Get Your Special Peanut Flavored Carter Kool-Aid Right Here

Jimmy Carter, formerly an awful President, then a respectable charitable home builder, and now a Commie Dictator Butt Kissing Disreputable Former President, has been drinking the Kool Aid.

In four years, Carter destroyed what was left of an economy, destroyed our military, destroyed our CIA, and destroyed our morale. Now at least he spends his time destroying something that belongs to only himself: his credibility.

The man who claimed Nicaragua held a valid, fair election, and Castro had a bitchin' eutopian pad, spoke the 5 year old, proven false, Democratic party lie:

"Well I would say that in the year 2000, the country failed abysmally in the presidential election process," Carter told a panel Monday at American University in Washington, D.C. "There's no doubt in my mind that Al Gore was elected president."

I must admit that I am so tired of this. After the Florida Supreme Court ignored its own statutes, ordered dissimilar vote counting for the same types of ballots, and let people handle and rehandle paper chads multiple times, the U.S. Supreme Court finally said, enough! Every votes must be read the same way -- and you counted them twice. Name your winner.

And then, after the election, for good measure, the LameStream Media went through the votes again. The LSM recounted the whole state. And what did they find? BUSH WON! And in 2004, he won again.

Was the Florida election in 2000 crazy? Yeah. Was the U.S. Supreme Court wrong? Maybe (I don't think so, but I'll call it debateable). Was the Florida Supreme Court partisan (for Gore) and wrong in the application of Florida law? Without a doubt.

November of 2000 was nuts. But the right man was declared the winner. We know it. It isn't an "unknown" fact.

Get over it.

And stop lying.

Carter: you are either an idiot or a liar. Which is it?

Roberts Roll Call Hall of Shame

It's Zima time!

The Washington Post reports that John G. Roberts was sworn in as Chief Justice today after receiving a 78 - 22 vote in the Senate. Here's the roll call of naysayers:

NO - 22 Democrats
Akaka, Hawaii
Bayh, Ind.
Biden, Del.
Boxer,Calif.
Cantwell, Wash.
Clinton, N.Y.
Corzine, N.J.
Dayton,Minn.
Durbin, Ill.
Feinstein, Calif.
Harkin, Iowa
Inouye,Hawaii
Kennedy, Mass.
Kerry, Mass.
Lautenberg, N.J.
Mikulski,Md.
Obama, Ill.
Reed, R.I.
Reid, Nev.
Sarbanes, Md.
Schumer,N.Y.
Stabenow, Mich.

Do you think they have their first drafts of press releases ready for tomorrow, should Bush announce a nominee to replace Rhenquist? The blogosphere is already circling the wagons.

Posts Blue State.com, grousing about how many Dems approved Roberts and how few opportunities occur to install a Chief Justice: "Now you know why some people like me were a little upset at Democrats for not pressing Roberts harder to answer questions regarding existing civil rights laws." Billmon [who can be counted on to show up some time to call me an effing fascist] breaks his silence on Roberts, noting "the stealth coating on Roberts's judicial philosophy made it through his hearings with barely a scratch." Drudge is on record with a post titled "Red Meat for Yellow Dogs," which no longer appears on the site.

Nota Bene: These Senators - all Democrats - had no reason to vote Roberts down. Except that he was nominated by George W. Bush. The coming circus should be vicious, since the tigers haven't been fed.

Cross-posted @ GMC.

Links A Plenty

The Old Man And The Sea. The new teacher and the Texas roads.

Ed Koch is a liberal, but he isn't a tin foil hat wearing nut. Koch points out the obvious with Cindy Sheehan, and the Art of the Blog has the story.

Dave and gerrymandering. He is so sqare.

Cassandra on Herstory and self esteem. I think. God, I'm so stupid.

The efficiency of a centrally planned system is proven yet again at Heigh Ho.

Performance drugs, and music. Unrepentant Individual reports on Congress' new folly.

LibLar tackles the shameful fence divide between the rich and poor.

Some good advice:


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Carnival Of Liberty XIII

The roman numerals are getting bigger as the LLP Group continues to grow in power, affluence and influence.

Go read the many fine articles in the Carnival of Liberty XIII at Forward Biased.

Unless freedom scares you.

No count commies.

Georgia Constitution And DUI

Apparently, in the old days, Georgia lesislators would have to travel to Atlanta for the legislative session. In the days of the horse drawn buggy and no interstates, this could be a dangerous journey. For example, if you went through the town of a political enemy, you might find yourself arrested for not picking up your horse poo and put in jail until the legislative session ended.

As a response, the Georgia Constitution, Art. III, Sect. IV, Para. IX, states as follows:

Privilege of members. The members of both houses shall be free from arrest during sessions of the General Assembly, or committee meetings thereof, and in going thereto or returning therefrom, except for treason, felony, or breach of the peace.

In a most humorous application of this obscure, old provision, Representative David Graves (R- Macon) attempted to apply the provision to his DUI arrest.

A state lawmaker cannot wiggle out of a drunken driving charge by claiming his drinking had been part of an official legislative function, a Cobb County judge ruled this morning. Rep. David Graves (R-Macon) tried to use an obscure provision in the state constitution to argue that he should not have been arrested for DUI in February, during the 2005 session of the Georgia General Assembly.

His attorney, a well known DUI defense attorney in Georgia, argued on the following facts:

But at a hearing this morning, Cobb State Court Judge Irma B. Glover denied Graves' request to use his legislative immunity defense. Well-known DUI attorney, William C. "Bubba" Head, who is representing Graves on this — and another DUI from 2004 — immediately filed a motion to appeal Glover's ruling to the Georgia Supreme Court.

Graves — chairman of the House committee overseeing laws governing the alcohol industry — has said that on Feb. 15, he and other committee chairmen went from the Capitol to a dinner meeting, where they conferred about the status of legislation and plans for the next legislative day. His lawyer argued that Graves should have been granted immunity from arrest because he was leaving a gathering that was tantamount to a committee meeting, according to legal filings.

Thus far, it hasn't worked. The appeal to the Supreme Court will be interesting. I doubt, however, than this novel argument will work. But he is involved in regulating alcohol. I could see how every drink he has is on the job.

ASIDE: Note that Mr. Graves party affiliation was identified early in the article. Remember my theory of political scandals.

Balance On The Lesbian Parents

A private Christian school in California has expelled a 14 year old student because her "parents" were lesbians that lived together. The media and some talk show hosts have had some fun with this story, predictably portraying the school as a bunch of religious zealots.

"Your family does not meet the policies of admission," Superintendent Leonard Stob wrote to Tina Clark, the girl's biological mother.

Stob wrote that school policy requires that at least one parent may not engage in practices "immoral or inconsistent with a positive Christian life style, such as cohabitating without marriage or in a homosexual relationship," The Los Angeles Times reported in Friday's edition.

As I read the story, the student applied under false pretenses, and the policy in place applies equally to heterosexual couples living together as it does homosexual couples. The story does not identify the girl's father and whether he would meet the "Christian lifestyle" test.

I do not agree with the school's position on this subject, but I understand it. My own personal view is that the school should do everything to educate and prepare the child to live the Christian lifestyle the school professes. The parents are not the students. While the students' open co-habitation should be fair game, I would not "punish" the student for the parents immoral behavior.

The Bible does, however, make clear that sexual relations outside of marriage are immoral, and it is ridiculous to expect a Christian school to turn a blind eye to openly sinful conduct without any comment to its pupils. Just because the world around a Christian school openly accepts and even celebrates sin is no reason to ridicule a Christian institution should.

