Month: September 2012

Why the Hutzler Banana Slicer?

Why is it that this item…

…is one of the ones that manages to garner a slew of hysterical, entertaining Amazon.com reviews? Amazon sells millions of different items? Why is this (or a Three Wolf Moon shirt, or Tuscan Whole Milk, 1 Gallon, 128 fl oz) one of the favored items, and other equally worthy products are not?

This is a serious question. Because I just bought one of the damned things.

Moe Lane

Via AoSHQ Headlines.

#rsrh QotD, Sing It Brother Ace edition.

Yeah, you’ve probably heard how the not-cool Roger Simon* from Politico decided to write ‘satire’ about Paul Ryan.  Normally, when ‘satire’ is in square quotes like that it’s because the perpetrator of said ‘satire’ is actually trying to for ‘nastiness;’ in this case, of course, it was fairly obviously supposed to be a ‘joke.’ One that could have been seen through by anyone with a triple-digit IQ and the ability to think of their political opponents in anything but the most dismissive of ways.

(pause)

Yeah, half the left-sphere fell for it.  Anyway, AoSHQ notes:

One of the biggest problems with online media is that it provides a potentially massive venue for people who are not funny to try to be funny.

…Which can be hell on earth for those of us who ARE actually funny.  Like, say, Ace – or myself, false modesty be damned.

Moe Lane

*…Well, he’s not.

#rsrh Tom Barrett does a dirty deed to Barack Obama.

(Via Instapundit) OK, quick background: Barack Obama made a speech in Milwaukee, Wisconsin a few days ago.  Reports for that speech uncritically repeated a wildly inflated crowd size: 18,000+ in a venue that seats 5,000 (local reporting suggests to me that a crowd estimate of 8 to 9 thousand would have been a good deal more accurate*).  It turns out that the sole source for the inflated number was probably none other than Milwaukee mayor (and two-time WI-GOV loser) Tom Barrett: he apparently told an Obama staffer what the crowd size was, who then told the person writing up the WH pool report, and then it got reported uncritically as fact by lazy – or, sure, busy – reporters all over the country.

The reason why I bring this up? It’s because – contrary what you might think, or have been told – it is not actually always true that all you need to control the public perception of a movement or cause is to control how the Media reports on it**.  If that were true, then the Tea Party would never have gotten off of the ground, and the Occupy Wall Street movement would have. And if you’re believing your own agitprop… well.  Things have a way of sneaking up on people who make that particular error.

 

Continue reading #rsrh Tom Barrett does a dirty deed to Barack Obama.

#rsrh *Somebody* in this adminstration lied to the American people about the Libyan Embassy attack.

Who.
Was.
It?

Let me summarize this bombshell from the Daily Beast – and yes, the term ‘bombshell’ qualifies:

Within 24 hours of the 9-11 anniversary attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi, U.S. intelligence agencies had strong indications al Qaeda–affiliated operatives were behind the attack, and had even pinpointed the location of one of those attackers. Three separate U.S. intelligence officials who spoke to The Daily Beast said the early information was enough to show that the attack was planned and the work of al Qaeda affiliates operating in Eastern Libya.

If this is true, then one of two things happened: either UN Ambassador Susan Rice lied to the American people the Sunday after the attack… Continue reading #rsrh *Somebody* in this adminstration lied to the American people about the Libyan Embassy attack.

#rsrh DCCC admits DOOM in NC-08, FL-18: SEIU does likewise in WI-08.

I first saw the tip-off from @mattmackowiak, but said tweet unfortunately needs some typos corrected:

  • FL-18 (not FL-08): “The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee canceled a week of airtime in Rep. Allen West’s (R-Fla.) district starting Oct. 9, according to multiple sources tracking the buy.”
  • NC-08: “The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee canceled a second week of advertising in Kissell’s 8th district. Roll Call has learned that the DCCC’s independent expenditure arm canceled a reservation for advertising in the Charlotte media market from Oct. 9-15. This comes after the DCCC canceled a reservation from Oct. 2-8, as first reported by Roll Call.“
  • WI-08 (not WI-07): “The Service Employees International Union [NOT the DCCC – ML] has canceled a previously scheduled television ad buy in support of businessman Jamie Wall’s (D) challenge of Rep. Reid Ribble (R).”

Nonetheless: good news for the Republican House majority.  Whether the Democrats like to admit it or not, not having the money to protect one beleaguered incumbent and challenge two House freshmen is rarely good news.

Well, it’s rarely good news for the party without the money.  I imagine that the GOP finds this very good news indeed.

Moe Lane

 

Mia Love (R CAND, UT-04) targeted with vicious racist hate mail.

Come, let me reveal a deep, dark secret of the Mia Love campaign: she’s black.

Did you care?  Can’t say that I care much, either: what I care about is whether she has the resources and ability to defeat Jim Matheson in this year’s UT-04 Congressional race.  The possibility is tantalizingly there: and apparently it’s worrying Utahn Democrats.  Which is fine… except when Utahn Democrats may have allowed Mia’s skin color to taint their own judgement and self respect: Continue reading Mia Love (R CAND, UT-04) targeted with vicious racist hate mail.