I thought my kids had been messing with the computer, but now I know who the real culprit is for that annoying black screen when I open up the Google home page. According to the Associated Press, "Internet search engine Google lent its support to Earth Hour by blackening its normally white home page and challenging visitors: 'We've turned the lights out. Now it's your turn.'" And not only that:
From Rome's Colosseum to the Sydney Opera House, floodlit icons of civilization went dark Saturday for Earth Hour, a worldwide campaign to highlight the threat of climate change.
The environmental group WWF urged governments, businesses and households to turn back to candle power for at least 60 minutes starting at 8 p.m. wherever they were.
Plllease! This is the most ridiculous "energy conservation" measure since President Jimmy Carter told us not to use any Christmas lights in the 1970s.
Sorry, but I will be watching the NCAA basketball tournament at 8 p.m. "Saving" the world from "climate change" will just have to wait until we go to bed victorious after the U of L - North Carolina game.
Update: Elephants in the Bluegrass will retain its "green" background for the duration of the blackout.
Update No. 2: Go Cards!
Update No. 3: The Tar Heels delivered the blackout of the Cards' season -- for both men and women. Oh well. It was a great season nonetheless. Thanks, Cardinals, and good luck to North Carolina for the remainder of the respective tournaments.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
We Can Pick Our Own Good Causes
Kentuckians don't need the state government to designate which charity should be the object of our generosity. Consequently, neither of the charities seeking to get the $10 from "In God We Trust" license plates should win this debate. Let the drivers decide as a matter of individual conscience.
John Cheves has been following the legislation for Pol Watchers,
The Senate Transportation Committee on Thursday approved House Bill 207 and sent it to the full Senate. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jim Gooch, D-Providence, would let Kentucky motorists buy a specialty plate emblazoned with the words “In God We Trust.” Ten dollars from each plate would go to the state’s veterans’ trust fund.
Gooch's bill has drawn protests from a nonprofit group, Reclaim Our Culture Kentuckiana (ROCK), that applied late last year to the Transportation Cabinet for its own “In God We Trust” plates to raise money for its anti-pornography efforts. ROCK alleges that lawmakers swiped its idea and now stand to divert millions of dollars in potential revenue.
Both sides of this debate implicitly assert that God would want that $10 donated to their charity. Helping veterans and fighting pornography -- both are worthy causes, competing for scarce dollars against other worthy causes.
The license plate about to be released, however, does not read: "God Loves Veterans!" or "God Hates Pornography!" though both sentiments may well be true. The disputed tag reads "In God We Trust." That's one God, but how and when and to what extent we trust Him varies greatly from person to person. State coercion or entanglement on matters of altruism and faith undermines respect for both state and charity.
So Kentucky should follow Indiana's lead and let drivers purchase the "In God We Trust" license plates for no additional charge. Then drivers can donate $10 or however much they want to whomever they want, as the Spirit leads them.
John Cheves has been following the legislation for Pol Watchers,
The Senate Transportation Committee on Thursday approved House Bill 207 and sent it to the full Senate. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jim Gooch, D-Providence, would let Kentucky motorists buy a specialty plate emblazoned with the words “In God We Trust.” Ten dollars from each plate would go to the state’s veterans’ trust fund.
Gooch's bill has drawn protests from a nonprofit group, Reclaim Our Culture Kentuckiana (ROCK), that applied late last year to the Transportation Cabinet for its own “In God We Trust” plates to raise money for its anti-pornography efforts. ROCK alleges that lawmakers swiped its idea and now stand to divert millions of dollars in potential revenue.
Both sides of this debate implicitly assert that God would want that $10 donated to their charity. Helping veterans and fighting pornography -- both are worthy causes, competing for scarce dollars against other worthy causes.
The license plate about to be released, however, does not read: "God Loves Veterans!" or "God Hates Pornography!" though both sentiments may well be true. The disputed tag reads "In God We Trust." That's one God, but how and when and to what extent we trust Him varies greatly from person to person. State coercion or entanglement on matters of altruism and faith undermines respect for both state and charity.
So Kentucky should follow Indiana's lead and let drivers purchase the "In God We Trust" license plates for no additional charge. Then drivers can donate $10 or however much they want to whomever they want, as the Spirit leads them.
