Wolvie

Um... sweeeeeeeet.

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Saturday Morning Cartoon

Unlike last week, you actually get a cartoon this morning! So, finish up that bowl of Gremlins Cereal... it's cartoon time!


Classic.

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Mount Rushmore's Other Side

Head nod: TYWKIWDBI

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Fox News Worried About The Google

Some new 'controversy' over Google Bombs:

It took four years for Google to address the "Google bomb" that was lobbed at former President Bush.

But it took the Internet behemoth only a few days to defuse the same attack on President Obama.

Four years versus a few days ... Some Googlers are asking why.

[snip]

Google itself said the reason it took only a few days to redirect Obama's Google bomb was that, this time, it already had the algorithm in place

Really? You are kidding right? I guess that we should note the source here...

It says within that very article that Google developed the algorithm to correspond to "Google bombs" in 2007. So, now when Obama (or anyone else for that matter) gets 'bombed', they already have a response in place. It's not that they react more quickly to Democrats, it's that they now have the technology to react more quickly in all instances.

Look, I have no doubt that a large chunk of Google's employees are liberals -- the company is based in California after all -- but to suggest that the company was somehow trashing Bush and saving face with Obama is absurd. They are a company that wants to make money, and offending people of a certain political persuasion is not a good way to make a buck.

That would simply be bad business and let's face it -- Google does not do bad business.

Head nod: B-Diddy

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And The New Chair Of The RNC Is...

Michael Steele.

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Judd Gregg At Commerce

Uh-oh. As if Republicans in Congress don't already have it bad enough:

Republicans in Washington and New Hampshire are mounting a full-court press to keep Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) in the Senate and out of the Obama administration, aides and senators said Friday.

But if he does take the commerce secretary job, they want a commitment that New Hampshire’s Democratic governor will appoint a Republican senator so the party holds at least 41 seats, the minimum needed to sustain filibusters. No such commitments have been made, even as Granite State Republican sources tell Politico they are worried Gregg will take the Cabinet job if offered it by Obama.

If Gregg is offered and accepts the position as Secretary of Commerce, Gov. John Lynch (D-NH) should NOT be expected to appoint a Republican. That is insane. If the GOP doesn't want to lose another seat in the Senate, they should be applying pressure to Judd Gregg to remain in the Senate. They should not be harassing the governor of New Hampshire.

And they wonder why they are in the minority now...

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The Sky Is Falling!

On... itself? Well, maybe:

Still worried that the Large Hadron Collider will create a black hole that will destroy the Earth when it's finally switched on this summer?

Um, well, you may have a point.

Three physicists have reexamined the math surrounding the creation of microscopic black holes in the Switzerland-based LHC, the world's largest particle collider, and determined that they won't simply evaporate in a millisecond as had previously been predicted.

Rather, Roberto Casadio of the University of Bologna in Italy and Sergio Fabi and Benjamin Harms of the University of Alabama say mini black holes could exist for much longer — perhaps even more than a second, a relative eternity in particle colliders, where most objects decay much faster.

Under such long-lived conditions, it becomes a race between how fast a black hole can decay — and how fast it can gobble up matter to grow bigger and prevent itself from decaying.

Yay.

Head nod: Jazz Shaw @ ModVox

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Hottie Congressmen

From The Huffington Post:


My question: Who cares? Honestly?

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That RNC Business

A tweet from Chris Cillizza who is live-blogging (tweeting?) the RNC Chair selection:

Basic arguments -- Dawson: I am one of you, strong conservative; Steele: we need real change, need to send party/country a message.

This is why I like Steele...

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Red States Are Dwindling

Nate Silver says that there are only five left:

That's right: just five states, collectively containing about 2 percent of the American population, have statistically significant pluralities of adults identifying themselves as Republicans. These are the "Mormon Belt" states of Utah, Idaho and Wyoming, plus Nebraska, plus Alaska. By contrast, 35 states are plurality Democratic, and 10 states are too close to call.

However, there are a few caveats worth mentioning...

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The A-Team! (Open Thread Too)

Dun, dun-dunnn! Dun-dun, dunnn. Sweetness.

IGN has a really interesting article up about the oft-rumored, forthcoming theatrical version of quintessential 80s television phenomenon 'The A-Team'.

The movie version, which has been in Development Hell for nearly 20 years is nearing some actual production. The IGN staff has put together what it thinks would be a dream cast for the flick.

John 'Hannibal' Smith: Gerard Butler (of 300 fame)
B.A. Baracus: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson
Templeton 'Faceman' Peck: Ryan Reynolds
H.M. 'Howlin' Mad' Murdock: Sam Rockwell

The only place where I would disagree is in the casing of Gerard Butler. Don't get me wrong, I loved him in 300, but for my tastes, the character of Hannibal needs to be portrayed by an older actor. I agree with the legions of fans who think that George Clooney would make a great leader for the A-Team.

The Rock as B.A. is... just okay. I'm on the fence, I guess. I could also see Ving Rhames or Michael Clake Duncan in the role.

Reynolds as Face is a great pic -- but then again I've got a hetero-man-crush on him so he could play B.A. for all I care. I'll pretty-much watch anything that Ryan Reynolds is in...

Sam Rockwell as Murdock is an interesting pick. While Rockwell is a terrific actor, he would likely bring a darker portrayal to the role. I could also see Robert Downey, Jr. playing Murdock (and interestingly, the IGN article talks about Downey as a possible choice for Hannibal) since Oscar-nominated performances in both Iron Man and Tropic Thunder.

Open thread. What do you think about the presumptive A-Team casting?

Today's other notable movie headline: Talks For A Live-Action, Movie-Version Of The Thundercats Are Well Under Way. Thundercats. Thundercats. Thundercats, HOOOOOO!

The 80s were awesome.

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Dick Armey Is A Dick

'Dick' Armey indeed.

Way overboard. And while Chris Matthews appeared to have been taken aback by Armey's remarks, he did relatively little about it. Paul Levinson questions:

[Chris Matthews] did say that what Joan Walsh said was "not prattle," and, in the segment after Bob Herbert's, that Armey "went way overboard going after Joan" - but where was the outrage, the shouting down of jackasses by Chris Matthews, that has become one of the admirable hallmarks of his show?

