Double Whammy

Today, I get to blog on two of my favorite topics in ONE POST: Oregon AND Politics. This should be fun.

First, I just got out of spending the afternoon volunteering for the local chapter of the Bush/Cheney campaign. My job was to call registered independents and poll them on a couple of topics, including asking if they planned on supporting the President in November. With a few notable exceptions, the overwhelming majority said yes. The west coast may not be as "blue" as people think.

Second, Thanks for the Memory to Macker's World:

Apparently Al Gore was in our fine state and was harassed by some jack-booted brownshirted thug got a speeding ticket for doing 75 in a 55 zone.

Poor Al, things just haven't been the same since 2000, have they?

hee hee

Update:

One other piece of info that I learned while at the local Republican HQ Saturday, and this bit will blow the minds of people who know this area (Are you listening, Bishop?). Apparently, the University of Oregon is home to the third largest College Republicans club in the country, with around 500 members.

Does anyone else see a conflict brewing on campuses across the nation between overwhelmingly liberal faculty and increasingly conservative students?

Abandon Ship!

Thanks for the Memory to Blogs for Bush

Just when I thought the chain reaction of hypocrisy, lies, and desperation in the Kerry camp couldn't get any more extreme, I learn this:

Kerry takes legal action against Vietnam critics

Apparently John Forbes Kurtz Kerry has decided to sue the Swift Boat Veterans for the Truth. Among other allegations, Kerry's suit alleges that the 527 is coordinating with Bush. As a Kerry Press Release the New York Times puts it, there is a "web of connections" between the Swift Boat group and the "Bush family, high-profile Texas political figures and President Bush (news - web sites)'s chief political aide, Karl Rove."

Hmmm.... Before Kerry brings up coordination with 527's, he may want to stop and remember this.

Let me get this straight. Kerry's opponent is attacked by a major liberal 527, and the next thing we know, Kerry is hiring it's head as his internet communications director? And that doesn't smell fishy?

The truth is, Kerry's campaign has nothing to run on except his war record, and if that is called into question, he's sunk. He ignored the issue for too long, thinking that since the lapdog press would sit on this, it would die a quiet death. But thanks to the internet and in a great part blogs, the story isn't going away, so now he has to respond. If he had proof that could incontrovertably refute the Swift Boat Vets claims, he could squash this like a bug. But he can't, so he's trying to squelch the story by harassing the Vets into submission.

Kerry's ship is full of self-inflicted holes, and he can't bail fast enough, so he's going to try to board the enemy. But I think it's too late. As soon as the RNC is done, and the president fires his first real broadside, watch the SS Nuance sink like a stone.

Update:
The post on the lawsuit isn't the only one worth reading on this topic at Blogs for Bush. They also present their reasons for believing the boiler's about to explode on the SS Nuance.

Update II:
Thanks for the Memory to Ace of Spades HQ
This may be one of the reasons Kerry's trying to quash the ads. According to a new poll, 44% of Independents who've seen the first ad find it believable or very believable.

Update III:
Thanks for the Memories to the Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler

Commenter Random Numbers over at the Rottie writes:

John Kerry has claimed that Swift Boat Vetrans for Truth is a "front for the Bush campaign." He bases this claim on the fact that some donors to the group - NOT members, founders or managers, just donors - have Republican ties. Let's look over a few 527's and see what their founders and/or mnanagers have been up to:

Media Fund (expenditures-$27,208,905):
Harold Ickes, president and founder (deputy White House chief of staff under President Clinton)

America coming Together (expenditures-$24,196,532):
Minyon Moore (former Chief of Operations, Democratic National Committee)

MoveOn.org (expenditures-$17,435,782):
Zach Exley, director of special projects (former Dean campaign aide, soon-to-be Kerry director of online communications and organization)

New Democrat Network (expenditures-$6,970,070):
Simon Rosenberg, president and founder (former Clinton campaign aide)

America Votes (expenditures-$1,176,590):
Cecile Richards, president (former aide to Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and daughter of former Texas Democratic Gov. Ann Richards)

Grassroots Democrats (expenditures-$1,137,544):
Joe Carmichael, co-chairman (former vice-chair, Democratic National Committee)

Bring Ohio Back (no expenditures as of this date):
organized and managed by Gerald Austin (Ohio Democratic strategist)

New House PAC (no expenditure data on file):
Howard Wolfson, co-founder (former executive director, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee)
Jonathan Mantz, co-founder (former finance director, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee)

American Family Voices (Initial $800,000 provided by AFSCME):
Michael Lux, president (former aide to President Clinton and former political director, People for the American Way)

Progressive Donor Network:
also Michael Lux, president and co-founder (former aide to President Clinton and former political director, People for the American Way)

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (expenditures-$60,403 as of 8/15/04)
Not managed or founded by any RNC politicians or aides.

