…because he is weak. Just the way they wish all US presidents were.
Of course, that’s only when dealing with our enemies. On the home front, it’s the Chicago Way.
[Update a few minutes later]
Obama’s time warp — the US is still the bad guy.
[Late morning update]
Obama’s most naive speech ever? I don’t know, that’s a pretty high bar. But could be.
It would be a shame if anything happened to it.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force operated a single Simorgh, a former Iraqi Air Force Adnan. The Adnan AWACS was in turn a modification of a Soviet-built Ilyushin Il-76 transport.
The Simorgh collided with one of the Air Force’s Northrop F-5E Tiger II fighters over the area of the Imam Khomeyni Shrine, southern Tehran. According to eyewitnesses, the crash occurred immediately after the parade. Apparently, no mayday call was issued.
You say it was your only one? Too bad, so sad.
The Secretary of Energy thinks that Americans must be treated like children. This is what soft fascism looks like, folks.
Do they have any idea how off putting this will prove next fall?
…has formed against the empire of the space iron triangle: The Next Step in Space:
The Next Step in Space coalition is a growing group of businesses and organizations working towards making human commercial space flight a reality.
All the members seem to be NewSpace, not old.
Iowahawk has found a secret transcript between the NEA and the arts community under the BusHitler administration.
MR. SMIRNOV: Oak Ridge boys, can you puts the phone on mute? Hey, in Russia, phone mutes you! Henghenghenhgg Hokay, now is time to stop for the jokings. For all yous on the phone I am Yakov Smirnov, and I am comedy artist escape from Russia. Now the President Bush he is making me the deputy outreach coordinator for the Nationals Endowments for the Art. What a country! This is why I make this phones call with all of you today. You are all very very important buddies from the Arts community and the Crafts community and the Vegas Lounge and Branson community. Is my job to lets you buddies know how much Mr. President Bush think you doing important Arts and shows. Is totally awesome!
MR. HANEY’S CHAINSAW: vrrruuppp vruupppa winggadinggg vvvvwiiing wiiiiiiiiing
MR. SMIRNOV: Mr. Haney, you put chainsaw on mutes, hokay? Now like Yakov say, Mr. President he is like many things you do with the lawn ornaments and needlepoints and like thats. But he knows is tough out theres for the Arts people and sometimes yous have to do two buffet shows every day to make the ends meet. So he say, hey! How abouts that Nationals Art Endowments? It gots plenty money for my buddies. So he say, Yakov get my buddies together and talks about how they can go do the Art things for service to me. Oops, I mean America!
MS. CZARNOSKI: Speaking as an artist, I would first like to say, what’s my cut?
MR. SMIRNOV: Is very good question. Is very much sliding scale depending how much service yous do for Mr. Bush. I mean America community. Mister Bush he sees many places where is good for Art. Here is to explain Mr. good buddy vice president Dick Cheney.
MR. CHENEY: Hello everyone and thank you Yakov. I would like to say…
MR. SMIRNOV: Please not to shoots me, Mr. Vice Presidents!
MR. CHENEY:
MR. SMIRNOV: hhenng heh… heee…
MR. CHENEY:
MR. SMIRNOV: uh… Yakov make bad joke. Please Cheney buddy, Yakov sorry.
So I guess that we won’t be able to complain about Obama.
John Tierney explains why those promoting socialized medicine should stop ignorantly (if not duplicitously) claiming that it is the cause of greater longevity in countries that have it. If you want to argue that we should be more like Europe, find a better argument, or you’ll just continue to make yourselves look foolish.
Turning the presidency into an infomercial.
[Tuesday morning update]
Well, my quip has become a bumper sticker.
I should have done that. Guess it’s why I’m not rich.
[Bumped]
There’s a lot of it?
If so, in a sane policy world, that would be even more impetus for depot-based refueling architectures. Unfortunately, that’s not the policy world in which we live, when it comes to space.
[Early evening update]
Speaking of depots, Jon Goff discusses the two papers he presented in Pasadena last week (which I still wish that I’d been able to attend).
Did the NEA break the law?
Public funds are not supposed to be expended to support partisan projects. Beyond that, it is unconstitutional to grant or deny federal funds on the basis of the recipient’s political actions or opinions. National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley. The NEA is the single largest funder of the arts, and several participants in the August 10 conference call had recently received NEA checks. It would have been entirely reasonable for those on the phone call to conclude that future NEA funding could be influenced by their willingness to play ball with the Obama administration’s political agenda. Moreover, the Hatch Act limits the ability of federal employees to engage in partisan politics. Sergant’s sending of the email invitation to artists and arts groups, using his government email account, could be considered a bright line violation of the act, as could his apparent solicitation of political support from any arts group that had an application for funding pending before the NEA. Likewise, Ms. Wicks’ participation in the call would appear to be illegal if she was “on duty” and if the call was deemed political in nature.
It would take a thorough knowledge of the facts and more legal research than I’ve had time for to draw a conclusion as to whether the White House or NEA violated the law in connection with the artist outreach, but at a minimum an investigation is in order.
Why not? This administration, and its defenders, doesn’t seem to be all that fastidious about either the law or the Constitution. So how long does Yosi Sergant keep his job?
…to hear about shoddy and libelous reporting at the WaPo:
“I’m missing some important context: what did Woodward’s father do for a living? Hard to pin down his motivation otherwise. And Bernstein’s mom, what was her deal?”
As noted, if they had gone after a “right wing” organization, they’d be up for Pulitzers. But because it’s the leftist thugs at ACORN, they get slimed. And they’re aided and abetted by those “layers of fact checkers and editors.”