Friday, October 15, 2010

Hither and thither 10/15/10

Nice little assortment today to ease you into and through your weekend, amigos and amigas. Click on most pictures, to enlarge; updates possible until noon PT.

  • Check out ten things you didn't know about The Empire Strikes Back.  ("Buffy"?!)
  • I'm sure that you, too, followed the stirring story of the rescue of the Chilean miners. But did you hear this story? Not on the MSM.
  • Just to help you prepare mentally for the looming winter weather:

  • Peter Ferrara argues that comparing Obama to Jimmy Carter is unfair — unfair to Jimmy Carter, that is.
  • A lengthy profile of Obama in the NYT confirms what BibChr readers have known since before the election of '08: Obama remains arrogant, clueless, entitled, and so self-absorbed that he thinks he just hasn't talked enough, or we're too stupid to listen. Is it 2012 yet?
  • We are already beginning to see the grim outliers of Obama's socialization of health care. The Wall Street Journal recently featured some of the many better alternatives, that states should get working on right now. Wish mine would.
  • Indicator of how bad things are for the Left: columnist/Dem apologist Clarence Page is left to splutter "What's so bad about being an elitist?"
  • Trouble is, I can think of a raised-pinkie writer or two on the right who might nod in agreement.
  • Speaking of George Will, the bow-tied one sees November's election as potentially being of historical significance.
  • Pastors will nod sagely at this one.

  • Paula noted that a polygamist family in Utah — one man, four wives, thirteen children — who allowed itself to be featured in a reality show on The Learning Channel, are now under criminal investigation. Though polygamy is rarely prosecuted, this group's flaunting of its knowing lawbreaking seems set to twit the feds into action. Duh.
  • There's an interesting article on the shape of the playing field for conservative comedians in the age of Obama.
  • I know that one attempt at a counter is RightNetwork. They have a stand-up comedy series called Right 2 Laugh, hosted by Evan Sayet (who is quoted in the article above). I watched an episode, and I have to say... the comics came across as barely B-listers. Just really not funny. But I know there's humor to be had.
  • Being a cat means there's always somewhere to hide. (Thanks FRiend Tim.)
  • Chris Carney notes that the coming robot takeover was quietly given a bump forward... by Google!
  • Chris also wants us to know his Congressional candidate is Star Parker. I actually met her a good long time ago, when she spoke locally along with David Barton of Wall Builders. It was at a local church, and if I recall correctly Ms. Parker, a young black woman, had come from welfare to a very conservative and Christian position.
  • I really want to see Sharron Angle topple Harry Reid in Nevada. It wouldn't merely be the removal of the negative; it would be a positive gain for the Senate. Anyone see last night's debate? I am reading that she did well. The Las Vegans Sun, which clearly doesn't like her, says she won it handily. Michelle Malkin seems to see it as a pretty crushing victory for Angle. Unfortunately, the only clip I've seen shows Reid lamely serving up a nice, fat, slow pitch, and Angle fumbling about rather ineffectively. I hope that wasn't representative of the whole.
  • Fred Butler found a cell phone for our senior citizens.

  • As we hear... well, just about anything about public schooling, we often remark, "Reason #479 why we homeschool." So far, this hasn't been one of the reasons. But, thanks to Paula --

  • We talk a certain amount of bacon here. Well... now, thanks to Fred Butler, you can know how it's made.
  • Yeah. This is about right.

  • Well... now we know he can do that!


  • I don't dance much... but I think this went wrong.












27 comments:

Anonymous said...

"I am Kirok! I have come! I am Kirok!

Fred Butler said...

I bet if that band had been U2 (who actually did something similar to this) or Metallica, people would be talking about how awesome the stunt was. Instead, it was some obscure novelty act.

Brad Williams said...

Dan,

I want to genuinely thank you for that link to the Chilean miner's story. I have been very gripped by their plight, and I have prayed for them. I had no idea about this wonderful opportunity that this brother took advantage of. What a wonderful, wonderful story. Thank you again for sharing it.

Psalm 40:2 might be one that the two guys who made professions of faith could particularly rejoice in.

Rachael Starke said...

"...this group's flaunting of its knowing lawbreaking seems set to twit the feds into action. Duh."

Well, yes, one would certainly think "Duh." But then, one only has to remember a certain illegal immigrant housekeeper to a Gubernatorial candidate how somehow managed to appear alongside her famous lawyer on T.V. twelve times a day with nary an agent waiting for her...

And that NYT piece is almost....wistful in its reluctant reporting of the staggeringly obvious. I was almost tempted to feel sorry for the writer, until I read the line about Bush's "drive to begin a war" vs. "Obama's struggle to turn around" the economy...

Delusional ideologue pot, meet kettle.

Still, when you've lost the NYT...

candy said...

I saw the debate, and Angle did fumble a few times. Both of them did not seem very comfortable. It was very interesting to see their answer on whether abortion should be funded by Obamacare. Angle...NO! Reid....blah, blah, blah, Hyde Amendment, blah, blah, blah.

Rebekah said...

"We know people might have missed appointments or meetings, but we feel passionate about our cause."

Ah, well, as long as they feel passionate about it....because feeling passionate is so much more important than, say, loving their neighbors who needed to get to work or doctor's appointments or whatnot and were prevented from doing so during their little publicity stunt.

P.D. Nelson said...

I let my daughter who was homeschooled see that picture Dan. Her response was yeah sure if you were homeschooled by Batman.

DJP said...

She wasn't?

Webster Hunt (Parts Man) said...

Have you seen this yet, Dan?

http://www.jimspancakes.com/

Aaron said...

@DJP: It's not the Feds who are investigating them (it's not technically a Federal crime). It's the State of Utah (and probably locals). And I wonder how this will fare in court. After all, we've ben saying for years that if government can't regulate marriage as between a man and a woman, why should it be allowed to do so between any number of consenting adults.

I don't care who you are. Get your fanny off the freeway and out of my way!

Malecontent said...

Thanks for this week's links.

The Chilean mine rescue did get a Christian perspective on BBC for a few minutes on Wednesday. The usually hostile presenter of one of the main evening radio programmes met his match in the chaplain to the President who given an opportunity to talk about the power of prayer grabbed it with both hands.

Link to the programme is on http://www.bbc.co.uk/mobile/iplayer/episode/b00v6ft5 at about 1:11 into the programme or a transcript on http://pjsaunders.blogspot.com/2010/10/fantastic-interview-rev-cooper-chaplain.html?spref=fb

Rupert said...

If the people of 'whatever' mindset do eventually embed the repeal of DADT, wouldn't those same 'whatever' mindset people prevail in preventing the introduction of the draft?

Mike Westfall said...

That rotary-dial cell phone is a hit! I want one!

And then there's [this]. It looks like a real rotary dial phone, but it's actually a 3-band mobile phone. Not too portable, though.

Barbara said...

Forgive my ignorance, but I am completely lost as to how it is that this federal judge or that federal judge can have jurisdiction over things that the Supreme Court should be dealing with....and isn't this why we have a system of checks and balances, so that a single activist judge can't singlehandedly command people to cease and desist obeying the current law? Especially when it involves matters of military command and national security?

Susan said...

Oh, Dan, you'll forgive me, I hope, for posting the following URL because it's just too good to pass up. (I read it yesterday but totally forgot to email you.) Did you know that humanly speaking, the successful Chilean miners' rescue was made possible by capitalism??

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703673604575550322091167574.html

But then Huffington Post had to counter that with this ridiculous article. I say it's ridiculous because safety and capitalism are not mutually exclusive, but the writer obviously think they are:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allison-kilkenny/capitalism-didnt-save-the_b_765079.html

Word Verification: fecate (no, I ain't kiddin', and I ain't going there)

Aaron said...

I'm still waiting for women's groups to demand the privilege of registering with the Selective Service when they are 18 (oh wait, they did that).

In case you didn't know, Rupert, all males age 18 are required by law to register with the government (that is the selective service agency). The selective service is the agency which administers the draft. So all that is required is for Congress to pass legislation authorizing mobilization and for the President to sign it. In fact, in 2009 the Selective Service conducted a "readiness test."

But I'm not worried. I imagine women will take over the military while men stay home and play video games while pumped full of ritalin.

Fun fact: With the exception of Abraham Lincoln, all the other Presidents who used conscription were Democrats. And it's pretty much Democrats who have asked for it in the recent past (Charles Rangel said it should be reinstated in 2003.)

CR said...

Barbara

Before the appellate federal courts review these cases it has to go through a regular federal district court. Now the Obama administration has to decide whether to appeal the courts's decision. As the executive branch it should because the executive branch is suppose to uphold laws that are passed. For example the Obama administration appealed the DOMA (defense of marriage act) federal court ruling. ( I was actually surprised they did).

tnfpb said...

On the bacon front, for those so inclined, as well as motivated, here ya go.

DJP said...

Here's that link, fixed.

greglong said...

Man sleeping on a rope says:

“I met a master when I was 12, and he taught me some tips. It took me nearly 24 years to acquire the skill."

There's a life well spent.

Rupert said...

I didn't know that Sir Aaron, thanks.

You haven't quite answered my question though. Let me put it a bit differently - and no DJP, I'm not trying to skew things to get the outcome I seek, and don't pull that 'who me?' stunt ;-)

An amalgam of groups such as the tea party, people such as your good selves, and other 'right wing' groups believe that they can wrest control of the numbers to overturn things like obamacare as part of their agenda.

If an amalgam of different groups wrest control of the mumbers and overturn DADT by legislation, wouldn't they also be likely to overturn laws which make conscription possible?

Halcyon said...

Rupert:

Perhaps they would, but why would they want to? What connection or correlation could they make between allowing open homosexuality in the military and preventing conscription?

Rupert said...

Liberals Halcyon, liberals.

Do you really think those who support gay rights would be of a mindset to force people to fight in a war?

DJP said...

Rupert, I can't for the life of me make any sense out of any part of your question.

What is it that you're asking?

Rupert said...

Hi DJP. I inferred that you think that the removal of DADT will see less people volunteering for the military and therefore conscription would be required to achieve necessary numbers.

I was just positing that the same people who would drive the agenda for overturning DADT would probably be of a mindset to also drive an anti-conscription agenda.

DJP said...

Hm; well, if I'm getting you, then no. Dems often actually like throwing the military around. Many of our wars have been started by Democratic presidents.

It's a Catch-22 in this case. Obama's fecklessness in foreign relations will make the military all the more necessary, as he emboldens the worst and most dangerous in the world by his weakness. So he will at the same time be weakening the military, and making it all the more indispensable.

Rupert said...

Well of course there is that (whatever point of view one might have on it), it's just that the link you provided with the 'another step...' statement was in regard to DADT.

I think the war in Iraq has emboldened Iran outright (there used to be two evil states in balance). Then there is the ensuing lack of resources for Afghanistan causing difficulties there (again, because of the Iraq action). Put together, I think these are a major issue themselves.