Giuliani's the Man

He's the best choice for our new president in the 08 election.

Steven Malanga tells us why.

Excerpt:

"But in a GOP presidential field in which cultural and religious conservatives may find something to object to in every candidate who could really get nominated (and, more important, elected), Mr. Giuliani may be the most conservative candidate on a wide range of issues. Far from being a liberal, he ran New York with a conservative's priorities. Government exists above all to keep people safe in their homes and in the streets, he said, not to redistribute income, run a welfare state, or perform social engineering. The private economy, not government, creates opportunity, he argued; government should just deliver basic services well and then get out of the private sector's way. He denied that cities and their citizens were victims of vast forces outside their control, and he urged New Yorkers to take personal responsibility for their lives."

Giuliani/Rice in 08.

So did you panic yesterday?

As Mr. Market took a big hit?

Or do you not know (or care about) what I'm talking about?

Kudlow says "Take a deep breath", which is always excellent advice before you dive out of the window on the 40th floor.

Noteworthy:


"Here at home—surprise, surprise—the usual round of doom and gloom pessimists jumped all over yesterday’s correction. The permabears exited their caves, heralding the beginning of the end. Only problem is, these guys been wrong all throughout the Bush Boom.

The fact remains that profits are high and interest rates are low. This means that U.S. stocks are undervalued somewhere between 10-25 percent, even after a fabulous four-year run up."

Congratulations to algore

......for winning the Oscar for Best Science Fiction/Fantasy/Propaganda film!

You deserve it!

More nonsense about Mitt Romney's Mormon heritage

Captain Ed has details and analysis.

Excerpt:

"Unless Mitt's running on the 'legalize polygamy' platform, what in the hell does this have to do with anything?"

Mitch and the Bloggers

Random thoughts about today's blogger meeting with Mitch Johnson:


-- Mitch did not make a firm commitment to release all reports and all documentation concerning the Wray affair. "Maybe" is the best description that I can give you of his answer.

-- Mitch wants to avoid the question of whether David Wray asked for a private meeting with Mitch and City Council at any time in order that he might present his side of the story and answer questions.

-- He tip-toed very carefully around the matter of the Simkins PAC, saying only that he had met with members of the Pulpit Forum, who wanted to discuss the allegations against Wray.

Because of time constraints, I did not ask more questions about this matter, although his response deserved more attention.


-- The challenge by the city of the recent court decision that Randall Brady is entitled to be paid complete benefits is vindictive in nature, and is strictly designed to associate Brady's words with David Wray. We still do not know what actions Brady did or did not take in regard to the taped subject matter released earlier this week.

Mitch admitted that there was no written policy which covered a situation like this, and said that there was no way Brady's retirement could have been stopped. Hence, the rationalization for the effort.

He went on to say that the benefits the city wants to deny Brady are those over and above normal benefits.

There were MANY follow up questions that begged to be asked, but the Q&A session had run way long, and we needed to move on.

-- Mitch was not being straight in his descriptions of both the Willow Oaks and the Bryant incidents. I don't think there was any "conspiracy", but I do think some of the mis-information was done on purpose, and there is a good likelihood that one or both incidents were just plain mis-handled.

-- Finally, Mitch does not yet understand the blogosphere, and does not yet understand that many of his problems are of his own making.

I think he miscalculated his whole approach to the Wray situation, and he never expected the enormity of the problem he now faces.

-- The City Manager's office needs a full time Communications Director.

Listen to the audio transcript of the meeting here.

I think I might just go back to DC

.....for this event, to help stop the creeps from committing any desecration.

Noteworthy:

"'We're going there to protect our memorial and show support for our troops,' said Artie Muller, founder and executive director of Rolling Thunder.

Muller said he and other veterans grew concerned because during a January anti-war rally, some protesters spray-painted graffiti on the steps of the Capitol."

I hear you, brother.

The jury is now deliberating in the Libby trial

The fact that it ever got to an indictment in the first place is a travesty of justice and is an attempt at political intimidation.

Excerpt:

"Is this any basis for five felony charges that could send Libby to jail for a maximum of 30 years? The answer is emphatically 'No.' We’ve now seen Fitzgerald’s best evidence, and we’re more certain than ever: This is a case that should never have been brought."


On the other hand, there's no telling what a runaway jury could do.

Good news! It's not YOUR fault you're fat......

