tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90840545405031009192011-12-18T20:39:06.379-08:00Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.comBlogger2931100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-71387363730994243332011-12-18T15:40:00.000-08:002011-12-18T16:41:13.300-08:00

It is Christmastime. As a Jewess, I sometimes feel like I'm watching someone else's party through a window this time of year, but there are some things I've learned to associate with Christmas: evergreen boughs, my coworkers' Christmas cookies, and atheists.Christmastime always brings out the atheists, who object to Christmas displays on government property. They humorlessly instruct us that

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-20077904355679556862011-11-25T10:59:00.000-08:002011-11-25T12:07:07.952-08:00

Someone has been vandalizing banks in the leafy, prosperous suburbs to the east of San Francisco, scrawling slogans such as "FORECLOSED" on their windows.Bank security cameras captured the vandal in the act, that's him above. Police publicized the photo via email and text message and solicited the public's help identifying the little shite.It didn't take long. His name is Jared Bedecarre, he is

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-12681324193015925462011-09-10T21:29:00.000-07:002011-09-10T23:13:27.480-07:00

I remember everything.On September 11, 2001, I was sitting in my office in Boston, across the harbor from Logan Airport.My colleague Debra and I were discussing the policy implications and technical intricacies of providing microwave telephony to some islands off of Cape Cod. Our colleague Peter began pacing forth a few feet away, trying to catch my eye.Let him wait, I thought. The building

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-80249086891985772852011-09-10T21:01:00.000-07:002011-09-10T21:12:10.131-07:00

The shortest measurable unit of time is the interval between the light turning green and the car behind you beeping.On September 11, 2009, I was stopped at a red light, listening to the radio. The station was featuring audio from September 11, 2001, and they started playing a 911 call from a woman trapped inside an elevator at the World Trade Center.It's so hot in here, she said. I can't

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-33534112363918626882011-09-10T10:45:00.000-07:002011-09-10T11:12:06.146-07:00

Alicia Acevedo Carranza's story is a familiar one, almost iconic: she came to America in search of a better life. Her journey took her all the way from Teziutlan, Puebla, Mexico, to the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. Her search for a better life came to a bitter end in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.Little public information on Alicia Acevedo Carranza exists; the image above is

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-91994500163990123772011-09-09T21:08:00.001-07:002011-09-09T21:08:52.280-07:00

Peter Brennan always wanted to be a firefighter.Even as a young man, he had a strong character. In 2006, Angelo Guerrero remembered Peter's boyhood days:I fondly remember coaching you and my son together with your father Vincent at St John's Greek Orthodox Church in Blue Point during your Goya days. Those days I will never forget. I am sure God have you by his side for you were always a good

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-27962988702921205512011-09-09T21:08:00.000-07:002011-09-09T21:08:20.876-07:00

Please allow me to introduce you to Sheila Patricia Barnes.Some of the women in Sheila's family were in friendly competition with each other to see who was the best deal-getter, money-saver, and coupon-clipper. There was nothing miserly about it, just joyful fun. In October 2001, Sheila's daughter, Zulema Barnes-Chung, noticed a great deal on Colgate toothpaste at a local pharmacy, and was

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-20601631822046564052011-09-09T21:07:00.000-07:002011-09-09T21:07:51.027-07:00

Have you ever been to New York City during the summer? It gets hot. Hot. Swampy. You step outside, and the heat radiating off the pavement makes your eyelids start to sweat. The only thing that makes summer in New York City bearable is the miracle of central air conditioning.Felix "Bobby" Calixte was one of the miracle workers who bestowed the gift of cool air to hot, harried New Yorkers.

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-51567532293962644322011-09-09T21:06:00.000-07:002011-09-09T21:07:13.678-07:00

Georgine Rose Corrigan was no shrinking violet.A single mom in the 1970s, she worked a variety of jobs to support herself and her young daughter; short-order cook, bank teller, babysitter, artist. Eventually found her true calling: antiques. Vintage clothes and jewelry, old letters; she found items with a history and kept that history alive.On September 11, 2001, Georgine Rose Corrigan was

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-57179966897697435912011-02-25T13:15:00.000-08:002011-02-25T14:05:59.950-08:00

Californians of a certain age remember the day 26 children vanished.In July 1976, three men ambushed a school bus in Chowchilla, California and kidnapped all 26 children on board and their driver. They drove their victims around for 11 hours, then entombed them in a truck buried underground and demanded a $5 million ransom from the state of California.After 16 hours underground, the driver and

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-59752645469755476432011-01-22T11:23:00.000-08:002011-01-22T11:44:04.590-08:00

On New Year's Eve, a bomb exploded outside a Coptic Christian church in Egypt, killing more than 20 Christian worshipers.In response, thousands of Egyptians offered themselves up as human shields, protecting Coptic Christians as they celebrated Christmas Eve mass on January 6."In the days following the brutal attack on Saints Church in Alexandria, which left 21 dead on New Year’ eve, solidarity

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-32998934076174749162011-01-19T21:14:00.001-08:002011-01-19T21:36:55.225-08:00