Yup, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth looks like a front group to me!

UPDATE IV:
Thanks for the Memory once again to Blogs for Bush. Check out their latest installment on this issue, an interesting chart showing connections between the Kerry Campaign and liberal 527's. In a comment on that post, reader Michael in MI quotes an interesting article on Newsmax:

"The Kerry campaign is gloating this weekend over the resignation of Bush Cheney volunteer, former Vietnam War POW Ken Cordier, who's featured in the latest Swiftboat ad - saying it proves illegal coordination between the Swiftvets' 527 group and the official Bush campaign.

But Kerry has no plans to fire Zach Exley, a key campaign staffer who served as the organizing director for MoveOn.org throughout the presidential primaries.

What's more, MoveOn, whose sole mission is to defeat President Bush in November, maintains that Exley is allowed to "communicate" with the 527 group even as he works for the Democratic nominee."

Survival Rule # 1

If your pregnant wife sends you to purchase for her specific items for her to eat, and the establishment which is the only local purveyor of said items is scheduled to close about the time you will be arriving back at your home, DO NOT FORGET ANY OF THOSE ITEMS!!!!!!!!

Just saying.

American Folklore

Thank for the Memory to Ace of Spades HQ


I guess it's a day for things Northwestern.

Ace of Spades also published a top ten list, and it has a Northwest twist. So here I give you Ace's Top Ten List:

Top Ten Points of Comparison Between Alleged Humanoid Bigfoot and Alleged "War Hero" John Forbes Kerry

10. Bigfoot stands 8'3"; John Forbes Kerry, slightly taller

9. John Forbes Kerry sports an importantly-coifed mane of hair meticulously stylized by one of America's most expensive tonsorial artistes; Bigfoot once masturbated behind a Portland SuperCuts

8. Bigfoot subsists mainly on roots, nuts, and berries; John Forbes Kerry subsists cheifly on a diet of foie gras and lonely heiresses

7. John Forbes Kerry attended an exclusive Swiss finishing school and the tony Andover Academy for Boys, and has all of the refinements that an elite education and aristocratic pedigree can provide; Bigfoot, by contrast, wipes his ass with tree bark and pumice

6. Bigfoot is alleged to have stalked and killed at least five Pacific Northwest hikers; John Forbes Kerry is suspected in only three such disappearances

5. John Forbes Kerry prefers the pasttimes of the idle rich, such as "kite-surfing" and "extreme biking;" Bigfoot is an ace at Pictionary and Boggle

4. John Forbes Kerry briefly dated actress Morgan Fairchild in the 1980's; oddly enough, so did Bigfoot

3. John Forbes Kerry enjoys fox-hunting with horse and beagle; Bigfoot employs less refined methods for killing small game, such as farting in gopher holes

2. John Forbes Kerry is a personal friend of Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul, and Mary; Bigfoot once toured with Foghat

...and the Number One Comparison Between Bigfoot and John Kerry...

1. One is a shadowy, elusive freak of nature concocted by fabulists and childish imaginations; the other is called "Sasquatch" by North American Indians

Very humorous, Ace. I'd only add one thing: Aging, pot-addled hippies molding away in Seattle and Eugene tend to believe in both.

From the Home Office in Tenmile, Oregon

Top Ten Things I Think Any Visitor to Oregon MUST See:

10. Rice Hill
Not a scenic wonder nor a historic site nor a cultural mecca. An Ice Cream place. The town of Rice Hill (which is in a valley, while Rice Valley, a few miles away, is up the hill. Don't try to figure it out) is a truck stop along I-5, along with a few other buildings. One of these, on the west side of the road, is a ramshackle old hamburger joint that also serves the most wonderful ice cream in the world -- Umpqua Dairy. Big cones and dishes, an amazing array of flavors, and local, natural ingredients. Any travel between the north end and the south end of Western Oregon requires that one stop here for some of the most decadent calories you'll ever meet.

