Public Indoctrination

At right is what is passing for global warming education in sixth grade. Just skip right past any discussion of science and head right for the propoganda. The tiny caption reads:

A polar bear tries to hold its ground on the melting sea ice in Svalbard, Norway.

Call me crazy, it looks like a healthy polar bear just standing around. If it's holding its ground, it doesn't appear to be having to try very hard.

Here's a link to the cover story, "Feeling the Heat - Polar bears are suffering in a warmer world." There is no mention of any conflicting science based on a much larger study group.

Completely without shame, the cover also features "U.S. - A wicked snowstorm" in the upper right corner.

In a classic public education response to the fear-mongering of Times For Kids, GD3 has to write an essay on what she would do to help stop global warming. When I got home she was quite excited about it and asked for my help. Naturally I was more than happy to oblige and provided her with a bunch of information, helped her understand it, and assisted in putting it all together. When we were finished she said, "Hey Dad, do you want to put this on your blog?"

My, what a great idea:

By: Grave Disappointment 3
2/28/07

Global Warming is Natural

In my opinion, there is nothing you can do to prevent global warming. Global warming, or whatever you want to call it is a natural cycle, we have no effect/power over it. For example, a long time ago, there was something called the Medieval Warm Period. It was much warmer than it is today and it couldn't possibly have been caused by humans. Back then, we weren't driving SUV's or gas guzzlers like that. There was also no electricity to cause it.

There is also little or no proof to prove that global warming is now any different from Medieval times. Scientists have also been wrong before, when they predicted in the 70's that humans were causing a new ice age, or when they said the earth was flat in ancient times.*

Many climate experts are now questioning the science of man made global warming. One expert, Dr. Richard Lindzen of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) has called it the greatest scientific hoax ever. Another climatologist and professor, Timothy Ball, wrote, “We are wasting time, energy and trillions of dollars while creating unnecessary fear and consternation over an issue with no scientific justification.”

As human beings, we should stop believing we have power over nature. The more we try to change it, the more possible it is that we'll cause more damage than good.

Because the earth warms and cools on its own, causing ice ages and warm periods, there is no way we can prevent global warming.

Rest assured the essay's grade will be passed on to you as soon as I learn it.

UPDATE: *As per Alan's point, GD3 has edited her assignment to read "ancient times" instead of "1600s." That change has been made here as well.

UPDATE: See grade update here.

Roasting Over A Slow Fire

Is it a crime to donate money to 527s all of a sudden? Or, just to ones that don't support John Kerry? Following is a partial transcript of the interrogation of GOP donor Sam Fox on his contributions to the Swiftboat Vets for Truth:

KERRY: And you don't know who asked you.

FOX: No, sir, I really don't. I do not know who asked me.If you were to take our 1,000 contributions and go right down the list, I bet you I couldn't give you five percent of them, of who asked me.

KERRY: Do you recall whether it was somebody in Missouri or was it in person? Was it is by telephone?

FOX: I have no recollection.

KERRY: No recollection of how that came about.

FOX: No, sir.

KERRY: Do you recall thinking about it at all?

FOX: No more than that somebody must have asked and I gave.

KERRY: Boy, no wonder so many people are here to embrace your-- what about now? How do you feel about it now, knowing what you know today?

FOX: Mr. Senator, let me say this. Be it 527 or anything else, if I thought what they were printing was not true, I would not contribute to it.

No one expects the Kerry Inquisition.

UPDATE: Instapundit defines "Swiftboating:"

"Swiftboating" seems to mean the disclosure of truths that are, er, inconvenient for Democrats. Likewise "smears."

Gore Hypocricy2

The Goracle team has now responded to perfectly legitimate criticism of his obscene energy usage, given his public position:

The Gores' home "carbon neutral," Kreider said, meaning that the overall household use of carbon-based energy, like coal-fired power plants and natural gas, is offset either by more fuel-efficient technology or through programs aimed at reducing greenhouse gas-producing energy.

The report describes the Gores' home as a mansion, but Kreider refers to it as a "residence." She did not immediately know how many rooms the residence had, but described the second building on the property as a swimming pool house, adjacent to an outdoor pool.

So he has energy efficient appliances and pays for carbon credits. Guilt assuaged!

As Hinderaker asks, what about the rest of his houses, air travel, and massive motorcades?

With all of this negative attention, at least one person is worried about an Al Gore-global warming "backlash:"

...now that Hollywood has so completely embraced the former vice president, one wonders if this issue will be associated only with liberal causes.

That Katie Couric. Always with the finger on the pulse.

In other warming news: Via Wizbang, Common Dreams describes an optimal ecological house:

The 4,000-square-foot house is a model of environmental rectitude.

Geothermal heat pumps located in a central closet circulate water through pipes buried 300 feet deep in the ground where the temperature is a constant 67 degrees; the water heats the house in the winter and cools it in the summer. Systems such as the one in this "eco-friendly" dwelling use about 25% of the electricity that traditional heating and cooling systems utilize.

A 25,000-gallon underground cistern collects rainwater gathered from roof runs; wastewater from sinks, toilets and showers goes into underground purifying tanks and is also funneled into the cistern. The water from the cistern is used to irrigate the landscaping surrounding the four-bedroom home. Plants and flowers native to the high prairie area blend the structure into the surrounding ecosystem.

What's amazing is that Bush, who is obviously leading by example, is constantly referred to as a great destroyer of the environment, while Al Gore is considered the global warming Messiah while he lives an ecologically extravagant lifestyle. The only difference being that Gore regularily works himself into a lather preaching global warming armegeddon...and bashes Bush for not caring about the polar bears.

The contrast between Bush and Gore couldn't be more stark. One is actually doing something. The other is preaching that everyone else needs to do something. Gore's hypocricy only becomes more prounounced by comparison.

Not one to let a good deed go unpunished though, Common Dreams author Rob Sullivan later writes this about Bush's ranch:

Heymann also termed the house "stunningly small." Really? Would it be stunningly small for a single mother in South Central Los Angeles? How stunningly small would it be for an immigrant Latino family in San Antonio Maybe in the rarified heights where second homes are the norm, 4,000 square feet is small and on a stunning scale as well, but in Main Street America that much elbow room is pretty big for the first and only home.

Hey pal, tell it to Gore.

Gore Ruining Planet

Drudge has a flash from the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, on Al Gore's energy usage:

The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh—more than 20 times the national average.