California State Senator Leland Yee is outraged! He believes that Rush Limbaugh has mocked the Chinese language and culture, belittled the contributions of the Chinese community, is lining his pockets with bigotry, and owes Chinese people an apology.What'd he do now? Rush was complaining that Chinese President Hu's remarks were not translated, and Rush gave his rendition of what Hu's remarks

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-26132863451969628032011-01-19T20:14:00.001-08:002011-01-19T20:58:02.458-08:00

For law-abiding California gun owners, I have good news and bad news.The good news: a Fresno Superior Court judge has found that California's restrictive new ammunition law (AB 962) violates the California Constitution, and has blocked it from taking effect. AB 962 would have prevented mail-order ammunition sales, and required fingerprinting and registration for all handgun ammunition

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-43563108066988054832011-01-03T20:10:00.000-08:002011-01-03T20:35:43.012-08:00

I can't decide what I think about California Governor Jerry Brown's inaugural speech today.He said some brave things, to wit: the state is in a shambles and there need to be deep budget cuts.But he drifted into moonbeam territory by blaming California's problems on partisanship and suggesting that we can right our ship of state if we all just come together.If Californians gathered together in a

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-22289512813285072102010-12-27T20:23:00.000-08:002010-12-27T20:30:50.504-08:00

If I found it on the interwebs, it must be true.Thanks always to the I Can Has Cheezburger empire, guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-57537022136913529652010-12-25T14:31:00.000-08:002010-12-25T14:35:52.388-08:00

Six people were wounded Saturday when a bomb went off in a church during Christmas mass on a southern Philippine island known as a hotbed of Islamic extremism, the military said. Military spokesman Lieutenant Randolph Cabangbang said the Abu Sayyaf, a local Muslim militant group linked to the Al-Qaeda network, may have been behind the attack on the church in a police camp on Jolo island.

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-7293206549490402842010-12-25T10:58:00.000-08:002010-12-25T11:04:44.400-08:00

A burqa-clad female suicide bomber in Pakistan lobbed hand grenades, then detonated her explosive belt among a crowd at an aid center in the town of Khar Saturday, killing at least 45 people in militants' latest strike against the authorities' control over the key tribal region bordering Afghanistan.Merry Christmas from the Religion of Peace.Read more at SF Gate.com

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-38237911918760890472010-12-23T06:35:00.000-08:002010-12-23T06:35:21.281-08:00

Meet New Zealand's living fossil, the Tuatara, largely unchanged since before the time of the dinosaurs.And mightily handsome to boot.(h/t Boing Boing)

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-1871858771128124262010-12-22T19:29:00.000-08:002010-12-22T19:52:34.360-08:00

The Spanish barcode marketing company Macanudos has come up with an interesting way of simultaneously promoting two previously unrelated things: the art of flamenco, and bar codes.They are embedding a flamenco dress with QR codes which, when scanned with your smartphone, will play one of nine flamenco palos.The dress is being prepared for the International Tourism Trade Fair, to be held in Madrid

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-82557317746820696562010-12-22T18:56:00.001-08:002010-12-22T19:20:06.664-08:00

It is said that there are no coincidences.Earlier this month, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Michael Copps gave a speech at Columbia University in which he called for government to "build an information infrastructure that serves the needs of the people," in order to ensure that "all citizens have access to worthy media." (emphasis mine)As part of his proposal, he advocated

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-74489856145480770732010-12-22T06:34:00.000-08:002010-12-22T06:42:05.232-08:00

It is not a Holiday Tree. It is a Christmas Tree.As a Member of the Tribe, I appreciate that you try to spare my feelings and those of my fellow unbelievers during this very festive time. It is gracious of you to try to make us feel included in the festivities by papering over language that might otherwise appear to exclude us.Now cut it out. The celebration of the miraculous birth of Jesus

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-91902300475234229742010-12-20T12:51:00.000-08:002010-12-20T13:20:31.572-08:00

Need a last-minute gift idea for a responsible homeowner?Give them a lovely card inscribed with the following sentiment:Out of respect and admiration for your tireless dedication to paying your mortgage, I called my Senator and urged him to vote against Joseph A. Smith, Obama's pick to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).As described previously, here and here, the Obama Administration

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-55562275117679195662010-12-20T09:04:00.000-08:002010-12-20T11:07:08.802-08:00

The Obama administration has a great idea: they are going to prop up the housing market by pressuring Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to give people more house than they paid for.The administration is afraid that people who have negative equity, i.e. they owe more than their houses are worth (also known as being "underwater"), will make the immoral but economically rational decision to stop paying

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-24952122945088040382010-12-19T11:20:00.000-08:002010-12-19T11:40:28.695-08:00

To recap, these are the functions the Pandora internet radio application will have access to if you install the Pandora application on your smartphone:Full internet access, create bluetooth connectionsRead contact data, add or modify calendar events and send email to guestsPhone calls: read phone state and identityModify global system settings, change wi-fi state, bluetooth administration, change

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-34593920301947538552010-12-18T13:34:00.000-08:002010-12-18T13:59:26.378-08:00

