Dumber than You Can Imagine.

Summaries of the Nut-Fest in DC, and other locations from last weekend, can be found at LGF, Age of Hooper, and Trantor. The events included a throwback to the '60s with Jackass Lefties attempting to spit on an American soldier, Joshua Sparling.

The 2007 Cabin Fever Reliever.

Our local flyfishing rabble get together in the last weekend of January to celebrate the 90-day mark to "Da Ope'nur". This year's fete' was superb, featuring 4-star Man Chow, semi-professional flytying and a mind-bending quiz on fishing facts and lore (who invented the Adams pattern was one of the easier questions). Valuable prizes were awarded, or at least they seemed valuable by the time the whisky was finished.

The fly featured on the bottle is "Jeff's Bonefish Seducer".

Making the Case for Freedom.

This statement by 2Lt Mark Daily (as cited by Michelle Malkin) says it all.

Thoughts on Iraq.

There are very few sane voices in all the cacophony that is now the Iraq debate, whose participants can be broken into three broad catagories. The first, the ever-dwindling number of intellectually honest and fair minded antagonists. The second, the political hacks who will do or say anything to draw blood from their enemies and accumulate power. And the third, the fearful and ignorant. These are the times that try men's souls.

And They Can't Wait for Recess!

Trivial Pursuit.

One of the fascinating stories that surfaced during the Ford memorials this week was one about the foiled coup d'etat to topple the Executive Branch by Congerscritters of the Hard Left. Here's the story: Bella Abzug (Lennist-NY) working in cahoots with another half dozen of the Hard Left in the House of Representatives, approached then Speaker of the House Carl Albert with a plan to stall the confirmation of Gerald Ford as Vice-President (the Vice-Presidency was vacant at the time because of the resignation of Spiro Agnew). Abzug then proposed that the House Judiciary Committee immediately draw up articles of impeachment against Nixon, who would be forced to resign before Ford could be confirmed. The Presidency would fall upon Speaker Albert, and the Democrats could capture the White House without the trouble and inconvenience of an election. Speaker Albert refused to subvert the Constitution and the plot quietly died.

It's a fascinating story that offers a glimpse to a another side of the Watergate affair, namely that some opposing Nixon were not so much interested in preserving the rule of law than in seizing complete power. Alas, the names of the other conspirators have not surfaced by dragging the Web, but we have a hunch that one or two may be still alive. One possible suspect would not surprise us in the least.

The End of the NYT Ombudsman?

Michelle Malkin pointed to this article in the NY Observer.

The Ombudsman and the Old Gray Lady.

The NYT's Public Editor Byron Calame has taken a stand against a serious lapse in editorial and journalistic standards by...the Times. There is a good deal of coverage about this in the blogosphere, so we won't repeat it here. We are wondering whether the experiment in a Public Editor for the Newspaper of Record will now begin to slowly fade away?

Ouch.

USC 32, Michigan 18. No pass protection. No pass rush. No coverage. No imagination in coaching. Ergo, we lose.

A Resolution.

I will try to remember this bit of wisdom before opening my electronic yap:

"...the fact that your voice is amplified to the degree where it reaches from one end of the country to the other does not confer upon you greater wisdom or understanding than you possessed when your voice reached only from one end of the bar to the other." - E.R. Murrow

Quo Vadis, Jimmy Carter?

Former President Jimmy Carter's book, "Palestine Peace not Apartheid" has led to the resignation of Emory Middle East professor Kenneth Stein from the Carter Center. As reported by the NYT, Stein has called the “replete with factual errors, copied materials not cited, superficialities, glaring omissions and simply invented segments." Alan Dershowitz has called the book "ahistorical", and the Times' article mentions some questions as to - shall we say - the originality of parts of the book. Tough-questionin' Tim Russert on a recent Meet the Press had Carter on to talk about the book. Russert opted to roll over and have his belly scratched by Jimmy. Baffling. However to quote Stein: "...the history and interpretation of the Arab-Israeli conflict is already drowning in half-truths, suppositions, and self-serving myths; more are not necessary."

A Brave and Good Man: Gerald R. Ford, 1913-2006.

Jerry Ford will always be remembered for his pardon of Richard Nixon; bitter-enders still damn him for it. It was an action of immense political bravery, and was the proper medicine that a wounded nation needed for the long term recovery from Watergate. The Press and Democratic Politburos, drunk with power by Nixon's exit, wanted to drag his carcass through the streets for the climax of their bacchanalia. Ford wouldn't have it - he knew it would result in political warfare for years (fast forward to 1989 and John Tower) - and rolled the dice as to the consequences on the congressional midterm elections and his reelection. They came up bad, but he didn't whine about a "malaise" for his ill fortune.

His administration signed the Helsinki Accords, which, conservatives will remind one, effectively codified the Soviet control of Eastern Europe. However, they also provided a useful dipolmatic two-by-four for Ronald Reagan to use against the Evil Empire, namely the recognition of human rights that transcended their definition by the State.

[See WSJ OpinionJournal for further discussion of Ford's achievements]

He was a tremendously decent man, while giving as well as he took the body blows in The Arena. R.I.P., from a grateful nation.

Gloria in Excelsis Deo.

Isaiah 9:2-7

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end,on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold itwith justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

God with us.

Luke 2:1-7
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Have a Joyous Christmas!

Diversity now, Diversity tomorrow and Diversity forever!

See UM President Mary Sue Wallace Coleman in her defiant moment in front of the Hatcher Graduate Library doors as she pledges to distriminate in order to save us from discrimination.

Slob Christmas II.

MSNBC is celebrating this joyful time of year with their "Doc Block": back-to-back documentaries on gruesome crimes and the jungle that is prison life. Their advertising spots for these holiday specials have a kindly voice narrating from a leather bound book in the style of "Twas the Night Before Christmas", while cutting to photos of dead bodies, bloody weapons, and fearsome prison beatings. Can you feel the joy?

A University Out of Warranty.

Mike Adams shares his heart-warming experience of manners and tolerance at U-Mass.

Slob Christmas, Part I.

I'll be highlighting some of the best representations of sleezy cheezeball holiday fare by our custodians of Christmas traditions - the popular culture. Think of it as a nativity scene in front of a strip club.

Our first entry:

Jenny McCarthy has her Marilyn Chambers moment as she stars in an ABC Family Movie as the daughter of ol' St. Nick in "Santa Baby". I'm not making this up.

Begging the Question.

Nancy Pelosi will not be asking Alcee Hastings to head the House Intelligence Committee. Ah, the fresh breeze of reform! So why is this joker even on the committee?

The March of the Slobs, Part IV.

The Saline Reporter featured an article about a kiosk at the Briarwood Mall selling T-shirts with "arguably" offensive capitons, in full display for all of the kiddies to view during this reverant and spiritual time of year. The proprietor of the kiosk was reported to reply: "Everybody's value system is different...Anything can offend anybody. It's supposed to be funny. It's just a joke."

Thus it is written in the Great Book of the Slobs.