Tell'em Stan 'n Edie!

In recognition of the Michigan House joining the ranks of the bullies by passing a bill to ban smoking in bars and restaurants, we offer this Muriel Cigar commercial from '65. You know, when Americans still had freedom of choice.

Peeking Through Justice's Mask.

I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion [as a judge] than a white male who hasn't lived that life - Supreme Court Nominee Sonya Sotomayor

Hmm.

Operation Never Forget.

Remembering those now serving, having served, and those who have fallen. Visit and donate here.

Johannes Brahms Radio.

Now available at Pandora. Enjoy!


Note: the Michigan State Commisariat for Good Behavior reminds all of the people that Johannes Brahms is not setting a good example for our children by smoking cigars.

Defeating the Barbarians.

The reality of war is sinking in to President Obama. During the election - when it was a very effective campaign weapon - it was easy to declare that holding enemies of the country indefinitely to be illegal, immoral, and unnecessary. Now that Mr. Obama is charged with the responsibility to protect the people of the United States, his view of this issue has changed dramatically. We welcome this change in his view. We do not dismiss the concerns of civil libertarians, but conclude that as much consideration and legal discretion that is possible during wartime has been made in the internment of these very, very dangerous enemies.

Now that reasonable minds understand the neccesity of holding these persons, what exactly is the need to close Gitmo? The need for such detentions and such facilities begs a much larger question that has been dodged for years: exactly what will the civilized world do to protect itself from the Barbarians?

A Sincere Call for Dialogue?

The President attended the commencement ceremonies at Notre Dame University today, and called for "open hearts, open minds, fair-minded words" in a dialogue about abortion.

Such calls in the past appear have served only as props to help to codify even more aggressive abortion "rights". It makes the mind reel to observe the indifference by many so-called advocates of human rights advocates to the current state of affairs: abortion at any stage of pregnancy, even up to the moment of birth. Years ago the public was assured that abortion would be rare, and restricted to the first thirteen weeks of pregancy. The number of abortions per year is now around a million, nearly ten percent of those occur outside of the first trimester. Half of those who receive abortions in the last year have had one before. A "fair-minded" discussion of abortion would address these alarming statistics. Fat chance for that to happen.

The President further said, “Maybe we won’t agree on abortion, but we can still agree that this heart-wrenching decision for any woman is not made casually. It has both moral and spiritual dimension. So let us work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions. Let’s reduce unintended pregnancies. Let’s make adoption more available. Let’s provide care and support for women who do carry their children to term.”

Pondering abortion's "moral and spiritual dimensions"? Where was this talk years ago when abortion became synonymous with women's economic and political liberation?

Auferstehen (Resurrection).

Die shall I in order to live.
Rise again, yes, rise again,
will you, my heart, in an instant!
That for which you suffered,
to God will it lead you! - Gustav Mahler

Music names the unnameable, and communicates the unknowable. - Leonard Bernstein

Preserving Our Flyfishing Heritage.

Tom Deschaine, Kelly Galloup, Jerry Kunath, and Jerry Regan contribute to Michigan Dry Flies, devoted to preserving and promoting classic and historic Michigan fly patterns (pictured is the "Lacey Stephan").

Changing Leadership in the Afghan Conflict.

The current commanding general in Afghanistan, David McKiernan, has been relieved. Stratfor provides information on the related rear-area manuevers.

Something for Nothing? Hah!

Michael Ledeen brings us back to reality about the Mullahs' recent act of charity.

By Any Other Name...

Andy McCarthy documents the Administration's sleight-of-hand on military commissions.

Even Famous Christians Find it Hard to Witness.

We find ourselves in distinguished company! We will keep plugging away...

Jack Kemp, 1935-2009.

Bill Bennett had a marvelous three-hour tribute to his close friend this morning. He and his guests completed all of their passes: Jack Kemp worked tirelessly for the message of opportunity in the American conservative movement. He "got it" way before most did. He was the blacksmith who hammered out the exciting ideas of economic liberty into practical political tools, such as the great tax cuts that Reagan adopted. This author was an enthusiastic supporter of Jack for the Presidency in '88. He will be sorely missed, but he has nurtured a new generation to take up his torch. R.I.P.

The More Things Change.

You know the rest. Reposted as periodic required listening.

Ethanol Rises from the Grave.

A farmer lobbying group is leaning on the Congers to have the EPA bump up the blend requirement on ethanol in gasoline. Their talking points can be found here. Ah, what the free market kills government can revive. Find a way to make it a lot cheaper and using less fossil fuel and water, and we'll talk boys...

Socialism Comes to Town.

