"The Enemy is You"

Regarding Obama, John Mariotti writes: "You made America worse—much worse—not better.  The American people know it too.  They still like you; they just don’t trust you." I don't like OR trust him! (Via Instapundit)

Empire State Building

From Life magazine, some great photographs showing how the Empire State Building was made.  Read the comments, too.

Out of This World!

Here are some spectacular photographs of our universe.

Stars and Gripes

Here we go again. This time it's Eugene, Oregon that has an issue with reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.  If you don't want to say the Pledge, then just shut up!  You're in the minority! The patriotic Americans in this country should recite away.

The Absence of Decency

Dennis Prager asks, "Have We No Decency?" He is referring to the male airline passenger who boarded wearing only women's underwear. But this question could also be asked about Florence Henderson's claim that she caught crabs from John Lindsay. This is just further evidence of the depressing decline in our culture and the "oh well - anything goes" mentality today.

Is Nothing Sacred?

Again they are talking about remaking "A Star is Born" -- with Leonardo DiCaprio and Beyoncé Knowles as James Mason and Judy Garland!  What part of "no" does Clint Eastwood not understand?

Character and Personal Responsibility

Lawrence W. Reed discusses discusses the lack of character in our society, and has some suggestions on how to fix the problem:

  "I pledge myself to a lifetime of self-improvement so I can be the model of integrity that friends, family, and acquaintances will want to emulate.
    I resolve to keep my hands in my own pockets, to leave others alone unless they threaten me harm, to take responsibility for my own actions and decisions, and to impose no burdens on others that stem from my own poor judgments.
    I resolve to show the utmost reverence and respect for the lives, property, and rights of my fellow citizens. I will remember that government money is really my neighbors' money, so I will not vote to loot them. I will stand on my own two feet, behave like an adult in a free and civil society, and expect the same of my children.
    If I need help, I will ask my family, friends, faith network, neighbors, local charities, or even strangers first — and government last.
    If I have a "good idea," I resolve to elicit support for it through peaceful persuasion, not the force of government. I will not ask politicians to foist it on others because I think it's good for them.
    I resolve to help others who genuinely need it by involving myself directly or by supporting those who are providing assistance through charitable institutions. I will not complain about a problem and then insist that government tinker with it at twice the cost and half the effectiveness.
    Finally, I resolve that the highest authority in which I place my strongest faith will not be the United States Congress."

Off To See The Wizard

Look at this winning entry in the "Mellow Brick Road" video competition. It's a 5 minute-long animated  version of "The Wizard of Oz"! (via Metafilter). Note: it seems to play only in Windows Explorer and not in Firefox.

Outrageous

Beverly Beckham asks, "Where’s the outrage over drunk drivers?"
She writes,  "Driving drunk isn’t a mistake. It’s a crime. In the past 10 years, in Massachusetts alone, police have made more than 200,000 arrests. But second-hand smoke enrages us more."  I agree. And even after all these years of warnings about the dangers of such things as driving drunk; smoking; sunbathing and skin cancer; using drugs; and driving recklessly, people continue to do it anyway, with total disregard for anyone else. Let's stop wasting millions of dollars on ad campaigns that people choose to ignore.

Destroying Our Country

Stories about how Obama is destroying this country should be in the news every single day, before it's too late. Thank goodness for bloggers like The Anchoress and editorial cartoonists like Ramirez!

Captain Scott's Companions

I always preferred Shackleton to Scott, but I always had a soft spot for Captain Oates, who, it is said, heroically sacrificed himself with the line, "I am just going outside and may be some time."

Crimes and Extremists

As Cold Fury says, this is a new low indeed - both for the heinous, inhuman crime; and for the despicable comparison by a group who has also compared eating meat to the Holocaust.

Obama's Legacy: The Movie

I came across this video at Parkway Rest Stop. More reason not to reelect this President can be seen at Doug Ross @ Journal.
Had enough?

When All Else Fails, Blame the Jews

There he goes again:  "The attacks of September 11, 2001 are questionable and also similar to the Holocaust, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday.
Speaking at a two-day Tehran conference on combating terrorism, Ahmadinejad returned to his oft-used rhetoric of doubts about the veracity of the Holocaust and conspiracy theories concerning the US government’s motives."
Yep -- he's combatting terrorism, all right!