It's _______(fill in the blank with McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, KFC, et al)' fault!

So says a politically correct food cop.

Sterling example of Libthink logic:

"Since we use regulation to do things like keep air clean, Cohen argues, what could be more natural than to use the law to fight obesity?"

Unbelievable!

Political disaster awaits Dems

Brendan Miniter has the details.

Noteworthy:

"The risk for Democrats is that the party's current antiwar slide won't stop once it reaches the edge of public support. Instead it may leave the party where Ohio State University political science professor John Mueller is taking the war debate, in opposition not just to the war in Iraq but to the global war on terror."

No question about it.

The voting public is not as stupid and gullible as the Dems need them to be.

Meanwhile, James Taranto describes the gleeful sense of anticipation these Dems have over making sure we lose in Iraq.

Excerpt:

"This column has long argued that antiwar ideologues, a group that includes a significant number of elected Democrats, viewed America's defeat in Vietnam as a victory for them--the enemy of my country is my friend and all that. But Schumer is no antiwar ideologue. He voted for the Iraq war. His eagerness for another Vietnam can be explained only as an act of political opportunism."

Exactly.

Regarding the "al qaeda resurgent" theme

.....that's being bandied about in the "progressive" media/blogosphere.

James Robbins say no way.

Noteworthy:

"Bin Laden and his cronies did not get into the terrorist game to remain terrorists forever. Terrorism is the tool of the weak who seek to use violence to express their grievances against the status quo. But in order to actually achieve the power they seek they must eventually escalate to guerilla conflict and conventional war. So said Mao. A revolutionary organization whose leaders cannot show their faces in public and in fact have not been seen for the last five years cannot be said to be successfully prosecuting the struggle."


"If we can lull them into a false sense of security, allow them to reconstitute to the point where they feel comfortable enough to operate in the open, so much the better. If they get confident, they will make mistakes. And they have a lot to be confident about. I’m certain the enemy is convinced we are a weak, failing power with neither the will or capacity to continue to prosecute the war effectively. At least that’s what they read in the papers."


Or in the "progressive" blogosphere, where an opportunity to bash Bush over the Iraq war never gets passed up, whether the bashing has any merit or not.

The Sound of Silence

Tax Hike Mike's State of the State address fails to mention the Jim Black scandal and subsequent guilty pleas.

Why are we not surprised?

Edwards' nutroot blogger update

Dean Barnett has details.



What was the Edwards' campaign THINKING about when they hired Marcotte and her partner in slime?

A recap of 2006 health care hysteria nonsense

And, of course, the number one villain was....trans fats!

Details here.

Key point:

"What is the real story behind this scare, one that hit very close to home? As a pioneer in the field of cholesterol and heart disease, David Kritchevsky, noted just before he died: The kerfuffle over trans fats is just 'the scare du jour' -- with smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, and diets high in saturated fats being far more important heart threats. With trans fats now accounting for 1% to 2% of our caloric intake and saturated fats accounting for about 15%, the chances that a ban on trans fats in restaurants will reduce the risks of heart disease are about zero. Instead, the ban will only cause havoc in the restaurant industry and escalate costs of doing business, all of which will be passed on to us."

A flow chart showing an action plan for "global warming" True Believers

Even though we pretty much knew this, it's good to put it on paper so that those unfamiliar with the "global warming" nonsense can see ffor themselves.

(from ecomyths)

So did YOU contribute to "global warming" on Valentine's Day?

You're such a bad person!

Today's news from the Nutroot Swamp

Courtesy of Charles Johnson at LGF, one of Ed Cone's "favorite" blogs.

Key point:

"'Progressives' really love to lie to themselves."

Even though we knew that already, it never hurts to have a reminder from time to time.

Joke of the Day

What's the difference between Melissa McEwan and Kim Jong-il?

One's an unscrupulous debauched paranoid militant ideologue with delusions of grandeur.

The other is a communist dictator.

Regarding the political immaturity of lib bloggers

From Dan Gerstein, who served as Joe Lieberman's Communications Director for the last election campaign.

(hat tip: Instapundit.)

Excerpt:

"Shut the line-crossers out of press briefings. Deny them jobs that confer party approval. And for god’s sake, please quit kissing Kos’s ring at his convention until he and his acolytes grow out of their high-tech tantrum tactics."