Last August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh—guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month than an average American family uses in an entire year. As a result of his energy consumption, Gore’s average monthly electric bill topped $1,359.

Apparently he lacks the "will to act." Then again maybe not:

We have a long way to go. But all of us can do something in our own lives to make a difference.

Maybe he just hasn't thought of it yet.

Blasphemy

Climatologist Patrick J. Micheals questions the penance suggested by global warming high priest, Al Gore:

Nowhere in the traditionally refereed scientific literature do we find any support for Gore’s hypothesis.

Chalk up another actual scientist sure to be roasted over a sacrificial carbon neutral fire.

The affect on Gaia could be further offset by roasting these guys, this dude, these fellows, this MIT guy, this denialist, some science type, a whole bunch of people, don't forget these smarty-pants, George Will, this guy, this one, and another denialist, over the same flame.

It may be the only way to drive home the point that the debate is over.

UPDATE: Surprise, surprise. The Goracle's work of complete fiction wins an Oscar for best documentary. As if we needed any more evidence Hollywood is a caricature.

With Support Like This...

Sam Ryskind daydreams that Congress changes allegiances, officially:

They will denounce the terrorist leadership as incompetent. Condemn the insurgency for atrocities befitting Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot. Seek ways of cutting off funds for the failed jihad and prevent terrorist networks from eavesdropping on suspected American agents. And mock the rank and file as dupes who wasted their lives for a Paradise that doesn’t exist.

Not only would it undermine Islamic terrorists everywhere, it would free our troops from bearing the burden of such supporters.

If only.

UPDATE: Over at Kos, support for insurgents is actually that:

There is certainly no suggestion from any "respectable" publication that the resistance in Iraq is justified, and that therefore Iran should be praised for supporting it. That such an obvious argument has been totally excluded from the mainstream debate tells us a lot about the honesty of our intellectual culture and the integrity of our "free press".

Isn't this where we are supposed to ask if, due to his strong support for the war, Heathlander has any plans to join the fight?

Surrender Becoming More Urgent

Patrick Ruffini addreses a taboo subject in the media, signs of success in Iraq:

Early indications are that the troop surge into Baghdad is working. It hasn't been reported on widely, but murders in Baghdad are down 70%, attacks are down 80%, Mahdi Army chief Moqtada al-Sadr has reportedly made off for Iran, and many Baghdadis who had fled the violence now feel it's safe enough to return.

The question is: If evidence of success continues to mount, will Democrats cease clamoring to stop the surge, or will efforts to stop it get even more urgent?

Wait. Don't answer that.

The War on Terror Patriotism

Liberal Larry is upset that Dick Cheney, in attempting to silence unpatriot Nancy Pelosi, may have revealed important strategy to terrorists:

Let’s pretend for a moment that he’s right. Does he really need to blab the plan to every terrorist and his Uncle? In his rush to attack Nancy Pelosi’s patriotism, did Cheney even bother to consider that maybe emboldening the so-called terrorists with the illusion of victory is part of a cunning plan to lure them here, to our soil, where they can be easily apprehended and given the kind of emotional counseling they truly need?

On the other hand, I would argue that attacking someone's patriotism by never mentioning their lack of patriotism is important to the much more crucial goal of attacking Democrats' patriotism by never mentioning their lack of patriotism. In that sense, Cheney is brilliant.

For Less Than a Cup of Coffee...

Another week, another round of global warming hysteria.

Add fevers to the ever growing list of social ills, like the war in Iraq, obesity, and suicide rates, that are caused by global warming:

The two-year study at a major children's hospital showed that for every five-degree rise in temperature two more children under six years old were admitted with fever to that hospital.

Hence, if warmer temperatures cause more fevers, global warming will cause fever pandemonium. Who could have known how prophetic this song turned out to be.

Even children without fevers, it turns out, are losing sleep:

Half of young children are anxious about the effects of global warming, often losing sleep because of their concern, according to a new report today.

In my day it was mutually assured destruction, nuclear winter, and acid rain. I sure hope someday there will be allowed a generation of children not psyhologically damaged by the left's irrational fear mongering.

Naturally, when someone tries to put a stop to the abuse, every attempt to silence that person is made.

But at what cost?

Children are suffering. Don't let another day go by in which damaging reference to global warming is made. Do it for the kids. They are the future.

Gaia Requires Sacrifice

Suzanne Fields notes something that 15,000 French people already know: environmentalism kills. As it turns out, even in New Orleans:

In 1977, the Army Corps of Engineers wanted to build large steel and concrete "sea gates" below sea level to prevent hurricane force winds driving storm surges into Lake Pontchartrain, overflowing into low-lying New Orleans. Such gates have been enormously successful in the Netherlands. But the Environmental Defense Fund, which had been a party to the lawsuit leading to the banning of DDT, persuaded a judge that the sea gates would discourage the mating of a certain fish species. Fishy romance trumped the lives of 3,100 Orleanians. "If we had built the barriers, New Orleans would not be flooded," says Joe Towers, who was counsel for the New Orleans District of the Corps.

To You, Gaia, we happily offer these sacrifices, hoping that someday You will be pleased and bestow upon us Your blessings. Amen.

This Just In

I don't know if this is new news or old news, but I just got a press release about pending litigation against the Star Tribune for circulation fraud.

Some of the highlights:

1. Forced distributors to report inflated returns and sign false affidavits.

2. Forced distributors to accept excess papers, dump excess papers, and absorb the loss.

3. Forced distributors to deliver excess papers to nonsubscribers, hotel rooms, schools, hospitals, and residences.

4. Manipulated circulation figures and audits.

5. Forced distributors out of business.

6. Refused to renew contracts.

Get more details here.

The suit was filed on Oct. 18, 2006, long before the sale of the paper. Could this be why the paper sold for less than half it's going price from eight years ago?

UPDATE: While I can't offer much insight for readers visiting from credible blogs, I can offer anecdotal evidence of how this worked.

Once, while staying at a swank hotel - conference center in the Cities, we awoke to find a Star Tribune outside our door. Though we scoffed at the choice of paper, we did appreciate the thoughtful gesture by the hotel and Trib. That is, until we read the extremely fine print in the upper corner noting we would be charged 75 cents for the edition unless we made a point of asking the front desk not to.

The hotel seemed a little peeved when I "opted out" upon paying our bill. Perhaps pressure to inflate numbers explains why. I've always wondered how many guests never read their paper, never noted the charge on the bill, yet were counted towards the Trib's circulation numbers.

