Update

Sorry for the long drought.

I had intermittent connectivity while in Africa last year.

I also had some family emergencies last fall.

More details soon. Be well.

In the meantime, go visit Instapundit and enjoy the smorgasborg.

Dear Piece Of Trash

"Dear Piece Of Trash"--by Councilman Polensek is a letter from a Cleveland Councilman to a convicted 18-year old drug dealer with delusions of grandeur.

Although The Smoking Gun holds this up as an excessive bit of character assassination by an elected official, I say two thumbs up to the councilman and may he be the next Attorney General of the United States.

The punk got what he deserved. He's a repeat offender that just turned 18 and had assaulted a police officer in the past. Dumb ass indeed.

The councilman's most "profanity-laced" direct comment was, "...your dumb stupid ass," the rest of the invective was the councilman quoting the dumb stupid ass drug dealer!! His more staid pajoratives were, "idiot" and "loser". Oh, and my personal fav, "you crack dealing piece of trash."

Wooo-hoo!!

The Smoking Gun needs a new editor and the dumb ass' mother needs a sense of shame...

Kudos to you Mr. Councilman and I'm jealous of Cleveland for having him!

Thanks to Brother Martin for the heads up...

Hanging's too good for 'em...

Gateway Pundit has the good goods on the outcome of the trial of Saddam Hussein's cousin, "Chemical Ali."

He'll hang--along with two others--for killing 180,000 Kurds using chemical weapons (Gee, no WMD there!) during the 1988 Anfal campaign.

I think they should skip the hanging and administer low doses of nerve agent over a week or two--making sure to revive him as necessary--and then cover him in honey and strap him down over a colony of fire ants...that would be a good start.

(Hat tip, as usual, to Instapundit.)

Farewell Stargate SG-1

The Stargate SG-1 series finale played out tonight and although there are two movies in the works (TV or straight-to-DVD), it is the end of an era.

Let us hope that this is not that last that we'll see of Claudia Black, Christopher Judge, Ben Browder, Michael Shanks, Richard Dean Anderson, and Beau Bridges in these roles that have become like family to so many.

Amanda Tapping is making a jump to Stargate Atlantis next season, so we will still get to admire LTC Samantha Carter, Ph.D. for some time to come.

The episode itself, "Unending" gave us some wonderful moments, most of which, IMHO, involved Daniel and Vala ,but everyone got to show us, once again, why this series only got better with time...

SciFi Friday will not be the same without it--indeed, it has not been the same since SciFi moved Battlestar Galactica to Sundays--but there's always Atlantis.

And DVDs

Indeed.

VRC rears its ugly head!!

Protein Wisdom has an account of an allegedly overheard confab between Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Babs Boxer (D-CA) regarding how best to legislatively control the Vast Rightwing Conspiracy's (VRC) uncontrollable talk radio.

It is obvious that the great unwashed masses can't possibly actually choose to listen to those irrationally exuberant, war-mongering, fundamentalists, isn't it. Why 'tis the responsibility, no, the raison d'etre of the Liberal Left TM to safeguard the balance of the Force and defeat the forces of Empire...wait, wrong movie.

I think they should get someone with a lot of money, like George Soros, to bankroll it and hire a gifted Liberal Orator, like Al Franken, to anchor the network, and create a Liberal Left TM version of Talk Radio and call it something appealing, something patriotic, like, like, Air America! YEAH! That's gotta be a guarenteed hit. I mean, who wouldn't listen to THAT!! Whoa! Look out righties! If the Left figures that out, it's all over!

Anyhoo, go read the piece. Even if the conversation didn't actually happen, it's still true, non?

(H/t Instapundit)

Editor needed at Pop Mech

Popular Mechanics: has an article about the Gibbs Aquada amphibious car. It should be on sale in the US next year--that's cool!

You may think that the ability to transition from land vehicle to water vehicle in only 13 seconds is the coolest thing. Or, perhaps, that you can accomplish this by pressing a single button without having to exit the vehicle is even cooler.

On the contrary, most commenters found the statement that the "power switches from a four-cylinder, 175-hp V6 engine to water-jet propulsion" to be the most amazing part of this vehicle.

Yep. Those wacky four-cylinder, V-6 engines.

AQ Terrorist at large in US

Gateway Pundit has the goods on Adnan Jumaa who is wanted by the FBI.

From Pakistan comes news that Adnan G. El Shukrijumah has successfully smuggled nuclear material across the US and is planning an attack on the United States during the holy month of Ramadan which begins on September 24th.

He is suspected of being ordered by OBL to carry out an attack on the US that will be worse--or, at least, larger in scope--than September 11. He is supposedly at large in the US after smuggling radioactive material over the Mexican border.

If you think you've seen him--or if you see him after reading this--contact your local FBi office. BTW, there's a $5 million reward for info leading to his, erm, interdiction.

