Conservative Corner (my brother, Dan)
Naked and Unashamed (my brother, Scott)
Crazy Aunt Purl
(my friend Laurie)
There's Pie In the Lunchroom
(my friend Chuck)
Too Fat For Ponies
(my friend Sam)
Nashville Junk
(a Tennessean insider)
Recent posts:
2006
Feb. 6-9, 2006
Jan 30-Feb 2, 2006
Jan 23-27, 2006
Jan 16-20, 2006
Jan 3-11, 2006
2005
Dec 27-30, 2005
Dec 19-22, 2005
Dec 8-16, 2005
Dec 1-7, 2005
Feb. 17, 2006
Paul Hackett has dropped out of the Ohio Senate race. I like Paul and actually contributed money to his House race last year. It was unfortunate that he lost, but it was a much closer race than anyone expected.
Paul was forced out of the Senate race when incumbent House member Sherrod Brown from Ohio decided to run. The party wanted to back the incumbent and asked Paul to step aside. Paul has said that he is out of politics, but I hope that isn't so. I'd like to see him run for Jean Schmidt's seat this year. He could win it with better party backing, which I believe he'd have this time around.
Regardless of what you think about the party's decision here, Rush Limbaugh is an idiot. I say that because yesterday he offered his "expert analysis" on why this decision was made:
And don't forget, Sherrod Brown is black. There's a racial component here, too. And now, the newspaper that I'm reading all this from is The New York Times, and they, of course, don't mention that. But -- you know, "Democratic leaders say that Representative Sherrod Brown, a seven-term incumbent from Avon, has a far better chance of toppling Senator DeWine than does the -- Hackett."
Uh . . . Sherrod Brown is a white guy, Rush. You'd think, after losing his gig at ESPN over his claims of a racial component in the media coverage of McNabb, he'd be a bit less quick to pull that particular trigger. But once a jackass always a jackass, I guess.
The three women who sued Wal-Mart in Massachusettes over the availability of emergency contraception have won. The state has decreed that Wal-Mart must stock the "morning-after" pill.
You have to love Fox News. What a hard-hitting journalistic organization that is. "Fair and Balanced" indeed. Plus, they dig out the stories no one else will. Recently, while every other newscast was concentrating on what happened with Dick Cheney's hunting accident and the condition of Cheney's victim, Fox News wanted to know "How is Dick Cheney feeling about this?"
There was one piece of interesting information to come out of the Fox interview with Dick Cheney. He said that there is an executive order in place giving him the power to declassify information.
That is important because it will play a role in Scooter Libby's defense. What isn't clear is how this is supposed to work. Can Dick Cheney unilaterally decide to declassify something? Or more importantly, can he decide to leak classified information to certain sources while keeping the documents classified?
Bob Woodward seems to have special access inside the White House to classified information, is this because Cheney declassifed it just for him? Can this process be so narrowly cast?
The best way to answer this, I believe, is to ask the Vice President's Office to release a list of all information that Cheney has declassified. If it's really declassified, then it shouldn't be a problem releasing it, right? If this isn't the case, then we need a better understanding of the policy.
The coolest picture you're going to see all day. A lightning strike from about 20 meters away.
Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) is about to get frog marched out of the House of Representatives. His aid has already plead guilty to bribing him. This would be the "bi-" in the "bipartisan scandal" you've been hearing about.
It seems that Jefferson, in exchange for using his connections in DC to help a business deal go through, got a piece of the company and a family member on the payroll.
Naughty naughty.
And now from the waste of taxpayers dollar department. AdWeek is reporting that the Bush administration has spent $1.4 billion (with a "b") on PR contracts over the last 2.5 years. That's $1.4 billion spent on spinning the Bush administration line.
You'd think his approval ratings would be higher.
You've probably seen those booths and shops where people can buy a sort of faux retro portrait. They have names like "Ye Olde Photography Shoppe" and tend to populate theme parks and the like. Rozzy's daycare hosted one of these outfits which specialize in children's photography.
