What does Gore want?

It seems he's being a bit of a control freak again, this time over Canada's new approach to dealing with air pollution.

Let's be honest, the real issue isn't so much global warming. It's instead about making us miserable to fulfill someone's aesthetic views about how life should be.

I think the title of Penn and Teller's series on Showtime is most appropriate for Gore's nonsense.

Two outta three ain't bad...

The Brewers are climbing the standings thanks to taking two outta three from the Astros. They did it while giving Rickie Weeks, Corey Hart, and Bill Hall the day off on Sunday - well, Hall did pinch-hit for Vargas after five.

Idiocy...

That's perhaps the only way to describe this comment about illegal immigration. That said, it seems that immigation in all aspects, not just illegal immigration, tends to bring out the worst in some elements of the Republican coalition.

It's enough to frustrate the hell out of me at times.

More successful tests...

This time, two targets, two hits, in another test shoot.

Enjoy the video.

Too good to be true?

I have to ask that after the news about Ben Sheets. I've always called being a Brewers fan preparation for dating. That news is why.

Gitmo...

The problem with letting al-Qaeda detainees have access to the justice system has been security. Now, the government is trying to cut back on the risks.

The usual suspects are complaining. Sorry, but I really don' see the problem. We need terrorists on ice - and out of circulation - as permanently as possible. Since the United States of America doesn't have access to a real black hole to drop them into, a legal black hole will have to do.

Why Giuliani could win it all...

Rudy Giuliani's recent speech is a glimpse into the biggest reason why he is arguably going to win it all. He is a fighter, and he is willing to take it to opponents. Furthermore, he's proven he can handle things when the brown stuff hits the fan.

George W. Bush, for all he has gotten right, isn't a fighter by nature. If anything, he has turned the other cheek to a fault. Much like his father, he believes in trying to solve problems and in bringing people together. This does not make him a bad conservative, bad President, bad Republican, or bad person. But it has meant that a number of slanders and lies have gone unchallenged in his case, just as it led to his father's ill-advised compromise on taxes in 1990.

Pelosi's priorities...

No time for Petraeus, plenty of time to hobnob with dictators who sponsor terrorism and the pacifists who want to hand said dictators a victory.

There really is no more need to question Pelosi's patriotism. It's now time to expose her lack of it to the rest of the country.

Reid's comments...

Harry Reid's comments about the efforts in the Iraqi theater of the global war on terror being a failure are stunning. It's like Senator Durbin's comments two years ago comparing American troops keeping terrorists on ice at Guantanamo Bay to Pol Pot and the Nazis.

These comments get around the world in seconds, thanks to the internet. That makes a quick response possible, not only by the troops, but by terrorists as well.

Do any dare call comments like those from Senators Reid and Durbin - the leaders of Senate Democrats - by their proper name?

Not a good thing...

Austin Bay writes about the recent lawsuit against Yahoo.

First of all, let's be honest, there was an assumption of known risk by the plaintiffs. That said, China's laws regarding freedom of speech make McCain-Feingold look good.

But Yahoo is the wrong party to attack. Partially because they were caught in the middle of a rock and a hard place, and partially because their good will is probably what is needed to help deal with China's censorship policies over the long run.

The fact is, when you do business in a country outside the US, you'd better understand that things get done differently. The PRC has not been averse to what is for all intents and purposes theft, including via piracy and failure to respect intellectual property.

Yahoo had no good options. They aren't the bad guys here.

Keeping haircuts in perspective...

Eve Fairbanks has a great article on the Edwards haircut non-story at the Washington Examiner. Well worth the read.

Creating the next killer?

Jack Kelly, who also blogs at Irish Pennants, has fired off a broadside at NBC.

Has NBC done this? It's a very open question. You do get your folks who look for their 15 minutes of fame. But the information about this killer that is disseminated may also help stop the next one.

This is something that cuts both ways, and NBC really was in a no-win situation.

Astronauts take risks...

It might seem trite, but the recent report about the latest spacewalk should dispel all doubts. Nice to see they are making changes.

Bad news... and great news...

The bad news: JJ Hardy didn't hit a home run.

The good news: The Brewers still take the series against the Astros, and lead the NL Central.

