23. May 2005 · Comments Off on Spirit of America, Iraq, School Partners, Lebanon and more · Categories: Iraq: The Good

A message from Spirit of America, presented in full:

Dear Friends & Donors,

This message has updates, photos and lots of links on projects that your support has made possible:

* America-Iraq School Partners program.
* Support for Lebanon’s independence
* Friends of Democracy
* Gifts for Iraqi children
* Orphans day in Iraq

This entire message with photos is also on our website here:

http://www.spiritofamerica.net/site/blog/594

AMERICA-IRAQ SCHOOL PARTNERS

The America-Iraq School Partners Program pilot launched in April, 2005. It is designed to establish friendships and enable exchange between American and Iraqi schoolchildren. The pilot phase features 13 American schools and 17 schools in Iraq. More than 1500 schoolchildren are participating. Here is a photo of a participating classroom in Basra, Iraq:

We are looking for more schools (elementary, middle and high schools) in the U.S. to join for the 2005-2006 school year. There is no cost to participating schools although schools may exchange gifts. If you have a school interested in participating in the program, click here: http://www.spiritofamerica.net/projects/13 for more information or send inquiries to tamara@spiritofamerica.net.

SUPPORT FOR LEBANON’S INDEPENDENCE

On April 6 we kicked off a project to support Lebanon’s struggle for independence. We had been asked by some Lebanese and Lebanese Americans if we could provide assistance to the tent city demonstrators who were keeping national and world attention on ending Syria’s occupation and achieving free elections in Lebanon. The original project description is here: http://www.spiritofamerica.net/projects/96

This was our first project outside Iraq and Afghanistan and some of our supporters asked why we would do something in Lebanon and what happened to supporting requests from Marines in Iraq. Our view on “Why Lebanon?” is here: http://www.spiritofamerica.net/site/blog/584. We also asked Marines we have assisted in Iraq for their perspectives. Their responses here: http://www.spiritofamerica.net/site/blog/583

Thanks to your support more than $60,000 was quickly contributed to the Lebanon project. We helped the tent city demonstrators achieve their main goal: free elections. This involved pressuring for a “Call for Elections.” Our support helped them increase the visibility of their demands – the countdown clock in the photos below that was erected in Martyrs Square is one example.

The official call for elections by Parliament came with only one day left on the countdown clock. Elections are now scheduled to begin on Sunday, May 29. With that goal achieved tent city has been dismantled. There is still a long way to go for genuinely free, stable and peaceful Lebanon but this was a great step forward.

We also provided Internet connectivity to tent city itself and provided the resources, technical assistance and training that allowed the tent city demonstrators to create a website to tell their story to the world. You can visit Pulse of Freedom at http://www.pulseoffreedom05.org/.

A letter of support to the demonstrators from former Czech President Vaclav Havel was arranged by Ambassador Mark Palmer, a Member of Spirit of America’s Advisory Board. It did a lot to boost morale in tent city. You can read it here: http://www.spiritofamerica.net/site/blog/565

For the first time we deployed a blogger to write about one of our project. Michael Totten was in Beirut for a month and did a great job. You can read his fascinating blog posts here: http://www.spiritofamerica.net/lebanonblog

Other acknowledgements: Tiran Kiremidjian was onsite in Lebanon for Spirit of America for 3 weeks serving as a liaison: helping to define and responding to needs of the tent city demonstrators. And, Harish Rao of EchoDitto was also on site for SoA and was the lead on providing the training and technical assistance that got the Pulse of Freedom website and blog launched.