What's the chances of THAT actually happening?

Beware the credit crunch

It's possibly troublesome for the economy.

Excerpt:


"The unknown is how far the credit contagion will spread. While rising, overall delinquency rates are still fairly low. But if banks continue to be hit by defaults, it may constrain their lending in other areas. Credit spreads, which have remained remarkably narrow, could widen. Meanwhile, Congress's newfound preoccupation with 'predatory lending' could, if it leads to changes in the law or in tough lending standards, increase the credit squeeze currently beginning to be felt. Decreasing consumer access to credit would in turn cast a pall over consumer spending and add another drag on the economy."



And if that does happen, we're sure to hear that "it's all Bush's fault!" from our Antique Media pals, and their "progressive" sidekicks.

Count on it.

Isn't it funny.....

....how our national Lame Stream Media, as well as our "progressive" NC bloggers, have not seen the need to cover this story about an alleged rape in Durham involving college students.

Excerpts:

"One can’t help but see the contrast in the community’s and the national media’s reactions to this latest case versus the case last spring. Everyone who jumped to race-class-gender conclusions last year needs to search their hearts and ask, why am I not demonstrating, marching and covering this wall-to-wall like last year? Where is Victoria Peterson? Where are the Duke professors who signed the infamous 'Listening Statement'? I’m not saying there should be a media invasion and protest walks and candlelight vigils this time. I’m saying there never should have been last spring."

Oh, but they must have learned a lesson from their over-reaction last year, didn't they?

Yeah, right......

A Primer on Islam

This is especially important for those self-styled "experts" in Islam, particularly the oneswho should know better.

From The Patriot Post (Patriot Post US) .

Excerpt:


"Two prevailing issues lend urgency to our understanding of these, the two great sects of Islam. First, as Congressional Quarterly’s Jeff Stein demonstrated in a series of biting reports over the past several years, even the most senior and seasoned U.S. legislative, foreign-policy, intelligence and law-enforcement leaders have next to no understanding of the differences between Sunnis and Shi’ites, what countries are dominated by which sect, or why it matters. Second, as is so readily apparent in Iraq today, Sunnis and Shi’ites have little compunction when it comes to slaughtering each other. This is because each considers the other heretical—that is, outside the oma or community of true Islam."

Regarding "scientific consensus" on "global warming"

J. R. Dunn's articles in The American Thinker hits the nail squarely. Read them here and here.

From the first link:

"What's that? The debate's over, you say? It seems to depend on which scientists you talk to. It's easy to achieve 'consensus' if you only consult people who agree with you."

From the second link:

"A close study of the LCO would prove valuable, not only as regards warming but as an example of human beings living in an environment subtly but definitely different from the one we're used to. But don't expect it anytime soon. The debate, we're told, is over, and the cost of understanding has gotten very high."

Quote of the Day

"It takes a lot more integrity, character, and courage to be a conservative than it does to be a liberal. That's because at its most basic level, liberalism is nothing more than childlike emotionalism applied to adult issues. "

-- John Hawkins

Read his article here.

Re-examining the "We Support the Troops" nonsense

.....will now turn to de-legitimizing our military people.

The disgusting truth:

"Sorry to tell you, but you soldiers are now in a two front war with Islamic extremism and Liberal extremism. But you are not alone. Some of us understand what is happening and will at least promote your voices, no matter what your message, in order to make sure the media doesn't speak for you."

Al Franken's delusions of adequacy

.....will be easily shattered if he gets nominated.

Noteworthy:

"Even for a state with a progressive streak, Franken borders on the extremist -- and not just in terms of policy. He has a nasty temper and has displayed in publicly on more than one occasion. I have related in the past that he tried to start a fistfight with Laura Ingraham's producer at the Republican National Convention in 2004, and he assaulted a protestor at a John Kerry event that same year."

Here's what Scott Johnson has to say about Franken over at Powerline.

Excerpt:

"Can Franken's long career in show business be reconciled with a career in politics? In the oral history of Saturday Night Live assembled by James Miller and Tom Shales, Franken talks (pages 119-120) about using cocaine while pulling all nighters writing for the show: 'I only did cocaine to stay awake to make sure nobody else did too much cocaine. That was the only reason I ever did it. Heh heh.' "

Contrast that passage with the one from Obama, where he spoke about his own previous use of cocaine.

