Gore, who about this time last year, gave an apocalyptic address on global warming in New York City - on the coldest day there in 100 years. Apparently these guys don't watch the weather channel.
It sort of reminds me of Al Gore, who about this time last year, gave an apocalyptic address on global warming in New York City - on the coldest day there in 100 years. Apparently these guys don't watch the weather channel.
The global warming crowd has begun to realize that dire predictions of disasters centuries in the future just doesn't stir up the audience anymore. Consequently they've ramped up their hysteria by claiming that whatever disaster awaits us is only a few years away, rather than decades. If you ask them, they'll tell you that they can't be sure that their predictions will come true, but it's too important to wait for science to catch up. WE NEED TO ACT NOW!!
Baloney. Back in the 80's that paragon of environmental wisdon, Ted Danson, barkeep on Cheers, stood on the shores of Santa Monica Bay and somberly told us that if we didn't immediately change our evil ways, the oceans had only 10 years to live. Last time I checked you can still find fish on the menus at local restaurants, so I'm guessing he didn't really know what he was talking about.
Read Michael Crichton's new book "State of Fear" for some eye-opening info on the global warming alarmist crowd.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Zarqawi Makes it Official
If there was every any doubt about what's going on with the insurgency in Iraq, read today's statement from Zarqawi, Osama's big guy in Iraq (from The Corner):
Bush called them out in his inaugural speech on freedom, and Z-man bit. It's now a clear battle of freedom versus tyranny.
Here's info on the threat from Zarqawi to the Iraqi voters:
"We have declared a bitter war against the principle of democracy and all those who seek to enact it…Candidates in elections are seeking to become demi-gods while those who vote for them are infidels. And with God as my witness, I have informed them (of our intentions)."
Bush called them out in his inaugural speech on freedom, and Z-man bit. It's now a clear battle of freedom versus tyranny.
Here's info on the threat from Zarqawi to the Iraqi voters:
“Insurgents in a town in central Iraq made a gruesome billboard threat to behead Iraqis who take part in next weekend's elections, warning they will use ink thumb prints to be issued at polling stations to target voters. The graphic poster, showing a headless body with its' thumb covered in ink, was pasted next to campaign materials in the town. All voters will have a thumb marked with a visible UV ink - which will remain on the skin for 48 hours - to prevent repeat polling.”
Anybody But Dean
The Dems are about to elect the next leader of their communal suicide pact, and some of the more moderate folks are panicked at the thought of the election of Howard Dean. Howie "the Scream" Dean is currently leading all candidates in the latest polling.
Here are a couple of articles detailing their panic:
George Will
Howard Fineman
Friday, January 21, 2005
ABC Gets Its Picture
We mentioned in an earlier post that ABC went fishing for a military funeral that would be held on inauguration day. Looks like they found one (courtest of The Corner):
If that town, Rockport, TX, sounds familiar, my quartet was just there two weeks ago for the Rockport Gospel Music Festival. I know those folks down there pretty well, and I can assure you that ABC would have had a tough time finding someone to blast the President in Aransas County.
For those of you wondering if it really was ABC that asked on the Internet to find a military funeral to match the Inauguration, wonder no more. Last night on World News Tonight, you could see video of a flag-draped casket in a church, a picture of the killed Marine, a flag being folded over the casket, scenes of grieving funeral attendees, and the Peter Jennings voiceover: "In Rockport, Texas today, just about the time the President was speaking, there was a funeral for a young Marine reservist: 21-year-old Matthew Holloway was killed in Iraq last week by a roadside bomb."
Jennings did have the decency to note how this soldier had felt about his calling: "His brother told a local paper that as much as Matthew wanted to be home, he was very proud of what he was doing in Iraq. And it is something you hear from so many people in the services, including the ten thousand who have already been wounded."
If that town, Rockport, TX, sounds familiar, my quartet was just there two weeks ago for the Rockport Gospel Music Festival. I know those folks down there pretty well, and I can assure you that ABC would have had a tough time finding someone to blast the President in Aransas County.
The Passion versus The Pig
Bridget Johnson writes a long piece in today's OpinionJournal.com regarding the upcoming Oscar battle between Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, and Michael Moore's anti-Bush propaganda film. Both movies have their fans and both think they should be awarded with an Oscar, but I've felt all along that neither will. In fact, neither may be nominated for any major awards. Ms. Johnson sums that up here:
I predict the only thing Michael Moore will walk home with on Oscar night is rolls from the Governors Ball stuffed in his pockets. And this won't be because the hearts of liberals in Hollywood have particularly healed from seeing President Bush elected to four more years, but because "Fahrenheit 9/11" will be bested by a good film. And "The Passion" probably won't be nominated in any of the major categories, to the disappointment of the film audience that made it the No. 3 grossing film of 2004. In grand Hollywood tradition, late-year releases will have won voters' hearts.When all is said and done, Mel Gibson won't be bothered at all if he doesn't win, while Michael Moore will be devastated if he's likewise ignored.
The "Cliff Notes" of Bush's Speech
Scott Ott, who runs the Scrappleface satire site, has the "Cliff Notes" version of the President's speech. Although Scott is known for his parodies, I think he got this one right on the money. Maybe even journalists can understand the speech now.
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Congratulations Mr. President!
After all of the grief and aggravation of the campaign, let's just enjoy this day!
West Wing Spins Out
I probably shouldn't admit this, being a conservative blogger and all, but I regularly watch "The West Wing" on Wednesday nights. The show's politics are hopelessly left-wing, but the show is well written and the characters are interesting. I watch it sort of the way a Dem listens to Rush Limbaugh - opposition research.
Last night's episode made a weak attempt to appeal to us Red State types with a minor storyline that had the Northeastern Liberal First Lady attending a NASCAR race at Martinsville, VA. She knew nothing about NASCAR, and in fact had to be prepped by one of the Southerners on the White House staff. This staffer basically told her that 45% of NASCAR attendees are women, and the reason they're there is due to the "hottie" nature of the drivers. Not being a women (or gay for that matter), I can't really render an opinion on that.
My problem with the episode is that they obviously weren't trying to appeal to real NASCAR fans, because there were a couple of glaring errors. The title of the episode was "365 Days", and the underlying theme was that the events portrayed took place 365 days before the President would leave office. In other words, the day this episode took place was January 20th.
Anyone who knows anything about NASCAR knows that there are no races in January, in Martinsville or anywhere else. The Cup Series will race twice at Martinsville, but those races won't occur until April and October. The first Cup race of the year won't happen until February 20th.
There was also mention of a traditional "kiss" in Victory Lane. The First Lady was bussed by imaginary winner Jamie McMurray (a real NASCAR driver, but a guy who has only won once in the Cup series and not for a couple of years). There is no traditional kiss in Victory Lane. They must have researched NASCAR by looking at 20 year old films of Miss Pick-Your-Title kissing the sweaty winning driver on the cheek.