FRIENDS OF DEMOCRACY

Friends of Democracy is the Iraqi pro-democracy organization Spirit of America has supported since last October. They have done great work under very dangerous circumstances. Click below for an extensive update on Friends of Democracy and our activities in support of Iraq’s January 30 election, including details on funds raised, expenditures and results.

http://www.spiritofamerica.net/site/blog/593

Photo below is of a women’s workshop by Friends of Democracy that involved training and use of our Arabic blogging tool. Read the story here: http://www.spiritofamerica.net/site/blog/580

On February 24 Friends of Democracy sponsored a seminar to educate and involve children in discussions on democracy as part of the “children parliament” project. Photo below. Read about it here: http://www.spiritofamerica.net/site/blog/FoD_Nurturing_the_Next_Generation

GIFTS FOR IRAQI CHILDREN

The 2nd Marine Division at Camp Blue Diamond, Iraq has received 7500 watches from Timex, 4554 pairs of children’s Elan-Polo athletic shoes and 6000 Champion soccer balls to distribute as part of the “Gifts for Iraqi Children” project. The project is described here: http://www.spiritofamerica.net/projects/18

The Marines are using the gifts to brighten the day of children in Al Anbar province – the scene of some of the worst continued fighting and terrorism in Iraq. Some photos and links to stories on our site are below

http://www.spiritofamerica.net/site/blog/Gifts_for_Iraqi_children_email_from_Jones

http://www.spiritofamerica.net/site/blog/Gift_for_Iraq_children_received

ORPHANS DAY IN IRAQ

Spirit of America provided gifts, clothing and personal items to children in Baghdad and Basra on “Orphans Day.” Photos below are from an event for orphans by the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Read about it here: http://www.spiritofamerica.net/site/blog/Orphans_Day_Success

We are working on providing ongoing assistance to orphans in Iraq: http://www.spiritofamerica.net/projects/91. More on this next week.

ANSWERS TO SOME QUESTIONS

Read this page on our blog for answers to some recently-asked questions:

http://www.spiritofamerica.net/site/blog/592

Thank you for your support. Please contact us at staff@spiritofamerica.net if you have any questions.

All the best,

Jim Hake and the Spirit of America team

20. May 2005 · Comments Off on There’s a Suprise… · Categories: General Nonsense


congratulations. you are the kiss my ass happy
bunny. You don’t care about anyone or anything.
You must be so proud

which happy bunny are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

20. May 2005 · Comments Off on We Suck! Yeah! · Categories: Ain't That America?

One of the reasons I can’t hang with most liberals any more are the negative pep rallies.

It’s like,

“Yeah, I’m an American, and my country really sucks.” “RIGHT ON.”

“Our country is the worst in the freaking world!” “TRUTH TO POWER.”

“We suck worse than anything the Soviet Union ever did.” “TELL IT MY BROTHER.”(yelled by a balding white guy with a pony tail)

“Bush is a bible thumping warmonger who wouldn’t know the truth if it went ‘nuclar’ on him.” “BUSH LIED PEOPLE DIED

You want me to pay attention? Quit already. We’ve got a rule in the Air Force…it’s unwritten…but it’s there none-the-less, if you’re going to stretch a meeting out longer by bringing up a problem, then you’d best have at least a possible solution to it for discussion…otherwise, STFU, my son’s got TaeKwonDo.
—-

Update: Or you can read Annika’s response to Pepsico’s CEO.

Mostly unrelated but don’t want to waste more space: Ever since I discovered Diet Coke with Lime…I haven’t touched a Pepsi Product. No…the Pepsi version ISN’T the same. Just sayin’…

19. May 2005 · Comments Off on Geeking Out, Star Wars Style · Categories: Site News, That's Entertainment!

Our tickets are for tomorrow at noon. But until then I have Darth Vader’s Blog to read. You should read this entry if nothing else.

I can’t tell you the name of every minor character in the SW universe. I’ve always been satisfied knowing the backstory of Biggs and Luke. But in case you missed it, I am a fan. There’s a love for the story that I can’t begin to rationally explain. Whoever’s doing the Darth Side understands that.

18. May 2005 · Comments Off on I’m a Cultural Creative · Categories: General Nonsense

Hmmmm…don’t know about how low the materialist part is…I like my stuff.

You scored as Cultural Creative. Cultural Creatives are probably the newest group to enter this realm. You are a modern thinker who tends to shy away from organized religion but still feels as if there is something greater than ourselves. You are very spiritual, even if you are not religious. Life has a meaning outside of the rational.