So one day Dolls goes in to pick up Rozzy just as it was her turn to be photographed. Now, Dollie (and to be honest, I) don't care for this kind of stuff. Photos of little girls having a tea party with stuffed bears or little boys in overalls with no shirts carrying cane poles are cute and all, but not really something we would seek out.
But, since Rozzy was dressed up already, Dolls let her sit for the shots. A few weeks go by and we're notfied that the photographer would be back to discuss packages. Dollie figured she could by the cheapest one so that the grandmothers could have a shot of Rozzy and that would be that. However, the woman had a sales pitch and it was a high hard one right across the plate.
She had displays of huge photos in elaborate frames with multiple mats. It was a very pricey endeavor. The cheapest package: $128. No. Thank. You.
But the hard sell wasn't over. "Look how cute these pichers are." In Tennessee, that's how we pronounce it. What this lady didn't realize is that while we know Rozzy is cute, we don't care for "cute" in that sepiatone sort of way. Nevertheless, after much head shaking, the lady took the hint and we were given a free package of shots with a single pose. I present to you: Rozzy in repose.
Now, looking at this shot, you'd have no idea that she is pure unadulterated evil. But that's the nature of evil, I guess. You never expect the cute ones.
People are taken aback when we describe Rozzy as evil. They know it's a joke, but they don't understand how this sweet little girl could have such a reputation.
Let me give you an example. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Rozzy told all her grandmothers that Max wanted clothes for Christmas.
Max, being a little boy, wanted anything but clothes for Christmas and Rozzy knew it. Now ask yourself, suppose the grandmothers fell for this. What benefit would Rozzy get out of it? None, but the sheer joy of seeing her brother cry.
Evil. Not in the literal sense, maybe, but she has her own brand of deviltry and she works it. Look at her, all sweetness and light. But as soon as she got into the car after the photo shoot, all that cuteness went out the window in favor of demands for snacks, whining about having to go pick up Max at school and complaints about dinner options. So it's a good thing she's cute, I guess.
Have a good weekend.
Feb. 15, 2006
The Cheney shooting gets curiouser and curiouser. Take, for example, the official report which says that Whittington was shot from 30 yards away. Considering the ammo used, the clothing Whittington was wearing and the tightness of the wound pattern, it seems more likely that he was a lot closer than 30 yards. Even the "eye" witness said the blast "knocked him silly." Would that have happend with bird shot at 30 yards? Slate puts it this way:
At what range was Harry Whittington hit? The official story is that the blast from the vice president's shotgun hit Whittington at a distance of 30 yards. Hunters at the Vaughn Building are skeptical. The hunt took place on a cold, windy afternoon. Whittington and his fellow hunters were probably wearing warm clothing—say, a jacket and a flannel shirt. Cheney was using a 28-gauge shotgun, a smaller-diameter firearm with pellets smaller than BBs. Whittington's friends question whether the pellets could have penetrated his layers of clothing and skin at that range. Yet two pellets lodged against his larynx, another was in his liver, and another migrated into the heart muscle, causing the heart attack. The pattern of wounds was between the lower chest and the forehead, a pretty tight zone for shot of 30 yards. If the range was considerably less than 30 yards, then it is likely that Whittington's injuries were worse than the initial statement by Katharine Armstrong indicated. (The blast "knocked him silly," but "he was fine.").
The General adds this:
Our Deputy Leader was using 28 gauge shotgun shells loaded with 3/4 oz of #7-1/2 shot. That particular load carries approximately 262 BBs. The doctor caring for the wounded man said that he removed about 200 BBs. That means about 4/5ths of the shot in the load struck the man in an area no larger than about 18 inches in diameter.
Another of Katherine Armstrong's statements seems inconsistent. She said she saw Cheney shoot Whittington, but the AP reports "Armstrong said she saw Cheney's security detail running toward the scene. "The first thing that crossed my mind was he had a heart problem."
