Tomfoolery of the Highest Order

It is near Midnight Saturday. I am out at a bar or seeing a movie like a normal human being? Of course not. I am home, watching a homemade documentary I downloaded called Deleted Magic, which is cut into 10 video clips. And, I am reading a BBS bulletin board (via Google) full of posts made, are you ready for this, 1984 and 1985!!

All I can say is that it is better to be a no-life loser in 2005 than it was in 1985.

Oh well. At least I had a better day than Maurice Clarett.

Philly Inquirer John Grogan columnist has changed his mind about Terri Schiavo. If you think Schiavo should be left there to starve to death, perhaps this column may give you pause.

...even they deserve fundamental fairness when it comes to the criminal justice system.

New trial for skinheads

OTTAWA (CP) - A group of neo-Nazi skinheads should face renewed prosecution on charges of inciting hatred against Roma refugee claimants, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled Thursday.

The defendants were acquitted in 1999 by a Toronto trial judge who cited legal confusion between the terms Roma and Gypsy - names usually taken as synonymous.

The Supreme Court, in a 9-0 verdict, threw out the acquittals and ordered a new trial.

Justice Louise Charron, writing for the court, said the original judge "misdirected himself" by focusing on narrow technical issues rather than on the evidence as a whole.

So the constable has blundered, therefore the state should get a second bite at the apple. Luckily, for all of us here in this country, we have the Double Jeopardy Clause, which bars this type of outcome. Remember this when you think that Canada is somehow more enlightened than we are.

Anyone who thinks that the government should control our health care should read this article.

How sweet it is - Girl eats real food for first time in 7 1/2 years after doctors at Stanford solve mystery

The mystery wasn't too hard to solve. Nothing was wrong with her. This poor little girl has had a big part of her childhood stolen.

I had to laugh when I read this headline.

Canada Opts Out of U.S. Defense Shield

TORONTO - Prime Minister Paul Martin said Thursday that Canada would not join the contentious U.S. missile defense program, a decision that will further strain brittle relations between the neighbors but please Canadians who fear it could lead to an international arms race.

That will make the Canuck leftists quite happy. Sadly, they fail to understand that so our enemies, hitting Toronto would be as good as hitting Seattle.

The Bush administration has tried to make a public show of understanding that Martin heads up a minority government that could fall over such a contentious debate. But after the announcement, U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci told reporters he was perplexed over Canada's decision, which he said effectively allows Washington to decide what to do if a missile was headed toward Canada.

"We simply cannot understand why Canada would in effect give up its sovereignty — its seat at the table — to decide what to do about a missile that might be coming towards Canada," said the outgoing ambassador, who had vigorously urged Canada to sign on the plan.

Canada has already given up its sovereignty to us. They have since they let theri military turn into a pathetic wasteland. Besides, they know exactly what we would do if they were attacked. We would defend them as if it were ourselves.

Here''s the best part:

Martin, ending nearly two years of debate over whether Canada should participate in the development or operation of the multibillion-dollar program, insisted his decision had not relinquished Canada's sovereignty over its airspace and that Ottawa would expect to be consulted what to do about any missile passing over Canada.

"We are certainly intending to defend our sovereignty and our air space and if anything develops in our air space, we expect, as a sovereign state, to be notified and have influence on any decisions," he said. "Canada's a sovereign nation and we would expect and insist on being consulted on any intrusion into our air space."

Canada is free-riding off of us, pure and simple. Thansk to their ridiculous socialism, they can't afford it. But why say that when you can pander to the gutless, government-dependent Canadian voters?

Everyone who reads this page knows I rip the New York Times often. If the New York Times ran columns like this with the same vigor they vilify Bush and pound Abu Gharib over our heads, I would never say a word about them. The Times is a powerful paper, and this Nicholas Kristof column is the proper way to use that power.

Read it.

Los Angeles seeks to be declared disaster area after storms kill nine

If they had stopped at, "Los Angeles seeks to be declared disaster area" I would have been all for it.

Fla. Right-To-Die Case Goes Back to Court

This isn't about the right to die. It's about preventing her husband, who has moved on with his life, from having the state sanction her death. A huge difference.

Burning Manure Pile in Nebraska Goes Out

I expect to see this on Farm Accident Digest by tonight.

Imagine the outcry if a judge ordered a dog not to be fed and placed in a room to waste away until the dog died...

Imagine the outcry if a terrorist killed 30 Americans and was ordered to sit in a cell at Guantanamo Bay until he starved to death...

Can't you easily imagine it? Then why isn't there any serious outcry about Terri Schiavo?

Court clears the way for husband to remove tube

A Florida appeals court has cleared the way for the husband of Terri Schiavo to remove the feeding tube that has been keeping her alive for 15 years.

The attorney representing Terri's husband had said Michael Schiavo will act as soon as legally permissible to have doctors remove the tube.

Michael Schiavo said his wife wouldn't want to be kept alive artificially. But her parents believe she could improve with proper therapy, and they've fought to keep her alive.

There is some serious doubt here. If it were me, I would not want to be kept alive. But it isn't me sitting in that hospital room. In the absence of her clearly expressed wishes, I cannot believe anyone could let this woman waste away like this in good conscience.

I'll be sure not to read the U.N.'s new blog at least three times a day. But I will mention this post:

UN: 1 in 12 Children Worldwide Involved in Child Labor

I wonder if that 1 in 12 number includes all the children that U.N. personnel are raping in the Congo and other places.

The tomfoolery from the Associated Press never stops:

Poll Shows Doubts Over Bush Democracy Push

WASHINGTON - President Bush is calling on European leaders to support his campaign to spread democracy abroad at a time people in many of those countries have doubts whether that should be the U.S. role in the world, Associated Press polling found.

A majority of people in Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain said they thought it should not be the U.S. role to spread democracy, according to AP-Ipsos polls. A majority of those living in Canada, Mexico and South Korea also disagreed with that role.

The first thing that comes to mind is, "Who gives a damn what they think?" And then I say, "If not the U.S., then who?" And then I say, "They've got a lot of balls."

Just take a look at the countries listed. Democracy would not exist in any of them if it weren't for us. We saved France twice. We rebuilt Germany. South Korea would be no different from Communist North Korea if it weren't for people like my grandfather. Canada free rides off of our military. Mexico would collapse if we closed the borders. Spain is filled with gutless worms who hid under their blankets after one bomb. Like it or not, they are in the position to criticize us because we put them in it. Great Britian and Italy are a real friends, with great leaders, so I don't get their attitude at all.

South Koreans really make me laugh. Want to get them angry? Tell them Americans are going to stay on the bases we have there. Want to get them angrier? Tell them we are leaving.

Resistance to Bush's plans to promote democracy abroad was strongest in France, with 84 percent saying the United States should not play that role, according to the polling conducted for the Associated Press by Ipsos, an international polling firm.

What does France think, that they should play the leadership role? Why doesn't someone ask them how that Ivory Coast thing is working out?

I suggest you read this interview with the last person from the Warsaw Ghetto that is still alive. He gave it last year. This says it all:

Interviewer: But there are people who say it's not our business.

Edelman: And whose business is it? Every war with fascism is our business. In 1939 there were also many people who said that the war in Poland was not their war, and what happened? Great nations fell because politicians listened to those who were saying that it's not worth dying for Gdansk [Danzig]. If only we'd intervened militarily after Hitler re-entered Rhineland we probably would not have had the war and the Holocaust.

Interviewer: Many people do understand that, but they don't understand why the Americans have to go to the other side of the world and fight over Iraq now.

Edelman: And why did they go to Europe then? Who defeated Hitler and saved Europe from fascism? The French? No, the Americans did. We thanked them then because they saved us. Today we criticise them because they're saving somebody else.

Amen.

It's 11:00 MST and at 10:00 am tomorrow at law school I have to argue a motion in limine to exclude character evidence. What have been doing for the last 2 hours or so? Reading cases and preparing? Of course not. Instead, I have been reading this thread where dopes like me speculate on the origins of The Death Star, and how Darth Vader conducted the London Symphony Orchestra when they did The Imperial March.

Also, I keep a clock on my desktop that counts down until Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith opens. Currently it says: 85 days, 23 hours, 52 minutes and 12 seconds. (Get your own here)

That, my friends, is my life in a nutshell. Stephanie thinks I'm nuts. She's right.