Exactly. I've seen Matthews fly off-the-handle for much less from a guest. So, where is the indignation? Personally, I think Armey really comes off as an artless, swag-bellied harpy.

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Quote Of The Day

"I’m no longer a practicing member of Mother Church, but the old reflexes die hard. Once an altar boy, always an altar boy. But really, I have to say, out loud, as it were, What—the fuck—were you thinking of, Your Holiness? This repugnant episode is surely to the Vatican what Abu Ghraib was to the Pentagon. No, actually, worse. Actually, not even on the same scale." -Christopher Buckley on the ex-excommunication of Bishop Richard Williamson, a denier of the Holocaust, by Pope Benedict XVI.

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Hard Wuerk

-M.Wuerker, Wuerking Drawings

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C11, R.I.P.

Culture 11, for those of you who are unfamiliar, is was a conservative blog and e-zine that was staffed primarily by Christian and Evangelical writers. They are now closing up shop. I think, upon hearing this news, commenter Teri sums up my feelings:

I am not a conservative, but as someone interested in transpartisanship, I am sorry to see hear the news. I was beginning to feel this was a thoughtful place I could learn what conservatives really want without all the name calling. I was moved and stimulated by several of the pieces here.

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Viva Valentine's Day

A quick FYI to everyone...

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and if you are like me, you have no idea what to get for your significant other. So, why not check out some really cool Cerebral Itch Valentine's Day e-cards? They are free and witty and brought to you by the creators of VivaChuckTodd.tv.

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Intelligent Celebrity: Real, Or Oxymoron?

Normally when I hear a celebrity talking about politics I either change the channel or turn up my music so that I can drown out the sounds of a self-aggrandizing-egomaniac.

But this story caught my eye:

Jessica Alba is setting the record straight: Sweden was neutral during World War II.

Alba and Fox TV show host Bill O’Reilly traded punches last week after the presidential inauguration. After Alba told a Fox reporter that O’Reilly was “kind of an a-hole;” he retaliated by calling her a “pinhead” for telling a reporter to “be Sweden about it,” assuming she meant Switzerland.

“I want to clear some things up that have been bothering me lately,” Alba blogged on MySpace Celebrity. “Last week, Mr. Bill O'Reilly and some really classy sites (i.e.TMZ) insinuated I was dumb by claiming Sweden was a neutral country. I appreciate the fact that he is a news anchor and that gossip sites are inundated with intelligent reporting, but seriously people... it's so sad to me that you think the only neutral country during WWII was Switzerland.”

Now, going after Bill O'Reilly and calling him an 'a-hole' might not be the classiest thing to do, but the fact that she knows her history and called out O'Reilly (and the rest of the media) for their ignorance is impressive. She's not just a liberal celebrity railing against a conservative talking head -- she actually knows what she's talking about... well, in this instance anyway.

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Where are you America?

A guy kills his wife and children because he loses his job. Everyone blaming the economy for their lack of marketing and business skills. Americans looking for a government handout to help "jumpstart" the economy. America borrowing against our grandchildren's lives to the tune of hundreds of BILLIONS of dollars in a bill loaded with pork-barrel projects. This is not my grandfather's America. This is not the country that won in WWI and WWII. This is not the country that revolutionzed the industrial world. This is not Roosevelt's America. This is not Reagan's America. And I had hoped and prayed this would not be Obama's America.

What happened to us? All I am hearing is excuses. We need a bailout because instead of making better cars that fit America's needs we sat on our hands while the unions collected $83/hour per worker. "People just aren't spending money". "We need to give everyone $500 because despite this never working before in American history...it's gonna work this time". BULL! What happened to us? What happened to each man buying a car and making that car his own and not replacing it every 3 years for something "newer"? What happened to each man buying a house for his family that wouldn't make him live beyond his means for the next 30 years to showcase what he didn't even have in the first place? What happened to us being proud of our family name and our self-respect over us being proud of what kind or purse we carry or shoes we wear? This has got to change America!
I am a patriot. I am a 25 year old white kid from a middle class family who thinks I live in the greatest country ever. I am a 25 year old who took advantage of his education...who worked and studied hard...who used the resources he had. And guess what? I borrowed money for college. I took out a loan for my car. I make mid 30's per year in salary. But why am I happy? Because I am living the AMERICAN DREAM! Sure...I dont have a huge house...I live in a small bedroom with 2 other roommates in my house. Sure...I dont drive a BMW or a LEXUS...but I do love my Chrysler. Sure...I struggle sometimes to think whether or not I go out to eat or just save it for an emergency. But guess what...there's nothing wrong with that. God has truly blessed my life and I am forever grateful for that. I am not looking for a handout...I want to earn what I have.

I close by quoting a great song by country singer Aaron Tippin. If only America lived by these words...stopped whining...picked themselves up and headed into every morning with that attitude of "I am an American...I can do anything...and I want to earn honestly everything I got". I am ready for that America to resurface...because I know YES WE CAN!

It ain't nothin' but a small frame house on an acre lot
It ain't that much diff'rent from any other house on the block
And it may not look like we got all our share of the promise
But at least one thing's for sure,
I got it honest

Roll out of the sack every mornin', head on down to the mill
Give 'em all I got for eight, 'cause that's the deal
If you'll check out my paycheck
Well, you'll see that there ain't that much on it
But ev'ry single penny I'm paid, I got it honest

I never had to hang my head in shame
For puttin' a price tag on my name
Never turned my back on what I believe
Or let my heart be ruled by greed'
Cause buddy if I didn't earn it, I don't want it
That way I can always say, I got it honest

Now you ain't looking at some dude
That was born with a Silver spoon in his mouth
And I might seem like some kind of low-life
To that high-falutin' crowd
But I'm plain spoken, straight talkin'
And damn proud of what I have acomplished
Some folks appreciate that and some don't
But, I got it honest

Now when I die, I may not leave my kids a fortune
But I hope they know'd my life stood for things that were important
And I'll hand out the same sturdy old values of my daddy and my momma
It made me every ounce of what I am and I got it honest

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Postal Woes

Five-days-a-week mail service? Really?

Faced with dwindling mail volume and rising costs, the post office was $2.8 billion in the red last year. "If current trends continue, we could experience a net loss of $6 billion or more this fiscal year," Postmaster General John E. Potter said in testimony for a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee.

Total mail volume was 202 billion items last year, over 9 billion less than the year before, the largest single volume drop in history.