It is fair to point out that Christians tend to focus on the homosexual angle. I think the subject gets a disproportionate amount of comment, though part of that may be the focus on the subject by the press.

There are several reasons though why Christians may feel more free to condemn homosexual conduct. First, homosexual co-habitation is a sin of conduct as opposed to a sin of the heart. It is, thus, easier to identify the guilty.

Second, homosexual conduct has a political lobby. Many Christians feel, probably justifiably, defensive as their beliefs are in fact under attack by the homosexual lobby that seeks not only tollerence (which many Christians myself included are happy to provide) but acceptance and celebration of their lifestyle.

Third, I think it is human nature for humans to more loudly condemn the sins with which they do not identify or struggle. Thus, you hear much less about sins of the heart, e.g., greed or lust, or about common sins even among believers, e.g., gossip. These sins are, I believe, equal in God's eyes to sexual misconduct (other than adultery, which falls into the top 10). They are not, however, as easy to identify and more likely to make the accuser uncomfortable. Homosexuals are such a small percentage of the society, and even less so among the society of Christians, that they are an easy target even for those with their own logs in their eye.

So Christians take it on the chin again. Not because they are hypocrites, as is usually the reason the press pounces. Rather, perhaps, because they are not.

Atlanta Braves -- 14 In A Row

IN A CLASS ALL BY ITSELF

For some reason, No Government Cheese is down but I can still compose. Hopefully this will come up when the site does.

The Atlanta Braves just won Division Title 14 in a row tonight. No team in any pro sport has ever won its form of a division title that many times in a row. This is no minor accomplishment, especially in the day of free agency.



Bobby Cox is a great manager. The Braves have won these titles many different ways - pitching some years, hitting others. This year, the bullpen has stunk many nights and Bobby Cox had to include 3-4 rookies in the starting line-up most nights. What an incredible feat.

The Braves have not won as many World Series as we would like, but winning is winning, and excellence is excellence.

Congratulations Braves!

September Straw Poll

Patrick Ruffini has this month's presidential straw poll up, and it's "tagable," by state and by topics, e.g. pro-life, libertarian, immigration, taxes.

You insert the tag, so whatever you think is important will be tracked. I entered fiscal conservative, pro-life, strict constructionist, WI.

Ruffini had already done the laudable job of putting together a "fantasy ballot," which you can select not to override your original vote. In the results, you can see how fantasy candidates pull votes from regular candidates.

Interesting preliminary results:

Fiscal conservatives picked Giuliani over Romny by a wide margin, but Giuliani takes second place by an equal margin to Rice in the fantasy ballot.

Pro-lifers like Allen, then Giuliani is second, with Rice and then Jeb Bush taking second in the fantasy ballots.

Hugh Hewitt fans like Giuliani, then Allen, and Rice is followed by Giuliani on the fantasy ballot.

Cross-posted at Guide to Midwestern Culture and Badger Blog Alliance for greater breadth of polling results.

Spirited News

Landlord/tennent dispute centers on ghosts and Jehova's Witness:

Thu Sep 8, 1:54 PM ET
ORLANDO, Fla. - The landlords of an Orlando entertainment complex are suing two restaurateurs for refusing to move into a renovating building because they claim it is haunted.
Subcontractors who worked there and other people have reported seeing ghosts or other apparitions, said Lynn Franklin, attorney for the restaurant owners.

"It's very serious," Franklin said Thursday. "A lot of people are corroborating having seen incidents in this location."

The $2.6 million lawsuit filed last month by the owners of the Church Street Station entertainment complex says an offer to hold an exorcism was refused.

"I asked them if these were good ghosts or bad ghosts, and if they were good ghosts why it was a problem," said David Simmons, an attorney representing the building's owners, who include boy band promoter Lou Pearlman. Simmons is also a member of the state House.

Christopher and Yoko Chung, the owners of Amura Japanese Restaurant, had planned to move into the building last October, but backed out of the lease.

Franklin said Christopher Chung's religious beliefs as a Jehovah's Witness required him to "avoid encountering or having any association with spirits or demons," and Chung also objected to the offer for an exorcism because it is a Roman Catholic rite not accepted by his faith.
The lawsuit also asks a judge to decide whether the building is haunted and, if so, whether the ghosts would interfere with the restaurant's business. Renovations have stopped on the building, and it remains empty.

A company called Orlando Ghost Tours regularly led visitors through the property until it changed hands in 2001 and still begins its tours in front of the building.

I say he is in breach of lease. Either pay up or let them do the exorcism.

News In One Word -- The Letter Of The Day Is "I"

Irony.

Indifference.

Inspirational.

Insipid.

Intelligence.

Ignoramus.

Indy 500.

Your Choice: Crawl Space or Gitmo?

American contract worker Roy Hallums was captured in Iraq and held for 10 months.

He was rescued by American forces and is now home. He describes his ordeal. I don't think he would be complaining about the grub or exercise time of the Gitmo prisoners.

[H]is captors kept him blindfolded and bound throughout the ordeal

Hallums also said the motive behind his kidnapping was ransom but he refused to give his captors contact information for his family to spare them from having to negotiate.

According to a release from CBS, he said that his captors used beatings to force him to criticize President Bushin a videotape. On the video that was monitored in Iraq in January, Hallums was seen with a rifle pointed at his head.

"I am please asking for help because my life is in danger because it's been proved I worked for American forces," he said on the video. "I'm not asking for any help from President Bush because I know of his selfishness and unconcern for those who've been pushed into this hellhole."

Somewhat surprisingly, he makes this ordeal sound as though it were primarily business rather than military in motivation.

Hallums told "60 Minutes" that he believed the captors were related, ran "a family business" and were trying to get ransom money.

The kidnappers tried to force Hallums to give them a phone number for his family so they could ask for money, but Hallums did not reveal that information. "I knew if I gave them the number, they would call them and ask for money," Hallums said. "I didn't want (my family) to deal with a call like that."

I applaud his courage to keep his family from getting that phone call and for never giving up. He knew that Denzel Washington would come for him sooner or later.

Bush Reading Fair Tax Book?

Here is a picture of President Bush and Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson on Air Force I. What is the book on his desk?



That's right. It is the Fair Tax Book by Georgia Congressman John Linder and talk show host Neal Boortz. What are you waiting for Mr. President?

You can help.

Please check out the Fair Tax links on my side bar, and get involved.

Bus Explosion Exploited By Nagin?

An awful story. A bus transporting elderly patients, many with oxygen tanks, explodes and kills more than 20 people while fleeing hurricane Rita.

The bus exploded on a gridlocked highway south of Dallas. The initial reports claim that the fire started due to a mechanical malfunction, and then fed by the oxygen tanks.


Meanwhile, New Orleans Mayor Nagin argues that such a tragedy supports his decision to leave the busses of New Orleans parked as Katrina headed towards the gulf coast.

"I think it was better that our elderly and poor drowned or died of dehydration. Burning to death in a bus explosion is an awful and painful way to die. My decision to not use the busses was clearly sound and the compassionate thing to do."

Firearm Confiscation In N.O.?

Some bloggers, Triggerfinger and GeekWitha45, are hearing about the Federal Government confiscating firearms from all people they come across in New Orleans, even from their own home. It is believed that this has been going on for more than a week. If true, this is an outrage. Law abiding people need guns there right now, and certainly needed them when the looting was at its zenith.

But at this point it is only rumor. If anyone has confirmation -- either first hand knowledge or LameStream Media reporting -- please let me know. I would be interested, plus I will forward the information to them for further reporting.

