Really.
(H/T)
I kind of feel sorry for Robert Gibbs. Defending the indefensible must get old.
Hubbard posted this at 8:43 PM CDT on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 as Uncategorized
June 30th, 2009
The Press does its job Right!
There’s Just Enough, and Then There’s Too Much
I love to hit at easy targets as much as anyone, and low-hanging fruit is often the sweetest. But come on, Birthers. It’s not that you’ve passed the point of self-parody. It’s that when you look at it out the rear window, it’s so severely red-shifted.
Geoff posted this at 7:31 PM CDT on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 as CHANGE!
Now THAT’s a bio!
Michael Arth is a long shot gubernatorial candidate for Florida, but at least he has a sense of humor in his campaign biography, which opens thus:
Michael Edward Arth was born near Liverpool, England at a U.S. Air Force Base on April 27, 1953. In 1955 his parents moved to New Mexico. This was followed by a move to Midland, Texas where he was taught at a parochial school by the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, all of whom were named Mary, but none of whom were immaculately conceived. His own mother however was born on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, but named Evelyn Yvonne instead of Mary.
The family genealogy is known quite well in the far distant past and the recent past, but it is the chain of ancestors in the middle that is less certain. More than 3.8 billion years ago his ancestors were rather rudimentary life forms that either immigrated to Earth on an asteroid or were cooked up in the primordial soup. Leaping forward to modern times, it appears that his mother is a mixture of black Irish and American melting pot, including perhaps some Native American. A family genealogy traces her side of the family back to some Irish kings, including “Art Boy Cavanaugh” and Dermot MacMurrough Kavanaugh, who was the 12th century scoundrel from Leinster who sold out the country to Henry II of England in order to save his tee-na-na from a neighboring tribal chieftan who wanted revenge for kidnapping his wife. The same genealogy also claims that the family’s ancestors came to Ireland from Greece in the 2nd century.
Hubbard posted this at 12:43 PM CDT on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 as Excruciatingly Correct Behavior, Humor
Declare Bankruptcy Already
So California is issuing IOUs? Why are the state’s creditors are letting them use IOUs instead of promissory notes? The state needs to declare bankruptcy already and get it over with. The longer Governor Schwarzenegger delays the inevitable, the messier it’s going to be.
Hubbard posted this at 10:05 AM CDT on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 as Bailoutistan
June 29th, 2009
The Return of Comical Ali
The Supreme Court issues an opinion in which not a single justice took the position taken by Sonia Sottomayor, and that’s proof that Sottomayor’s not biased. Looks like someone is giving Scott McClellan a run for his money in the Dumbest White House Spokesman of the Decade competition.
Apollo posted this at 3:42 PM CDT on Monday, June 29th, 2009 as Buffoon Watch, CHANGE!
Mixed Messages
So our worst enemy, a government that has been in a state of war with us since its inception 30 years ago, that speaks of wiping our closest ally off the map, that funds terrorism around the world, and that is openly pursuing nuclear weapons, rigs its already quite unfree elections and commits violence against those citizens who object, and the American voice of Hope and Change says we have to remain silent and neutral on the matter.
Half-way around the world, the elected legislature and volunteer military in a small democratic country – that seems to have taken no history of agression against us - takes non-violent action to stop its left-wing president from becoming the Hugo Chavez of central America, and, after the country’s supreme court declared his efforts to amend the constitution illegal, removes him from power. Now that is something worth denouncing.
You know what a bully does? A bully picks on those who can’t fight back, but doesn’t bother those who can. This president is turning us into a bully, and the message to other countries could not be clearer: start up a nuclear program, then tell America to shove off.
Addendum: I just saw in the updated story that the Honduran supreme court was involved in ordering the president’s removal. But Obama has declared this action illegal. Who do you think knows more about Honduran law, the Honduran supreme court, or Barack Obama? Who do you think has more invested in protecting Honduran democracy, the Honduran congress or Barack Obama? Freedom-loving people in Honduras see Hugo Chavez and understand that what he’s done to Venezuala is a very real possibility for their future if a leftwing populist starts accumulating power in the presidency. Barack Obama sees Hugo Chavez and thinks, “There’s a guy I want to meet with.”