West Wing needs to do a little more research before trying to incorporate NASCAR into their storylines. In reality, I'm not sure a Northeastern Liberal would have a very good reception from a typical NASCAR crowd. They tend to be a little more conservative in their politics.
Last year President Bush attended the season opening Daytona 500 (in February) and got a rousing welcome from both the fans and the drivers. I'm not sure President Bartlett would do as well.
By the way, in Martinsville today the weather is 43 degrees with snow expected tonight - not exactly racing weather.
Last night's episode made a weak attempt to appeal to us Red State types with a minor storyline that had the Northeastern Liberal First Lady attending a NASCAR race at Martinsville, VA. She knew nothing about NASCAR, and in fact had to be prepped by one of the Southerners on the White House staff. This staffer basically told her that 45% of NASCAR attendees are women, and the reason they're there is due to the "hottie" nature of the drivers. Not being a women (or gay for that matter), I can't really render an opinion on that.
My problem with the episode is that they obviously weren't trying to appeal to real NASCAR fans, because there were a couple of glaring errors. The title of the episode was "365 Days", and the underlying theme was that the events portrayed took place 365 days before the President would leave office. In other words, the day this episode took place was January 20th.
Anyone who knows anything about NASCAR knows that there are no races in January, in Martinsville or anywhere else. The Cup Series will race twice at Martinsville, but those races won't occur until April and October. The first Cup race of the year won't happen until February 20th.
There was also mention of a traditional "kiss" in Victory Lane. The First Lady was bussed by imaginary winner Jamie McMurray (a real NASCAR driver, but a guy who has only won once in the Cup series and not for a couple of years). There is no traditional kiss in Victory Lane. They must have researched NASCAR by looking at 20 year old films of Miss Pick-Your-Title kissing the sweaty winning driver on the cheek.
West Wing needs to do a little more research before trying to incorporate NASCAR into their storylines. In reality, I'm not sure a Northeastern Liberal would have a very good reception from a typical NASCAR crowd. They tend to be a little more conservative in their politics.
Last year President Bush attended the season opening Daytona 500 (in February) and got a rousing welcome from both the fans and the drivers. I'm not sure President Bartlett would do as well.
By the way, in Martinsville today the weather is 43 degrees with snow expected tonight - not exactly racing weather.
Guns for Me, but Not for Thee
Mr. Anti-Gun (and anti-everything else but desserts) Michael Moore has a little gun problem (from Fox News):
Filmmaker Michael Moore's bodyguard was arrested for carrying an unlicensed weapon in New York's JFK airport Wednesday night.
Police took Patrick Burke, who says Moore employs him, into custody after he declared he was carrying a firearm at a ticket counter. Burke is licensed to carry a firearm in Florida and California, but not in New York. Burke was taken to Queens central booking and could potentially be charged with a felony for the incident.
Moore's 2003 Oscar-winning film "Bowling for Columbine" criticizes what Moore calls America's "culture of fear" and its obsession with guns.
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
ABC News Searching for a Military Funeral
Power Line has this disturbing story - ABC News is searching for a military funeral on Inauguration Day so they can interview the grieving relatives and get their comments on President Bush. Here's Power Line's report:
Well, sure. ABC wants to "balance" its coverage of President Bush's inauguration with coverage of a military funeral:
Jan. 19, 2005 — For a possible Inauguration Day story on ABC News, we are trying to find out if there any military funerals for Iraq war casualties scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 20. If you know of a funeral and whether the family might be willing to talk to ABC News, please fill out the form below:Note that only the families of Iraqi war dead need apply. If a soldier died in Afghanistan, or aiding tsunami victims in Indonesia or Sri Lanka, or in a training exercise, never mind. That isn't the "balance" ABC is looking for.
UPDATE: ABC has now taken down its solicitation of a military funeral to rain on the inaugural parade. Chalk up another small victory for our (Power Line's) readers.
Every time I think the MSM have stooped as low as they can go, they surprise me.
Thanks to San Antonio Express-News Watch and to reader Bill Crawford.
Another Darwin Award Winner
Some folks just feel it necessary to fight against authority, and sometimes their actions remove them from the genepool (from Best of the Web Today):
Here's what I'd do instead - if you want to drive without your seatbelt or ride a motorcyle without a helmet, fine, go ahead. However your decision to do that will automatically exempt you from receiving any government funds for care you might need after you've bounced down the highway on your head and become a 24/7 drooler. You (and your estate) will also be barred from suing ANYONE for your injuries.
If you dare, we don't care.
'The Jerk That Flirts With Death'Frankly, I'm not much for nanny-state laws. I'd just as soon the government stayed out of my life as much as possible. Mandatory seat belt and motorcycle helmet laws are examples of the nanny-state approach.
In September the Daily Nebraskan, the student newspaper at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, published a column by Derek Kieper that argued against mandatory seat-belt laws:
As laws become increasingly strict for seat belts, fewer people will respond positively by buckling up in response to the laws. There seems to be a die-hard group of non-wearers out there who simply do not wish to buckle up no matter what the government does. I belong to this group. . . .
Telling me to wear my seat belt is the same as making sure I have some sort of proper education before diving into a swimming pool. If I want to dive in without knowing how to swim, that is my right. And if I want to be the jerk that flirts with death and rides around with my seat belt off, I should be able to do that, too.
Today's Lincoln Journal Star reports the sad ending of the Kieper story:
Kieper, a 21-year-old senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, died early Tuesday morning when the Ford Explorer he was a passenger in travelled off an icy section of Interstate 80 and rolled several times in a ditch. . . . Derek, who was thrown from the vehicle, was not wearing a seat belt.
When you flirt with death, you run the risk that death has something more serious in mind.
Here's what I'd do instead - if you want to drive without your seatbelt or ride a motorcyle without a helmet, fine, go ahead. However your decision to do that will automatically exempt you from receiving any government funds for care you might need after you've bounced down the highway on your head and become a 24/7 drooler. You (and your estate) will also be barred from suing ANYONE for your injuries.
If you dare, we don't care.
The Fallacy of Increasing the Minimum Wage
Robert Kuttner writes a typical liberal piece on the minimum wage in today's Boston.com. He seems to think this is a big winning issue for Dems based on the fact that a minimum wage proposal in Florida won big (72%-28%). The proposal was promoted by ACORN, a radical left group that seems to have the goal of transferring as much wealth as possible from the haves to the have-nots. What is his (and ACORN's) justification for increasing the minimum wage?
This is a typically shortsighted approach that would have you believe that all business owners are flush with cash and that by waving a magic wand and increasing the minimum wage, the owners would simply have to pay it out of their huge profits. In reality it doesn't work that way. Many businesses who employ minimum wage workers are anything but flush with cash. When they get hit for an increase in wages that doesn't include a corresponding increase in production, something has to give. They will be forced to cut back in other areas and could end up cutting staff to pay the higher wages to the remaining employees.