Franken the Unfunny Comedian needs to come to the realization that people are not laughing WITH him, they're laughing AT him.

Mitt Romney talks to Powerline

Here's the results of the interview by Paul Mirengoff.


Despite the slime being slung about his religion (mostly from "progressives" who are trying to alienate conservative Christians from the Republican Party), Romney would be a viable candidate to take on any of the would-be Dem candidates.

So Ellen Goodman equates "global warming deniers" with Holocaust Deniers?

Dennis Prager cuts through her overwrought rhetoric.

Noteworthy:

"Fourth, the lack of response (thus far) of any liberal or left individual or organization -- except to defend Ellen Goodman -- or from the Anti-Defamation League, the organization whose primary purpose has been to defend Jews, is telling. Just imagine if, for example, an equally prominent Christian figure had written that denying America is a Christian country is on a par with denying the Holocaust. It would have been front-page news in the mainstream media, the individual would have been excoriated by just about every major liberal individual and group, and the ADL would have cited this as an example of burgeoning Christian anti-Semitism and Holocaust trivialization. But not a word at the ADL on Soros's comments about de-Nazifying America or Goodman's Holocaust-denial comment.

Fifth, and finally, the Ellen Goodman quote is only the beginning of what is already becoming one of the largest campaigns of vilification of decent people in history -- the global condemnation of a) anyone who questions global warming; or b) anyone who agrees that there is global warming but who argues that human behavior is not its primary cause; or c) anyone who agrees that there is global warming, and even agrees that human behavior is its primary cause, but does not believe that the consequences will be nearly as catastrophic as Al Gore does.

If you don't believe all three propositions, you will be lumped with Holocaust deniers, and it would not be surprising that soon, in Europe, global warming deniers will be treated as Holocaust deniers and prosecuted. Just watch. That is far more likely than the oceans rising by 20 feet. Or even 10. Or even three."

It's already happening, Mr. Prager.

The True Believers want it to happen here too.

This "global warming" nonsense needs to stop.

Now.

Regarding the North Korean nuke deal

Just more smoke and mirrors .

Excerpt:


"But instead all we sought to do was 'force North Korea back to the negotiating table.' This is ironic because that is exactly where they want to be. So long as they are negotiating they know they are safe. And they have long cultivated the notion among our diplomats that simply getting them to agree to talk represents a victory for our side; it must amuse them to see us high-fiving when they 'give in.' Compounding our retreat is the fact that the deal was struck in bilateral negotiations, held last January in Berlin. We had previously resisted this on principle, because bilateral talks would elevate North Korea’s international status. But that principle has gone by the wayside."

We caved.....again!

Will we have to learn our lesson the hard way?

Hillary and Edwards are sounding more like Kerry every day

Obama's got to be loving this.

Excerpt:

"Pandering to public sentiment may be fine for a senator, but the president needs to be able to make decisions in the national interest--which sometimes means shaping public opinion, sometimes defying it. Mr. Bush has done both, whether or not his decisions were wise ones."

"Pandering" is a long standing Democrat personality disorder.

We deserve better.

Perhaps that's one reason why Rudy Giuliani is gaining traction.

Despite what some pundits think about his chances, I believe he's going to be the Republican nominee.

Why?

Well, among other things, the "Hate Giuliani" crowd is starting to make noise. That's a sure sign that they're worried.

When compared to the behavior of the two Democrat candidates discussed the Taranto piece, the case for Giuliani is readily apparent.

Duke Lacrosse Grand Jury takes the John Kerry approach

They were for Mike Nifong before they were against him

Noteworthy:

"Knowing what I know now and all that's been broadcast on the news and in media, I think I would have definitely … made a different decision," he said to ABC News.

(hat tip: Ldot com)

Looking again at hydrogen's usefulness as an alternative fuel

Perhaps it's not what it's hyped up to be.

Summation:

"Packaging, distributing, and using hydrogen is too complicated, expensive, and dangerous to ever be a realistic alternative. But even that doesn't particularly matter, because in order to create the pure, non-oxidized form of hydrogen needed for fuel, you have to expend more energy than you eventually reap. The entire hydrogen dream is basically a hoax."

John Edwards is at it again!

This time he's trying to shift the blame for his vote of support for the Iraq War.

Excerpts:

"John Edwards has found a solution by shifting blame yet again, and in the process exposing the "Bush lied" meme as a hypocritical dodge."

