NARAL hags stand down...

The warm and fuzzy folks at NARAL have at last seen the writing on the wall.

Finally realizing that their atrocious and completely false anti-John Roberts ad not only has shown ZERO effectiveness but that the backlash it has created has been counter-productive, the advocates of the holy sacrament of abortion-on-demand have seen fit to withdraw it. Even the most partisan Democrats went running for hills on this one.

Allow me to quote the original Willy Wonka:
"You get NOTHING! You LOSE! Good DAY, sir!"

Posted by: Gary at 07:20 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 93 words, total size 1 kb.

Sir Bedevere!

Take the quiz: "Which Holy Grail Character Are You?"

Sir Bedevere
Well, now, uh, Launcelot, Galahad, and I, uh, wait until nightfall, and then leap out of the rabbit, taking the French, uh, by surprise. Not only by surprise, but totally unarmed!

Posted by: Gary at 07:14 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 46 words, total size 1 kb.

There's no disputing it now...

As Byron York reports, Cindy Sheehan's own words and actions betray the fact that she has been brainwashed by the Left-wing Bush-hating Moonbat Brigade. And that she's being used as a propaganda tool. You can practically see Joe Trippi's hand up her back pulling the strings.

Posted by: Gary at 08:20 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 56 words, total size 1 kb.

Sometimes "whip-its" just aren't enough...

Just ask this guy. H/T: Bill at INDC Journal

Posted by: Gary at 04:15 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 19 words, total size 1 kb.

And, alas, after walking

Posted by: Gary at 03:30 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 39 words, total size 1 kb.

BUSTED!!!

Michelle Malkin got a nasty email from a reader because of her posts about Cindy Sheehan. Well, the dipshit sent the email from his workplace. Michelle posted it with the establishment's name - it was a law office. And rightly so!

It seems the law firm caught wind of it and sent a heartfelt apology for the vile and crude language of its employee (link warning - offensive stuff here). Scroll down to the third email featured in the post. Looks like this idiot legal secretary will be one of the unemployment claims for August that will be reported next month.

What a dumb-ass!

BTW, Drudge is reporting that Cindy Sheehan's entire family is disavowing her current activities. Lends a little more creedence the charge that she's being manipulated by moonbat anti-war groups.

In response to questions regarding the Cindy Sheehan/Crawford Texas issue:

Sheehan Family Statement: The Sheehan Family lost our beloved Casey in the Iraq War and we have been silently, respectfully grieving. We do not agree with the political motivations and publicity tactics of Cindy Sheehan. She now appears to be promoting her own personal agenda and notoriety at the the expense of her son's good name and reputation. The rest of the Sheehan Family supports the troops, our country, and our President, silently, with prayer and respect.

Sincerely, Casey Sheehan's grandparents, aunts, uncles and numerous cousins.

UPDATE: 2:40pm
Rusty Shackleford at The Jawa Report quotes Cindy Sheehan blaming the Iraq war on a Jewish conspiracy. Sounds like Code Pink has brainwashed her. This woman's credibility is unravelling pretty fast...

UPDATE II: 8/12/05 07:40am
The NY Sun reports that Cindy Sheehan is posting on Michael Moore's website.

[Sheehan wrote:] "We have such a strong coalition of groups. GSFP, Code Pink, Veterans for Peace, Military Families Speak Out and the Crawford Peace House. I talked with John Conyers today and he wrote a letter to George signed by about 18 other Congress members to request that he meet with me. I also talked to Maxine Waters tonight and she is probably going to be here tomorrow."

It turns out that the Crawford Peace House Web site includes a photo depicting the entire state of Israel as "Palestine," and it carries a link to a report that when Prime Minister Sharon visited Crawford, the "peace house" greeted him with an "800-foot-long banner containing all of the United Nations resolutions that Israel is in violation of." The Crawford Peace House site also features a photo of Eugene Bird, who has suggested that Israeli intelligence was responsible for the abuses at Abu Ghraib.

Code Pink, Veterans for Peace, and Military Families Speak Out all have representatives on the steering committee of United for Peace and Justice, an anti-war umbrella group. They share that distinction with the Communist Party USA. UPJ organized the march during the 2004 Republican Convention in New York, at which a New York Sun poll of 253 of the protesters found that fully 67% of those surveyed said they agreed with the statement "Iraqi attacks on American troops occupying Iraq are legitimate resistance." In other words, Ms. Sheehan's "coalition" includes a lot of people who think the persons who killed her son were justified.

Any questions?

Hat Tip to Michelle Malkin

Posted by: Gary at 02:16 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 542 words, total size 4 kb.

A "United North America"?

