Blaming the Victim

It's now day two of the assault on London. Today's continuation includes a flaming SUV through the doors of Glascow Airport, suspects yelling "Allah, Allah," and the hunt is on for al Qaeda cells in England. Meanwhile, the terror threat has been raised and the two terrorists in today's incident may have been wearing suicide vests, a trademark of Islamic terrorism.

Never mind all that says London mayor Ken Livingstone. He knows exactly who is to blame for the siege:

...he criticized Britain over its ties with Saudi Arabia, which he said had fuelled intolerance in the past through its Wahhabist form of Islam, creating a "major problem."

Next up from Livingstone: Blaming unborn children for their own abortions, rape victims for their own assault, and the dead for their own murders.

If this is the quality of leadership Brits can rely on as muslims grow ever bold within their borders, they have no chance.

They Gave Her a Gun

PFC Teaparty has officially begun her basic training. Due to the complicated nature of her last name she is generally referred to as "T-Po" by her drill sargeant, or simply "S**t Sucker."

Of the news received from her is that she has been issued her M16, of which she writes, "I get to have a gun...Yay."

We now have an address for her, so if anyone who would like to write her send me an e-mail at bliss@cornernet.com and I will get it to you.

S**t Sucker's needs include:

Stamps
Pens (colorful sparkly Bic)
Stamps
Calling cards (generic)
Calling cards (Virgin Mobile)

My Dearly Befuddled and I would appreciate anyone willing to take the initiative to send a letter or two. She sounds a bit lonely down there and would probably benefit from any support she gets.

Progressive and Non-partisan

Yesterday I got my first press release from "Minnesota 2020," a new "progressive and non-partisan" think tank founded and staffed by DFLers, and endorsed by none other than George Soros's Center for American Progress. You can read all about it at The UpsiderBlog.

Speaking of Soros, I wonder where Minnesota 2020 gets its funding?

So Much For 'By the People'

Stanley Kurtz nails it on the immigration bill's supporters deaf ear:

The bill is wildly unpopular, yet it’s close to passing. The contrast with the high-school textbook version of democracy is not only glaring and maddening, it’s downright embarrassing.

What's in it for senators of both parties that they would so willfully discard the wishes of the overwhelming majority of Americans - who rarely agree on anything - to pass this atrocious bill?

Gorecensus

Before there was scientific consensus, there was Al Gore consensus:

The failed presidential candidate claims that the stronger scientific consensus he knew was about to emerge meant "we in the US were about to shift into high gear in addressing the climate crisis".

To combat the catastophic warming that will pass the "point of no return" in 10 years, Gore plans to use a ton of electricity, fly musical acts to exotic locales, and cross his fingers, hoping everyone in America pumps up the CO2 long enough to learn about global climate warming change:

Mr Gore is currently promoting the Live Earth concerts that will take place next month...

The only thing that could cause more environmental destruction than not watching GoreAid...is watching.

UPDATE: It looks like the Goracle has his work cut out for him:

ALMOST three quarters of people believe global warming is a 'natural occurrence' and not a result of carbon emissions, a survey claimed today.

Smart, that.

Reid's Ride

Via Malkin, Harry Reid drives a Chevy Suburban across the street from the Capitol to Upper Senate Park, where he rips auto manufacturers in the context of an energy efficiency news conference.

Across the street.

Henry Payne responds:

We await the senator's next mandate that Capitol security vehicles be planet-saving, 4-cylinder gas hybrid Priuses made by non-union Toyota Motor Company. . . .

Center.org

The New York Post today published an editorial on Bill Dedman's study of the contribution habits of reporters. Dedman found an almost nine to one lean towards Democrats and liberal causes. But perhaps, perhaps, those reporters are unable to tell the difference:

Randy Cohen, ethics columnist for the Times Magazine, said he considered unabashedly hard-left MoveOn.org, to which he contributed, "nonpartisan."

Forget the bias. Worry about the ignorance.