Moron of the Week

Samantha Burns has a new feature called The Moron of the Week. It is the kind of feature a mean spirited blogger like me can appreciate.

This weeks inaugural winner is Sean Penn.

Why is Sean Penn our moron of the week? Perhaps because he brought his photographer along to save victims of the N'Orleans hurricane. Or, perhaps it's because he looks like a 'tard bailing water out of his boat with a plastic cup after he forgot to plug the hole. Or, perhaps, it could be because the moron has enough millions that he could support people who are actually trained in rescue rather than risk his own life and that of others in his feeble publicity stunt.



Picture also ripped from Samantha Burn's site.

She has a funny blog. Don't believe me? Check this out. Too funny.

An Idea (guest bloggers at) the Cheese Can Get Behind

Good news for KJ from the York Daily Record:

So we're going to the moon again.

On Monday, NASA announced a $104 billion plan to pay for this venture, or re-venture to the lunar surface in 2018.

That gives us lots of time to prepare. [snip]

Well, we here at the York Daily Record/Sunday News know how to stop this uneducational duality that is reality: Make the next trip to the moon a reality show!

We're thinking a marriage between "The Real World," "Survivor" and "The Surreal Life." For the sake of simplicity, we'll call it "YDR Real World: Moon."

A cast of bickering, selfish, competitive and disgustingly-rich-yet-starving-for-attention celebrities will spend a week on the moon competing in a variety of challenges. Every day, a loser is sent via space pod to Hollywood's equivalent of hell — New Jersey.

Send KJ to the moon in '18!

Hit the tip jar, early and often, or send your contributions (monetary only, please, in denominations of $100) to PO Box 200, Cheesetown, WI. 53511, c/o tee bee!

New Advertising Feature

It is all about the money. So please excuse the Cheese for selling ad space. But at least our first ad is a beer ad.



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Roberts Prances Out Of Committee

Only five gay hatin' Democrats in the Senate Judiciary Committee voted against Judge Roberts becoming the next Chief Maddam Justice of Fabulous Court of the United Straights, I mean States. The 13-5 vote to send the nomination to the full Senate included all 10 Republican and 3 Democrats.

The five playa hatin' Dems were Dianne Feinstein of California, Joseph I Did Too Write That Biden of Delaware, Edward The Swimmer Kennedy of Massachusetts, Charles Schumer of New York and Dick, just Dick, Durbin of Illinois.

Roberts should sail through the full Senate, where additional Democrats are expected to protect their Red State hides and vote for the possibly gay Justice. They include Patrick Leahy of Vermont; Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold, both Wisconsin; Tim Johnson of South Dakota; Ben Nelson of Nebraska; and Max Baucus of Montana.

Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana has indicated she is floating toward voting for the nominee. Sen. Kent Conrad of very Red State North Dakota is viewed as a possible vote for him, as well.

The Zima and White Zinfandel is chillin. I can't wait till the party next week.

Cross-posted at CBWSTGJR.

You Got Served

In my mood of questionable humor, I find this piece utterly hilarious.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — One person required stitches and a mother and son were arrested after a brawl broke out during an impromptu "dance off," Wichita police said.

"This is a whole new arena" of crime, said Wichita police Lt. Jeff Easter.

The Dynamic Steppers, a Wichita drill team, were practicing routines Saturday night when members of another drill team called the White Tigers showed up and challenged the others to a "dance-off," police said.

When the challengers appeared to be losing, a woman struck a 17-year-old Dynamic Steppers drummer in the face with a drumstick, Easter said.

The teen, who had left the White Tigers to join the Dynamic Steppers, punched the 28-year-old woman in the face. He then ran toward his Ford Explorer and tried to run over spectators, witnesses told police.

Life really does imitate art all too often.

Cross-posted at Guide to Midwestern Culture.

No Time -- Enjoy The Links

I have less time than normal to write anything. So let me share the good reading I've done in last two days:

spd rdr is on a role at Heigh Ho. Read this on bloated government spending and this on silly Muslim offensiveness.

WuzzaDem takes on the LameStream media.

Cassandra takes on race and Katrina issues. She also has a caption contest.

Check out Carnival of Liberty XII. You know the line -- go or you're a commie.

QandO questions some of Bush's department appointments, and the questions have merit.

Below The Beltway and Captain's Quarters discuss the recent Attorney General's boneheaded effort to step up FBI porn enforcement. What is Gonzales thinking? They ponder the question. The answer, though, doesn't matter.

Future Headlines

I have had fun in the past with silly sounding headlines. Now is the time to predict our country's (and the world's) future news headlines. How pessimistic, or optimistic, are you?

The year is 2030, twenty-five years in the future. What are the headlines?

Some ideas:

European-americans still trying to have English recognized as California's third language.

Baby conceived naturally - - scientists stumped.

Couple petitions court to reinstate heterosexual marriage.

France pleads for global help after being taken over by Jamaica.

Castro finally dies at age 112; Cuban cigars can now be imported legally, but President Chelsea Clinton has banned all smoking.

George Z. Bush says he will run for President in 2032.

Postal Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery to Wednesdays only.

85-year, $75.8 billion study: Diet and Exercise is the key to weight loss.

Average height of NBA players now nine feet, seven inches; average sentence for first offenses now 2 years, 6 months.

Capitol Hill intern indicted for refusing to have sex with congressman.

Florida voters still having trouble with voting machines.

The floor is open.

'The Politics of Judicial Appointments'

There's an interesting new book out on Supreme Court nominations that I hope KJ hasn't mentioned yet. It covers the process from nomination to a transforming ideology:

"During the first four years of justices' tenure, their voting behavior correlates at a rather high level with their appointing president's ideology, but for justices with ten or more years of service, that relationship drops precipitously," suggests Lee Epstein, co-author of "Advice and Consent: The Politics of Judicial Appointments" (September 2005, Oxford University Press).

I've heard it suggested that Republican presidents tend to nominate moderate candidates while Democrats nominate liberal judges. Epstein acknowledges that "liberal presidents appoint liberal justices who continue to take liberal positions for a while." But she adds, "Ditto for conservatives."

Let's look at the tally:

Appointee Place of Birth Nominated by
John Paul Stevens, Chicago Ford 12/75
Sandra Day O'Connor, El Paso Reagan 9/81
Antonin Scalia, Trenton Reagan 9/86
Anthony M. Kennedy, Sacramento Reagan 2/88
David Hackett Souter, Melrose, Mass. Bush 10/90
Clarence Thomas, Savannah Bush 10/91
Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Brooklyn Clinton 8/93
Stephen G. Breyer, San Francisco Clinton 8/94

I think it's very hard for anyone outside of Scalia to be considered a core conservative. Personally, I think we need an Alaskan on the court, and maybe another Southerner. Nonetheless, the book sounds interesting.

In their book, Epstein and Segal trace the politics of the judicial nomination process through more than 200 years of American history, providing an anecdote-rich analysis of key issues behind the institution's origin and evolution. They suggest, for instance, that the Senate's rejection of one of George Washington's Supreme Court nominees in 1795 provides a clear signal that the founding fathers intended the Senate confirmation process to be more than a rubber stamp.

Further, Epstein and Segal also say that Bush's call for a "dignified" confirmation of Roberts is "wishful thinking." Their reason is that it's not the point. No doubt the Democrats on the committee agree.