9. Highway 126
This highway runs from Florence on the coast, east through Eugene, up over the cascades, through Bend. The section you don't want to miss is closed in winter, so visit it in the summer months -- the scenic drive through the Cascades. Home to Oregon's second highest waterfall (Salt Creek), lava beds, and some of the most spectacular mountain vistas in the state. Bring your dramamine and your camera!

8. Ashland, Oregon
Home to the Oregon Shakespeare festival, a world-class Shakespearean theater that rivals the Old Globe in San Diego or Stratford itself, set in Southern Oregon. Also home to beautiful Lithia Park.

7. Portland, Oregon
Yeah, I know, it's a city. But it's a beautiful city, and it's Mt. Hood-dominated skyline is one of the most picturesque in the country. Add to this a growing culinary scene, dozens of microbreweries, one of the best public transit systems around, and several features that could easily contend for a spot on this list on their own merit, including:
7a. The Grotto, a retreat center owned by the Roman Catholic Church, full of peaceful gardens, and one of the best views of the Cascades you can find without strapping on mountain climbing gear.
7b. Washington Park, the second largest city park in the US, and home to the Oregon Zoo, several museums, a traditional Japanese Garden, and the Portland Rose Test Garden, the world's most impressive array of roses. It's also the best spot to view and photograph the skyline and Mt. Hood in the distance.

6. Oregon Dunes National Monument
When the ocean erodes land from coastlines, all that earth has to go somewhere. This is where. Instead of eroding land, the Pacific Ocean depists sand here, creating the largest sand dunes in America -- 47 miles long, 5-10 miles wide, over 900 feet high. and they're growing. Bring your taste for 4-wheel drive vehicles. If you don't have your own, don't worry, there are rentals and guided tours galore.

5. Heceta Head
Just after the Dunes end just north of Florence, the coast range climbs skyward again, and you come to Heceta Head lighthouse, one of the most photogeninc, and arguably the most photographed lighthouses in the world. If you have a Lighthouse calnedar, you probably have picture of Heceta. In addition to a spectacular view OF the lighthouse, you get a pretty impressive view FROM the lighthouse -- as well as an informative tour from the volunteer docents. I was lucky enough to be there when one of them decided to display his bagpiping prowess last time I visited.

4. Oregon Caves National Monument
Not as big as Mammoth or Carlsbad caves, these caves are impressive nonetheless for several reasons. First, they are carved into granite, not limestone. Second, the caves were undiscovered even by Native Americans until the 1800's. And finally, the countryside around them is equally beautiful -- mountainous and forested. One more reminder that if you like the color green, this is a state you don't want to miss.

3. The Columbia River Gorge
On its course from Canada to the Pacific Ocean, the Coumbia River encounters a pretty impressive obstacle -- the Cascade Mountain Range. obviously, a river can't go over a mountain range, so the Columbia goes through -- in Gorgeous fashion (pun intended). I like to refer to the gorge as the Hudson River Valley of Oregon. The valley floor is dotted with low, rolling hills, bordered on each side by imposing basalt bloffs stretching away into mountains on either side. While the view from I-5 is impressive, to really enjoy the gorge you should take the Scenic byway. In addition, the gorge provides several spot which also could easily make this list on their own merit:
3a. Multnomah Falls is Oregon's tallest waterfall. The view of the falls itslef is impressive, and the view FROM the falls is worth the 1,000 foot high hike.
3b. Crown Point is a lookout point and provides the best view from the top of the gorge.
3c. Hood River, Oregon at the eastern end of the Gorge, the town of Hood River is located where its namesake feeds into the Columbia. It's home to one of the state's better breweries (Full Sail), and is the unofficial world capital of windsurfing.
3d. Bridge of The Gods this bridge connects the Oregon and Washington sides of the river, and is one of the prettiest pieces of architecture in the state.
3e. Bonneville Dam is not as big as Grand Coulee, but it's still impressive to see, and the fish ladders are a great place to view Northwest salmon and steelhead make their migrations.

2. Fort Clatsop
Forget "arguably", this is without a doubt the most historically significant place in the whole state. Do you like singing about "sea to shining sea?" Well this is where that second shining sea was added to the mix. Fort Clatsop is the site where Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and their Corps of Discovery spent the winter after reaching the Pacific. The fort itself is rather timy, two small buildings of three rooms each, set facing each other, with the ends connected by log palisades. But the museum has great exhibits, and the living history demonstrations are as entertaining as they are informative. This is as close as we get to the great historical sites of the east, and while nowhere near as old, its significance cannot be discounted.

