Vote for me!!!

BUMP TO TOP ('til end of contest)

UPDATE: 12/31 - It's a two horse race: yours truly and Learned Foot. Foot leads by a razor-thin margin despite having a clearly inferior entry. His higher traffic, however, has made his desperate pleas for votes more effective.

If you've voted for me and don't want to be disenfranchised, go vote "Dan S." again!

Learned Foot kicks puppies.

-----------------------

All I want for Christmas is...

...to win Mitch's Susan Lenfestey parody contest.

Your humble Wannabe is a finalist (here's my entry), and I need your support. And no, begging is not beneath me.

Voting begins at SITD tomorrow and runs thru Dec. 31. Please vote early and often (or at least daily)!

Thank you for your support.

Ding, dong, the dictator's dead

Saddam Hussein has assumed room temperature. I can't wait for the video on You Tube!

I will gleefully post photos when available.

-----------------------------------------

UPDATE - Photos from AP:


Noose being applied.


See you in hell!

----------------------------------------

UPDATE: ...and here's the video.

I vote for the MSM

An AP/AOL poll ranks the following as the "Biggest Villian of 2006":

George W. Bush, 25 percent

Osama bin Laden, 8 percent

Saddam Hussein, 6 percent

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, 5 percent

Kim Jong Il, North Korean leader, 2 percent

Donald Rumsfeld, 2 percent

John Kerry, 1 percentv

Rosie O'Donnell, 1 percent

Dick Cheney, 1 percent

Hillary Clinton, 1 percent

Brad Pitt, 1 percent

Tom Cruise, 1 percent

Satan/The Devil, 1 percent

...

Other, 15 percent

Not sure, 20 percent

That's right, folks. President Bush got more "biggest villian" votes than Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong Il, and Satan combined!

Proof positive that the MSM is still doing its job effectively.

Always keep backups

Missing files:

The FBI is said to be missing almost a quarter of its files on investigations into recent leaks of classified information. The New York Sun reports - the Bureau says it has conducted 94 leak investigations since 2001 - and that the files for 22 of those cases - cannot be found.

The FBI has been trying - unsuccessfully - to computerize its records for a decade.

It's no big deal, though. I'm sure the FBI could just ask the New York Times for copies.

No messing around

Saddam's got one foot in the grave, and the other on a banana peel.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Saddam Hussein's date with death appears to be just hours away. The former president of Iraq will be hanged by Saturday at the latest, an Iraqi judge said Friday night in Baghdad....

Happy New Year!

Classy

Reid, 5 Senators to Miss Ford Funeral Because of Congressional Travel

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The incoming Senate majority leader will miss the state funeral for former President Gerald Ford at the Capitol Rotunda.

Nevada Democrat Harry Reid is leading a bipartisan Senate delegation on a weeklong trip to South America. The group will visit Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru.

The incoming assistant majority leader, Dick Durbin of Illinois, is also on the trip, along with Democrats Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Ken Salazar of Colorado and Republicans Judd Gregg of New Hampshire and Robert Bennett of Utah.

Reid's spokesman said meetings with the South American presidents have been scheduled for a long time. He said U.S. relations with some of the countries are in need of improvement. Before he left, Durbin released a statement calling Ford "a man of principle, integrity and honesty who helped heal the nation during some of our darkest times."

"Like, I know he was a President and stuff. But our tickets were non-refundable. I mean, those rebooking fees are a bitch!"

Hey, guys. While you're down there, don't forget to swing over to Venezuela and say 'hi' to your old buddy Hugo. And if you like it there, go ahead and stay!

Trivia time

Today's quiz.

Category: Music Mixture
Difficulty: Tough

Reported average: 9 of 15
My score: 11 of 15

Oh, for Lombardi's sake

Chad The Elder recounts a disturbing sight from the Christmas Eve mass he attended:

And then, as the long lines of revelers had just about all made their way through the communion lines, my wife gently nudged me and directed my attention to the Christmas abomination strutting down the aisle. A slack-jawed juvenile wearing vinyl red sweatpants and a...