Cruising With Betsy

Once again, Betsy is cruising the web for the best weekend reading you can possibly have.

Read Caroline Glick!

Read and pass along this great editorial:

"What does Obama have to do for these liberal American Jews to accept that he is no friend of Israel's?
Apparently the answer is that there is nothing Obama can do that will convince his many American Jewish supporters that he is not Israel's friend. They will never believe such a thing because doing so will require them to choose between two unacceptable options. The first option is to admit to themselves that in voting for Obama, they are voting against Israel.
The self-righteousness shared by many of Obama's Jewish supporters makes this option unacceptable. These are people who demonstrate their goodness by embracing every politically correct liberal cause as their own. From abortion to socialized medicine to free passes for illegal immigrants, to opposition to the Iraq war, liberal American Jews are ready to go out on a limb for every cause the liberal media supports."

The Butt of Jokes

James Taranto's Best of the Web Today column always has a section called "Bottom Stories of the Day". I think that this ridiculous "news" definitely qualifies for that category.

Grand Rounds

A hot version of Grand Rounds is up at the cleverly-titled Shrink Rap.

Watcher's Council Winners

Here are the Watcher's Council winners for June 17 and for June 24. Make sure you read "An American Descent Into Hell".

Keeping Your Cool

Note how this commercial actually says "Do Not Attempt"!

Encouraging Dependency

I loved the Mencken quote in this article: "'H.L. Mencken quipped that the New Deal divided America into 'those who work for a living and those who vote for a living.'  The explosion in the number of food-stamp recipients tilts the political playing field in favor of big government. The more people who become government dependents, the more likely that democracy will become a conspiracy against self-reliance.'"

Expecting the Unexpected

Instapundit had first pointed out  the media's use of the word "unexpected" when discussing any negative news concerning Obama.  Check out this recap. But don't let the bad news worry you; after all, Obama has the "magic touch"!

The Drugs Made Him Do It

The convenient excuse for everything: "John Galliano swore he had 'no recollection' of hurling anti-Semitic abuse at three people in a Paris bar due to a triple addiction to sleeping pills, alcohol and Valium, a Paris court has heard." Let's all feel sorry for him!

Drug Thugs

Is it any wonder that there are more and more instances of violent thugs robbing pharmacies, when you remember the disgusting verdict in the Oklahoma City case?  Remember, these are "victims"!

Another Reason to Dislike the Greeks

Instapundit reports that the Salonika Holocaust Memorial was desecrated. Read why.

The Audacity of Gall

Ugh! Get a load of the name of this American ship in the latest flotilla.

A Titanic Undertaking

I saw this interesting program last night on the National Geographic Channel. See it if you can.

Outrageous Moonbattery

Whatever happened to common decency?? 

"A group of New York City atheists is demanding that the city remove a street sign honoring seven firefighters killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks because they said the sign violates the separation of church and state. The street, Seven in Heaven Way, was officially dedicated last weekend in Brooklyn outside the firehouse where the firefighters once served. The ceremony was attended by dozens of firefighters, city leaders and widows of the fallen men. 'There should be no signage or displays of religious nature in the public domain,' said Ken Bronstein, president of New York City Atheists. 'It’s really insulting to us.'"

No, you idiot -- YOU'RE insulting to us!

Liz Smith on Reality TV

A good summation: 

"'Who the hell is Kim Kardashian? Like, who are these people, and why are they famous and why are they advertising things and being asked their opinions?' That is 'The Sopranos' and 'Nurse Jackie' Emmy-winner and recent Tony nominee Edie Falco, asking the question that all intelligent humans ask. But we shout into the wind in vain. The reality TV tsunami, with its vulgarity and stupidity continues unabated."

Sacred Objects

When the news just gets too sickening, just visit a museum! Here are some religious relics from the British Museum. (This video clip is even more beautiful.)

Bernard Herrmann's Music

Here's a nice article about the movie music of Bernard Herrmann.

Precious Relics

Look at these relics from September 11, 2001.