Just once I'd like to see the anti-employer left open their eyes a little bit and get a dose of reality about the costs involved with employment.
According to ACORN, the minimum wage initiative will give a full-time worker a $2,000 annual raise and will produce a total of $400 million in purchasing power for lower-income Floridians. Remember, these are people not on the dole. The measure also indexes the Florida minimum wage to inflation.Do you notice something missing here? There's not one mention in his article of where all this money is going to come from. Who is going to be paying these $2,000 annual raises? What effect with the extra expense have on the wage payers?
This is a typically shortsighted approach that would have you believe that all business owners are flush with cash and that by waving a magic wand and increasing the minimum wage, the owners would simply have to pay it out of their huge profits. In reality it doesn't work that way. Many businesses who employ minimum wage workers are anything but flush with cash. When they get hit for an increase in wages that doesn't include a corresponding increase in production, something has to give. They will be forced to cut back in other areas and could end up cutting staff to pay the higher wages to the remaining employees.
Just once I'd like to see the anti-employer left open their eyes a little bit and get a dose of reality about the costs involved with employment.
Self Demolishing Dems
Michael Goodwin writing in today's Daily News echoes much of what I've been saying about the determination the Dems have to make themselves irrelevant. Here's an excerpt:
Liar!
Am not!
Liar!
Am not!
Senate confirmation hearings don't get any more raw than the bareknuckle back-and-forth yesterday between Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Condoleezza Rice.
Pants on fire!
That would apply to Boxer, who seems to be going through a terminal meltdown. Something is driving her over the edge, and she's determined to take the Democratic Party with her.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
The Best and the Dumbest
If you watched any of today's confirmation hearing for Dr. Rice you got a chance to see the smartest women in government getting grilled by easily the dumbest women in government. Of course Dr. Rice is the smartest, and Senator Barbara (Dumb as a Box of Rocks) Boxer leads the way among the intellectually challenged.
Boxer is an embarrassment to California and to the Senate. She obviously feels bulletproof right now having won reelection for another 6 years (groan!). She has also the self-appointed leader of the wacky left, trying to advance every nutty theory she can come up with. Don't forget, she was the only Senator to promote the idea that the voting in Ohio was flawed enough to try and throw out the Ohio electoral votes.
Boxer is an embarrassment to California and to the Senate. She obviously feels bulletproof right now having won reelection for another 6 years (groan!). She has also the self-appointed leader of the wacky left, trying to advance every nutty theory she can come up with. Don't forget, she was the only Senator to promote the idea that the voting in Ohio was flawed enough to try and throw out the Ohio electoral votes.
What makes this all the sillier is that Dr. Rice is a sure bet to be confirmed, and in fact will likely be voted out of committee on the 19th and confirmed by the Senate on the 20th. Boxer's grandstanding and browbeating will not in any way stop that, but it did make Dr. Rice a sympathetic figure and made Boxer look like a raving idiot.
Californians have good reason to be proud of Dr. Rice (who used to hail from here), and every reason to be repulsed by Boxer. What an idiot.
An Alternative Inaugural Address
P.J. O'Rourke in The Weekly Standard writes his own version of an inaugural address. After reading this, anything else will be simply boring. Here's how it starts:
MY FELLOW AMERICANS, I had intended to reach out to all of you and bring a divided nation together. But I changed my mind. America isn't divided by political ethos or ethnic origin. America isn't divided by region or religion. America is divided by jerks. Who wants to bring a bunch of jerks together with the rest of us? Let them stew in Berkeley, Boston, and Ann Arbor.It just gets better - you'll want to read the whole thing.
Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
A good impersonator should mimic the voice, mannerisms and other attributes of the celebrity he's impersonating, but not the crimes (from Newsmax):
Kennedy Imitator Charged With Manslaughter
A Connecticut man has been charged with manslaughter after abandoning his girlfriend to drown in an case with eerie similarities to one of the most notorious episodes in modern American political history.
"Francisco Loaiza, 29, was charged with manslaughter with a motor vehicle in the death of the 21-year-old woman, a Russian exchange student whose name was withheld," reports the Associated Press.
Borrowing a page from Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy's Chappaquiddick scandal, police say Loaiza crashed his 1995 Nissan through a guard rail bordering Stamford's Holly Pond on Saturday. The vehicle sank to the bottom, with Loaiza's girlfriend trapped inside. Loaiza attempted to flee the scene, allegedly leaving her to drown, but was apprehended - still soaking wet - by police.
In the 1969 episode, Sen. Kennedy managed to elude capture after driving his late-model Oldsmobile off Martha's Vineyard's Edgartown Bridge, leaving staffer Mary Jo Kopechne drowning inside.
Kennedy later claimed he dove into the water several times in a futile effort to save Kopechne. He then went to a local hotel, where he reportedly considered blaming the accident on his cousin, Joseph Garghan.
Unfortunately for Mr. Loaiza, he isn't a powerful Democratic senator, and will therefore be prosecuted to the maximum extent allowed by law.
Dems Plan Scorched Earth Strategy
In 1864 General Sherman marched from Atlanta to Savannah leaving a 60 mile wide swath of total destruction otherwise known as Shermans "March to the Sea". Apparently the Dems are also considering such a plan when it comes to all of President Bush's big ideas.
In 1993 & 94 President Clinton tried to launch HilaryCare which would have taken over one seventh of the U.S. economy and ruined health care as we know it. The GOP under Newt Gingrich vigorously opposed the plan and the following Republican Revolution led to the 1994 swamping of the Dems in the mid-term election.
The Dems have been studying those tactics and have decided to do something similar in regards to the Social Security debate. Just a few years ago when the country was looking at large surpluses, Clinton himself said that the first priority was to save Social Security. Now suddenly the Dems think that Social Security is just fine and any changes are unacceptable. Any idiot with a calculator can quickly prove them wrong.
In not too many years as the Baby Boom generation ages there will be fewer and fewer workers for every senior receiving benefits. That is a pyramid scheme that is sure to collapse without bold and creative action. President Bush has decided to take on this challenge, and the Dems have decided to fight it tooth and nail.
According to David Brooks in the New York Times (registration required) the Dems have been studying Gingrich's tactics from '93 and are going to try them this year in the Social Security debate in the hopes that the battle will yield a massive Dem victory in the '06 midterm elections. The Dems seem to be forgetting one big thing: the country didn't need or want national health care in '94, but the country does want a healthy Social Security system now. Also, Clinton won with only 43% of the vote in '92 which means there was already a majority of voters opposed to him. Bush won with 51%.
The debate will be energetic and every charge imaginable will be thrown about, but I fully expect that when all is said and done, the Dems will once again open the door right into their own nose and the '06 election will once again go heavily to the GOP who will be seen as the party trying to save Social Security while the Dems will be seen as out of touch with reality while trying to preserve a failing and flawed system.
In 1993 & 94 President Clinton tried to launch HilaryCare which would have taken over one seventh of the U.S. economy and ruined health care as we know it. The GOP under Newt Gingrich vigorously opposed the plan and the following Republican Revolution led to the 1994 swamping of the Dems in the mid-term election.