So, if she saw Cheney shoot the guy, then saw Cheney's security team running toward the scene, why would her first thought be Cheney'd had a heart problem? Did she actually see Whittington get shot or not?
Also, MSNBC reported that beer was served at the lunch preceding the hunt. In fact, they quoted Armstrong as saying "There may have been a beer or two in there, but remember, not everyone was shooting." Oddly enough, MSNBC scrubbed the quote from the story shortly after it was posted. But removing information out of the internet is like getting pee out of a pool, someone's going to have a screenshot of the original story.
Local statutes say if someone is involved in a hunting accident, everyone takes a breathalizer to determine if alcohol was a factor, but Cheney didn't speak with any local law enforcement until the next morning.
I've also read rumors that one reason it took 24 hours to report the incident is so that the Secret Service could spirit away a Cheney paramour. Further rumors have surfaced that suggest said paramour is the U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland Pamela Willford.
I put no credence in this rumor, because it's none of my business. I list it here only as an example of how a story can get away from you if you don't get out ahead of it. Cheney made a huge mistake by not releasing a statement, sitting on this for 24 hours, and letting the local paper break the news. The mistake was compounded by the White House's spin that this was somehow Whittington's fault.
The word is that Whittington is fine, but we've heard that before. He's 78 and has birdshot lodged in his heart, liver and larnyx. He's going to be hospitalized for another week at least. Keep him in your prayers. I know Cheney is.
Now, the big question. Why is all this important?
I've been watching the Olympics when I have the time. Max really likes the luge, ski jumping and snowboarding -- basically anything that moves fast or has a potential for really bad accidents. So he'll be tuning in the the skeleton runs starting tomorrow.
Ann "Queen of the Harpies" Coulter screwed up. She voted in the wrong precinct. She wrote the wrong address on her ballot and signed it.
Florida statutes make it a third-degree felony to vote knowingly in the wrong precinct. Lying on a voter's registration can cost up to $5,000 and five years behind bars.
"We're not a policing agency," says Elections Chief Deputy Charmaine Kelly. "You do not have to show proof that you live at your address. But when you sign the registration application, you also take an oath that everything you wrote is the truth.
"If someone brings us proof that a person falsified a registration, we'll check into it, then refer the matter to the state attorney's office if necessary."
Heh.
Nightline is supposed to have unpublished photos of Abu Gharaib torture victims on tonight's broadcast. This is what everyone will be talking about tomorrow.
Some guy on eBay has painted his Geo Metro to look like the General Lee. He says if you're the high bidder, he'll throw in a "Git-R-Done" had for free.
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes to split? Say it ain't so!
The so-called moderate Republicans in the House are feeling the pressure from the White House to vote against investigating the NSA spying scandal. Well, that's a shocker.
Feb. 14, 2006
Happy Valentines day to all you lovers out there. Have some Valentines Day urban legends.
One person who isn't getting a valentine today is Vice President Cheney. The late-night wags on all the comedy shows had a field day with his hunting accident. The left-wing bloggers have hypothesized that Cheney was drunk, since he didn't talk to any law enforcement officials until the next day.
The woman who owns the ranch and offered the only eye-witness account was sitting in a car, not part of the hunting party, so we can't really rely on her statement. She said that the shooting victim was "bruised more than bloodied" and that it was mostly his pride that was hurt. But he's been in intensive care for three days and now he's had a heart attack due to bird shot lodged in his heart.
This story isn't anywhere near over. There are too many inconsistencies. This is what happens when you don't manage a story properly. Cheney's press office should have been out front with this Saturday night. Then there would have been one story and everyone could stick with it.
Scott McClellan faced another day of mad dog reporters who spontaneously grew spines and started demanding some answers.
Of course the White House is playing like it's a big joke. So does Jeb Bush.
