“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right
to tell people what they do not want to hear.”

- George Orwell

Bill Clinton: 'Coverup' hiding Hillary Clinton's chances

New photographic evidence of Reverend Jeremiah Wright's chickens coming home to roost:



HT: KingDavid (now at his new blogging address).

This was one of the surest bets you could have made a year ago:

Smoking ban has apparently cut into revenue from charitable gambling
The statewide ban, which began late last year, is tied to a significant decline in bar pulltab and bingo receipts, according to a study by the State Gambling Control Board.

By MARK BRUNSWICK, Star Tribune

Affirming what American Legion hall operators and mom-and-pop bar owners had warned, a new report shows that the statewide ban on smoking enacted last year appears to have cut into charitable gambling revenues from bar game pulltabs and bingo.

Gross receipts from charitable gambling were down 12.8 percent in the last three months of 2007, which correlates with when the statewide smoking ban took effect. Even taking into account a weakening economy, the ban is likely to be responsible for a decline in gross receipts of 7.5 percent to 8 percent, or a loss equal to $95 million to $105 million a year, according to the report.

The overall 12.8 percent drop represents the largest decline in receipts since lawful gambling was first regulated in the state in 1985, according to the report released Monday by the State Gambling Control Board, which regulates the industry.

...

The new report shows that towns close to states that have not enacted a smoking ban appear to have been more affected. Sites near tribal casinos, where smoking can be permitted, have seen receipts decline more than the state average for several years, an apparent trend that began before the ban.

...

Charitable gambling officials predict revenue declines of 16 percent to 18 percent through this year. Anticipating the effect, the industry has been pushing for several pieces of legislation that would give them more flexibility in their operations.

So now, what do you want to bet that we'll have legislation liberalizing (good word, that) or expanding gambling to more venues to make up for the shortfall? After all, it's for the children! And the vets! Or are you some unpatriotic child-hater? Come on, everybody pull(tab) together!

The lobbyists and our legislature have focused on getting everyone to kick their Camels ... while letting another camel get it's head further into the tent. (But hey, it's a big tent!)

... Deep, too!

From NPR:

The Mystery of Global Warming's Missing Heat
by Richard Harris

March 19, 2008 · Some 3,000 scientific robots that are plying the ocean have sent home a puzzling message. These diving instruments suggest that the oceans have not warmed up at all over the past four or five years. That could mean global warming has taken a breather. Or it could mean scientists aren't quite understanding what their robots are telling them.

This is puzzling in part because here on the surface of the Earth, the years since 2003 have been some of the hottest on record. But Josh Willis at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory says the oceans are what really matter when it comes to global warming.

In fact, 80 percent to 90 percent of global warming involves heating up ocean waters. They hold much more heat than the atmosphere can. So Willis has been studying the ocean with a fleet of robotic instruments called the Argo system. The buoys can dive 3,000 feet down and measure ocean temperature. Since the system was fully deployed in 2003, it has recorded no warming of the global oceans.

Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama's pastor, has had several interesting sermon excerpts broadcast recently, including this snippet on Hugh Hewitt's show yesterday:

I’m still in Bible country. I’m still in the text. Jesus was a poor, black man who lived in a country, and who lived in a culture that was controlled by rich, white people. The Romans were rich, the Romans were Italians, which means they were European, which means they were white, and the Romans ran everything in Jesus’ country.

I suppose that's why Jesus could never catch a break, and why the scriptures describe him always going around being obsessed with being a victim. Rev. Wright said he was working from the Bible text, but when I read the Bible it strikes me that Jesus didn't focus on Affirmative Action, he was Affirmative Action. I also recall that he didn't seem to agree very much with the actions and interpretations of Pharisees and Sadducees or, as Rev. Wright's interpretation would presumably have it, the leadership of his "black" people.

Let's see, you could have an acerbic, irascible, quick-with-quip wounded war veteran who is much older than his opponent as the Republican nominee for president, who could be going against a fresh, young face who has come out of nowhere in recent years to infuse and enthuse an electorate that seems eager for change.