The Dems have been studying those tactics and have decided to do something similar in regards to the Social Security debate. Just a few years ago when the country was looking at large surpluses, Clinton himself said that the first priority was to save Social Security. Now suddenly the Dems think that Social Security is just fine and any changes are unacceptable. Any idiot with a calculator can quickly prove them wrong.
In not too many years as the Baby Boom generation ages there will be fewer and fewer workers for every senior receiving benefits. That is a pyramid scheme that is sure to collapse without bold and creative action. President Bush has decided to take on this challenge, and the Dems have decided to fight it tooth and nail.
According to David Brooks in the New York Times (registration required) the Dems have been studying Gingrich's tactics from '93 and are going to try them this year in the Social Security debate in the hopes that the battle will yield a massive Dem victory in the '06 midterm elections. The Dems seem to be forgetting one big thing: the country didn't need or want national health care in '94, but the country does want a healthy Social Security system now. Also, Clinton won with only 43% of the vote in '92 which means there was already a majority of voters opposed to him. Bush won with 51%.
The debate will be energetic and every charge imaginable will be thrown about, but I fully expect that when all is said and done, the Dems will once again open the door right into their own nose and the '06 election will once again go heavily to the GOP who will be seen as the party trying to save Social Security while the Dems will be seen as out of touch with reality while trying to preserve a failing and flawed system.
Sunday, January 16, 2005
Adventures in Higher Education
Apparently, if you are a Arab Muslim and do not hate America, you need psychological help, as least that what this professor thinks (from the Washington Times):
A 17-year-old Kuwaiti student whose uncles were kidnapped and tortured by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's invaders more than a decade ago said his California college political science professor failed him for praising the United States in a final-exam essay last month.
Ahmad Al-Qloushi, a foreign student at Foothill College near San Jose, Calif., said he was told by professor Joseph A. Woolcock to get psychological treatment because of the pro-American views expressed in his essay.
"Apparently, if you are an Arab Muslim who loves America, you must be deranged," said Mr. Al-Qloushi, who feared the failing grade could cost him his student visa."I didn't want to be deported for having written a pro-American essay, so as soon as I left his office, I made an appointment with the school psychologist," he said.
Mr. Woolcock did not respond to telephone and e-mail inquiries. College officials declined to comment, saying it is a confidential matter because Mr. Al-Qloushi and Mr. Woolcock have filed complaints.For their final exam, Mr. Woolcock had students write an essay on one of several topics that he circulated.
The topic chosen by Mr. Al-Qloushi stated that some scholars "contend that the Constitution of the United States was not 'ordained and established' by 'the people' as we have often been led to believe. They contend instead that it was written by a small educated and wealthy elite in America who were representative of powerful economic and political interests. Analyze the U.S. Constitution (original document), and show how its formulation excluded the majority of people living in America at that time, and how it was dominated by America's elite interests."
In his essay, Mr. Al-Qloushi said, "I completely disagree. ... The American Constitution worried monarchs in Europe. The right for men to choose their own representatives was unheard-of in the rest of the world. ... The United States Constitution might have excluded the majority of people at the time. But it progressed, and America, like every nation in the world, progressed ...
"Because of America, the world is free. ... America freed Kuwait and is now currently in a fight to free Iraq and its 25 million residents and vanquish the tyranny and monstrosity of Saddam Hussein."
Mr. Al-Qloushi said Mr. Woolcock "told me to come to his office the next morning." In the meeting, "he verbally attacked me and my essay."
"He told me, 'Your views are irrational. He called me naive for believing in the greatness of this country and told me, 'America is not God's gift to the world. ... You need regular psychotherapy.' "
Keith Pratt, an English professor at the school, said he was "pretty appalled" when Mr. Al-Qloushi told him about the incident. "I told him, 'You should talk to the dean and go through channels,' " he said.
"This is a very sincere action on his part," the professor said. "There was never one hint that he had any axe to grind. I know this guy and I have had many conversations with him about the atmosphere in the classroom, but he never engaged in any character assassination."
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Dems Have the Blues
For years now, especially since AIDS awareness became the "in thing" back in the 80's, folks have sought ways to express their solidarity with one cause or another. Ribbons were all the fashion for awhile with every color of the rainbow representing one terrible plague or another.
The latest must have fashion item is a plastic bracelet. Lance Armstrong came out with his yellow "LIVESTRONG" bracelets to support cancer research, and despite the fact that yellow stands for "Do Not Resuscitate" in certain hospitals, they've been fairly popular.
Now the dead ender Dems have come up with their own plastic bracelet - blue for all of those who hate Bush. Frankly, I'm glad their doing this. Now we know who to feel sorry for.
These poor misguided folks just can't seem to move on with their lives, and it's only fitting that they mark themselves for the rest of us so we can avoid them. I would suggest that whenever you encounter someone wearing the blue badge of shame, simply pat them on the head and say "there, there, you poor thing" and send them on their way. Maybe someday they'll get the help they need.
The latest must have fashion item is a plastic bracelet. Lance Armstrong came out with his yellow "LIVESTRONG" bracelets to support cancer research, and despite the fact that yellow stands for "Do Not Resuscitate" in certain hospitals, they've been fairly popular.
Now the dead ender Dems have come up with their own plastic bracelet - blue for all of those who hate Bush. Frankly, I'm glad their doing this. Now we know who to feel sorry for.
These poor misguided folks just can't seem to move on with their lives, and it's only fitting that they mark themselves for the rest of us so we can avoid them. I would suggest that whenever you encounter someone wearing the blue badge of shame, simply pat them on the head and say "there, there, you poor thing" and send them on their way. Maybe someday they'll get the help they need.
Friday, January 14, 2005
Buying the Blogs
There's a rumble in the blogosphere today regarding the admission by some prominent bloggers that they received payments from campaigns to push their candidates. The Wall Street Journal starts off an article on the subject with this:
I personally have no problem with someone making a living from their writing, or even accepting funds for advocating one position or another. An honest person will disclose the support they're receiving, and then the readers can decide for themselves whether they should pay attention to what the guy is saying.
You'll definately see more of this in the future. The explosion of blogs in the past year makes them a viable source of advertising and promotion, and influential blogs can create a lot of media noise (look what happened when Power Line and Little Green Footballs took after the Rathergate story).
For the record, no one is paying me to write anything on this blog. In fact, there may be some willing to pay me to stop - I don't know.
That doesn't mean I can't be bought.....try me.
Howard Dean's presidential campaign hired two Internet political "bloggers" as consultants so that they would say positive things about the former governor's campaign in their online journals, according to a former high-profile Dean aide.
Zephyr Teachout, the former head of Internet outreach for Mr. Dean's campaign, made the disclosure earlier this week in her own Web log, Zonkette. She said "to be very clear, they never committed to supporting Dean for the payment -- but it was very clearly, internally, our goal." The hiring of the consultants was noted in several publications at the time.