...a green Brett Favre Packers home jersey. On Christmas Eve, of all the days of the year, you would think this punk could put on something appropriate for church. But no, he HAD to wear his Packers laundry. I'm not sure what was worse, this clueless kid or his parents who allowed him to represent his team on Christmas.

Now, Chad is far too polite to name names here, but I have my suspicions about who the offender is. Quoting, from a certain poop-journal:

My journey to Lambeau was a religious experience; a beer-soaked gravel-throated Hadj if you will....

True, Chad did say it was a "slack-jawed juvenile" he saw, but let's face it. Anyone would look childish in a Packers jersey.

We report, you decide.

Trivia time

Since we all took Monday off, here's a hump-day brain teaser for you.

Category: Brain Teasers - Anagrams
Difficulty: Average

Reported average: 6 of 10
My score: 9 of 10

RIP, President Ford

38th President Gerald Ford has died at 93.

Listening to the many pundits speak of Ford this morning, I'm glad to to hear the focus on his being a decent man and how he helped heal the country in troubled times.

I regret, however, that because of my age, my first-hand memories of Ford's presidency are not of his accomplishments, but of Chevy Chase's pratfalls. Looking back now, it seems like President Ford was the victim of a concerted campaign by many in the media (Saturday Night Live, most notably) to create and reinforce the perception that Ford was nothing more than a stumbling, bumbling fool.

I was just a kid then, and I didn't see things through the same political lens that I do now. But what seemed at the time to be simple comedy was clearly much more. Knowing now the political agendas of the likes of Chase, Aykroid, and of course, Franken, I think the joke was actually on us.

As time passes, I hope President Ford will be remembered for being the strong leader and good man he obviously was, and not for a 10-second video clip of falling down some stairs.

Merry Christmas

Light blogging today - busy with the whole "life" thing, but for your reading pleasure, here's the President's X-mas radio address from Saturday.

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. As families across our Nation gather to celebrate Christmas, Laura and I send our best wishes for the holidays. We hope that your Christmas will be blessed with family and fellowship.

At this special time of year, we give thanks for Christ's message of love and hope. Christmas reminds us that we have a duty to others, and we see that sense of duty fulfilled in the men and women who wear our Nation's uniform. America is blessed to have fine citizens who volunteer to defend us in distant lands. For many of them, this Christmas will be spent far from home, and on Christmas our Nation honors their sacrifice, and thanks them for all they do to defend our freedom.

At Christmas, we also recognize the sacrifice of our Nation's military families. Staying behind when a family member goes to war is a heavy burden, and it is particularly hard during the holidays. To all our military families listening today, Laura and I thank you, and we ask the Almighty to bestow His protection and care on your loved ones as they protect our Nation.

This Christmas season comes at a time of change here in our Nation's capital -- with a new Congress set to arrive, a review of our Iraq strategy underway, and a new Secretary of Defense taking office. If you're serving on the front lines halfway across the world, it is natural to wonder what all this means for you. I want our troops to know that while the coming year will bring change, one thing will not change, and that is our Nation's support for you and the vital work you do to achieve a victory in Iraq. The American people are keeping you in our thoughts and prayers, and we will make sure you have the resources you need to accomplish your mission.

This Christmas, millions of Americans are coming together to show our deployed forces and wounded warriors love and support. Patriotic groups and charities all across America are sending gifts and care packages to our servicemen and women, visiting our troops recovering at military hospitals, reaching out to children whose moms and dads are serving abroad, and going to airports to welcome our troops home and to let them know they are appreciated by a grateful Nation.

One man who's making a difference this holiday season is Jim Wareing. Jim is the founder of New England Caring for Our Military. This year, Jim helped organize a gift drive by thousands of students from Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Students from kindergarten to high school collected more than 20,000 gifts for our troops abroad. The gifts are being sent to troops stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Korea, Japan, and Africa. The care packages include books and puzzles, board games, phone cards, fresh socks, and T-shirts, and about 7,000 handmade holiday greeting cards and posters. Jim says, quote "It's probably always hard for troops to be far away from home, but especially hard on the holidays. I use this as an opportunity to try to pay them back for my freedom."