Proud to be an Apologetic Republican

How I wish more Republicans spoke like Rick Perry! "'Our opponents on the left are never going to like us, so let’s stop trying to curry favor with them,' he said, before imploring the crowd to 'stand up. Let’s speak with pride about our values. Let’s stop this American downward spiral.'"

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Over at National Review,  Ben Shapiro picks the 10 best TV Dads of all time: Ward Cleaver, Mike Brady, Archie Bunker, Steven Keaton, Cliff Huxtable, Al Bundy,  Homer Simpson, Ross Gellar, Tony Soprano, and Cameron & Mitchell.  I had no idea who Ross Gellar or Cameron & Mitchell were, but there's one father I thought of right away who is sadly missing from this list: John Walton.  Who would you choose?

Rory the Great

Boy, it's sure fun watching Rory McIlroy! But can the media refrain from invoking the name of Tiger Woods whenever any other golfer does well?  Golf is not still only about him. 

Disaster Update

Instapundit links to these photos of Japan after the tsunami, remarking that the news cycle has moved on. You also rarely hear about the Tuscaloosa tornado, either; when I typed in "Tuscaloosa" in Google the other night, the lead story was about the postponed execution of a killer. But here's a heartwarming story about the city of Phil Campbell, AL. Let's hear more about Alabama, Missouri, and Japan, and less about Hurricane Katrina, please.

Weiner in Hollywood

David Kahane has written  a clever column about Anthony Weiner using famous lines from the movies.

OyBama

Take a look at this video about Obama and the Jewish vote.

Trials and Tribulations

First you had the riots in Vancouver over a hockey game loss. Now you have American morons fighting over tickets to the Casey Anthony trial!  They ought to be ashamed - - it’s a murder trial, not entertainment! Anyway, these so-called adult "men" ought to be standing in line for a job rather than for trial tickets.

Exciting News From Israel

While we refuse to do anything to produce oil in our own country, here's news that "The Jewish state has 250 billion barrels of oil shale."

Bad Sportsmanship and Thuggery

The Vancouver Sun is full of coverage of their disgraceful hockey loss-related riots, and they report that the world is "bemused".  Only bemused?!  Outraged, appalled, and disgusted are more like it!  I hate when this sort of opportunistic thuggery happens here as well.  Imagine how these same maniacs would react if something truly terrible were to happen, if a loss of a mere game provokes such violence!

Quick, Call A Doctor!

Bush Derangement Syndrome has clearly affected Obama's mind. He, not Bush, is the cause of a second Great Depression! And he's causing me a third just by reading this: “My job over these first two years has frankly been to clean up a big mess,” Mr. Obama said.  Lucianne.com comment #23 notes the following: 

"You inherited 6% unemployment and gave us 9% unemployment.
You inherited an $800 billion deficit and gave us a $3 trillion deficit.
You inherited two wars and gave us three.
You inherited $2/gallon gas and gave us $4/gallon gas.
You inherited a recession and gave us a depression.
But please, please, please DO make this the slogan of your 2012 campaign:
'OBAMA 2012 / Don't blame me, I inherited this mess.'"

From His Lips To God's Ear!

"Barack Obama: there are days when I say one term is enough".  I say this every day!

The 'Sea Hitler'?!

This proves they're not normal in Canada, either.

FLAG DAY 2011

Stars and Stripes forever!

The Silver Scream

Read Dave Weinbaum, who has a humorous column about potential Obama propaganda films. One is  "'Barocky', The all-American story of how a street organizer rises on the backs of agitators to become President of the United States . The sequel(s) have been postponed due to Obama's failure to govern. As of today, Mitt Romney leads Obama by three points amongst registered voters."  Other movies include the exciting "The Great Dictator", "Barry of Arabia", and "Seven Angry Men".

This and That

Just as Obama promised, look for electric bills to skyrocket. Comment #7 says, "Someone will have to help me out here - I can't think of a way to blame this on President Bush."  Hooray for the Dallas Mavericks! It was refreshing to see such a likeable team beat the Heat for the NBA Championship. (Of course, it would have been nice for ANY team to beat the Heat!) And Argus Hamilton quips, "President Obama's approval rating fell in the Gallup Poll amid fears that we are heading for another Great Depression. There is one sign. ABC just announced the next winners on Dancing with the Stars will be the couple that's still standing after twenty-four hours of dancing."  Obama says he would resign if he were in Weiner's situation. He ought to resign from his own situation!