Cultural Creative

100%

Idealist

100%

Existentialist

75%

Modernist

56%

Fundamentalist

50%

Postmodernist

50%

Romanticist

50%

Materialist

6%

What is Your World View? (corrected…hopefully)
created with QuizFarm.com

Via Dave J at It Comes in Pints?

17. May 2005 · Comments Off on Bo Bice RAWKS · Categories: That's Entertainment!

Just sayin’…the man can SING.

Say what you want about American Idol…they found a real deal.

I’ve never bought anything Idol. I’ll buy this guy’s album.

16. May 2005 · Comments Off on Political M&Ms · Categories: That's Entertainment!

It’s like Christmas. You know it’s coming. Can you feel it? Just three more days. Three more days until the very last Star Wars movie ever. Yeah…whatever.

Everywhere you look there’s Star Wars. The front caps of aisles in Target, Walmart, you’re local grocery store is full of Star Wars tie ins. Pepsi, Pez, GIANT Pez, M&Ms. Chewie’s selling ringtones and Yoda’s drinkng Pepsi. If you have a nine year old you also know that the tie-ins have invaded Cartoon Network. A Star Wars themed Kids Next Door, Star Wars Clone Wars in heavy rotation, Star Wars Legos cartoons. Which brings me to the toys. My son now has two light sabers…his choice with his money…and he wants one more…he wants the one that changes color for when Anikin becomes Darth. His Dad’s avoiding that one for now. Of course if you have Star Wars Legos Cartoons…ya gotta have Star Wars Legos.

You’d think with all the tie-ins that it would be enough. Everyone and their freaking brother will be going to see this movie. It’s what they call a genuine media event. Next Monday everyone will be hanging out by the water cooler talking about the light saber battles and the transformations.

And you can’t argue with the man’s sense of timing, I mean my GOD it opens on the last day of school here.

Well…almost everybody. There are those who think it won’t be cool to see Star Wars. It’s not part of who they are. They get they’re kicks either bashing liberals or bashing Bush. Politics is their gig. It’s serious stuff. Not like Science Fiction.

But wait! What’s this? George Lucas has put some topical political dialouge into the movie and he’s been talking about it at Cannes? From the right the cries of, Liberal Bastard! From the left a hearty, Right On! Oh you know when the political farts are let loose the theater will go crazy. And so…the politicos who were too serious to see the movie are now planning on going…maybe the second week…avoid all the scifi geeks. But now they’re going.

Mr Lucas…I salute you sir. Just a few more lines of dialouge and you’ve added what? A few hundred thousand? A million or two more bodies in the seats.

Political M&Ms…wow…that’s just good…or pure evil…hard to say…seems to be a grey area there doesn’t it?

16. May 2005 · Comments Off on Request For Information (ROI) 050516 · Categories: Ain't That America?

A comment from another post has had me thinking all day. That’s tiring and it’s interrupting my full enjoyment of Firefly (How the HELL did this get taken off television?) so I’ll be asking you all to do my thinking for me for this one:

Which freedoms have you personally lost since the Bush Administration took office? Please provide details.

And while I’m thinkin’ ’bout it, never trust a redhead you’re previously accidently married…it can only lead to trouble.

15. May 2005 · Comments Off on Live Blogging, First Listen, Mighty Rearranger · Categories: That's Entertainment!

I was shocked to see Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation have a new album out this week. Since I haven’t completely blown my music budget for the month I had to see where he was at.

Another Tribe: Nice drum attack at the beginning. Kasmir 2005? …Plant’s not letting loose here…softly phrasing…lilting…those Moroccon drums from Kasmir and the curtains of strings flowing over you. Very nice. An anti-war theme here.

Shine it All Around: Nicely layered vocals here. Kind of a Ragdoll beat happenin’. Again with the MidEastern curtains of strings…BIG hard drums in the back of this once, crunching and cracking like Bonham. Bassline struts through this one too…you can imagine Plant shaking his ass up to the audience here.

Freedom Fries: Yeah…it’s a shot at us…but it’s a nod at our music too, this is pure American Rock. Rockabilly, some more crunch here. The drums are synchopating some kind of weird off-beat here. Building to harder rock…Black Doggish.