One Small Step for Kentucky Schools
Once and while, even in Frankfort, an issue comes along to which the answer is clear-cut even to to those who come from different political parties and philosophies. Buried beneath all the rancor of competing proposed budgets for Kentucky is such an issue.
The Senate's proposed budget includes language that would give schools flexibility in how to publish certain required information; the Senate version would allow schools to use the Internet to meet their public notice requirements.
Kentucky law requires schools to notify members of the public that they can review their school district's annual financial statement and school report cards of aggregate CATS test results. At present, schools must publish these legal notices in the newspaper with the largest circulation for the area.
For a small school district in proximity to a big newspaper, that is a very expensive -- and unfunded -- mandate. The Courier-Journal, for example, charges thousands of dollars to publish these notices.
The Senate proposes language that would let schools continue to publish in the newspaper, if they so choose, but also would allow publication via the Internet. The Kentucky School Board Association has urged the legislature to make this change for many years.
In the earliest days of the Internet, perhaps legislators justifiably could worry that not enough members of the public were on-line to satisfy the purpose of the notice requirements. That is no longer the case.
If anything, the success of the Internet has jeopardized traditional print media to the point where even Old School newspapers publish on-line. There's an irony: schools are forced to pay to appear in newspapers that then publish on-line, when the school could skip the newspaper as middleman and get the same result for free. Consequently, the current publication law enriches the newspaper industry to the detriment of our children.
Moreover, residents who want to review information about the local school are far more likely to click on the school district's web site than to get out magnifying glasses to read the legal notices in the newspaper.
This is not a hard call. If the Senate, the General Assembly and the Governor can at least agree on this small change, then at least this legislative session will have produced one good thing. It's not much, but it's better than nothing.
The Senate's proposed budget includes language that would give schools flexibility in how to publish certain required information; the Senate version would allow schools to use the Internet to meet their public notice requirements.
Kentucky law requires schools to notify members of the public that they can review their school district's annual financial statement and school report cards of aggregate CATS test results. At present, schools must publish these legal notices in the newspaper with the largest circulation for the area.
For a small school district in proximity to a big newspaper, that is a very expensive -- and unfunded -- mandate. The Courier-Journal, for example, charges thousands of dollars to publish these notices.
The Senate proposes language that would let schools continue to publish in the newspaper, if they so choose, but also would allow publication via the Internet. The Kentucky School Board Association has urged the legislature to make this change for many years.
In the earliest days of the Internet, perhaps legislators justifiably could worry that not enough members of the public were on-line to satisfy the purpose of the notice requirements. That is no longer the case.
If anything, the success of the Internet has jeopardized traditional print media to the point where even Old School newspapers publish on-line. There's an irony: schools are forced to pay to appear in newspapers that then publish on-line, when the school could skip the newspaper as middleman and get the same result for free. Consequently, the current publication law enriches the newspaper industry to the detriment of our children.
Moreover, residents who want to review information about the local school are far more likely to click on the school district's web site than to get out magnifying glasses to read the legal notices in the newspaper.
This is not a hard call. If the Senate, the General Assembly and the Governor can at least agree on this small change, then at least this legislative session will have produced one good thing. It's not much, but it's better than nothing.
Friday, March 28, 2008
The Audacity of Bigotry
Mr. Wonderful has been unmasked. Barack Obama's association with the Reverend Jeremiah Wright is proof of one thing: Obama is a racist focused on the politics of division. By now we have all heard the sound clips of the Reverend Wright's vile and hateful language. Obama has of course tried to distance himself from the Reverend Wright, but his eloquent dissembling can't get him out of this one. The Reverend Wright wasn't just Barack's pastor, he performed his marriage, baptized his children and in Barack's own words, was his "spiritual advisor". A spiritual advisor is one of the most intimate and close of all human relationships. Barack knew exactly what Wright was preaching, and he endorsed it. Barack Obama is a very angry and hateful man. A Harvard education, a calm demeanor and an eloquent tongue tend to mask this, but his longstanding and close relationship with the Reverend Wright is proof of his deception.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Annoy the New York Times: Vote Four Onto the FEC
Last fall the New York Times said it would be "Back-Scratching Across the Aisle" for Democrats to confirm the two Republican nominees for the Federal Election Commission at the same time the two Democratic nominees are confirmed. We would call such a vote an act of goodwill and bipartisanship, given that one party traditionally does not hold the other party's FEC nominee hostage in the confirmation process, as the Democrats have done with Republican Hans von Spakovsky.