The moment of truth:

"Edwards has proven himself to be a craven, whiny opportunist. He's also exposed many of his colleagues as having similar character flaws."

As do many of his supporters in the blogosphere.

But we knew that already, didn't we?

The plot thickens...

Wesley Clark is running?

Noteworthy:

"Interviews with a wide variety of current and retired military officials reveal that Clark was disliked by only three groups: Those whom ranked above him in the chain of command whom he ignored, his peers at the same rank whom he lied to, and those serving beneath him whom he micromanaged. Other than that, everyone liked him."

Our 21st century George McClellan returns.

Get ready for the new "Scientific Consensus On Global Warming" report due soon

It's sure to produce a piercing shriek of the usual babble, dribble, drool and spew from the True Believers, and their faithful followers in the lame stream media, as illustrated here.

Typical of the nonsense that's sure to follow:

"In the end, there was little debate on the strength of the wording about human activity most likely to blame."

As if the IPCC had any credibilty on this subject!

Meanwhile, reports like this one will get no mention at all in the True Believers' rush to splooge all over themselves as they clamor over the New Gospel, which they feel validates their nonsense.

Key point:

"The media’s lack of interest hardly reflects upon the importance of Svensmark’s experiment so much as it reflects upon the media’s and global warming lobby’s excessive investment in greenhouse gas hysteria."

Those who benefit from climate change alarmism have no shame.

They also have no intellectual credibility.

UPDATE 2-2-07

The expected pushback in the local blogosphere came over at Cone's.

Jim Capo came up with a little tidbit that I had forgotten all about.

Meanwhile, here's an interesting piece from Don Surber.

Excerpt:

"Robert Giegengack, 67, seemed to tell the Philadelphia magazine what his younger colleagues are afraid to say: The science ain’t there.

'I always get sidetracked because, first of all, the science isn’t good. Second, there are all these other interpretations for what we see. Third, it doesn’t make any difference, and fourth, it’s distracting us from environmental problems that really matter.'"

UPDATE 2-5-07

WSJ's Opinion Journal weighs in with some common sense analysis.

Excerpts:

"Last week's headlines about the United Nations' latest report on global warming were typically breathless, predicting doom and human damnation like the most fervent religious evangelical. Yet the real news in the fourth assessment from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) may be how far it is backpedaling on some key issues. Beware claims that the science of global warming is settled."

"Written mainly by policymakers (not scientists) who have a stake in the issue, the summary was long on dire predictions."


"Meanwhile, new scientific evidence keeps challenging previous assumptions. The latest report, for instance, takes greater note of the role of pollutant particles, which are thought to reflect sunlight back to space, supplying a cooling effect. More scientists are also studying the effect of solar activity on climate, and some believe it alone is responsible for recent warming."

Those are sensible, well thought out opinions, and stand in stark contrast to the nonsense knee jerk responses by supposedly intelligent people who should know better, as evidenced by the advanced state of denial about "denial, as evidenced on many other blogs locally and nationally regarding this subject.

The case for "scientific consensus" on "global warming" is by no means closed by this latest round of propaganda. Indeed, it's safe to say that the sacred cow "cause" of the True Believers has been undercut by this preliminary report.

Of course, they'll never admit it, but fortunately there are plenty of people who will keep them academically and intellectually honest on this subject.

"

Elizabeth Edwards rationalizes her new Taj Matwo Americas

"We built a highly energy efficient house. In fact, our home is Energy-Star rated. Energy Star is an EPA regulated designation for homes that are at least 30 percent more efficient than the national Model Energy Code.

In building we made sure we had effective insulation in floors, walls, and attics. We chose efficient heating and cooling equipment and high-performance windows. Our builder paid close attention to making sure the construction was tight to seal out drafts and moisture.

The day the independent inspector came to evaluate the house, we were on pins and needles while he tested our home's energy performance. As he packed his equipment, he gave us the good news: we are an Energy-Star home!"

Well la-dee-da, Ms. Edwards!

Ya think maybe the total amount of energy you use in your new "Energy Star" home each day might just be able to power some village in the third world for a few weeks?


hat tip: Dean Barnett, who added......

"Of course, it probably would have been more efficient to build a smaller house and go to the club to play squash, but I don’t want to say anything more that might once again “wedge” the Edwards and their netroots supporters."