This has to be a Photoshop.

(Via @stoo11) There’s no way anybody could have pulled this off:

ITALY-FINANCE-ECONOMY-G8

The man’s got Secret Service agents and stuff to keep this sort of thing from happening, right?

Libyan Leader Moamer Kadhafi gestures after a meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) and participating African countries during the G8 summit in L’Aquila, in central Italy, on July 10, 2009. G8 leaders, including an Africa-bound Barack Obama, vowed today to stand by the world’s poor despite the downturn, unveiling a 15 billion dollar boost for food production. AFP PHOTO / TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA (Photo credit should read TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images)

(pause)

Wow.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.

Rep John Fleming (R, LA-04): So, you want a Government-run health care plan, Democrats?

Fine. Sign yourselves up for it.

Freshman GOP Rep John Fleming of Louisiana recently called for the Democrat-ruled Congress to live by the rules that they want to saddle on the rest of us:

Over the past few weeks, members of Congress and the American people have come to know the details of the Administration’s proposed health care plan. Call it whatever you like, this proposal is nothing more than government-run health care. As a physician, I am amazed at the number of bureaucrats in this House who are quick to claim a government-run health care plan is the reform this country needs. In response to this, I have offered a resolution that will offer members of Congress an opportunity to put their money where their mouth is, and urge their colleagues who vote for legislation creating a government-run health care plan to lead by example and enroll themselves in the same public plan.

Under the current draft of the Democrat healthcare legislation, members of Congress are curiously exempt from the government-run health care option, keeping their existing health plans and services on Capitol Hill. If Members of Congress believe so strongly that government-run health care is the best solution for hard working American families, I think it only fitting that Americans see them lead the way. Public servants should always be accountable and responsible for what they are advocating, and I challenge the American people to demand this from their representatives.

See also this video: Continue reading Rep John Fleming (R, LA-04): So, you want a Government-run health care plan, Democrats?

‘The Rapture of the Nerds.’

That’s what Charlie Stross called the Singularity in this interview, and damned if I can’t see his point. Privately, I’ve always thought that a lot of believers in the concept are effectively treating it as Magic For People Who Thought That ‘Psionics’ Was Too Much A Science-Fiction Cop-Out For Magic: but then, I’m a gamer geek.  Read the whole thing; it’s pretty interesting.

See also here, here, and here for the Singularity Backlash. Which would be one heck of a band name.

Duelling “Blood: The Last Vampire” trailers.

I’m looking forward to seeing how Blood – The Last Vampire translates to live-action, but there’s a bit of a problem.

Here’s the Japanese teaser trailer:

…and here’s the American actual trailer.

I suspect that I’m going to want to see this one in subtitles.

Five House races to look at.

There’s no unifying theme to these choices: they’re merely five candidates for the House of Representatives that the GOP has recruited, supported, or at least working with. There are more – there are, in fact, a good deal more – but these will do for a start. And so, in no particular order:

  • Cory Gardner (CO-04). State legislator.  One of three candidates  for this R+6 seat.  The seat is currently held by Betsy Markey, who not only voted for Cap and Trade; she pretended that she had read it. Gardner is a Tea Party participant, and doing very well in fundraising. Donate here.
  • Charles Djou (HI-01).  City Councilman, Army Reservist.  Candidate for this D+11 seat.  Neil Abercrombie is not seeking re-election, as he is planning to run for Governor of Hawaii: the lack of an incumbent and the general reaction to Djou has this race on a lot of dark horse lists.  Everything needs to work out just right, which is pretty much what we said about Cao down in Louisiana.  Besides, you make ’em fight everywhere.  Donate here.
  • Martha Roby (AL-02).  City Councilwoman with a track record of winning minority votes. Candidate for this R+16 seat.  Bobby Bright is a freshman hanging onto his fingernails, as witnessed by the fact that he was given permission to vote against both the stimulus AND cap and trade.  Martha’s running as a clear conservative, and it’s increasingly looking like she’ll be running in a clear field.  Donate here.
  • Van Tran (CA-47).  State Assemblyman, political refugee.  Candidate for this D+4 seat.  Loretta Sanchez looks untouchable… on paper; but the district went for Bush in 2004, Sanchez has tax and appropriation votes (she’s one of the PMA Porkers) to answer for, and – most importantly – both the GOP and Tran are eager to have a race here.  The Democrats really don’t want to have to fight for this seat.  Donate here.
  • Rick Crawford (AR-01).  Businessman, military veteran.  Candidate for this R+8 seat.  He’s up against Marion Berry, who did not have any opposition last election cycle; Berry also seems to be the type who likes to have creative income disclosures, which I believe that Crawford and the NRCC will be happy to bring up.  As I’ve noted before, Crawford’s pro Tea-Party; and he’s got solid connections with the community.  Donate here.

…and that should get you started.  As I’ve said, these aren’t the only five candidates that the GOP is running; merely five more or less representative ones.  And note that the Republican party is not playing the 2010 elections not to lose; it’s making aggressive moves, and in places where it perhaps was too quick to concede in 2006 and 2008.

This should be an interesting election cycle.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.

Rep Alan Grayson (D, FL-08) scammed, 2000-2005.

How professionally embarrassing:

Freshman Rep. Grayson Taken to Cleaners in Ponzi Scheme

Freshman Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) lost $3 million in a stock swindle between 2000 and 2005, a Florida television station reported this week.

According to Orlando’s Local 6, Grayson was an investor in a Ponzi scheme run by the company Derivium Capital.

The usual too-good-to-be-true-and-it-was kind of situation; not to imply anything about the Congressman’s mental prowess, of course.  Or judgment.  Or even native good sense.  Still, good thing that he’s no longer in a position where he’s obliged to play with money, huh?

[Grayson] is a member of the Financial Services Committee.

…Never mind.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.

NAME! THAT! PARTY! – Colorado Governor category.

It’s not what you know…

…it’s who you know.  Isn’t that right, Governor Bill Ritter (D-CO)?

Gov. Ritter Steered Stimulus Money To Ex-Employer

DENVER (AP) ― Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter has awarded some of the state’s first stimulus money to his former employer in a no-bid contract.

Ritter hired his former law firm, the Washington-based Hogan & Hartson, in a no-bid contract to review stimulus spending, The Denver Post reported Friday. It said the firm was paid $40,000 in stimulus money through June.

In this case, ‘who’ is a law firm full of political donors of Governor Ritter’s (D), including at least two “who work directly on the state’s stimulus issues.”  The Governor’s (D) office is claiming that the deal was righteous, as well as legal… although they didn’t go into explaining why they paid six times what they would have if they had run things through the Attorney General’s office: Continue reading NAME! THAT! PARTY! – Colorado Governor category.