They Banned Legos?

Not going to send my children to a place like this.
The thought process is astounding. Damn our capitalistic society and it's winners and losers! We don't want our children to be prepared for that!

American MI5?

A fascinating article in yesterday's WSJ by Fed Circuit Judge Richard Posner called for the creation of a domestic intelligence agency. Link Here. Judge Posner cites the mission of the FBI as the basis for its lack of effectiveness in combating domestic terrorism.

I think he's right. The FBI is a law enforcement entity, not an intelligence entity. But how hard will it be to convince Congress and the public that a domestic intelligence agency is needed? The CIA seems to be the butt of many jokes today and the recent issues in the run-up to Iraq and beyond are shaking my faith. It can't be much different for the rest of the masses. If we don't think the CIA is doing its job, how will a domestic agency be any better? On the other hand, if you told the Dems that the staffers could be unionized, it might just fly (consider that my bitter sarcasm for the post).

Not to mention the flap the D's created over domestic wire taps. The cries will be loud if this idea is ever proposed. But if it is, I'm behind it.

Gonzales goes from "flap" to "crisis."

I think Fred Barnes gets it right here.

The WSJ ran an excellent opinion on the unprecedented firing of US Attorneys under the Clintons. All for political reasons, mind you. Vast right wing conspiracy? Ha! Vast Clinton conspiracy. Designed to discourage and terminate investigations into the Clintons and their friends.

The Bush Derangement Syndrome runs so deep and strong, I'm almost beginning to hope the Dems will really screw up the 08 elections. Almost.

Have guns, will (Blues) Traveler.

For this weeks WTF file. See this story.

Mike from Colorado, a classmate, once detailed a long plane flight back from Amsterdam sitting next to Mr. Popper. Just before the band became famous. Comedy.

Top 10 Most Played songs on my iPod

1. Bulls on Parade - Rage Against the Machine
2. Cumbersome - Seven Mary Three
3. Here Comes the Boom - POD
4. Killing in the Name Of - Rage Against the Machine
5. Number One Spot - Ludacris
6. Only - Nine Inch Nails
7. Flossin' - Mike Jones
8. Easy Lover - Phil Collins & Phil Bailey
9. Figured You Out - Nickelback
10. Control - Puddle of Mudd

The Ruskies are getting scary again.

After the fall of the Soviet Union, I was really worried that they wouldn't have the infrastructure to maintain security around their nuclear missiles/technology.

Guess I was wrong about that. Seems the KGB(I know they call their security service something else now, but I can't remember what) can do whatever it wants, possibly here in the US.

See this story. And this.

Not to mention that these yah-whos keep selling military and nuclear technology to various regimes in the Levant.

Putin is sounding like the French when he says that Russia needs to act as a counter-balance to the lone super-power.

The U Groove Controversy.

***UPDATE***
See the Golf Channel equipment guru's take on this issue here.


***Hat Tip*** Pat in Covedale

Could be trouble for hackers like me. Is my brand allegiance to Ping in trouble? Check this developing story.

Equipment rules are all over the board anymore. Does the USGA have this under control? I generally defer to R&A and the USGA. I'm starting to think they should have an official ball and let ya swing whatever chunk of semi-precious metal you can forge.

Mr. Carbon footprint.

It's almost comical. Al Gore wins an Academy Award for his opus. Meanwhile, his house consumes more electricity in one month than the average American home does in one year. Hypocrisy. So he reduces his carbon footprint by giving money to some green charity? Left hand gives the right hand some money and it's all good. How does he expect the average American to reduce their carbon footprint? Don't expect to see plastic over the storm windows at Chez Gore anytime soon.

JetBlue. What would you do?

I'm not sure I could take being trapped in an airplane for 10 hours. A 10 hour flight, sure. But sitting on the runway? Not good. Since I have some air travel planned in the not too distant future, I'm working on my strategies for dealing with this type of situation. I suppose I should read some of the FAA regs and maybe the CFR.
My initial reaction was to use my cell phone and call 911. Fake an epileptic siezure? Claim diabetes and demand to be released? What are the chances that there is an air marshall on any of those planes?
These episodes are totally unreasonable. I'd definitely be checking on the efficacy of a false imprisonment claim and any other potential lawsuit. You'd think that air carriers owed you an extra duty of safety and security. Crank up the pleadings machine.

The PTI guys got this one totally wrong.

Do you watch Pardon The Interruption on ESPN? I really like the show. Tony and Mike have a great chemistry and I can only imagine what the sports room at the Washington Post used to be like.
At any rate, they missed big yesterday while discussing the Vanderbilt coach and the player from Florida. If you didn't see it, the coach had the ball in his hands and the kid tried to grab it. The coach knocked the kids hands away and then the kid grabbed the ball. The PTI guys were all over the coach.
What? The coach? Tony said the coach was delaying the game and should have been Teed. Wilbon was off his rocker. Wilbon advocated the kid elbowing the coach. Are you kidding me? Wilbon, get ahold of yourself. Since when is it okay for the player to elbow the opposing coach? Since when is it okay to try and grab the ball out of the opposing coach's hands? When did it become desireable for players to physcially interact with the other coach? Wilbon thinks that college basketball has a problem because the coaches can't be controlled. I think the kid should have looked to the referee to control the situation and yes, the coach should have been called for a technical foul for delaying the game. But to come out and advocate violence against the coach or to blame the coach is wrong.

Why am I continually astounded by this former President?

What is Mr. Carter doing? Attacking the Wiesenthal Center? That's just crazy. See this link.

I have no idea.

I don't have much recollection of him while he was President. I remember our family was concerned about the economy and the hostages in Iran. Nice work.

Refreshing commentary from a D.

**Hat Tip** Pat in Covedale

Check this from Joe Liberman. Right on the money.

Awful. Terrible. Devastating. Crushing.

These are the only words I can come up with right now to describe Ohio State's defeat in the BCS Championship game.

My concern is this loss is more than just a loss. It's a setback to Coach Tressel and to the program. How will they recover? Only time will tell.

Whatever, Gwyn...

Tired of seeing Gwyneth Paltrow and her anit-American views. The most recent occurred in an interview with a Portugese daily newspaper. Paltrow said Americans were "uncivilized" and "less inteligent" than her now current neighbor Brits.
I remember her wailing about American patriotism in the past. Her move to England and marrying of the Coldplay dude says enough. Why do I know all this? I don't know, but I do know that she can take her back-pedaling attempt to save her bank account outta here (see this) .
I find the attempt to preserve her box office appeal sadly transparent. If I could respect you, I could respect you more if you admitted your bias and moved on. The publicist styled effort to claim being misquoted is pathetic. We know your true colors, Gwyn, and they're not Red, White and Blue.

Polonium-210?

I cannot get enough of this story.

How do you explain this type of radiation poisioning outside of Moscow operatives? How?

It's real life James Bond stuff. Unreal.

Check this article from NRO.

The streak is broken.

Didn't make a post for October 2006. Bummer. Almost missed November.

What did I miss?

Former President detached from reality.

**UPDATE**
Here's what Oliver North has to say. Some solid points. Is assassination illegal?



I'm sure you've seen the FoxNews interview with Bill Clinton. I watched it. What a fraud. It's embarassing that this guy was the freakin' President. TWICE. I always said it was about the power, with him and his wife. In a heated exchange with an avowed liberal, my final retort was, "words mean something." Not to this guy. Just recreate and redefine all you want. Now he's on a crusade to protect his "legacy." Good luck with that. Talk about tilting at windmills

Here's a great response from NRO.

"The France of North America."

Classic.

Rich Lowry puts the beat down on that state up north. Harsh. True?

Islamic Hypocrisy reaches new heights.

**UPDATE**
Krauthammer agrees.

**UPDATE**
Find a weighty article here discussing some of the tenets of the "religion of peace." It doesn't seem Muslim scholars are willing to explain/accept discrepancies in the Koran as it relates to jihad and peace. What a shock.

Of course I have to say "new heights" because Islamic hypocrisy has attained heights before.

I read this article and was appalled. It's amazing to see the Islamic countries, organizations, clerics, etc come out of the woodwork to criticize the Pope for his comments. It reminds me of the Mohammed cartoons. Some of the quotes from these people are amazing. Especially since you never hear a peep out of these people when Islamic terrorists are killing Americans on 9/11, Spainiards on trains, Brits in the subway, Coalition forces in Iraq, soldiers in Afghanistan, attack after attack. Yet when the Pope quotes a text from the 14th century, they pull out all the stops, going so far as to enact a parliamentary resolution and demand an apology? You have got to be kidding me. Did any of them do the same for 9/11? I don't know the answer, but I seriously doubt it.

Frankly, I have begun to have serious reservations about the roots of Islamic faith. A careful study of history doesn't reveal a "religion of peace." I used to subscribe to the "a few bad apples spoil the bushel" theory, but my opinion is beginning to waiver.

Dominating crisis for my generation.

Terrorism and the Middle East. Synonymous, really.

Check this article from Krauthammer. Absolutely terrifying. I haven't blogged about this recently because it's so overwhelming.

Within a year? Wow. I had always believed that Israel would prevent a nuclear Iran. They have to. But after the recent tussle with Hezbollah, I'm not very confident in Israeli ability.

Recently, George Will argued that the doctrine of preemption was dead. I wonder if he still feels the same?