Brewers on a roll...

The Astros are in town for a three-game set. The Brewers just finished sweeping the Pirates.

This series could make the Brewers legit contenders. Don't let me down, guys.

A deal that's just about closed...

Wednesday night, I went to the Frontiers of Freedom gala. There, I had the chance to listen to Mitt Romney speak, and I am pleased to report that the deal's just about closed.

I wish I had the financial means to donate to his campaign. That said, I encourage everyone reading this blog to go to www.mittromney.com and to sign up. I think he'd be a great President.

SCOTUS gets it right...

By the narrowest of margins, the Supreme Court has decided that yes, certain late-term abortions can be restriced.

Finally, for once on this issue, the people's elected representatives can speak and not be overridden by a judge.

It's official... Cannes has no taste...

The film lineup for Cannes is coming together. They've snubbed Spiderman 3, which looks like an OK film. But they also snubbed the one film I'm looking forward to this year.

No taste, Cannes.

Summer of Sequels?

Ugh. Some of those movies look good, but the one I'm waiting for comes out July 4.

On VA Tech...

The shooting at Virginia Tech was awful. There isn't really much more I can say about this.

Austin Bay, though, has a good post about this tragedy. It's worth a read.

91 MPH...

That was the reported speed of Governor Corzine's SUV moment before the wreck that led to the injuries he suffered.

Wow. Talk about stupid. What was so important that Governor Corzine not only couldn't be bothered to put on a seat belt, but had to tear along at 91 miles per hour? Was it more important than his life?

No more war on terror for the UK...

The British have stopped calling the war on terror by its proper name.

Words mean things in this world. Terrorism is beyond the abilities of law enforcement to cope - particularly if it is state-sponsored terrorism. Other than maintaining the failed status quo of the Clinton Administration's approach to terrorism, what other alternative is there but war?

Stalemate?

President Bush and Congress seem to be stalemated over the Iraq supplemental. The Democrats are demandign retreat even as the surge succeeds.

Corzine's mistake...

There is a "Demotivator" that has a great line:

It may be that your purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others.

New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine sounds like a classic case. I did not want his tenure as governor to turn out like this. I wanted a Republican nominee in 2009 to give his ass an electoral beatdown.

People, buckle up. Insist that those you ride with do the same, or they can walk.

It's just common sense.

Why Republicans want Obama...

Eve Fairbanks had a good column last week on Barack Obama and how much support he seems to be getting from conservatives.

For my part, I do prefer Obama to Hillary on a couple of counts.

1. Hillary is Richard Nixon in a skirt. She has both a paranoid streak and an air of ruthlessness. Nixon did incalculable damage to the country via his coverup of Watergate. Hillary could easily do the same.

2. To contrast to Hillary's apparent chenneling of Richard Nixon, Barack Obama seems like a decent enough person. He certainly does not go out of his way to demonize his opponents.

3. I think Obama would be much easier to beat. Until the 2008 Presidential election, he's really not had a tough race. His state legislative races were in districts that he could have won easily in the general. Even his U.S. Senate race was a cakewalk. He also doesn't have that much experience - and against Giuliani or Romney that could be a big negative.

I have nothing against Obama, even though he probably doesn't get my vote. He's a nice guy, he seems sincere, but he's sincerely wrong. He also strikes me as a pitcher who has completed one full season of Low-A ball after high school and who is campaigning to be the Opening Day starting pitcher at Yankee Stadium.

Thanks, but no thanks.

Soros mouths off...

George Soros has mouthed off again. Of course, it is the usual nonsense. There's no peace in the Middle East because we're too close to the Israelis. Shall we look at some of the maps that the Palestinians have in their textbooks for students?

What has become clear is the agenda for the man with the dough for organizations like MoveOn, the DNC, and other groups: It is nothing short of appeasing regimes that sponsor terrorism and have the intention of committing genocide the instant they think they can get away with it. Note: Soros wants us to deal with the same people who cheered 9/11.

No sale, Mr. Soros. If I'd had my way, the Palestinians would have paid a serious price in terms of American recognition for various Israeli territorial claims as well as the fact that they would not have seen so much as a dime of aid.

They view our restraint at weakness. Maybe it is time to discard that restraint.

Potential backlash?

MacRanger raises an interesting point over at Macsmind. Could we see a backlash from people who are sick and tired of hypocrites like Al Sharpton going after their favorite radio hosts?

Furthermore, with his stated intentions, firing back at Sharpton may be self-defense for a lot of people. The man clearly is going to try to go after otherswho have crossed him in the past.

Take him down, Vladimir...

Boris Berezovsky has declared his intention to violently overthrow the government of Russia.

The end for Russian President Vladimir Putin in that situation will not be a very good one. Quite frankly, if President Putin decides to go medieval on Berezovsky, it is self-defense as far as I am concerned.

The British have an obligation to not provide this loose cannon with a base of operations, as well. They need to hand Berezovsky over.

Thought on Imus...

First they came for Opie and Anthony, and I did not speak up because I didn't listen to them.

Then they came after Howard, and chased him to Sirius, and I didn't speak up because I could always buy that subscription sometime.

Then they came after Imus, and chased him off the air, and I didn't speak up because Imus was stupid to say what he said.

Now Al Sharpton is saying there will be more.

SHARPTON VOWS MORE: 'It is our feeling that this is only the beginning. We must have a broad discussion on what is permitted and not permitted in terms of the airwaves'...

(Drudge Report, 5:24 PM EDT, April 12, 2007)

Now I feel I must speak out, before he decides to come after me.

Taking two...

Talk about a turnaround. The Brewers first have to win a suspended game. Then they step to the Marlins and wax their butts in the scheduled game.

I think Rickie and Prince are out of their slumps. :)

Agni III test launch...

India has tested the Agni III. Ballistic missiles are really dinosaurs. The reason for that is in Alaska (with additional sites coming).

And if you don't think that the missile defense system has rendered ballistic missiles obsolete, then answer me this question: Which of China's ICBMs will get through the system we have at present?

Don Surber's point made...

Michelle Malkin, in her latest column, has just backed up Don Surber's point.

She's proceeding to pitch a fit over the lyrics of some of the chart-topping songs. This is just rich with irony. In order to complain about he lyrics, she had to read them. They didn't crop up on her computer screen on their own. She had to seek them out.

She even whines:

What kind of relief do we get from this deadening, coarsening, dehumanizing barrage from young, black rappers and their music industry enablers who have helped turn America into Tourette's Nation?

Well, Michelle, you did not have to look up the lyrics. You probably have a radio in your car. You can preset the stations to your favorites. You can even turn it off, or pop a CD in (there are hundreds at your local Best Buy or Borders).

Your column is several hundred words of complaining about a problem that many people know how to solve. They don't need to run to the FCC to solve it. They don't need to write their congressman, much less a whole frickin' newspaper column, about how upset they are over this. The simply do as Don Surber does.

I do have one question of my own: Where is Xander Cage when you really need him?

Going after Pelosi...

Mitt Romney has expressed his views on Pelosi's trip.

Money paragraph:

“Running away from Iraq now would embolden our enemies, giving them the sanctuary they need to plan more devastating attacks against our country,” Romney said. “In this difficult time, some in Congress are trying to deny our troops the resources they need. This is a grave error. We need to rally behind the effort, and support our men and women in uniform in this time of war.”

I can't put it any better. The Democrats, the Libertarians, and the Constitution Party all fail the "war on terror" test. Only the Republicans seem willing to fight.

Going for two...

It seems Nancy Pelosi isn't happy with just hobnobbing with one state sponsor of terror. Now she wants to go to Iran and hand Mahmoud Ahmadinejad propaganda fodder while undercutting the Bush Administration's foreign policy.

Will this be enough to trigger an indictment for violating the Logan Act?

You have a remote... learn how to use it!

Don Surber says something that needs to be said.

I wish that the PTC would simply take this approach rather than run to the FCC demanding that it take Howard Stern (or anyone else) off the air. You don't like the CSI shows? You can change the channel or turn it off. You don't have to whine to the FCC about how violent it is. Lots of folks DO like the CSI shows.