The issue of political payments to commentators has become hot following disclosures that the Bush administration paid a conservative radio and newspaper pundit, Armstrong Williams, $240,000 to plug its "No Child Left Behind" education policy.
With the growing importance of blogs -- short for Web logs -- Ms. Teachout said she thinks bloggers need to rethink their attitudes toward ethics. A blog is an online personal journal or series of postings, dealing with just about anything. Millions of people use blogs to post diatribes, rants, links to other sites and erudite analyses hourly, daily or sporadically. Some make a little money by selling ads. The Dean campaign's adroit use of the Internet helped make its long-shot effort credible.
I personally have no problem with someone making a living from their writing, or even accepting funds for advocating one position or another. An honest person will disclose the support they're receiving, and then the readers can decide for themselves whether they should pay attention to what the guy is saying.
You'll definately see more of this in the future. The explosion of blogs in the past year makes them a viable source of advertising and promotion, and influential blogs can create a lot of media noise (look what happened when Power Line and Little Green Footballs took after the Rathergate story).
For the record, no one is paying me to write anything on this blog. In fact, there may be some willing to pay me to stop - I don't know.
That doesn't mean I can't be bought.....try me.
War is for Lovers
Those crazy kids at the Pentagon have been working on a new non-lethal weapon that was considered for use in Iraq (hat tip The Corner):
If I'm not mistaken, they've been testing it in San Francisco and Laguna Beach for a number of years.
The Pentagon considered developing a host of non-lethal chemical weapons that would disrupt discipline and morale among enemy troops, newly declassified documents reveal.
Most bizarre among the plans was one for the development of an "aphrodisiac" chemical weapon that would make enemy soldiers sexually irresistible to each other. Provoking widespread homosexual behaviour among troops would cause a "distasteful but completely non-lethal" blow to morale, the proposal says.
If I'm not mistaken, they've been testing it in San Francisco and Laguna Beach for a number of years.
Bias, What Bias?
Charles Krauthammer spits in the big C-BS eye with his column today in the New York Daily News. The nut graf:
Read the whole thing here.
Some say it is possible to be a partisan at home and yet consciously bias-free at work. The Project for Excellence in Journalism studied mainstream stories in September and October 2004. Take Oct. 1-14: Percent of negative stories about Bush - 59%. Percent of negative stories about Kerry - 25%. Stories favorable to Bush, 14%. To Kerry, 34%. You do not have to be a weatherman to ascertain wind direction. In a February 2003 Gallup poll, 45% of Americans surveyed said the media were too liberal, 15% said they were too conservative. Bias spectacularly, if redundantly, reconfirmed by Rathergate. All that is missing is a written confession.
Read the whole thing here.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
Denial Isn't Just a River in Egypt
Sen. Ted (the Swimmer) Kennedy spoke at the National Press Club yesterday. Most of it was the usual blather from the bloviating lawmaker, but I thought this line was particularly interesting:
And I may be only a blogger, but I'm actually the editor of the New York Times.
I hope the Dems follow the corpulent Kennedy as he attempts to run the entire party off a cliff. Dems have not known what to do since 1994 when they were voted into the minority, and have done everything since then to try and act like the majority. On the other side, the Republicans have often forgotten that they are the majority party and have let the Dems run over them on various issues, like judges. It's time that everyone understood their place in the pecking order and acted appropriately.
Of course, no one in the mainstream media will ask Kennedy how it is that his party speaks for the majority of Americans, and yet the majority of Americans don't want them to be the majority party. And how is it that the Dem presidential candidate ended up with 3,000,000 fewer votes than Bush?
Mary Jo Kopechne could not be reached for comment.
"We as Democrats may be in the minority in Congress, but we speak for the majority of Americans."
And I may be only a blogger, but I'm actually the editor of the New York Times.
I hope the Dems follow the corpulent Kennedy as he attempts to run the entire party off a cliff. Dems have not known what to do since 1994 when they were voted into the minority, and have done everything since then to try and act like the majority. On the other side, the Republicans have often forgotten that they are the majority party and have let the Dems run over them on various issues, like judges. It's time that everyone understood their place in the pecking order and acted appropriately.
Of course, no one in the mainstream media will ask Kennedy how it is that his party speaks for the majority of Americans, and yet the majority of Americans don't want them to be the majority party. And how is it that the Dem presidential candidate ended up with 3,000,000 fewer votes than Bush?
Mary Jo Kopechne could not be reached for comment.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Letterman's Top Ten List for C-BS News
Here's the top ten list from last night (hat tip Hugh Hewitt):
Top Ten Proposed Changes At CBS NewsI like #6 and #10 the best.
10. Stories must be corroborated by at least two really strong hunches.
9. "Evening News" pre-show staff cocktail hour is cancelled until
further notice.
8. Reduce "60 Minutes" to more manageable 15-20 minutes.
7. Change division name from "CBS News" to "CBS News-ish"
6. If anchor says anything inaccurate, earpiece delivers an electric
shock.
5. Conclude each story with comical "Boing" sound effect.
4. Instead of boring Middle East reports, more powerball drawings.
3. To play it safe, every "exclusive" story will be about how tasty
pecan pie is.
2. Not sure how, but make CBS News more like "C.S.I."
1. Use beer, cash and hookers to lure Tom Brokaw out of retirement."
Kerry Spot Takes on Gunga Dan
Jim Geraghty of National Review Online and writer of TKS (formerly The Kerry Spot) nails Gunga Dan:
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT DAN RATHER? [01/12 09:59 AM]Gunga Dan responded yesterday in a memo to fellow C-BS employees. The closing paragraph from Dan was this:
You'll see more on this subject in the future on NRO, but for now, a few sentences of summary: How revealing is it that Dan Rather — the face of CBS News, widely described as "a newsman's newsman" — was not at the anchor desk the day the report is released, and the next day issued only a brief statement to his coworkers?
What does it say that this man, the embodiment of a generation in television journalism, chose to not do a press conference, and wasn't willing to sit down for a hard-hitting interview? So far, he has clammed up and avoided the press like… well, like the corporate or government officials who are usually the targets of “60 Minutes” investigations.
Keep this in mind when Rather retires in March, and commentators fall all over themselves offering gushing praise for his character, his toughness, his guts, and his sense of honor.
Lest anyone have any doubt, I have read the report, I take it seriously, and I shall keep its lessons well in mind.For some odd reason that sentence reminds me of Scrooge, after awakening on Christmas morning, promising to keep Christmas in his heart every day of the year. There is a big difference between the two...Scrooge changed.