Yesterday the backscratching was between the Democrats and the Times, which applauded the Democrats' continued obstructionism on the FEC confirmation vote. Indeed, the Times tries to flip the issue, claiming that Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell is to blame for not having caved to Democrats who want to stack the FEC with their own people.
The Times also resorts to name calling, saying von Spakovsky is "a notorious partisan who built a record at the Justice Department as an aggressive G.O.P. booster undermining voting rights for minorities and the poor." The proof? "He was a major proponent of a noxious Georgia law requiring voters to have photo ID’s."
Whether a voter should be required to prove his identity with a driver's license or equivalent is, at a minimum, an issue on which reasonable minds can disagree. It should not disqualify someone from serving on the FEC.
The Democrats should stop being obstinate and allow the Republicans to seat their two choices for the FEC along with the Democrats' two picks. As the Times recognizes, the FEC has important business to do, including enforcement of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act. All four nominees should be confirmed so the FEC can get to work.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
Yesterday the backscratching was between the Democrats and the Times, which applauded the Democrats' continued obstructionism on the FEC confirmation vote. Indeed, the Times tries to flip the issue, claiming that Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell is to blame for not having caved to Democrats who want to stack the FEC with their own people.
The Times also resorts to name calling, saying von Spakovsky is "a notorious partisan who built a record at the Justice Department as an aggressive G.O.P. booster undermining voting rights for minorities and the poor." The proof? "He was a major proponent of a noxious Georgia law requiring voters to have photo ID’s."
Whether a voter should be required to prove his identity with a driver's license or equivalent is, at a minimum, an issue on which reasonable minds can disagree. It should not disqualify someone from serving on the FEC.
The Democrats should stop being obstinate and allow the Republicans to seat their two choices for the FEC along with the Democrats' two picks. As the Times recognizes, the FEC has important business to do, including enforcement of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act. All four nominees should be confirmed so the FEC can get to work.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
Hillary Hopes Money Talks
Boston.com reports that "[t]he 20 Hillary Clinton supporters who sent House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a letter telling her to keep hands off the superdelegate fight warned ominously that they had been enthusiastic financial backers of the Democratic Party." And these were just ordinary mom-and-pops supporters: "the letter-signers, along with their spouses, have contributed $23.6 million to Democrats since 1999, the Center for Responsive Politics said." This is what should be called "pay to pray (she still has a chance) politics".
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
Let the Democrats Pick Their Own
Okay, all you turncoat Republicans: Stop trying to vote in the Democratic primary!
The Associated Press reports:
Thousands of Kentuckians have switched political parties over the past three months, apparently in hopes of voting in the Democratic presidential primary.
Problem is Secretary of State Trey Grayson says Kentucky law forbids people who switch parties after Dec. 31 from voting in the presidential primary.
Enough said.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
The Associated Press reports:
Thousands of Kentuckians have switched political parties over the past three months, apparently in hopes of voting in the Democratic presidential primary.
Problem is Secretary of State Trey Grayson says Kentucky law forbids people who switch parties after Dec. 31 from voting in the presidential primary.
Enough said.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
Spitzer Cheated On His Call-Girl
Former Governor Elliot Spitzer was a regular customer of more than the Emperors [sic] Club VIP for his call girls; he "patronized Wicked Models, the Manhattan-based operation taken down Tuesday," according to the New York Post. (H/T: hotair.com)
The head of Wicked Models is Kristen "Billie" Davis, who made two million dollars last year pimping out prostitutes for $1,000 an hour. That's cheap compared to the $5,500 per hour that clients paid for some of the Emperors Club women.
The Post reports that Davis "'personally interfaced with Spitzer a number of times" since 2003 before she became a madam,'" according to a source close to Davis. (Interface? Is that the verb they're teaching in Health?)
Davis' client list allegedly includes 10,000 names.
Given that Davis has now been indicted for money laundering and promoting prostitution -- and faces the prospect of 15 years in jail -- we can expect to hear more about those 10,000 names. In an election year, no less. Men, the attorney-client, doctor-patient, pastor-penitent privileges do not apply; there is no hooker-John privilege.