What a Question!

"Weiner's Sex Addiction: Disease or Excuse?" this article asks. Isn't it a shame anyone has to ask it at all? Of course it's an excuse -- and it's an insult to those who suffer from genuine diseases rather than from a lack of morals and decency.

Haveil Havalim Time

Haveil Havalim #319 is up at To Kiss A Mezuzah.

Another Reason to Vote for Obama

I realize they think he's got an electric personality, but this is ridiculous! Maybe the idiots who reelect him will expect their utility bills to be paid from his "stash", but hopefully the rest of the voting public will see the light.

Wasting Away Again in Weinerville

Now they're saying that Anthony Weiner tweeted compromising photos of himself in the House gym! Can you just imagine the reaction if a Republican had committed such a breach of Congressional etiquette? Celebrity Rehab, anyone? "Anthony Weiner's future could be in TV: 'The Spitzer/Weiner Hour' would pair two New York hound dogs."  We definitely need a new cable network called Shameless TV for the endless stream of has-been celebrity 'addicts', desperate housewives, Kardashians, teen 'mothers', Maury Povich-type tell-all show participants, etc.

The difference between the excuse-making for Weiner, and the continuing vilification of Sarah Palin, is amazing. Yes indeed, her e-mails prove she's a danger to the country.

Movie Manners

It's encouraging to learn that manners and common courtesy are making a comeback. Now, if only some of these rules could be enforced in restaurants as well!

"They have simple rules, and everybody knows what they are. No talking, no cell phones, no texting, no throwing popcorn, no babies, and no groups of kids without adult supervision. And they enforce these rules. First offense gets you a reminder, second offense gets you tossed. No refunds. No excuses. Happy trails cowpoke, hit the road."

Jew Hatred in Canada, Eh?

I guess that hate crimes are only evil when they are against Muslims. Instapundit links to Barry Rubin: "So just keep repeating to yourself: The main problem of the Western world is Islam-o-phobia."

Read Ed Koch!

This column must be read and passed along - it's former Mayor Ed Koch regarding the upcoming "flotilla" in "The Continuing War Against The Jews". One of the passengers is an obviously-senile 86 year old whose parents died in the Holocaust, and Koch helpfully explains that not all Jews are rational.

"Why aren’t Hedy and the former Israeli captain on boats with 1,000 others, including writer Alice Walker, seeking to land at a Syrian port to show their support of the Syrian people and the family of this tortured and murdered child?  I believe for two reasons:  One, their primary goal is the ultimate destruction of the Jewish state, which I believe is the supreme act of anti-Semitism, comparable to Hitler’s final solution; Second, their fear of being killed en masse by the Syrian army and police at the direction of the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.  They are afraid of Bashar, but know Israel will do everything possible to avoid bloodshed, but will not flinch in protecting its borders, the right of every country."

Our Ecchhh-onomy

Here's a good short description that I found at Cold Fury.

Hollywood Might Very Well Think That...

...but I couldn't possibly comment!  Anyone who has seen the original British "House of Cards" with Ian Richardson will agree that  a remake is completely unnecessary. Kevin Spacey (!) will suffer by comparison, and justifiably so.

Man Oh Mannequin!

Oh brother! Shouldn't the word "wife" be written in sarcastic quotation marks in this article?! (Via Obscure Store)

How Convenient!

If utter arrogance doesn't work, maybe the old sympathy ploy will. And in this advice column to Weiner, Margot Howard ends with this great line:

"And for myself—admitting to an ethnocentric fear for the way my people are perceived—I just want to say that I am grateful that, unlike Mr. Strauss-Kahn, you do not have two Jewish names."

History Repeating Itself Over And Over...