Pandora, the free internet-based radio station, is an interesting concept. Enter the names of a few artists that you like to listen to, and Pandora will craft a commercial-free personalized radio station just for you. In the alternative, you can listen to stations created by friends, or to genre stations.Pandora is available as a smartphone app, and those of who are still on unlimited data

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-41153298088832305202010-12-11T19:09:00.000-08:002010-12-11T19:32:20.699-08:00

On the evening of November 15, residents on a quiet street in Milton, Massachusetts made a gruesome discovery: the body of a young man bearing signs of mutilation and massive head trauma. Who was the young man, who were his killers, why would anyone do that to another human being and then leave him here, these questions and more gripped the Boston area. There is a resolution of sorts, although it

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-10365248149493560132010-12-11T18:16:00.001-08:002010-12-11T18:22:32.917-08:00

Today, on a downtown Stockholm street teeming with Christmas shoppers, an adherent of the Religion of Peace tried to detonate a car bomb, but apparently only succeeded in blowing himself up. On behalf of infidels everywhere, I graciously accept his death as a holiday gift. One down.

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-44620047441552431472010-12-11T16:47:00.000-08:002010-12-11T18:59:35.955-08:00

Earlier today, in a creepy San Francisco ceremony featuring a guy who dressed up as a polar bear and hugged people, Redwood City resident Olivier Chalouhi became the first person to own an all-electric Nissan Leaf. He paid about $33,500, but with tax credits his final cost will be about $20,000. In other words, you and I just bought this guy a car.But there is some good news.  Chalouhi didn't

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-49063368140361260872010-12-11T12:08:00.000-08:002010-12-11T13:33:02.329-08:00

Thanks to the Obama administration's peevishness, California just got another $624 million in federal funds for its $4.2 billion Train to Nowhere.Newly-elected Governors in Ohio and Wisconsin recognized that high speed rail (HSR) projects in their own states were a luxury their taxpayers could not afford, and asked the Department of Transportation for permission to reallocate the federal HSR

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-91665421529210711662010-12-10T23:08:00.000-08:002010-12-10T23:20:26.968-08:00

This week, the Man Who Would Bring People Together alienated the Left by denying them the class war he'd promised during the campaign, and alienated the Center-Right by referring to principled opposition as hostage-taking; Bernie Sanders (Socialist-VT) went all Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and Obama invoked the Wrath of Michelle before turning a press event over to former President Bill Clinton.

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-51232443413266556012010-12-08T20:52:00.000-08:002010-12-08T21:10:35.057-08:00

Twenty-two years later, I remember their pictures on the front page of the newspaper, I remember the Scotsman who had a dead woman crash through the roof of his house still buckled into her seat.According to the Guardian, we now know what we already suspected; al-Megrahi, the man who blew Pan Am Flight 103 out of the sky above Lockerbie, Scotland, was released in response to Libyan threats

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-19823308154631168372010-11-28T22:23:00.000-08:002010-11-28T22:36:20.396-08:00

"I am serious. And don't call me Shirley."30 years later, I still giggle.Rest in Peace Leslie Nielsen, and thank you for the giggles.

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-22134948545580885272010-11-28T09:10:00.000-08:002010-11-28T11:07:10.626-08:00

Film critic Roger Ebert has written an interesting blog post about the TSA's new screening procedures. For the record, he draws the line at proctological exams in the security line, and he wonders whether children traumatized during screening will grow up to inflict trauma on others.Ebert also describes the unique challenge he faces as a passenger who has no choice but to present himself at

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-59419540630956087062010-11-27T12:49:00.000-08:002010-11-27T13:30:39.617-08:00

(h/t Red State) The website Torrent Freak has a fascinating story about the Obama administration's seizure of websites associated with sharing copyrighted material and with producing/selling counterfeit merchandise:Following on the heels of this week’s domain seizure of a large hiphop file-sharing links forum, it’s clear today that the U.S. Government has been very busy. Without any need for

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-61676899523601911822010-11-27T12:38:00.000-08:002010-11-27T12:38:25.272-08:00

Ever wonder what a map of the United States might look like if the states were given the names of countries with similar Gross Domestic Products? Someone did, and the results are above, courtesy of Frank Jacobs over at Big Think and his love of curious, freshly-imagined maps. (For a larger view of the map, along with Frank Jacobs' commentary, click here.)The most amusing part of this map is that

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-57080133095097912882010-11-26T12:28:00.000-08:002010-11-26T12:32:36.890-08:00

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-91014202076317928962010-11-26T11:33:00.000-08:002010-11-27T13:30:57.090-08:00

If you are a woman of childbearing age, or if you know a woman of childbearing age, you need to read this.A menstruating woman went through one of those new backscatter porno scan devices at airline security, and her menstrual pad showed up on the scan. As a consequence, she was detained and subjected to an invasive, traumatizing groin search by TSA staff. (h/t Legal Insurrection)If you are a

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-74669112439581713542010-11-26T09:49:00.000-08:002010-11-26T10:21:22.980-08:00