Tomorrow the Supreme Court will hear the most important civil rights case of the year, Kelo v. New London. If you are as interested in property rights as I am, you should watch the outcome of this case very carefully. One day it might be your home being given to a developer for less than a fair price.

Read my previous diatribe about this case here.

Here's some more information about the issue.

League hopes for deal by May

The Sports Network of Canada (TSN) is reporting the NHL board of governors will meet March 1 in New York City to discuss its next step in trying to resolve a labor dispute that has canceled the entire 2004-05 season.

The NHL Players' Association also plans to meet in the next month but president Trevor Linden admits he isn't sure what will happen there.

"It's uncharted territories, where we go from here I don't think anyone is quite sure," Linden said.

The league and commissioner Gary Bettman would prefer a deal be in place by May. It would not only allow sufficient time to save the NHL entry draft, held every year in late June, but also give teams and the league plenty of opportunity to reach out to fans and corporate sponsors and market new rules meant to open up the game.

The players' timeline could be a little different. They aren't due a paycheck until next October.

"I'm not sure that I would sense that sense of urgency," NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin told TSN when asked about the league's wish to settle before the draft.

How about this? The NHL should bust up the players union. Declare an impasse, and open up training camps to anyone who wants to show and play under a salary cap. Do exactly what the NFL did in 1987 and what the MLB owners chickened out of doing in 1995. Use replacement players, strike-breakers, whoever. I am beyond aggravated with both sides, but I am realistic. The money just isn't there to pay the NHL players like they're in the NBA or NFL. The sooners those cementheads understand that, the better.

The executive editor of the New York "Once Upon A" Times is whining about the loss of prestige for his paper and the media in general. I'm going to cry.

On the state of print journalism in America today, Bill Keller, executive editor of The New York Times, said, “This is not a time when editors swear off alcohol.”

Keller was the keynote speaker at Friday night’s Blue Pencil Dinner, an annual Spectator fund-raiser held in Low Rotunda. The event served both as a chance for Spectator staffers to learn about journalism from insiders and for alumni to reconnect with the paper.

Keller’s speech focused on the struggle of print journalism to maintain its relevance in the face of constant cable news updates, increased blogging, and failures in credibility.

He noted that, according to a recent opinion poll, the public’s trust in journalists is at its lowest point in decades. He attributed this in part to the increasingly polarized nature of the American public, who look to the press for support of their viewpoints.

“At the moment,” he said, “the major press is under attack from ideologues on the right and left.”

Keller also sees “blogging,” or online writing that blurs news and commentary, as a mixed blessing. While he celebrated the blogger’s ability to uncover breaking news, he noted that a blog’s inherent bias might be detrimental to the reader. “A blog is still a view of the world through a pinhole,” he said, noting that it can sometimes fall as low as being a “one man circle jerk.”

“There is a pressure to feel well informed without ever confronting an opinion that confronts your prejudices,” he said of blog readers.

Ah, the hilarity!! The executive editor of the NY Times complaining about bias. Stop me before I pee myself. Really, what did he expect? People are tired of being played like idiots. I trust Instapundit, Powerline, Little Green Footballs, and The Viking Pundit, amongst others, to give it to me straight. I know where they are coming from, because they tell me every single day. The New York Times and their cohorts in the MSM think this is still 1968 and they have a monopoly over what we hear and don't hear, and can't stand that their viewpoint isn't the only one out there.

Blogs of all sizes are here to stay. It is time for the MSM to get used to it.

I am doing some legal research on spyware. What I need are some suggested reading on how spyware operates, i.e. techincal journal articles or things like that. I really need some explanations in layman's terms rather than real techincial stuff. Any links or suggestions would be greated appreciated. Please leave your ideas in the comments or send me an e-mail. Thanks!!

I just got this e-mail from a fellow law student. It made my day.

These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are
things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now
published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while
these exchanges were actually taking place.***

Q: Are you sexually active?
A: No, I just lie there.
_________________________________*

**Q: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?**

**A: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.***
**__________________________________***

**Q: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?***
**A: Yes.**
**Q: And in what ways does it affect your memory?**
**A: I forget.**
**Q: You forget? Can you give us an example of something that you've
forgotten?**
**_____________________________________***

**Q: What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke up
that morning?***
**A: He said, "Where am I. Doris?"**
**Q: And why did that upset you?**
**A: My name is Susan.**
**______________________________________***

**Q: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he
doesn't know about it until the next morning?***
**A: Did you actually pass the bar exam?**
**___________________________________***

**Q: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?***
**A: Yes.**
**Q: And what were you doing at that time?**
**______________________________________***

**Q: How was your first marriage terminated?***
**A: By death.**
**Q: And by whose death was it terminated?**
**______________________________________***


**Q: Can you describe the individual?***
**A: He was about medium height and had a beard.**
**Q: Was this a male or a female?**
**______________________________________***

**Q: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?***
**A: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.**
**Q: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?**
**A: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy.**
**______________________________________***

**AND TO SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST!!!!!!**

**Q: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?***
** A: No.**
**Q: Did you check for blood pressure?**
**A: No.**
**Q: Did you check for breathing?**
**A: No.**
**Q: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began
the autopsy?**
**A: No.**
**Q: How can you be so sure, Doctor?**
**A: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.**
**Q: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?**
**A: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing
law somewhere***

Let's see what is going on today, before I have to sit down and finish a 12-page trial brief for my Advocacy class.

Bush Says He Harbors No Bitterness Toward Chirac

He is much too forgiving. I'll never forgive that HoJo soda jerk for any of the crap he has pulled.

N.Y. Man Arrested Over Instant-Message Spam

Spammers and those scum who are responsible for all the spyware and viruses should get life without parole.

Sen. Clinton Says Iraq Insurgents Failing

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday a string of attacks killing more than 50 Iraqis in two days were failed attempts to sow sectarian strife and destabilize the country.

I would vote for a llama before I voted for her, but what amazes me is that Democrats refuse to learn from her political brilliance. I may not like her or what she stands for, but I repect her saavy. One arguing point to tell your liberal friends: Just say to them, "Notice that Democrats feel the need to embrace the Republican platform to get their power back, and no Republican feels the need to embrace any of the Democrat agenda?"

Bush, Clinton Tour Tsunami-Ravaged Areas

BAN NAM KHEM, Thailand - Former President Bill Clinton's voice trembled with emotion as he and George H.W. Bush put aside their once-bitter political rivalry Saturday in the intense heat of a Thai fishing village where children gave the American politicians drawings of giant waves sweeping away their relatives.

Wonder if Bill bit his lip too. One other thing. Bush Sr. and Clinton have been on good terms for a long time now, so I don't understand how they "put aside" their once-bitter political rivalry. Just like Hillary, you gotta admire Bill's political brilliance, even though he has been out of office for 4 years now, he's still the consummate politician.

Women Sue Over Gorilla's Breast 'Fetish'

WOODSIDE, Calif. - Two fired caretakers for Koko, the world-famous sign-language-speaking gorilla, have sued their former bosses, claiming they were pressured to expose their breasts as a way of bonding with the 300-pound simian.

Nancy Alperin and Kendra Keller, both of San Francisco, claim they were subjected to sexual discrimination and then wrongfully terminated after reporting health and safety violations at Koko's home in Woodside, an upscale town in the south San Francisco Bay area...

They were threatened that if they "did not indulge Koko's nipple fetish, their employment with the Gorilla Foundation would suffer," the lawsuit alleged.

The lawsuit claims that on one occasion Patterson said, "'Koko, you see my nipples all the time. You are probably bored with my nipples. You need to see new nipples.'"

I don't even know where to begin with this one. The jokes write themselves.

Chalabi calls for quick Saddam trial in push to lead Iraq

Ahmad Chalabi, the former Pentagon ally who had a falling out with his U.S. backers, pressed ahead Thursday with his campaign to be Iraq's next leader by promising to bring the country's former dictator to speedy justice.

"I want to get the trial of Saddam Hussein going," Chalabi said in an interview. "This is a unifying thing."