How did that turn out for Bob Dole?

Man, people say the Ron Paul "Paul-bots" are obsessive, but checking out Hugh Hewitt's blog the past couple of times makes me think there's been some kind of Rom-bot Invasion of the Party Snatchers. There's a new post every 17 minutes defending Mitt Romney or blasting McCain, or both, and absolutely nothing else. Even a headline suggestive of an economics story is written in terms of what it means to Romney's candidacy. If we knew the world was going to end in 3 hours Hugh's headline would be "Apocalypse snatches victory from Mitt's grasp at the last moment."

Oh well, Mitt seems like a decent sort. If it's between him and McCain I'd vote for Romney, or some 6th or 7th party candidate, before I'd vote for McCain. Or maybe I'll just go get a tooth filled instead. This race just isn't that interesting or amusing to me.

Not like the other side of the fence where The Big O is facing off against the Big Uh-Oh. Do you remember back in 8th or 9th grade when people would start shouting about a "girl-fight" and you'd push your way through the crowd to get a good view — and then start pushing your way back out again after getting hit with a handful of hair? Man, girls fight nasty and yet everyone assumes they're so much more refined and cultured than boys. Just try to look away, though. Similarly Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton race around trying to convince the Dem's flotilla of special interest groups that he or she is the biggest victim and worthy of their vote. It's as compelling as watching "Real Life Stories of the ER", without that annoying message warning of graphic scenes. Plus there's always the chance of seeing Bill Clinton wag his, um, finger at us again. Good times.

Then, just as you think the story is all played out, there's a shocking twist like Teddy Kennedy endorsing Obama. That reminded me of another episode from my younger days. Ever play "Risk", the game of world domination? Do you remember the visceral thrill you got when one of the players from a strategic alliance that had been cleaning up the board suddenly turned on his partner and struck from the rear? Yeah, you knew it was inevitable but it still gave you a pleasant shiver. This was even better than John Kerry forsaking his running mate Edwards a couple of weeks ago to jump on the Obama wagon. I can just hear Obama saying "Thanks, John, now would you mind not standing so close to me when the cameras are clicking?" I didn't see the Kennedy endorsement coming, though, at least not this soon. I don't know, maybe Ted thought Obama was an Irish name?

Speaking of alliances, some are saying that the distant third place Democrat candidate John Edwards is in line to be Obama's attorney general. Wow, a trial lawyer and union puppet as head of the Justice Department? He'd make Halliburton look like a couple of neighborhood kids opening a lemonade stand.

1. Don't tug on Superman's cape.

2. Don't spit into the wind.

3. Don't post pictures of yourself participating in illegal activities on Facebook.

The children are upset because Eden Prairie High School is disciplining them for breaking school rules about drinking by suspending several students from athletic teams or extra-curricular activities (presumably not drinking related). "Unfair!" they say as they stalk to their corners (or stage a walk-out).

For educational purposes, let's examine this logic. The students and their parents sign agreements not to drink alcohol while participating in school events (or presumably while eligible to participate), such as sports. The student breaks that pledge and the school finds out through photographic evidence. What part of basic cause and effect did you not learn in class? The school is enforcing its rules, and you should hope that the State of Minnesota doesn't try to enforce it's rules (called "laws", btw) as well since underage drinking is, like, you know, illegal.

And no, my darlings, this isn't a violation of privacy or free speech. First, if you put something in a public place or space, it's not private. Second, while your posting of it is speech, the punishment isn't because you posted, per se, but because the pictures were of you doing something that broke your word, the rules and the law.

This lesson is over. Now, get back to class because I don't think you can afford to miss many more.

...And boy, are his lips tired!

Whoops, it appears he's written his fourth book.

From the Pioneer Press:

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura largely disappeared from public view when he left office five years ago, but he isn't keeping his opinions to himself.