More Emissions Please

R. Timothy Patterson is more than a denialist, he's a global coolist:

Solar scientists predict that, by 2020, the sun will be starting into its weakest Schwabe solar cycle of the past two centuries, likely leading to unusually cool conditions on Earth. Beginning to plan for adaptation to such a cool period, one which may continue well beyond one 11-year cycle, as did the Little Ice Age, should be a priority for governments. It is global cooling, not warming, that is the major climate threat to the world, especially Canada.

If Patterson is right, only the SUV can save us now. When you consider the possible ravages of a considerably cooler climate, a slightly warming climate seems all but insignificant. I, for one, hope Patterson is wrong.

More thoughts at Powerline.

Interesting Bedfellows

In "The Runaway Train That Hit Scooter Libby," Richard Cohen makes a very fine point:

For some odd reason, the same people who were so appalled about government snooping, the USA Patriot Act and other such threats to civil liberties cheered as the special prosecutor weed-whacked the press, jailed a reporter and now will send a previously obscure government official to prison for 30 months.

Not to mention, the CIA became a heroic underdog to the same people who spent the last 40 years trying to get rid of it. That was the most hilarious part about this whole fiasco to me; watching the Democrats (and the media) get in bed with the CIA and essentially endorse a low grade coup of an elected official by career spies.

No wonder they don't talk much about democracy anymore.

Pachy

The local GOP has started a blog. Go check out Chisago County is GOP and follow the exploits of Pachy the pachyderm. Good things to come from this blog I'm sure.

You can find the link in the sidebar in the future.

Father's Day Post

Between the Opus cartoon and Time Magazine's hit piece on American fathers, the media's general disdain for fathers seemed a little excessive this year, even by its own standard. I was pondering just this evening that it would almost be preferable to not have a holiday celebrating fathers.

Jroosh to the rescue with a Rick Reilly column, which I think is an archive. If you're feeling down, go read it. It's an incredible story.

List lengthened

Add this to the increasingly ridiculous list:

THE slaughter in Darfur was triggered by global climate change and that more such conflicts may be on the horizo, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says in an article published today.

In other breaking news, Arafat's house has been looted and his Nobel Peace Prize pilfered. Could this too be the stark evidence of climate change?

He Must Be An Indepedent

The Star Tribune reports on the sentencing of Senate president James Metzen on DWI charges, including a detailed description of the sentence, Metzen's occupation, and his pre-arrest consumption.

But no copy could be spared to note his political party.

The Terror Gore

Treacher on Al Gore's 1992 speech, in which Gore admonished Bush 41 for minimizing the Iraq threat:

YesterGore played on NowGore's FEARRRRRRRS!!!

Bad YesterGore. Bad.

Time to Host a Kegger

Via Powerline, chin up! Things could be worse. You could be as popular as Scooter Libby...or Harry Reid:

Harry Reid 19% 45% -26
Scooter Libby 19% 58% -39
(Fav/Unfav/Net)

The Libby camp has thus far chosen not to comment on hitting the dubios benchmark.

Goodbyes

Today we said our goodbyes to Private First Class Teaparty. She's off for basic training in South Carolina until mid-August. It was a fairly emotional goodbye and it occurred to me only moments before she left that she is too young for this. I mean, she's not really. It just feels that way.

Keep her safety in your thoughts will you?

Last night we said goodbye to The Sopranos, which has certainly felt like a member of the family for the better part of the last decade. I've heard a lot of criticism about the finale, but I thought it was exactly is it should have been. In the end, there is no end, just the continuation of the status quo. Tom sent a link to this post, which sums up my thoughts on the series ending perfectly:

It was the perfect ending. No ending at all. Write your own goddamn ending.

Indeed.

A New Venture Announced

At long last, the company has launched a blog page. Right now there are only a few of us taking part, but the number will be growing soon. Here is a link to mine, The UpsiderBlog, a clickable ad for which will be appearing for awhile on top posts. Here is a link to the blog homepage, where you can find links to the other company blogs. Appearing on the blogs are links to all the news publications under the company umbrella.

I am very proud to note that I played a part in making this step a reality, just one of many currently in various stages of development, meant to address the future of news and publishing.