More Squashing of Dissent

A pox on Dick Cheney, who had the temerity to point out the obvious; that the Murtha/Pelosi Iraq plan would be detrimental to winning in Iraq:

"You cannot say as the president of the United States, 'I welcome disagreement in a time of war,' and then have the vice president of the United States go out of the country and mischaracterize a position of the speaker of the House and in a manner that says that person in that position of authority is acting against the national security of our country," the speaker said.

There are so many things wrong with this. Since when is it wrong to "go out of the country" to talk about foreign policy? The left has been doing that for years. Also, are we no longer celebrating the high honor of dissent? Or, is this another one of those cases where all dissent is not created equal?

Democrats are scraping bottom if simply voicing criticism of a policy, in the terms of the policy, is now regarded as "questioning patriotism." Of course, when that is all you have...

UPDATE: The Fredericksburg Freak's politics are now out in the open:

"...when they aren't wetting their pants over a code-red alert from boy George, Republicans are activley f***ing little boys. All of them, no exceptions."

Don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing. I'm sure Andrew Stone is as much a patriot as the next guy.

Symbolic Decapitation

The latest Upsider, with conclusions inspired by local decapitation satirist, Tom D.

Person of Unknown Worldview

Via Malkin, here's a fun exercise. Go read "Police say political dispute with stranger got physical" in the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star. This is that last line:

It was not clear in the report what political agenda Stone was supporting.

Are you back?

If you thought the last line was funny in context, why aren't you in the military, putting "your all" behind this Republican war in Iraq?

What He Said

Apparently I don't have enough free time on my hands. Every time I want to point out what a fatuous, petty, over-the-top, idiotic, bomb-throwing, waste of global warming causing CO2 Nick Coleman is, someone at KAR beats me to it.

Dementee fisks the latest mind-numbing pile of manure that passes for a Coleman column and does a fine job. I did have a problem with this statement though:

Good Lord, someone throw a net over this buffoon and drag him to St. Peter.

Lord? St. Peter? As tempting as it is, right-wing "crusaders" should refrain from using such obvious refences. We might as well just tattoo "outlaw gay marriage" and "keep children from receiving sex education or learning about evolution" on our foreheads.

New Strategy Having Affect

Victory Caucus is turning into a wonderful resource for information not widely reported. VC led me to an article from the Dept. of Defense, in which Army Maj. Gen. Joseph Fil, commander of Multinational Division Baghdad, insists that the surge can work:

About 13,000 Iraqi soldiers and 20,000 Iraqi national police are in Baghdad, along with more than 35,000 U.S. troops, Fil said. He noted that as the numbers of Iraqi forces go up, their quality also is increasing.

“They’re much more capable; they’re much more committed; and they are much better led,” he said. “I’ve been very impressed with their operations so far, and they’ve actually been leading several of the operations we’ve conducted recently.”

Time will tell. In the short term, a distinct drop in casualties is being noted in Iraq:

Attacks and killings in Baghdad have dropped by 80 per cent since Iraqi and US forces launched their security plan for Baghdad, Iraqi army spokesman Qasim al-Musawi said today.

It sounds like things are off to a good start. Let's hope the trend continues.

Termites Don't Care

Add termites to the increasing list of Gaia's creatures that don't care about global warming scientists:

Fifteen years ago it was estimated that the digestive tracts of termites produce about 50 billion tons of CO2 and methane annually.

If you think that's bad, imagine what a volcano spits out in an average eruption. The only thing worse would be a volcano that spewed termites.

UPDATE: Via Tim Blair, Professor Robert Giegengack may have found a new source of greenhouse gas:

He has described Al Gore’s documentary as “a political statement timed to present him as a presidential candidate in 2008.” And he added, “The glossy production is replete with inaccuracies and misrepresentations, and appeals to public fear as shamelessly as any other political statement that hopes to unite the public behind a particular ideology.”

The only thing worse would be a termite-infested volcano spewing Al Gore.

A Platform of Dead Iraqis

On Jack Murtha's plans for Iraq, WaPo had this to say:

Mr. Murtha's cynicism is matched by an alarming ignorance about conditions in Iraq. He continues to insist that Iraq "would be more stable with us out of there," in spite of the consensus of U.S. intelligence agencies that early withdrawal would produce "massive civilian casualties."

Jihad Jack's ignorance appears to be catching. Hillary now shows signs of the same condition:

"Now it's time to say the redeployment should start in 90 days or the Congress will revoke authorization for this war," the New York senator said in a video on her campaign Web site, repeating a point included in a bill she introduced on Friday.

It's hard to believe Democrats continue to think of themselves as the "human rights" party. One can only conclude from their willingness to throw Iraqis into the abyss that they don't believe Iraqis are human.

Even more astounding, they believe this strategy will make them more popular with their base.

That's a nice party they got there.

UPDATE: Power Line has an IBD poll showing that the "change of course" mandate Democrats perceive does not equal legislated defeat. 66% of Americans view victory in Iraq as "somewhat" to "very" important. 58% are "somewhat" to "very" hopeful it can be achieved, as opposed to 40% who are "not very" or "not at all" hopeful.

What the poll shows is that what America would like to see happen, or believe needs to happen, holds no sway for Democrats, when it comes to pleasing the lunatics on the far left.

Kangaroo Court

Victoria Toensing reveals the depths of the absudity in the trial of Scooter Libby in "Trial in Error."

For those who don't follow the case, Fitzgerald's behavior has been appalling. He has known that Richard Armitage was the leak since Oct. 1, 2003, and has known that Valerie Plame was not covert since December of the same year.

Toensing also lays out the disparities between treatment given witnesses. She also delves into the many lies of Joseph Wilson, the media, the CIA, and others, in the form of her own indictments. It's a good read.

The column leaves the reader with two questions: Why is Libby on trial in the first place? And, since he is, why aren't a host of other witnesses with equally bad memories?

House to Troops: You're On Your Own

Ralph Peters on the cowards in Congress:

Now that Donald Rumsfeld's gone, the Democrats are doing just what they pilloried the former Secretary of Defense for doing: Denying battlefield commanders the troops and resources they need.

Blackfive calls it the "The piss on the troop's heads and tell them it's raining" resolution, adding:

The deep-seated hatred of W has blinded these people to the consequences of their actions. Just because they throw themselves to the floor kicking their feet and wailing doesn't change a damn thing in the reality-based world.