Tin Pan Alley: Synth? Whoa…trippy. Kinda talky…trippy…not trip hop but…something building here…Plant’s doing that moan thing that only he can get away with and keep a straight face. WHAM! Audio Orgasm! Way to mix it up.

All the King’s Horses: English Pastoral Country…think Over the Hills and Far Away…but I’m liking this much more than I ever liked the Zepplin acoustic. The words are easy to listen to. Guitars are simple but BIG here, not overpowering Plant…supporting and even lifting his vocals.

The Enchanter: John Lee Hooker? meets…Peter Gabriel…meets The Honeydrippers…meets The Doors…and this is working for me. The end is pure…Zep…sorry…When the Levee Breaks? Is that the riff there? Woops not the end, more synth…where’s that going? A heartbeat? Whoa again…the last minute is some stuff the house mixers are going to have a freaking field day with.

Takamba: African rythms and strings into Zep crunch and grunge. Plant’s vocals just damn fine here.

Dancing in Heavan: Layered vocals and acoustic rythm guitar again going into trippy moaning, another layer of vocals in second verse…sweet electric lead guitar on the break there…there’s still a Morrocan thing happening here.

Somebody Knocking: African again but a different flavor..less curry. More grits…bluesy…funky acoustic lead riffing there…under that weird sitar thing…no, not the sitar…that weird instrument where it makes noise depending on how you mess with the field around it…can’t remember the name of it.

Let the Four Winds Blow: What should rockin’ blues sound like in 2005? Here ya go. Let’s take a walk…

Mighty Rearranger: Last song was a lead into this one…they really shouldn’t be played on their own. For those of you non Zep fans, this is one of Plant’s nicknames. And he’s wearing it proudly on this one. Jethro Tull meets Paul Butterfield meets ZZ Top? That was FINE.

Brother Ray: Barrelhouse blues, a short sweet nod to Ray Charles…well done.

Shine it all Around (The Girls Mix) (iTunes only? don’t see it listed on the playlist for the disk): House mix of the above and the producer’s spent too many nights in raves…and I mean that in the best possible way. I wanted to start trancing out and I haven’t been on a rave floor in 20+ years. (For you youngsters and anyone else who has a problem with that last sentence, rave and house music started in Chicago in the early 80s, I was there. There’s nothing to argue about. Let it go.)

The question is do you like Robert Plant when he’s not worried about being Robert Plant? Because this is Robert Plant. It’s big, it’s ballsy, it struts, it moans, it crawls, it growls and it soars. From what I can see this is his second endeavor with The Strange Sensation and good on him for adding them to the credits. They simply freaking rawk.

Looks like “Shine it All Around” is the first single and it’s already up to 23 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock List. I may have led with the title track but if that, Freedom Fries, Tin Pan Alley or The Enchanter is the followup with one of the others closing out the summer then I think rock radio is in for a wake up call.

One of the masters is back and he’s throwin’ down, daring, no…pleading for anyone to match him.

By the way…if you HATE Zepplin or Robert Plant and want to spew…don’t do it here…I’ll delete you…you’ve been warned.

UPDATE 050517: iTunes has added six live tracks under their “Sessions” header. Black Dog, Mighty Rearranger, Shine it all Around, The Enchanter, Tin Pan Valley, and When the Levee Breaks. Suwheeeeeet. I am SO dead if Beautiful Wife ever sees our iTunes bill for the past couple months.

15. May 2005 · Comments Off on If You’re Not With Me, You’re My Enemy… · Categories: That's Entertainment!

says Darth Vader in “Revenge of the Sith.”

Obi Wan replies, “Only a Sith deals in absolutes,”

…sigh…am I supposed to hate this movie or just enjoy the fun and sneer at Lucas’s spiral into relativity?

smiling…I love it when the question answers itself.

IndieWIRE.

13. May 2005 · Comments Off on More on the USAFA and Evangelicals · Categories: Air Force

I expected Joe to jump all over Greyhawk’s post on the apparent “non-scandal” at the United States Air Force Academy. I was willing to admit that perhaps I’d been too hasty.