Citizens like Jim Wareing represent the true strength of our country, and they make America proud. I urge every American to find some way to thank our military this Christmas season. If you see a Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, or a member of the Coast Guard, take a moment to stop and say, "Thanks for your service." And if you want to reach out to our troops, or help out the military family down the street, the Department of Defense has set up a website to help. It is: AmericaSupportsYou.Mil. This website lists more than 150 compassionate organizations that can use your help. In this season of giving, let us stand with the men and women who stand up for America.

At this special time of year, we reflect on the miraculous life that began in a humble manger 2,000 years ago. That single life changed the world, and continues to change hearts today. To everyone celebrating Christmas, Laura and I wish you a day of glad tidings.

Thank you for listening, and Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas from me as well to you and your family (yes, even the Democrats).

And if you have a minute, take President Bush's suggestion, and visit AmericaSupportsYou.mil.

Trivia time

Since Monday's Christmas, here's a bonus brain teaser.

Category: Brain Teasers - Logic Puzzles
Difficulty: Average

Reported average: 6 of 10
My score: 9 of 10

(Not) dynamic duo

Watching the Vikings/Packers game last night, I was SO thankful I don't have the NFL Network. I strongly considered the merits of ramming ice picks into my eardrums as an attractive alternative to listening to the commentator duo of Bryant Gumbel and Cris Collinsworth.

I cannot think of a worse team than Bryant "not dreaming of a white Christmas" Gumbel and Cris "what I lack in talent, I make up for in lack of personality" Collinsworth. But then again, I'm not that creative.

So, I challenge you, dear reader, to write in the comments what would be your dream team for worst sports announcing duo of all time!

Random thought

Watching the Tara Connor press conference the other day, it struck me that she's just about a perfect hybrid of Paris Hilton and Kellie Pickler.

Jimmy Carter's revenge

Cue Wagner: "Kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit..."

Wednesday we told you about the handover of the Iranian [sic]province of Najaf from U.S. control to Iraqi control. And it seems that a few of Iraq's elite soldiers celebrated - by tearing a live rabbit to pieces. The leader of the group bit out its heart, then passed the rabbit around to his comrades, who each took a bite.

The men also bit the heads off frogs. It seems chewing on live animals is a traditional display of ferocity for Iraqi elite troops. U.S. Major General Kurt Cichowski - who witnessed the display - said - "our soldiers do a lot of things, but I've never seen them do anything like that."

Oh, man. PETA's gonna be pissed!

Congratulations

...to Monica Lewinsky, who received her Master's degree in social psychology from the London School of Economics.

Needless to say, she aced her oral exams.

Toys for T*ts

It's true that the best charity comes one dollar at at time.

San Francisco's exotic-dancing community plans to carry on its tradition of donating tips to the city's Firefighters' Toy Program, the San Francisco Examiner reports.

Around 700 sexy strippers from 11 clubs around the city will donate approximately $15,000 on Friday. The money is earned during special charity numbers performed by each dancer during their shifts from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

"These artists are no different than the rest of San Francisco. When it comes time to understand that some people can't have a toy at Christmas, these guys and gals, they understand it," John Hanley, president of International Association of Firefighters local 798, told the Examiner. "I have not heard one child complain about it either."

The tradition began in 1998, and upward of $100,000 has been raised for the kids, organizers told the paper. Last year the San Francisco Firefighters' Toy Program donated some 20,000 toys to 4,189 families.

It's a beautiful thing.

Trivia time

Movie quotes today. It's pretty easy if you catch on to the theme.

Category: Movies - Movie Quotes Mixture
Difficulty: Average

Reported average: 6 of 10
My score: 9 of 10

Iraq = Civil War?

As silly as the proclamation of "civil war" in Iraq by General Matt Lauer was, maybe he and the many MSMers who followed were on to something.

With so many comparing Iraq to Vietnam, the Night Writer poses an apt comparison of the Iraq conflict to the Civil War (ours, I mean).

Check it out.

I'm sure the Strib is all over it, though...