Oh, I can't wait until that trial starts. Every accusation Saddam and his attorneys level at Bush will be rushed to print and CNN will report them all breathlessly. Yet, they won't say much about the people Saddam shredded, gassed, maimed, and tortured.

Report: NHL, NHLPA agree to CBA deal

The Hockey News reported on its website Friday that the labor meeting between the NHL and the Players Association on Saturday will result in a deal for a new collective bargaining agreement that features a $45 million salary cap.

In an official statement Friday, the union confirmed it will meet with the league on Saturday in an attempt to resolve the current labor dispute and save the 2004-05 season, which was canceled by Bettman on Wednesday.

I hope this is true. More on this later.

I don't know whether to call this guy a nut or a rugged individualist going after the money in the true American spirit.

Texan arrested; said he was after bin Laden bounty

SANSOM PARK — A Texas man who told authorities he was headed to Syria to try to collect the $25 million bounty on Osama bin Laden was rarely home and mostly kept to himself, neighbors said.

But a few weeks ago, Matt Mihsen walked through the yard of his tiny, white-clapboard A-frame house carrying a shotgun over his shoulder, wearing a green Army jacket and looking disheveled, a neighbor said today...

Mihsen, 47, remained in federal custody in Detroit today, three days after his arrest at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport. He told agents that he was going to Syria in hopes of claiming the reward, offered by the U.S. government, for information leading to bin Laden's arrest and conviction, according to a federal criminal complaint.

Mihsen, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Syria, said he was a registered private investigator and wanted to conduct an independent probe into the illegal sale of uranium by extremists, authorities said.

He had flown Tuesday on Northwest Airlines from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport en route to the Netherlands and Syria, via Detroit, authorities said.

He was arrested on charges of making false statements to federal investigators, trying to smuggle bulk cash out of the United States and attempting to export money and goods to Syria without a permit or authorization. The third charge, the most serious, carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Mihsen denied carrying a large amount of cash before agents found he had nearly $14,000. They found a stun gun, 40 rounds of ammunition, pepper spray, a bulletproof vest and three Geiger counters in his luggage, the affidavit said.

Mihsen told agents he planned to use the items as bait to lure possible uranium smugglers, authorities said.

At least he was trying to get out of the country with this stuff, and not trying to get in with it. I would not be surprised in the last if there were quite a few people who returned to the homeland to try and find bin Laden and collect this bounty, and we don't know about it.

I am dumbfounded at this article from our friends at Reuters:

Limbaugh to visit Afghanistan with US aid official

WASHINGTON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh is expected to visit Afghanistan with the top U.S. aid official to spotlight America's aid work there, officials said on Thursday.

Political commentator Mary Matalin, a former White House aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, will also be on the trip. She said she was not being paid to go and would pay her own way to Dubai but she believed the U.S. government would cover the cost of her visit to Afghanistan from there.

The Bush administration has come under sharp criticism for the Education Department's payment of $240,000 to conservative commentator Armstrong Williams to tout President George W. Bush's education plan.

Spokesmen for Limbaugh were not immediately available to comment.

And what exactly does Armstrong Williams have to do with Limbaugh going to Afghanistan? If I wrote this in Journalism 301, I would have flunked. (Unless of course I called Limbaugh a big fat idiot. The leftist professor I had would have given me an A in that case.)

The ol' Brillo-pad head has a beautiful flower named after him.

Kimjongilia Estimated as King of Flowers

Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- Immortal Kimjongilia is now appreciated by people at home and abroad as a "flower of the sun revered by all people", "valuable flower representing the times", "the best flower in the world", "king of flowers", etc. This flower was awarded a special prize, gold medal, diploma and other top prizes at the 12th International Flower Show held in Czechoslovakia in May 1991, the Nordic Flower Show in Sweden in March 1995, the Jilin, China, Flower Exhibition in August 1997, the China 99 Kunming World Horticultural Expo in May 1999, the Begonia Show held in California of the United States in August 2004, etc. The facts go to clearly prove that Kimjongilia is the most beautiful flower in the world.

Kimjongilia. Ha! Sounds like something a sailor might catch while on shore leave in Bangkok.

...please remember the lessons of Justices Field, Hughes, and Douglas and retire with your dignity.

Rehnquist to Miss High Court's Opening

WASHINGTON - Ailing Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist will be absent from the bench when the Supreme Court returns for the second half of its term next week, the court announced Friday.

The 80-year-old Rehnquist, battling thyroid cancer, plans to skip the two-week cycle of oral arguments that starts Tuesday, court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said. He will continue reading transcripts of the arguments and voting on decisions, she said.

The Chief Justice has had a distinguished career and has served us all honorably for decades. I also understand that retirement is not a very attractive option to him. But, for his dignity and the integrity of the court, he needs to step down.

When Supreme Court Justice Field was old and infirm, another justice (I forget who) went to see him and tell him it was time to retire. He reminded Field that 30 years before, Field had to do the same thing to Justice Grier, who was also old and of little use to the Court. Field replied, "Yes, and a dirtier days work I've never done."

And, the last days of Justice William O. Douglas, when he tried to participate in cases even though he was retired, will always be sad stain on his career. (Mayube not as much as his 4 wives though).

I am sure no one wants to do the dirty deed, and since Rehnquist sadly lost his wife a few years ago, there is probably no one who could tell him it is time to go. I pray that he accepts the inevitable and exits with his dignity intact.

I remember that the day after Saddam Hussein was captured, Howard Dean gave some foreign policy speech in Los Angeles that was called "nuanced" by the New York Times (before they transferred that word to John Kerry's foreign policy) but it was nothing but a bunch of crap. Yesterday, Howard Dean debated Richard Perle, which is like a 19-year old Mike Tyson fighting me. Dean offered yet another example of his brilliance:

"Defense is a lot broader than swaggering around saying you're going to kick Saddam's butt," Dean said Thursday, drawing cheers from the crowd in this city that overwhelmingly voted Democratic last November.

What genius!! What nuance!! Someone needs to remind Dean that he tried this red meat approach before, and it went over like a lead balloon. If Dean keeps this up, Republicans will be in the majority for the next 20 years, which isn't good for anyone, because we need 2 strong parties. The Dems aren't holding up their end, and Dean's rhetoric might get him appluase in psych-liberal Oregon, but the people where the Democrats need to make some inroads aren't too impressed.

[Update: Chris just e-mailed me this video from the debate. Watch how Perle handles the shoe thrower.]

I read this and said to myself...hmmm:

Jury Finds Boston Herald Libeled Judge

BOSTON - A jury Friday ordered the Boston Herald to pay $2.1 million for libeling a Superior Court judge, saying it misquoted him as telling lawyers that a 14-year-old rape victim should "get over it."

In a case closely watched by the media and legal communities, a jury deliberated for more than 20 hours over five days before finding that the newspaper and reporter David Wedge libeled Superior Court Judge Ernest B. Murphy in articles that portrayed him as lenient toward defendants. Another reporter, Jules Crittenden, was cleared.

That's all well and good, but this part intrigued me:

The Herald's articles were picked up by media outlets across the country and Murphy was excoriated on talk radio shows. He became known as "Easy Ernie" and "Evil Ernie."

He was bombarded with hate mail, death threats and calls for his removal from the bench. In an Internet chat room, someone suggested that Murphy's own teenage daughters should be raped.

Two of Murphy's daughters were so frightened, they went to live with family members and friends. Murphy said he went out and bought a .357-caliber Magnum.

"I was afraid that someone was going to shoot me," he testified.

Think about that for a minute. A Massachusetts judge gets himself a gun as soon as he feels threatened. Remember, this is a state with ridiculous and draconian gun laws. Just ask mASS BACKWARDS.

I wonder how sympathetic he would have been to a defendant charged with simple gun possession before this happened.

I've been around about 15 months and the highest ranking blogs to ever link to me was Right-Thinking From the Left Coast and The Viking Pundit. Today, I get both Instapundit and Powerline linked to me. (Thank God it was them and not Kos and Kevin Drum)

Thanks to them for linking and I hope their visitors come back from time to time.

It is a shame that Lawrence Summers isn't behind this, or there would be some real outrage.

Borgata tells its Babes to stay thin or be fired

ATLANTIC CITY - Sex has its standard.