And, despite annual rate increases, Potter said 2009 could be the first year since 1946 that the actual amount of money collected by the post office declines.

"It is possible that the cost of six-day delivery may simply prove to be unaffordable," Potter said. "I reluctantly request that Congress remove the annual appropriation bill rider, first added in 1983, that requires the Postal Service to deliver mail six days each week."

I've argued my opinion here. It seems that I'm not alone.

Justin Higgins stakes his claim over at Shots On The House:

The USPS has been known at times to be incredibly efficient, and at other times dismal in their performance. Most of the problems come from bureaucracy, certainly not from workers on the ground.

[snip]

Dropping a day from their mail delivery schedule, whether it be Tuesday or Saturday, will turn even more Americans off from the Postal Service. Many Americans are already turning to UPS and FedEx for package deliveries, as the USPS can’t compete with their high-speed delivery capabilities. Remove a day from their delivery schedule and “7-10 business days” is now looking like a full two weeks for delivery! The USPS needs to step up efficiency, fix bureaucracy, adjust prices to put them in profit, or let private enterprises pick up where they’re unable to succeed.

No matter where you stand on this issue, there thing that is painfully clear: the USPS needs to must become more efficient. Otherwise, this is an area that I believe could be easily serviced by the private sector.

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Getting Better...

It's not a great graph, but it shows some improvement. That can't be a bad thing...

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Bill Kristol's Replacement

Should Glenn Reynolds (Instapundit) replace Bill Kristol on the New York Times Op-Ed page?

Mickey Kaus thinks so. I would tend to concur. Reynolds is a reasonable conservative who has no love for a neo-con-istic agenda. He, along with Brooks, would set a good balance at the Times.

I would also nominate -- for your consideration -- Mike Murphy, Ed Morrissey or Christopher Buckley.

UPDATE:: How could I forget Michael Smerconish?!!! My favorite bald commentator...

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Bye Bye Blago

Done. But, I'm sure former Governor Blagojevich will still try to make the talk-show circuit. Next up, Jay Leno?

So, did I miss anything else yesterday?

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And, We're Back

My thanks to Vast for filling the void while I was on family-sick-leave.

Lost sleep and vomitous masses are now (hopefully) history. The Boy is much better and there do not appear to be any overt signs that anyone else in The Pajama Clan has been adversely affected (*knocks on wood*).

Now, please enjoy some Friday blogginess.

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Why Vote No

Slate has a really good write up as to why Republicans voted no on the stimulus and a lot of makes a lot of sense to me.

one GOPer noted: "We expect the vast majority of House Republicans to oppose the package tomorrow, but we are optimistic that after the bill passes the House there may be a real opportunity for a bipartisan package." In other words, we will come around. But at this moment, unanimous opposition was the smartest stance House Republicans could have taken—both politically and ideologically.

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House Passes Stimulus

The House passed the Obama Stimulus package tonight, 244/188, with 0 Republican votes, even after the Dems added all sorts of items to it that Republicans had been asking for.

It seems to me that the GOP is rolling the dice on this one. If the package works, even minimally could they have just voted themselves into a deeper hole?

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Out on the Street

From Glenn Thrush at Politico

As of Tuesday, all former representatives who are registered lobbyists have lost their House parking privileges.

In a unanimous decision, the Committee on House Administration voted Tuesday to revoke parking in nearby House parking lots for the former colleagues. The new parking rules also forbid lobbyists from receiving temporary parking permits in the lots.

DOH!!! I wonder if this would be a good time to raise the rates on the parking meters around Washington.

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Out

I apologize Pajamites, but you won't be hearing much, if anything at all from me today.

Today, I'm a full-time dad.

If you are in the northeast, enjoy the snow...

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Union Greed

I'll be the first to admit that I believe that teachers in general are sorely under paid and need increases, and the Governor is doing his best to keep from cutting the state Education budget by the nearly accross the board 6.5% that the state budget is taking, but it just seems a tad unseemly to me that the Des Moines teachers union is asking for a 6.5% compensation increase (4% of which is a sallary increase) while thosuands of fellow Iowans are loosing their jobs due to the global economic crisis. Didn't President Barack Obama just ask us all to serve our country and be prepared to make sacrafices in order to get us out of the economic black hole we are currently in or did I hear that wrong in the speech?

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Vomit Sucks

Man. I love my kids, I really do. But I didn't sign-up for this.

After being awakened several times throughout the night, the Boy comes downstairs for the fourth time at precisely 4:23 a.m. (ouch) and proceeds to vomit all through the house on his way to the bathroom.

Apparently, there is a badass stomach bug going around. Wish me luck -- I will need it.

Oh, and kindly note the timestamp on this post..

Yeah.

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Republican Catfight! (Updated Again)

As a result of Rush Limbaugh's asinine commentary, more and more Republicans are backing away from him... and even responding:

I think that our leadership, Mitch McConnell and John Boehner, are taking the right approach,” [Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga)] said. “I mean, it’s easy if you’re Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh or even sometimes Newt Gingrich to stand back and throw bricks. You don’t have to try to do what’s best for your people and your party. You know you’re just on these talk shows and you’re living well and plus you stir up a bit of controversy and gin the base and that sort of that thing. But when it comes to true leadership, not that these people couldn’t be or wouldn’t be good leaders, they’re not in that position of John Boehner or Mitch McConnell.

And conservatives wonder why people are leaving their ranks? It's because of the toxic fumes that emanate from the mouths of yammering-heads like Limbaugh, Hannity and Coulter. I think that the American people, regardless of political ideology, want our government to work. Sure, there will always be a debate over ideological differences, but to say things like, 'I want [insert politician here] to fail' is just plain dumb.

UPDATE:: Politico initially misattributed the quote. It was Phil Gingrey who made the statement about Limbaugh, not Tom Price. I’ve made the correction above.

UPDATE #2:: Gingrey has now apologized to Limbaugh over his comments. Weak.

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Worth A Bookmark: The Obameter

Politifact's Obameter.

So far, he's doing pretty well. Then again, he's only been President for seven days...

I'll be adding this to my RSS reader. You should too.

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Speeder Doggies

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Our Nation Was Founded For Him

"We’re a nation not just where you are free to believe or not to believe; we’re a nation founded for Him — so we could praise Him, so we could do His will," - Kathryn-Jean Lopez.