And finally, the one place you must see if you see nothing else in the state whatsoever. If you know this state well, and you've been paying attention, you probably know what it is. So without further ado:

1. Crater Lake National Park
It's our only National Park, and while that doesn't seem right, if we only get one, it's fitting that this is it. As the name implies, Crater Lake is set in the crater of an extinct volcano, Mt. Mazama. At well over 1000 feet, it's the deepest fresh water in North America. The surrounding park is an impressive example of the arid high mountain pine forests of the eastern Cascades, but the real treat is cresting the rim of the crater and looking down on some of the most stunningly blue, pure water you'll ever see in your life. Take the rim drive, visit the Crater Lake lodge, and hike the trail down to the landing where you can take a boat tour out to Wizard Island, the old cinder cone of the volcano. You won't be sorry.

And I Will Name Him Her George....

My apologies to anyone actually named George, but I always loved that Bugs Bunny cartoon.

My very first Troll! I'm so excited. Cb, a regular contributor of nuttiness over at the anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler, chimed in on my post about Oregon:


War was declared on the United States of America 1073 days, 11 hours, 16 minutes and 12 seconds ago.

True, but Bush declared war on the U.S. And that happened when he and
the rethuglicnas rigged the election
and let 9/11 happen. Ever since then
it has been a downward slide to totalariasm.

Nice blog!

Why thank you, Cb. I do try to keep things tidy.

But oh, where to begin regarding the rest of your comment....

I'm not sure what's more amusing: Moonbats' insistence on tossing their verbal stinkbombs into the middle of posts that have NOTHING to do with their comments, or their insistence on clinging to the same tired old memes that have been debunked so many times before. I won't bother to fisk this little screed, because it's been so thorughly dissected, sliced, diced, gutted, cremated, and buried so many times before, in so many forums dealing with all of the nominally salient points as to be nothing but a rotting corpse of an argument. Nor will I mock it, as it has become so asinine as to be self-satirical.

What I will to is impale it on a pole and post it at the border of my lands as a warning to all trolls: If you want to comment here and disagree with any of my opinions, feel free to do so. But keep it respectful, keep it reasonable, keep it logical, and keep it ON TOPIC!!!!! If you want to pop in to fling poo, DON'T!!!!! Off-topic, non-sensical, disrespectful posts will be deleted, and repeat offenders will be banned.

You have been warned.

Fourth Place Finishers

Since top 10 lists seem to be de rigeur for blogs, I'll be following suit, probably on Fridays. Some will be serious, some humorous, most will be ranty to some extent. Not tomorrow. Tomorrow the list will be the top 10 places I think any visitor to Oregon MUST see.

A problem arose when I tried to put a list together. Narrowing it down to 10 was very tough. You see, I love my home state, I think it's one of the prettiest and most interesting places around, and there's plenty to brag about. But eventually I came up with 10.

So today I'm presenting the runners up. Some of the places on this list probably merit top 10 status, but since I haven't personally been there, I have no room to preach. Others are too niche to be worth telling everyone to see them. and others are so broad that they are unavoidable, or actually contain several places that are all worthy of the list ( a couple instances of this actually MADE the list, but more on them tomorrow).

So here goes, in random order:

A. US Highway 101
Oregon's stretch of PCH is arguably the most rugged and remote along the whole route. Most of the way it's 2 lanes and hugs the cliffos overlooking the ocean. Along its route you'll see several other runners up, including:
Agate Beach: Pretty Self-explanatory. New agates wash down from the mountains on to the beach after every storm (that's quite often in winter). A rock hunter's paradise.
The D River is officially listed as the shortest river in the world. It flows less than 100 yards from Devils Lake into the Pacific.
Haystack Rock is a huge monolithic rock sitting off the coast at Cannon Beach. A refuge for seabirds, It's quite picturesque.
While you're on the coast, you must eat Dungeness Crab. Many Northwesterners prefer the taste of this shellfish to lobster or any other crab, and I tend to think it combines the ebst flavors and textures of both.
Sea Lion Caves: One of the largest ocean caves in the world, Sea Lion Caves is home to a large, permanent colony of stellar sea lions that has probably been there for thousands of years. It's a quick jaunt up from FLorence, and also provides a fine view of Heceta Head Lighthouse.