Apparently there's this Canadian guy who's got a website advocating the merging of Canada and the U.S. I found my way there through a link via NealeNews.

Is this guy kidding? I mean he makes some good points from Canada's point of view but why the heck would the U.S. want to absorb millions of miles of uninhabitable Northern wasteland and a population of "cradle to grave" welfare-state dependents? Not to mention an entire province of French-speaking separatist malcontents.

Frankly, I don't see a whole lot of advantages for the United States, here. My forefathers overcame great obstacles like the Connecticut River to get the hell out of Canada. And even Liberals disgusted with the last election results won't go there.

Nice try, pal. I'll take a pass.

Posted by: Gary at 01:15 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 136 words, total size 1 kb.

Newport Folk Festival...

Held this past weekend at Ft. Adams (named after Pres. John Quincy Adams) State Park.

I used to go to this back in the mid-nineties with my wife, who was a big folk music fan. I didn't care all that much for the music, but it was a nice excuse to lay out in the sun for two days, take a dip in the ocean and see the sights of Newport, which is a beautiful city.

We stopped going when we had our first child, which made it too difficult to go. And besides, at that point it had started to evolve into nothing more than an annual Indigo Girls concert with twelve opening acts. And man, what a freak-show it was. Aging ex-hippies, lesbians with unshaven armpits and ponytailed "new age" guys in wall-to-wall tie-dye. It was like going to the zoo (as you can tell from the photo).

Anyway, I'm sure that nowadays the event is mostly wild-eyed Bush-bashing set to music. It's a shame. Even if I enjoyed the music, I wouldn't ever go into such a hostile environment again.

Posted by: Gary at 10:15 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 189 words, total size 1 kb.

Interesting Hit Report from Site-Meter...

The IP addresses goes to...Iran. Yes, you heard correctly. Specifically from the city of Irancheh in the region of Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari (of course this may just be the host city for the IP address). Just got the hit a little while ago.

Looks like the referring URL is one of my Diane Lane photo posts.

It's early evening over there right now. Don't know if his browser translates the page or if he speaks English, but...

Let me extend a warm welcome to our Iranian brothers and sisters who seek liberty and self-determination on behalf of Americans everywhere!

The world is getting smaller everyday.

Posted by: Gary at 09:49 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 116 words, total size 1 kb.

Tax rates cut and tax receipts go UP, UP, UP...

Supply-side economics in all it's glory! Deficit continues to shrink.

In its monthly budget statement, the Treasury Department said government receipts rose to $142.09 billion in July — a record high for the month — compared to $134.42 billion in July last year.

F.U. Krugman!

H/T: ABP

UPDATE: 10:24am
Jobless claims tumble again for the fourth straight week - falling to a five month low. Analysts are stymied. Democrats are losing their minds. Double F.U. Krugman!

Posted by: Gary at 09:17 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 95 words, total size 1 kb.

W: Why we love him is why they hate him...

As explained by the ever-lovely and always eloquent Peggy Noonan:

Mr. Bush as a person, as an individual, is as attractive to Republicans as he is unattractive to Democrats. Republicans like him because he seems like a normal guy--business, family, sports, Top 40 on the iPod. Democrats hate him for this--how common, how plebian; he'd have more elevated tastes if he were a more elevated man. Republicans like him for the one way in which he is obviously extraordinary: When he says it he means it, and if he promises it he'll do it. Democrats see this as evidence of derangement: He doesn't change his mind because he thinks he's God's other son, and in any case he can't think clearly enough to change his mind. Republicans see it more this way: As a West Point official said to me in passing, "He's got two of 'em."

Democrats try to tag Mr. Bush as lazy, but that will never work. He seems like an activist who's actively engaged. Every time cable news does a "Bush Is on Vacation in Crawford" headline they're forced to follow it with a clip of the speech Mr. Bush just made. In any case liberals are always trying to call Republican presidents lazy. They did it with Eisenhower and Reagan too. It never helps the liberal cause. They don't know half the country would be relieved to have a lazy president as he'd do less and make us less nervous.

Couldn't have said it any better.

Posted by: Gary at 09:03 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 271 words, total size 2 kb.

Liberal Myopia...

Kevin Drum in Washington Monthly lists 10 reasons why he thinks Democrats aren't getting votes they way they used to. Interesting the way Democrats see themselves. Some are pretty close to the mark (Too socially Liberal. Need to move to the center.), while others veer off into moonbat land (Too gutless. Need to get down in the gutter with Karl Rove and rip his lungs out).

But the comments left on the post are the most revealing:

"How about: there's nothing wrong with the Democrats, there's something wrong with Americans?"

"Too quick to spread their legs and enjoy it rather than attack."