From here on in I will be doing just as much blogging there as here, although on a different set of subjects. I am trying very hard to stick with state and local issues at The UpsiderBlog, but you won't be suprised to find numerous posts on the subject of global warming already. One rule I absolutely intend to stick to is no cross-posting. You will never read the same post at both places.

This blog will soldier on in as it has and readers should note little difference in content or frequency.

I hope you will mark The UpsiderBlog and other company sites among your daily stops as you have this blog, for which I am eternally grateful and flattered. And I certainly wouldn't object to the odd blogger who saw fit to toss the new site(s) a sidebar link.

On a personal note, it will likely not come as a surprise how excited I am by this opportunity. Not only to partake of this incredible medium for more than my own amusement, but to introduce it (and hopefully develop a passion for it) among other staff. Over the last year it has been my honor to show off what is so incredible about the blogosphere to many within the company who were unfamiliar with it beforehand. Sometimes I have to pinch myself and wonder how it is someone saw fit to pay me to teach such a fine group of people about blogs, of all things.

And so, this long strange trip continues...

Cat Overpopulation

Added to the ever-growing list of things caused by global warming is the increase of cats in shelters:

The cause of this feline flood is an extended cat breeding season thanks to the world’s warming temperatures, according to the group, which is one of the country’s oldest and largest animal welfare organizations.

It's a regular cat orgy. When will the madness end?

I'm Not Dave Johnson...

...but then, we knew that already.

That's right, the Ducks win the cup in a 6-2 romp over the Ottawa Senators. With the pressure off, the Sens are sure to get their game back and start a historic comeback. Wait. Never mind.

Bragging rights go to Hockey Rube on this one although the result was never really that much in doubt. I like underdogs and the Sens were certainly that. On the other hand, the Ducks are an astoundingly good hockey team, especially on defense.

On the plus side, it was nice to see the Niedermayer brothers win a cup together. And, I'm even a little happy for Teemu Selanne, who has labored in this league a long time without a championship. Nevertheless, I still hate the damn Ducks and will for all time.

On the other hand, this was one of the most boring Stanley Cup playoffs I can remember. Along the way there was only a single game 7. One. Many of the series were done in five, including the final. Not even the final game was exciting. The Ducks jumped out to a 2-0 lead and the closest it ever got was 3-2. It was 4-2 to start the third period and two goals might as well be six goals against the Ducks defense.

To be honest, I'm just kind of glad it's over. Let's hope next year brings more excitement.

A Sure Thing

Having lost game four and falling two games behind in the series, the Ottawa Senators finally have the Ducks right where it wants them; primed for the big fall. You'll note that Hockey Rube hasn't been around much since the story line started playing out for a huge Ottawa upset.

Mark my words, the Sens will be hoisting that cup or my name's not Dave Johnson.

Libby Sentenced

Scooter gets 30 months for having a bad memory, in a case where no crime was originally committed.

Any bets on how long it will take Bush to issue a pardon? Personally, I don't have much faith that he is going to.

Ottawa Lives

Ottawa takes a 5-3 win to get one back in the now 2-1 series against the Ducks. If there is any justice Chris Pronger will not be available for game four because of one of his classic cry-baby cheapshots.

Like the Wild, and the Red Wings, Ottawa proved again tonight that the Ducks can be forced out of their game and into stupid penalties. The question is, unlike the other teams can Ottawa do it more than once.

Warmed Bear

Yesterday morning we awoke to a hole dug in the backyard. The hole was strange because it appeared to burrow right into a large red ant colony, seemingly negating the possibility that a dog did it. This morning we awoke to our garbage can tipped and garbage scattered all over the yard and woods behind the house.

We were all ready to march next door and tell the neighbor to keep his damn dog tied up or we'd happily shoot it, when Scroo-loo noticed that her bird feeder (located roughly 7 feet off the ground) had been damaged as well. That can only mean one thing:

Bear.

Although it is unlikely it was a polar bear lost and starving as a result of melting polar ice caps, we have not ruled out the possibility. More likely it was a black bear, which are defying all science and thriving in this super-heated environment.