He co-wrote a book, filled with his feelings on politics, international affairs and the media, due out next April.

"It really reflects Gov. Ventura," said Bill Wolfsthal, associate publisher at the New York-based Skyhorse Publishing. "It's energetic and opinionated and absolutely fascinating."

The book, "Don't Start the Revolution Without Me," was co-written with author Dick Russell.

"It really is great reading," Wolfsthal said.

I heard the original title was "Don't Start the Promotion Without Me."

MoveOn.org takes out full page ad in the New York Times: General Petraeus or General Betray Us?

True North has this, via Captain Ed and Colonel Joe Repya.

Well, that's a relief. It turns out that the endangered Chilean sea bass that Al Gore and others dined on during the rehearsal dinner for his daughter's wedding were not so endangered after all (though the particular entrees in question might choose to quibble). While the Chilean sea bass (aka Patagonian toothfish) species as a whole is clinging to survival as desperately as the McCain campaign, it turns out that the ones invited to the Gore table were special:

But the fish enjoyed by the Gores were not endangered or illegally caught.

Rather, the restaurant later confirmed, they had come from one of the world's few well-managed, sustainable populations of toothfish, and caught and documented in compliance with Marine Stewardship Council regulations. The Gores' spokesman, Kalee Kreider, admitted that the fish has been on the menu, but said: "The Gores absolutely agree with this humane society and the rest of the environmental community about illegally caught Chilean sea bass.

(HT: The Far Wright)

I'm sure that further investigation will show that the Marine Stewardship Council regulations also require that the fish enjoy government-funded universal health and dental benefits, lifetime education in government schools, and are harvested only by electric hybrid and bio-diesel equipped trawlers. Though not native to the U.S., the toothfish were here as "guest workers" and were happy to pay for a better wedding after Gore personally assured them that there was no "controlling legal authority" and that it "was for the (my) children."

I also look for the Gores to announce they are purchasing "tarpon offsets" to counter their conspicuous consumption.

Senate halts Iraq pullout, cash cutoff
By S.A. Miller
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
May 17, 2007

The Senate yesterday overwhelmingly rejected a bid to pull out troops from Iraq and cut off funds for combat, a bruising defeat for Majority Leader Harry Reid that highlights the Democratic split over how far to go in opposing the war.

The amendment, which was co-sponsored by Mr. Reid, Nevada Democrat, died in a 67-29 procedural vote, with 47 Republicans, 19 Democrats and one independent blocking the plan to start a troop withdrawal in 120 days and cut off funds March 31 to most military operations in Iraq.

"We don't want to send the message to the troops" that they lost the backing of Congress, said Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, chairman of the Armed Services Committee and one of several key Democrats to defect. "We're going to support those troops."

Only 29 votes to cut-off funding and withdraw from Iraq? And didn't the latest polls show the approval rating of the Democratic-controlled Congress at 29% - even lower than the approval rating for George Bush?

Senator Reid, it is time to admit that the rebels have won, whether they be insurgents, resurgents or those just plain looking for detergents to protect their election chances. Oh, I know you were led to believe that the Congress would welcome you with hearts and flowers when you you thought you had accomplished your mission after the 2006 elections, but you have squandered your technical, numerical and moral superiority. In fact, sir, it has clearly become a quagmire of your own devising. It is time for you to support our troops by withdrawing from your failed policies.

Milwaukee museum visitor attacks $300,000 painting

The painting was Vannini's "Triumph of David", depicting the young shepherd holding up the severed head of Goliath. The attacker's nationality wasn't disclosed, but I'm guessing there are still some prickly Philistines around who'll take umbrage at such physical representations.

Then again, it is Milwaukee. He might have just been drunk.

Al Gore has an inconvenient light bill, twenty times higher than the national average.

As the Night Writer is fond of saying, "Everything is illuminated..."

St. Paul is looking to ban toy guns.

It's not looking good for candy cigarettes, either.