In 2008, Governor Sarah Palin said that Alaska's proximity to Russia gave her special insight into America's relationship with Russia. The Credentialed Left reflexively rejects the opinions of anyone who lacks an approved academic pedigree, and they roundly mocked Governor Palin for suggesting that proximity leads to insight. On Saturday Night Live, Tina Fey summarized Governor Palin's comment as

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-22141468821616802702010-11-23T11:36:00.001-08:002010-11-23T11:47:57.277-08:00

I moved a few years ago, and I had no choice but to carry my jewelry onto the airplane in my carry-on. Mostly, a box with multiple rings. The ring box caught the attention of the TSA personnel working the x-ray machine, and they decided to take the ring box elsewhere for further examination. Problem is, they weren't letting me accompany my jewelry, and the TSA employee in posession of my jewelry

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-86278497965423230092010-11-22T05:07:00.000-08:002010-11-22T05:09:21.804-08:00

h/t Legal Insurrection for bringing this work of utter brilliance to a wide audience:My Rebuttal to a Progressive who Admonished Me to Play NiceRead it, read it all the way to the end. Just do it.Fix bayonets.

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-9303187019342187232010-11-21T14:10:00.000-08:002010-11-21T14:29:04.454-08:00

Right Klik's blog features a very disturbing video showing TSA agents strip-searching a child in the middle of the screening area.I can't even bring myself to intone "if we stop flying, the terrorists have already won." Between the TSA's inability to detect body cavity bombs and my personal aversion to a pre-flight crochtal groping, I'm not going anywhere unless I can drive there.But just in

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-7302121287352500782010-11-21T10:53:00.000-08:002010-11-21T12:28:38.700-08:00

Back in January, in the aftermath of the failed attempt to bring down an airliner with a pantybomb, I posted some random thoughts on Umar Farouk "Fancypants" Abdulmutallab and his incendiary underwear. Among other things, I wondered whether the presence of a pantybomb wouldn't noticeably alter a man's gait because of the rearrangement necessary to accommodate an explosive device in one's drawers

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-56919450279150069262010-11-17T14:27:00.000-08:002010-11-17T14:41:09.377-08:00

"But my plumber also has a nice beard, and I would not trust him to play God with the economy."Such is the fruit of the digital revolution: YouTube videos featuring small furry animals explaining quantitative easing, and mocking Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke.Charlie Gasparino thinks Ben is unjustly being made the fall guy, and that anger over the stalled economy should be directed at Barack Obama:To

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-68063637673749960132010-11-17T11:01:00.000-08:002010-11-17T11:32:59.119-08:00

Celebrity media-whore attorney Gloria Allred is representing Meg Whitman's former housekeeper, Nicky Diaz, in a back-pay dispute before California's Division of Labor Standards and Enforcement.In an hour-long meeting today, Gloria Allred urged Meg Whitman to "do the right thing" and pay Nicky Diaz whatever sum she alleges she is owed, between $8,000 and $10,000.I'm sure Gloria Allred wants to

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-12207322824794141422010-11-13T12:55:00.000-08:002010-11-14T12:37:43.748-08:00

It is a very difficult time to be a Republican in California.Watching the Big Red Wave roll across the nation on November 2 was like watching a New Years Eve Party through a window. I am happy for you all, I really am, but California just voted itself into a nuclear winter.In an act of collective amnesia, Jerry Moonbeam Brown was given a third term as Governor. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-17780655172719285232010-11-11T19:45:00.000-08:002010-11-11T20:00:48.998-08:00

Smitty, United States Navy reservist and official blog sidekick at The Other McCain, has announced that he is taking a hiatus from his blogging duties and deploying to Afghanistan.His announcement is lyrical and literally poetic, both in the original Gaelic and in translation. He wraps up with a line of poetry that translates as "Come, you sons of hounds, and I will give you flesh," and continues

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-13094343800548160592010-11-07T12:08:00.000-08:002010-11-07T12:11:34.971-08:00

jaketapper Odd photo of @SenJohnMcCain in New Delhi Sunday Pioneer. http://twitpic.com/34tandabout 4 hours ago via Twitpic

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-50737358103343745292010-11-07T08:59:00.000-08:002010-11-07T15:05:51.580-08:00

In the early hours of January 1, 2009, BART transit officer Johannes Mehserle shot and killed Oscar Grant as Grant was being restrained face-down on the platform at the Fruitvale BART station in Oakland, California. Officer Mehserle testified that he intended to draw his Taser, not his gun, and that the shooting was accidental; in July he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter with a gun

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-11240393656808495362010-11-05T12:54:00.001-07:002010-11-05T22:49:31.426-07:00

I've heard it said that politics makes strange bedfellows, but this is ridiculous. I have no choice but to defend Keith Olbermann. On Friday, MSNBC suspended famously partisan Keith Olbermann of "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" for having violated an ethics policy barring campaign donations. MSNBC's action is misguided and bizarre, and should be immediately reversed. It is deeply hypocritical

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-34718940585928817282010-11-04T21:58:00.000-07:002010-11-04T22:16:49.116-07:00

The election was two days ago, but a candidate still needs our help to win the seat.Renee Ellmers ran against incumbent Bob Etheridge in North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District. You may remember Bob, he put a college kid in a headlock when the kid had the temerity to ask him a question on the sidewalk.Renee Ellmers ran with the help of independent groups like Freedom Works, Sarah PAC, and