The Death of a Party
Howard Fineman on MSNBC.com bemoans the death of a party - the American Mainstream Media Party. Take a look at this excerpt:
A political party is dying before our eyes — and I don't mean the Democrats. I'm talking about the "mainstream media," which is being destroyed by the opposition (or worse, the casual disdain) of George Bush's Republican Party; by competition from other news outlets (led by the internet and Fox's canny Roger Ailes); and by its own fraying journalistic standards. At the height of its power, the AMMP (the American Mainstream Media Party) helped validate the civil rights movement, end a war and oust a power-mad president. But all that is ancient history.
Now the AMMP is reeling, and not just from the humiliation of CBS News. We have a president who feels it's almost a point of honor not to hold more press conferences — he's held far fewer than any modern predecessor — and doesn't seem to agree that the media has any "right" to know what's really going in inside his administration. The AMMP, meanwhile, is regarded with ever growing suspicion by American voters, viewers and readers, who increasingly turn for information and analysis only to non-AMMP outlets that tend to reinforce the sectarian views of discrete slices of the electorate.
Poor Howie and his cronies are really shook up by this whole C-BS scandal and the general feeling among the unwashed masses that the media can no longer be trusted to provide "fair and balanced" reporting (to coin a phrase). With so many blogs in operation, when an item is published or broadcast, you now have literally thousands of fact checkers who can jump on a story and expose the media nonsense in a matter of minutes.
The media doesn't like this kind of oversight, and in fact many of the media stars feel they are "above" this kind of oversight thanks to the journalism degree yellowing on their office wall. Since many bloggers don't have those precious pieces of paper on their walls, surely they must be ignored.
The media is now learning that they ignore the blogosphere at their own peril. Hopefully this new level of oversight will result in few crusades by the media and more genuine reporting.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Back From Rockport, TX
The quartet spent the weekend in Rockport, TX, and I thought you might enjoy reading the report:
The boys are back in town after completing a very successful trip to Rockport, TX for the 10th annual Rockport Gospel Music Festival. We've been going to Rockport since 1999 and each year the event has gotten bigger and better. You can see some photos from this year's singing here: Rockport Festival 2005.
This year's festival featured more than 25 artists and groups and played before crowds of more than 2,500 people during the 3 day event.
We flew out of Orange County in the rain on Friday morning and returned in the rain on Monday. According to my wife, it never stopped the whole time we were gone, so I guess we didn't miss too much back at home.
We were met at the airport by Aransas County Sheriff Mark Gilliam who is also the bass singer for Rockport's Gospel Force, the host group of the event. He and Momma Bea drove us back to the Sheriff's station where we got a tour of the new Public Safety Center and some souvenir t-shirts. We also picked up all of our product that had been shipped there earlier.
We headed over to the auditorium to set-up and sound check, and then on to the Lighthouse Inn to clean up for the evening. We mentioned this beautiful hotel last year, and you can see pictures of it from last year's report (Rockport Festival 2004).
We were last up on the Friday night program and didn't go on until after 10 pm. At many concerts you could expect to see only a handful of folks left in the auditorium at that hour, but the people in Rockport love their music and the 1,100 seat auditorium was nearly full when we took the stage following The Nelons lengthy set.
As you know, we've been on the hunt for a new lead singer for several months, and since we haven't found the right guy yet, we borrowed our former lead singer, Eric Baesel who now lives in Frisco, TX, and brought him and his wife Laura to Rockport with us. Eric jumped right in and learned 29 songs in preparation for Rockport, and when we walked out on stage Friday night it was just as though he hadn't been gone for the last three years. Laura was also a big help spending some quality time watching the product table for us. Laura and Eric are expecting their first child on March 11, so this was Laura's last trip before the big event.
Saturday afternoon we renewed acquaintances with Eric's uncle and aunt, Berle and Ruth Green from Victoria, TX. They treated us to a wonderful seafood lunch at one of Rockport's waterfront restaurants, and it's a good thing we all filled up since dinner wouldn't come for many, many hours.
Saturday's concert ran from 10am to 10:30pm and the building was full all day. We sang at about 8pm to a full house of excited gospel music fans. Those winter Texans and local folks really like their gospel music and always treat us very nicely.
After another midnight fast food dinner and a few hours of sleep, we were off to First Baptist Church in Portland for their morning service. I don't know if I've ever mentioned this about the Festival before, but one of the things the hosts do is line up Sunday morning dates for all of the out-of-town groups. This helps us pay the bills and helps them advertise the event in churches all over the area. This was FBC Portland's first year as a host church for the Festival and we appreciate Music Passtor Rick Hamilton opening their church to us and the Festival.
After the service we headed over to the Lagoons RV Park, which is one of many winter Texan parks in Aransas County. Each year the residents of the park prepare a big potluck dinner for all of the visiting groups. It gives us all a chance to relax and fellowship with the other groups, while at the same time enjoying some good home cooking.
Sunday afternoon the Festival kicked off again, this time at First Baptist Church in Rockport. The program ran from 3 to 10:30pm, and we sang our final stand of the trip at around 7:45pm. The church was packed and following our program, the show closed with performances by several local choirs.
As quickly as it started, the trip was over. We flew home on Monday, arriving just in time for the last of the big rains. We were in clouds and rain for the last 45 minutes of the trip and we weren't sure we were ever going to break out. We made it safely back to Southern California with lots of great memories of our friends in Rockport. We know so many people back there now that each Festival is more of a family reunion than a gospel concert. We're already looking forward to next year!
If you're in the area, don't miss the 2006 show - January 6-8, 2006.
What a Way to Go
The timing may not have been his first choice, but I'm sure he would have approved of the way his exit from earth played out (from My Way News):
A Presbyterian minister collapsed and died in mid-sentence of a sermon after saying "And when I go to heaven ...," his colleague said Monday.
The Rev. Jack Arnold, 69, was nearing the end of his sermon Sunday at Covenant Presbyterian Church in this Orlando suburb when he grabbed the podium before falling to the floor, said the Rev. Michael S. Beates, associate pastor at Covenant Presbyterian.
Before collapsing, Arnold quoted the 18th century Bible scholar, John Wesley, who said, "Until my work on this earth is done, I am immortal. But when my work for Christ is done ... I go to be with Jesus," Beates said in a telephone interview.
Several members of the congregation with medical backgrounds tried to revive the minister and paramedics were called, but Arnold appeared to die instantly, Beates said.
Arnold had been the senior minister at the church until the late 1990s when he began traveling to Africa and the Middle East to teach pastors. The cause of death was believed to be cardiac arrest. He had bypass surgery five years earlier.
Beates also recounted Arnold's death in an e-mail he sent to members of the Central Florida Presbytery.
"We were stunned," Beates said. "It was traumatic, but how wonderful it was he died in his own church among the people he loved the most."
Place Your Left Hand On....What??
Michael Newdow, the atheist who has taken it as his personal crusade to rid the country of religion (he's been trying to take "under God" out of the Pledge of Allegiance) is going after another American tradition. When elected officials are sworn in, they are usually asked to place their left hand on a Bible. Newdow wants the Bible and any prayers removed from the presidential inauguration (from the Detroit Free Press):
The government is asking a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit by an atheist who wants to bar the saying of a prayer at President Bush's inauguration, calling the practice widely accepted and more than 200 years old, according to a court filing released Monday.