Apollo posted this at 3:19 PM CDT on Monday, June 29th, 2009 as CHANGE!
June 28th, 2009
Chavez vs. The Hat
Reading a little about the situation in Honduras, obviously it’s sorta hard to have an opinion that’s more than mere prejudice. But what happens when multiple prejudices intereact? My first prejudice is that anyone who wears a cowboy hat with a suit can’t be all bad. My second prejudice is that if Hugo Chavez says something is bad, it must be good. This is particularly true for things involving “the Yankee empire.”
Perhaps if the guy who takes over now will also wear a cowboy hat, everything will be okay.
Apollo posted this at 4:54 PM CDT on Sunday, June 28th, 2009 as Those Wacky Foreigners
June 26th, 2009
Bad Journalism
This might be one of the worst articles I’ve ever read. Its dripping with the biases of the writers, in no way illuminates the deep divisions behind the bill, and fails to give equal time to both sides.
No wonder we’re about to damage our economy irreparably.
Jamie posted this at 11:05 AM CDT on Friday, June 26th, 2009 as CHANGE!, Convenient Truth, Journalism
June 25th, 2009
Really Weird Correlation
Of the 20 state high courts that have female chief justices, 15 are in states that George Bush won twice.
Apollo posted this at 11:07 PM CDT on Thursday, June 25th, 2009 as Politics
Le roi est mort
I’m strangely enthralled by the death of Michael Jackson. It’s an instructive moment in the history of celebrity; Jackson’s only notable achievement in the last 15 years is getting acquitted of child molestation charges, but his death is still the biggest news in the world. In an age where anyone can be a celebrity if they’re just willing to embarass themself, Jackson was the biggest celebrity on the planet because of music released 20 years ago. True, enduring celebrity is still based on greatness. May it always be the case.
A few stray thoughts
- So this is what it takes for MTV to play music videos again. Jackson’s music is still good, and his dance moves still cool. I might watch MTV occaisionally if they’d occaisionally play his stuff. And not play mind-numbing ads geared toward moronic teenagers.
- Speaking of MTV, the “MTVNews” “anchor,” in describing Jackson’s death, said that Jackson was driven to the hospital in an “AMM–byu–LANCE.” I’m not sure I’ve ever heard someone on tv speak with a truer black southern accent.
- People are mentioning the recent deaths of Farah Fawcett and Ed McMahon in the same breath as Jackson. Inappropriate. McMahon was, at best, a D list celebrity, Fawcett a definite B-lister. Putting Michael Jackson on the A-list is like putting Michael Jordan on the All-Star team: I guess it’s the best you can do, but he’s bigger than anyone else there.
- Today’s winner is Mark Sanford. Admittedly, it would have been better for him had he announced his affair today, but it’s hard to be luckier than to have the worst event of your life overshadowed by the death of the world’s biggest celebrity.
- The hottest teacher I ever had was named Billie Jean Somethingorother. It was 8th grade. I’d let you imagine the number of “Billie Jean is not my lover” references there were in that class, except for the fact that you cannot possibly imagine it.
Apollo posted this at 7:43 PM CDT on Thursday, June 25th, 2009 as Pop Culture Is Filth
The Further Persecutions of St. Sarah of Wasilla
Everyone’s favorite high-profile victim is sounding the outrage alert again, this time over a doctored picture which photoshops a conservative talk radio host’s face onto baby Trig. It’s not much to tear your hair out over, but wingnuts are over-reacting to a degree that would be surprising if we weren’t talking about wingnuts. The real winner, though, is the Palin camp’s press release (emphasis added):
“Recently we learned of a malicious desecration of a photo of the Governor and baby Trig that has become an iconic representation of a mother’s love for a special needs child,” Palin spokeswoman Meghan Stapelton said in a statement provided to CNN.
Here’s the undoctored original:
Geoff posted this at 6:20 PM CDT on Thursday, June 25th, 2009 as Kulturkampf, Politics and the English Language
June 24th, 2009
Republican Infidelity Watch
A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking to myself that we’d gone a little too long without a national Republican coming forward and admitting adultery. I thought about making a post on it, but then I realized that I’d invariably make semi-libelous guesses about who it would be.