And at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, it's the 7 percent solution.

On Valentine's Day, the casino began randomly weighing its 217 Borgata Babes, a brigade of shapely and mostly female cocktail servers, to determine a baseline for each. If any gain an ounce over 7 percent of that weight, they are to be suspended without pay. Servers are to be fired if they fail to lose the pounds during a prescribed period on a weight-loss program offered by the casino, according to the policy.

The casino expects to complete the mandatory weigh-ins within several months. The servers - who earn $4.50 an hour plus tips that, in a good week, could raise pay to $1,000 a week - are informed by supervisors when they are to be weighed.

I worked in the night club business a long time, and let's be honest here. None of these women would have been hired the begin with if they weren't "babes." Most of the women know what they got and use it shamelessly, and play men like fools to get that extra few bucks out of their pocket, especially in the casinos.

Like it or not, that's the way it is, and it works both ways. Men want good-looking women to look at, and will decide where to gamble based solely on the quality of the women who work there. As a result, the good-looking women who work there will reap a nice income. It sucks for the woman who are unfairly forced to lose weight or their job, but they knew the deal when they took the job.

Iran Does Not Intend to Build Nuclear Arms-Putin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he was convinced Iran was not trying to build a nuclear weapon and that Russia would press ahead with nuclear cooperation with the Islamic Republic.
Putin's defense of Iran, where Russia is building a nuclear power plant, comes in the face of U.S. concerns that Tehran could be using Russian know-how to covertly build a nuclear weapon.

"The latest steps by Iran convince Russia that Iran indeed does not intend to produce nuclear weapons and we will continue to develop relations in all sectors, including peaceful atomic energy," Putin told Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Hassan Rohani.

"We hope Iran will strictly stick to all agreements with Russia or the international community," Putin said at the start of talks with Rohani at the Kremlin.

What's the old saying? Once KGB, always KGB. I wouldn't believe Putin if he told me Siberia was cold until I flew there and felt the cold myself. When Iran has a nuclear weapon, Putin will be as "shocked" as Kofi Annan was when he found out about the oil-for-food scandal.

GEFFEN UNLOADS ON HILLARY: 'SHE CAN'T WIN'

Sen. Hillary Clinton should not count on help from Hollywood mogul David Geffen in her possible run for the White House.

Geffen, who was a generous supporter and pal of Bill Clinton when he was president, trashed Hillary's prospects last night during a Q&A at the 92nd St. Y in New York City.

"She can't win, and she's an incredibly polarizing figure," the billionaire Democrat told his audience. "And ambition is just not a good enough reason."

Lloyd Grove reports in fresh editions of the NY DAILY NEWS the audience broke with "hearty applause" over Geffen's comments.

While Geffen is right, I have a simple response to any Hillary supporter you know. Ask them, "What states that Bush won in this last election would go to Hillary the next time around?" Here, at UNM Law, I always get, "Well, here in New Mexico." And I say, "Not enough. Where else?" I never get an answer.

Go ahead, name one red state that will turn blue for Hillary? You can't. That is why she won't ever be President.

Instapundit kindly links to me today, and he uses a post from last May!!!! Still, thanks Glenn!!

Legislators, especially in the liberal wacko states, have way too much time on their hands. Via The Viking Pundit comes this example:

In her years in city government, Council Member Gale Brewer has sat through plenty of interminable hearings and tedious debates. When she goes to the movies, though, the Upper West Side Democrat wishes she didn't have to endure the preliminaries.

That's why Ms. Brewer introduced a bill yesterday that would require movie theaters to advertise the actual start time of a movie, rather than the time the previews are supposed to begin.

"I go to the theater on 68th and Broadway pretty regularly, and I go to the independent one," she said when asked about her movie-viewing habits. "I've seen all the ads accumulating. We can't stop the ads, but if people are more aware of the times it could help."

She decided to introduce legislation, Ms. Brewer said, after receiving more than a dozen complaints from her constituents about having to sit through previews and commercials for 15 minutes or more every time they go to the movies.

Things must be real good in New York if this is all she can complain about. Every single moviegoer in this country knows there are commercials and previews, and that the movie does not start at the time listed. So what? Even if there weren't previews and commercials, I'd still get there 20 minutes before the show to get a decent seat. Besides, I like the previews. And I suspect many more people like seeing them too. I don't know who is more pathetic, this council member or the people who complained to her.

However, if she introduced legislation to ban that Moviefone.com commercial I always see before a movie where some ugly dunce wishes to herself that there was a Moviefone.com candy bar with nuget in the middle, and "I'll bet the Japanese have a candy bar like that," I'd support that councilwoman in a second.

The NHL season has been pronounced dead. And the sport itself in this country may not be far behind. I don't even know where to begin to express my disgust with the players union. I blame the players because the money just isn't there. They will rue this day. Brandon said it best in the comments:

7 months from now, the NHLPA will crawl back to the bargaining table, accept a $30 million cap, and like it.

The players may even have to go lower than that. What, do they think that people will just come back and pay $82 for lower level seats like nothing happened? (Especially since a lot of teams had huge problems selling those seats before.) There will be no money for any of them come next season. Of course there will be cries of collusion and the usual B.S. from the player agents, but that won't change the fact that the league is on life support. In fact, don't be surprised if a lot of those guys end up out of the NHL completely. I expect several teams to be gone when the dust settles. My prediction: Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins are history. And there is a real chance we will see the end of the Atlanta Thrashers, Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, and the Ottawa Senators. (I would have picked the Coyotes too if it wasn't for the new arena they have hardly even used.)

The NHL should declare an impasse, and unilaterally impose the terms. Gary Bettman should open camps up in September and say anyone who wants to play under these terms, come on in. If not, have fun in Russia, Germany, or wherever. It'll bust the union just like the NFL did to theirs in 1987.

The saddest part of all this is that few people really care. Brandon, Schpeen, and I are a small minority in this country.

I was reading Betsy and came across this:

Outside View: Peacekeepers or predators?

To add insult to injury, the report also states that Congolese women and children were raped by U.N. blue helmets because of "the absence of any programs for off-duty peacekeepers," as though the presence of a few pinball machines might have provided an effective diversion.

This my friends is the "moral authority" of the United Nations in action.

It is coming down to the wire for the NHL season. As one of the small minoriy of people who care deeply about the NHL, I hope the players come to their senses and settle by tomorrow. A 28-game season is better than nothing. Plus, the future of hockey in this country is at stake. The players need to realize that the money is just not there.

More on this tomorrow, after we see what happens.

More crap about Kyoto. I'll start with the end of the article.

Bush Sees Jobs at Risk in Climate Treaty

Former Vice President Al Gore was a main participant in putting the Kyoto accord together in 1997. Before then, however, the Senate went on record opposing some of the treaty's principles, including the idea of exempting developing nations from any of its targets.

"The evidence of this worsening crises continues to mount," Gore said Tuesday, accusing the Bush administration of showing the world "a stunning display of moral cowardice."

Well it seems that Al Gore did not do much of a good job helping put together the Kyoto accord because the Senate in the Byrd-Hagel Resolution said they would reject it if submitted to them by a vote of 95-0. I guess Bush is so evil, he had Karl Rove build a time machine and go back in time to have the Senate reject Kyoto.

Tsunami victims to sue French hotel chain, Thailand, US forecasters

VIENNA (AFP) - A group of Austrian and German victims of the Asian tsunami disaster are to file a lawsuit demanding that Thailand, a French hotel chain and US forecasters prove they reacted adequately to the disaster, their lawyers said.

The suit, naming the French hotel chain Accor and the US-run tsunami early warning system in the Pacific as well as Thai authorities, will be filed in a New York district court this week, the lawyers said in Vienna.

"We found that serious lapses were committed," said Herwig Hasslacher, one of the three lawyers for the group.

And here's the best part:

They said the suit was not, at present, designed to demand compensation but to uncover evidence that would prove negligence.

Yeah, right. It is always about the money. Why else prove negligence. Let's analyze this a little. (Remember, I am only a first-year law student)

Act/Omission: They failed to warn about the tsunami. So what, I say.
Duty: Did they owe a duty to the victims? Was the tsunami reasonably forseeable? What is the policy? Here, Accor gets summary judgment and is off the hook. And, so should the US-run tsunami early warning facility, because they had no duty to the victims.