B. The North Umpqua Highway

This road follows the North Umpqua River east into the Cascades out of Roseburg. It's a narrow, windy mountain road that is crowded by mountains on one side and the river on the other. Along its route, you'll see:
Colliding Rivers. not merging, colliding. The North Umpqua and the Little River flow head-on into each other. This is most impressive in the spring when the rivers are at their fullest.
Diamond Lake, named for the shimmering effect of the sun on its waters. The view is dominated by several glacier-clad peaks, among them Mt. Thielsen.

C. Oregon's Mountains
Don't worry, you won't miss them. You can't -- they're everywhere. And while the Rockies and their subranges like the Tetons, and California's Sierras may be taller, Oregon's mountains have a different appeal -- their variety. From Northeastern Oregon's Wallowas, called the Alps of America, young and jagged, to Southeastern Oregon's Steens, lonely silent and beautiful, to the Cascades, the tallest range in Oregon and the most volcanically active range in the lower 48 (St. Helens in Washington is a Cascade, and the 3 Sisters are waking up), and whose tallest peaks keep snow on them year round (And one, Hood, provides skiing well into June). Are you from the southeast? Maybe you prefer rolling, tree-covered mountains in wave after unending wave of ridges. Southern Oregon's your bag. Wedged between the Cascades on the east and the Coast Range on the West, the mountains start at the Siskyou roange on the California border, and end at the Douglas/Lane county line in the Calapooyas, over 100 miles to the north. And the Coast Range is our distinctive range, rising straight up from the coast, giving us stunning clifftop vistas and causing one of the rarest climatic rgions on earth -- a temperate rain forest (Astoria gets twice the rainfall of Seattle).

D. Oregon's Rivers
Along with the Ocean and the Mountains, our most defining geographical features. Most of the subregions in the state, particularly in the Wester third of the state, are valleys that are both created by and named for the rivers that flow through them -- the Willamette, the Umpqua, the Rogue. And the rivers are as varied as the mountains. The mighty Columbia, border between Oregon and Washington, is navigable for well over a hundred miles, all the way to Pasco/Richland/Kennewick, Washington. The Snake is also a border, between Oregon and Idaho. Before it feeds into the Columbia, it carves another feature that would make the top 10 if I'd ever been there -- Hell's Canyon. The Grand may be bigger, but Hell's is deeper. Both the Snake and the Columbia have historic significance as well, acting as both navigation route and obstacle to the early pioneers. The Smith River is a wild, beautiful river. The North Umpqua, the McKenzie, and the Metolius are all excellent flyfishing rivers, and the McKenzie was the home waters of a now famous drift boat design. The Rogue is one of the most popular rafting rivers in the country.

E. Silver Falls State Park
Oregon's largest state park is beautiful, peaceful, and contains a walking trail that takes you past several impressive waterfalls.

F. Malheur Lake
Home to a National Wildlife Refuge, this lake is a major rest stop for migratory birds.

G. John Day Fossil Beds
Located in the arid Eastern portion of the state, this place is a paleontologists wet dream.

H. Pendleton Roundup
After the Calgary Stampede, arguably the second most famous rodeo in the world.

I. Evergreen Aviaton Museum
Two words: Spruce Goose.
'Nuff said.

J. Oregon's Wineries
We don't pump it out like California, but what we lack in volume, we make up for in small, quality wineries. Oregon's premier grape is the Pinot Noir. Interestingly, ORegon has the strictest labeling laws in the country.

K. Oregon's Breweries
Prefer beer to wine? We got ya covered. Oregon is the unofficial capital of US Microbrewing. Among my favorite breweries: Rogue, Metolius, Deschutes, and MacTarnahan's. Desperation fallbacks that are still better than macro: Widmer, Henry Weinhards(which actually makes a mean root beer, if ya have kidlets along).

L. Timberline Lodge
Built in the 1930's as a WPA project, this stone and timber lodge is one of the most impressive mountain lodges in the US. A great skiing site, it's probably most famous as the location for the original movie The shining. As the lodge is ruled by two St. Bernard Puppies, no pets are allowed.