Victory Caucus has the roll of surrender Republicans.

History will judge this resolution as a disgrace.

Adopt-a-Franken

Fraters has plenty on Al Franken's decision to once again be from Minnesota, shaming us all. Check out Susan Lenfestey's positively orgasmic reaction to Franken. Lenfestey, as it happens, joins a very select group of super-rubes who have invoked the Myth of the Plastic Turkey.

I was astounded, last summer, at the lengths Grand Rapids was willing to go to claim Judy Garland as its own, especially considering she only lived there until she was about four years old. It will likely not be a problem for Franken in his birth place:

Al Franken lived in Albert Lea for two years as a small child. He moved away at 6. While we and most anyone appreciate that the Franken family lived here for a time and we like other folks appreciate that Al Franken remembers our fair city, let’s be honest here. He is not really from Albert Lea in the way that, for instance, actress Marion Ross is from Albert Lea or musician Eddie Cochran is from Albert Lea. Franken is from St. Louis Park.

Sorry Chad. Looks like you're stuck with him. If it's any consolation, it doens't look like to many people care one way or another.

Antarctic in Denial

Depite the media's best effort, the IPCC report on global armageddon has yet to reach Antarctica. Contrary to the predictions of every scientist on the entire planet, Antarctica isn't warming like it should be. Says professor David Bromwich:

We're looking for a small signal that represents the impact of human activity and it is hard to find it at the moment.

It might be time to call in Al Gore. He could find it. He's a genius.

Jihad Jack

Jack Murtha on his plans for Iraq:

...by placing conditions on $93.4 billion in new combat funds, he would make be able to effectively stop the troops in their tracks. "They won't be able to continue. They won't be able to do the deployment. They won't have the equipment, they don't have the training and they won't be able to do the work. There's no question in my mind," Mr. Murtha said.

Thankfully, he stopped short of pledging to take up arms against his own country.

Yummy

I always kind of dug "Five for Fighting" if for no other reason than they found a way to incorporate hockey into a band name. The fact that the new album is inspired by a lunch with VDH is icing.

The sugary stuff on cake.

Not a dump from the far side of the red line.

Best Left Unexplored

1. Blogger discovers that thongs are marketed to children.

2. Blogger writes piece on this discovery.

3. Blogger constantly gets hits on searches for the phrase "kiddy thong."

4. Blogger realizes hyper-stardom when his site becomes Google's #1 listing for "kiddy thong."

The lesson, I suppose, is that you never know what people will find interesting, and sometimes it is better to not know.

Different Leagues

LearnedFoot expands on the ridiculous theme, noted here, that Amanda Marcotte is a strong woman being kept down by an evil, male dominated society:

I see this Marcotte weasel held up as some sort of example of what a "strong woman" looks like, and then I look at my wife: her hair falling out from the chemo; constantly queasy; unable to sleep some nights, and on the nights she is able to sleep, it takes all the energy she can muster to get out of bed. When she is able to get vertical, she has to tend to two extremely hyper children. Yet, at the end of the day, she's still able to joke about her hair.

Strengthwise, to any rational human being, the two aren't even close.

I don't know how he can bring himself to mention the two examples of womanhood in the same post. Our best wishes to Mrs. LearnedFoot, and, of course, it goes without saying that Amanda Marcotte gives sleaze a bad name.

Doubly Embarrassing

Not a very good day for Minnesota politics.

Al Franken announced his intention to run against Senator Norm Coleman in 2008. For the DFL it's like having Amanda Marcotte on the ticket. If the state party can't do any better than Franken, it has bigger problems than regaining Paul Wellstone's seat.

But even that isn't as embarrassing as needing the Capitol Hill Police to have a cigar put out.

Nature Not Cooperating

Those pesky glaciers in Greenland are in denial:

A U.S. study suggests two of Greenland's largest glaciers are melting at variable rates and not at an increasing trend.

The study, led by Ian Howat, a researcher with the University of Colorado's National Snow and Ice Data Center and the University of Washington's Applied Physics Laboratory, shows the glaciers shrank dramatically and dumped twice as much ice into the sea during a period of less than a year between 2004 and 2005.

But then, fewer than two years later, they returned to near their previous rates of discharge.

It seems stunning to me. The glaciers appear totally unaware that the debate is over.

Icy Veins

Steny Hoyer on the completely meaningless anti-surge resolution:

The men and women in Iraq are not shutting down because of rain, sleet, snow, cold, hot, sandstorm. We're going to be here and we're going to do our work.

By God, no ice storm is going to stop House Democrats from honoring troops in Iraq by making sure they are denied reinforcements.

That kind of dedication leaves me speechless.

UPDATE: Special announcement: The Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality's hearing entitled "Climate Change: Are Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Human Activities Contributing to a Warming of the Planet?" has been cancelled due to cold weather.

Stability Rifles

This is disturbing:

Austrian sniper rifles that were exported to Iran have been discovered in the hands of Iraqi terrorists, The Daily Telegraph has learned.

More than 100 of the.50 calibre weapons, capable of penetrating body armour, have been discovered by American troops during raids.

One wonders how much more evidence we are going to need that we are really at war with Iran. Then again, it could just be an attempt at creating stability, like John Kerry says.

In other news, Moqtada al Sadr appears to be finding Iran hospitable:

According to senior military officials, al Sadr left Baghdad two to three weeks ago and fled to Tehran, Iran, where he has family.

Al Sadr commands the Mahdi army, one of the most formidable insurgent militias in Iraq, and his move coincides with the announced U.S. troop surge in Baghdad.

The Dem's better hurry if they expect undermining the war to pay dividends.

Hot, Sticky, Marcotte Resigns

Via Malkin, Amanda Marcotte has resigned from the Edwards Campaign:

I was hired by the Edwards campaign for the skills and talents I bring to the table, and my willingness to work hard for what’s right. Unfortunately, Bill Donohue and his calvacade of right wing shills don’t respect that a mere woman like me could be hired for my skills, and pretended that John Edwards had to be held accountable for some of my personal, non-mainstream views on religious influence on politics (I’m anti-theocracy, for those who were keeping track).

Treacher responds:

Marcotte didn't mention the Catholic Democratics who are unhappy with her, presumably because they're just dupes of the right-wing spin machine (which really tones the thighs, glutes, and calves).