H/t to Ace of Spades who is maintaining links and pictures of this Moderate Muslim TM in his sidebar.

GDP: The World VS US States

Strange Maps has a comparison of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between US States and foreign countries.

That is to say, the states in the map have been renamed with a country whose GDP as a nation corresponds to the GDP of the state!

It does not take population into account--put another way, it is NOT a per capita representation of wealth.

Coalition, smoalition...we don' need no stinkin' badges!!

Donate to the Flux Capacitor

The Seattle Probably-Incorrect has an article about physicist John Cramer who is preparing to conduct an experiment into quantum entanglement at the University of Washington.

The catch is that the experiment is being funded through donations since more traditional sources (e.g., NASA, DARPA, other grant sources) declined to fund the experiment.

"The University of Washington has set up a special account to which individuals or groups can contribute funds for John Cramer's experiment.

Tax-deductible contributions to the project may be made by contacting Jennifer Raines, UW Department of Physics, at jraines@phys.washington.edu, or mailing a check made out to the University of Washington with a notation on the check directing deposit to the account for "Non-Local Quantum Communication Experiment" to:

Jennifer Raines, Administrator

Department of Physics

University of Washington

Box 351560

Seattle, WA 98195-1560"

To help or Obey?

Porkbusters is offering to help House Appropriations Committee Chair David Obey (D-WI) review the 36,000 earmarks introduced so far. Follow the link if you'd like to sign up and help the committee determine if any earmark requesters have unethical connections to the funds that they are requesting.

To House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey:

I read with interest news reports that you may only include earmarks in last-minute, un-amendable conference reports, as opposed to amendable House appropriations bills, because you and your staff reportedly need "extra time to evaluate the 36,000-plus earmark requests members have submitted to the Appropriations Committee this year."

You have also been quoted you as saying: "I think we have a helluva lot more ability [to root out bad earmarks] than the individual working alone."

Chairman Obey, I share your concern about unworthy projects receiving federal funding due to a lack of careful and thoughtful evaluation, and I agree that one individual working alone would have a very hard time completing this task in a timely manner.

Therefore, I would like to personally volunteer my time to help you and your staff in evaluating this year's earmark requests.

As you know, Internet technology has made research faster and easier than at any previous time in human history. By releasing your 36,000 earmark requests publicly, I and other taxpayers across the country could work together in a cooperative effort to determine which Members of Congress may have financial conflicts attached to their earmark requests, which local projects may be unworthy of federal funding and which may have value to the taxpayers.

Thank you for your consideration of this matter. I and millions of my fellow taxpayers across America stand ready to help you evaluate these 36,000 earmarks requests. After all, we are the ones who are paying for these requested projects -- the least we can do is help you evaluate their merit.

Disclaimer: Of course, this is all contigent on Representative Obey releasing the earmarks to the public.

(H/t Instapundit!)

Bill Killa

Right Wing News has an inside source (as in GOP aide) with some interesting insight into the behind-the-scenes manuevering regarding the Amnesty, uh, Immigration Bill's apparent demise.

I wonder if those senators who support the bill realize that future, possible, maybe support from the Hispanic vote and Chambers of Commerce are moot because current constituents are not about to re-elect them if they continue in this manner.

(H/t to Ace of Spades and Instapundit)

It's all about the cred...

There are carbon offset credits and now, a Leakey biodiversity credit is suggested to preserve indigenous forests--as well as disingenuous politicians.

(Thanks to Senor Collins and Insty)

Why not extend the modern update of the Papal Indulgence to other present day sticky wickets?

For the un-PC we have Ethnocentric Diversity Offsets--so you can once again call the kettle black and be niggardly.

For the impolitik we have Political Spectrum Depolarizing Credits--Left, Right, Left, Right, polemicize away!

For the equatorially-challenged we have Density Diffusion Credits--why, yes, I'll have another double cheeseburger pumpstopper.

Hampered by heterosexuality? Curse no more! Regina Fabulosity Credits will compensate for any queer tendencies.

Automobile got you down? Public Transportation Offsets will ease your guilty conscience while Moving Violation Credits ensure that everyone gets to exercise his or her right to drive regardless of pesky tickets and DUIs.

Overcome by your (sub)urban jungle? Landscape Beautification Credits may be combined with Bureaucratic Citizen Offsets to allow those folks who are currently handling it for you to go right on handling it. Easy, no?

...and finally (hold the applause you) Frank-n-Steyn Breeding Offsets--so you may wither away hither and thither.

Ah, hell...y'all get the point.

Fred gives Michael advice

Our main man Fred gives Michael "Sicko" Moore some sage words of advice.

Ladies and gentlemens, the next President of these here United States...

MN's Hamline is VTech in waiting

CItyPages' Ward Rubrecht has the story of a conservative, CCW holder who was a student at Hamline University's Law School until his e-mail to the University President got him banned from the campus for his views.