Michael Newdow, best known for trying to remove "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance, filed suit last month in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He said the use of a prayer is unconstitutional.
Newdow said that two ministers delivered Christian invocations at Bush's first inaugural ceremony in 2001, and that plans call for a minister to do the same before Bush takes the oath of office again on Jan. 20.
Prayers at presidential inaugurals and legislative sessions go back to 1789, the government said. "There is no reason to reverse course and abandon a widely accepted, noncontroversial aspect of the inaugural ceremony," it said.
Last year, the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals tossed the same lawsuit, saying Newdow did not suffer "a sufficiently concrete and specific injury."
He had won the pledge case more than two years ago before the same appeals court, which said it was an unconstitutional blending of church and state for public school students to pledge to God.
In June, however, the Supreme Court said Newdow could not lawfully sue because he did not have custody of his elementary school-aged daughter, on whose behalf he sued, and because the girl's mother objected to the suit.
Newdow refiled the pledge suit in Sacramento federal court last week, naming eight other plaintiffs who are custodial parents or the children themselves.
The C-BS Report
Rather (pardon the pun) than try and hash through all the details on the C-BS report on Rathergate, I'm going to point you to some folks who are a lot smarter than me.
I will make one point, however. Isn't it interesting that there was no definitive statement in the report regarding the memos. Were they forged or real? Apparently the investigators didn't want to tackle that one, because if they came out and admitted what everyone knows - that the memos were forged - the damage to C-BS would be much deeper and long lasting than if they simply left their status somewhat ambiguous.
I will make one point, however. Isn't it interesting that there was no definitive statement in the report regarding the memos. Were they forged or real? Apparently the investigators didn't want to tackle that one, because if they came out and admitted what everyone knows - that the memos were forged - the damage to C-BS would be much deeper and long lasting than if they simply left their status somewhat ambiguous.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Heading to Texas
I'm heading to Texas for four days of quartet work, which means there won't be any blogging until next Tuesday when I get back and have a chance to look at the news again.
Here's something to look for tomorrow - the release of the CBS report on Rathergate. I heard an interview this afternoon on the Hugh Hewitt show with Charles Johnson of LittleGreenFootballs.com and a couple of the boys from Powerlineblog.com, the two blogs primarily responsible for breaking the whole fraudulent memo story. Powerline even ended up as "Blog of the Year" at Time Magazine because of their work.
Neither of these blogs were contacted by the CBS investigators who are supposedly trying to get to the bottom of the whole Rathergate mess. This information confirms for me that the investigation will be incomplete at best, and a whitewash at worst. If the report is released as suspected on Friday, be sure to check all three of the above blogs to get their take on it. It should be pretty entertaining.
Talk to you again on Tuesday!
Here's something to look for tomorrow - the release of the CBS report on Rathergate. I heard an interview this afternoon on the Hugh Hewitt show with Charles Johnson of LittleGreenFootballs.com and a couple of the boys from Powerlineblog.com, the two blogs primarily responsible for breaking the whole fraudulent memo story. Powerline even ended up as "Blog of the Year" at Time Magazine because of their work.
Neither of these blogs were contacted by the CBS investigators who are supposedly trying to get to the bottom of the whole Rathergate mess. This information confirms for me that the investigation will be incomplete at best, and a whitewash at worst. If the report is released as suspected on Friday, be sure to check all three of the above blogs to get their take on it. It should be pretty entertaining.
Talk to you again on Tuesday!
IN GOOD COMPANY
There's a new movie coming out from Universal Pictures and Grace Hill Media called IN GOOD COMPANY. I've seen the trailer and it looks like it could be pretty interesting (you can see the trailer here).
Marketing of a lot of things is changing rapidly with the rise of the blogosphere, and Grace Hill Media is trying something new with this movie. In addition to providing special screenings to the media and critics, they are offering a free screening to any who runs their own blog. I've decided to take them up on it and will report on the movie once I've had a chance to see it.
If you have a blog, you can also take advantage of this offer:
If this works for Grace Hill, I wouldn't be surprised to see this approach taken with other products.
Marketing of a lot of things is changing rapidly with the rise of the blogosphere, and Grace Hill Media is trying something new with this movie. In addition to providing special screenings to the media and critics, they are offering a free screening to any who runs their own blog. I've decided to take them up on it and will report on the movie once I've had a chance to see it.
If you have a blog, you can also take advantage of this offer:
I think this is a pretty smart idea on the part of Grace Hill Media. Normally word of mouth on a movie can't start until it actually hits the theaters. With this approach, potentially thousands of bloggers with millions of readers can start the word of mouth going and generate traffic for the movie. Of course, if the picture is bad, it also has the potential to kill the thing before release. I'm guessing that Grace Hill thinks they've got a winner here, or they wouldn't be quite to willing to have a bunch of bloggers at advance screenings.There’s been overwhelming response from bloggers responding to the offer for free tickets to an advance screening of IN GOOD COMPANY.
So Universal Pictures and Grace Hill Media wants to respond to that enthusiasm by upping the ante: any blogger who signs up for the free tickets and then posts this offer and a link to the IN GOOD COMPANY trailer on their site will be automatically entered in a contest to win their very own private screening of IN GOOD COMPANY in their town. The winner can either fill the screening with their friends and family, or see the film alone with that special someone – it’s entirely up to them. One lucky blogger here in the US will win.
Sign up at info@gracehillmedia.com and send us your link. And of course, all the non-winners will still be eligible to attend an advance screening in their area.
If this works for Grace Hill, I wouldn't be surprised to see this approach taken with other products.
Kerry Bashes Bush in Enemy Territory
Shades of his Vietnam experience - Kerry travels to the enemy's homeland and bashes his president (hat tip LittleGreenFootballs.com):
Visiting with U.S. troops in Baghdad on Thursday, failed presidential candidate John Kerry trashed Commander-in-chief George Bush for making “horrendous judgments” and “unbelievable blunders” that have undermined the war effort.
In a series of demoralizing comments first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, the defeated Democrat griped, “What is sad about what’s happening here now is that so much of it is a process of catching up from the enormous miscalculations and wrong judgments made in the beginning.”
Kerry said that because of the Bush administration’s mistakes, “the job has been made enormously harder.”
Among the errors cited by the disgruntled Democrat: the decision by former U.S. occupation leader Paul Bremer’s to disband the Iraqi army and purge the government of former members of Hussein’s Baath Party.
Both moves were have fueled the Sunni insurgency, he claimed, lamenting, “Mistakes have been made.”
Then, perhaps sensing he’d gone too far, the 2008 White House hopeful cut short the Bush-bashing, saying, “Now, it’s a different time and different set of judgments that have to be made. I’m here to make judgments about what moves are available to us.”