The head of Wicked Models is Kristen "Billie" Davis, who made two million dollars last year pimping out prostitutes for $1,000 an hour. That's cheap compared to the $5,500 per hour that clients paid for some of the Emperors Club women.
The Post reports that Davis "'personally interfaced with Spitzer a number of times" since 2003 before she became a madam,'" according to a source close to Davis. (Interface? Is that the verb they're teaching in Health?)
Davis' client list allegedly includes 10,000 names.
Given that Davis has now been indicted for money laundering and promoting prostitution -- and faces the prospect of 15 years in jail -- we can expect to hear more about those 10,000 names. In an election year, no less. Men, the attorney-client, doctor-patient, pastor-penitent privileges do not apply; there is no hooker-John privilege.
McCain Campaign's Internet Link To Twenty-Something Voters
Sen. John McCain's 23-year-old daughter, Meghan, has started an Internet diary, http://www.mccainblogette.com/, which the Associated Press reports "offers an insider's view, offbeat and sometimes surprisingly intimate":
Meghan uses backstage images to spotlight her father's sense of humor: cracking up with former President Bush just before Bush endorses him and snapping tongs at the camera as he grills for journalists at home in Sedona, Ariz.
There is a photograph of her mother, Cindy, barefoot in pink polka-dotted pajamas, having her hair taken down the night McCain clinched the nomination in Dallas. Meghan also reveals that her mother, chairwoman of a family beer company, knows if a beer is fresh "depending on the taste."
Meghan decided to blog about the campaign, with help from a couple of friends, after graduating last year from Columbia University.
Her Web site mixes behind-the-scenes photos and videos from the campaign trail with iPod music playlists, designer fashion, even makeup tips.
It can be addictive, says Julie Barko Germany, director of the Institute for Politics and the Internet at George Washington University.
"It feels almost like picking up a copy of Us Weekly — real stars, they're just like us!" Germany said.
Meghan's web site may be just what the 71-year-old McCain needs to connect with twenty somethings. Perhaps Chelsea Clinton should do a similar makeover for her mom with the younger crowd.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
Meghan uses backstage images to spotlight her father's sense of humor: cracking up with former President Bush just before Bush endorses him and snapping tongs at the camera as he grills for journalists at home in Sedona, Ariz.
There is a photograph of her mother, Cindy, barefoot in pink polka-dotted pajamas, having her hair taken down the night McCain clinched the nomination in Dallas. Meghan also reveals that her mother, chairwoman of a family beer company, knows if a beer is fresh "depending on the taste."
Meghan decided to blog about the campaign, with help from a couple of friends, after graduating last year from Columbia University.
Her Web site mixes behind-the-scenes photos and videos from the campaign trail with iPod music playlists, designer fashion, even makeup tips.
It can be addictive, says Julie Barko Germany, director of the Institute for Politics and the Internet at George Washington University.
"It feels almost like picking up a copy of Us Weekly — real stars, they're just like us!" Germany said.
Meghan's web site may be just what the 71-year-old McCain needs to connect with twenty somethings. Perhaps Chelsea Clinton should do a similar makeover for her mom with the younger crowd.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Bipartisan Baseball Blather
Congressman John Yarmuth and his Democratic colleagues on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform have wasted a lot of taxpayer money investigating the "he said, he said" dispute between Roger Clemens and his alleged steroids and human growth hormone injector, Brian McNamee. The grandstanding (and it wasn't in a ballpark) has thus far produced an "18-page memo compiled by majority staff and released by chairman Rep. Henry Waxman, a California Democrat, on Feb. 27," according to the Associated Press.
Now the AP reports that Republican committee members have joined in the tree killing, with a "109-page report" that purportedly "'seeks to dispel conclusions that may have resulted from an incomplete consideration of the full record' and contains details Rep. Tom Davis believes could challenge the credibility of McNamee."
Who cares? The House committee shouldn't have conducted the hearings in the first place. Both Clemens and McNamee ought to be able to raise the defense of "irrelevant to the work of Congress" if either of them is ever prosecuted for alleged misstatements in their testimony.
Congressman Davis has opted not to run for reelection this year. Too bad Yarmuth will not do the same. Anne Northup should promise that, once she defeats Yarmuth, she will not participate in similar silly games that masquerade as congressional work.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
Now the AP reports that Republican committee members have joined in the tree killing, with a "109-page report" that purportedly "'seeks to dispel conclusions that may have resulted from an incomplete consideration of the full record' and contains details Rep. Tom Davis believes could challenge the credibility of McNamee."