Forgive me Ms. Lopez, but didn't you just contradict your own statement within that very same statement?

If we are a nation 'free to believe or not to believe'... then by that very standard how could we have been founded 'for Him — so we could praise Him, so we could do His will'?

I'm just asking...

Head nod: Dish

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Postponed: Digital Television

Via AP:

The Senate on Monday voted unanimously to postpone the upcoming transition from analog to digital television broadcasting by four months to June 12 -- setting the stage for Congress to pass the proposal as early as Tuesday.

Monday's Senate vote is a big victory for the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress, who have been pushing for a delay amid growing concerns that too many Americans won't be ready for the currently scheduled Feb. 17 changeover.

The Nielsen Co. estimates that more than 6.5 million U.S. households that rely on analog television sets to pick up over-the-air broadcast signals could see their TV sets go dark next month if the transition is not postponed.

That's me. I'm one of those 6.5 million Americans who does not have cable nor satellite television. It was either cable/satellite or high-speed Internet.

Yeah.

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Bad Credit? No Problem.

Wait till he smiles at the end...

And I thought that my local business commercials were embarrassing. Yikes.

Head nod: The Hathos

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Good Ole Jack

I can always count of Jack Cafferty to tell me what he's really thinking:

Picking a fight with that corpulent Oxycontin aficionado of right wing talk radio, Rush Limbaugh, will mobilize a bunch more on the conservative right and begin to bring those approval ratings down from 83 percent, where they were before [Barack Obama] actually started working as the president, to a more mortal 68 percent in the Gallup Poll taken on those first three days in office.

Sour grapes Limbaugh seems to be having trouble coming to terms with the fact that all the stuff he embraced so fervently during the eight years of the Bush nightmare got swept out the door in November. Limbaugh disagrees with Obama's policies and fears he could take the country in the direction of socialism.

Fair enough -- but to come right out and say "I want him to fail," exposes Limbaugh for the petulant, shallow gasbag that he is.

Head nod: OB

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Barack Obama: 'Soft, Personable Uncle Tom'

Wow.

What kind of person Obama is, we don’t know. Americans don’t know either. But the biracial Obama is associated with the kind, soft, personable Uncle Tom. And the people chose to make the White House his cabin, having exiled Anglo-Saxons from it for making such an incredible mess. What will emerge in place of Western civilization is not yet known. But it’s obvious that this civilization, in its current form, came to an end in 2008. Like the Roman Republic, the West is clinging to life, and in doing so may make an even greater mess.

Really dude? That's what you are going to go with -- 'uncle Tom'? Geez.

Yeah. We Americans 'exiled Anglo-Saxons' because we blame all of the economic and foreign policy woes on 'Whitey'. As if race has anything to do with the difficulties our country faces right now. Wake up.

Head nod: William Kern @ TMV

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Department Of Bizzarre Obvious Headlines

Treasury presses Citigroup not to buy $50 million jet

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The First Week

-August J. Pollak, SomeGuyWithAWebsite

[be sure to read the 'Next Week' items at the bottom -- click image to enlarge]

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The CBO Weighs In

From the report released last night:

CBO anticipates that implementation of H.R. 1 would have a noticeable impact on economic growth and employment in the next few years.

Justin Gardner makes a good point:

Oh, I’m sure we’ll hear plenty from Republican lawmakers about how the government could have done better than this, but it looks like the report validates the mix of government spending and tax cuts that the administration proposes.

And as for the longer term infrastructure spending, do you think it’s a good thing or a bad thing to have money pumping into this economy on a continuous basis for the next 4 years just in case the initial bump doesn’t have the desired effect? We need to practice some patience right now because a lack of it is what contributed to this collapse in the first place.

I'm on the fence (still), but I remain steadfast to the idea that something does need to be done. The Free Market royally screwed a lot of people this time around (largely because of greed on the part of a few). Government has the power to stimulate the economy, but I have skepticism that it will do so without costing the taxpayers an arm and a leg.

Here's to hope...

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What Seat?

*ahem*

Freshman Rep. Tom Rooney is having a big month and, oddly, it has nothing to do with being the new guy filling Mark Foley’s and Tim Mahoney’s tainted seat.

Eeewwwwww...

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Mail Bag

In my inbox this morning:


NOOOOOOOOOO.......

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John Boehner: Vote No

John Boehner (R-rrrright) says to his fellow GOPers: 'Vote no on the stimulus.'

Good luck with that Johnny...

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That Tingly Feeling...

A little ironic coming from Hannity's show -- but I would have to agree with Goldberg on his point: This was a 'news' event. Matthews was giving some pretty heavy commentary.

I don't necessarily disagree with Matthews commentary, and Goldberg is being a little over-reactionary about it, but he does have a point.

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Sarah Palin's New PAC

Oy:

Sarah Palin's Official PAC
Dedicated to building America's future, supporting fresh ideas and candidates who share our vision for reform and innovation.

SarahPAC believes America's best days are ahead. Our country, founded on conservative principles and the fight for freedom, must confront the challenges of the 21st century with integrity, innovation, and determination.

...but only if you live in 'real' America.

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'Drunken Negro Faces'

Yowza. I'd hate to be the person answering this guy's phone...

Head nod: Allahpundit

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Timothy Geithner In: 60-34

Sweet and sour:

The Senate confirmed Timothy Geithner as President Barack Obama's Treasury secretary by a 60-34 vote, paving the way for the new administration to usher in its financial-rescue plan. With Mr. Geithner now officially on board, the Obama administration is expected to detail shortly efforts to shore up the financial sector. In his first move, the Treasury Secretary is expected Tuesday to announce new rules intended to curb the influence of lobbyists and special interests in determining who gets aid from the government. The new efforts, part of Mr. Obama's plan to revamp the financial bailout, are aimed at ensuring that investment decisions are based on what is best for the stability of the financial system, rather than on any type of political influence.

I'm not big on Geithner, but if helps to get all of these things done, he will be worth the trouble.

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Barack Obama On Arabic Television

A more nuanced approach perhaps?

President Barack Obama on Tuesday chose an Arabic satellite TV network for his first formal television interview as president, delivering a message to the Muslim world that "Americans are not your enemy."

[snip]

"My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy," Obama told the Saudi-owned, Dubai-based Al-Arabiya news channel.