What's important to note here is that the Cheney shooting story has become a distraction from the Cheney authorized Libby to release classified information story. I'm not saying Cheney shot the guy to get that story off the front page, but that is the effect it has had.
Frank Miller is writing a new graphic novel in which Batman hunts down Osama.
There is an old British sit-com called "The Young Ones" which was set in the flat of four students. One, Neil, was always depressed and constantly thought of new ways to commit suicide. In one episode, the four found out that their house was to be demolished. Vyvyan hoisted himself up on a cross in front of the house. Neil, upon seeing this explained why crucifixion was a lousy way to commit suicide.
"You can never get that third nail in."
HARTLAND, ME — A Hartland man was treated at a Pittsfield hospital after he nailed himself to a cross. The 23-year-old man apparently was trying to commit suicide Thursday evening in his living room, the Bangor Daily News reported.
[...]
Lt. Pierre Boucher said the man took two pieces of wood, nailed them together in the form of a cross and placed them on the floor. He attached a suicide sign to the wood and then proceeded to nail one of his hands to the makeshift cross using a 14-penny nail and a hammer.
"When he realized that he was unable to nail his other hand to the board, he called 911," Boucher said.
It was unclear whether the man was seeking assistance for his injury or help in nailing down his other hand.
So there is this funeral in Serbia and the entire family and friends are there to see off the old guy who died. It is a sad occasion and everyone is in mourning. Just as the coffin is being lowered into the ground, the cell phone of the decedant's daughter rings.
It's the dead guy. Turns out he's still alive and in the hospital. He called because he was upset that no one had been by to see him in a couple of days.
Whoops! Wrong dead guy in the box.
I love stories about stupid criminals. They make me laugh. Here's a great one about a guy who breaks into a house and makes himself at home. He showers, picks out some new clothes, makes a pot of coffee, has a bite to eat, watches some TV and uses the computer to surf for porn. Oh, and he checks his Yahoo! email account and forgets to logout. Heh.
Feb. 13, 2006
Well, we survived the Snowpacalypse of 2006. I don't know how it is where you live, but in Tennessee, we take snow very seriously. If there is even a hint of freezing weather, the local stores are overrun with panicky people buying milk, bread, batteries and duct tape.
Friday night, the news was grim. Every station predicted one to three inches of snow for Murfreesboro. As I looked out into the cold night, I could see the "wintery mix" of water and snow come down.
The weather radar showed a vast front of white moving across Middle Tennessee, leaving a path of frozen southerners in it's wake.
Saturday morning: bubkis. There was some dusting on the rooftops and some accumulation in the shady areas of the yard, but for the most part, nothing. I went out to load up my car for the HeroClix tournament and my neighbor called over.
"I see you got out early and shoveled your driveway too," he said.
"Yeah," I replied. "It was a lot of hard work, but safety first."
"The news talked like it was going to be white death from above last night."
"Well, we live in a bowl, these fronts just hop right over us."
I went to the tournament and the storeowner had a similar attitude.
"Man, I put a sign on the door when I left last night that said we'd be closed due to bad weather," he said. "Then I woke up this morning and had to rush down here because there was no snow."
In the first round of the tourney, I sat across from Bruce.
"I'm glad to see this class three killstorm didn't stop you from driving in from Smyrna," I said.
"We used to live in Ottowa," he replied. 'Nuff said.
So Cheney had an interesting weekend. He now joins Aaron Burr as one of only two vice presidents to ever shoot someone while in office. Cheney went quail hunting in Corpus Christie, Texas and wound up shooting one of his hunting buddies full of bird shot.
Now, I'm not a hunter and I wasn't there. I don't believe there was anything untoward about the incident. But I did find it funny that neither the veep's office nor the White House made a statement about the incident or even notified the press that it happened.
It took 24 hours for the story to be reported and it was done by Katherine Armstrong, owner of the ranch where the incident took place.