Tell It To China

Stephen Hayward and Kenneth Green, after an exhaustive recap of the rhetoric of the Medeival Warm Period Denialists^TM, attempt to figure out why:

Desperation is the chief cause for this campaign of intimidation. The Kyoto accords are failing to curtail greenhouse gas emissions in a serious way, and although it is convenient to blame Bush, anyone who follows the Kyoto evasions of the Europeans knows better. The Chinese will soon eclipse the United States as world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, depriving the gas-rationers of one of their favorite sticks for beating up Americans. The economics of steep, near-term emissions cuts are forbidding--though that's one consensus the climate crusaders ignore. Robert Samuelson nailed it in his syndicated column last week: "Don't be fooled. The dirty secret about global warming is this: We have no solution."

Will old Europe and American Gaia worshippers go after China and its economy like they attack America and its prosperity, when China surpasses the U.S. in emissions? Not a chance.

Living No Easier

Not that it is hard to predict, but Arizona is finding that their feel good minimum wage hike is having a negative impact on the very people it is supposed to be helping. Business is cutting jobs and raising prices:

Tom Kelly, owner of Mary Coyle Ol' Fashion Ice Cream Parlor in Phoenix, voted for the minimum-wage increase. But he said, "The new law has impacted us quite a bit."

It added about $2,000 per month in expenses. The store, which employs mostly teen workers, has cut back on hours and has not replaced a couple of workers who quit.

Kelly raised the wages of workers who already made above minimum wage to ensure pay scales stayed even. As a result, "we have to be a lot more efficient" and must increase menu prices, he said.

Fewer jobs, higher prices. Can you think of two things that help the working poor less?

Speaking of the working poor, very few were "positively" affected by the hike:

"Workers affected by the minimum-wage increase are less likely to be supporting a family than the typical Arizona worker," it stated. "For example, 30.4 percent of the workers are living with their parent or parents, while only 7.6 percent of all Arizona workers are in this category."

That's somewhere around 10,000 of the 145,000 overall who traded an extra $1.60 an hour for the privilege of having a harder time finding a job, and paying more for the things they need to survive.

What a bonus.

Science Wobbly

Former editor of the New Scientist, Nigel Calder, notes how science has been scuttled in favor of politics, and notes that the orthodoxy just doesn't get there:

So one awkward question you can ask, when you’re forking out those extra taxes for climate change, is “Why is east Antarctica getting colder?” It makes no sense at all if carbon dioxide is driving global warming. While you’re at it, you might inquire whether Gordon Brown will give you a refund if it’s confirmed that global warming has stopped. The best measurements of global air temperatures come from American weather satellites, and they show wobbles but no overall change since 1999.

He adds that solid contrary science is being ignored.

Thank goodness for cut and paste, as the growing list of blasphemers would be too long to reproduce from scratch every time another joins the ranks. Calder joins other critical thinkers like these guys, this dude, these fellows, this MIT guy, this denialist, some science type, a whole bunch of people, don't forget these smarty-pants, and George Will. And now this guy too. Oh. Don't forget this one.

In other warming news: Tim Blair may find himself $25 million richer, having answered Richard Branson's challenge to find a way to remove a billion metric tons of CO2 from the air in ten years:

Easy. Simply ban automatic cars, as I advised in 2005. Because automatic cars use around 5% more fuel than manual cars, that simple law would save 5,650,000,000 barrels of oil per year in the US alone (and be minimally disruptive in developing nations, where a greater proportion of vehicles are non-automatic). If each barrel contains 175 kilograms of carbon, we’re looking at an annual carbon reduction (US only) in the region of 988,750,000 metric tons.

And, manual transmissions are more fun. Do I smell a Nobel?

Dissent Besmirched

The Volokh Conspiracy encapsulates the outrage! over the possibility AEI offered money to scientists to challenge global warming. A brief excerpt from Senators to AEI, expressing that outrage:

The truth is that this scandalous behavior on the part of AEI is just the latest example of how big money interests distort and undermine honest debate on the important issues facing our country in so many areas.

If $10,000 buys so much distortion and undermining, what do you suppose $4 billion buys?

AEI President Chris DeMuth, who noted that the charge was false to begin with, makes a disturbing revelation about the state of dissent:

I believe you have overstated the scientific consensus on the subject, but, even if you have not, I find it worrisome that four powerful political leaders would object to scientific dissent per se. Although you later give a formulaic nod to the right of dissent, you object to being paid a “significant” sum for dissenting research, which rather limits your conception of permissible dissent.

Consensus--and freedom to challenge consensus--are equally vital to the progress of science. History, including recent history, is replete with examples of expert consensus that turned out in the fullness of time to be mistaken.

The letter is addressed to Senators Leahy, Sanders, Feinstein, and Kerry. Via Tim Blair, Kerry himself has, when it served his needs, championed dissent:

The lesson is that true patriots must defend the right of dissent, and hear the voices of dissenters...The patriotic obligation to speak out becomes even more urgent when politicians refuse to debate their policies or disclose the facts.

Of course, all dissent is not created equal. Some disagrees with Senator Kerry.

If we lived in a different time, I get the feeling the Medieval Warming Period Denialists^TM would have been quite comfortable having people jailed for challenging the consensus that the earth is flat.

UPDATE: Yet another scientist engages in unsavory dissent:

...Dr. Shaviv not only believes there are credible "other suspects," he believes that at least one provides a superior explanation for the 20th century's warming.

"Solar activity can explain a large part of the 20th-century global warming," he states, particularly because of the evidence that has been accumulating over the past decade of the strong relationship that cosmic- ray flux has on our atmosphere. So much evidence has by now been amassed, in fact, that "it is unlikely that [the solar climate link] does not exist."

Dangerous speech like this caused the Holocaust, you know.

When Denialists Attack

Speaking of Holocaust denialists, Elie Wiesel was attacked by one last week at his hotel:

A man using the name Eric Hunt is claiming reponsibility for the attack:

“After ensuring no women would be traumatized by what I had to do (I had been trailing Wiesel for weeks), I stopped the elevator at the sixth floor. I pulled Wiesel out of the elevator. I said I wanted to interview him.”

After ensuring no women would be traumatized? That would seem to rule out your run-of-the-mill Islamist wouldn't it? In fact, the so-called confession was made at the highly creepy site, Ziopedia. Here is Ziopedia's political position:

Coming from a progressive, antiwar background, we have learned over the years that political positions are just that: positions, view points, that allow us to see things that people with a different view point are often oblivious to.

And here's a couple of articles in the "oil lust" and "Jew world order" vein.