Money Quote from Greyhawk’s source, a retired Lt Col who was a Group Commander at the Academy:

Lay off the academies and let them do their job. Again, I’m not a USAFA product but I was raised and trained accordingly. I don’t think they’re perfect. I do know that at USAFA they are well-meaning, driven professionals that understand where the line is.

Instead of liberal groups like AUSCS chipping away at the Air Force’s ability to educate officers, how about they actually help in a meaningful way? If this were WWII, I can imagine they’d be onboard. But, alas, its not and the Left cares more about emasculating the military then doing anything to support them.

Then from Today’s Early Bird we get this story from today’s Washington Post. (Early Bird Available to all Mil, Washington Post requires free registration).

Air Force Removes Chaplain From Post

Officer Decried Evangelicals’ Influence

By T.R. Reid, Washington Post Staff Writer

DENVER, May 12 — An Air Force chaplain who complained that evangelical Christians were trying to “subvert the system” by winning converts among cadets at the Air Force Academy was removed from administrative duties last week, just as the Pentagon began an in-depth study of alleged religious intolerance among cadets and commanders at the school.

“They fired me,” said Capt. MeLinda Morton, a Lutheran minister who was removed as executive officer of the chaplain unit on May 4. “They said I should be angry about these outside groups who reported on the strident evangelicalism at the academy. The problem is, I agreed with those reports.”

I’ve got to admit, I have way too many biases here to even begin to comment on this. I will say though, the Captain’s got a LOT more to lose than the retired Lt Col.

13. May 2005 · Comments Off on Caption This One, 050513 · Categories: General Nonsense

Other Caption Fun.
Kevin’s playing.
So is Rodney.

12. May 2005 · Comments Off on MilBlog Roundup · Categories: General

By who else?

Blackfive.

Capt Loggie and the Corporal may have some issues with where we’re listed, but this is much better than being on Huggingtonsofun’s Blogroll.

Lot’s of reading to do I have.

11. May 2005 · Comments Off on First Impression, Sid Meier’s Pirates, Live the Life · Categories: That's Entertainment!

Fun to play once I get it to work. It doesn’t want to run with Disk 1 like the instructions say so you have to start with Disk 2 and then switch to Disk 1 when it stalls and asks for Disk 1.

It also rewrites my keyboard map, turning the right half of my letter keys into a virtual number pad but not turning it back when the game is over. May not be able to play it well on my laptop.

Otherwise, ’tis the Pirates of old with better graphics and some interesting additions…like dancing with the Governor’s daughter.

Buggy for my laptop, I’ll let you know when I can get on our regular PC how it runs there.

UPDATE: After playing for about an hour works without a hiccup on the PC. If you spent way too many hours playing this easy to learn, hard to master classic, you’ll be spending some late nights in the future with it’s grandson…well, at least I will. Arrrrrrr…

FURTHER UPDATE: After 3 solid hours on the PC, played just like I remember the classic version only much more entertaining…it translates well…with the possible exception of the “Dancing with the Governor’s Daughter” part of the game. That’s just kind of weird…but dance with all of them, them’s that you don’t want to marry, give you valuable information anyway.

10. May 2005 · Comments Off on And Sometimes Leadership Scares Me · Categories: Technology

The following conversation took place recently between myself (Me:) and a high ranking person (HRP:) in my organization. Two things to keep in mind: My workspace is at least 30 feet below ground in a hardened, shielded, and secure facility. The HRP has worked in Communications and Computers for over 30 years.

HRP pointing at my iPod plugged into my OnStage Speakers: Is that one of those satelite radios?

Me: (Blink-blink.) Ummmm, no sir, that’s an iPod.

HRP: A what?

Me:

Me: An iPod? An MP3 player?

HRP: (Blink-blink.)

Me: (Picking up my iPod and showing it to him a little more closely.) It’s basically a 20 gig hard drive that holds anywhere from 3000 to 5500 songs depending on the quality of your sound files. I’ve got almost my entire library on here.