Who cares? The House committee shouldn't have conducted the hearings in the first place. Both Clemens and McNamee ought to be able to raise the defense of "irrelevant to the work of Congress" if either of them is ever prosecuted for alleged misstatements in their testimony.
Congressman Davis has opted not to run for reelection this year. Too bad Yarmuth will not do the same. Anne Northup should promise that, once she defeats Yarmuth, she will not participate in similar silly games that masquerade as congressional work.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Family Ties
The Associated Press reports that "[r]esearchers at the New England Historic Genealogical Society found some remarkable family connections for the three presidential candidates — Democratic rivals Obama and Clinton, and Republican John McCain."
It turns out that "Barack Obama is a distant cousin of actor Brad Pitt, and Hillary Rodham Clinton is related to Pitt's girlfriend, Angelina Jolie." Does that make Barack and Hillary "dissing cousins"?
And not only that, there are other unexpected finds in the presidential candidates' respective genealogies:
Clinton, who is of French-Canadian descent on her mother's side, is also a distant cousin of singers Madonna, Celine Dion and Alanis Morissette. Obama, the son of a white woman from Kansas and a black man from Kenya, can call six U.S. presidents, including George W. Bush, his cousins. McCain is a sixth cousin of first lady Laura Bush.
The AP further elaborates on Obama's family ties:
Obama has a prolific presidential lineage that features Democrats and Republicans. His distant cousins include President George W. Bush and his father, George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Lyndon Johnson, Harry S. Truman and James Madison. Other Obama cousins include Vice President Dick Cheney, British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill and Civil War General Robert E. Lee.
It looks like Barack has the most blue-blood connections. In comparison, Hillary (whose only notable relations appear to be musicians) is a woman of the people.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
It turns out that "Barack Obama is a distant cousin of actor Brad Pitt, and Hillary Rodham Clinton is related to Pitt's girlfriend, Angelina Jolie." Does that make Barack and Hillary "dissing cousins"?
And not only that, there are other unexpected finds in the presidential candidates' respective genealogies:
Clinton, who is of French-Canadian descent on her mother's side, is also a distant cousin of singers Madonna, Celine Dion and Alanis Morissette. Obama, the son of a white woman from Kansas and a black man from Kenya, can call six U.S. presidents, including George W. Bush, his cousins. McCain is a sixth cousin of first lady Laura Bush.
The AP further elaborates on Obama's family ties:
Obama has a prolific presidential lineage that features Democrats and Republicans. His distant cousins include President George W. Bush and his father, George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Lyndon Johnson, Harry S. Truman and James Madison. Other Obama cousins include Vice President Dick Cheney, British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill and Civil War General Robert E. Lee.
It looks like Barack has the most blue-blood connections. In comparison, Hillary (whose only notable relations appear to be musicians) is a woman of the people.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
Bourbon Politics
For those bored with the brawl between Barack and Hillary, here's a report on another important election-year contest just decided:
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) announced the 2008 winners. Buffalo Trace Distillery was named "Distillery of the Year." This is the first time in the competition's history an American distillery has taken home this honor. The SFWSC is the largest spirits competition in the United States with more than 800 products from 63 different countries participating in this year's event.
Congratulations to Mark Brown and company at Buffalo Trace!
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) announced the 2008 winners. Buffalo Trace Distillery was named "Distillery of the Year." This is the first time in the competition's history an American distillery has taken home this honor. The SFWSC is the largest spirits competition in the United States with more than 800 products from 63 different countries participating in this year's event.
Congratulations to Mark Brown and company at Buffalo Trace!
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
CBS Debunks Hillary's Bosnia Tale
Of all the networks to accuse Hillary Clinton of making stuff up, CBS -- the "Clinton Broadcast Service" -- is the least likely. Yet it was CBS that pointed out that Clinton's tale of risking her neck to go to Bosnia -- under supposed sniper fire -- deviated far from reality.
CBS was able to impeach Clinton's account with actual videotape that the network shot when it accompanied the former First Lady to Bosnia (linked by Drudge). No snipers; just charming children.