Israpundit links to this report that in Europe, antisemitism is worse today now than it was in the 1930's":

Only a few decades ago analysts were predicting that the anti-Semite was becoming an extinct species. Alas, the pendulum has swung to the other extreme and today, the future for European Jews appears increasingly bleak. The deepening anti-Semitic climate prevailing throughout the continent emanates not only from Muslim migrants but also from the indigenous masses for whom the Holocaust has become a dim memory and is frequently even inverted as an additional vehicle to demonize and delegitimize the State of Israel.
Indeed, if one weighs the impact of rampant anti-Israelism (which serves as a surrogate to traditional Jew baiting) combined with the revival of classical anti-Semitism, it is tempting to conclude that in terms of “populist anti-Semitism”, the status of Jews in Europe today is even worse than the 1930’s during the heyday of Nazi propaganda. Then, the left and liberals were highly vocal in their opposition to Jew baiting whereas today they are, at best, silent observers and frequently lead the pack in campaigns to demonize Israel and vilify the Jewish people.
The pathological anti-Semitic hatred sweeping Europe is manifested by increasing street violence against Jews, desecrations of synagogues and cemeteries and daubing of graffiti. It is especially evident in the vituperative responses that appear in media talkbacks – a good barometer of populist prejudice – whenever an Israeli or Jewish related issue is discussed.

The Democratic Party

This poster is by Maksim at The People's Cube.

Too Much Technology

I feel the same way as Ann Patchett on the obsessive use of cell phones and text messaging:

My husband wants me to have a smart phone so that I would also have a GPS and a camera. He would like me to be able to look up the name of the young heroine in The Awkward Age, name the stars in the night sky, know the weather in Portland, download books, and read several international newspapers, because he does all these things on his phone and he loves it. He madly, passionately loves it.But I cannot, or I will not, and so we are locked in a long, tedious conversation which to him sounds like, This is an electric washing machine. It is an easier way to clean clothes than beating them on a rock in the stream. And to me sounds like, Bungie jumping is fun! Just tie this springy cord around your ankles and tip yourself into the ravine!
The truth is I do not need more information or more contact. If anything, I need less. I do not need to be reachable by phone and text and Skype while at the dry-cleaners. I try to think of a single instance in my life when anyone actually needed to get a hold of me that exact minute. I cannot think of one.

Me neither.

Our Voting Public

Michael Goodwin has a suggestion for Anthony Weiner:"Get the hell out of here!".  Also, read his post titled "O FIDDLES AS ECONOMY BURN$" in which he says, 

"With the American jobs machine broken, unemployment rising to 9.1 percent and most other economic indicators showing weak growth, Obama seems devoted only to his re-election campaign. The "fierce urgency of now" is absent.
By one count, 24 million Americans are unemployed, stopped looking or are working in part-time jobs. The number of those out of work for six months or longer is at record highs, and the housing market is in a depression.
The good news? The election is coming."

Yes, but the bad news is that the ignorant voters will probably return him to office anyway!

Land O'Goshen!

What spineless characters - they're banning our national anthem again. Yet one more example of how political correctness is ruining this country thanks to a small minority with too much time on their hands, and a majority too intimidated to do anything about it.

All-Jewish Baseball Lineup

Here's the All-Jewish baseball team.  I knew that Rod Carew was Jewish, but I did a double-take when I saw the name of Elliott Maddox!

Just Plane Heroic

Sully's plane comes to the Carolinas Aviation Museum.

Weiner, the Reality TV Show!

I thought he was resigning -- but instead he's giving a sniveling, nauseating performance that would have been worthy of an Oprah Winfrey show.  Notice the double standard for Republicans and Democrats when it comes to scandals and resignations.

D-DAY, JUNE 6

They were indeed the greatest generation -- and the bravest.  You can see some photos here.

Poltical Toxicity

In Jay Nordlinger's latest Impromptus column, there's a discussing about dealing with people whose views are completely opposite of yours.  Here's part of it. 

