Sunday

A few things not related to politics..

Did you know they are on the verge of officially naming a new cloud?  Stories say it was 'discovered' but these clouds aren't a recent production of mother nature just an oversight in the classifications.  I've seen a few in my time, usually in the transition seasons.  Here's a view of some..

Very strange, almost like some kind of Picasso or Van Gogh painting.

Turning to sports, it's the time of year where everything is in swing: baseball, hockey (sorry), football, basketball and even some leftover golf.   Too bad Chipper Jones had to go out to a shower of trash that would make Philly fans envious.  The infield fly call was technically correct but totally unnecessary at the time and possibly affected the outcome of the game, not just for the Braves but the Cards fielder might have been distracted by the ump's verbal call causing him to peel away.  MLB's attempt to heighten excitement and give the division-winning teams a reward for having a better record seems to have backfired for the traditional Wild Card winning teams, both of whom lost in the one-game playoffs.   It's almost as if they need to be spotted an extra run along with home field, but of course MLB would never go there.   


Finally, nothing related to anything and yes this is a commercial, but it made me laugh out loud..



The part where this straight arrow guy air drums a stick flip is simply hilarious. 

Bits and Pieces

Obama's Kenyan granny Sarah started out the presidential campaign as a 'non-practicing Muslim'. Then she morphed into a Christian around the time Obama was nominated. Then after his election she apparently re-converted into a practicing Muslim who recently attended the Hajj and prays that our current president will one day convert himself. Well at least that means he isn't a Muslim. Whew! Or is he?

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Fed Ex is looking for a shipment of radioactive material apparently lost in transit.

Munoz says as long as no one tries to open the metal container, the rods do not pose a danger.

Well, that's a nice warm fuzzy considering the news of late.

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Considering what's going on in Korea why isn't this famous picture enough evidence to forever condemn communism as a viable political system?



Yet guys like Bill Ayers, the washed up terrorist turned professor who hardly knew Obama according to 'fightthesmears', still calls himself a 'small-c communist'. In other words, it's only the corrupt rulers who fall short in their attempts to manage the system, not the system itself. Maybe that's why they lied about Ayers.

Of course, if the following picture is the only face of capitalism then it's no wonder some of our utopian dreamers dream of a land of equal equality (run by them)...


Look at those silly women. Now, if that was a sale on 60 inch LEDs...completely justifiable.

More on the White Powder and Fish Story

Few are covering this rather bizarre tale aside from Gov Exec and Huffington Post. For background follow to this, then read the update from today:

Administrative action has been taken against Maureen McCarthy, a senior adviser for weapons of mass destruction intelligence programs at the department, as a result of the incident, which sparked a security scare, the source said.

Once again, this writer uses some strange verbiage to describe Ms. McCarthy, especially since we presume she is a victim here:

McCarthy, a holdover from the Bush administration, is one of a number of officials who agency insiders say remains at the agency in positions created for them.

Finished off by this:

"The concern is this woman heads weapons of mass destruction and she will put this package in her car and park under a ventilation shaft," said one source.

Well yes, assuming that 1) she knew there was white powder mixed with the fish and, if so, 2) she knew there was a ventilation system where she parked.

This continues to be a very weird story. Why would someone mail a dead fish to a WMD expert? Why did they use a return address from a bio-weapons lab? Why do the writers of these articles insist on focusing on her actions after the fact and not the reason she was the recipient of such a package in the first place? Did the timing have anything to do with the changing administrations? Is that why the anonymous leakers continue to describe Ms. McCarthy as a 'Bush holdover'? And why is that fact important to this story?

Obamicons

Here's one..



The site allows one to make their own Obamicon using a personal photo. Not surprisingly, the gallery on the front page has one derogatory picture of Bush and another of Cheney, which is slightly ironic since the concept itself is a dig at Obama's face on iconic artsy signs.

Anyway, as one might expect it's overwhelmingly popular to the point of server meltdown. Tried to log in and register when the meltdown happened. Here's the link for later use.

So Long Sitemeter

Just waded through the new Sitemeter. It appears to have been created by a sadist. So much so that I've pulled out the code. Statcounter will have to suffice to measure the blizzard, er flurry of hits received here daily. Feedburner also provides anonymous hit counts.

BTW, I've always shown a hit counter without making the detailed stats public. The reasoning, should you choose to accept it, is because I'm anonymous and those coming here should also have that right (if you think it's because I'm padding stats take a look at the hit counter and do some simple math. It ain't pretty). Like most of you I've had some interesting visitors from time to time, but their secret is safe with me.

Various and Sundry

Sort of a catch up post here on a few different subjects. Hope all are having a great Labor Day weekend..