Guess whose economy is taking off?

What country has seen a growth in its gross domestic project of 17 percent last year - and an estimated 13 percent this year? An increase in the number of registered companies of more than 400 percent and in salaries by 100 percent in three years? The answer - Iraq.

Newsweek magazine reports the economy in Iraq is "booming." And Newsweek acknowledges that this is getting little or no media exposure - writing - "there's a vibrancy at the grass roots that is invisible in most international coverage of Iraq...."

Not bad for a country in a "civil war."

The View (of a pig), part 2

Apparently, it wasn't over-the-top enough to suggest that Republicans gave Sen. Tim Johnson a "man-made stroke."

Now Joy Behar is comparing Donald rumsfeld to Hitler.

NEW YORK - The women of 'The View' did it again.

Specifically Joy Behar, who during a discussion Monday about Time magazine's 'Person of the Year' selection, likened former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to ... Adolf Hitler.

"You have to put, like, a Hitler type [on the cover]," Behar said in response to a question about whether Time's selection of "You" was appropriate.

"Like, you put Donald Rumsfeld there, or something," she said.

The show's audience - even show diva Rosie O'Donnell - was stunned by the comment, and as many began to jeer, Behar feigned surprise and yelled, "What's wrong with that?"

Here she is - the new face (and whining, shrieking voice) of the Left:



They can have her!

Trivia time

Some general history trivia for your enjoyment today...

Category: History - Mixed Bag
Difficulty: Tough

Reported average: 5 of 10
My score: 5 of 10

NAW Person of the Year

Without further ado, I am pleased to announce the winner of the Northern Alliance Wannabe Person of the Year for 2006.

And the winner is....



...



Me.



...



No, not you. Me. Screw you. I'm the best.

And along with the nod from Time Magazine, that makes me a multiple award winner!

Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

Trivia time

Your Monday brain teaser awaits - enjoy!

Category: Brain Teasers - Wordwise
Difficulty: Average

Reported average: 7 of 10
My score: 10 of 10

The View (of a pig)

Check out this transcripted excerpt from Thursday's "The View" program.

In this piece, Joy Behar wonders aloud whether it's possible to have a "man-made stroke," suggesting that Sen. Tim Johnson's recent illness is the result of a Rovian conspiracy.

Quoting Behar, "I know what this-that party is capable of."

Nice.

America's poorest big city

From "Out There":

CLEVELAND (AP) - A hometown company's satirical holiday card features Cleveland's ranking as America's poorest big city.

The American Greetings Corp. card shows a man in a black-and-white photo walking past urban landscape and reads: "Season's Greetings from Cleveland ... America's Poorest City!" Inside, it says "Happy Holidays."

The U.S. Census Bureau determined that Cleveland was the poorest big city in the nation in 2005, its second such ranking in three years.

"Obviously, our intent is not to make light of the issue. It's just a satirical form of humor [huh? - ed.] that plays well with a certain segment of the population," said Laurie Henrichsen, spokeswoman for American Greetings, based in the suburb of Brooklyn. "We realize it's not for everyone...."

Hugh Hewitt could not be reached for comment.

This guy was almost President

Sen. Kerry Urges Talks with Iran, Syria

CAIRO, Egypt - Sen. John Kerry, on a Mideast tour taking him to Damascus for talks with President Bashar Assad, said Friday that the Bush administration's rejection of dialogue with Syria and Iran to try to calm Iraq is a mistake.

Kerry's trip is the latest in a growing tussle between the White House and Congress over the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan panel that called for talks with Iran and Syria to win their help in stabilizing war-torn Iraq.

The Massachusetts Democrat said his visit to Syria was "a fact-finding mission" [Ha! - ed.] to explore "what might or might not affect behavior with respect to Hezbollah, Lebanon, Israel and Iraq, where in each of those cases Syria is playing a role...."

The White House said Thursday that trips to Syria by U.S. lawmakers were "inappropriate," giving a public relations victory for Damascus, which the Bush administration accuses of fueling crises in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

Thanks a lot, Mr. "Global Test."