It is stories like this that make people hate lawyers, and it is hard to blame them after this.

Toll to drive downtown?

San Francisco would become the first city in the nation to charge drivers just for driving in its chronically congested downtown under a sure-to-be controversial proposal being aired today.

Supervisor Jake McGoldrick, chair of the San Francisco Transportation Authority, will ask the agency to study a downtown toll zone -- whereby drivers would need to purchase a daily pass to drive in The City's most congested streets -- as a potential solution to the Municipal Transportation Agency's woeful budget problems.

This is liberalism at its finest. Tax, tax, tax, and tax. Last month it was a 17-cent shopping bag tax. And now this. Wasn't it Justice Brandeis who said that states should have some leeway to experiment with laws and policies, and act as a laboratory? Well, if San Francisco were a science experiment, the peer reviwers would have laughed it off years ago. It is only a matter of time before that city has a serious financial collapse.

Modeled on similar "congestion charging" zones in London, cameras would record license plates and tickets would be issued for motorists who failed to purchase a pass. The intent is for drivers to pick other routes, avoid coming downtown or switch to Muni, which would travel more efficiently in the faster flowing streets.

No one will complain about those cameras until they are used as evidence to solve a crime. That is what it will take to get the civil-liberties crowd upset. If I were a politician against this tax, I'd play up the civil liberties angle to no end.

Lawsuits Spread in Over Penis Enlargement Claims

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A New Jersey man has filed a false advertising lawsuit against a maker of herbal penis enlargement pills, alleging the medicine does not fulfill its promises, the plaintiff's lawyer said on Monday...

In the latest case, filed on Jan. 21 in New Jersey state court, plaintiff Michael Coluzzi claimed he paid $59.95 for a 30-day supply of Alzare pills but "experienced no increase in penis size," and then was unable to collect a promised refund from manufacturer Alzare LLC of Boca Raton, Florida.

I think someone should explain to this guy the concept of acceptable losses. For $59.95, he has made himself a laughingstock.

Our weekend in Colorado Springs was great. I liked the place a ton. A good conservative town with beautiful scenery and nice people. On Saturday morning, Stephanie, Emily, and I drove up as high as we could on Pike's Peak, 16 miles. (out of 19. The last 3 were closed due to snow.) I have a nice Ford Escape 4x4 and we had no trouble getting up, but it was as scary as hell to drive up to the top. Because Emily was in the car, I was afraid that I would drive over the side at some points, so I drove real cautiously. (Unlike driving up there, because I got a speeding ticket for doing 89 in a 75) When we got as high as we could go, we got out of the car to take a few pictures. I have never been that high up, and it felt like I was looking out of an airplane window. Pike's Peak is beautiful, and except for the scary parts, I really enjoyed that drive. The park ranger, a real nice and friendly lady, drove and an offered to take a family picture for us. Here it is:



And here is Emily and I about halfway back down the mountain. She has never seen this much snow.



And then, (the whole reason of our trip), we drove over to the Pike's Peak Center to see Dora the Explorer Pirate Adventure Live. To be honest, I thought it was going to be a super cheesy show. And, in some ways it was. But, for the most part, it was really terrific. We were in the 3rd row, Emily stared straight at the stage through both 25-minute acts. She hardly moved the whole time. She absoluely loved it!! The only time she turned her attention away was the very end, when they sang Gloria Estefan's song "Get on your Feet." At that moment, I realized that my 14-month old baby really recognized and understood the Dora show because she got antsy only when they did something outside the normal course of the show. We drove over 800-miles roundtrip to see that show, and her happiness was well worth it. I love my Emily more than life itself, and I would driven cross-country to see her that excited. I am glad Stephanie and I took her.

If you have children, I recommend you see the Dora show. There is nothing funnier than screaming "Swiper, no swiping!" and singing "We did it!" with a couple thousand people. If you ever go, it will be a fun family outing. Also, visit Colorado Springs too. What a beautiful town.

To end off the weekend, we had breakfast with my old college buddy Joe, who is now the night DJ Jo-Jo on 98.9 Magic-FM in Colorado Springs. I haven't seen him in a while, and it was great to laugh about all the things we did on the radio back in college a decade ago. I got out of radio 4 years ago, and he is still rolling along. I give him credit for that.

It was a great weekend, and here is my favorite picture of the trip. You should have heard Emily laugh everytime she touched the snow:

Sinking Islands Cling to Kyoto Lifebuoy

There is nothing that Stephanie and I would not do for Emily. For Christmas, I decided to surprise Emily and her Mom with a weekend trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado, about 380 miles from where we live in New Mexico. The whole purpose of the trip? To take Emily to see Dora the Explorer live. Because we live in a shantytown like Albuquerque, Dora doesn't come here, we have to go to her. So be it. Emily loves Dora, we love Emily, so we are hitting the road. Before my stepfather came along, I only had a poor, sigle mother to raise me and my brother and sister. I want Emily to have everything I didn't, even if it means driving 6 hours to see a silly show like Dora's Pirate Adventure. I will have a review after I see the show. I'm sure you can't wait.

Without a doubt, this is tomfoolery of the highest order, exactly why I started this blog, and why I gave it the name it has.

Dean Vows to Lead Democrats Back to Power

WASHINGTON - Howard Dean (news - web sites) promised cheering supporters Wednesday night he would harness their energy to lead the Democratic Party back to power in the halls of Congress and the White House by 2008.

The virtually certain incoming chairman of the Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) rallied hundreds of young supporters, and a few he called "young at heart," in a campaign-style appearance at a Washington nightspot within view of the Capitol. In his first public appearance since clinching the chairmanship, he gave a glimpse of the kind of uncompromising leadership he plans for the national party.

The Democrats "are a party of the future, while Republicans are the party of the past," Dean said.

"We need to be proud to be Democrats," said Dean, recalling the kind of exuberant appearances he made during 2003 when he came close to winning the Democratic presidential nomination before collapsing in early 2004 in Iowa.

First off, he came close to winning the nomination? Are they serious? He won all of one primary, his home state of Vermont. Second, do you not just love this? A year ago at this time, this guy imploded right before our eyes and we laughed about it for weeks, even months. Now, he is the leader of the DNC!! Think about that for a minute. This is the guy the Democrats think will lead them back to majority status. I wonder how many Republicans are laughing their asses off right now. I know I am.

Clinton Sees Better Future for Democrats

In a related story, Clinton also said that Northeastern Liberals can expect warmer days in the coming months. Seriously, there is nowhere for the Democrats to go but up.

S.Korea Shocked, Suspicious at N.Korea Nuclear Boast

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea reacted with shock and suspicion on Friday to the first declaration from the reclusive North that it had nuclear weapons and had pulled out indefinitely from six-party disarmament talks.

How do you say "Claude Raines" in Korean? When I was in Seoul a few years ago, I was walking through that vibrant city thinking, "Thanks to Clinton and Carter, this may all disappear in a flash." By the way, this also provides an excuse to show you a picture of me in Seoul.



Gibson relaunches "Passion of Christ" with a new cut

I may go see this version. I was very touched by this movie, and would like to see a scaled down version. I hope it does another $25 million on re-release.

Prince Charles to Marry Parker Bowles

I don't give a shit.

Seniors skeptical of Bush proposal

Read this planted, laughable story. I read the Viking Pundit to keep up with all of the news on the Social Security front, and let me tell you this: If I ever get the chance to join a private account, I'm in right away. And if you are afraid that you'll lose it all, then don't sign up. Let us have our choice. We don't need the government to be daddy here. If the media weren't in the tank for whatever the Democrats tell them to be in the tank for, they'd report more on how well privatization has gone for Galveston, Texas. Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, and some of us want out.

Poll: Tap wealthy on Social Security

Does anyone else hear Danny DeVito saying, "Other people's money" in their ear too?

House Likely to OK Migrant Restrictions

Migrant: The new PC term for illegal alien, courtesy of the L.A. Times.

Healthcare Costs Take Big Bite From Economy

WASHINGTON — Increased spending for healthcare is gobbling up about one-quarter of the growth in the economy, and health-related items now amount to more than three times the defense budget and twice what the nation devotes to education, a report released today concludes.