"The public is beginning to catch on that the Republicans simply can't govern - they're too greedy, too focused on the individual (at the expense of the community) and they cannot see the critical importance of a strong and involved government that does the sorts of thing that the private sector can't or won't do."

"Come on Kevin! Its that the Republicans have convinced just enough voters of 1 and 4 and, oh, "that Democrats are just tax and spenders" and therefore it doesn't matter what the Democrats actually are, they are coming up just short in lections because of what republicans SAY that they are."

"Media only cares about sex/Monica. Let's Repukes get away with lies, from Gore to budget to war."

These are folks that will just never "get it".

H/T: Conservative Grapevine

UPDATE: 1:36pm
For kicks, John Hawkins made a similar list for Republicans at Right-Wing News (he came up with 11)

Posted by: Gary at 07:28 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 260 words, total size 2 kb.

Ex-Donkey shows his vulnerable side...

My youngest son, Kevin, is a sweet little two-year old who has been diagnosed with autism. We don't know yet how severe it is but he is currently receiving ten plus hours a week of therapy courtesy of the State of CT (they can do some things right).

Anyway it's share time. This evening the Ex-Donkette took the middle son to a PJ storytime at our local library and I have number one and three to tend to while I clean the house in her absence.

Kevin, unlike most children with autism, likes to be held but he has always been very passive about it. This evening while getting him ready for bed I thought I'd rock him on my shoulder while listening to some music to get him in the bedtime "mindset".

A little bit into the first song, while his head rested on my left shoulder, Kevin reached his left arm around my neck and held it firmly and his right arm went around my left shoulder in the same way. He was hugging me.

I can't express in words how important this is - not only for his development but for my own emotional well-being. I'm still a little choked up about it. Sorry for wasting valuable blog space when I could be sharing stories about a guy in Latvia who blew his nuts off trying to brew moonshine in his apartment.

Cripes, between this and the LL Bean catalog I'm turning into a great big pansy.

Posted by: Gary at 08:05 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 260 words, total size 1 kb.

Distraught Yankee Fan Jumps from Upper Deck...

Posted by: Gary at 04:45 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 39 words, total size 1 kb.

Wow. A Conservative Film Blog!

LIBERTAS

Who'd have thought? It's put out by the Liberty Film Festival folks.

An excellent resource on what's right and what's left in Hollywood.
(also added to the "Infotainment" links)

Posted by: Gary at 03:15 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 40 words, total size 1 kb.

Where is SpongeBob Squarepants when you need him?

Costa Del Sol bathers on jellyfish alert!

"Bathers are warned that the jellyfish, which is of the "pelagia noctiluca" species, are small (5cm diameter) and transparent, and that its sting burns and leaves a red welt. Normal treatment consists of applying a solution of salt and magnesium sulphate (3.5g per 100 ml water), or vinegar, directly to the affected area."

I say bring in the porous one immediately!

Posted by: Gary at 02:45 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 84 words, total size 1 kb.

Dean's Disastrous "Strategery" for Dems...

Patrick Hynes, fast becoming one of my favorite pundits, has a column in NH's "Union Leader" today that is a must read. The ABP contributor has some excellent analysis of DNC Chairman Dean's approach to 2006.

Posted by: Gary at 12:46 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 46 words, total size 1 kb.

Ah, the first sign that autumn is not that far away...

The LL Bean Fall Catalog is here!

Look, I'm the last person you would call a "clothes horse". And I could give a crap about labels. But by God I love this stuff. The highest quality - 100% guaranteed. They'd take back a shirt ripped apart by a grizzly bear and send you a new one (assuming you survived the grizzly bear attack).

And every item is so damn comfy. If I hit the Lotto, I would order everything in the book. But as it is I'm limited to using whatever points I've earned from my LL Bean Visa card. Just looking through the catalog gets me in the mood for my favorite season. Almost makes it worth it living in New England. Corduroy, canvas and cotton...oh my.

And yes I'm secure enough in my masculinity to talk like this.

Earth tones, baby!

Posted by: Gary at 12:15 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 165 words, total size 1 kb.

Movies that make you go "WTF?"...

We've all seen it before. You go to a theater or rent a DVD and choose a movie that you may not have heard much about - but someone you know recommends it. You're intrigued. You sit down in a theater or you're living room to watch it and as the plot unfolds, you start to ask yourself where the plot is going or you start to wonder if you missed something along the way. But you're hooked. You deal with the confusion because things start to get a little clearer towards the end. And then - BAM! - a twist ending smacks you in the face and you end up sitting there in the theater or in you're favorite recliner with this dumbstruck look on your face thinking "WTF?". After a while, you get your bearings and think back over the whole film with this new information and you come to the conclusion that what you just saw was absolutely brilliant. And you can't wait to recommend it to someone else.