In keeping with the spirit of the times the Minneapolis City Council is the latest to offer a resolution that's about as binding as a sackful of White Castles ingested after bar-closing — and even less meaningful. Their call for "an orderly, rapid and comprehensive withdrawal of United States military personnel from Iraq" garnered the headlines, but what was missed was what the Council did after hammering out that gripping piece of political theater.

Moving on to other important business, the Council passed resolutions calling for:

• Great Britain to give the Falklands back to Argentina



• The NFL to redistribute Bill Belichick to the Vikings



• The Prairie Chicken be named the state bird of North Dakota.

These resolutions all passed unanimously. Another resolution, banning President Bush from attending the 2008 Republican Convention in Minneapolis, passed 11-0 with two abstentions. The abstentions came from members who said it wasn't appropriate to vote on the measure because George Bush wasn't really the president of the United States.

A final resolution, condemning the blast of Arctic air headed for Minnesota later this week, had to be tabled because of arguments arising over whether or not to call for a fence to be built at the Canadian border to keep the cold air out. In a compromise measure, the Council unanimously declared that "winter was mean" because it has a disproportionate impact on the poor and minorities.

By the time these resolutions were passed the Council was out of time and couldn't act on an agenda item calling for withdrawing law-abiding citizens from the "quagmire" of North Minneapolis.

The Academy Award nominations were released this morning. Coincidentally, the President's State of the Union Address is tonight. Both will garner a lot of attention today and in the days ahead. While I haven't seen the list of Oscar nominees yet, and obviously I don't know how the speech will go tonight, but I think both events are pretty predictable.

For the record, let me just say that I think it is important for us as a society to honor and recognize those who work so hard to play their parts, even if they are directed by others and their words written by someone else and they make tons of money with very little heavy lifting. Here, then, are my predictions for the nominees for tonight's performances:

Best Picture: This award recognizes the person who's picture, taken during the speech, gets the most play in tomorrow's newspapers and blogs. The favorites in this category have to be President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (did you know she was a woman?), simply because they get the most screen time. The edge here probably goes to Pelosi, who has better hair, though other "best picture" contenders could be of Hillary scowling or Ted Kennedy passing out face first onto his desk, but since these are familiar images they might not be as "newsworthy". I think the winner might be a surprise candidate, such as Sen. Dennis Kucinich reading a MAD magazine, or Representative Keith Ellison reading the Koran.

Best Actor/Actress: Isn't it archaic in this day and age to have separate actor categories for men and women? If you ask me this smacks of quotas and set asides. Why not simply recognize the best performance, based on who's the most convincing? Expected nominees include President Bush, who will try to convince us he has a plan; Speaker Pelosi, who will try to smile and applaud as the President enters; Minority Leader John Boehner, who will try to act as if he's relevant; and Representative Jack Murtha, who will act as if he's actually heard what was just said. A lot of people favor Barack Obama for this award for his overall performance in appearing to have substance, but I think that tonight he'll be playing it safe and just trying not to screw it up.

Best Supporting Actor/Actress: This award goes to person who does the best job of making the President look good, even if only by comparison. This is always a heated competition, especially in the lightweight division, where Kucinich and Senator Barbara Boxer have been the front-runners. Senator Joe Biden can also be a factor — if he isn't too busy copying working on his screenplay. I've heard, however, that the Republicans are working with Fox News on some excuse to get Howard Dean into the Chamber for the evening. My money, however, is on Senator John Kerry who continues to do good work but will also garner some "lifetime achievement" support for his efforts in 2004.

Best Non-Supporting Actor/Actress: This is an unusual category but one that's hard to ignore and that has a strong field of candidates. Nominees worth watching include the perennial John McCain, but you take your eyes off of Senators John Warner, Olympia Snowe and Chuck Hagl at your own risk. I think this will go, however, to surprise dark-horse nominee, Senator Norm Coleman.

Best Original Song, Best Original Screenplay: No nominees. Haven't we heard it all before?