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-34144968431484693662010-11-02T21:07:00.001-07:002010-11-02T21:10:20.567-07:00

All day long, Americans streamed to their polling places. These polling places were not surrounded by armed guards, and voters were able to walk in freely, without fear of retribution. The results are a clear repudiation of the policies of the nation's sitting President, and numerous incumbents have lost their jobs or leadership positions. And yet no doors will be kicked in tonight. No one

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-50134264731462469462010-10-31T19:50:00.001-07:002010-10-31T21:19:02.998-07:00

This weekend belonged to the corrupt bastards in the mainstream media.First, in this election season's second instance of a politically explosive voicemail left by someone who doesn't know how to hang up his phone (the first being from Jerry Brown's campaign for Governor of California), we were treated to a conversation between staff at a CBS affiliate in Alaska as they conspired to manufacture

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-54087880917481526402010-10-29T16:32:00.001-07:002010-10-29T22:01:15.751-07:00

A would-be bomber fails to ignite his shoe. Another would-be bomber sets his underwear ablaze, and a third leaves an SUV packed with explosives in Times Square but gets just a few puffs of smoke for his trouble. Breaking news today describes the interception of suspicious packages bound for America as either a dry run for a terrorist attack or a foiled terrorist attack. Is our intelligence

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-53555712935261116732010-10-23T08:27:00.000-07:002010-10-31T21:18:02.323-07:00

According to NPR, Juan Williams' firing is justified by section V.10 of NPR's Ethics Code, which states that employees in the News Division:...should not participate in shows electronic forums, or blogs that encourage punditry and speculation rather than fact-based analysis.The legitimacy and enforceability of this provision rests on the assumption that there is an objective difference between

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-41100242698731902010-10-22T21:26:00.000-07:002010-10-22T21:30:26.970-07:00

The Yankees were defeated, and evil strides no more upon the land in pinstripes.Congratulations to the Texas Rangers on their American League Championship victory!!

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-41227536809750592402010-10-21T15:11:00.001-07:002010-10-22T13:18:01.232-07:00

California's November 2 ballot contains an initiative, Proposition 19, that would legalize the cultivation, possession, and consumption of marijuana by adults in California.What you may not know is that it's already legal to possess and smoke marijuana in California. California has a medical marijuana law that enables patients to obtain pot from storefront dispensaries upon the recommendation of

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-14877558830594738462010-10-21T09:46:00.001-07:002010-10-31T21:18:16.105-07:00

Juan Williams, a longtime analyst with NPR, was fired on Wednesday for admitting that he experiences fear when he sees Muslims aboard passenger aircraft.His opening remarks have proven prescient:"Political correctness can lead to some kind of paralysis where you don't address reality."By firing Juan Williams for having uttered an uncomfortable but undeniably true and indisputably relevant

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-6179871179383892982010-10-18T20:26:00.001-07:002010-10-18T22:32:22.590-07:00

"Give it away, give it away, give it away now," a shirtless Anthony Kiedis commands, and who can say no? But have you paused to consider that you may be giving up control over your own history when you give away information through online social networking?The Wall Street Journal has been running a fascinating series on digital privacy called What They Know. The October 18 installment revealed

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-5167343545835564022010-10-18T16:15:00.001-07:002010-10-18T20:21:11.249-07:00

For the Ethical Diner, we offer Free Range Chicken Broth. Our chickens are never put in cages, they are allowed to roam free across meadow and pasture, grassland and vineyard, enjoying the blue sky and warm sunlight on their feathers. They are happy, blissful birds, right up until the moment we chop off their heads and throw their lifeless bodies in the pot to make another batch of our

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-84893005665278305612010-10-11T22:50:00.001-07:002010-10-11T23:07:06.538-07:00

Any time capsule of the 2010 Congressional election *must* contain a copy of the campaign ad above, from West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin's race for the Senate seat previously occupied by the late Senator Robert Byrd.Manchin promises to repeal "the bad parts" of Obamacare, cut taxes, and get government off West Virginians' backs. He boasts of having sued the EPA, and uses the Cap and Trade

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-3590302681225724602010-10-10T15:55:00.000-07:002010-10-10T16:15:28.813-07:00

If you are a Congressman from Arizona and you're up for re-election, and your state is sagging under the burden of record unemployment and the implosion of the housing market, you wouldn't dream of calling for an economic boycott of your own state. Seriously, it would be political suicide, right?Welcome to Arizona's 7th Congressional District, currently represented by Democrat Raul Grijalva. In

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-12044080685416160682010-10-10T10:25:00.000-07:002010-10-10T10:31:34.175-07:00

"Bone sucking is very romantical."This video is hilarious and disturbing, and the audio is NSFW.

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-19426447191587784652010-10-10T09:01:00.000-07:002010-10-10T09:04:35.257-07:00

Because it can't be easy to look this manly in a skirt.