HURRICANES AND SINKHOLES

Gustav is a monster, heading right for Louisiana. Oddly, it may be the first time in history an event in Minnesota has been canceled due to a hurricane, depending on what McCain does My suggestion--cancel. Even if it peters out to a CAT 1 Hanna is still swirling around off the east coast of Florida. It would be refreshing to see McCain, Palin and families handing out water bottles or filling sand bags--we know Obama and Biden will be doing it.

Meanwhile here in our fair city a sinkhole has been blocking southerly access to the Amtrak depot going on six months now. Instead of the mayor saying "deal with it" he apparently has said "squabble with the railroad so we all look like fools". And lo, it has now come to pass. Amtrak's special evacuation trains from New Orleans will now have to make some kind of convoluted detour, backing into the station from the north. Well played, King.

PALINMANIA

The maverick selection of Sarah Palin has really separated the liberal wheat from the moonbat chaff. The level of vitriol is mind-numbing--making Sean Hannity's bash of Joe Biden look like Biblical text. This trash festival will only be formally closed when someone invokes Godwin's Law, if it hasn't already happened.

By the way, the left is worried about McCain not being able to fulfill his duties, leaving her the Commander-in-Chief (which hasn't given me any warm fuzzies either) but think about it--if Palin becomes president she can nominate another Vice President (subject to Congressional approval) who would most likely be a seasoned veteran like perhaps Minority Leader John Boehner or a statesman of her choice. Isn't that about the same as having a lightweight on opening day?

DR. BRUCE IVINS

The Congress may take the anthrax story up during the next few weeks. Senator Charles Grassley expects it to come up when FBI Director Mueller testifies but it's not a special session. Questions remain, such as why Ivins would incriminate himself by sending his own attack sample to the FBI for testing, even using the wrong format. But he still looks guilty.

One thing's for sure, he couldn't take the intense scrutiny Hatfill endured. Times writer Nic Kristof, who helped make Hatfill's life miserable, wrote an apology piece a few days ago. No word on Hatfill's response--no word from Hatill at all--but perhaps it would be something like, "..you've been had".

IN GOD WE TRUST ON THE MONEY

Some want it gone. MSNBC is running a poll on whether to remove it or not--I voted no. My view is that the mention of "God" on money does not endorse Christianity or any other religion as most believe in some kind of God-like deity. Even the Indians worshipped a 'Great Spirit'. Wonder if the same people would complain if they changed it to that?

The Rocket's Red Glare

Here's the last paragraph from the Declaration:

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Happy Birthday America, and happy Independence Day to all.

UFO or ...

Air Force flares? We've had these flare scares before only to discover the 'truth' later.



I'm going with flares. Funny how so many are willing to have faith these are extra-terrestrils without any proof, yet people scoff at the Bible as a collection of fairy tales.

Side tracks

How about some vintage commercials to lead off. Here's one that could no longer be made..



They won't let us embed this one, but it's worth a look.

Finally, since this space has been devoted to Obama and Hillary the past two weeks it's only fair to give John McCain a musical tribute. You'll have to wait a minute for the "Maverick" theme to appear, right after "Zorro" and "Rough Ruff and Reddy"..



Note--the vintage nature of these clips in not intended to be a statement about John McCain's age, ethnicity or racial feelings. .

Liberty and security

Naomi Wolf is on the book trail promoting her new novel called "The End of America" (oddly, Pat Buchanan has also written a book about the end of America, but for different reasons). Here she is explaining herself to John Kasich:



Her construct essentially relies on the old warning attributed to Ben Franklin about liberty versus security. Michelle Malkin discussed this last year, pointing out how these folks misinterpreted Franklin as such:

"Those who would sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither"

To be precise, the quote reads:

"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security"

Essential and temporary being key words. The top quote suggests an absolutism Franklin probably never intended. But it serves the cause so well, though! I think Franklin probably inserted the qualifiers to suggest a balance as he was a practical man. Jefferson's thoughts about the matter have been on the sidebar of this blog since the beginning.

With the above in mind, how come we never hear people like Wolf lambasting Hillary and the liberals for trying to guarantee 'social security' at the expense of liberty, such as with universal health care, government funded retirement or welfare? Seems the Franklin construct works just as well.

MORE 11/26/07

O'Reilly was bloviating tonight about this Seattle Intelligencer guest editorial suggesting Bush and Cheney's impeachment. My feeling on this? Bring it on!

What I mean is, all those charges could be argued sufficiently by Constitutional attorneys or members of the intelligence community, which might actually put a lid on some of it.

Site maintenance

The site is experiencing some hiccups, mainly due to the new format, Haloscan, and the know-nothing IT person. Hey, get what you pay for. Will attempt to load a new template tonight. It's a cheap substitute for a night on the town, but cheaper.

BTW, this is a perfect day--cloudy and cold--for remembering Denny Doherty, former lead vocalist with The Mamas and the Papas and singer of California Dreamin'. Don't miss the dancers in this groovy rendition.