Doing jobs Americans won't do

Illegals building border fence?

A southern California company responsible for building much of the border fence that helps keep illegal immigrants out of the country will pay nearly $5 million in fines ? for hiring illegal immigrants.

The U.S. Attorney says as many as one-third of the Golden State Fence Company's workers were in the country illegally ? even after the company pledged to clean house when authorities discovered illegal workers on the payroll back in 1999.

Two executives could also face jail time, but their attorney says the case merely proves that construction companies need a guest worker program.

Good day so far

Today has been a good one:
1. I played hookey from work (always good).
2. I took the girls to Disney on Ice - they loved it!
3. The daddy-daughter date continued at McDonald's playland.

I definitely racked up some Father-of-the-Year points today.

Tonight's going to be a good one, too. I'm taking off in a few minutes to go collect my trip to Boston at Keegan's.

Hope to see you there...

Well wishes for Senator Johnson

It looks like Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) may have suffered a minor stroke today.

Politics aside, I sincerely hope the Senator has a full, speedy recovery.

More culture of corruption

Here's a two-fer from the Grapevine

First, from the what-did-he-know-and-when-did-he-know-it department:

The man who ran the Democratic effort to retake the House apparently knew about the Mark Foley e-mails in the fall of 2005 - despite his statements to the contrary when the scandal broke this September.

Published reports say Rahm Emanuel learned about the e-mails from a staffer. But when asked by ABC's George Stephanopoulos if he or his staff knew about the messages, Emanuel said, "No, we never saw them. No involvement...."

The Times also reports that a House ethics committee report says Democratic operatives pushed newspapers to write about the Foley e-mails in hopes of sparking a scandal before the midterm elections.

Then, more political dirty tricks:

That same House ethics panel has rebuked - but not punished - Democratic Congressman Jim McDermott of Washington for leaking to the media a secretly taped phone call of Republican leaders discussing strategy in 1997....

Mcdermott - who was forced to resign from the committee - issued a statement saying he was pleased with the report's conclusion....

Trivia time

Here's today's quiz.

Category: Mixed People
Difficulty: Tough

Reported average: 6 of 10
My score: 6 of 10

Upchuck

Fox News notes some responses to Kofi Annan's ridiculous farewell address yesterday. Most have the appropriate "what an idiot!" or "don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!" type of response.

Except for Senator Chuck Hagel (RINO-NE):

"Kofi Annan served as secretary general during 10 of the most difficult, complicated, and dangerous years of the U.N.'s history. He did it with grace, humor, determination, and always doing what he felt was in the best interest of mankind," Hagel said.

?!...


Excuse me...


* BARF *

Worse than man-bear-pig!

Not only are cows delicious, but they keep us warm, too.

A report by the United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization says cattle and other livestock cause more greenhouse gases than cars, planes, and all other forms of transportation put together. Britain's Independent News says the report blames cow flatulence and manure for one-third of all methane emissions ? which warm the earth 20 times faster than carbon dioxide.

The world's 1.5 billion cows are also blamed for everything from acid rain to desertification and the destruction of coral reefs. And while cows are taking the heat in one U.N. report, another says humans are doing less harm to the environment than previously thought. The Sunday Telegraph says the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has reduced its estimate of human affect on global warming by 25 percent. And it has lowered its prediction of how much sea levels will rise by half. The Panel cites improved data for the revisions.

I'm super-serial! [/South Park reference]

Cartoon wars

There's some entertaining smack talk going on between Cox & Forkum and Day by Day, which are competitors in this year's Weblog Awards.

Yesterday's Day by Day (btw, today's ups the ante - yowza!):




Today's Cox & Forkum:



Ok, now that's just wrong!

Trivia time

Since I was blog-delinquent yesterday, here's your weeekly brain teaser a day late.

In honor of Kofi Annan's less than graceful exit from the UN, the theme for today's quiz is famous dictators (i. e., Kofi's buddies).