Clinton's campaign is attempting to spin the Bosnia story as a simple mistake -- a lapse of memory that stems from Clinton visiting 80 foreign countries as First Lady.
Having made her experience an issue, and having boasted about her bravery in visiting combat zones, this exaggeration reminds the public that when it comes to factual accuracy, the Clintons are rely on a fuzzy truthiness that cannot survive the scrutiny of a YouTube election.
CBS was able to impeach Clinton's account with actual videotape that the network shot when it accompanied the former First Lady to Bosnia (linked by Drudge). No snipers; just charming children.
Clinton's campaign is attempting to spin the Bosnia story as a simple mistake -- a lapse of memory that stems from Clinton visiting 80 foreign countries as First Lady.
Having made her experience an issue, and having boasted about her bravery in visiting combat zones, this exaggeration reminds the public that when it comes to factual accuracy, the Clintons are rely on a fuzzy truthiness that cannot survive the scrutiny of a YouTube election.
Monday, March 24, 2008
One More Convert For the Cause
Another former "progressive" has admitted the error of his ways. Playwright David Mamet wrote an essay for the Village Voice entitled, Why I Am No Longer a 'Brain-Dead Liberal' in which he admits that his Utopian view of "progressivism" cannot be squared with his real life observations about human nature and government.
While writing a play about a conservative president and his "brain-dead liberal" speech writer, Mamet experienced a sort of political epiphany.
Mamet describes his former political orientation: "As a child of the '60s, I accepted as an article of faith that government is corrupt, that business is exploitative, and that people are generally good at heart."
The underlying assumption of this view, Mamet realized, is that "everything is always wrong." "But in my life, a brief review revealed, everything was not always wrong, and neither was nor is always wrong in the community in which I live, or in my country."
The assumption that "everything is always wrong," Mamet realized, could not be squared with that other tenet of liberalism -- that people are "basically good at heart."
And, I wondered, how could I have spent decades thinking that I thought everything was always wrong at the same time that I thought I thought that people were basically good at heart? Which was it? I began to question what I actually thought and found that I do not think that people are basically good at heart; indeed, that view of human nature has both prompted and informed my writing for the last 40 years. I think that people, in circumstances of stress, can behave like swine, and that this, indeed, is not only a fit subject, but the only subject, of drama.
Mamet notes that his observation of human nature as a playwright comports with the view of the Founding Fathers:
For the Constitution, rather than suggesting that all behave in a godlike manner, recognizes that, to the contrary, people are swine and will take any opportunity to subvert any agreement in order to pursue what they consider to be their proper interests.
Thus the need for separation of powers and federalism.
After discovering that his old world view didn't work, Mamet realizes that he distrusts government generally. Not just George W. Bush -- whom he "considered a monster" -- but JFK, "a president whom I revered."
Bush got us into Iraq, JFK into Vietnam. Bush stole the election in Florida; Kennedy stole his in Chicago. Bush outed a CIA agent; Kennedy left hundreds of them to die in the surf at the Bay of Pigs. Bush lied about his military service; Kennedy accepted a Pulitzer Prize for a book written by Ted Sorenson. Bush was in bed with the Saudis, Kennedy with the Mafia. Oh.
Mamet's newly realistic assessment of human nature causes him to reassess institutions such as the military, corporations and even the jury. These groups that he previously had considered inherently evil, it turns out are just "working groups" of ordinary people, not infalible but able to to produce a good result much of the time. Indeed, America itself is not nearly so bad as the rest of the world likes to pretend, Mamet concludes.
Mamet then starts reading conservative writers Thomas Sowell, Paul Johnson and Milton Friedman, and is stunned to find "I agreed with them: a free-market understanding of the world meshes more perfectly with my experience than that idealistic vision I called liberalism."
This conversion from youthful radical to mid-life conservative now puts Mamet in the company of such literary greats as Kingsley Amis, William Wordsworth and Fyodor Dostoevsky.
What a pity that we don't see the beautiful people of Hollywood undergoing a similar transformation. To be sure, most of these people transform themselves in mid-life. Mamet's metamorphosis, however, was deeper than Botox. Let's hope it is also longer-lasting.
While writing a play about a conservative president and his "brain-dead liberal" speech writer, Mamet experienced a sort of political epiphany.
Mamet describes his former political orientation: "As a child of the '60s, I accepted as an article of faith that government is corrupt, that business is exploitative, and that people are generally good at heart."