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-40078368547514474272010-10-09T13:05:00.000-07:002010-10-09T13:15:13.057-07:00

This week, the Obama administration took two steps designed to bring the housing foreclosure process to a grinding halt. In doing so, he has delayed the recovery of the housing market and the economy as a whole, although he has bought a few votes from community organizer types and from delinquent borrowers who will be able to stay in their homes for free.First, Obama vetoed the Interstate

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-6807922209087867692010-10-08T06:34:00.001-07:002010-10-08T11:02:06.793-07:00

Don't forget: it's for the kids. If we are irresponsible now, our kids and grandkids will be forced to shoulder the bill.This week's winner of the small-d democratic moneybomb is Joel Demos, who is running against Keith Ellison in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Please visit Joel's website and donate what you can to this worthy candidate, and don't forget to mention Ten Buck Fridays in

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-55759503033794468562010-10-07T11:20:00.001-07:002010-10-07T18:37:58.682-07:00

Remember how Obama promised that he wouldn't raise income taxes on anyone who earned under $250,000? Well, add that to the list of Obama's broken promises, because here comes the AMT. The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) was designed to prevent wealthy households from using deductions and exemptions to completely zero out their federal income tax liability. When it took effect in 1970, it applied

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-87859578660691579922010-10-06T21:32:00.001-07:002010-10-07T06:37:40.841-07:00

Ancient Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilization. The giant human-headed bulls of Nineveh; the Epic of Gilgamesh, perhaps humanity's first work of literature, painstakingly written by pressing a stylus into wet clay. A shadow fell across this great civilization, and we are left to encounter it as silent exhibits in a museum. But Ancient Mesopotamia is silent no more!Now, thanks to some big

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-85312013128396581112010-10-06T14:58:00.000-07:002010-10-06T14:59:55.620-07:00

While the Department of Homeland Security is advising American travelers to be on the lookout for man-caused disasters in Europe, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is suing the makers of Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice for fruit-caused disasters in your kitchen.According to the FTC, POM's studies are too small to back up its claims that the juice can improve heart health and prostate health and

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-4065306933424437232010-10-06T08:30:00.000-07:002010-10-06T08:45:36.384-07:00

There's a very special Ten Buck Fridays poll this week.The poll is a little different; the nominees are all candidates who have won prior Ten Buck Fridays polls. They've all become more competitive, and they all deserve our support. Vote for your favorite, and the winner will be announced on Friday morning.Please visit Right Klik for additional information on the candidates.As with all Ten Buck

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-36775076556221000492010-10-03T19:58:00.001-07:002010-10-03T20:06:59.329-07:00

Have you seen the new series on TLC, Sister Wives? It's about fundamentalist Mormon Kody Brown and his four wives, thirteen children, and three stepchildren.Apparently they hoped that the series would help encourage some beneficial conversation on the topic of plural marriages. Unfortunately, the state of Utah is considering charging Kody Brown with felony bigamy; although Brown is only legally

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-61904605111009984812010-10-03T16:26:00.000-07:002010-10-03T18:21:27.274-07:00

Republican State Senator Tony Strickland is running against incumbent Democrat John Chiang for the office of California Controller. The State Controller is a state's Chief Financial Officer, in charge of the state's accounting and financial controls. By monitoring where the money goes, a Controller is in a unique position to identify waste and abuse in government spending. For an example of

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-71822007967587800162010-10-03T14:51:00.000-07:002010-10-03T15:00:04.056-07:00

As we stiffen our spines and empty our wallets in the final push toward taking back the United States Congress, I'd like to request that we all please pay attention to our state and local elections as well.Depriving Obama, Pelosi, and Reid of their majorities will make us better off, but our state and local elected officials still have the capacity to make our lives miserable no matter who is in

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-73351194852454518302010-10-01T03:35:00.000-07:002010-10-01T03:59:56.541-07:00

The winner in this week's Ten Buck Fridays poll, with 54% of 1375 votes cast, is Dale Glading, who is running against Rob Andrews in New Jersey's 1st Congressional District.Rob Andrews won the seat in 1990 after Jim Florio stepped down to become Governor, and Dale Glading is most effective competition Andrews has ever faced. New Jersey residents have had their pockets picked by extraordinary

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-26069832180630732952010-09-30T16:43:00.000-07:002010-09-30T21:05:51.678-07:00

The Left released their October surprise against Meg Whitman'scandidacy for California Governor today.The undisputed facts are these:(1) Meg Whitman hired a housekeeper from an agency in 2000,requesting and receiving documentation that the woman was in thecountry legally.(2) In 2009, the housekeeper told Meg Whitman that she was in thecountry illegally. Meg Whitman fired her.Stories diverge

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-69486494601674059522010-09-30T16:21:00.001-07:002010-09-30T20:41:02.842-07:00

As previously discussed in this blog, India has nervously beenawaiting the court's verdict in a dispute over whether Hindus orMuslims hold title to a plot of land in the ancient Indian holy cityof Ayodhya.The Allahbad High Court ruled today, and in a 12,000 page decision,they split the baby.One third of the site has been awarded to Muslims, and there's apossibility they may be able to build a new

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-68285874048480331242010-09-28T20:28:00.000-07:002010-09-30T20:41:33.397-07:00