Category: Brain Teasers - Fractured Words
Difficulty: Average

Reported average: 7 of 10
My score: 9 of 10

"Culture of Corruption" reelected

Democratic Incumbent William Jefferson Wins House Runoff Election Despite Federal Bribery Probe

NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Rep. William Jefferson easily defeated his fellow Democratic opponent in Saturday's runoff, despite an ongoing federal bribery investigation.

With 44 percent of the precincts reporting, Jefferson, Louisiana's first black congressman since Reconstruction, led with 61 percent of the vote over state Rep. Karen Carter, who had 39 percent.

Carter was unable to capitalize on a scandal that included allegations the FBI found $90,000 in bribe money in Jefferson's freezer.

In a concession speech, Carter embraced family members and pledged to work with Jefferson, especially on the area's recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

"I guess the people are happy with the status-quo," she said....

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. When an elected Republican does something wrong, he resigns in shame (e. g., Foley), as he should. Sometimes, even when an elected Republican doesn't do something wrong, he resigns in shame (e. g., Delay).

A Democrat, though? -- reelected by landslide. No accountability. No repercussions. No shame. That's the difference between us and them.

Here, kitty, kitty

Here is one thing I won't be doing for my daughters' birthday party this year.

4-Year-Old Girl Mauled by Cougar at Kids' Birthday Party

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - A 4-year-old girl was mauled at a children's birthday party by a cougar that had been brought in by a wild-animal business to entertain the youngsters, authorities said.

The girl was attacked on Nov. 18 at the home of Goya Foods president Francisco Unanue during a party for his 7-year-old child and suffered severe cuts on her eyelid, cheek and ear, authorities said. Doctors sewed back part of her severed ear.

Police said Wild Animal World owner and trainer Corinne Oltz removed the leashed cougar from its cage to show it to the children, but the girl sneaked behind Oltz and startled the animal. The declawed cat seized the child's head with its teeth....

Oltz was cited for a wildlife cage violation in a similar attack in 1999, court records showed. In 2001, a Wild Animal World leopard attacked a child at a company picnic. Oltz received probation for wildlife-possession violations, records showed.

[shaking head, muttering to self]

Trivia time

Happy Friday!

Category: General - Common Bond
Difficulty: Tough

Reported average: 4 of 10
My score: 5 of 10

If you get the common bond answer (I didn't), you'll find this was a suitable quiz for bloggers...

So close

I made it to Keegan's for trivia again last night (two in a row!). This time, I teamed up with Triple A, Diamond Dog, and Barry under the name, "Tickle Me Osama" (our response to the question about which toy was being banned from stores this Christmas).

We were close, but no cigar Guinness - one point out of second.

However, I did emerge victorious against Andy and Barry in a game of darts afterward, so you know what that means...

...Gimme a Stewie!

As sick as it gets

Prosecutors to Seek Death Penalty for Mother Accused of Killing Her Baby in a Microwave

DAYTON, Ohio - A mother suspected of killing her month-old daughter in 2005 by putting her in a microwave oven was indicted Thursday on a charge of aggravated murder, and the prosecutor said he would seek the death penalty.

The indictment against China Arnold, 26, does not provide details on the death of Paris Talley. Investigators have said evidence that includes high-heat internal injuries and the absence of external burn marks on the baby were consistent with a microwave oven.

"The Montgomery County coroner came to the conclusion that the injuries sustained by this baby could have only been caused by being placed into a microwave oven and having that oven turned on and cooked the baby to death," Montgomery Country Prosecutor Mathias Heck Jr. said at a news conference.

I'm all for the death penalty here, but I wonder... Do you think we can find a microwave big enough?

Trivia time

Couch potato quiz today.

Category: Television - Comedy
Difficulty: Average

Reported average: 6 of 10
My score: 7 of 10

Richardson woos Chihuahua

(...the town in Mexico, not the dog -- but admit it, the headline grabbed your attention, didn't it?)

Gov. Bill Richardson is anti-fence:

WASHINGTON - New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson says a fence at the Mexican border authorized by Congress this fall "gets in the way" of U.S.-Mexico relations, and he wants the new Democratic Congress to reverse the legislation.