People have no right to force their tastes on others. It's part of the power trip that some conservatives went on. They are picking on Gil Grisson, Horatio Caine, and Mac Taylor - 21st Century versions of Joe Friday, a guy who put bad guys away on a weekly basis. They are picking on Jack Bauer, another one of the heroes many people watch on the small screen.

Talk about a misplaced sense of priorities - we got bigger fish to fry.

Myspace is free speech...

At least, that is the court ruling. I do not hold with what the teenager did. That said, there was a clear overreaction by the authorities that has been set down.

E-mail from the front...

Hugh Hewitt posts about an e-mail from a friend of his in Iraq.

Key quote from the e-mail:

Their attacks on the Coalition are down and they cannot stop the increase US force in Baghdad and the expansion in the Iraqi military. The sectarian murder rate is already down and while attacks are up the effectiveness is down. The terrorists are getting some spectacular attacks but again they are hitting the softest of targets and as of now are trying to incorporate chlorine gas canisters into their explosions. We are increasingly finding the IEDs and the weapons caches. Remember that we are just beginning the process and we still have only 50% of the troop increase. This is not an operation that gives instant gratification or quick results it will take time. We must have that time for success.

Will Congress let our troops succeed?

Joint Missile Defense?

Austin Bay reports on an apparent shift in Russian opinion on missile defense.

It seems now that the only objections are going to come from the Democratic Congress.

For the WOW! files...

It seems that the 8.0 earthquake lifted one of the Solomon Islands ten feet.

Impressive. It happened all in a matter of seconds, too.

If this isn't suspicious timing...

The Washington Post now is trying to carry the water of Carl Levin on the "no connection" nonsense that many in the anti-war movement have fired off.

No explanation for the three-page memo found by the Toronto Star's Mitch Potter with clumsy efforts to conceal Osama bin Laden's name.

No explanation about Ahmed Hikmat Shakir, either.

WSJ raises the Logan Act question...

The Wall Street Journal has raised the Logan Act question vis-a-vis Nancy Pelosi's trip to Damascus.

It is one that should be discussed seriously. Nancy Pelosi does not speak for the United States of America. President George W. Bush is the only person (along with those he designates) who had the authority to speak for the United States of America.

It's really that simple.

Pelosi sticks it to Israel...

The Washington Post editorial on Pelosi's trip speaks volumes on just how bad a decision this was. This time, she has also apparently given Assad an impression about Israel's position that was nowhere near accurate.

It happened in the 1980s, too. Remember the Dear Commandante letter? Or John Kerry and Tom Harkin visiting Daniel Ortega, and then undermining Ronald Reagan's foreign policy? Pat Leahy leaking stuff all over the place? There is only one person entitled to conduct negotiations on behalf of the US - the President (or those he designates).

Quite frankly, with stuff like Pelosi's trip, we could be in the same situation that we had in the 1980s. Back then, Ollie North was justified in lying to Congress. These days, with Pelosi hobnobbing with Bashir Assad, and other Democrats willing to cover for any thug in the world, including Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose country sent forces into Iraqi waters to kidnap 15 military personnel from one of our closest allies. And they wonder why people think they are wimps who can't be trusted to handle national security?

We need to revitalize the Logan Act, and to also make it very clear that all options are on the table. If that means a confrontation with the Democrats, bring it on.

Hostages released...

The fifteen hostages taken by Iran have been released and are safely at Heathrow.

The Brits need to change their ROEs to avoid a future recurrence. And once again, Iran largely gets a pass for what would have been called an act of war years ago.

Now the hostages are out, we need to ratchet up the pressure on Iran.

Waxman's fishing expedition...

Hnery Waxman has gone fishing. This has the potential for serious mischief. It is, in essence, a the legal equivalent of Watergate, only Waxman is using subpoenas instead of burglary tools.

How can the RNC be sure that those e-mails which have confidential data in them won't be used for the advantage ofthe Democrats? If any confidential information leaks - the RNC needs to clam up and refuse to cooperate.

EU mugs Microsoft...

It seems the EU has decided that it, and it alone shall determine how much Microsoft's intellectual property is worth according to a document acquired by the Financial Times.

This is not ensuring competition. This is, for all intents and purposes, a legal mugging - and in this case, it is a foreign government doing this to an American company. It would be like the Commerce Department requiring that Airbus hand over the full design documentation of the A380 to Lockheed and Boeing. What do you think the folks at Skunk Works would be able to do with that?