"Now, what about people who offend you politically, day in, day out? Our letter-writer spoke of being surrounded by those who are “casually anti-Republican.” I can relate (as we used to say). As longtime readers know, I have spent my life in left-wing strongholds: Ann Arbor; Cambridge, Mass.; Georgetown, D.C.; and the Upper West Side.
Incidentally, I’ve loved living in all of these places, certainly the last three.
In the Manhattan I know, people tend to be quite alike, though they think of themselves, collectively, as wildly, wonderfully diverse. They read the same paper, voice the same opinions, vote for the same candidates. They worship in the Church of the New York Times.
And they assume that you are one of them, a fellow parishioner, because why wouldn’t you be? You don’t have horns and a tail. But let them know that you may, just may, have voted for Reagan or one of the Bushes — and then the horns and tail become obvious.
Couple years ago, I did a big series on what I called “safe zones.” Here is one column, the longest, I think. By 'safe zone,' I mean a zone free of politics, or one that ought to be. These zones, of course, are violated all the time, in the crudest ways. I won’t rehash all this now.
But I remember a particular story — not the worst of them; maybe the most benign of them. A man and his fiancée — or maybe it was his new bride — were visiting New York. They took one of those open-air tours, on a bus. As they were riding past Fox News, the tour narrator trashed that network. He also said something about the U.S. military-recruitment office in Times Square (I believe).
Couldn’t he have kept his politics to himself? No, of course not. Sooner ask a dog not to go on the rug. But then, dogs can be trained, and so can people, although maybe less easily.
Okay, that was one tour guide, and the couple never had to see him again. (They were conservative, I should have said, but you’ve probably guessed.) What about the cases our letter-writer mentions? What about people you have to see regularly, who casually give offense?
Do you dump your personal trainer? Do you have a little talk with him? Do you suffer in silence, hoping that, if you don’t respond, if you don’t join in, he’ll assume you’re not onboard and lay off politics? If you find you don’t want to work with your trainer anymore, do you just go? Do you make some excuse? Or do you tell him why?
As I said before, no idea. I think you have to handle these things case by case. With your gut. I often like to quote the late Abe Rosenthal, who, asked how he edited the New York Times, said, 'With my stomach.'
I have a friend who worked in a setting that was toxic to her, politically. They excreted left-wing views and attitudes, all day long. My friend was in the closet, politically. She said to me once, 'Jay, you know how children, who suffer molestation, are told to go to a ‘safe place,’ mentally? That’s what I try to do. I try to pretend I’m wrapped in some kind of cocoon and can’t hear it, or can’t be touched by it.'
Now, my friend is no priss. It’s not as though she objects to hearing views not her own. It’s just that this atmosphere was pretty rotten."

(This  gives me the opportunity to link to Anne Kornblut's memorable 2006 column,The Elephant in the Room.)

Haveil Havalim Time

Haveil Havalim #318 — The Yom Yerushalayim Edition is up at Frume Sarah's World.

Cruising the Web With Betsy

For lots of interesting reading, you you can always rely on Betsy's Page.  I liked the Peggy Noonan line on Obama.

United Nations Follies

Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton offers a response to "the Palestine Statehood Ploy". There should never be a state for, or negotiations with, barbarians like these.

When the U.N. isn't busy condemning Israel, they are usually spending their time on urgent matters like this one.  As the website Fark puts it, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and Internet access."

Read all of Arnold Ahlert's column,  in which he wonders what has happened to our government. Boy, is he ever right! He writes, 

"This administration deliberately plays Americans off one another for the purpose of creating resentment and envy. The moochers and the slackers are told nothing is their own fault, that they shouldn't have to pay a nickel for America's upkeep, and that the only thing keeping them down is the free-market capitalist system. The genuine wealth creators (not the crony capitalists) are told they're not paying their "fair share," even as they already pay the lion's share of taxes — and even as those telling them to do so are the most irresponsible stewards of American finances the country has ever known. The middle class? They're told we're in an economic recovery, even as housing continues to crater, they can't find jobs, and the cost of everything keeps going up.
And above it all, we have a mainstream media so corrupt, and so willing to get on their knees for progressive ideology that virtually every story they produce can be whittled down to one idea:
Who are you going to believe, us — or your own lying eyes?
At what point does one see those who would purposefully bring this country to its knees, not as political opponents, but as genuine enemies of the nation? What is one to make of those who deliberately would turn millions of Americans into wards of the state in order to ensure their political loyalty? What is one to make of an administration that continues to allow millions of illegals to flow into America, even as they sue those who would try to prevent it? What are we to make of an administration that tells us certain entities are "too big too fail," and that a government takeover is the only remedy for their unconscionable excesses?
Republicans are far from blameless. They have gone from irresponsible stewards of the nation's finances, to running a pathetic candidate for president in 2008, to becoming semi-enablers of the nation's demise. When the most strident 'Republican' presidential candidate to date has been an ego-inflated blowhard with bad hair, that is a testament to Republican timidity."