That's just odd. The veep's office said they were going to defer to her to report the story since it was her property, but that's weird. Of course the vice president's office should issue a statement. Cheney shot someone on a hunting trip. That's not something you keep quiet about.
When we did get the White House line, it was a typical "blame-the-victim" spin. Harry Whittington, the victim, walked into Cheney's line of fire.
Like I said, I'm not a hunter. But from what I read, it's a given that if you shoot someone that it's your fault. Ultimately, the burden is on the hunter to ensure that the line of fire is clear before pulling the trigger.
Here is how Armstrong described the incident:
Armstrong said she was watching from a car while Cheney, Whittington and another hunter got out of the vehicle to shoot at a covey of quail.
Whittington shot a bird and went to look for it in the tall grass, while Cheney and the third hunter walked to another spot and discovered a second covey.
Whittington "came up from behind the vice president and the other hunter and didn't signal them or indicate to them or announce himself," Armstrong said.
"The vice president didn't see him," she continued. "The covey flushed and the vice president picked out a bird and was following it and shot. And by God, Harry was in the line of fire and got peppered pretty good.
...
Armstrong, owner of the Armstrong Ranch where the accident occurred, said Whittington was bleeding and Cheney was very apologetic.
"It broke the skin," she said of the shotgun pellets. "It knocked him silly. But he was fine. He was talking. His eyes were open. It didn't get in his eyes or anything like that."
So, if Whittington was coming up behind Cheney when the birds flushed, then Cheney shot Whittington, then Cheney had to be tracking his bird a full 180 degrees before shooting.
That violates some pretty basic gun safety as well as hunting rules. Not according to Mary Matalin.
"The vice president was concerned," said Mary Matalin, a Cheney adviser who spoke with him yesterday morning. "He felt badly, obviously. On the other hand, he was not careless or incautious or violate any of the [rules]. He didn't do anything he wasn't supposed to do."
McClellan had an interesting exchange in the morning gaggle.
Badger brought my attention to this story on NPR about parody movie trailers. I looked at the ones they linked to and there are some amazingly funny pieces here. I'd skip the "Taxi Driver" one, though.
But now everyone is getting into the act. At a recent retreat, House Republicans were treated to a movie parody which cast the Democrats as the evil empire from Star Wars and the Republicans as the downtrodden alliance. Wow. You mean the party that controls all the branches of government are the "rebels?"
I was home with Rozzy on Friday. She was running a fevor and unlike some irresponsible parents out there, we don't send our kids to daycare when they can infect others.
So as long as I was going to be home all day, I figured I'd get to work on the staggering pile of laundry that just keeps getting bigger and bigger. I am at best an apprentice-level laundryman. There are too many variables and it's too easy to make mistakes for me not to screw it up somehow. But lately, I've been chipping in on that chore and my confidence was up.
I did several loads of laundry before disaster struck. I had left a tin of Burt's Bees Lip Balm in the pocket of a pair of my khakis. I didn't notice until after the load had been through the dryer. The empty tin sat in the bottom of the dryer mocking me.
Five pairs of khaki slacks, a shirt and some random yellow/brown items were spotted with greasy dark stains. Several attempts to "Shout" them out have met with mixed results.
All in all a shirt and at least one pair of pants are ruined forever.
Speaking of unforseen disasters, Dollie and I took the fam to Home Depot to pick up supplies for her show. She went through her usual rigamarole with the paint department over her request: flat black latex paint.
They never seem to get that.
"Black?"
"Yes, black."
"Just black?"
"Yes, black."
"I'm not sure we can do that."
Well, we get the paint, and other supplies and load them into the back of Ravsputin for the drive home. The cargo shifts slightly on the trip and Dollie is trying to keep everything from falling out when she opens the cargo door.
She almost made it. But the gallon of flat black latex paint fell out of the car and onto our driveway, spilling flat black latex goo in a wide pool. Now we wait for it to dry so we can scrape it off.