Where will you be when the next disaster strikes? Will you have clean air to breathe, or will you have ready access to a sophisticated face-mask or respirator?Well, no matter, as long as you're wearing an Emergency Bra.The Emergency Bra is the cunning invention of Elena Bodnar (above, center), Raphael Lee, and Sandra Marijan, who saw a need for a readily accessible inexpensive breathing

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-79301924365183313672010-09-28T19:49:00.000-07:002010-09-28T20:08:57.670-07:00

I joined Yelp recently, and posted a negative review of a local service provider. The poor review was entirely justified; the service was unprofessional and deviated considerably from what was requested. It felt good to vent a little. And then the funniest thing happened. The shop manager read my review and contacted me to discuss my experience in greater detail, in the hopes that she and

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-84540978843869572992010-09-26T11:48:00.000-07:002010-09-26T12:02:31.874-07:00

(In order to ensure that your vote is counted, please vote before viewing results, and please vote only once.)This November, every Congressional race is a national race. If we're going to begin to undo the damage Obama has done to this country, we need every seat we can get, and we need to make Obama Pelosi and Reid fight for every seat. November is looking good, but we can't afford to gloat or

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-57921970502894758262010-09-25T17:59:00.000-07:002010-09-25T18:11:18.245-07:00

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is a national voluntary health agency dedicated to curing leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, and to improving the quality of life of patients and their families. Today, LLS supports the following major programs: research, patient services, public and professional education, advocacy and community services. With headquarters in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapter

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-39413885985982724002010-09-24T19:10:00.000-07:002010-09-25T18:27:42.470-07:00

There's a scandal afoot in Pakistan.In response to allegations made by the newspaper News of the World, President Zardari has demanded a full report from officials. Prime Minister Gilani says that the allegations "have bowed our heads in shame."What's the scandal? Pakistan's bellicose response to Bob Woodward's scoop about CIA-trained forces operating in Pakistan? Pakistan's dissemination of

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-76750849291678009442010-09-24T18:23:00.001-07:002010-09-24T18:35:52.800-07:00

The weekly Ten Buck Fridays poll is one small way to help send conservatives to Congress, and to nationalize every Congressional race so that Obama Pelosi and Reid have to fight for every seat. It's called Ten Buck Fridays in honor of Conscientiously Conservative's commitment to find an extra $10 in her weekly budget to send to a deserving Congressional candidate. Jesse Kelly, who is running

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-36710873192601027392010-09-24T10:23:00.000-07:002010-09-24T18:38:48.333-07:00

An Indian court is set to rule soon on a property dispute, and Indiais bracing for violence between Hindus and Muslims whatever theverdict.The property is in the ancient Indian holy city of Ayodhya. In the16th century, when the Islamic Mughal Empire ruled much of India, amosque was built at a site Hindus call Ram Janmabhoomi, the birthplaceof the God Rama. Hindus believe that the Mughal rulers

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-24943706750479343602010-09-21T22:07:00.001-07:002010-09-21T22:09:00.517-07:00

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-68679449715573055872010-09-20T19:09:00.000-07:002010-09-20T19:14:57.709-07:00

We've all seen the new Democrat logo by now, right?Well, here's where the idea for the logo came from:Hats off to Maggie's Farm for a hearty chuckle. Be sure to visit the site for a link to some satirical apparel.

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-56466434685278190272010-09-20T12:17:00.001-07:002010-09-20T19:02:34.688-07:00

With apologies to Instapundit: They told me that if I voted for McCain, the President would take the side of the utility companies and thwart environmental goals. And they were right! A group of environmentalists is asking the courts to impose strict pollution limits on coal-fired power plants in the South and Midwest. The Obama administration argues that the lawsuit should be dismissed,

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-1134776271133640652010-09-19T19:58:00.001-07:002010-09-19T20:08:58.789-07:00

Goodbye racists, hello extremists.The New York Times is reporting that the Obama administration is considering launching a national ad campaign arguing that the Republican Party has been taken over by Tea Party "extremists."“We need to get out the message that it’s now really dangerous to re-empower the Republican Party because the people who have taken over the party are radical,” said one

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-32317021371584922092010-09-19T14:37:00.000-07:002010-09-19T14:51:23.723-07:00

Sarah Shourd has been released on $500,000 "bail" after spending more than a year in an Iranian prison. Shourd, who is 32 and therefore old enough to know better, was arrested by Iranian authorities along with two fellow UC Berkeley alumni after the three of them "accidentally" crossed into Iran while hiking in Iraq's Kurdistan region. The Iranians released Shourd on bail after she claimed to

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-44703918910376369662010-09-19T11:26:00.000-07:002010-09-19T11:39:59.663-07:00

Make sure you vote before clicking "view results," and please do not vote more than once. Duplicate votes will be deleted.The poll you see above is one small weapon in our battle to make every Congressional race a national race. Make Obama Reid and Pelosi fight for every seat in November. Make them fight for every seat.This summer, something beautiful was born in the patriotic blogosphere.