The underlying assumption of this view, Mamet realized, is that "everything is always wrong." "But in my life, a brief review revealed, everything was not always wrong, and neither was nor is always wrong in the community in which I live, or in my country."
The assumption that "everything is always wrong," Mamet realized, could not be squared with that other tenet of liberalism -- that people are "basically good at heart."
And, I wondered, how could I have spent decades thinking that I thought everything was always wrong at the same time that I thought I thought that people were basically good at heart? Which was it? I began to question what I actually thought and found that I do not think that people are basically good at heart; indeed, that view of human nature has both prompted and informed my writing for the last 40 years. I think that people, in circumstances of stress, can behave like swine, and that this, indeed, is not only a fit subject, but the only subject, of drama.
Mamet notes that his observation of human nature as a playwright comports with the view of the Founding Fathers:
For the Constitution, rather than suggesting that all behave in a godlike manner, recognizes that, to the contrary, people are swine and will take any opportunity to subvert any agreement in order to pursue what they consider to be their proper interests.
Thus the need for separation of powers and federalism.
After discovering that his old world view didn't work, Mamet realizes that he distrusts government generally. Not just George W. Bush -- whom he "considered a monster" -- but JFK, "a president whom I revered."
Bush got us into Iraq, JFK into Vietnam. Bush stole the election in Florida; Kennedy stole his in Chicago. Bush outed a CIA agent; Kennedy left hundreds of them to die in the surf at the Bay of Pigs. Bush lied about his military service; Kennedy accepted a Pulitzer Prize for a book written by Ted Sorenson. Bush was in bed with the Saudis, Kennedy with the Mafia. Oh.
Mamet's newly realistic assessment of human nature causes him to reassess institutions such as the military, corporations and even the jury. These groups that he previously had considered inherently evil, it turns out are just "working groups" of ordinary people, not infalible but able to to produce a good result much of the time. Indeed, America itself is not nearly so bad as the rest of the world likes to pretend, Mamet concludes.
Mamet then starts reading conservative writers Thomas Sowell, Paul Johnson and Milton Friedman, and is stunned to find "I agreed with them: a free-market understanding of the world meshes more perfectly with my experience than that idealistic vision I called liberalism."
This conversion from youthful radical to mid-life conservative now puts Mamet in the company of such literary greats as Kingsley Amis, William Wordsworth and Fyodor Dostoevsky.
What a pity that we don't see the beautiful people of Hollywood undergoing a similar transformation. To be sure, most of these people transform themselves in mid-life. Mamet's metamorphosis, however, was deeper than Botox. Let's hope it is also longer-lasting.
Hillary's Not OK
How about them Cards! A 30-point win over the Sooners yesterday -- quite impressive.
Speaking of decimating Oklahoma, check out this spoof of Hillary singing a famous Broadway tune with new lyrics about her opponent:
Click here: Barack Obama: Walt Handelsman Animation
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
Speaking of decimating Oklahoma, check out this spoof of Hillary singing a famous Broadway tune with new lyrics about her opponent:
Click here: Barack Obama: Walt Handelsman Animation
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Happy Easter!
It's daunting to write anything about Easter; I can't add anything to St. John's words. The Anchoress, on the other hand, is a site that any person of faith should visit on a regular basis. Here's a link to her Easter posting.
I can't resist one political digression: it's snowing in Kentucky. We need a little global warming, right this very minute. That is, Al Gore has no future as a meteorologist.
Our best wishes for a blessed Easter.
I can't resist one political digression: it's snowing in Kentucky. We need a little global warming, right this very minute. That is, Al Gore has no future as a meteorologist.
Our best wishes for a blessed Easter.