That's all I have time for because I need to go out and buy snacks and beverages for tonight's show now so that I don't have to worry about being late getting to my recliner in front of the TV. I'll leave it to others to submit your nominations for categories such as "Best Director", "Best Animation" or "Special Effects."

Des Moines, Iowa - "It was the worst experience of my life," said Cyrus Greenleaf, head of Vegetables Entitled to Respect and Green Equality (VERGE) after he and several other heads of lettuce, as well as several pounds of spinach and green onions, were abruptly tossed from a local grocery store after shoppers and USDA officials became concerned that the group was potentially carrying E.coli bacteria.

Consumers have been on high alert lately following recent news stories and studies linking green vegetables such as lettuce and spinach to E.coli outbreaks. Speaking on behalf of his group, Greenleaf claimed that he and his friends were victims of "veggie-profiling" and that they were being singled out for "traveling while green."

"This is obvious vegetarianism," he said. "The public and the administration gets its undies in a bunch and suddenly it's 'E.coli this' and 'E.coli that.' It's simply easier to blame somebody than to address the root causes. I blame the American culture; people in this country learn to hate green vegetables when they're young and then when they get older you shouldn't be surprised when their prejudice crops up. Green vegetables are peaceful and nutritious; these latest charges are harassment, plain and simple." Greenleaf indicated that the group may seek redress in the courts.

While definite links between vegetables and illnesses such as E.coli, salmonella and hepatitus have been discovered, there is still some uncertainty about the organic nature of the threat, even among government officials. For example, when asked recently whether lettuce or spinach posed a greater threat, incoming chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Silvestre Reyes, said, "I don't know, I have a hard time telling one from the other."

Meanwhile, both the FDA and the USDA encourage consumers to be alert, saying they are the best line of defense against E.coli attacks and other terra-ism. "Not all vegetables have E.coli, but all the latest E.coli carriers have been vegetables," said Brad LeBeouf, a spokesman for the USDA.

Given the prominence of this story I thought this latest development would be all over the media, but I didn't see anything about this on the Fox, CNN or New York Times main web pages. From the Washingon Times:

Probes dismiss imams' racism claim
By Audrey Hudson
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
December 6, 2006

Three parallel investigations into the removal of six imams from a US Airways flight last month have so far concluded that the airline acted properly, that the imams' claims they were merely praying and their eviction was racially inspired are without foundation.

An internal investigation by the airline found that air and ground crews "acted correctly" when they requested that the Muslim men be removed from a Minneapolis-to-Phoenix flight on Nov. 20.

"We believe the ground crew and employees acted correctly and did what they are supposed to do," US Airways spokeswoman Andrea Rader said.

(SNIP)

"We talked with crew members and passengers and those on the ground. We've done what we typically do in a situation where there is a removal or some kind of customer service at issue," Miss Rader said. "We found out the facts are substantially the same, and the imams were detained because of the concerns crew members had based on the behavior they observed, and from reports by the customers."

The Minneapolis airport police department's report on the incident said the imams' behavior warranted their removal. The imams were not accused of breaking any laws.

The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties is reviewing the actions of department members who were involved in the incident.

Secret Service agents questioned the imams, who are accused of making negative comments about President Bush and the Iraq war. Officials of the Transportation Security Administration were involved in screening the imams and their baggage.

"There is no indication there is any inappropriate activity, at least no indication at this time," DHS spokesman Russ Knocke said. "To my knowledge, we are only doing a review, and that is a fairly routine practice with incidents like this."

The Air Carrier Security Committee of the Air Line Pilots Association investigated the incident and said, "The crew's actions were strictly in compliance with procedures and demonstrated overall good judgment in the care and concern for their passengers, fellow crew members, and the company."

"The decisions made by all the parties were made as a result of the behavior of the passengers and not as a result of their ethnicity," the report concluded.

(SNIP)

Mr. Shahin told television reporters that he needed the seat-belt extension because he weighs 280 pounds. However, the police report lists his weight as 201 pounds. Weights listed for the other imams ranged from 170 pounds to 250 pounds.