Gold and Helium

More fun from the Olympics:

The US women won the gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay, shattering a world record that was set by the East Germans, a 17-year-old record tainted by allegations of Doping. The whole swimming world rejoiced.

For me, the cool part was watching the medal ceremony. The women took off their laurels, placed them over their hearts, and sang along with the national anthem (as did I). AND THEY KNEW THE WORDS!!!!!!

I am not ashamed to admit it made me cry.

Congratulations to Paul Hamm on winning the all-around Gold in men's individual Gymnastics. But listening to his voice during the interview afterwards, all I could think was, "Paul, buddy, you're lucky that inhaling helium isn't considered a banned substance!"

Galileo Vs. The Democrats

I was doing some thinking last night regarding the tendency among Democrats to question the timing and motivation of every action the President takes. If Tom Ridge warns us of a heightened threat from terrorists, they question the timing of it. If we have success in Iraq or Afghanistan, if he makes progess on any front, domestic or foreign, if he so much as signs or vetoes a bill that crosses his desk, they question the timing and motivation of his action. Everything the President does must be nothing more than a Karl Rove-prompted machination intended solely to discredit the Democrats and their candidate. It's a bit of political solipsism that wearies me greatly.

I feel like Galileo, trying to tell the Pope that the Sun does not revolve around the Earth. Not everything is about you, Dems. I know, it's hard to accept, but you are not the center of the universe, and not every decision that is made is made in light of how it will affect you politically.

I'm no idiot. I acknowledge that the President, as a candidate, does calculate how his actions will affect his re-election chances. What he does, what he says, and how he does and says them, will have a great effect on November 2nd. But he is also aware of the fact that they have an immediate effect AND a long-term effect on the country, regardless of who wins the election. that's the burden of being POTUS. So while he may temper his decisions with political considerations, in the end, I truly believe he does what he believes is best for the country. The United States of America is our political Sun, folks, the parties and politicians are merely planets.

I can't help believing that the Democrats are projecting. After all, most (if not all) of what their candidate says is calculated specifically to discredit the President, and to make himself look good. There's been a lot of pretty talk, but little substance to his discussion of the issues. And he's been willing to change horses midstream just to present an opposing view to the President's (case in point: the redistribution of troops issue). But I suppose that for him, any means is acceptable to achieve the ends of defeating Bush and being President.

But the Presidency isn't an ends, it's a means. It's the means to the ends of serving the Republic and defending the Constitution.

Kerry does know that, right?

Right?

Pop Quiz

Remember this post about troop redeployments in Europe?

Remember All the hullabaloo as Kerry protested the President's decision?

Finally, I want to say something about the plan that the President announced on Monday to withdraw 70,000 troops from Asia and Europe. Nobody wants to bring troops home more than those of us who have fought in foreign wars. But it needs to be done at the right time and in a sensible way. This is not that time or that way.

Well, guess who supported the decision, and in fact, advocated it before the announcement?

Before you answer, here's the quote:

I think we can significantly change the deployment of troops, not just there but elsewhere in the world. In the Korean Peninsula perhaps, in Europe perhaps. There are great possibilities open to us.

Give up? I'll give you a hint. This isn't the first time he's been nuanced.

How many times can he contradict himself, take both sidfes of an issue, or just outright lie before the bottom completely falls out from under his campaign?

Thanks for the Memory to Blogs for Bush

And the (News)Beat Goes On

Thanks for the Memories to Vic at Darth Apathy

Apparently the New York Times is all in a tizzy over being subpoenaed in the Valerie Plame affair.

Vic already does an able fisking of the Times regarding htis issue, so I won't belabor the point. But he made a comment that reflects perfectly what I've been thinking lately, so I thought I'd chime in. He says:

We all know that the Left views the First Amendment as their sole property, but it's never been more apparent than it has been recently.

I couldn't have said it better myself, Vic.

Let's look at the recent examples, some of which I've already commented on:

- MoveOn.org urges President Bush to stifle the Swift Vets ad, while doing Kerry's dirty work for him.
- A Hacker plot to attack the GOP websites during the convention.
- The media demanding that someone pay for the outing of Plame, then crying "First Amendment!" when they get subpoenaed.

The list goes on. Just sit back and watch the comments section of your favorite blog, and see what goes on.

As Vic says, "The hypocrisy is stunning, though not unexpected."