Hunt is the main suspect.

Only a Matter of Time

The Pandagon kerfuffle has Iowahawk on a roll. Here is a link to the behind the scenes e-mails sent by Amanda Marcotte to John "Hot, White, and Sticky" Edwards. Unfortunately, due to Marcotte's colorful language and playful attitude towards Chrtistians, I cannot post any excerpts.

Oh, what the hell (f-bombs edited):

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for this totally f-ing awesome opportunity to help you take America back from f-ing BushCo and the other f-tard bible-humping extremists that have turned this once great nation into a goddamn rape factory for their snakehandling Jesus Camp hatebots.

So adorable, that one.

The pipe smoking grease monkey has also turned the episode into a play. Next stop Broadway!

Medieval Warm Period Denialist

Global warming is here to stay I fear...as a religion. Ellen Goodman now compares skeptics to crazy lunatics who deny the history in front of their faces:

Let's just say that global warming deniers are now on a par with Holocaust deniers, though one denies the past and the other denies the present and future.

That might come as quite a surprise to this impressive list of climate experts. But Goodman's faith is strong. So strong in fact, one might refer to her as medieval warm period denialist.

In other warming news: Robert Fisk disproves global warming once and for all, with a little help from the Gore Effect. Speaking of which, if you click on the "effect" link, you will notice that heavy breathers are trying to counteract the true meaning of the Gore Effect with one of their own.

No points for originality, but points galore for desparate and pathetic mimicry.

UPDATE: Goodman will be displeased that the basis of her faith, the recently released IPCC report, is in doubt. The summary, which everyone has now placed in the Holy Tabernacle of Gaia, is drastically different from what the actual scientific report will say when it is released in a few months. Melanie Phillips quoting Christopher Monckton:

Figures in the final draft of the UN’s fourth five-year report on climate change show that the previous report, in 2001, had overestimated the human influence on the climate since the Industrial Revolution by at least one-third. Also, the UN, in its 2007 report, has more than halved its high-end best estimate of the rise in sea level by 2100 from 3 feet to just 17 inches. It suggests that the rate of sea-level rise is up from 2mm/yr to 3mm/year – no more than one foot in a century. UN scientists faced several problems their computer models had not predicted. Globally, temperature is not rising at all, and sea level is not rising anything like as fast as had been forecast. Concentrations of methane in the air are actually falling…

Monckton's report is here in full (pdf).

It is now being hinted at that the scientific report may be doctored to reflect the summary. That makes a kind of perverted sense though, if you think about it.

Science should never intrude on faith.

Pelosi Has Huge Carbon Feet

Nancy Pelosi had some hard words for Congress today on the sacrifices we all have to make to reduce global warming:

"We also see a future in which harsh consequences could be blunted by our prompt action," the Democrat leader said.

And by "our," of course, she means us, not her. She arrived at today's hearing in a Chevy Tahoe:

The Tahoe emits 11 tons of greenhouse gases per year, according to U.S. Department of Energy. The agency ranks it as “one of the worst” vehicles on the road, according to www.fueleconomy.gov, a non-partisan government web site.

She had also requested air travel that would have emitted 10,000 pounds of CO2 per hour and cost taxpayers $600,000 per round trip. Now that the Pentagon has viciously leaked that minor indulgence though, Pelosi might fly commercial. One wonders how her social conscience allows her to fly at all, given the "harsh consequences."

She may be risking her global citizenship.

In related news: Jack Murtha thinks now is a really good time to play politics with the Pentagon budget, and get a little payback:

"They're making a mistake when they leak it, because she decides on the allocation for the Defense Department,'' he said.

You gotta hand it to Jack. Nothing is too petty when it comes to undercutting the war on terror.

UPDATE: Nancy is for mandatory emission restrictions...for us. Elsewhere, one can only wonder how many tons of CO2 Gore Aid will pump into the fragile atmosphere:

The event, scheduled for July 7, will feature co-ordinated film, music and television events in seven cities including London, Washington DC, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town and Kyoto, with major broadcasters and media owners aiming to extend the reach of public awareness of global warming.

No word on whether participants, support crew, talent, and attendees plan on riding their bikes to the event. Or, where exactly the carbon neutral concert and broadcast energy will come from.

If I actually believed any of this new age religiosity, I think I might be quite cheesed at Gore and Pelosi. Where is the leadership?

Nick Coleman Earns a Treat

Brown-nose party hack Nick Coleman is the latest to carry water for the Democrats, employing his usual, overblown, "sky is falling," self-righteous tantrum:

Americans want Iraq over with, but the war is getting larger and we can't even talk about it. Debate is stifled, Congress is muzzled and peaceful protest is ignored. History predicts the rest of this equation. It's not pretty.

He is referring, of course, to the Republican filibuster of the Warner/Levin resolution that Democrats decided to just let die rather than debate openly in session. Coleman - this is the carrying water part - twists the entire episode into a "muzzling" of debate.

Of course, he may have just taken a cue from his editorial board, which passed on the same tripe. (Which was, in itself, a total turnaround from its position in 2005, which was a total turnaround from 1994.)

We turn to Uncle Walter, writing in Coleman's own paper in 2005, to explain the finer points of the filibuster:

Today, as it has been for 200 years, an individual senator may talk without limit on an issue; and others may join in, and they may continue to press those issues until or unless the Senate by 60 votes ends that debate and a vote occurs. No other legislative body has such a rule.

Here is more on the sacred nature of the filibuster from Coleman's own editorial board:

To end debate in the Senate and force a vote requires a successful motion for "cloture," which takes 60 yeas to pass.

See Nick? As long as the 60 votes aren't reached, debate can and must continue.

The fact is that the opportunity to debate Iraq was staring the Democrats right in the face and they ran for cover because they want to pass a meaningless resolution rather than have their war stance debated openly.

But, since "muzzled" is what the party handed Nick, muzzled is what he barked.

What a good doggy.

(It is only through Power Line's tireless policing and archiving of the Star Tribune's rapidly changing position on the filibuster, which reverses depending on what party is using it, that this post is possible. -Ed.)

Archives Scrubbed

On the off chance that I might someday be hired by a presidential candidate, this blog will be on hold while I check the archives for references to "hot, white, sticky Holy Spirit," and other examples of blatant anti-Catholic bigotry.

Update: Nope. I'm good.

For more on how the right-wing blogosphere has absolutely no impact on the American political scene, go here. Be sure to watch the video for proof that Malkin can be funny.