Personally, I love these kinds of movies - if they're done well, that is. A lot of people felt this way about "The Sixth Sense" (although I had the ending spoiled for me, dammit!). Some people hate these movies. Why? I dunno. Maybe because they have to actually think about it. Or maybe they feel cheated. A lot of people don't react well to being fooled or surprised like that. Whatever.

If you're like me, though. And these kinds of movies get you going. I've got three to recommend (in no particular order). So read on. (If not, go see what the latest is on Drudge).

1) Frailty - A first-time direction effort by Bill Paxton in which he also stars, he did a pretty darn good job on this one. The story opens with Matthew McConaughey's character being interviewed by an FBI agent played by Powers Booth. The story is told in flashback format as McConaughey recounts how he knows the identity of a serial killer. The killer, he says, is his brother. And the story is from their childhood, which explains why he is doing the killing. Basically, his father - played by Paxton - gets a dream one night in which he is visited by an angel who gives him a list of names and tells him that these people are actually "demons" inhabiting human bodies. The angel tells the father that it is his mission to kill these demons. So he enlists the help of his two sons in his efforts. McConaughey's character - the older brother - is skeptical of the dream and believes his dad has lost his mind, while the younger brother buys into the madness. What is even more gut-wrenching is that the father is a decent guy who really believes he is doing divine work. You don't dislike him, but you can't believe what he's doing.

Anyway by the end of the film, the plot turns and the ending grabs you by the nuts and doesn't let go. By the time the credits roll, you'll find yourself saying "WTF?".

2) Identity - This film is kind of a more psychological version of the classic Agatha Christie story "And Then There Were None..." Ten strangers find themselves stranded at a Nevada motel during a nasty thunderstorm. The roads are washed away and the phone lines are down (and of course there isn't very good cell service in the area). One by one each of the characters are murdered and the panic and finger-pointing begins. John Cusack leads an excellent cast that features such actors as Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet and Rebecca De Mornay. The story also switches back and forth to a hearing called at the last minute to discuss the fate of a convicted murderer who is scheduled for execution the next day. The defense team is trying to present evidence that they believe was suppressed in the trial. Oh and one of the "guests" at the motel happens to be an escaped murderer. You just don't know who. The people at the motel are dropping like flies. Alliances are formed, and broken. And the characters you think might be the killer end up getting killed themselves.

Anyway the story has an unexpected ending that makes you see the whole story from a completely different perspective. And yes, you'll end up sitting there, saying "WTF?"

3) Memento - Of the three movies, this is the one people will either love or hate. It opens with the ending and follows the story backwards to the beginning. Huh? Yes you heard that right. It's like giving the punchline first and then telling the joke - working your way back. The ending doesn't mean a whole helluva lot since you don't have any other information. Trust me on this one. I know you're probably already saying "WTF?" but it does work. It's about an insurance claim adjuster named Leonard who lost his short-term memory from a head injury he got at the time his wife was murdered. His quest is to find the killer but the only way he can retain the information he finds through his investigation is to take a bunch of polaroids (as "mementos") and to literally tattoo the info all over his body so it won't wash off. The story is told as a series of future episodes in reverse order. These episodes are interspersed with a telephone conversation Leonard is having in his motel room in which he compares his current state to that of a client whose claim he once dealt with. As the story is told, Leonard has no idea who to trust and we find that at certain points he is being manipulated by people who are aware of his disability.

The ending is a surprise more because of the new light in which we see the now-complete story. And it's a doozy. Whether you end up liking it or not you will definitely find yourself muttering "WTF?" for days afterward.

So go out and rent these babies if you haven't already seen them. And one other thing. It is critical that you watch them with someone else because chances are you'll need another point of view to help you straighten everything out. Avoid all spoilers before viewing! Enjoy.

Cross-posted at The Llama Butchers

Posted by: Gary at 09:50 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 1072 words, total size 7 kb.

NARAL hags launch misleading ad about Roberts...

But FactCheck.org exposes the lies. Thank God for the Internet, man.

UPDATE: 8:45am
Manuel Miranda in OpinionJournal.com this morning points out the folly of such attacks.

It is important to point out such a distortion as this for what it is: a lie. Yet my initial reaction was not the same as other conservatives who went on defense. Rather, it was something like this: Do it again, harder, harder--and bring your friends. Having extremist groups spend big money to win over liberal GOP senators is a no-lose proposition, especially when they have to tell lies to do so.

And he makes a few points that most people don't know about the abortion lobby. Check it out here.

Posted by: Gary at 07:01 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 130 words, total size 1 kb.