US, Australia Win Gold in Growing Up

Remember Sydney? Remember the bad blood between the US and Aussie swimming teams? Remember the shock the US received when they lost the Men's 4x100 Medley Relay? Remember Guitars?

That was then. Last night, it was the US' turn to shock the Aussies, winning the Men's 4x200 meter Freestyle Relay by .13 of a second. This is an event the Aussies hadn't lost in international competition since 1998. And who was the first person to congratulate the US?

The same Aussie who led the guitar strumming in 2000. Good on ya, Australia.

In Other Olympic News:

0 for 2. That's the Chinese in Team Gymnastics. Last night, it was the Romanians and Americans (again) and the Russians who shut them out. I have to agree with Russell over at Mean Mr. Mustard. I feel badly for the individual competitors, but since the Chicoms use athletics as a showplace for validating their system of government, anything that robs credence from a totalitarian regime is reason to celebrate.

And speaking of growing up, remember the hissy the Russian women threw at settling for silver in 2000? No? Well, they did. Very unsportsmanlike. Last night, they were genuinely thrilled to be on the podium period. What's Russian for Good Job?

Finally, a bit of home town bragging:

An Oregonian has done something no other American has done in 100 years. Mariel Zagunis, of Beaverton Oregon, won the Gold in Women's Saber. In the consolation match just prior, Sada Jacobsen won the Bronze to break a 20-year US medal drought in the sport, but Zagunis' Gold was the first US Gold in fencing since the 1904 Olympics.

To my younger, single brethren: Guys, she's single, she's into swords, and she's attending Notre Dame this fall. Need I say more?

While we still trail in Gold, the US has now taken first in the overall Medal Count. And Track & Field hasn't started in earnest yet. It's shaping up nicely for the USA.

Like Shooting Fish In a Swift Boat

Hat Tip: KJC, commenter at Blogs for Bush

They make it too easy.

By now, everyone in the blogosphere, and a good many people out of it, are familiar with the swift Boat Veterans for Truth ad critical of John Kerry. And we're all aware of the Kerry camp's response.

Well now, Moveon.org has chimed in with this ad. If you can't stomach viewing them, I'll summarize: They parrot the Leftist line regarding the SBVfT, and urge President Bush to put a stop to the ad.

In case you didn't know, the Swift Boat Veterans and Moveon.org are both 527 PAC's. They are required by law to operate under the same set of laws. One of these laws states that 527's may not actively endorse or oppose a specific candidate, nor may they coordinate with a candidate.

Now, do you think that if President Bush had the influence to stop the SBVfT ads, would that be coordination between the two? Sure, that's reasonable. Would the left construe it as such, play it up, and use it to discredit both Bush AND the Vets? Oh, you bet your sweet Aunt Fannie! Don't think for a minute that scenario wasn't on Moveon's mind when they came up with this stinker. If president Bush does nothing (aside from distancing himself from the Vets' ad, which he did, and which is the only thing he CAN do), they continue to whine. He can't win -- at least not in their eyes.

Now I could be wrong, and Moveon could honestly think that the President can do something about the vet ad (*snicker* Yeah, right). But even giving them this benefit of the doubt, what do either possibility tell us about Moveon.org?

If they honestly believe that the president CAN do something (not likely, but humor them), it would imply a certain level of naivety, ignorance, or carelesness in their interpretation of the 527 laws. If that's the case, one has to wonder how fast and loose they play with their OWN adherence to those laws.

If they ARE aware, and fully recognize the president's inability to do anything about the swift boat ads, then they're being disingenuous, and intentionally trying to stick the President with something they KNOW isn't his fault.

So which is it? Dishonesty or disingeuity? Frankly, I can't decide. But my instincts tell me it's a bit of both.

Update:
Good point from George Turner over at The Rottie. Isn't this the same Left that accuses Bush and Ashcroft of jackbooted squashing of dissent, now urging the president to exert some jackbooted squashing of dissent?

Which voice is speaking now, moveon?

All Better Now!

Next time I try mucking about with html on my own, somebody take a cluebat to my head.

Thanks to Vic over at Darth Apathy for fixing the blog. He's not only a Tech God, he's a decent human being. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise -- especially him!

Mao Must Be Doing a Triple Roundoff Something or Other in His Grave

And other thoughts on the Olympics:

1. I never get tired of hearing The Star-Spangled Banner being played. I especially love it when an athlete sings along. I'm a sap, what can I say?