Back From Seattle

Yes, I'm back from Seattle. I'm sure you can't wait for me to get busy blogging again. I know I make a difference in so many lives. Sadly, I returned to an office that looked neglected for over a week. I have people that want things, like documents and reports. I have appointments later in the week that require preparation. In short, I'm busier than a one armed paper hanger (my appologies to all handi-capable people who took offense at that remark). For these reasons, tee bee has an open invitation to continue entertaining my eight readers for the rest of the week.
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Some people have e-mailed me and asked for pictures from my trip. Here is a picture of me sunning myself on some rocks near the Pacific Ocean.


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I could have some substantive posts, though I would like to take the time necessary to comment appropriately. But since I don't have that time, I'll have to hit and run a few things.

For example, if you are having trouble reading a post this long, you are probably one of the many wussified adults in need of pharmacutical drugs. Now that they have our kids hooked in unbelievable numbers, they are going after the gullible adults.
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George Will recently opined on poverty and Katrina, and offered a poverty cure I have mentioned in the past (though perhaps as a commentor and thus not at The Cheese). Will writes, speaking about Obama:

He might, however, care to note three not-at-all recondite rules for avoiding poverty: graduate from high school, don't have a baby until you are married, don't marry while you are a teenager. Among people who obey those rules, poverty is minimal.

Why are those three rules so hard to sell to a certain segment of the American people?
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Are you in trouble? Try not to attrack attention to yourself. Here is a good example (h/t CKCat).


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Target Centermass hosted last weeks Carnival of Liberty XI, from the blog group Life Liberty Property. Go visit. Don't be a commie.
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Looking for a great toy idea for that next kiddie birthday party?

Try the Airport Security Playmobil.

Groping accessaries sold seperately.
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Second best e-mailed I received in last week:

Al Gore, Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton arrive at heaven at the same time. They are taken before God, who is seated in all his glory on the throne of heaven.

God addresses Al first. "Al, what do you believe in?"

Al replies, "Well, I believe I won that election, but that it was your will that I did not serve. And I've come to understand that now."

God thinks for a second and says, "Okay, very good. Come and sit at my left."

God then addresses Bill. "Bill, what do you believe in?"

Bill replies, "I believe in forgiveness. I've sinned, but I've never held a grudgeagainst my fellow man, and I hope no grudges are held against me."

God thinks for a second and says, "You are forgiven, my son. Come and sit at my right."

God then addresses Hillary. "Hillary, what do you believe in?"

"I believe you're in my chair."
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Finally, the best e-mail I received last week tries to answer the question about one's political leanings.

Question: How do you tell the difference between Democrats, Republicans And Libertarians?

The answer can be found by posing the following question:

You're walking down a deserted street with your wife and two small children. Suddenly, an Islamic Terrorist with a huge knife comes around the corner, locks eyes with you, screams obsenities, praises Allah, raises the knife, and charges at you. You are carrying a Glock cal .40 with a 9 shot clip, and you are an expert shot. You have mere seconds before he reaches you and your family.

What do you do?

Democrat's Answer:

Well, that's not enough information to answer the question! Does the man look poor! Or depressed? Have I ever done anything to him that would inspire him to attack?

Could we run away? What does my wife think? What about the kids?

Could I possibly swing the gun like a club and knock the knife out of his hand?

Does the Glock have appropriate safety built into it?

Why am I carrying a loaded gun anyway, and what kind of message does this send to society and to my children?

Is it possible he'd be happy with just killing me? Does he definitely want to kill me, or would he be content just to wound me?

If I were to grab his knees and hold on, could my family get away while he was stabbing me?

Do I have a cell phone so I could call 9-1-1?

Why is this street so deserted? We need to raise taxes, have a paint and weed day and make this a happier, healthier street that would discourage such behavior.

This is all so confusing! I need to debate this with some friends for few days and try to come to a consensus.

Republican's Answer:

BANG!

Libertarian's Answer:

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
click.....(sounds of reloading).

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! click

Daughter: "Nice grouping, Daddy! Were those the Winchester Silver Tips
or Hollow Points?"

Monday Fun Fest: Lawyer Jokes

While I still have my evil powers, I decided to use them to welcome KJ home: by posting lawyer jokes.

What's the difference between a bankrupt attorney and a pigeon?
The pigeon can still make a deposit on a Mercedes.

What's the difference between God and an attorney?
God doesn't think he's an attorney.

What do you call a smiling, sober, courteous person at a bar association convention?
The caterer.

These were carefully chosen to suit my host's delicate sensibilities, and with much respect for his chosen profession.

You, however, are under little constraint, should you desire to post something amusing in the comments. Just sayin'.

Give

Or, find something here.

The Sky Really Is Falling - Well, The Sea Really Is Warmer

In other news, National Geographic steps over the inert body of science in order to sell you some more global warming:

Writing in tomorrow's issue of the journal Science, the study's authors stop shy of pinning the increase in hurricane intensity on global warming. To do so would require a longer historical period of study and a better understanding of hurricane dynamics, they say.

But in an interview with National Geographic News, the study's lead author, Peter Webster, said, "I'm prepared to make an attribution to global warming."

KJ may agree as I do that the folks' data does show that hurricanes have been getting more intense over the past 35 years; patterns do change, and the sea surface temperatures have risen. KJ may even agree that we should look to more efficient energy sources than petroleum products.

But I think we both agree that you don't need to prove a creaky theory in order to come to these conclusions or to accept them. Too bad the new science-as-theocrat crowd doesn't get it.

Greatest Hits -- Where On The Spectrum of Theocracy Is The Fight?

Originally published on May 5, 2005.

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I have friends who send me articles from Cohen, Krugman, Dowd and others of similar tastes, with their endorsement. These columnists have been quite active recently writing about the movement in our country towards, gasp, a theocracy. This issue is covered nicely by villainous company blog princess Cassandra. One of her sources is a well written piece by John Phillips, a former NYT writer.

You will note, perhaps, if you are inclined to, a distinctly less course conversation from Cassandra and Phillips than from Cohen, et al, much less the leftist blogging community on this subject. But according to Bill Maher, it is the "right" that needs anger management therapy.

Although my neo-libertarian orientation occasionally puts me at odds politically with some in the religious right, I know where we have been and where we might go. The current fight over religion in the public square is significantly left of center historically, and left of where it was when I was a child when a prayer was said before the college football games I went to each Saturday, creches appeared in the public square in July, and prostitutes were stoned to death prior to the St. Patrick's Day parade.

Sure, within a range, the pendulum swings to the right and left on certain issues, but the focal point of the pendulum is still left of center historically. To hear the NYT and WaPo tell the story, we are fighting at the edges of theocracy. That position is, to say the least, uninformed and not well researched. To say more than the least, it is intentionally misleading.

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Note from tee bee: I thought I'd throw this back out there for review in light of the Roberts Confirmation hearings and the cry from the left, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, for the Bush Administration to take on more responsibility for citizens. What do you think?

Gay Judge Roberts Thursday

K-Lo at NRO aka Kathy from the Corner reports the fun judges' favorite movies: La Cage aux Folles and Rocky Horror Picture Show (which explains the cute 50s retro stuff the kids are dressed in and little Jack's cool dance moves).

It's just a jump to the Left!


He's also a big fan of Doctor Zhivago and North by Northwest. I'm not sure where she got those last two from, she doesn't cite source.

I think those last two were part of a well-researched and planned response on Roberts' part to the Confirmation Committee. It's another instance of the non-answers he's had to tailor to give the committee to keep them from tripping him up and outing him.

The senators keep saying there's no litmus test, but I think somebody's been fibbing... Imagine if he said he liked A Clockwork Orange and Full Metal Jacket. They'd have Borked him in the time it takes to make and pass the motion to deny confirmation.