"The fence is very unpopular on the border in Texas and New Mexico, in Chihuahua," Richardson, a Democrat, said after meeting Wednesday with leaders from the Mexican state of Chihuahua. "So one of the most significant and constructive acts the U.S. Congress should take is to get rid of it...."

The fence is unpopular in Chihuahua? Who gives a crap?!

What about your home state, Bill? I've got to figure the fence idea is extremely popular in New Mexico (among legal citizens, that is).

Richardson must be banking on poor support for the immigration issue nation-wide, though. He must see some strategery in coming out as the anti-fence candidate when he announces his presidential run for '08.

Or he's an idiot.

Trivia time

Test your knowledge of song lyrics today.

Category: Music - Lyrics Mixture
Difficulty: Tough

Reported average: 6 of 10
My score: 6 of 10

(C'mon. Someone can beat that!)

Not a civil war

In this Washington Post piece, General William Caldwell IV disagrees with General Matt Lauer et al (emphasis mine):

BAGHDAD -- I don't see a civil war in Iraq. I don't see a constituency for civil war. The vast majority of the people want hope for their families, not to massacre their neighbors or divide their country. A poll conducted in June by the International Republican Institute, a nonpartisan group that promotes democracy, found 89 percent of Iraqis supporting a unity government representing all sects and ethnic communities. No wonder no "rebel army" steps forward to claim credit for vicious car bombs and cowardly executions of civilians....

I studied civil wars at West Point and at the Army Command and Staff College. I respect the credentials and opinions of those who want to hang that label here. But I respectfully -- and strongly -- disagree. I see the Iraqi people suffering from overlapping terrorist campaigns by extremist groups combined with the mass criminality that too often accompanies the sudden toppling of a dictatorship. This poses a different military challenge than does a civil war.

As the Iraqi people labor to build a country based on human rights and respect for all citizens, they are moving from the law of the gun to the rule of law. Violence will increase before life gets better. Those who know that freedom and democracy offer more hope than anarchy will not give up.

Regardless of what academics and pundits decide to label this conflict, hundreds of thousands of brave Iraqi soldiers, police officers and civil servants will continue to go to work building a free, prosperous and united Iraq. And every day more than 137,000 U.S. servicemen and servicewomen will lace up their boots, strap on their body armor and drive ahead with our mission to support these courageous Iraqis.

Another one bites the dust

It appears that Leo is hanging up his blog, at least for now. It's truly a shame. Leo's a good writer with good ideas.

So why is he quitting? He's been getting personal threats from a crazy lefty.

It's ironic that the side of the aisle that purports to be such strong advocates of personal liberties is, in reality, the side that will take any means necessary to silence voices with which they do not agree.

It's not suprising, but it is sad. Hope you're back soon, Leo!

-----------------

UPDATE: I'm happy to report he's back. I'm glad the "situation" was resolved.

Trivia time

Fun with numbers today.

Category: Sci/Tech - Mixed Math
Difficulty: Tough

Reported average: 5 of 10
My score: 10 of 10 (that's right, beeyotches!)

Nice speedbumps

Nude Calendar Seeks to Raise Awareness of Town's Pothole Plight

Residents of a small Canadian town are fed up and they are getting naked to prove it.

People in Leader, Saskatchewan, are sick of the lousy state of their main road. In an effort to showcase their frustration to the world, residents posed in the buff with something all too familiar to their town: potholes.

The pictures are part of a special calendar designed to alert people to the plight of Leader's highway, Reuters reported.

Twelve local businesspeople posed in various positions for the calendar, revealing their birthday suits alongside some of their favorite potholes.

Leader, a town of only 1,000 people in a rural area of Saskatchewan, says it doesn't have the money to fix all of its roads.

"The potholes are not small, one-foot diameter potholes. They are many feet across and sometimes they're as deep as a foot deep and sometimes they will stretch for yards," Elhard told CBC television.

I guess Britney Spears isn't the only one showing off her pothole lately...

Is that why moonbats look so sickly?