And that's WITHOUT socialized health care.

I really don't care about this Ward Churchill nonsense. He is a racial phony, and a scumbag who hates America. F Him.

I wish he had said that he was glad the WTC was attacked because it destroyed a 2nd-floor abortion clinic. He'd have been fired a week ago.

Europeans to warn Iranians about violating spirit of nuclear freeze

GENEVA (AFP) - The EU is set to warn Iran against violating an agreed nuclear fuel freeze when the two sides meet, amid concern that Iran is secretly developing nuclear weapons, diplomats said.

The meeting comes the day after US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice warned that the European Union was not being tough enough with Iran.

But on Thursday Britain, France and Germany "are going to read the riot act to the Iranians," a diplomat close to the talks told AFP earlier in the week.

Yeah, ok. I'm sure Iran will be quaking in their boots. Sooner or later, a few bombers are going to have to pay a visit to Iran. Expect the liberals and the gutless "world community" to complain as usual. I won't be listening. I'll be too busy thanking God that problem was settled once and for all.

Medicare Drug Benefit to Cost $724 Billion

WASHINGTON - President Bush added Medicare to the government's fix-it list Wednesday after new figures showed the first full decade of the program's prescription benefit will cost taxpayers $724 billion.

The new figure for years 2006 through 2015 is much higher than the $534 billion cost calculated for years 2004 through 2013. That's because under the previous decade-long projection, the benefit didn't exist for two of the 10 years.

Gee, a government program costs much more than projected. Who'd have thunk it? Here's the part that makes me laugh even harder than when Bush originally proposed this: A California liberal complaining about the high cost of a government program.

This new information further demonstrates what appears to be an attempt to dupe Congress and win passage of the legislation," said one such lawmaker, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., calling for an investigation by the Senate Finance Committee.

Look, Bush got ripped about by me and nearly every other conservative when he proposed this. We all knew this would happen. The saddest part of it all is that if the Democrats passed this, it would have cost even more.

Post Office Unveils Ronald Reagan Stamp

The New York Times just loves the "Bush knew" meme.

9/11 Report Cites Many Warnings About Hijackings

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 - In the months before the Sept. 11 attacks, federal aviation officials reviewed dozens of intelligence reports that warned about Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda, some of which specifically discussed airline hijackings and suicide operations, according to a previously undisclosed report from the 9/11 commission.

But aviation officials were "lulled into a false sense of security," and "intelligence that indicated a real and growing threat leading up to 9/11 did not stimulate significant increases in security procedures," the commission report concluded.

The report discloses that the Federal Aviation Administration, despite being focused on risks of hijackings overseas, warned airports in the spring of 2001 that if "the intent of the hijacker is not to exchange hostages for prisoners, but to commit suicide in a spectacular explosion, a domestic hijacking would probably be preferable."

The report takes the F.A.A. to task for failing to pursue domestic security measures that could conceivably have altered the events of Sept. 11, 2001, like toughening airport screening procedures for weapons or expanding the use of on-flight air marshals. The report, completed last August, said officials appeared more concerned with reducing airline congestion, lessening delays, and easing airlines' financial woes than deterring a terrorist attack.

Gee, how about that thing called "racial profiling?" Perhaps Bush, Norm Mineta, et al wanted to avoid that. Does that ever come into play where the New York Times is concerned? Of course not.

Just ask yourself this question: Say tomorrow, after all we know now, 19 Arabs are pulled off of 4 flights in 3 cities because intelligence was obtained that they planned to hijack the flights. What would be on the front page of the New York Times? The evil Bush "racially profiled" them, and everyone from the Times to the ACLU on down would scream bloody murder.

They have a lot of balls to run crap like this. No wonder their circulation is down.

A typical story of the alleged "media coverage" we get from Iraq.

Dick Morris just called Madeline Albright a "battleax" on The O'Reilly Factor. It'll take me 3 days to stop laughing.

I thought Karl Rove ran everything? After all, he is Bush's brain, puppetmaster, evil spinmeister, you name it.

Rove's New Position Will Involve Policy

WASHINGTON (AP) - Karl Rove, the senior political strategist who orchestrated President Bush's re-election campaign, has been promoted to deputy chief of staff, a job that will involve him in most White House policy and not just politics.

Rove will retain his title as senior adviser and will continue to oversee strategy to advance the president's agenda. In addition, he will continue to oversee the offices of intergovernmental affairs, political affairs and strategic initiatives.

But he will add to his portfolio the oversight of all White House policy development and coordination of the Domestic Policy Council, the National Economic Council, the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said.

I was stunned by this next sentence.

The promotion has rankled a few Democrats.

Wait a second. Why are they upset? After all, if you listened to those dopes over the last 4+ years, Rove has already been doing this. Leave it to Terry McAuliffe to verbalize the Democrat tomfoolery.

``Empowering Rove in this way shows that Bush cares more about political positioning than honest policy discussions,'' said Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the Democratic National Committee. ``Bush knows that Rove is neither an economic nor a national security expert. He is simply an ideological strategist. ... Clearly, Bush thinks political manipulation matters more than keeping the president honestly informed about the state of the country.''

McAuliffe is jealous of Rove, pure and simple. Just take a look at their respective track records. Does anyone care anymore about what the Dems think?

I love this guy, and would love to clerk for a judge with this attitude after I get out of law school.

Judge won't use clerks from Yale

An Alabama federal judge has told Yale Law School he won't accept its graduates for clerkships because the school blocks military recruiters from campus.

Senior U.S. District Judge William Acker Jr., a Yale graduate, explained his decision in a Monday letter to the law school's Dean Harold Koh.

Acker wrote that he was exercising the same freedom of speech that U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall supported when she ruled Jan. 31. She backed the faculty's claim that their rights to free speech were violated by enforcement of the Solomon amendment, which requires schools to provide access to military recruiters or lose federal funding, including student loans.

In response, Acker said Yale Law School students need not apply.

"Some of my very best law clerks have been from the law school from which I proudly graduated," Acker said. "I therefore recognize that this publicly announced decision will hurt me more than the allowing of military recruiters would hurt YLS."

Let's hope this backlash of unintending consequences strikes Yale real hard.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid has a sad frown because that meanie President Bush pointed out his record. That Bush really needs a time out.

This is the seal for the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals:



As what is always bound to happen with these things, some crybaby atheist finally noticed it and filed a lawsuit because his feelings were hurt.

Church-state suit filed over court's seal

As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to decide the constitutionality of displaying the Ten Commandments on government property, a lawyer has sued the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco for apparently including an image of the commandments in its official seal.

Ryan Donlon spotted an image of what he believes are the commandments -- tablets with 10 indecipherable lines -- emblazoned on the seal on the certificate he received in the mail last June when he was admitted to practice law before the court.

In his suit, filed last Friday in U.S. District Court, Donlon said the inclusion of the Ten Commandments on the seal, which is also displayed on other Ninth Circuit documents and in court buildings, "has no secular purpose'' and violates his right not to be subjected to government endorsement of religion. He seeks a court ban on the seal.

Awwww. Poor baby. Perhaps we should send him some warm milk and cookies so he feels better. I love this next part:

"America was founded by people seeking refuge from established religion, '' the business lawyer from Pleasanton said Monday.

Yes, and somehow, we have avoided having an established religion for a few hundred years from now. Like or not, religion has a strong history in this country, and the Ten Commandments are part of our legal system.

This is nothing more than an attention-getter from this clown. Clowns like this guy make me embarrassed to tell people I am a law student.

Here's his webpage and picture.

I grew up in Philly and went out to Amish country many times. I deeply respect their lifestyle although I could never live it myself. Take a minute to read this terrific article by ESPN's Jim Caple, who talks about his experience watching the Super Bowl in Amish country. The conclusion really makes you think about the world we live in, and if it is really better than theirs.

As for me, it's time to get back to Philadelphia; and as I drive east along I-76, I think about the decision the Amish men I met have to make.

It must be an agonizing decision, at least for some. To leave behind your people, or to leave behind a world? To reject everything we take for granted -- cars, computers, movies and TiVo -- for a world where so much we love and enjoy is banned? Which life is better? A life of choices, or a life of limits? A life of progress, or a life rooted in the past? A life where I can drive the 70 miles back to Philadelphia in little more than an hour, or a life where a horse and buggy provide most transportation needs?