(H/t Instapundit)

This really pegs the hooey meter...

Virginia Tech was a "Gun Free Zone" in a state with a concealed carry law. Some of the students there have CCW permits, but--because they followed the law, they were not armed when the nutso gunman attacked.

Similarly, Hamline recently banned concealed weapons on campus--so what's a law-abiding student to do?

Wake up Twin Cities! Let the University President know how you feel.

Hamline President Linda Hanson: president@hamline.edu

UPDATE: (H/t again to Instapundit) See Mr. Morrissey at Captin's Quarters for more. He actually got to interview the student, Mr. Scheffler this past weekend.

Michelle Malkin: NEXT, THEY CAME FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

Michelle Malkin's NEXT, THEY CAME FOR VALENTINE'S DAY is an old article (11 Feb 2006), but it is good to remind ourselves of the variety of extremism which we now confront.

Apparently, Valentine's Day is "...against Islam's teachings."

Well, then, I am against Islam's teachings.

The Fifth Annual IEATAPETA Day

Meryl Yourish is leading the pack again in the annual stick-it-to-the-vegans-until-they're-done campaign.

The short of it is that many folks found it offensive--as in waaay beyond the pale--when PETA (that FBI-designated terrorist organization) equated the slaughter of animals with the Holocaust...yep, that Holocaust.

So, since then, and until they (PETA) change their unthinking ways (hey, we can hope), every March 15th is the International Eat a Tasty Animal for PETA (IEATAPETA) Day. This, it is hoped, will hoist PETA on their own petard by combating one outrageous publicity stunt with another...another, tastier one, I might add.

I am happy to say that I did my part today--and other days too, just for good measure.

All hail, Meryl!

...and Arby's

An Inconvenient Truth

Seas Yield Surprising Catch of Unknown Genes at the WaPo covers the results of a "21st-century version of Charles Darwin's 19th-century voyage on the HMS Beagle."

The catch? This expedition was searching for microbial life.

The Catch? "Thousands of novel life forms...has doubled the number of known genes in Earth's biological kingdom."

Perhaps most exciting, said study leader J. Craig Venter, is that the rate of discovery of new genes and proteins -- the building blocks of life -- was as great at the end of the voyage as it was at the start, suggesting that humanity is nowhere close to closing the logbooks on global biodiversity.

The Inconvenient Truth?

Mitchell Sogin of the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass., praised the work as a "remarkable technological achievement." Microbes account for up to 90 percent of the biomass in the oceans, he said, and control all the major biological and geochemical cycles that keep Earth's ecosystems in balance.

(Bold added)

Hmmm, mebbe there's a wee bit more research to be done, eh, Al?

Late.Night.King.

Two things.

First, Kevin Costner is a stand up guy. Tonight on the Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Craig related that he ran into Mr. Costner at an event recently after having made jokes at Mr. Costner's expense.

The result? Craig related that he could see in Kevin's eyes that Costner made a conscious decision to be the bigger man and act politely towards Craig, even though he was not happy with the jokes. This affected Craig. He realized that there is a personal price paid by those who wind up in his, and other talk show host/commedians' sights. He (Craig) stated that he had gotten off the mark lately and said that he should be concentrating on the powerful and political figures, not celebrities who suffer misfortune. Good enuff, right? Right.

Second, Craig related how he recently had his 15th anniversary as a sober man. He related, seriously--not as a comedic routine--how he came to rehab his life and what he goes through constantly regarding his alcoholism. He also suggested that Britney Spears, a "baby" as he put it, has some problems. He didn't do a schtick, didn't make light of it, didn't hold himself up as a saint in comparison. He spent his entire monologue remonstrating those who would kick folks like Britney when they're down and relating how hard it is for someone who is truly lost.

It was a wonderful, honest, and courageous thing to do and as much as my wife and I already thought of him as the best host on late night television, he leapt even higher in our opinions of him.

If you haven't seen his show (it's on after Letterman on CBS), check it out. He's hilarious, he's refreshing, and he's genuine.

Armagh go bragh!

"No, no, you can't leave."

Michelle Malkin: In the slums of Baghdad: "No, no, you can't leave." is the response of a 30-year-old Shiite named Rasul Karim when asked whether American troops should withdraw.

That is what Michelle Malkin wrote in her latest post from Iraq. Go see the good work that she, and Allahpundit, are doing and support any blogger over there providing us with old-fashioned journalism. See Michael Totten, Bill Ardolino, Mohammed and Omar at Iraq the Model, Milblogs at the Mudville Gazette, and MIchael Yon, just to name a few.

H/T to the all-seeing Instapundit

How to stop the violence in Baghdad

1. Invade Syria

2. Blockade the Iranian oil terminals

3. Ghost write a story for al Jazeera that says Sunnis support The Donald and Shi'a are behind Rosie O'Donnell. (They'll be glued to the View to keep track of who's winning.)