Dems Open Mouth, Insert Foot
The Dems have stupidly decided to challenge the electoral college results from Ohio. Nothing will change and the congress will be tied up for 2 hours in useless debate. I hope there's lots of TV on this, because it's not going to play well in the Red states (and the Red areas of the Blue states).
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Yet Another CBS News Distortion
Here's an interesting item from LittleGreenFootballs.com regarding another distortion of the truth by CBS news. This one involves reporting on the damage to coral reefs as a result of the tsunamis:
By the way, this blog started during the whole Rathergate faked memo scandal, and it's now been 107 days since CBS promised to release the report on the incident. They promised results in weeks, not months. The rumor on the web now is that the report may be released late Friday in the middle of all the Gonzalez confirmation hearings.
CBS NEWS DISTORTION
To those of you who saw Ocean Rover in the CBS News report about coral damage: do not believe what they are telling you! We are furious at CBS. One of their producers contacted us and asked if we could help them get to the Similan Islands to report on coral damage. They assured us the piece would be “fair & balanced.”
We did everything we could to assist the CBS news team and they spend half a day filming and interviewing people on board Ocean Rover. One of our clients kindly gave them his underwater video footage for use during the broadcast. CBS promised our client that his footage would be used in a responsible manner.
Our Cruise Director Hans Tibboel described one specific divesite in Surin Island with the words: “it looked like a giant sandblaster was used”. Again, Hans was describing only one divesite and made positive remarks about the actual lack of damage at other places. Of course, the CBS editor used the “sandblast” soundbite and hardly anything else.
Footage was also arranged in a “before & after” method that is not consistent with the real situation. All the beautiful “before” footage shown by CBS was actually filmed AFTER the tsunami.
Somehow the media just cannot help themselves and turn everything into a gloom & doom story. CBS should be ashamed of what they did here. We have talked to their producer since but of course she blames the New York editor. This is the way the media works. The way the news piece came out is 100% the opposite of what was promised to us. We urge fellow dive operators to be very careful in dealing with the media. These people do not let scruples get in the way of a juicy story. Shameful!
The CBS piece is damaging to our reputation and business. It paints the wrong picture about the true level of coral damage in the Similans AND it makes our own website reports look like lies. All we can say is when you dive with us, you trust us with your lives. When you read our website, you can trust us to be truthful.
By the way, this blog started during the whole Rathergate faked memo scandal, and it's now been 107 days since CBS promised to release the report on the incident. They promised results in weeks, not months. The rumor on the web now is that the report may be released late Friday in the middle of all the Gonzalez confirmation hearings.
Mad Maxine
Those of us in Southern California are blessed to have some real wackos representing us in Congress. Take for instance Maxine Waters from South Central L.A. If you look up "hateful" in the dictionary, you'll probably find Mad Maxine staring back at you.
She's always crying racism or moaning about some perceived injustice to the black community, and she is definately an avowed Bush-hater.
Tomorrow the electoral college results will be presented to the Congress for acceptance. It's at this point that the new president is actually considered elected. There are procedures for objecting to the vote, though they've been rarely used. There is some talk that Barbara "Dumb as a Box of Rocks" Boxer will join in a challenge which will be brought by John Conyers of Detroit (who has a little turkey problem on his hands right now). The whole thing is of course for show and will quickly be voted down by the Senate.
Back in 2001 Waters decided to challenge the electoral college vote, but didn't like having to deal with the rules of the Senate. Here's how the exchange went (courtesy of The Corner):
Look for more of this kind of stupidity tomorrow.
She's always crying racism or moaning about some perceived injustice to the black community, and she is definately an avowed Bush-hater.
Tomorrow the electoral college results will be presented to the Congress for acceptance. It's at this point that the new president is actually considered elected. There are procedures for objecting to the vote, though they've been rarely used. There is some talk that Barbara "Dumb as a Box of Rocks" Boxer will join in a challenge which will be brought by John Conyers of Detroit (who has a little turkey problem on his hands right now). The whole thing is of course for show and will quickly be voted down by the Senate.
Back in 2001 Waters decided to challenge the electoral college vote, but didn't like having to deal with the rules of the Senate. Here's how the exchange went (courtesy of The Corner):
The VICE PRESIDENT. For what purpose does the gentlewoman from California (Ms. WATERS) rise?
Ms. WATERS. Mr. Vice President, I rise to object to the fraudulent 25 Florida electorial votes.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Is the objection in writing and signed by a Member of the House and a Senator?
Ms. WATERS. The objection is in writing, and I do not care that it is not signed by a Member of the Senate.
The VICE PRESIDENT. The Chair will advise that the rules do care, and the signature of a Senator is required. The Chair will again put that part of the question: Is the objection signed by a Senator?
Ms. WATERS. Mr. Vice President, there are gross violations of the Voting Rights Act from Florida, and I object; and it is not signed by a Senator.
The VICE PRESIDENT. The Chair thanks the gentlewoman from California. On the basis previously stated, the objection may not be received.
Look for more of this kind of stupidity tomorrow.
Maybe We Should Just Sign A Treaty...
National Review Online is full of good stuff today. Andrew McCarthy has a nice piece on the Dems attempt to smear Alberto Gonzalez with the torture rap.
Also, there are a number of good articles on today's RealClearPolitics.com, but one which stuck out was "Does The Right Remember Abu Ghraib (or as I refer to it, Grab Abu)?". Registration is required with the Washington Post to read it, so if you don't want to waste time doing that, I'll sum it up for you. The author is a classic east coast lefty who just can't imagine how we could even consider confirming Alberto Gonzalez for Attorney General since he wrote the smoking gun memo about "torture" that opened the door to all these travesties.
The author, still clearly horrified by Grab Abu, can't imagine why the rest of us aren't equally horrified. The fact is, the guys in that prison were not jaywalkers or parking offenders, they were serious terror suspects who had chosen to fight against U.S. forces. As far as I'm concerned, while there were clearly abuses at the prison, I just find it hard to feel sorry for a bunch of terrorists.
A better question for the title of her article would be "Does the Right CARE About Grab Abu". My answer - NO.
Also, there are a number of good articles on today's RealClearPolitics.com, but one which stuck out was "Does The Right Remember Abu Ghraib (or as I refer to it, Grab Abu)?". Registration is required with the Washington Post to read it, so if you don't want to waste time doing that, I'll sum it up for you. The author is a classic east coast lefty who just can't imagine how we could even consider confirming Alberto Gonzalez for Attorney General since he wrote the smoking gun memo about "torture" that opened the door to all these travesties.
The author, still clearly horrified by Grab Abu, can't imagine why the rest of us aren't equally horrified. The fact is, the guys in that prison were not jaywalkers or parking offenders, they were serious terror suspects who had chosen to fight against U.S. forces. As far as I'm concerned, while there were clearly abuses at the prison, I just find it hard to feel sorry for a bunch of terrorists.
A better question for the title of her article would be "Does the Right CARE About Grab Abu". My answer - NO.
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