Thursday, October 30, 2008

Estelle Reiner Dies

Wife of director/comedian Carl Reiner and mother of actor/director Rob Reiner died a few days ago.

She is most famous for perhaps one of the funniest lines ever delivered in a movie, though it was completely deadpan.

In her son's film When Harry Met Sally, Meg Ryan demonstrates that women can fake orgasms any time they want to, and proceeds to do so in a delicatessen. The camera moves to a then approximately 64-year-old Reiner, who declares to the a waitress standing by her "I'll have what she's having."

Hilarious.

RIP.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Obamaniacs Evidencing Desperation?

Had just sat down for dinner a little while ago, and the phone rang. While there are plenty of reasons to hate that, this turned out to be "Mark ____ from Maryland, a volunteer for" Barry He-Whose-Middle-Name-Shall-Not-Be-Spoken Obama and Mark Warner.

What a hilarious call. He asked for my wife, who likewise, had just sat down to dinner. He asked a few questions, the upshot of which was "Who are you voting for?" Since I didn't want to interrupt my wife's dinner, I informed "Mark from Maryland" that there was utterly no chance that my wife would be voting for Barry or the Boyish Governor, and that, since my dinner was getting cold, he should stop wasting my time and his, and hung up.

Doubtless, he indulged his self-serving caricatures, and dismissed me as just another right-wing radical Christian who exercises dictatorial control over his wife who, at best, simply has a "false consciousness," being unaware of her own interests and in desperate need of the guidance of the vanguard of the proletariat.

Of course, this call may well represent a rather desperate tactic on the part of Barry and the Komsomol. After all, it hardly seems logical or persuasive for Marylanders to call into Virginia for Obama, and especially for Marky-Mark. Particularly south of the Occoquan. Moreover, why would it be necessary to use Marylanders if Obama is doing so well in Virginia?

And what about this?: Brenda Young has to be among the hardest of the hard "Rs." She's voted in every GOP primary in Virginia since 1990. She's been a member of her local GOP Committee since 1991. She's attended every GOP Convention (county; congressional district; and state), since 1992.

This call makes me more sanguine about the truth about Barry's "popularity."

Monday, October 20, 2008

A Pretty Pathetic Job Application

So former Secretary of State --- and this is his most relevant "former" --- Colin Powell has endorsed The One, Barry He-Whose-Middle-Name-Shall-Not-Be-Spoken Obama for President of the United States.

As someone pointed out to me this morning, it's a pretty pathetic job application.

Think about it. One who finds solace in polling data could conclude that an Obama victory is a foregone conclusion, that it's all over but the shouting. So now, sixteen days before Election Day, Powell endorses The One. Might it be that he wants a job in the new Administration?

After all, look at his justifications. Powell challenges McCain's judgment. Does he do so by pointing out his contempt for the First Amendment, and his support for limiting free speech, as illustrated by the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance "Reform"? Does he attack McCain's support for any eminently arguable policy preferences?

No. Powell claims that it is illustrated by his pick of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for Vice President, saying that she is clearly not qualified to assume the office of President. But as compared to whom? Barry Obama? After all, Palin has the executive experience that Obama is sorely lacking. When one considers this fact, it becomes readily apparent that Powell's decision --- to the extent that it may not be completely opportunistic --- is based more on ideology than on objective criteria. And if it is based upon ideology, one can legitimately question whether his was ever truly a Republican ideology, even broadly construed.

He fears more conservative Supreme Court nominees? What Republican isn't hopeful of a more conservative Supreme Court?

Indeed, one looks at the endorsement and sees little more than The One's self-serving (and largely false) talking points. To the extent that The One's thin record depicts anything, it reveals a committed Socialist (even when --- uncharacteristically --- someone like "Joe the Plumber" gets access to ask a tough question). Other than that, The One presents little more than an empty vessel, into which his campaign devoutly hopes that the muddled middle will pour its own predispositions and hopes, without knowledge of his thin but actual record.

More interesting is the reaction of the far Left moonbatosphere. They hail the endorsement as a triumph, demonstrating once again that theirs are situational ethics of the worst sort. Aren't these the same people who not so long ago roundly condemned Colin Powell as a mere cipher, spouting the dishonest (they say) arguments in favor of taking out Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein? What is it that converted Colin Powell from a mere propaganda mouthpiece into a sage political analyst?

Apparently, his newfound and arguably opportunistic support for The One.

Lowell Feld, one of the leading moonbats ... er, "lights" over at Ranting Kids ... er, Raising Dough ... er, Raising Kaine ... er, "RK," has even put up a post about past Republican comments about Colin Powell. I suppose it's more fun to attack the other side as hypocritical than to remind readers about your own (or your fellow travellers') previous attacks one someone whom you now believe to have "seen the light."

Powell's endorsement of Obama demonstrates nothing so much as the fact that Powell --- his service to the nation notwithstanding --- is not a serious or consistent political thinker. Certainly, to the extent that he has ever thought about issues broader than national security issues at all.