HRP: (Blink-blink. Looking at iPod, looking at the OnStage Speakers.) And ya gotta plug it in there to play it?

Me: That’s one way, or headphones, or any other speakers with a quarter inch jack.

HRP: Hunh… What did you call it?

Me: An iPod.

HRP: (Holding it for a moment) Are they new?

Me: Not really sir…they’ve been out for a couple years now.

HRP: A hard drive…wait…is that supposed to be down here?

Me: Sir? Security disabled every USB and Firewire port in this section 6 months ago. I couldn’t link it up with anything in here if I wanted to.

HRP: Hunh… Why’d they do that?

Me: Dunno sir…maybe it’s because of all the keychain drives the contractors carry.

HRP: The what?

Me: (Blink-blink)

HRP: Oh, damn, look at the time, got a meeting. (Giving it back.) Neat gadget. Might have to get me one.

You know when you know that someone should retire but you simply can’t tell them? I hate that.

10. May 2005 · Comments Off on Babes Of Lebanon · Categories: Smells Like Cedar

Presented by popular demand by Michael J. Totten.

It just looks like he had such hardship while he was over there blogging for Spirit of America. sn0rt

09. May 2005 · Comments Off on Kelley’s Back! · Categories: Site News

How I missed the return of The Mouth of The South I dunno, but she’s most defitinitely back.

09. May 2005 · Comments Off on True or False? 050509 · Categories: Ain't That America?, That's Entertainment!

I’ve served drinks to at least three of the people on Arianna Huffington’s new webpage, and been completely *-faced with another.

Hey! She didn’t blogroll us!

Doesn’t she know who we are?

She does?

That’s the problem?

Oh…carry on…

09. May 2005 · Comments Off on WTF? Over. · Categories: Domestic, Stupidity

Does anyone here know if this is a joke or not? If not, could someone tell me exactly where we’re being “overcompensated?” I want to get stationed there next time.

Via the Headmistress.

UPDATE: Jack Army points us to The Jump Blog for more on this and to be honest…I’m sorry I even mentioned it. I’m just giving this yahoo the attention he so desperately craves.

08. May 2005 · Comments Off on But When She’s Right, She’s right… · Categories: Domestic

I’ve mentioned that while Michelle Malkin’s Gladys Kravitz persona gives me the willies, I still like much of her writing.

Her rants on illegal imigration are simply right on and the most recent one will have your jaw on the floor.

06. May 2005 · Comments Off on Watching Firefly · Categories: That's Entertainment!

So far we’ve watched the pilot and the Train Robbery.

All I can say is, Wow! I wasn’t much of a Buffy or Angel fan, what I watched I enjoyed but I never went out of my way to watch them, but this is just plain good stuff. None of the SciFi is new or ground breaking. I thought the wild west thing would bother me more, but it fits.

The characters are larger than life. They’re heroic. Practically Randian in some ways…Faustian in others. I’m interested in all of them.

Other random things I’ve noted/learned so far:

I’m afraid if I watch too much of this at once I might start calling cool or bitchin’ things “shiny.”

Government stooges threatening disturbed teenage girls should be shot and dumped out the back as soon as they become annoying enough.

Shiny is a way cooler word than cool or bitchin’ especially when uttered by Jewel Staite playing Kaylee Frye.

Morena Baccarin who plays Irana the professional companion (working girl with a LOT of class) is a beautiful woman.

Hitting someone with a closed fist can hurt, but it is, on occasion, hilarious.

A man learns all the details of a situation… Well, then he has a choice.

You can live on prepackaged food indefinitely with a sufficient supply of dried rosemary. (Anyone who’s lived on MREs can attest to this one or any of it’s variations.)

I expected trains would have changed more in 500 years, but when you think about it…besides the tracks and propulsion, what’s to improve?

When a doctor tells you you’d better sit down after giving you anything…probably a good idea to listen…unles you LIKE falling on your face well then…carry on.

Seriously evil bad guys still seem creepier with an Eastern European accent. Does that make me an ol’ fart cold warrior?

My heroes are still cowboys…I don’t know why…don’t much care.

I much prefer Mal Reynolds’, “Do it my way or I will kill you.” to Jean Luc Picard’s sitting around a table asking for “Suggestions?” When the shite has hit the fan, someone’s got to lead. Asking for suggestions isn’t leading, it’s whimping out on your responsibility.

Always have a plan B for when plan A goes bad.

Threatening the man who’s beat you senseless, tied your hands behind your back and has positioned you near a sub-light-speed turbine engine intake is a very-very bad choice…I don’t care how creepy your accent is.

Girls who know how to use tools and/or guns are sexy as hell. Can’t explain that one either.

05. May 2005 · Comments Off on RIP Colonel…and Thanks · Categories: General

One of our readers posted in the comments to Stryker’s post this breaking news.

Retired Army Col. David Hackworth, one of the most decorated veterans in U.S. history who became a vocal advocate for military reform, died yesterday in Mexico at 74.

He often wrote at World Net Daly, they’ve got the obit.

More on FoxNews.

Unreal. Walking away muttering to myself and shaking my head.

Lots more at Military.com.

05. May 2005 · Comments Off on Because I’ve got a Fever… · Categories: General Nonsense

…and I’m not alone.

05. May 2005 · Comments Off on hehehe-McLaughlin Idol · Categories: General Nonsense

John McLaughlin
Question: Are you surprised that Maroulis – without question a heartthrob unmatched since since the days David Cassidy graced lunchboxes from coast to coast – was voted off of the show? Pat Buchanan.

Pat Buchanan
No I am not, John, and I must point out that the entire premise of your opening segment was flawed…

John McLaughlin
Flawed?? Are you challenging my expert analysis of last week’s show?

Pat Buchanan
I am, if for no other reason than the fact that you completely ignored Carrie and Anthony…

Whole Thing.

Via Dean.

I don’t care who ya are…that’s funny.

04. May 2005 · Comments Off on I’ve Got a Bad Feeling About This · Categories: General

Happy Star Wars Day!!!

It’s May 4th.

May the 4th be with you.

Blame Michele. Okay, I didn’t have to pass it on, but a pun that bad just has to be shared…it was inevitable.

04. May 2005 · Comments Off on Who Are You Not Callin’ a Skank? · Categories: General Nonsense

I was going to rant against Michelle Malkin again this morning after reading the post where she most carefully avoids calling our First Lady a skank, but I took a deep breath and simply decided that it would be a waste of time. She’s one of THOSE conservatives who thinks that she’s somehow better than the rest of the world because she raises her pinky when she shites and there’s nothing anyone can do about that.

For various reasons I was reminded of my Great Aunt Rose. My Great Aunt Rose would smile sweetly and refer to Ms Malkin as “a Saint.” My Great Aunt Rose saves that honorific for those who have “become too high and mighty for worldly good” or those who forgot to “check their butt for the corncob.” (…from the outhouse I’ve always assumed.) “Well now…isn’t she a Saint?”

I love my Great Aunt Rose. She’s a plain spoken farm lady closing in on 100. Not overly educated but filled with Wisconsin farm common sense. She goes to mass almost every day, “Cramming for finals.” she likes to call it. I don’t know why, she’s always been one of those people I’ve looked up to for living the words instead of just reading them.

Great Aunt Rose LOVES telling the joke about milking a bull. For her it’s the definition of city folks and our cluelessness.

The irony here is practically sublime.

Update: Two more reasoned and reasonable posts about this subject at Protein Wisdom and Sisu.

04. May 2005 · Comments Off on I don’t know when it happened, I don’t know how it happened… · Categories: That's Entertainment!

but I’m actually starting to look forward to Star Wars Episode III, Revenge of the Sith. The trailers have had something to do with it…what’s being shown looks quite good.

Of course…it could just mean that all the hype has done what it’s supposed to do and I’m just as large a media whore as I fear I am.

I wonder which light saber battle will be better, Anikin and Obi Wan’s or Yoda vs the Pope…errrr…The Emporer?