Which is the true Real World? A life where we know the ins and outs of Brad and Jen's breakup but don't know our neighbors' names, or a life where you can't have wall-to-wall carpeting but your neighbors will help you rebuild your barn?

I think about these things, and then I think about Fox's promos for the upcoming episodes of "Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy" and "The Simple Life." And ... well, maybe the choice isn't as difficult for them as we would like to think.

Nice work outta the Mallard Fillmore guys:

Even when discussing a Super Bowl ad, the New York Times can't stop the Bush-bashing.

Anheuser-Busch A gauzy valentine to American troops, which ended with the Anheuser-Busch corporate logo superimposed on screen, was touching, but some viewers may have wondered whether "Busch" had been misspelled.

Watch the great ad here.

I have been reading some of the snide comments around the internet all day today. If you are liberal, and you want to know why your worldview is a loser, look no further than the gratuitous insults towards Anheuser Bush for running this ad. Nothing wrong with AB spending $2.4 million to honor the troops who make sure these insults can continue. If this is pandering, I'd much rather they pander to our fine troops and not to the base instincts of all of us.

What can I say? The Patriots are a great team and, frankly, what I hate most about them is that there is nothing to hate about them. Their win was no walkover like all the so-called "geniuses" said. The Eagles made them earn it, and the Patriots surely did. Congratulations to them. (Although I am tempted to say the Eagles really beat themselves)

Some quick thoughts:

- I am very proud of McNabb despite that I thought he played with ZERO urgency in the last 5 minutes. His head was, for some reason, just not in the game like it should have been. He played some real dumb football in the 4th quarter. I hope he learns from it and gets the Eagles back next year.

- How about Terrell Owens? 9 catches for 122 yards. He made some great plays, and deserves a lot of credit for busting his ass to get back for this game.

- I wish Brian Westbrook would have been used more effectively.

- Freddie Mitchell will be gone real soon. I hope they cut him this week.

- I'm too down to talk anymore about the game.

- That commercial for the Ford Mustang convertible taht had the frozen guy was awful. I thought I was watching a scene from Goodfellas.

- The Anheuser-Busch commercial where people clapped for the troops was a smart way to spend $2.4 million. Nice work.

- I loved the Mastercard commercial that had Mr. Clean doing the dishes. Brilliant.

- I am the only one disgusted by that Quizno's baby?

- I thought the AmeriQuest "don't judge too quickly" spots were quite effective. if I were borderline creditwise to get a mortgage, I'd call them tomorrow morning after seeing that. I'd bet a lot of people will being calling them this week.

- At least I am not crying like I did 24 years ago when they lost in the Super Bowl to the Raiders. Of course, I was 9 years old then.

- I have a lot more sympathy for Buffalo Bills fans than I did 10 years ago.

- Bill Clinton is as much of a weasel as he ever was. Did you see him wiggle out of picking a team? If you listened to his "prediction," no matter what happened he could say he was right. Scumbag.

Super Bowl Sunday is here, and I have waited 24 years for this day. I really think the Eagles can win, but I am realistic about how good the Patriots are. The way I respect the Patriots reminds me of a scene in the movie Commando where some tinpot wannabe dictator played by Dan Hedaya said to Bennett, "It is you that is afraid, Mr. Bennett. YOU are afraid of Matrix." Bennett replied, "Of course. I'm smart."

Very few of the so-called "experts" aren't giving the Eagles a chance. (See here, here, and here)

Some of the predictions are ridiculous. Some dope named Michael Silver has the Patriots winning 45-21. Merrill Hoge has the Pats winning big. My favorite ESPN dope Sean Salsbury, who picked the Eagles to lose to both the Vikings and the Falcons, now calls his Patriots' pick a "no-brainer," which is interesting terminology from a guy with no brain. (He really sucked when he played for the Vikings, too) Have they actually watched one game the Eagles played this year? They only lost one game, in week 9 to Pittsburgh. (The last 2 don't count, they played their 2nd and 3rd string) After the Pittsburgh loss, the Eagles made some adjustments and lowered the average rushing yards given up by nearly 50 a game! The Eagles defense is no joke, and if anyone thinks the Patriots will walk up and down the field, they are sadly mistaken.

This past week seems like deja vu all over again. The entire week before the Falcons game, all I heard about was "Vick, Vick, Vick" and how he was going to be unstoppable. We all know how that turned out. Now, unlike those so-called windbags who always go with which way the wind is blowing that moment, I will gove you a real honest analysis why the Eagles can win:

History: Remember when the Packers were going for their 2nd straight Super Bowl win over the Broncos? I sure do. They were 11-point favorites and all the geniuses who perform fellatio on Favre every chance they get kept saying, "the new Packers' dynasty" and how the Packers could not lose. Well, that dynsaty talk ended real quick when the Broncos did win.

And, when the Redskins were going for their 2nd straight title against the Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII. The Redskins were big favorites and "even better than the team that won the year before." After losing 38-9, that was that for the Redskins.

Honest analysis: Jeremiah Trotter, who made the Pro Bowl even though he only got the starting job in mid-season, is an animal. Not only is he playing to win the Super Bowl, perhaps only Tom Brady has more $$$ at stake tomorrow than Trotter does. This year, Trotter played on a 1-year deal for the league minimum. If he plays tomorrow like he did against the Vikings, like a man possessed, he stands to reap a HUGE contract from someone. Watch his play reflect that.

The Eagles Secondary - There are 3 Pro Bowlers back there, and many say Sheldon Brown deserved to go too. This certainly isn't the banged-up Pittsburgh secondary or the pathetic Indianapolis secondary that Brady is facing. He won't be completing 60-yard bombs to Deion Branch against those guys.

Turnovers - Donovan McNabb simply does not throw interceptions (only 8 all year, while throwing 31 TDs), and the Eagles hardly fumble. The Patriots cannot depend on the Eagles turning over the ball like the Steelers and Colts did. They aren't getting 3 picks from McNabb like they did from the rookie Roethlisberger.

McNabb - Would have been a serious MVP candidate had Manning not locked up the award by the middle of November. Never has he been more accurate, even without T.O. And, even though McNabb has basically given up running, in this game he'll do whatever he has to to win it. Do not be surprised if McNabb runs for 75 yards or more, or has a 40-yard run on a third and long. There has been some much crown given to Brady, it has been ridiculous. Some of the geniuses who ridiculously hyperbolize everything are already saying that Brady is better than Montana! Give me a break!! Even if the Patriots win, Brady still hasn't surpassed Montana. How they could honestly say Brady is better than Montana, before this game has been played I'll never understand. And, while the national media has been blowing Brady, all I keep reading is how McNabb is the 3rd African-American quarterback to start in a Super Bowl.

The Freak Jevon Kearse - He will dominate Patriots right tackle Brandon Gorin, and will be even better than he was against the Falcons. You will see the isolation shots all day.

Special teams - The Eagles are much, much better than the Patriots in this area. The Patriots won't get many big plays here. Vinatieri is as good as it gets, but so is David Akers. Pretty much a wash there.

Coaching staff - While Belichek, Crennel, and Weis are as good as it gets, the trio of Reid, Johnson, and Childress are no joke either. No one gives Reid any due because he is perhaps the most boring interview outside of the NHL anyone could ever see. The unsung hero here is defensive coordinator Jim Johnson. While the media says little about him, the Eagles brass sure understand his worth, because he gets paid head coach money for being a coordinator. Let me put it to you like this: I have been a huge Eagles fan for nearly 30 years (I am 33) and I could not pick Jim Johnson out of a police lineup, that is how low-profile he is. By the end of this game, everyone will know who he is.

No-name Eagles to watch: Keith Adams, Derrick Burgess, and Sam Rayburn on defense, and L.J. Smith and Greg Lewis on offense. Just remember I said that.

In sum, if you think this is going to be a blowout, well forget it. The Eagles are being overlooked more than any team who made the Super Bowl in years. The gutless experts who are afraid to say anything that goes against the convential wisdom are willfully blind to how good this Eagles team really is, instead relying on false indicators like how awful the NFC was this year, the Patriots are more experienced, and Belichek is a Lombardi-esque genius.