Obama said the U.S. had made mistakes in the past but "that the same respect and partnership that America had with the Muslim world as recently as 20 or 30 years ago, there's no reason why we can't restore that."

And cue the 'Obama is a secret Muslim' nutters in 3... 2... 1...

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'Sell Out, With Me Oh Yeah'

By now you have likely noticed the PayPal 'Donate' button in the sidebar. Between that and the addition of advertising, it is indeed safe to presume that this blog has 'sold out'.



The way I see it: I love doing this thing. If I can make a few bucks to supplement TPWs income, all the better.

SO, if you enjoy the sometimes witty, sometimes serious, sometimes moronic, sometimes intelligent and always nerd-infested rhetoric that you read here, feel free to put a tip in the jar.

Also, I've been toying around with the idea of making Pajama Schwag. You know, t-shirts, coffee mugs, mousepads, etc. If you have any thoughts or input -- please don't be shy.

Otherwise, thanks again for your continued support of this website. Without all of you, It would just be me and the wall talking back-and-forth (with kids running around and screaming in the background).

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Here We Go...

The future Superbowl XLIII champion Pittsburgh Steelers arrive in Tampa.

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Goobye Bill Kristol Redux

Ta-Nehisi Coates gives a succinct editorial-obituary for Bill Kristol:

Kristol never seemed to have much respect for the Times before he got there. That didn't change while he was there. His aspect was that of an overrated draft pick, knowing his time is short, and thus out to bed all he can in the meanwhile. Thus in the parlance of our time I say one great thing came out of all this--Like Bo crushing Bosworth, Bill Kristol has been exposed.

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Hard Wuerk

-M.Wuerker, Wuerking Drawings

[OB was saying something very similar the other day...]

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Pennsylvania: Not Too Bad

Not great either.

The map is interactive and shows how states compare to one another in three categories: unemployment, budget deficits and home foreclosures.

Pennsylvania fares 'best' in the foreclosures department. Fortunately, this blogger is a renter (for now).

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Christians Upset Over Inclusion At Inauguration

Do you remember what President Obama said in his Inaugural speech? “We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers.” Indeed.

Now, here is a Christian, acting in a not-so-Christian manner:

With that one line, the president “seems to be trying to redefine American culture, which is distinctively Christian,” said Bishop E.W. Jackson of the Exodus Faith Ministries in Chesapeake, Va. “The overwhelming majority of Americans identify as Christians, and what disturbs me is that he seems to be trying to redefine who we are.”

[snip]

Jackson says: “Obviously, Jewish heritage is very much a part of Christianity; the Jewish Bible is part of our Bible. But Hindu, Muslim, and nonbelievers? I don’t think so. We are not a Muslim nation or a nonbelieving nation.”

Allahpundit (of all people) corrects the Good Bishop:

Newsflash, champ: Add up Jews, Mormons, Muslims, and Hindus and you’re still barely a quarter of the way towards the number of Americans who check “unaffiliated” when asked on surveys. In fact, among Christian sects, only Catholics and Baptists outnumber them.

You've got to be extremely closed-minded to not recognize the 'melting pot' nature of this country. Regardless of whom the majority 'belongs' to, nobody is trying to 'remake' the religious face of this nation.

No, we are not a Muslim nation. We are not an atheist nation. But, we are not a Christian nation either. We are a free nation. Free to worship, or not worship, as we see fit. That is what the President was saying.

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Emissions Standards Possibly Upped In California

States' rights begin to take effect:

President Obama signed a memorandum Monday requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider an application by California to set more stringent auto emissions and fuel efficiency standards than required by federal law.

California and 13 other states would be permitted to set their emission standards under President Obama's plan.

If the EPA grants a waiver allowing California to set its own emissions standards, the nation's largest state will be allowed to require automakers to produce trucks and cars that get better mileage than what is required under the current national standard.

OB writes:

This is the template for how everything should be. This is the reason we have States. Some States require stricter action than others. This is a perfect example. The emissions in California are worse by an astronomical number than they are in Arkansas.

There should never be a Federal guideline on this sort of stuff. And the same should go for education, etc. The education needs may be different in Hawai'i then they are in Maine.

Bravo Obama.

...or perhaps 'BravObama'?

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T-Mac In The Hizzy

Terry McAuliffe's first political ad for his Virginia gubernatorial bid.

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Barack Obama: 68%

Not too shabby:

Obama's 68% approval score is on the high end of the range of initial job approval ratings Gallup has recorded for the previous eight presidents who were elected to their first term. The low percentage of Americans disapproving of his performance is fairly typical for new presidents -- although Bill Clinton and George W. Bush both started with much higher public disapproval.

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Sarah Palin: The Book

*ahem*

Palin has reportedly enlisted the services of Robert Barnett, the Washington lawyer who represented President Obama, would-be President Hillary Rodham Clinton and former President Bill Clinton in their multimillion-dollar book deals.

[snip]

Presumably, the book would tell her side of the 2008 presidential election, when the GOP nominee, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, plucked Palin out of relative obscurity and offered her the vice presidential spot. Though she was a darling of conservatives and ignited the Republican base whenever she appeared in public, Palin has made it known that she had a difficult time with McCain's strategists.

Hey man, I'm not going to lie... I'd read it. If for no other reason than to watch Palin try to explain why things went down the way that they did.

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'This Isn't Milli-Vanilli'

Welcome to the big-leagues:

People sitting near the quartet of cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman, pianist Gabriella Montero and clarinetist Anthony McGill could hear them play the piece "Air and Simple Gifts," written by John Williams. But anyone else in the massive crowds or watching on TV (or online) heard an audio recording made two days earlier, which the performers played along with.

Spokeswoman Carole Florman told the Associated Press and the New York Times (which first reported the story) that they were worried the weather, which was around 30 degrees during the ceremony, would cause the instruments to break or be out of tune.

"This isn't Milli Vanilli," Florman told the AP. "They had to perform in such cold weather, the instruments couldn't possibly be in tune. They were able to play in sync with the tape. It's not unusual."

I've seen some right-wingers making a big deal out of this whole thing. Fiorman is correct, musical instruments can and do go out of tune with one another in colder weather. The performance would likely have sounded much different had it actually been the live musicians that everyone heard.

However, they were actually playing, as evidence by the people sitting near the performers. It was not supposed to be a rouse (a la Milli Vanilli) but rather a pleasant performance.

Seriously? Is this the kind of controversy that we are to expect from the Obama administration? If so, it's going to be a very boring four (eight?) years.

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Forbes' Liberal List

In case you missed it, last week Forbes penned a list of the 25 most influential liberals in the media. The list included the likes of Rachel Maddow, Josh Marshall, Ezra Klein and Jon Stewart (?). However, to me the biggest surprise on the list was uber-blogger Andrew Sullivan.

I think that Sullivan's response is right on the money --- and the folks at Forbes' (and elsewhere) need to read it. Money:

I am now labeled a "liberal" [because] conservatism has become a religious movement. Although I am a religious person, I do not believe that any specific form of religion has a veto in determining who is or is not a political conservative in a secular society. I think non-believers can be conservatives - and Hindus and Muslims and Jews and Christians. The conservative political temperament is not a theological position that belongs to any denomination or God. The fact that I have been relentless and impolite in pointing this out - as the GOP has collapsed for these very reasons - suggests to me that the GOP is still more interested in persecuting critics, especially the more effective ones, than reforming for the future.

For the record: self-confident political groupings seek converts - look at Obama. Failed and failing political groupings seek to punish and list heretics. I'm resigned to being a heretic given the state of the current conservative movement. And as an independent writer, it mercifully can't hurt me much. I just don't think conservatism will revive until it stops thinking that way.

Here, here.

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Oprah Winfrey Responds

The Big O responds (kind of) to the news that Gov. Blagojevich (D-ouchebag) was considering appointing her to fill Barack Obama's vacant senate seat. With audio.

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Why No Pictures?

For some unknown reason, Blogger will not allow me to post pictures on the blog right now. This happened to me two weeks ago (or thereabouts) and it is just as frustrating today.

Ugh.

UPDATE:: the uploader seems to be working now...

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All Bad Things Must End Too

From Bill Kristol's column today in the NYT:

All good things must come to an end. Jan. 20, 2009, marked the end of a conservative era.

While this may be true, it was hard to miss the last line of the column:

This is William Kristol’s last column.

With conservatism effectively coming to an end (according to Kristol anyway) with the inauguration of President Barack Obama, it only makes sense that Kristol's column at the Times would end -- after only a year of publication.

I guess that we should all be expecting the resignation letters of Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, etc., etc...

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Ted Haggard Returns, Again

I'm really starting to feel bad for the guy. Regardless of what you think of him, he obviously has some issues that he trying to sort through. Now, Haggard's former church is releasing new info:

Disgraced evangelical leader Ted Haggard's former church disclosed Friday that the gay sex scandal that caused his downfall extends to a young male church volunteer who reported having a sexual relationship with Haggard — a revelation that comes as Haggard tries to repair his public image.

Brady Boyd, who succeeded Haggard as senior pastor of the 10,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs, told The Associated Press that the man came forward to church officials in late 2006 shortly after a Denver male prostitute claimed to have had a three-year cash-for-sex relationship with Haggard.

It seems to me that someone may be trying to sabotage his new documentary film career. That, or simply besmirch his name (whatever may be left of it).

Head nod: Dish

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Blagojevich + Oprah = BlagOpraJevich?

Really? This has to be a joke:

Embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Monday that he considered appointing Oprah Winfrey to fill Barack Obama's Senate seat.

"She seemed to be someone who had helped Barack Obama in a significant way become president," Blagojevich said in an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America."

[snip]

“We talked about, if you offered it to her, how would you do it in a way that it didn’t look like it was some gimmick,” he said.

The Democratic governor said Winfrey was one of several candidates he was considering for the position.

Wow. Not a joke.

In case you are still entertaining asinine ideas such as this Blago, there is absolutely no way that you could offer the job to Oprah and it NOT look like a gimmick.

[postscript: I'd love to hear what The Big O thinks of this...]

UPDATE:: Politico has video.

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'Screw Mondays'

Despite my last post (happy Monday, et al), it seems that Mondays are not happy -- at least not today. OB, up bright and early, places this in my inbox:

This is what I wake up to:

Home Depot to cut jobs. 7,000 or so expected to lose their jobs.

Sprint to cut jobs. 8,000 expected to lose their jobs.

Caterpillar to cut jobs. 5,000 expected to lose their jobs.

Screw Mondays.

Screw Mondays indeed. Things are getting worse before they get better folks. Buckle up and hang on tightly.

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For All The Tweeters

Of late, Yours Truly has been employing the services of Twitter on a much more regular basis. It seems that this service has become addictive (not surprising).

So, amongst my other 'research' this morning, I've discovered TweetDeck, an application that runs in a separate window and updates your Twitter feed. All friends, @replies, DMs, etc. All in one cool spot.

If you are a TwitterNerd like moi, then please do give it a look.

Good morning and happy Monday to you all. Ah, contradictions in terms abound...

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Saturday Morning Cartoon

Arguably, the ultimate in cheese-dripped 80s Saturday morning programming. So, finish off that bowl of Smurf Berry Crunch -- it's cartoon time! (well, not really a cartoon...)

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AC360... With A 40-Ounce?

A.Coop allegedly drunk after partying a bit much earlier this week (during/after Inauguration festivities).

He's definitely off -- but drunk? I'm not so sure...

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Beast-Like Protest

Geez. Really?

District of Columbia voting-rights advocates are upset that President Obama did not ride in a limousine on Inauguration Day outfitted with license plates highlighting the city’s lack of a congressional vote.

The presidential limo – nicknamed “the Beast” – did not bear the “Taxation Without Representation” plates. Instead, the car had blue Inaugural plates displaying “USA 1,” which thousands saw when the Obamas rode between the Capitol and the White House.

Look, I get it. There are those (many) in D.C. who want Congressional representation. I'm all for it. They pay taxes just like we do, and 'no taxation without representation' applies to everyone.

But protest via the POTUS' limo during Inauguration? I think that Inauguration Day was about coming together and recognizing the history that was/is being made -- not an opporunity to voice protest. There are plenty of other ways to get peoples' attention. For instance, have you heard of this new thing called "The Internet"?

In other news... the Presidential limo is nicknamed 'The Beast'. Cooooool. I wonder what they call those Secret Service SUVs with the friggin' miniguns in them?