Deception Realized

Former University of Winnipeg climatology professor Dr. Tim Ball is the latest to decry the religious heathens of global warming:

Believe it or not, Global Warming is not due to human contribution of Carbon Dioxide (CO2). This in fact is the greatest deception in the history of science. We are wasting time, energy and trillions of dollars while creating unnecessary fear and consternation over an issue with no scientific justification.

He joins other critical thinkers like these guys, this dude, these fellows, this MIT guy, this denialist, some science type, a whole bunch of people, don't forget these smarty-pants, and George Will.

The New Yorker's Elizabeth Kolbert, on the other hand, doesn't get out much:

Except in certain benighted precincts—oil-industry-funded Web sites, the Bush White House, Michael Crichton’s den—no one wastes much energy these days trying to deny global warming. Credit Al Gore’s documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth,” or this winter’s snowless ski season in the Alps, or the fact that it was seventy-two degrees in Central Park on January 6th.

Whenever someone salivates over Al Gore's movie, you know they don't have a clue. Still, I wonder what the sub-zero temps right here, right now, tell Elizabeth.

Perhaps the devout, like Kolbert, should spend more time trying to understand science and less time trying to be all sciency.

UPDATE: Here's one way to make sure denialist climatologists don't upset Kolbert's delicate worldview: fire them.

It's Back

Republicans revived the filibuster today to stop the non-binding Senate resolution opposing the troop surge in Iraq:

The resolution needed 60 votes before the 100-member Senate could begin debate, but it got 49, with 47 voting against. Although it would not have been binding on the president, the measure was the first serious effort in Congress to confront Bush over the unpopular Iraq war.

And, right on cue, the filibuster goes from an essential part of the American fabric back to a miscarriage of justice:

"It's obstructionism," said Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. "This is not tolerable in a situation where it's the number one topic in the nation, and the Republican party prevents the Senate of the United States from debating."

Actually, it prevents the Senate from voting, not debating, but understanding the filibuster and how it is used has never been the strong suit of Democrats.

They Did It 'the Lord's Way'

I started to taste the lobster about mid-way through the third quarter.

Congrats to the Colts and, most of all, to Tony Dungy. He certainly deserves it.

I thought Prince was good and there was a commercial or two that wasn't bad, especially the Bud Light commercial where the guy hurled the rock. Leave it to the NYT to find some hidden meaning though:

No commercial that appeared last night during Super Bowl XLI directly addressed Iraq, unlike a patriotic spot for Budweiser beer that ran during the game two years ago. But the ongoing war seemed to linger just below the surface of many of this year’s commercials.

I swear, if I guy took a dump on camera the NYT would note that it was a metaphor for conditions in Iraq. Would anyone really mind if they lightened up for one day, for Pete's sake?

Bloggers are Blonely

Via Hugh Hewitt: bloggers deconstructed:

"Many of us end up like Father McKenzie in the 'Eleanor Rigby' Beatles song, who is writing a sermon that no one is going to hear," he suggests. "Some of us are going to be embraced by the mainstream media, but the majority of us remain in the dark, remain in the loneliness."

Elsewhere, George Soros thinks the U.S. need "de-nazification."

Sometimes I feel like I am just pissing into the wind with the stuff. I mean, when I started I felt so sure that fame and fortune were right around the corner. But, nobody cares. Most of my traffic comes from randam Google image searches, which only encourages me to post more images to increase the imaginary traffic to my dark and lonely world.

But hell, if I can't generate oodles of traffic by including "Soros" and "nazi" in the same post, I really have to start asking myself if losing all of my friends and exchanging reality for a fantasy world in which there is no "s" at the end of "terrible," is not a sad, isolationist, tragedy, on par with "Don Quixote tilting at windmills."

Holocaust Warming Denialists Appear

Under the false impression that the U.N. is subjectable to criticism - it's being silenced! - warming denialists demand their say:

Dr. Shariv, a prolific researcher who has made a name for himself assessing the movements of two-billion-year-old meteorites, no longer accepts this logic, or subscribes to these views. He has recanted: "Like many others, I was personally sure that CO2 is the bad culprit in the story of global warming. But after carefully digging into the evidence, I realized that things are far more complicated than the story sold to us by many climate scientists or the stories regurgitated by the media."

Mark Steyn, voicebox of denialists, weighs in with criticism of the latest "Gaia must be placated" report and a couple of gems:

Wake up and smell the CO2, people! We need to toss another virgin into the volcano. A virgin SUV, that is. Brand-new model, straight off the assembly line, cupholders never been used. And as the upholstery howls in agony, we natives will stand around chanting along with High Priestess Natalie Cole's classic recording: ''Unsustainable, that's what you are.''

****

You could take every dime spent by every government and NGO and eco-group to investigate "climate change" and spend it on Internet porn instead, and it wouldn't make the slightest difference to what the climate will be in 2050.

Tim Blair tried to get the Daily Telegraph to slow down it's global warming output:

...but every time I opened my mouth the editor's security detail would taser me.

There ought to be a way to determine who the denialists are by sight, for purposes of public derision. I propose globe patches sewn onto clothing.

Incidentally, it's -15 degrees here right now. At this point, it should be obvious to anyone that we are not suffering the affects of global warming. What we have here is climate change!

When a Picture Says Nothing At All

In most cases a picture says a thousand words. In others, they say absolutely nothing whatsoever:

They cling precariously to the top of what is left of the ice floe, their fragile grip the perfect symbol of the tragedy of global warming.

Captured on film by Canadian environmentalists, the pair of polar bears look stranded on chunks of broken ice.

When you dry your eyes, realize that they aren't stranded. In fact, polar bears, a semi-aquatic marine mammal, are excellent swimmers. But somehow that fact doesn't play into the Daily Mail's headline, "Global warming sees polar bears stranded on melting ice."

Call it creative license, justified when polar bears could be extinct at any moment:

Studies of polar bears have revealed that not only have their numbers declined – by nearly one quarter in just 20 years to around 25,000 – but so has their physique.

Well, one study found that anyway. Other, much more complete, studies have shown that there are actually more bears than 40 years ago:

A 2002 U.S. Geological Survey of wildlife in the Arctic Refuge Coastal Plain concluded that the ice bear populations "may now be near historic highs." One of the leading experts on the polar bear, Mitchell Taylor, the manager of wildlife resources for the Nunavut territory in Canada, has found that the Canadian polar bear population has actually increased by 25% -- to 15,000 from 12,000 over the past decade.