This cannot be allowed to stand. Quite frankly, this sort of thing requires retaliation. The EU's also trying to push ITunes around as well.

Two can play.

What Happens When You Let the Inmates Run the Asylum

The 9/11 Truth Movement has glommed onto Masschusetts Governor Deval Patrick's website.

Right now, it's in twelfth place in terms of support votes. It's been there since the 24th of March. Governor Patrick's staff has not removed it. So, a major politician's website is tacitly endorsing thoroughly debunked conspiracy theories.

"Radioastronomer," a poster at Darwin Central (the home of The Conspiracy That Cares^®) notes:

I sent an email to the Gov's office with a link pointing this out and asking if he wanted his name dragged thru the mud like this. Nothing - nada- zip.

Looks like he does support the idea.

America is not and (hopefully) never will be a pure democracy. If the Founders viewed pure democracy as dangerous in an era where mass communications were nonexistent, how would they view it in an era that is absolutely saturated with mass communications, many designed to appeal to emotional impulse instead of rational thought (i.e., advertising)? I have commented to friends, with tongue only half in cheek, that given a big enough budget and slick enough advertising, Hitler could have sold the idea of the "Final Solution" to the prospective victims themselves.

Governor Patrick meant well with the "My Issues" website. However, the road to Hell is usually paved with good intentions. (Cliches tend to become cliches for very good reason.) In our system of government, politicians are not intended to be mere sock puppets of whoever has the loudest bullhorn. Politicians are expected to lead. And that may mean annoying "the base" from time to time (depending on how crazy "the base" is, maybe a lot of the time. (It's worth noting that the Arabic translation of "the base" is "al-Qaeda.") Someone at Deval Patrick's campaign should have reviewed this posting and deleted it long before it got spotted by a bored blogger.

Do the right thing, Governor, and tell this part of your base "yob' tvoyu maht'!"

Both sides folding?

If this article from the AP is right, it looks like both sides are looking to ease down from this.

Iran has realized that they really overstepped here, and the Brits are realizing there's not much they can do. So both sides really have an interest in backing off here.

In essence, the Iranians found they had a much weaker hand. And if they were to start something in Iraq, it would probably force the Democrats in Congress to end their withdrawal plans.

There is no war...

That is the new line from the Democrats. In other words, if you believe the Democrats, there is no over-arching threat from terrorism, primarily that motivated by a twisted version of Islam. And if that is the case, then there is no need for any sort of global effort. Nor is there any need to do anything but treat terrorism as a criminal matter.

In other words, back to the Clinton approach which didn't decisively deal with terrorists, which compromised our intelligence gathering by telling al-Qaeda what we knew about them, and which gave state sponsors of terrorism like Iran, Syria, and the Sudan a pass.

We know how that turned out the last time. The World Trade Center was taken down, the Pentagon hit. Nearly 3,000 people killed.

What will the butcher's bill be the next time?

More opening day thoughts...

One of the saddest things in baseball seems to be the decline of artificial turf. We've had the original makers of AstroTurf go out of business. Now, only a few major-league stadiums even use it, and hardly any minor-league stadiums.

Never mind that theball moves faster and bounces higher - adding more offense to the game. Baseball does not seem to appreciate what artificial turf has done. Instead, purists have gone after it with a venegance second only to the vitriol unfairly directed at the designated hitter, which is arguably the best thing to happen to baseball since 1965 (artificial turf comes in a very respectable second).

Ahmadinejad's Iran lays out demands...

They seem to think that they can set out conditions for the end of this crisis. There is really only one response: We need to set out conditions so that Ahmadinejad doesn't get a JDAM through his front door.

Iran has been a rogue state since 1979. At some point, the United States just had to say, "Yob tvoyu maht, Ayatollahs", and break out the whoop-ass.

Some thoughts...

MLBTV premium subscription: $19.95 a month

Pizza and soda: $15

Listening to Bob Uecker and Jim Powell describe the Brewers kicking Dodger ass on Opening Day: PRICELESS.

Opening Day is today...

Very light blogging.

Go Brewers!!