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-74007115766619279182010-09-17T09:46:00.000-07:002010-09-17T09:55:09.361-07:00

North Carolina is on a roll.The winner of this week's Ten Buck Fridays poll, with 52.44% of 2603 votes cast, is B.J. Lawson, who hopes to unseat Democrat David Price in November for the honor of representing North Carolina's 4th Congressional District.David Price has represented the 4th since 1997, and according to the Washington Post has a Votes With Party score of 98.9%. Anyone who is that

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-436854123005773012010-09-15T20:11:00.000-07:002010-09-15T20:28:56.007-07:00

In other election news, Eric Wargotz beat 10 challengers in the Republican primary and will face Barbara Mikulski for the United States Senate in November.In other words, Barbara Mikulski is a shoo-in for re-election.Followers of the Ten Buck Fridays poll will remember the name Eric Wargotz. He won the weekly poll in July, but his victory was announced on some polls (including this one) with an

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-22489979647086173852010-09-12T08:46:00.000-07:002010-09-12T09:04:05.636-07:00

(To ensure that your vote is counted, please vote before viewing the results.)Let's make every Congressional race in November a national race. Make Obama Pelosi and Reid fight for every seat. Make them fight for every seat!The poll you see above is one small weapon in our battle.This summer, something beautiful was born in the patriotic blogosphere. Blogger Conscientiously Conservative realized

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-89902406654559902072010-09-11T09:34:00.000-07:002010-09-11T12:23:56.926-07:00

What is Project 2996? Dale Challener Roe explains:On September 11, 2001 almost 3,000 of the world’s citizens were brutally, and publicly, murdered. We all cried, and we all swore that we’d never forget. But a few years later I realized that I knew nothing about those people who were doing nothing more than living their lives. In 2006 I asked other bloggers if they thought it would be a good idea

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-71892741765926266032010-09-11T00:14:00.000-07:002010-09-11T00:35:40.456-07:00

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-81349697924579591342010-09-10T18:48:00.000-07:002010-09-10T19:29:26.053-07:00

Have you ever been to New York City during the summer? It gets hot. Hot. Swampy. You step outside, and the heat radiating off the pavement makes your eyelids start to sweat. The only thing that makes summer in New York City bearable is the miracle of central air conditioning.Felix "Bobby" Calixte was one of the miracle workers who bestowed the gift of cool air to hot, harried New Yorkers.

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-54719372617249152822010-09-10T18:12:00.000-07:002010-09-10T18:29:15.505-07:00

We have a winner in our latest Ten Buck Fridays Poll: Stephen Broden, who is running against Eddie Bernice Johnson in Texas' 30th Congressional District.If the name Eddie Bernice Johnson rings a bell, it's because she's made news lately for handing out Congressional Black Caucus scholarship money to family members. Even Anderson Cooper seems exasperated by her behavior, and when you've lost CNN,

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-14319449675979436642010-09-09T23:07:00.000-07:002010-09-09T23:10:56.527-07:00

Peter Brennan always wanted to be a firefighter.Even as a young man, he had a strong character. In 2006, Angelo Guerrero remembered Peter's boyhood days:I fondly remember coaching you and my son together with your father Vincent at St John's Greek Orthodox Church in Blue Point during your Goya days. Those days I will never forget. I am sure God have you by his side for you were always a good

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-58007407551714396372010-09-09T21:12:00.000-07:002010-09-09T21:15:23.646-07:00

Please allow me to introduce you to Sheila Patricia Barnes.Some of the women in Sheila's family were in friendly competition with each other to see who was the best deal-getter, money-saver, and coupon-clipper. There was nothing miserly about it, just joyful fun. In October 2001, Sheila's daughter, Zulema Barnes-Chung, noticed a great deal on Colgate toothpaste at a local pharmacy, and was

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-64914418689404926472010-09-09T14:12:00.001-07:002010-09-10T23:13:33.294-07:00

Japan is installing vending machines with facial-recognition software,and touch screens instead of passive product displays. As youapproach, the software will estimate your age and gender and offer youa selection of appropriate products. (If you're having a bad dayalready, do you really want a silicon chip deciding you need a dietsoda?)Google Instant is a predictive search engine that offers

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-45324893653324436762010-09-09T11:40:00.001-07:002010-09-09T11:40:05.631-07:00

CNN's Soledad O'Brien has conducted one of the most telling interviewsof the year.During her September 8 interview of the Ground Zero Debris FieldMosque's would-be Imam, Feisal Abdul Rauf, she elicited a quote fromRauf that seems ripped out of a Monty Python episode: "this crisiscould become much bigger than the Danish cartoon crisis."You remember the Danish cartoon crisis, don't you, when the

Lilac Sundayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16642228829337025093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9084054540503100919.post-8822435067911435372010-09-06T20:12:00.000-07:002010-09-06T20:30:33.369-07:00

Barack Obama announced a plan to spend $50 billion on long-term infrastructure projects (e.g., roads, rail lines) in order to revive the economy and create jobs. No word on where the $50 billion will come from, and no comment on the fact that massive infrastructure projects famously failed to lift Japan out of its slump.Meanwhile, Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin has a different plan for

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