I can't wait for Imam Shahin's diet book to come out.

There was an interesting story in the Minneapolis StarTribune yesterday about an elderly man who heard someone breaking into his home and, when confronted in his bedroom by the intruder, shot and killed the burglar. The original story was pretty spare on details, though the police indicated that the homeowner was within his rights and was not likely to be prosecuted.

Considering that it's the Strib, however, and its well-established anitpathy toward guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens, I wasn't suprised to see in today's follow-up story that the paper, in its commitment to informing the public (as long as it can advance its own agenda, that is) solemnly informed us that the homeowner's house was dilapidated and likely to be condemned, thereby suggesting that the intruder may have mistakenly thought the house was abandoned (which, of course, makes it all right to break and enter). At least the condition of the house had some connection to the story. The article finished by reporting that the homeowner was a former teacher and school principal who had been fired 25 years ago for being "unfit to teach" due a "list of deficiencies" including having a "rigid and stiff" classroom manner and for picking on and swearing at students. He's evil!

No doubt tomorrow we'll have another story focusing on the young "victim" who will turn out to be a troubled young man just on the verge of getting his life together before his fatal misadventure, which could have been prevented if only someone had "done something."

Okay, that's the news business. When you've got a story that gets a lot of attention you naturally want to follow up and include more details to keep the readers coming back. For example, let's take one of the biggest stories of the past few days that has both a local and national following: the "flying Imams" who were cold-bloodedly persecuted for innocently scaring the bejeezus out of their fellow passengers and the flight crew:

The imams say they were removed from the Phoenix-bound flight because they were praying quietly in the concourse. They had been in Minnesota for a conference sponsored by the North American Imams Federation.

But other passengers told police and aviation security officials a different version of the incident. They said suspicious behavior of the imams led to their eviction from the flight...

...The passengers and flight crew said the imams prayed loudly before boarding; switched seating assignments to a configuration used by terrorists in previous incidents; asked for seat-belt extensions, which could be used as weapons; and shouted hostile slogans about al Qaeda and the war in Iraq.

Flight attendants said three of the six men, who did not appear to be overweight, asked for the seat-belt extensions, which include heavy metal buckles, and then threw them to the floor under their seats.

Wow, holy indignation, airline security and national attention! I can't wait for the Strib to bring us more information about the backgrounds of these now frequent flyers, or to tell us more about this important Muslim conference held in our very own Twin Cities and attended by our very own first-ever Muslim congressman-elect, Keith Ellison!

Perhaps I'm expecting too much, given the Strib seemed to have a lot of trouble getting anything other than sketchiest of details about Ellison's background such as his campus writings and long-time affiliation with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. Finding out more background information on these humble holy men is probably even more difficult. Unless you're Michelle Malkin, that is:

Will they mention Shahin's admitted ties to Osama bin Laden and denial of the 9/11 al Qaeda plot?

Or his connection to a Hamas-linked terror charity front?

Will they mention Mahdi Bray's terror-sympathizing statements and stances?

Or the Muslim American Society's radical embrace of sharia and faux pose as the "moderate" front for the Muslim Brotherhood? (My debate on Laura Ingraham's radio show with one of the double-talking MAS spokesmen here.)

Or will they mindlessly play along with the grievance-mongers, lazily echoing the cries of "Islamophobia" and joining in self-flagellation?

Oh well, see you in the funny papers.

Gee, hiding in the mirror all this time.

Already a pariah and pop-culture punch line, O.J. Simpson plans a book and TV interview to discuss how, hypothetically, he could have killed his ex-wife and her friend

... Denise Brown, sister of Simpson's slain ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, lashed out at publisher Judith Regan of ReganBooks for "promoting the wrongdoing of criminals" and commercializing abuse...

(Snip)

... Regan refused to say what Simpson is being paid for the book but said he came to her with the idea.