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The Guards Don't Like You

Don't mess with a Beefeater.

Okay, so technically this is a 'palace guard' as true 'Beefeaters' guard the Tower Of London. Regardless, making jokes at their expense probably isn't the greatest of ideas.

Or who knows... this could all be staged. It is The Sun after all...

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Everybody Is Copying Obama

First it was CBS (which I posted about here), now it's Pepsi?

Even Starbucks has a commercial that is reminiscent of a user-generated campaign video by MC Yogi.

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Jack Murtha, Back-Watcher

Man, I've been writing about Murtha a lot lately, no?

It seems that some of Jack Murtha's business contacts are under federal investigation. Uh-oh:

Federal agents on Thursday raided the offices of a Pennsylvania government contractor with close ties to Rep. John P. Murtha, chairman of the powerful Defense panel on the House Appropriations Committee.

Agents from the FBI, IRS and Defense Criminal Investigative Service searched the offices of Kuchera Industries and Kuchera Defense Systems in three different locations in Pennsylvania.

Over the last several years, Murtha, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, has helped steer more than $100 million in contracts to Kuchera, a government contractor founded in 1985 by Bill Kuchera. The company and its employees have donated more than $65,000 dollars to Murtha’s reelection campaign and leadership political action committee, according to Federal Election Commission records.

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Why I Read Politico

Jonathan Martin holds the President accountable. Even in a social visit, he's asking the relevant questions. (the moment is about three and a half minutes into the clip)

[postscript: I also read Politico for the excellent political cartoons by Matt Wuerker]

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Sarah Palin: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

There's something about Sarah Palin. The poor dear cannot seem to get out of the negative headlines. Although, to be fair, this story isn't about her as much as it is about the RNC:

Despite the Republican National Committee's promise to donate Sarah Palin's $180,000 campaign wardrobe to charity, word has it the Alaska governor's clothes remain stuffed in trash bags at RNC headquarters, NewMajority has learned.

While Palin followed through on her promise to return her controversial wardrobe after the election, it seems the RNC has not followed through on its promise to give most of the clothes away.

[snip]

But for reasons that remain mysterious, the clothes remain stashed at the RNC's Washington, D.C., headquarters. A source close to the issue told NewMajority that the clothes are "in the process" of being donated, and an RNC spokesman corroborated, saying the clothes have indeed been returned from Palin, "inventoried and will be appropriately dispersed to various charities." Attempts for an explanation of when and where the clothes will be donated went unanswered, and the governor's Alaska office does not comment on campaign issues.

The fact that the clothes have not been donated or publicly accounted for, however, has angered some big donors - who want to know exactly how their money was spent, and who are already enraged by the extravagant wardrobe figure.

...and this story comes from the conservative NewMajority.com. Seriously Republicans, I'm actually starting to feel bad for you. Stand up and demand better leadership and more accountability The Democrats are usually the party of self-destruction -- but the GOP is certainly giving them a run for their money.

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Fear And Imbalance

Indeed.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

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This Afternoon

TPW has the morning off today (because she worked late last night), so I'll be getting to posting this afternoon. She'll be at work, the Boy will be at pre-school and the Girl will be napping.

Sweet, sweet silence.

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And The Senate Seat Goes To...

And we have a winner:

New York Gov. David Paterson has chosen Democratic Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to succeed Hillary Clinton as U.S. Senator from New York, multiple Democratic sources told CNN Friday.
Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand has been picked to succeed Hillary Clinton as U.S. Senator from New York, sources say.

Gillibrand, 42, represents New York's traditionally Republican 20th district.

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Ah, Crazy Despots...

¿Que? From the 'Department of What The Hell Is He Thinking?':

President Hugo Chavez launched a new series of newspaper columns on Thursday by urging Venezuelan voters to let him seek re-election indefinitely , and pledging to leave at the end of his term in 2013 if they turn him down.

The Venezuelan leader also vilified his opponents as "colonialists" and "little Yankees" beholden to U.S. interests.

What kind of dictator says, 'Look guys, vote for me or I'll quit.'

Head nod: OB

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Robert Gibbs Drops Some News

At his first daily press briefing, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs made some minor (major) news:

Every day, the president will receive a new briefing in addition to his daily intelligence briefing. This one will be called the Economic Daily Briefing, given to Mr. Obama every day in the Oval Office. He received his first one on Thursday morning.

Awesome. This means that, along with national security, the economy is a top priority for the new President. Very encouraging.

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What Being A Dad Is All About

I just beat my kid 3-0 in three games of checkers.

I know what you are thinking: "Oh my goodness, The Pajama Pundit is a terrible daddy!"

Maybe. Maybe not. But you have to understand that the Boy is a spaz right now. He's all over the place. He had to be told repeatedly when it was his turn to move. He was simply not paying attention.

He deserves the humiliation of defeat.

Here endeth today's lesson in Parenting: Hardcore Checkers.

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High-Five!

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Hard Wuerk

-M.Wuerker, Wuerking Drawings

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A New Era Of Rude?

I was wondering what the Rude Pundit would write about now that the Democrats have control of, well... ALL of our government. Will he slink quietly into the shadows? Will he become a footnote in the progressive revolution?

Nope:

Yeah, yeah, we’re all supposed to bipartisan now. We’re supposed to reach across the aisle and work together. That’s what Obama wants. [snip] Here’s what bipartisanship meant to Republicans: let’s say a Republican and a Democrat are stuck on a desert island. The Republican knows how to survive in the wild, the Democrat knows how to build a raft. They need each other, right? They’re stuck there, and while they may hate each other, they gotta work together or they’re gonna die on the island. While the Democrat is, you know, building the raft, the Republican is gathering coconuts, keeping the fire lit, you know, that kind of shit. It’s all nice and cooperative. And then, when the raft is done, the Republican slits the throat of the Democrat, eats his flesh, drinks his blood, and uses his bones and his clothes for a sail. Bye-bye, island.

So, the lesson is that you should not expect much of a bipartisan effort from The King Of Rude. I may not agree with him, but you have to admit that he's got stones.

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Norm Coleman's Resume

While Minnesota Republican Norm Coleman may still be fighting for his seat in the U.S. Senate, it appears as if he might not want the job all that badly:

Norm Coleman (R) has taken a job with the Republican Jewish Coalition while contesting Democrat Al Franken’s lead in the Minnesota Senate race, his campaign confirmed Thursday.