After the White House and the UAW shook down the bondholders of GM, they set their sights on the senior secured debt holders of Chrysler. The bondholders held their ground, and now bankruptcy court will resolve the disposition of the company's assets. The President may rant and rave about the treachery of the bond holders (many are retirement and pension programs), but the essential issue was whether the federal government and the union would be allowed to destroy corporate legal structure by usurping the holders of senior secured debt first claim to restitution in restructuring. Larry Kudlow described the actions of Obama and the UAW accurately and succinctly: theft. And socialist expropriation.

What Price Socialism?

Robert Tracinski recounts a conversation with a recent emigre' from Russia, and discovers the essential risk of a socialized America.

What Happened At The Opener.

Our anticipation for this year's Trout Opener neared delirium by Friday morning, and we struck out for Grayling at noon after putting in a few hours' toil for The Man. The weather was warm, the sun was bright, and the weekend's forecast for the Ausable and Manistee River areas was for high temperatures in the upper sixties with a less than likely chance of rain. It promised to be a very good Opening Day with good conditions for hatching mayflies and rising fish.

We landed on the banks of the North Branch of the Ausable at 4pm, met our First Platoon of comrades, and commenced dry hackle offerings thrown among the rocks and riffles of fifty-six degree water. The platoon's reconnaissance told of a few fish taken earlier in the day but with action now at a lull. In the next two hours our efforts came to nought, but no matter, for two more solid days of fishing lay ahead. Surely, we thought, things would improve. We sounded recall and headed for Penrod's, our base of operations. We joined the Second Platoon and sought refreshment at Grayling's version of The Russian Tearoom - Spike's "Keg O'Nails" Pub: anybody who is anybody in Crawford County is in Spike's for Opening Eve. We had a wonderfully creamy pint of Guinness, and watched various mating rituals between semi-sober fisherman and the domestic and imported brood mares. Further liquid inspiration followed back at camp, summoning rousing declamations on the glories that awaited us. We also learned that the words for "prairie" and "fire" sound very similar in the Ojibwa langauge, and our Resident Fish Scholar postulated various theories on the future of Michigan salmonids and the Return of the Grayling. He was remarkably coherent even after a substantial helping of a brand-new bottle of Scapa. Hemingway would have been proud to have his company.

With the dawn of Opening Day the stragglers of our Band of Brothers arrived at camp, just in time for a superb breakfast. The group was surprisingly ambulatory given the fervor of the previous night's bacchanal. We girded our loins, packed up our gear, and as we headed toward the cars...

A great KABOOM! heralded the arrival of a fierce and nasty squall line into Grayling. We hunkered down for driving wind and rain for the better part of a hour. The temperature plunged twenty-five degrees. This is not good, we thought. Had one of us sinned against God? Should we stone that transgressor and bring the rest of us back to righteousness and reasonable fishing? No one offered themselves up in sacrifice and we concluded that the sinner was amongst the outsiders from our group. If he had any conscience he would tear out his eyes with No. 2 sized streamer hooks and beg our forgiveness, as well as that of God's. The rain abated, and we set out for the CCC Bridge on the Manistee, where we commenced fishing.

"Slow Fishing" does not do justice to our experience for the next four hours. The sudden and severe change in conditions had put our little friends into a coma. Between bouts of cold, soaking rains and biting winds, our group of five (a sixth was an early casualty to storm-induced demoralization and skeedaddled back to Alpena) landed two fish. One of the fish was identified as a brook trout only after undergoing magnification by reading spectacles. The Master Angler of our group, one with whom we had presumed God was obligated to provide at least one fish per outing, was skunked. This had, in effect, defined the day as a disaster, the flyfishing equivalent of The Apocalypse. We slunk back to Grayling to lick our wounds and to hope for a better Sunday.

No such luck. The Fish Scholar peeled off for home Sunday morning, so demoralized that the prospect of finishing his chorelist at home seemed more appealing. After the remnants of our party reconnoitered the Main Branch of the Ausable and found conditions inimical to even fair fishing for our last day, we headed to Dam Four on the North Branch. Alas, another four hours produced no landed fish and precious few strikes in forty-eight degree water. We surrendered in the midafternoon, struck camp, and headed home.

What is there to be learned from such a Last Saturday in April?

The best laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft agley - Robert Burns

Fagen on Shep.

Steely Dan Founder Donald Fagen recalls late nights spent with Jean Shepherd, and what he learned from Shep.

Does Penitence Work in Foreign Policy?

President Obama has decided to either apologize for American past "misdeeds" around the world (for example, not defending US attempts to oust Castro after he betrayed the Cuban Revolution), or to act much more deferential and conciliatory to international bad apples like Iran. So much for changing the tone: Iran arrests a journalist and a blogger, gives them hour-long trials, and delivers stiff prison sentences for "spying". The New York Times assures us that
Mr. Ahmadinejad will do his utmost (read: not much) to guarantee them due process. Gee, thanks.