"This is an historic case, and I consider this his confession," Regan told The Associated Press...

I've made note of the date of the interview and of the book's release, but only so I can schedule a root-canal for that evening and so that I can have a reference point in my memoirs for the time when our culture finally fell into the abyss.

On behalf of Donald Rumsfeld and other U.S. citizens and military members to be named later, may I simply say:

Piss herauf ein Seil.

That is all.

If you want more information, however, about who is behind this in the U.S., go here.

The Minfidel is now back from hiatus, if that's what you call being locked in a trunk for over a year. Anyway, I've been trying to get caught up on current events, and it's nice to see that nothing's really changed. The big news this week is that a bunch of murdering jihadists have been murdering - or threatening to murder - people because someone called them, well, a bunch of murdering jihadists. This all sounded strangely familiar; I know I've seen this somewhere before. I've got it! It was a scene from one of my all-time favorite movies, "Animal Mosque."

Pope Wormer: Greg, what is the worst religious sect in this world?

Cardinal Greg Marmalard: Well that would be hard to say, sir. They're each outstanding in their own way.

Pope Wormer: Cut the horse***, son. I've got their disciplinary files right here. Who dropped a whole truckload of fizzies into the swim meet? Who delivered the medical school cadavers to the alumni dinner? Every Halloween, the trees are filled with underwear. Every spring, the toilets explode.

Cardinal Marmalard: You're talking about radical islamofascists, sir.

Pope Wormer: Of course I'm talking about radical islamofascists, you TWERP!

Later...inside Animal Mosque:

Al D-Day: War's over, man. Wormer's dropped the big one.

bin-Bluto: Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

Saddam Otter: Germans?

bin-Boon: Forget it, he's rolling.

bin-Bluto: And it ain't over now. 'Cause when the goin' gets tough... [thinks hard] ... the tough get goin'! Who's with me? Let's go! [runs out, alone; then returns]

bin-Bluto: What happened to the jihadis I used to know? Where's the spirit? Where's the guts, huh? "Ooh, we're afraid to go with you bin-Bluto, we might get in trouble." Well just kiss my *** from now on! Not me! I'm not gonna take this. Wormer, he's a dead man! Marmalard, dead! Niedermeyer...

Saddam Otter: Dead! bin-Bluto's right. Psychotic, but absolutely right. We gotta take these bastards. Now we could do it with conventional weapons but that could take years and cost millions of lives. No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part.

bin-Bluto: We're just the guys to do it.

Al D-Day: Let's do it.

bin-Bluto: LET'S DO IT!

Today's StarTribune features a commentary by David Brooks that highlights many positive societal changes since the early 90s that suggest America is becoming more virtuous. For example, family violence, violent crime, violence by teens, drunk driving fatalities, hard liquour consumption, teen pregnancy, abortions, the number of children living in poverty, divorce rates and teen suicide are all declining. It's strange that I haven't seen the front page headlines about these trends, but if the Strib let this story run then it must be true.

But wait, out of their commitment to providing fair and balanced perspective, the Strib's editorial staff had to weigh in as well with an editorial entitled "Moral revival: Not with both eyes open". After first calling our attention to Brooks' column "on the opposite page" (um, oh yeah, the right hand page) they note, "With one eye open, he runs through a litany of good news." This is followed by a flying "but"-monkey bigger than anything in the Wizard of Oz: "These are indeed wonderful trends to celebrate. And, as Brooks suggests, they are part of an improved climate of private virtue. But Brooks sees only half the picture. If he opened his other eye — his eye on public virtue — his claims of a clear moral revival would quickly blur."

The editorial then launches into a series of rhetorical questions, which means they weren't really expecting responses (easy to do when you're a one-way medium). Well, in my best Samuel L. Jackson voice, "Allow me to retort."

Update:

Doug at Bogus Gold has more commentary on this editorial.

CNN reports: Roberts Documents Reveal a Conservative

I'm shocked! Shocked, I say...