In what could be seen as a sign that Coleman thinks his bid to return to the Senate may be lost, he has signed on to do consulting work for the group, which is comprised of a number GOP leaders.

“The senator needs to earn a living while the contest is going on,” said Coleman spokesman Mark Drake, who said the job does not at all affect Coleman’s bid to win reelection.

He 'needs to earn a living'? While that may be true, if you heart is completely into something, you fight till the bitter end. Unless of course, you see absolutely no end in sight...

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Dirty Sanchez

Sorry about the post title... it was irresistable. I can only imagine the disdain of Google searchers who were expecting something entirely different.

And yes, for those of you keeping tabs, we've had a 'dirty sanchez' and a 'fisting' reference today. What is going on at this blog?

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'The Plum Line'

Greg Sargent, formerly of Talking Points Memo pseudo-fame, has a new blog at WhoRunsGov.com called The Plum Line. His self-described mission:

You read endlessly that Washington is a town that’s obsessed with power politics – no kidding – but presumably many of those who come here to work as political and policy professionals are interested in, you know, getting stuff done, in making policy and governing.

So this blog will also be about policy, as seen through the eyes of those who are making it, and governance, as seen through the eyes of those who are trying to do it right. The aim is to report to you how the players themselves perceive what it is they’re trying to do, and why they’re doing it. And of course to bring you plenty of news breaks and useful analysis.

I'm sold. And kuh-chunk, it's now a member of The Daily Read.

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No More Cigarettes

I found this over at Boing Boing. It seems like something reminiscent of a graph at Indexed.

I used to smoke. High school and college, mostly. I've lit-up occasionally since quitting (DAMMIT!), and this graph tells the truth (for me). The first one tastes awful. The second one gets better. The third one...

Man I want a smoke.

Although honestly, has anyone ever really compared anything to their dog's anus? *shudder*

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TDK Snubbed... Kind Of

I haven't seen it, so I cannot say whether or not The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button is good** (or not). However, I can ask this question: Really? 13 Oscar nominations?

The nominations for the 81st annual Academy Awards were announced Thursday morning, and to nobody's surprise, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" did well, nabbing 13 nods to lead all films.

However, as OB tipped me off to it, this is troubling:

[D]espite eight Oscar nominations, "The Dark Knight" -- 2008's box-office king -- only picked up one in a major category, that for Heath Ledger's performance as the villainous Joker.

Now, eight nominations is nothing about which I should complain. But, I think that TDK should have had a nod in the 'best picture' category. Despite the usual drivel about 'comic book movies not being legit', this year's Batman pre-sequel was BY FAR the best movie in it's genre... ever. The bar is now set so unbelievably high for comic-actioners that TDK will be the new standard by which other movies will be measured.

Postscript: I think that Robert Downey, Jr. is awesome and am pleased that he got TWO nominations (one for Iron Man and the other for Tropic Thunder).

** A good friend, and avid movie-buff (like Yours Truly) summed up Button thusly: "Meh."

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Closing Gitmo, Redux

Not a moment too early:

President Obama is expected to sign executive orders Thursday directing the Central Intelligence Agency to shut what remains of its network of secret prisons and ordering the closing of the Guantánamo detention camp within a year, government officials said.

[snip]

[T]he orders would bring to an end a Central Intelligence Agency program that kept terrorism suspects in secret custody for months or years, a practice that has brought fierce criticism from foreign governments and human rights activists. They will also prohibit the C.I.A. from using coercive interrogation methods, requiring the agency to follow the same rules used by the military in interrogating terrorism suspects, government officials said.

*sigh*

Now, let's get to work figuring out where to put the detainees...

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Department Of Bizzarre Headlines

Former French President Chirac hospitalised after mauling by his clinically depressed poodle.

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.

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House Republicans Sit-Down With Obama

More bi-partisan juiciness:

House Republicans will get their wish for a sit down with the president on the issue of the stimulus and their ideas for the measure. They had sought a meeting for tomorrow, Thursday, but the confab will happen next week instead.

House Republicans, as you know, are unhappy with both the policy and process involved in the $825 billion stimulus colossus and had, in effect, called the president on his pledge of bipartisanship, asking for a meeting two days after the inauguration.

Based on the rhetoric coming out of the Obama administration, House Republicans will likely walk away from that meeting disappointed. The 'stimulus colossus' is going to happen. There may be minor changes here and there, but there will be a substantial wad of money that is thrown at this economic crisis.

The good news is that all voices will be heard in the debate.

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Rudy Giuliani: Speaking Truth

A great interview with Rudy "George Will Loves Me" Giuliani. Money:

We have to be able to emphasize the issues that are of concern to the voters and not alienate them on issues that just don't work in certain parts of the country. So, what do all these people have in common that were elected as Republicans in New York? In New Jersey? In Connecticut? In California? They are... socially moderate. That still puts them to the right of Democrats on those social issues. It's not as if they're going to adopt all of the policies that Democrats adopt on those social issues. But, they are more moderate. On, and let's not just talk about abortion, but on on treatment of gays on, other social issues like that. And also, it is more appealing to young people because that is the way young people see the world. I mean, they see the world in a more tolerant way than some of the views that they seem to think our party is emphasizing.

Full interview here (with video clips).

As I've said before, conservatism should have nothing to do with social issues. A true conservative is going to want to stay out of a citizen's personal choices. A true conservative is going to focus his/her attention on foreign policy, fiscal policy and limited federal government.

Allahpundit weighs in:

I think the GOP’s tacit strategy now is to wait and hope for (1) a messianic figure of its own to emerge and build a new coalition through the sheer force of his/her charisma and/or (2) Democrats to overreach so egregiously that even minority voters who wouldn’t dream of voting Republican today will run screaming for the embrace of small government. All of which is fine, but the opposite of proactive.

Opposite indeed. The GOP cannot afford to sit around and wait for their Barack Obama. They do need to be proactive and seek-out new leadership -- preferably someone who is young, charismatic and does not speak in an esoterically conservative way. A 'great communicator', if you will.

Besides, I don't think that Obama will send people running for the hills. Maybe I'm overly optimistic, but I just don't see him turning anyone off that quickly, save for the Limbaugh and Coulters of the world.

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