Month: June 2009

“Nobody needs shoes that bad.”

No.  Nobody does. Next time, Dennis: call somebody. It was like Jimmy Doohan doing Homeboys in Outer Space…

(pause)

Wow. They put They Saved Hitler’s Brain on DVD, but not that. Impressive, in its way.

…anyway: I, personally, would have let you sleep on the spare couch or something, if that’s what it took to keep you from having to do Super Mario Bros. I’m not a cruel man.

No, really.

Moe Lane

Phosphate madness comes to Wisconsin?

Like Lakeshore Laments, back in April I commented on the fairly obvious results of banning phosphates in Washington state (here and here): short version is, you end up with people driving out of state to get products that work and snarky conservatives pointing out to libertarians that elections have consequences.

Well, guess that we’ll have to do that again: only this time, it’ll involve people from Wisconsin.  Which this time includes Lakeshore Laments, whom I’m pretty sure does not need to be told the bit on consequences: Continue reading Phosphate madness comes to Wisconsin?

The latest on the latest IG situation.

[UPDATE] Welcome, Instapundit readers (and Michelle Malkin readers).  In other news, I have made a prediction.

It turns out that former Amtrak IG Fred Wiederhold quit right after Senator Grassley started asking some questions.

As a senior member of the United States Senate and as the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Finance (Committee), it is my duty under the Constitution to ensure that Inspectors General, which were created by Congress, are permitted to operate without political pressure or interference from their respective agencies.  Inspectors General were designed for the express purpose of combating waste, fraud, and abuse and to be independent watchdogs ensuring that federal agencies were held accountable for their actions.  I understand that Inspector General Fred Weiderhold, Jr. has retired today.

Based on contacts that my staff had with Mr. Weiderhold on two recent occasions (April 2, 2009 and June 4, 2009), I understand that the OIG has suffered from repeated and continuous interference from the agency.  After the most recent discussion, it was agreed that the OIG would provide, among other things, a White Paper and specific examples of agency interference with OIG audits and/or investigations.  To date, the OIG has not yet provided any documents.  As you know, any interference such as that was described in these previous discussions is a direct violation of the Inspector General Act of 1978.

In light of Mr. Weiderhold’s unexpected retirement, please provide the previously requested documentation immediately.

Continue reading The latest on the latest IG situation.

Clearly, the NY Senate situation requires Thunderdome.

[UPDATE] AoSHQ thinks it’s a coup, and has its own suggestion for a resolution.

Because either the NY Senate Democrats are trying something sneaky…

Democrats in the Chamber! (But Still No Agreement)

ALBANY—Most the Democrats in the State Senate have barricaded themselves in the chamber.

[snip]

The Democrats arrived around 12:30. It’s unclear what’s going on. All the doors are locked, and journalists as well as Republican staffers cannot get in.

…or they’re acting like kids…

Republicans ‘Legislate’ as Democrats Sit in Silence

ALBANY–Now Republicans have entered the Senate chamber and are reading bills and ostensibly passing them as Democrats do nothing.

The remainder of the 62 senators entered the chamber around 2:30, and the lights went on. State Senator George Winner, an Elmira Republican, attempted to take he dais. He was blocked by a deputy sergeant at arms, who said he was acting on the orders of Senate Secretary Angelo Aponte.

Without hesitating, Winner walked to the area below the chamber, said the Pledge of Allegiance (the Dems didn’t say anything) and began moving through an active list of local bills and extenders. The bills were read, the roll was called, and as Democrats sat silently, Republican parliamentarian Jack Casey said the bills were passed, 62-0.

…or (probably) both.

ENOUGH OF THIS!

SIXTY-TWO ENTER!
THIRTY-ONE LEAVE!
SIXTY-TWO ENTER!
THIRTY-ONE LEAVE!
SIXTY-TWO ENTER!
THIRTY-ONE LEAVE!

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.

Sanford, nudism, and junior-high Babbitry*.

This isn’t a criticism of Ben Smith – what was he going to do, not run with it? – but the comments section of his post on the intersection of Governor Sanford and Naked Hiking Day certainly yielded a bumper-crop of Left-homophobes**.  No wonder the President thinks he can get away with not doing anything meaningful for gay right activists…

Moe Lane

*Literary reference.

**Provincial ones, too.  The European press is going to have a field day laughing at the way that the stereotypical American yahoos just can’t help but sexualize nudity.  Thanks, guys; that’s a great way to help our reputation abroad.

Crossposted to RedState.

Hot dogs in public, credit-taking in private: the White House’s search for an Iranian domestic strategy.

Gird your loins.

Question: What do these two stories have in common?

Iran Unrest Reveals Split In U.S. on Its Role Abroad

[snip]

Obama’s approach to Iran, including his assertion that the unrest there represents a debate among Iranians unrelated to the United States, is an acknowledgment that a U.S. president’s words have a limited ability to alter foreign events in real time and could do more harm than good. But privately Obama advisers are crediting his Cairo speech for inspiring the protesters, especially the young ones, who are now posing the most direct challenge to the republic’s Islamic authority in its 30-year history.

[Via The Campaign Spot]


US says hot dog diplomacy still on with Iran

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States said Monday its invitations were still standing for Iranian diplomats to attend July 4 celebrations at US embassies despite the crackdown on opposition supporters.

President Barack Obama’s administration said earlier this month it would invite Iran to US embassy barbecues for the national holiday for the first time since the two nations severed relations following the 1979 Islamic revolution.

[Via Weasel Zippers, via Hot Air]

Answer: Both demonstrate that the administration’s only real focus on any issue is its effect on domestic policy. Continue reading Hot dogs in public, credit-taking in private: the White House’s search for an Iranian domestic strategy.

‘Mind Flayers.’

‘Why did it have to be mind flayers?’ See also here, here, and here. On the other hand, it was always nice to see one in Nethack; once you killed it, eating it would raise your Intelligence score a point. Of course, hopefully you had on a helmet that would keep it from eating your brain down to Intelligence 3 first.

Why, yes, that link does lead to a download that will likewise eat your brain through the wonders of text-based nostalgia. You want that to happen again? No? Then hit the tip jar for the travel fund, and maybe it won’t.

Moo hoo bwah hah.


Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, & Wyoming.

Those being the four states that are not running a deficit right now. The relative sizes of the rest can be seen via this handy visual tool:


Via @MelissaTweets

I’d make more commentary on this, except that I can sum it up as stop spending money you don’t have, you idiots. And that is one of those binary things: people either already get that, or they don’t. Either way, there’s not much point for follow-up material. I will note, though, that the ‘top’ five deficit-ridden states (who make up 52% of the total deficit, interestingly enough) have one thing in common: their state legislatures are all dominated by Democratic politicians*.

Yes. Shocking.

Moe Lane

*With the sort-of exception of New York’s; their State Assembly is run by Democrats, and their Senate is currently being run by nobody at all…

Crossposted to RedState.