Limousine Liberal
Why do these numbers not suprise us? The Courier-Journal's Jim Carroll reports that Congressman John Yarmuth "was more liberal on key votes last year than 69.7 percent of his House colleagues." Also, "Golf Digest has released its ratings of 'Washington's Top 200' in golf, and Yarmuth ranks first among members of Congress with a USGA Handicap Index of plus-0.5." Raising taxes and playing many rounds of golf are easily affordable for a multi-millionaire like Yarmuth.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
Friday, March 21, 2008
NRCC Targets Yarmuth
As the Ditch Mitch movement runs out of steam, Kentucky Democrats' election-year strategy will need to shift from offense to defense to protect their most vulnerable member in the state's Washington, D.C. delegation. The Southern Political Report notes that Congressman John Yarmuth is on Republicans' target list for defeat in November:
The National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee (NRCC) has included five Southern congressional districts among its 24 targets for making US House gains in this fall’s elections. The five Democratic incumbents that the GOP will focus on in Dixie are Nick Lampson (TX 22), Tim Mahoney (FL 16), Jim Marshall (GA 8), Ciro Rodriguez (TX 23) and John Yarmuth (KY 3). All are freshmen, when incumbents are traditionally most vulnerable, except Marshall, who was elected in 2002.
Yarmuth's vulnerability is undoubtedly enhanced by the poor showing of both Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama with Kentucky voters:
A SurveyUSA poll of Kentucky voters released March 19 shows John McCain leading both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton by significant margins. McCain beat Obama 64% to 28%, a whopping 36-point margin, and beat Clinton by a still healthy 53% to 43%.
The National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee (NRCC) has included five Southern congressional districts among its 24 targets for making US House gains in this fall’s elections. The five Democratic incumbents that the GOP will focus on in Dixie are Nick Lampson (TX 22), Tim Mahoney (FL 16), Jim Marshall (GA 8), Ciro Rodriguez (TX 23) and John Yarmuth (KY 3). All are freshmen, when incumbents are traditionally most vulnerable, except Marshall, who was elected in 2002.
Yarmuth's vulnerability is undoubtedly enhanced by the poor showing of both Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama with Kentucky voters:
A SurveyUSA poll of Kentucky voters released March 19 shows John McCain leading both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton by significant margins. McCain beat Obama 64% to 28%, a whopping 36-point margin, and beat Clinton by a still healthy 53% to 43%.
Doom and Gloom at Blue Grass Roots
The Demo-blogs grow more dispirited each day, as the election draws closer. Here's the latest prediction for Blue Grass Roots:
Bruce Lunsford has no chance at winning in the fall. Z-ee-ro. Greg Fischer has at least a small chance. I prefer a small chance at big change than no chance at no change.
The nagging question remains: Are Chuck Schumer and the national Democrats really so out of touch that they don't know that Lunsford is despised as a corrupt retread? Or are they so cheap that they don't care about Lunsford's chances, and just wanted an excuse to throw their money elsewhere?
Bruce Lunsford has no chance at winning in the fall. Z-ee-ro. Greg Fischer has at least a small chance. I prefer a small chance at big change than no chance at no change.
The nagging question remains: Are Chuck Schumer and the national Democrats really so out of touch that they don't know that Lunsford is despised as a corrupt retread? Or are they so cheap that they don't care about Lunsford's chances, and just wanted an excuse to throw their money elsewhere?
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Bambi Legislation
"Buzzards could lose a bountiful food supply under a bill that's making its way through the Kentucky General Assembly," reports the Associated Press.
And we are not taking about the carcass that is the Governor's casino gambling initiative. No, the dead animals garnering the legislature's attention are deer:
The measure would change a law that essentially bars farmers who shoot crop-damaging deer from giving them to needy families.
With the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources issuing about 3,500 permits for landowners to shoot troublesome deer each year, buzzards and coyotes have had lots of rotting carcasses to dine on.
If state Rep. Royce Adams, D-Dry Ridge, gets his way, those deer would be eaten by people.
Of course, if this legislation passes, expect a lawmaker in a future session to propose a commission to regulate the distribution of deer meat (see the next post), given that the price of dinner for buzzards and coyotes is bound to rise.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
And we are not taking about the carcass that is the Governor's casino gambling initiative. No, the dead animals garnering the legislature's attention are deer:
The measure would change a law that essentially bars farmers who shoot crop-damaging deer from giving them to needy families.
With the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources issuing about 3,500 permits for landowners to shoot troublesome deer each year, buzzards and coyotes have had lots of rotting carcasses to dine on.
If state Rep. Royce Adams, D-Dry Ridge, gets his way, those deer would be eaten by people.
Of course, if this legislation passes, expect a lawmaker in a future session to propose a commission to regulate the distribution of deer meat (see the next post), given that the price of dinner for buzzards and coyotes is bound to rise.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.
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