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Judge Roberts Thursday will temporarily be replacing our normal Gay** Thursday segment.

** Gay: 1 a : happily excited : MERRY b : keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits 2 a : BRIGHT, LIVELY b : brilliant in color

Cross-posted at GTMC, who is eagerly awaiting those 10 Worst Supreme Court Opinions Of All Time.

Eurotrash Tuesday

I came across a weird but compelling little game on the net a few months back called

Gay or Eurotrash?

I did pretty good - hey! I lived in the Bay Area for a decade, I ought to have - but it's tough.

Major, major caveats: Whoa there, language not for kiddies or other decent humans on the main page and in the judges' comments. I know, I know: I'm so judgemental. Just skip along to the bottom and click on the link, note whether you got it right, and ignore the rest or don't play.

Cross-posted at fellow-eurotrash fanatic Guide to Midwestern Culture.

WWCD?

That's what President Bush should have begun asking himself, rather than simply tapping one of the most charming and well-liked former presidents to help in the wake of the 2004 tsunami and Hurricane Katrina:

What would Clinton do?

Don't get me wrong - this isn't a sarcastic attack on the failures and petty triumphs of the 42nd President; I appreciate the bond that's developed among the Bush presidents and Clinton. It redeems Clinton to the extent he can be redeemed by employing his greatest asset: His charm and warmth, which made everyone he came into contact with feel like he understood and cared, and would be able to help.

I'm serious. Bush needs to set aside his reserve, and let the warmth that shone with the victims and the hurting families of the Sept. 11 attacks beam forth some much-needed healing. It's not that he hasn't failed; he has. That's no excuse not to pick yourself up and resume the job you were hired to do.

And there's a lot that needs to be healed: a broken land, a raft of refugees, and Bush's own growing aversion to the attacks of the media and political rivals. He needed to hold people's hands during the hurricane and be there in a very tangible way shortly afterward.

He needs to be a more vocal and visible arbiter now, not simply acting as referee between Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco behind the closed doors of Air Force One, or reassigning FEMA, two weeks after the worst of the hurricane's force has passed.

He needs to revamp his "faith-based initiatives," turning them into Community-based Initiatives, helping to organize and make effective the superior efforts of the hundreds of charities and millions of citizens who are reaching out with money and practical help right now. Bush can make the appropriate branches of government available to these efforts in order to streamline them without co-opting them, and he can give the governors and mayors an example to follow.

He needs to begin a month of town-hall meetings in each region of the country to develop a plan that comes out of the communities - and not the taxpayers' pockets - to respond with the money, goods, and teams to help with the rebuilding and relief. Then he needs to share these findings publicly, acknowledging the people who contributed and the people they hope to serve.

And finally, Bush has to do the one thing Clinton never did: He has to lead.

Update: From other WWCD? posters - XB234C at The Viceroy's Fuguestate, and for those jonesin' for some Cindy, Sweetness & Light has a knockout WWCD? .

Cross-posted at Guide to Midwestern Culture and the Badger Blog Alliance. I liked it that much!

Seattle Stammerings

Funny Moment Of The Day

What made me laugh today? Mrs. KJ, KJita and I did a tour of Seattle via The Ducks. These vehicles are cars and boats. We start out on land, then drive around the lake, then drive back to the lot next to the Space Needle. During the drive, an ambulance came up behind us. Our driver pulled over, and just before passing us, the drive of the ambulance went "quack quack" through the loud speaker of his vehicle. I hope some guy wasn't dying in the back.

My 9/11 Tradition

On 9/11, 2001, I was in Texas for depositions. I had a ticket that afternoon that obviously wasn't used. I drove overnight from Dallas to Atlanta with two other Atlanta attorneys attending the same deposition. Since then, I have been out of town on each 9/11. Last year, I went to Cincinnati with some fraternity brothers for a get together. We went to a Reds game. This year, I am in Seattle. Since I had to stay at the hotel to call in to a partner's meeting that morning, I could not go with Mrs. KJ and KJita to watch whales. So I started my new 9/11 tradition. For the second year in a row, I went to a baseball game outside of Atlanta on 9/11.

Stadium Review

My compliments to the Seattle's Safeco Field. I really liked the common area just behind the center field wall. I also liked that you could walk around the entire stadium at the 100 level of seats. Not only that, but they have bar height metal tables around the stadium so you can stand and eat/drink while you watch the game from the top of the steps to the best seats. You can also stand right next to the dugouts with only a wire fence seperating you from the pitchers. Overall, I like Atlanta's Turner Field better, but Safeco Field was really nice. I liked it better than Cincinnati's "Pretty Good" American Ballpark.

Hippy Watch

We saw a hippy today. No anarchists though.

Hungry In Seattle

The food is pretty good here. Ivar's fish and chips and salmon chowder is awesome. I also recommend buying fresh seafood at the Pike Fish Market. We also found some good sea food at a locals place. Today, we bought a couple of cooked crabs and ate them at the hotel. A few days ago, we bought the biggest lobster tail I had ever seen. I cooked it in butter on the little stove in the room. It would have cost at least $80 in a restuarant. Yummy.

Vick Not Overrated

Falcons beat the Eagles. YEAH! Rush Limbaugh could not be reached for comment.

Hearings Begin

We have said it before, but it bears repeating. James Taranto (pictured at right), WSJ Best of the Web Blogger (as if mere "blogger" does him justice), is too cool for words. He linked the Conservative Bloggers Who Support The Gay Judge Roberts again in his Best of the Web series yesterday (September 12, 2005).

Meanwhile, the Conservative Bloggers Who Support The Gay Judge Roberts continue to support Judge Roberts, straight or gay, as the posturing and self congratulatory speeches, we mean hearings, begin.

After reviewing the summaries of the excerpts of the hearings, they had a few thoughts.

For example, they were impressed that despite his boyish good looks, charm, rapid rise to power, and otherwise great in every way, Judge Roberts seeks to remain humble on the Court. No rob-itis for this Chief Justice.

Being humble doesn't mean Judge Roberts won't be one tough buttox kicking bee-atch if a mere associate justice should push the wrong buttons. Just check out this "don't make me stop this car" look for when Ginsberg complains about not getting to write the official court opinion in a 9-0 statutory construction case (below).


During his opening statement, Judge Roberts played it by the book, noting:
Judges must have the "humility to recognize that they operate within a system of precedent ... the modesty to be open in the decisional process to the considered views of their colleagues on the bench," he added.

He then pointed out that there was nothing wrong with a sense of style, and the old fashioned drab black robes might be a thing of the past.

Judge Roberts also showed his true class and sense of patriotism by making two baseball analogies during his speech. For you leftists, baseball is the game of red blooded Americans. If you were looking for a soccer reference, wait until a Marxist, thug or child is nominated for Surpeme Court justice.

Two Democrats showed their class as well, making Katrina references during their opening statements. Nothing like grandstanding red herrings.

There also seemed to be a debate during statements about whether Judge Roberts should answer all of the questions posed to him. Apparently, Seantor Kennedy was debating himself.

These hearings should go quickly and smoothly. I suspect by the end of the week that Judge Roberts will playing that funky music and popping the cap on his Zima.

Cross posted at CBWSTGJR.

Roberts Confirmation: Let the Games Begin

The Senate Judiciary Committee today opened the first confirmation hearing for a chief justice nominee in nearly two decades, as federal appeals court judge John G. Roberts Jr. appeared before senators seeking to probe his views and judicial philosophy.