In all honesty, the first guy who came to mind as a prime candidate was John Ensign. A guy who did not cross my mind was Mark Sanford. It’s sorta a shame, but always delightful to hear Democrats proclaim from on high that having an affair is, by itself, cause to resign.
Apollo posted this at 6:49 PM CDT on Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 as Excruciatingly Correct Behavior, I don't know--but it's a Tradition, Lord, What Fools These Mortals Be!
June 19th, 2009
Time to Start an Adventure Book
Get some tissues. Pixar really is amazing. (H/T)
Hubbard posted this at 8:41 PM CDT on Friday, June 19th, 2009 as Grace
Freidersdorf v. Riehl
Besides blogging for the Atlanic at ideas.theatlantic.com, Conor has been in protracted debate with Dan Riehl. Their conversation started with Conor’s criticism of Mark Levin’s bullying, but digressed from there. The League of Ordinary Gentlemen hosted a Skype debate between the two of them earlier this week.
I was unimpressed by the debate. The major fault line between Dan and Conor is not policy, values, or philosophy, but about the style and methods some Talk Radio Show hosts use, and whether these are beneficial to conservatism. Unfortunately, that debate didn’t happen until over an hour into it (and even then for only a few minutes). The two of them spent the most of their time arguing (unsuccessfully) about what conservatism means and then got into a debate about the Iraq War.
But the thing that most gets me about Dan is his constant misrepresentations of Conor and others. Here’s a prime example from this post-debate thread:
Riehl:
On Bush’s “empire building”, I pointed out the definition of “empire,” and Conor conceded Iraq wasn’t quite that. I also pointed out that, while far from perfect, democracy in Iraq has taken root and seems to be growing, so how is it he can insist such efforts can not work. At that point he started invoking Abu Ghraib.
Freidersdorf:
As anyone can verify if they listen to the audio of our conversation, I do say that America should not become an empire — but I ALSO make it clear that I do NOT think America is an empire right now. Rather, I think it is going to be a challenge in the future for America to walk the line between defending itself abroad and becoming an empire. I actually say this very directly in our conversation.
In fact, I think that anyone who listens to our conversation will find your post to be woefully inaccurate at best.
Riehl:
Please don’t misrepresent yourself here. I just checked the audio. Go to 29:30 right after you invoked “empire.” I asked you what countries we have invaded and “taken over” in the last 40 years. You said Iraq and Afghanistan. That implies empire building.
Well, here’s a transcript I’ve made of the relevant sections. Judge for yourselves:
UPDATE: Dan is now accusing Conor of not adequately transcribing Mark Levin’s radio show. This is just too rich.
Tom posted this at 9:43 AM CDT on Friday, June 19th, 2009 as Buffoon Watch, Conservatism
June 18th, 2009
BS Detection Failure
Our president said that 100,000 people unnecessarily die each year because of medical errors in hospitals.
Leave aside the fact that this statistic has been debunked (“some of the researchers who conducted the original studies used in the IOM report re-evaluated their data in 2002 and reported that had they used a different calculation method, the number of estimated deaths would have been less than 10 percent of the original”).
Would you have repeated that number without doing some fact checking? Would a reasonable person, off the top of his head, believe that preventable medical errors in hospitals (this wouldn’t include preventable medical errors outside hospitals [think: nursing homes], or unpreventable medical errors – like doctors guessing wrong, or committing unpreventable human error) are the 6th leading cause of death, nearly on a par with “accidents”? Accounting for more than 1 out of 25 deaths?
I don’t think so. That number is, on its face, not credible. It’s unfortunate that our president feels it necessary to fear-monger with inflated numbers to get his way. But I’m not sure we should expect any different from this president.
A new rule: Any statistic used by this administration in hawking its policies should be presumed invalid until confirmed.
(H/T)
Apollo posted this at 1:34 AM CDT on Thursday, June 18th, 2009 as CHANGE!, Health Care