The Eagles are going to win.

Prediction: Eagles 23 Patriots 17 MVP - Donovan McNabb

Go Birds!! E-A-G-L-E-S....EAGLES!!!

Emily and I are ready for kickoff!!



Oh, and here's Emily watching ESPN with me tonight:

...the smartest thing that Ed Asner has said in years:

Ed Asner, actor: "Philadelphia, 21-14. I think it's Donovan McNabb's turn, therefore right or wrong, I pick the Philadelphia Eagles because every dog has his day."

As you know, I have been a lifelong Eagles fan and I want them to win on Sunday. I will be posting a bunch of Super Bowl items this weekend, but in the meantime, I want your prediction for Sunday. Please include your guess of the final score. Patriots fans welcome of course. (That means you Rudy from Maine, Eric the VP, and he guy from mASS BACKWARDS).

Go Birds!!!

I am watching the replay of the part of the SOTU that I missed, and while Bush talked about not having judges legislate from the bench, they cut to Stephen Breyer. Nice.

Look at this headline from the AP:

Only One Side Told in Bush Soc. Sec. Pitch

Gee, I didn't know the President was supposed to push the Democrat plan (rather, lack of one) too. Silly me.

Bush was top-notch tonight. I love that he openly threatened Syria and Iran, and I thought he made a terrific case for Social Security reform. And, whoever thought to have the parents of that fine soldier we lost hug the Iraqi woman whose father was murdered by Saddam should have his/her pay doubled. All in one scene, America saw the results of the hard work and sacrifice of our fine men and women in the military. It was quite touching.

Bush was strong, confident, and a real leader tonight. On the other hand, just look at what the Democrats have to offer in response: That dope Harry Reid and that dunce Nancy Pelosi. They were embarrassing.

By the way, did Nancy Pelosi really say that Bush has done nothing to keep our homeland safe for the past 3 years?

God Bless America, and thank God for freedom.

Dems Criticize Bush on State of the Union

And he hasn't even given it yet. Why wait for the inevitable, I guess.

This USA Today editorial is much too silly to take seriously:

Perks embarrass the bench
Judges accept gifts and trips, undermining public confidence.

Federal judges and Supreme Court justices may soon have to learn to “just say no.”

Pressure is mounting for new rules that would ban expensive gifts and limit resort trips taken under the guise of education — perks some judges have come to enjoy.

You already know who is coming up next.

In recent years, hundreds of judges have taken “educational” trips to posh retreats bankrolled by groups that have strong interests in judicial rulings. The gift-giving goes all the way to the Supreme Court. Justice Clarence Thomas, for example, accepted tires worth $1,200 and a historic Bible worth $19,000.

I don't know about the tires, but the Bible once belonged to Frederick Douglass so I don't know how they put a $19,000 price tag on it. It sure seems priceless to me, and I see absolutely nothing wrong with someone giving that to Thomas. After all, Frederick Douglass would want a man like Thomas to have it.

And, as expected, only one other justice is mentioned. Guess who?

In January 2004, Justice Antonin Scalia accepted a plane ride aboard Vice President Cheney's jet to go duck hunting with him at a time when a case involving Cheney was before the court. Scalia refused to withdraw from the case. He later ruled in favor of Cheney. Unlike federal judges, who have a code of conduct, each Supreme Court justice is free to decide how the ethics rules apply.

And then it is back to Thomas.

Since 1998, Thomas has accepted $42,000 in gifts, the highest amount among all of the justices, according to an analysis of disclosure forms by the Los Angeles Times.

And then we get the qualifiers before any other justices are mentioned.

Other justices have accepted club memberships, plane rides and cash awards that they've turned over to charities. For example, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had a $100,000 award from a non-profit foundation divvied up among favorite organizations.

Of course they make Ginsburg look like Bob Hope. If this were an honest piece, it would discuss all the other "honorarium" that all the justices get. And I mean all of them see Europe every summer and don't reach into their wallets once. And I say, so what? There is not one justice today that could possibly have their credibility questioned honestly. Really, Scalia ruled for Cheney over a duck hunt? Please. How about Breyer, ruling on sentencing guidelines he helped draft? Where was the outcry over that? There was none, AS THERE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN.

I may not like Breyer's, Ginsburg's, or Steven's jurisprudence, but I would NEVER question their ethics. How could I? We are lucky to have 9 justices who are above reproach ethically, even if we get mad at some of their rulings. Perhaps the dopes who write editorials like this should show the same decency and respect.

My opinion on abortion has never changed. I think it should be legal for the first 3 months, and that's it. I personally hate it, and I think that many women (and men too) are emotionally scarred for life after going through with an abortion. The far-left groups like NARAL never seem to want to discuss the emotional dimension, and they always fight tooth and nail to keep women ill-formed to the point where their "choice" really isn't an informed one. I read this story, and I love the idea of groups going after the hearts of women instead of fighting a losing battle in court.

Church Groups Turn to Sonogram to Turn Women From Abortions

BOWIE, Md., Jan. 26 - Sixteen months ago, Andrea Brown, 24 years old and unmarried, was desperate for an abortion, fearing the disappointment of her parents and the humiliation she might face.

While frantically searching the telephone book one day, she came across the Bowie Crofton Pregnancy Center and Medical Clinic, a church-financed organization that provides counseling and education about sexual abstinence. The receptionist told Ms. Brown that the clinic did not perform abortions or make referrals but that she could come in for an ultrasound to make sure her six-and-a-half-week pregnancy was viable. When she did, everything changed.

"When I had the sonogram and heard the heartbeat - and for me a heartbeat symbolizes life - after that there was no way I could do it," Ms. Brown said recently as she revisited the clinic and watched her daughter, Elora, now 9 months old, play at her feet.

Although Ms. Brown doesn't really say it in the article, I guarantee you that she is quite happy that she had her daughter. Of course, the abortion industry (a very profitable one lest you forget) doesn't like the competition.

Supporters of abortion rights say that a large number of the centers lure women by leaving the impression that they do, in fact, perform abortions and subsequently do not give young women a full picture of their choices.

"Generally, their treatment of women who come in is coercive," said Susanne Martinez, vice president of public policy at the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. "From the time they walk in to these centers, they are inundated with information that is propaganda and that has one goal in mind. And that is to have women continue with their pregnancies."

Propaganda? Is this dunce for real? They tell the woman there is a living being inside of them, and show them the proof. And, what exactly is wrong with women continuing their pregnancies? No pro-abortion person has ever explained that one to me. What you need to realize is that Planned Parenthood's goal is for women to NOT continue their pregnancies. I think it is quite clear who holds the moral high ground here.

Groups that favor abortion rights, however, see the technique as a pressure tactic. Nancy Keenan, president of Naral Pro-Choice America, said that while ultrasounds were legitimate medical care for pregnant women, "they shouldn't be misused to badger or coerce women by these so-called crisis pregnancy centers."

"With or without ultrasound," Ms. Keenan said, "women understand the moral dimensions of their choices."

I'm sure they do. Nothing wrong with giving them a chance to fully understand the consequences of their decision.

I've always said that many women regret having an abortion but no woman regrets not having one. I love this idea, and pray that is expands exponentially.

Of course, the New York Times has to make Ms. Brown look bad (not to mention prenancy in general, with this parting shot:

Ms. Brown said she was trying to practice abstinence when she got pregnant and adds, "In the future, I plan to remain practicing abstinence till I get married." She looked at her daughter still playing on the floor and said with a laugh, "I have a constant reminder of what can happen if I don't."

As if being reminded by looking at a little baby is a bad thing. By the way, how does one try to practice abstinence and fail?

Thanks to George W. Bush, this is what the terrorists are reduced to.

That is beyond hilarious. Perhaps Dan Rather and Mary Mapes are moonlighting. Seriously, the terrorists are becoming a punch line. Perhaps you liberals should start asking yourself the same question that this liberal columnist did, "What if Bush has been right about Iraq all along?" Or, perhaps too you might start to realize that Bush isn't creating terrorists, he's eliminating them.

(By the way, I'm taking action on how long before Karl Rove is blamed for this)

(And this is hilarious too)

And this from Instapundit: