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March 27, 2007
Dispatches from Nancy Pelosiville
And I quote: "Many people in my district can't believe we are spending so much time talking about plastic bags." - San Francisco District 4 Supervisor Ed Jew.
This pretty much encapsulates the absurdity of what's described in this story http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/03/23/BAG9AOQFP81.DTL&hw=plastic+bags&sn=002&sc=723 -- San Francisco, in its eminent nanny wisdom, is busying itself with a monumental problem: plastic grocery bags. They've sounded the claxon over this other looming environmental catastrophe with a "grocery bag ordinance."
Read this. It will make you laugh.
Posted by bill at 09:56 AM | Comments (1)
March 26, 2007
A Picture says it all
Via The People's Cube:
(H/T: Gadsden Flag)
Posted by bill at 09:02 PM | Comments (3)
Catching up: Your Monday update
Apologies for the lack of any posts. Although I've had some time to post, I have not had time to follow the news in order to offer my usual well-thunk, incisive comzzzzzzzzzzzzzasdlka;sldkzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....
Sorry. Fell asleep there for a moment. I was about to say that my wife and I had a baby boy last Tuesday night. His name is Evan Thomas Lalor, and he's a lump of fun. Like his dad, he has a disproportionately large head, and he was purple at first. Still, I think we'll keep him. He truly is a gift from God, and we are beyond grateful. I don't know whether he's a Republican or Democrat, but his eyes aren't spinning in opposite directions, and he knows his ass from his elbow. So I guess he's not a Democrat. (Wacka, wacka.)
Anyway, here's some interesting political stuff:
- My cousin, Kieran Michael Lalor, is exploring a run for Congress in New York 's 19th Congressional District. The District has, since January, been held hostage by uber liberal hippie dink John Hall. March 31st is an important filing date and a chance for Kieran to show he is a serious candidate. If you are able and inclined, please consider donating to his campaign. Short version of his CV: My cousin for 31 years; Reagan conservative; USMC Iraq veteran; lifelong (except college) resident of the District. Kieran's a good egg who would bring positive change to Congress, especially in contrast to John Fonda-Hall.
Kieran was on Pundit Review Radio last night if you'd like to hear about him, from him.
Anyway, through Kieran's run this website will be unapologetically pro-Lalor. Don't want to run afoul of McCain-Feingold, so I guess I have to file FEC forms or something. I'll check with CJ's in-house counsel.
Posted by bill at 09:45 AM | Comments (0)
March 20, 2007
2008: The battle for the Volunteer State?
With conservatives straining themselves to embrace Rudy Giuliani, it was inevitable that the possibility of Fred Thompson entering the race would generate some buzz. As a former Senator, Thompson's immediately less than ideal. But Republicans are desperate for someone to rally 'round -- and someone who unapologetically fits the Ronald Reagan mold. It seems more than plausible that Thompson could become that person.
Wonder if Thompson's fellow Tennessean Al Gore Algore Part Deux is waiting to see what Thompson does. Algore might really go off the proverbial cliff if he were to lose his home state again.
Posted by bill at 01:03 PM | Comments (1)
March 19, 2007
Parker v. D.C.
Former CJ blogger American Dream re-emerges with this email Stuart Taylor's articleon the recent Parker v. District of Columbia decision:
Here's an excellent analysis of the recent Parker decision by the D.C. Circuit. Acknowledging that the people (as individuals) possess the right to keep and bear arms (as the court concluded the Second Amendment requires) in no way vitiates the fact that firearms may be regulated. If restrictions can be placed on the First Amendment (e.g. Unprotected speech), they may be placed on the Second Amendment as well.
Recognizing that the people have rights to keep and bear arms does not mean that the country will be turned into Dodge City. Rather, the focus will then turn to whether rational regulations of firearms is reasonable.
And in that respect, the Second Amendment absolutists will have a tougher row to hoe.
Posted by bill at 09:08 PM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2007
I have a dream
I don't watch much in the way of Disney movies, but while I am a white man I doubt I would've thought twice about The Frog Princess. As CNN notes, she is black -- indeed, the "first black" Disney princess. And as CNN seems to think, we should notice this, and ponder its significance. Which is expressed in typically braindead fashion: "What do you think about Disney's newest princess?," they ask. "Is it important for princess-loving little girls to have icons who look like them?"
I think it's more important to have a media that thinks like the country it lives in. Which would mean not calling attention to all things race, all the time.
Posted by bill at 12:38 PM | Comments (0)
March 14, 2007
Wait? I thought abortion was just a medical procedure
Abortion cards, which Jennifer Raper may or may not get. Are we sending cards after wart removal procedures? Not hardly. Wonder why.
H/T goes to reader Bob and Hot Air, who suggests this alternative:
Posted by bill at 01:39 PM | Comments (0)
You say potato
Euphemisms! Bushisms! Let's call the whole thing off.
Hot Air says it made a bit of a leap in suggesting President Bush was pledging open borders yesterday to his fans in Mexico (the quote: "My pledge to you and your government, but more important to the people of Mexico, is I’ll work as hard as I possibly can to pass comprehensive immigration reform"). But, really. First, we know what President Bush means by "comprehensive immigration reform": open borders. Second hint: it was a promise to Mexico -- does anyone really think his pledge is to build a wall? Geez.
Please stop the bus, Mr. President. This is where I get off.
Posted by bill at 09:07 AM | Comments (0)
March 13, 2007
Bottum's up
Joseph Bottum, that is. Conservatives are right to be disappointed with the Bush Administration, Bottum writes:
Under President Bush, conservatism has won only in the sense of not losing as quickly as it would have under a President Gore or a President Kerry....Conservatives voted for George W. Bush in 2000 because they expected him to be the opposite of Bill Clinton--and so, unfortunately, he has proved. Where Mr. Clinton seemed a man of enormous political competence and no principle, Mr. Bush has been a man of principle and very little political competence."
(H/T: Gadsden Flag, who notes that for all Bottum says about Bush's disappointing record on conservatism, he manages to omit any mention of immigration reform, which polls as the "most important issue" facing America as noted, e.g., here._
Posted by bill at 02:04 PM | Comments (0)
March 10, 2007
Liberals being relatively sensible
Yes, it is noteworthy, especially for anyone who wonders how Democrats feel about the anti-war mob. The video is a hoot. David Obey, a Wisconsin House Democrat, takes down "idiot liberals" and otherwise castigates a couple of numnut activists who, despite their passionate disgust for the war in Iraq, have no understanding of how the US government works. (Via the NY Sun's new politics blog.)
Posted by bill at 11:28 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
March 09, 2007
Newt Gingrich breaches Contract with America
Newt Gingrich is a visionary and patriot. But he's also got more baggage than a Boeing 747. Evidently he's now admitted he had an extra-marital affair, and an ironic one at that - it overlapped, more or less, with the Bill Clinton's Impeachment in Newt's House, in 1994.
Half-assed analysis: This revelation may be a blessing. It Gingrich had somehow decided to run, this would have been uglier. As it stands, it seems unlikely to be a story for all that long.
Update (3/10) - Then again, maybe I am wrong and Newt will run. The Weekly Standard's Matthew Continett:
Among Republicans, the current wisdom concerning Gingrich has two parts. The first is that, come September, Gingrich will in fact decide to enter the race. "These guys always run," Murphy says. "It's what they do. It's like chimps picking up bananas. They can't help it." The second part is that Gingrich's impact will be limited to the presidential primary debates. Gingrich's understanding of conservative Republicans, this line of thinking goes, combined with his rhetorical powers, may set the terms of discussion and win support, but ultimately voters will choose to vote for either McCain, Giuliani, or Romney. Still, after watching Gingrich dominate the debates, conservative Republicans might just say to themselves, Why not...Newt?
Posted by bill at 09:23 AM | Comments (0)
March 07, 2007
Don't question the comic book geeks' patriotism
I am not one to make sweeping political inferences from Marvel Comics storylines, but it's hard to overlook the exceptionally bad imagery of Captain America, for God's sake, being cut down: "struck by a sniper's bullet in the shoulder and then hit again in the stomach, blood seeping out of his star-spangled costume," as the NY Daily News describes it.
The Android Dungeon has already chimed in on the emerging controversy: "Rest assured I was on the internet within minutes registering my disgust throughout the world," he told me.
Posted by bill at 11:31 AM | Comments (0)
An abortion story
This story isn't as surprising as it is sad. Jennifer Raper, a 45 year-old woman in Charlestown, Mass. is suing Planned Parenthood for a botched abortion. But she isn't claiming physical damages to herself or the baby - she is suing because very simply she now has a daugter she didn't want (according to the story, anyway) and costs too much.
Where to begin? If the plaintiff's version of events is true, there probably was negligence over at Planned Parenthood. And one wonders what kind of doctors over there not only botch an abortion but then overlook the pregnancy. But I guess this is the kind of health care one can expect at an abortion factory.
One also wonders how a woman who is not morbidly obese doesn't know she is pregnant until six weeks out, as Raper claims. Let's not ask.
Raper apparently cited "financial" reasons for her decision two years ago to have the abortion. Not rape, incest, etc. - that near-fictional boogeyman of the pro choice crowd. She didn't want the baby because the baby would've changed her lifestyle.
Lord knows this woman didn't have a baby shower, and now two years later she's adding up those boxes of formula and diapers and plastic toys, etc. So, with the assistance of a sleazebag plaintiffs' attorney, Ms. Raper will be shaking down Planned Parenthood and its deep pockets so she can afford that full-time nanny her neighbors have and resume her own duties as a member of Charlestown high society.
IIRC, courts in several jurisdictions have already held that so-called "wrongful birth" isn't a recognized "damage" under the law. This child, for example, couldn't sue PP for being burdened with life. But Raper claims economic damages -- babies are expensive. Lawyers call this "effective advocacy." You call it what you might.
Someday Ms. Raper's will realize her mother not only didn't want her, but hired doctors (perhaps) to vacuum her brain out of the base of her skull and heave her crumpled corpse into a dumpster. And she'll find out about her mother's incredible temerity, perhaps because mom and the dirtball lawyer are still slumming around the Suffolk County court system. When she does, though, she'll be happy to be alive. And the good news is, this is all that really matters.
UPDATE (12:45): Welcome, American Thinker readers. If you're interested, my articles, my father Gene Lalor and cousin Kieran have been published at AT.
Would welcome your feedback. The comments section is free of charge.
Posted by bill at 09:02 AM | Comments (0)
March 06, 2007
Balz: It's a blow
Dan Balz, who has one of the funniest names I've heard in a while, says the Scooter Libby conviction is, pardon the expression, a blow for an already-sinking Bush Admninistration.
Hard to disagree. And sorry for the infantile yucks. Alas, time doesn't permit much more.
Posted by bill at 09:03 PM | Comments (0)
March 04, 2007
Ann Coulter being Ann Coulter
"I would never insult gays by suggesting they are like John Edwards."
This (and more!) is the most recent Coulterbomb, which she dropped this weekend at CPAC.
Now, I've defended Ann Coulter in the past and will continue to do so. But when she's willing to torpedo Republicans for the sake of a few yucks, I'll part ways.
Some good comments over at Hot Air. Love Ann, or hate Ann.
Posted by bill at 07:30 PM | Comments (2)
