Moe Lane

Abandons him quite comprehensively, in fact:

WASHINGTON–Embattled Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) is cancelling his Thursday schedule, where he was to have met with Rockford area civic, elected and religious leaders as Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) sent out a very frosty statement, saying Burris failed to disclose under oath the nature of his relationship with former Gov. Blagojevich.

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(Today’s author: Larry Niven)

Having seen Glenn Reynold’s subtle brag this morning (mind you, if I were a science fiction / fantasy author with a book out I’d be cheerfully making sure that he got a free copy of it, too) about Escape from Hell (Niven & Pournelle’s sequel to Inferno, which is itself the sequel to the only book of Dante’s The Divine Comedy that anyone ever actually reads), I figure that it’s as good a time as any to point this guy out.

I grew up with Niven, which would probably depress him to hear: both his science fiction and his fantasy work have been favorites of mine, mostly because he’s logical about his world-building.  Even where his story requires that the laws of physics as we know them be broken, Niven will still work out the implications, and does a credible job in integrating those implications into the plot.  He can also write decent dialogue, which is harder than it looks.

He’s probably best known for his Known Space science fiction universe: of his latest works I’ve read Fleet of Worlds, which was both good and an interesting new look at the universe; and based on the first chapter of Juggler of Worlds I’ll enjoy that, too, once I have the spare cash to pick it up.  On the fantasy side, the series that he started with The Magic Goes Away was a genuine innovation in the field, although it may be a bit pessimistic for readers in the modern era.

Or not: we may be in for a bit of pessimism for a while.  So, read it if you haven’t yet.

Moe Lane

PS: While Jerry Pournelle is, of course, often linked to Niven, he should have his own entry.

Reported here, via here. These guys are not to be trifled with, ye swabs:

…Oh. You said the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. Sorry: I misheard.

Never mind.
Crossposted at RedState.

No, seriously. Did it?

(H/T: Glenn Reynolds) I know, I know, it’s a heck of a thing to contemplate on a Thursday morning, but check out this story on heavy Democratic donor (and current fugitive) R. Allen Stanford:

Accused Financier Under Federal Drug Investigation
Authorities: Stanford May Have Laundered Drug Money for Mexican Cartel

The SEC’s fraud charges may be the least of accused financial scammer R. Allen Stanford’s worries. Federal authorities tell ABC News that the FBI and others have been investigating whether Stanford was involved in laundering drug money for Mexico’s notorious Gulf Cartel.

[snip]

The federal investigation, however, did not stop Stanford from using corporate money to become a big man at last year’s Democratic convention in Denver.

A video posted on the firm’s web-site shows Stanford, now sought by U.S. Marshals, being hugged by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and praised by former President Bill Clinton for helping to finance a convention-related forum and party put on by the National Democratic Institute.

Can we show you video footage of said hug and praise? YES! WE! CAN! (more…)

(Alerted by Baseball Crank) I had a choice: I could consider this a sign of America’s ultimate decline, or else one that we really were still so Unbelievably Awesome that a picture of our country could heal.

I went with Awesome.

Drop in the Cup: Associate Leaves Am Law for Beer Pong

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D&D rapping by a woman.

If I had to watch it, then so did you.

Because you have to revisit the classics every so often.

Comic here: main comic here. Blade Runner is one of those movies that would be one of my favorites, if it weren’t for the fact that I’m not exactly sure which one of the seven versions is my favorite; or whether the version that is my favorite actually exists.  It’s entirely possible that I’m picking and choosing to create an idealized gestalt Blade Runner in my head.

Which, by the way, is a notion that Philip K. Dick would have loved.

Tell me again about how the American people don’t care about pork.  Chuck.

You know, like you did here:

…because you just realized that they actually do care when it comes to keeping their existing jobs, huh? (more…)

Via Glenn, it sounds very declarative:

“As the president stated during the campaign, he does not believe the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated,” White House spokesman Ben LaBolt said.

But then, so did his stand against FISA.
And for public financing of elections.
And against the war in Iraq.
And for transparency in lawmaking.
And against torture.

I can keep going, but you get the drift. There is what we’d call a history, here.

Crossposted at RedState.

From The Muppet Movie, of course.

Don’t click on the video below the fold.
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I’m going to put up the full text of the Vatican’s statement about Nancy Pelosi’s visit with the Pope, because I suspect that they want this put out there:

Following the General Audience the Holy Father briefly greeted Mrs Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the United States House of Representatives, together with her entourage.

His Holiness took the opportunity to speak of the requirements of the natural moral law and the Church’s consistent teaching on the dignity of human life from conception to natural death which enjoin all Catholics, and especially legislators, jurists and those responsible for the common good of society, to work in cooperation with all men and women of good will in creating a just system of laws capable of protecting human life at all stages of its development.”

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