2. Welcome Sight: Michael Phelps swimming over to congratulate Ian Thorpe on his gold in the 200m Freestyle. It was refreshing to see the Americans and the Australians not acting like jerks towards each other. And Phelps' attitude in the follow-up interview was refreshing. He seemed genuine when he said that he was happy to have at least 1 gold medal, that he felt honored to have the chance just to compete against Thorpe, that he's enjoying the Olympics, and that he is taking one race at a time. All the cliche stuff you'd expect from an olympian, but he seemed to mean it.

3. As much of a patriot as I am, I hope Greece hands the Nightmare Team its collective rump. It's an embarassment to have them represent the USA -- not because of their loss to Puerto Rico, but because of their prima donna, spoiled, selfish attitudes.

4. No country's athletic program reflects its totalitarianism the way the PRC's does. They take children at a young age, put them in training centers far from their homes, they see their parents once or twice a year, and extreme pressure is placed on them to win. GOLD. This is especially true in gymnastics. Yesterday, in the men's team competition, Japan won Gold for the first time since 1960. The USA won Silver, its first medal since 1984 and its first medal in a non-boycotted games since 1932. Romania, more well known for its womens team, won the Bronze.

China took 4th. That's the umm... Oh, yeah! The Nothing Medal.

Eat that, Beijing.

I Was Bob Kerrey Before I Was John Kerry

Hat Tips to my local GOP Team Leader, Ace of Spades HQ, and to Free Republic:

Fox News just had a news segment where the Kerry campaign, in angry response to Bush claims that Kerry attended few Intelligence briefings, said that Kerry had at one time been the Vice-Chairman of the Intelligence campaign.
In response, the Bush people gleefully (Fox's word) returned fire by saying that it was BOB Kerrey, not JOHN Kerry who was Vice-Chairman of the Intelligence committee. [Free Republic]

And thanks to a helpful commenter there, a direct quote from Kerry's site:

John Kerry is an Experienced Leader in the Intelligence Field

– John Kerry served on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence for 8 years and is the former Vice Chairman of the Committee. Kerry joined the Committee in early 1993 and served until early 2001.

[Bold Added]

Except John Kerry wasn't the VC of the IC. Bob Kerrey was.

As has been asked -- don't they have fact checkers at the DNC or Kerry's campaign?

Will this guy ever get anything straight?

Revenge is a Dish Best Served with Pinto Beans and Muffins

Via Right Side of the Rainbow:

Israelis to barbecue outside hunger strikers' cells (Houston Chronicle)

Now, for you Southeasterners, I'm sorry to disappoint you, it probably won't be pulled pork, but still, you gotta admit, this is further, funny proof that the Israelis are as smarta** as they are bada**.

Update:

Over at the Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler, the take on this is pretty funny, and the hot topic of discussion is which recipes the Israelis should use.

It's About Time

Hat tip to Right Side of the Rainbow

The title of this post was my first response, it was the first comment posted over at RSotR, and it's probably the overwhelming response of every Neocon, Paleocon (That's me!), and Realist who reads the article.

According to the Observer, President Bush plans to announce the redeployment of 100,000 troops from Europe.

Preferrably to somewhere a little less ungrateful.

UPDATE (Via Ace of Spades):

Democrats Question Timing of Announcement

Well, duh. Democratic timing, on the other hand, is unquestionably clockworklike. How do you reductio ad absurdem the already absurd?

Update II:
John Flipper Knuanced has weighed in, and Sir George over at the Rottie has ably fisked him.

Head for the Boondocks, Then Turn Right.

I have a new favorite comic strip: Prickly City. It's funnier than Mallard Filmore, but just as conservative. It's got an art style that is reminiscent of Non Sequitur, but without the Kool Aide drinking. Check out Sunday's strip.

Things You Probably Missed From the Opening Ceremonies

(Even if You Watched Them)

Hat tip to Rusty at MyPetJawa

OK, so I was in a pretty cynical mood when I posted that top ten list last night. I really was expecting some ugliness. But my wife tells me the crowd was fairly warm towards the US athletes. Of course, The Talkative Twins (Couric and Costas) had to point out that it's despite Greek opposition to US foreign policy, "Because the realize the athletes aren't their government." Had to get that dig in, didn't ya?

Well apparently, one group of foreign athletes decided to take out their feelings toward the US government on the athletes.