Tastes like chicken crap:

And a new report says organic chicken may actually be less nutritious and taste worse than mass-produced chicken. The International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition says the organic birds have lower levels of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and anti-oxidants - and have higher levels of unhealthy fat - along with up to twice as much cholesterol. Organic chicken - which can cost up to three times the amount of conventionally-produced birds - even lost in blind taste tests. London's Sunday Times reports one researcher from Scotland's Strathclyde University states, "it is safe to say that you are not getting any nutritional benefit from buying organic chicken."

The Imams have a point

(No, really - not a parody.)

After the incident ** last month where six Imams were kicked off a US Air flight from the Twin Cities, among the requests they made was to have a prayer room established at the airport.

My first thought upon hearing that was, "Screw them. Why should they have a special room? Can't they just use the chapel like everyone else?" The problem with that is that MSP doesn't have a chapel.

It seems like a reasonable request. Many airports have them, and now, it seems, MSP is considering the idea.

Officials at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport are considering a private room for prayer and meditation - at the request of Imams concerned about the removal of six Muslim clerics from a U.S. Airways flight at the airport last month.

The men were taken off the plane after they had prayed loudly in the terminal and then took seats on the plane in a pattern that law enforcement associates with terrorism. The director of the Minneapolis facility says several airports have nonsectarian meditation rooms - including Nashville, Columbus, Ohio and Fort Lauderdale.

Of course, this shouldn't be an in-airport mosque. The chapel / prayer room / whatever you want to call it should be available to Christians, Jews, Muslims, Raelians, and everyone else. I. e., it must be non-denominational.

** Editorial note: The incident itself - with the seat belt extenders, the anti-American chants, the sitting in the wrong seats, the refusal to turn off cell phones, etc. - I would classify as terrorism, even though no damage or injury was incurred. Their actions were clearly designed to cause panic and disruption to US Air's operations.

Do we have to wait 'til he's dead?

President Carter: Bury Me in Front Yard

ATLANTA - Former President Jimmy Carter said Sunday he hopes to be buried in front of his home in Plains, the southwest Georgia town where he and his wife were born.

"Plains is special to us," the 82-year-old said during a three-hour live C-SPAN2 interview. "I could be buried in Arlington Cemetery or wherever I want, but my wife was born here and I was born here."

Wow. That would be some potent fertilizer!

Trivia time

Your Monday brain jump start awaits.

Category: Brain Teasers - Scrambles
Difficulty: Average

Reported average: 7 of 10
My score: 10 of 10 (ok, it's a pretty easy one today...)

Bolton to resign

John Bolton is the latest victim of Senate obstructionists.

WASHINGTON - Unable to win Senate confirmation, U.N. Ambassador John Bolton will step down when his recess appointment expires soon, the White House said Monday.

Bolton's nomination has languished in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for more than a year, blocked by Democrats and several Republicans. Sen. Lincoln Chafee, a moderate Republican who lost in the midterm elections Nov. 7 that swept Democrats to power in both houses of Congress, was adamantly opposed to Bolton.

President Bush gave Bolton the job temporarily in August 2005, while Congress was in recess. But the appointment expires when Congress formally adjourns, no later than early January.

So who should the president's next nominee be for U. N. Ambassador? I'd pick Don Rumsfeld!

Trivia time

Here's some football trivia to get you ready for Sunday.

Category: Sports - NFL Mixture
Difficutly: Average

Reported average: 7 of 10
My score: 8 of 10

Sweet, sweet victory (sort of)

I made it early enough to Keegan's last night to join Uncle Ben halfway through the early trivia round. We allied to form team "Klobuchar's an Idiot!," and we managed to win first place despite some controversy (Next time you see Marty, ask him who won the World Series.). Woo hoo!

Note: When I say "we" won, I mean he won -- Ben would have won with or without me. I contributed nothing.

Aw, what the hell. It counts. Gimme a Stewie!




We were then joined by Triple A and Guy for the 8:00 quiz. Alas, team "Ellison's a Thug!" placed one point out of the Guinness.

David and Margaret were also there, celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary -- Congrats!! Unfortunately, David left before I could collect the beer he owes me. Meh, next time.