Motown Fab Four

Here's another clever Beatles mix: "She's Leaving Home" set to the beat from Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On". It's amazing how someone thought this up and made it work so well.

GEICO at Gettysburg

I've greatly enjoyed "Civil War Week" on the History Channel, and I got a big kick out of GEICO's latest commercial.

Twits Who Tweet

This is exactly how I feel about the obsessive need to use Twitter and Facebook. It's too much information.

"With so many feeling obligated to give moment-by-moment accounts of their private lives on Twitter, there is inherent danger in public people revealing — ahem — a bit too much, either by accident or by not providing themselves or their staffs thoughtful contemplation prior to communicating with the public. We now know when a journalist completes his morning run, when an elected official hears a song he likes, lost a few pounds, ate a cheeseburger or thinks the county fair was just swell. And is Twitter really an appropriate way to announce one’s candidacy for president of the United States? Just because the Justin Biebers and Kim Kardashians of the world and those who make them the center of their universe are most comfortable with the brief and inane communiqués doesn’t mean serious public figures — be they elected officials or respected journalists — should be tweeting their every thought or move, unless they are reporting from an active war zone or other critical event. Being bored standing in line at Starbucks does not fall into that category."

Putting The Young To Shame

This is a terrific story about Sally Gordon, a state worker who retired in April -- at the age of 102!

Beatlemania!

I love The Beatles and classical music -- and now I can hear them at the same time, thanks to the Beatlecracker Suite! Isn't this marvelous? (From Metafilter, where else?)

Just An Oversight

Bush Derangement Syndrome rages unabated, this time in a middle school:  "What do George W. Bush and Dick Cheney have in common with Adolf Hitler, Usama bin Laden and Charles Manson? They've been named the 'Top 5 worst people of all time' in a yearbook published by a middle school in Russellville, Ark. School administrators say they don't know how the former president and vice president ended up in the book..."  Right.

It's Everyone Else's Fault

I'm always amazed at the gall behind nervy lawsuits like this: “Was it a lack of common sense or utility company negligence that prompted a 16-year-old boy to climb a power pole, get shocked and fall 35 feet and into paralysis?” It's like when criminals sue for 'emotional distress' when they're caught, or when people sue their cell phone companies after they get into auto accidents while babbling.

Israel's True Friends

Here's a nice video clip by the Emergency Committee for Israel.

"It's 2012 Or Never"

Doug Ross says this about Obama: Doug Ross says this about Obama:

"If this Republic is to survive, we need to elect a president in 2012 who will operate using a playbook unknown to the Left:
The Constitution.
The document upon which politicians swear to the Creator to protect and uphold. And then, in the case of Barack Obama, promptly ignores.
The Constitution. Faith, family, individual liberty, private property rights.
Not big government, unchecked entitlements, mandated light bulbs and shower heads; not Europe-lite.
The Constitution. Thousands of years of human experience codified into a single document that created the greatest system of government ever seen on the face of the Earth. Not perfect, because no system is perfect, but the most perfect ever created.
We need to elect a president in 2012 that will protect all Americans, not the racial separatist groups, not the race-baiters, not the imploding welfare state addicts, not the politicians addicted to unlimited power. A president who will protect all Americans and, by logical extension, the American system of government itself.
It's 2012 or never."

He's absolutely right...but where is the Republican candidate who can take take advantage of this opportunity to defeat Obama?

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

From Smithsonian Magazine, "Vote for your favorite display of Civil War facial hair". I would have voted for John Bell Hood, but he wasn't even listed, so I selected J.E.B. Stuart instead. (Via Metafilter)

How Unexpected!

Remember, the economy is improving!: "Dow tumbles 280 points, biggest point drop since June 2010". This is obviously Bush's fault.

Tomb Much!

How interesting: "Mysterious Markings Discovered at Great Pyramid of Giza." The pyramids continue to fascinate, all these centuries later.