Then again, it could be that very prosperity causing global warming.

In other warming news: The French waste no time laying claim to American prosperity. As we shall see, the international answer to global warming will be to impose taxes on the U.S. American greenbacks, apparently, make an excellent warmening insulator.

In other, other warming news: The Gore Effect is doubled when Will Steger comes to town.

A Decision Reached

It's hard to believe, but, in looking back, I haven't posted on this NFL season once since it began. Not much to write about, I guess, until now. I've been trying to figure out which team to root for.

This should be a no-brainer with a representative of the Black and Blue Division in the mix, but it hasn't been. I would also very much like to see Peyton "Rub Some Dirt On It" Manning win the big one, if for no other reasons than he has never been involved in a drunken high speed chase and makes funny commercials.

My decision has been made by, of all things, an interview of Bill Walsh by Inside the NFL's Bob Costas. Walsh, who is suffering from acute leukemia, has been in the spotlight a lot this week, with the Costas interview and the NFL Network's documentary on the 1984 49ers. It got me to thinking about Walsh's impact on the league, which is staggering:

Walsh is a direct descendant from Paul Brown, arguably the greatest coaching mind ever. The Seahawks' Mike Holmgren and the Cardinals' Dennis Green were both on Walsh's staff with the 49ers. The Bucs' Jon Gruden and the Eagles' Andy Reid worked for Holmgren in Green Bay. The Ravens' Brian Billick worked under Green in Minnesota. The Broncos' Mike Shanahan descends through George Siefert, the former 49er assistant who replaced Walsh, while the Texans' Gary Kubiak was Shanahan's long-time assistant in Denver. First-year Vikings head coach Brad Childress had been Reid's offensive coordinator in Philadelphia.

Tony Dungy coached for and with Denny Green and Brian Billick, repectively. He also played for Walsh in San Francisco. If you want to take it one step further, it was Dungy who gave Lovie Smith his first big break. So, in essence, what we will be watching is the result of what Walsh, and further back Paul Brown, created.

Dungy was beloved here in Minnesota and was a fan favorite to be the Vikings head coach. While the Vikings hemmed and hawed, Dungy was snatched up by the Buccaneers. It was there he received one of the rawest deals in sports when he was fired after turning the Bucs into a Super Bowl caliber team. One year later Jon Gruden would win that game with the Bucs and I always felt the credit still belonged largely to Dungy's efforts.

What strikes me about Dungy, especially after seeing so much footage of Walsh behind the scenes this week, is that Dungy really is the most direct reincarnation of Walsh. Calm and cool on the sidelines, and much more a teacher than a coach, Dungy appears to have the very same demeanor, approach to the game, and philosophy. Finesse and intelligence, not braun and intimidation.

So I choose the Colts. I want to see Tony Dungy win the Super Bowl, because I've always had great respect for Walsh, and have watched in awe as the branches of his tenure stretched across this league as if on steroids.

Dungy was the coach we always wanted but, for whatever reason, couldn't have. Like most Minnesotan's though, I have taken a personal interest in his success since the day he arrived here. When we see Dungy's success, we see what could have been.

So you go get 'em Tony, because to see you win reminds us all that we saw the first glimmer of genius way back in '93, and we have been diehard fans ever since.

The Last Word

This has now become an exercise in not knowing when to just shut up and cut your losses. As fun as it is ripping into the tiny Arkin brain, I'm running out of energy. Just a note on one thing he has said in his latest stupid incarnation:

...if supporting the troops comes to mean that we cannot raise questions about the military, about how wars are being fought in our name, that we cannot criticize those in uniform, can't protest, can't write, can't demand better, then what kind of country do we have?

This is such a typical pattern. 1. Uber-leftist says something outrageous and hurtful. 2. Persons disagree and challenge. 3. Leftist screams that he is being silenced.

No one has said Arkin can't criticize the military, or protest, or write, or demand better. Nobody. Not one living soul. What they have said is that his opinions are hateful, misguided, stupid, and anti-military. They have said so because they, like Arkin, believe they have that right. They are taking advantage of the very same freedoms that Arkin now whines are being taken away from him.

One cannot take away another's rights simply by exercising their own! Yet, time and time again the left makes the charge that, in expressing a different view, someone is taking away their right to be heard. Then, inevitably, they make some grand statement about the erosion of freedom in America.

What they are really saying, as in the case of Arkin and countless others, is that they believe they have a right to be heard unchallenged. And, in doing so, they claim a right they have themselves stripped of everyone else.

A person like Arkin, in a position of great influence, should be fired. Not because his opinions are wrong, or because he "needs to be silenced." He needs to be fired because it is an embarrassment to the Washington Post, and media in general, that someone with that much influence has absolutely no understanding of the first amendment.

Previous posts:
Arkin Keeps Digging
Troops Mercenaries Should Shut Up

Arkin Keeps Digging

William Arkin is the mentally challenged gift that keeps on giving. On the heels of this now infamous "Troops should shut up" diatribe comes a new example of his utter contempt for the military:

These men and women are not fighting for money with little regard for the nation. The situation might be much worse than that: Evidently, far too many in uniform believe that they are the one true nation. They hide behind the constitution and the flag and then spew an anti-Democrat, anti-liberal, anti-journalism, anti-dissent, and anti-citizen message that reflects a certain contempt for the American people.

Anti-dissent? Is there such a thing? I thought dissent pretty much covered everything, as in "I disagree with you Mr. Arkin. I think you are a no talent coward who trashes people far better than yourself."

That's dissent. And certainly Mr. Arkin would be the first to say "dissent is the highest form of patriotism," and then probably attribute it to Thomas Jefferson, because he is a fool.

And, there can be no mistake about that. His latest attempt to "clarify" is as mind-numbingly stupid as the original. So mind-numbing, in fact, that it is hardly worth the attention. In any case, Blackfive has already taken care of it:

I know it's scary to have to live in a world where the shameless rapists and murderers wearing our uniform are actually allowed to have and air their own opinions, especially when the bloodthirsty bastards are cheerleading for the war. Problem is Billy that's the law of the land. Nobody is advocating that you be forced to shut your piehole, but they can certainly request that you STFU! As a matter of fact they can advocate that the WaPo realize that having someone who so clearly despises our military covering national security is shameful.

Uh...ya. What he said. Arkin should have used today's headline for yesterday's column.