I'm betting the left [Middle English, from Old English lyft-, weak, useless (in lyftdl, paralysis)] side of the aisle will use this - the elevation of the nomination to chief - as a reason to hold the bar higher, as if they could, or should. Which is reasonable, since the chief justice gets, like, two votes to everyone else's. Right?

Oh. I guess not. The chief justice serves as presiding officer of the court, manager of the court's operations, and is head of the federal judicial branch of the US government. The only enumerated power is that of presiding over an impeachment trial. The CJ traditionally:

- presides over the private conference where the court decides which lower court cases to hear
- presides over the public hearings of cases
- chairs the private discussion of court cases
- as the senior member of a majority decision, may decide who writes the opinion
- administers the oath of office at presidential inaugurations
- as the head of the Judicial Conference of the United States, is empowered by the Rules Enabling Act to promulgate rules to ensure the smooth operation of the federal courts.

Among those commenting were Senators Leahy and Feinstein:

The ranking Democrat on the committee, Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, said in opening remarks, "The judiciary is the most isolated branch of our government from public accountability. So this hearing is the only opportunity for the American people to examine what kind of justice John Roberts will dispense."

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said she will ask Roberts about "the constitutional right to privacy" as it deals with abortion rights.

"I am concerned by a trend on the court to limit this right and thereby to curtail the autonomy we have fought for and achieved," said Feinstein, the only woman on the committee. "It would be very difficult . . . for me to vote to confirm someone whom I knew would overturn Roe v. Wade ."

Apparently Feinstein has forgotten Roberts' comments during his 2003 confirmation, that Roe v. Wade was "the law of the land." Leahy, for his part, is either myopic or too puffed up with self-importance to think straight - this is far from the only opportunity to examine Roberts. Perhaps the Senator hasn't noticed, but Roberts has been on trial since his nomination, and his record has been combed by every association and political agitant group hoping to Bork a Bush nominee.

Cross-posted at Guide to Midwestern Culture.

Greatest Hits -- War On Terror

Originally published on July 20, 2005, this post was related to the war on terror, and included links to some incredible photographs of that day by a photographer who gave his life getting the shots. Please visit the links.

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These are two sites I have found recently that can best be described as creepy and cool.

Here, a flash player video maps and summarizes the war with Al Qeada since its jihad declared in 1998. It has a world map, then with text, a time line and some photos, shows the major terrorist attacks linked to the jihad. Many took place before the war with Iraq.

A must see. Some background music if you are at work.

At this site, we see the last photos of Bill Biggart (right). Mr. Biggart was a professional photographer in New York on 9-11-2001. He took several really impressive photos of the events that morning. Then, when the second tower fell, he was crushed to death.

His equipment was salvaged, and his photos saved for us to see.

And see them you must. These are some incredible shots, made more incredible because we know how his story ended.

9/11 -- Remeber. Resolve.

Everyone knows this is the anniversary of 9/11. We were attacked.




The World Trade Centers were hit for the second time in 8 years.




And they fell.




The Pentagon was attacked.



And a plane en route was crashed by heroic passengers.



We can prevail. It will take patience and resolve. And a long memory. I hope we have it in us.

Ironic Headline of the Day

From Yahoo!'s main page: "Sean Penn denies reports of failed rescue mission."

It gets better; the headline from the article page: "Salvaging Sean Penn's Boat."

For more on the interestingly titled Sean Penn hagiography, see the cross-post in all its extended glory at Guide to Midwestern Culture.

Greatest Hits -- My Last Air Travel West

Since I flew west to Seattle this morning, it reminded me that I flew out west last year. Comparing Seattle and Salt Lake City, Utah is like comparing a MoveOn.org dinner party and Federalist Society social. Here is what I blogged then, though I posted it at The Ebb & Flow Institute:

While Pile On was struggling with the pestilence, I am sure many of you were wondering why KJ was not picking up the blogging and commenting slack. It is a fair question. I have been quite busy lately, even with my new brain's help. On Tuesday, I flew Delta to Salt Lake City, Utah. This was a surprisingly little city. It had a beautiful horizon on all sides. Mountains galore.

I had heard that a strange cult controlled much of the culture in the area. I saw several signs of this. First, there was a strange propensity to friendliness that surpassed even the generally superior culture and friendliness of the southeastern United States. Even though the people I was running into were largely in the service industry, they were extremely friendly even for that crowd. They all acted like the Aunt that wants to feed you right after you ate at Grandma's.




Second, I was forced to part with personal financial funds ($2) to join some private club for 90 days before a restaurant would serve me a fine Kentucky bourbon. This strange, certainly anti-Christian behavior made my spine shiver. Of course, I wanted the bourbon, so pray that I do not die in the next 90 days while my soul belongs to this strange cult :-).

You are probably wondering if I saw some of the sites, like the great skiing mountains, the Mormon Tabernacle choir, the Mormon Temple, or the University of Utah Utes Football stadium. Well, yes, I did drive past the football stadium 6 times in 3 days as it was between my sleeping hotel and my deposition taking hotel. Other than that, I didn't see much except the airport and the top of the moutains in the distance.

Seattle -- Day 1

The KJs arrived in Seattle this morning. After finally getting away from the rental car agency, we made it to the city. Some yummy fried fish from Ivan's I think and a trip to the grocery and it is bed time.

Also, it rained some this afternoon, which is shocking in this the dryest city in the United States.

Sadly, I have not yet seen a certified Left Coast hippy or an anarchist protester to show KJita.

My observations for the day:

Hummer's newest cousin kicks butt.

Katrina part MMCLXIV: A new excuse to bring in the shrinks to wussify and drug our children.

Luttig sides with Bush. I am not very comfortable with the way we are handling the Padilla case. Last I checked, the due process clause does apply to U.S. citizens arrested on U.S. soil. I would still support Luttig for Supreme Court though.

After a tip from their lawyer, they plead guilty.

Katrina may not have killed that many after all. Democrats regroup to discuss how to put a positive spin on this news.

Education is not the way to avoid crime. Education is the way to avoid getting caught.

Pain in the ass monkey.

Gay Judge Roberts Thursday

I was gonna post this under the heading, "Which Trumps: Social Engineering or Democracy?"

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has said that he will veto the California legislature's new homosexual marriage bill. You know, the one cobbled together recently in the darkened halls of downtown Sacramento, five years after the voters settled the matter and only a short time after the Ninth Circuit put Mayor Newsome in his place?

Then I realized it's Thursday, I've finished an article a week ahead of deadline, and I could really use a margarita and a foot rub.

Put on the Judy Garland, and let's get this party started! And don't worry about Arny getting tarred and feathered on this one:

"He can wrap himself in the rule of law and say, 'The people have spoken,'" said Tony Quinn, co-editor of the California Target Book, which tracks state political races. "This is probably one issue in which Schwarzenegger is probably a winner at a time when he has very few issues going his way."

Cross-posted at Guide to Midwestern Culture so everyone can join the party, and help KJ kick off his vacation!
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Judge Roberts Thursday will temporarily be replacing our normal Gay** Thursday segment.

** Gay: 1 a : happily excited : MERRY b : keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits 2 a : BRIGHT, LIVELY b : brilliant in color

Even Lawyers Take Vacations

I'm going on vacation until September 18. OK, actually, Mrs. KJ and KJita go on vacation, and I take a few days off with them, and they play while I spend the other few days going to seminars and doing client development in a place far away from home.

I leave Friday, but I have a big deposition tomorrow and a brief to finish before I go. I will try to stop in once or twice, but I may not.

I am also considering re-posting my greatest hits. Which means one or two posts.

I also hope to have some guest bloggin action, invitation pending, so please keep stopping by to see what is happening at The Cheese.

In the meantime, some blogging excellence from some of my buds.

Tee bee discusses the bad influence of that chain smoking, bar fly slut Barbie.

Pile On discusses when bad things happen to everyone.

The Governor who cried nothing was wrong while the wolf was staring her in the face.

Cassandra get's loose with a caption contest on real heroes.

Spd rdr gives the Lame Stream Media a spaking for starting rumors.

Nice robe.

Finally, Brad, whose blog just keeps getting better, goes political on unions and philosophical on other stuff as well.

10 Worst Supreme Court Opinions Of All Time

I have been thinkingn about writing a somewhat comprehensive list about the 10 Worst Supreme Court Opinions of All Time.

Since I will be on vacation for a while, I want to seek suggestions. I would suggest a number of criteria in choosing one's entries.

First, the decision has to be very wrong. I think that is implied in the name of the contest.

Second, the decision has to have a significant impact in the legal landscape. For example, even if one considered Bush v. Gore to be wrongly decided, I don't see how it could qualify because (1) it will not likely be applicable to other important cases and (2) it didn't change the outcome of anything. Every recount done by the media after the election found Bush won Florida anyhow. So the decision, right or wrong, has no lasting effect.

No, I'm looking for opinions that had meaningful impact.

For example, a few suggestions I anticipate include obvious racist decisions like Plessy v. Furgeson and Dred Scott, neither of which followed the Constitution and greatly impacted society.

I welcome your suggestions of cases for consideration. Include you reasoning please. I look forward to your suggestions.

And don't any of you go stealing my idea and beating me to the punch!

Carnival of Liberty X

Go to Mover Mike's site for the Carnival of Liberty X.

Volume appears to be lighter than normal, but the quality of the posts is quite high.

Go check it out, or you are a pinko commie bastard.

Literature You Make Up As You Go Along

When I was a kid, a new "interactive" book came out where you could choose one of two or three ways to respond to a given situation. The book of course could be read many times if you chose different courses of conduct each time at different locations. But as the book was limited by pages and only offered two or three choices, the concept had limited appeal. These limitations don't exist with computers.

This site is quite interesting. You can choose from many different choices that only grow the longer the site exists. Why? Because, like story games that we have played at Villainous Company, the readers add to the story. At this site, however, the new part of the story you write then becomes a choice that is plugged into the many options, along with your version of the next paragraph. You might write a choice to follow that choice, or others might pick up where you left off and add to it. But since the choices can only grow, many people can go different directions with the story.

On the first page, you find yourself "in front of a creepy looking cave. There is a tree nearby. Behind you lies the ocean, on which sits a pirate ship at anchor." What do you do? You have about 70 choices, one of which is Blame Bush.

I played around with it for a few minutes last week. I probably will never go back to it again, but it is still pretty neat.

A Thank You On A Judicial Abuse Story

I recently mentioned in a post called Judicial Abuse the story of a journalist that had allegedly been jailed and denied certain basic rights because a judge felt "threatened" by a blogger critical of the Judge.

I and 7 other bloggers recently received this e-mail, I thought I would share it with you.

All,

I just wanted to send a thank you email to all of you for blogging on our story. (Judicial Tyranny story from June Maxam)

http://www.theempirejournal.com/072405_judicial_tyranny.html

I was released from jail in the beginning of August - and our story is getting hotter by the minute. I've composed a chronology of our story (because it's very hard to follow) that can be viewed at the following link:

http://www.erievoices.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry050823-105352&PHPSESSID=65bbac747f37ca679365698fd5d80536

According to my trusty statcounter, the above link was just examined by the US Department of Justice - so that's pretty exciting!

I believe the local media is ignorning this story because we provide undeniable truth that the highly publicized pay to play scheme in place in Ohio...

http://www.erievoices.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry050830-090315

...was exposed by my partner Elsebeth Baumgartner in June of 2001.

This is absolutely a national news story that is awaiting someone on the national scene to notice it. THIS IS A STORY OF A WHISTLEBLOWER BEING IGNORED AND ABUSED - STRIPPED OF HER LICENSES TO PRACTICE PHARMACY AND LAW - AND THEN BEING VINDICATED 3 YEARS LATER. We only need to use the blogosphere to get the story out!

We have to blow this up - and I appreciate any emails, blog articles, and links you can provide.

Thanks in advance!

Bryan DuBois
Editor, Erie Voices
419-357-3052

Euro-trash Tuesday (9/6)

This weeks Euro-trash Tuesday comes from a contributor. I cannot verify the story, but the Rocky Mountain Lioness (a/k/a Colorado Kitty Cat, and others) sent it to me, so it must be true.

Lance Armstrong Scandal

The Associated Press Friday, August 25, 2005; 11:00 PM Paris, France

Lance Armstrong's record setting seventh Tour de France victory, along with his entire Tour de France legacy, may be tarnished by what could turn out to be one of the greatest sports scandals of all time. Armstrong is being quizzed by French police after three banned substances were found in his South France hotel room while on vacation after winning the 2005 Tour de France.

The three substances found were toothpaste, deodorant, and soap which have been banned by French authorities for over 75 years. Armstrong's girlfriend and American rocker Sheryl Crowe is quoted as saying "We use them every day in America, so we naturally thought they'd be OK throughout Europe."

Along with these three banned substances, French authorities also found several other interesting items that they have never seen before, including a backbone and one testicle.

For other Euro-trash Tuesday, check out A Guide to Midwestern Culture.

Happy Labor Day

Don't work too hard.








Can you believe people put these pictures on the internet? And these are the tasteful ones.
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P.S. Mrs. KJ said I shouldn't post this on Labor Day as it would be in poor taste. So I didn't.

Forget Stuffy Black Robes

With the possibility of become Chief Justice, many are wondering what Roberts will do with the five year tradition of the Chief Justice wearing gold stripes.

Rumor has it that the better question is whether the Supreme Court will even wear those stuffy, boring black robes at all anymore.

For example, in the spirit of recent Supreme Court decisions, Judge Roberts has decided to look outside the United States for ideas in Judicial attire. For example, a Justice of the Supreme Court of, appropriately enough, Queensland, has the following design that is said to be on the Judge Roberts short list:


Whether Judge Roberts will adopt this fanciful design for all Justices on the United States Supreme Court will be answered soon enough.
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Cross posted at CBWSTGJR.

Roberts' Nomination Elevated

President Bush has now nominated Judge John Roberts to the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.


When Roberts was advised of the new nomination, he squeeled like a little girl and dropped his banana.

In Memorium

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist



WASHINGTON - Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, who oversaw the high court's conservative shift and presided over the impeachment trial of President Clinton, died Saturday evening. He was 80 years old and had spent 33 years on the Supreme Court.

Random Katrina Stuff

You know all that bashing Bush is taking for not signing Kyoto, which lead to Katrina being such a big storm? Here is a nice, easily forgotten history of the treaty.

How is the Left and the Right side of the blogosphere treating Katrina? The Politburo Diktat summarizes.

Blogcritic, where lefty Blunderford cross-posted, explains why he won't contribute to Katrina relief. It is a nice read.

Quote of the Year

When I posted about Peggy Noonan's excellent column, I hadn't yet read Combs Spouts Off's post named The Law West of Canal Street. This is my new multi-topic favorite.

He offers a nice round up of opinion, Lamestream Media News and Blogger comments.

Two great stories Combs quotes:

John Carolan was sitting on his porch in the thick, humid darkness just before midnight Tuesday when three or four young men, one with a knife and another with a machete, stopped in front of his fence and pointed to the generator humming in the front yard, he said.
One said, "We want that generator," he recalled.
"I fired a couple of rounds over their heads with a .357 Magnum," Mr. Carolan recounted Wednesday. "They scattered."
He smiled and added, "You've heard of law west of the Pecos. This is law west of Canal Street."

He then nominates Glenn Reynolds for quote of the year:

If you've got a week's supplies, and a gun, you'll usually do okay after a disaster.

How true.

TF Stern, a retired police officer, also has an excellent comment with this post about our duty to care for ourselves.

More NOLA Posts

This WSJ article by Peggy Noonan is one of my favorite summaries and comments on various Katrina events.

I agree with her on about every point.

I hate to be a Armchair First Responder, but I am disappointed with the speed of the response. I don't think the Feds looked good or prepared.

The cities of Houston and San Antonio, and the state of Texas, however, look like God's country.

Good Live Blog From NOLA

This journal has become the Survival of New Orleans blog. In less perilous times it was simply a blog for me to talk smack and chat with friends. Now this journal exists to share firsthand experience of the disaster and its aftermath with anyone interested.

Go check it out. Some really good perspective from the inside, and they appear to be staying put for now.

This Day In Islamic Terrorism -- Killing Russian Children

Today is the 1st Anniversary of the Belsdan Massacre.

As you read the story, you will notice that no mention will be made of the fact that the "Chechan seperatists" are Islamic jihadist terrorists.

Nope. No mention. For some reason, they aren't called insurgents or freedom fighters, so it is hard to tell if the press considers them on the same moral highground as the terrorists opperating in Iraq.

Judge Roberts* Thursday (9/1): Hitler Drinking Game

Judge Roberts* Thursday, in time for the weekend, I wish to share the Hitler drinking game, invented by the ever concise blogger Chairman eDog's Superblog o' Capitalist Oppression, with the following easy to understand rules:

A group of 2 or more players each take a shot glass and fill it with booze (Jaeger or Rumplemintz seems appropriate. Schnapps does not.)

The tallest, whitest, and most (naturally) blonde player starts by naming a famous person.

The next player (rotate counter-clockwise) quickly names one way that the celebrity resembles Adolf Hitler, and then each suceeding player follows suit until someone is either stumped or missattributes a similarity.

Whoever is stumped must take a shot. Whoever falsely attributes a similarity between Hitler and the celebrity must take a shot, but if the similarity turns out to be correctly applied, everyone else must take a shot.

Jews, communists, slavs, gypsies, and homosexuals get to force one other player to take a shot on command as compensation for the Holocaust. [Ed.: If you are a Judge and have been rumored to be gay, you may also make everyone else take a shot.]

Any player who says George W. Bush's name for any reason during the game must take two shots and fill up everyone else's shot glasses until someone else makes the same mistake. For leftists, you can change the previous rule to sanction anyone who uses Hillary Clinton's name.

Any player who gives the name of a famous World War II vet (Bob Dole or George Bush I, for example) must take two shots.

Any player who thinks this is stupid must drink Schnapps.

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*Judge Roberts Thursday will temporarily be replacing our normal Gay** Thursday segment.

** Gay: 1 a : happily excited : MERRY b : keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits 2 a : BRIGHT, LIVELY b : brilliant in color

Christopher Hitchens Discussing The Left's Lies

Christopher Hitchens is a Lefty but has had the war on terror pegged since the beginning.

A few recent comments:

"You said there were WMDs in Iraq and that Saddam had friends in al Qaeda. . . . Blah, blah, pants on fire." I have had many opportunities to tire of this mantra. It takes ten seconds to intone the said mantra. It would take me, on my most eloquent C-SPAN day, at the very least five minutes to say that Abdul Rahman Yasin, who mixed the chemicals for the World Trade Center attack in 1993, subsequently sought and found refuge in Baghdad; that Dr. Mahdi Obeidi, Saddam's senior physicist, was able to lead American soldiers to nuclear centrifuge parts and a blueprint for a complete centrifuge (the crown jewel of nuclear physics) buried on the orders of Qusay Hussein; that Saddam's agents were in Damascus as late as February 2003, negotiating to purchase missiles off the shelf from North Korea; or that Rolf Ekeus, the great Swedish socialist who founded the inspection process in Iraq after 1991, has told me for the record that he was offered a $2 million bribe in a face-to-face meeting with Tariq Aziz. And these eye-catching examples would by no means exhaust my repertoire, or empty my quiver. Yes, it must be admitted that Bush and Blair made a hash of a good case, largely because they preferred to scare people rather than enlighten them or reason with them. Still, the only real strategy of deception has come from those who believe, or pretend, that Saddam Hussein was no problem....
He goes on. Read it.

h/t: QandO.

Men Need Not Apply

Multiple Choice:

iFeminists' Wendy Mcelroy takes on the complaints of some feminists about a man holding the job of:

(a) Towel boy at Shapes fitness
(b) Interim Director of a New England Battered Women's Shelter
(c) Body cavity searcher at Arizona's Maximum Prison for Women
(d) Supreme Court Justice Nominee

The answer is b.

Transition House, New England's first battered women's shelter, has started a search for a new director. The search is "gender neutral," and the interim director is a man. This has apparently riled up certain feminists.

Feminists who believe that gender must be a deciding factor in who addresses domestic violence and how it should be addressed, are appalled. They view the very prospect of hiring a male director as violating the "mission" of the shelter movement: to assist battered women and children.

In short, the "women-only feminists" believe males should be precluded from major employment and entry at shelters. Indeed, women's shelters often deny entry to male children over 12-years-old. (The legality of doing so at tax-funded shelters is dubious, to say the least.)

Transition House is getting some grief.

In a protest letter to the Transition House Board, the feminist organization About Women explained that the shelter must be a space where "women could feel safe from male intrusion and could openly unburden themselves of the experiences of male violence they had undergone without fear of censure, criticism or inhibition by male presence."

Apparently, the director does not even have to interact with women at the shelters. The argument about "some women" being so brutalized by men that the presence of men may be disturbing has some appeal, but the concept of denying someone an administration and public advocacy job because of gender seems inappropriate for an anti-discrimination group.

In fact, I wonder how far the logic could extend. If the abuser were of a particular race, would fear of "[insert race] men" be acceptable, or only "men." I recall once seeing an Oprah (many years ago) while home from school in which a women who had been raped by a black man talked about how any strange black man made her nervous. Oprah was indignant. That was racist talk. Not sexist mind you. Just racist.

Personally, I think the shelter should have some flexibility in its hiring practices on this subject, at least as to the law. I think this applies to other jobs as well -- prison guard jobs (for both men and women prisons) come to mind.

Nonetheless, I applaud Transition House's board though for recognizing the fact that not all men are abusive to women and can adequately run and advocate on the subject of domestic violence. Just because some abusers are men (as are some victims, and some women abuse women), men are not the enemy, and should not be excluded from jobs while advocating what is right.

The line of thinking of those opposed to a man being the director reminds me of a Henry Rollins Band song -- Wrong Man, from the album Weight:

You say we're all the same
You don't even know my name
Sometime somewhere some man hurt you
I'm one of them so I get stuck with the blame
You think you know about me
You don't know a damn thing about me

I'm not all men, just one man, I'm not all men

Of course, I'm not suggesting that Henry Rollins should be the greeter at the door of a battered woman's shelter.


I'm not sure he the right "look" for the job, though I'm sure he would perform the job just fine.