For this endorsement does not elevate The One so much as it diminishes Colin Powell. And that is unfortunate.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

My Two Favorite College Teams Undefeated!

With a majority of their respective seasons past, my two favorite college football teams --- Hampden-Sydney (the alma mater) and Penn State (I'm from Pennsylvania, and my grandparents were season ticketholders) --- are both ranked, and both undefeated.

Hampden-Sydney, No. 20 in Division III, and No. 1 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC), prevailed over the coeducational experiment in Lexington, AKA Washington & Leigh ... er, "Lee" (Robert E. Lee V, H-SC '86, was a classmate of mine) by a score of 39-29, while No. 3 Penn State broke a 12-game losing streak against Michigan by rolling to a 46-17 victory, allowing no opposing scoring after the first half, yesterday.

Hampden-Sydney may well be on their way to a second consecutive appearance in the Division III playoffs, since they can do no worse than 4-2 in the conference, with home games against Catholic (5-1 overall; 1-1 ODAC), the alma mater of H-SC Head Coach Marty Favret, next week and The Game against arch-rival Randolph-Macon (2-4 overall; 1-1 ODAC) on 15 November. A non-conference game against undefeated Huntington College (Montgomery, Alabama) is scheduled for 8 November.

And if Penn State can prevail against No. 12 Ohio State in Columbus next week, they will certainly be in the hunt for the National Championship.

Should be an interesting month in college football.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

BIDEN CALLS FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST GOP OFFICIAL!

Hard to believe, but it's true. One of the Ranting Kids has the story here.

I wonder how many flipping toupees this will get from Ben Tribbett?

Interesting Insight On Barry

I've often said --- probably not here --- that the best Constitutional Law course I've ever taken was one taught by Professor David Marion, at Hampden-Sydney College, in my senior year.

At the alma mater's Homecoming this weekend, I learned that I'm not the only practicing attorney who feels this way. A much more recent graduate agrees.

It seems that a young man who graduated a few years after I did went on to law school at the University of Chicago, where his Con Law instructor was none other than Barack He-Whose-Middle-Name-Shall-Not-Be-Spoken Obama.

According to my source, Dr. Marion's course/teaching/method of instruction as a Political Science/Government course was superior --- far superior --- to Barry's as a law school instructor.

It surprises me not at all.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Frederick States Fact; Moonbatosphere Whines

Facts are the enemy of Liberalism. It's an undeniable truth of life. Moonbats scurry from fact like vampires scurry from sunlight.

Witness the recent statement by Jeff Frederick. He repeated an observation made by Limbaugh a few days back: that both have closely associated with men who have bombed the Pentagon and buildings in New York City. I noted the comparison here.

Frederick said it in front of a magazine reporter, as if it were news, or as if twenty million people hadn't heard Limbaugh say it five days ago.

So what do the moonbats do? Well, of course, they act as if it were news. Lowell, the lead moonbat at Ranting Kids ... er, Raising Dough ... er, "Raising Kaine" ... er, "RK," questions Frederick's sanity --- a subject on which he is perhaps qualified to speak --- and declares flatly that Bill Ayers --- the Weather Underground terrorist in question --- is not The One's friend.

They call for Frederick's resignation, demonstrating beyond doubt that they fear most a Republican Party of Virginia Chairman who will respond in kind to their attacks. They scream "racism and hate," as though they don't engage in class warfare and promote hatred against the successful, and as though pointing out The One's questionable associations were not legitimate. Of course, they declare that all but embrace of The One and his candidacy is racism per se.

It's expected when the moonbats whine. That's like a dog peeing on a fire hydrant. It's rather disappointing when someone as normally sensible as Doug Mataconis thinks it's a big deal.

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Heard On Rush Limbaugh Today

What does Barack Don't-mention-my-middle-name Obama have in common with Osama bin Laden?

They both have closely associated with men who have bombed the Pentagon and buildings in New York.

OBAMA ADMITS HE'S A SOCIALIST!!!

Shortly before 10:00 p.m., E.D.T., the Democrat nominee for President, Barack Don't-mention-my-middle-name Obama admitted that he's a socialist.

He said that health care is a "right." Of course, that means that the government should take my money to care for those who are less responsible.

This alone should disqualify this dilletante from public office in the United States of America.

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Another Moron For Obama

Apparently, Barry's doing quite well in Springfield.

What Are His Credentials?

The impending congressional/taxpayer bailout of Wall Street raises any number of interesting questions.

Among the most interesting is why certain Members of Congress who were complicit in the bad decisionmaking which allowed the "crisis" to develop are given any role in crafting a solution to it.

Chief among these is Barney Frank (D-Mass.).

I would certainly like to know what business or finance credentials he brings to the table.

After all, the closest this career politician has ever come to running a business is when Steven Gobie was running a homosexual male escort service out of Frank's townhouse in the 1980s!